Is cooking a craft? Absolutely, undeniably, it is. Although my husband makes dinner most every night (lucky me), I'm cooking more and more now that we have two kids. I've just started making baby food for our 6-month old daughter, and what a cost savings for minimal effort!! Here's a recipe I concocted last weekend for butternut squash soup that will please the whole family--kids included.
You might already be aware of the fact that I live in Minnesota, which is known for turning into a frigid wasteland at least 6 months out of the year. That being said, it is SNOWMAGEDDON 2009 outside right now! Wind, ice, cold, snow...ugh. So let's stay inside and knit, sew, scrapbook...play on our computers...you name it.
As promised in last week's installment, here are even more fun and helpful links for those who love to craft, knit and sew. There's nothing like the all-hours, multi-media convenience of online resources to help you in your crafty pursuits...so here are some additional favorites of mine!
First of all...let me say a big Happy Half-Birthday to my daughter Lucy Belle, who turns 6 months old today! :) :) :)
My shop, Fancybelle Boutique, is looking a mite sparse suddenly! It's actually pretty exciting in a way, because my sale on Baby Belle cloth dolls was so successful over the Thanksgiving/Black Friday/Cyber Monday shop-a-thon.
I'm now old hat at shipping internationally...it's just incredible to think someone in Japan has a set of my ponytail holders!
Please note that I decided to remove my listings for most of my made-to-order handknit items until after the holidays. This is due to my own time constraints through Christmas. I have lots of family gifts to make!! :)
If you are looking for handknit baby legs that are ready to ship, I have three pairs that will be posted later this week. My grandmother, an incredible knitter, prepared these for the shop and added a darling little picot lacy edge to each! So cute.
Also keep an eye out for two roll-up knitting needle cases, designed with 10 pockets for 7" double pointed needles. Ideal for that knitter on your Christmas list. Bigger cases for longer knitting needles are in the works as well, for those of you with many different sizes to accommodate.
Oh, I almost forgot!! Folks have been contacting me about more Baby Belle dolls and I have about 10 ready to sew, so please let me know if there's a particular doll you're interested in. My own daughter is getting a set for Christmas and they really do look adorable peeking out of a Christmas stocking!
Okay, take care and have an awesome week--more project photos and part II of my Crafty Faves is coming up this Wednesday. :)
It's Wednesday again and time to wrap up this past week in crafts! To help you in your crafty pursuits, I've also put together an assortment of my favorite websites to find knitting and sewing patterns. All of these I have bookmarked or know by heart for quick reference! More useful links will be showcased next Wednesday during my second installment, so keep an eye out. :)
First off, let me introduce you to my son's Christmas stocking.
Welcome to my Thanksgiving Week wrap-up! There are so many blessings to be thankful for this year, especially when I look back to last Thanksgiving. Now we are a family of four and have a beautiful baby girl who will be celebrating her very first Thanksgiving with us. :)
Here are some crafty highlights for you to gobble up (har!) before the craziness of Thanksgiving weekend descends on your house!
I'm starting a new weekly feature: the Wednesday Crafty Wrap-up! Just another way to chat about my recent projects and crafty adventures before I forget the details. With two kids, a husband in night class and a day-trip to Wisconsin, it's been a hectic several days around here. I can barely remember what I had for lunch yesterday, much less what happened a week ago. :)
In all the chaos, I managed to
The holidays are fast approaching and I'm hoping to get a few new items stocked in my store before "Black Friday", aka the day after Thanksgiving. For sure I'll have four new pairs of Baby Belle Handknit Baby Legs in pink and purple colors and a new set of Girly Girl Baby Blocks listed in the next week. Also, I plan to make several knit hats in toddler and baby sizes for those chilly winter days ahead.
I'm super excited to announce a new line of items geared to the crafty--knitters and sewers!
I seem to remember hearing back in my days of Catholic school: faith without works is dead. When I heard about the 30 Day Giving Challenge, I felt right away that this opportunity should not be turned down. It was one of those moments when I was alert to God whispering in my ear to pay attention and take action.
My teeny-weeny shop that started from nothing just a couple of months ago has now hit twenty sales!
YIPPEE!!!
I actually need to replenish my inventory on a few things, and that's a great step forward. My new sewing machine will be getting a workout in the coming weeks, but it's definitely up for the challenge. I've been trying it out on a few small trials and it's a revelation. Love it.
Over the next week I'll be working on
I'm so proud to announce that Fancybelle Boutique is also featuring three shades of gorgeous organic yarn for all handknit items--almond, strawberry and khaki. I'm using Nature's Choice all-cotton organic yarn, grown and spun without the use of pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals. Not only is it super soft, the dyes used to color this yarn are certified organic as well!
It was so exciting to have three items sell in my shop over the weekend! My set of 3 baby blocks featuring cars, elephants and birds are off to a new home. :)
I'm excited to participate! Check out the details here.
This month I'm making a commitment to give in some way everyday and write about it here whenever I can. Write down the blessings that come your way each day, too!
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galations 6:9
Let me introduce you to my new baby....
I am getting close to perfecting my new knitting pattern for baby ballet slippers. You see, Lucy Belle is going to be a ballerina for Halloween. She has the tutu already, but what self-respecting ballerina could go without beautiful lace-up toe shoes? So I've made her a pair of the yarn variety. Darling!
Hopefully tomorrow I'll have a listing up for your choice of custom knit ballet booties. Also coming soon...
Just this weekend I'm running a 20% off sale on my Baby Belle dolls! So, if you've had your eye on one, it's a great chance to purchase.
The boys have left for WI and it's just me and Lucy Belle this weekend. I'm excited for some "girl-time" together! :)
Take care and have a fantastic weekend!
What a morning! First, one of our cars got towed. Another annoying thing about living in a larger city. Second, it's raining like crazy outside--booo.
Still, I somehow remembered to post the winner of this month's Facebook fan rewards giveaway! Check it out on the Fancybelle Boutique fan page.
I was excited to see another purchase at my store this morning, this time for the ladies Fusion Swirl ponytail holder. :) Yippee! I'm currently working on 3 pairs of custom knit Baby Belle leggings, each one in pink. Simply gorgeous.
Scored a ton of terrific fabrics at Joann yesterday--I'm hoping to make several half and full aprons to list at Fancybelle Boutique in the coming weeks.
I've decided to offer a special sale price on my Baby Belle cloth dolls next week. I'm thinking perhaps 20% off! I just love making these sweet little dolls and picking out new fabric combinations for each. In fact, there might be a few new dollies to choose from in the very near future!!
In the meantime,
My sweet baby girl, Lucy Belle, playing with her new set of Girly Girl Baby Blocks! Here is the set that is listed in my store: Girly Girl Baby Blocks in Designer Fabrics.
We really went to town playing with Lucy's set of blocks over the weekend. My son Zach kept throwing them at us and saying "think fast", ha! Good thing they are ultra bouncy and soft...so it was kind of like a tiny pillow fight! Even though the blocks are very cuddly and squishy, they retain their square shape surprisingly well. So we can call these baby blocks kid tested, mother approved! :)
Looks like I'm going to be
Sometime next week I hope to run another contest for blog followers and Facebook fans. This time I'll be giving away a cloth doll from my Baby Belle Cloth Doll collection. Excited!!!
I'm also planning on adding a few handknit "babylegs"-style leg warmers to my shop by the end of October. I just finished a prototype pair to try out on Lucy Belle and I think I have my design perfected at this point and ready for the viewing public!
Fancybelle Boutique is now featured on Handmade Highway, an awesome directory of handcrafters that I'm really excited about.
Check out our post here!
Handmade Highway is a living, dynamic directory of handmade sellers giving users 1-click access to handmade shops, products, pictures, location, seller contact info, and availability. A totally terrific resource for people that enjoy buying unique handcrafted merchandise!
These have been a long time coming. I started them a month ago and just couldn't bring myself to sew all of those hidden closing seams until today. So glad I did--they look fabulous!
I just listed one set of 3 baby blocks featuring petite jingle bells on the inside, for a light twinkling noise when shaken. There is one more set that I'll be listing later this month without jingle bells, but I assure you...I'm annoyed easily by noisy toys and these are not too loud, not too soft--just right!
The blocks are made in a combination of popular designer fabrics, and although I made 3 sets in total (another jingle bell set for my own daughter Lucy Belle), no two sets are exactly alike. A perfect, one-of-a-kind gift idea for the next baby shower you're invited to!
Although I'm still perfecting my design for this item, I hoping to offer a few wrist pin cushions for sale at Fancybelle Boutique in the coming weeks. Looks like my spinal fusion surgery is on hold until the end of the month so I'll have a bit more time to concentrate on fun projects!
You can see a little peek of the jumble that is my workstation in the above photos...I didn't feel like straightening up! I do all of my work on an old library table desk that is totally piled full of sewing notions, project pieces and even a folio of scrapbooking items.
Today I got closer to finishing a sewing machine cover for my trusty sidekick, my Grandma Lucy's Riccar sewing machine. I'm experimenting with some zig-zag stitching on the storage pockets...I think it's going to be super cute!
Next up at my store: Amy Butler girly-girl baby blocks and a listing for Baby Belle custom handknit baby and toddler leg warmers. Some listings on Etsy for "babylegs" are just ladies knee-high socks with the foot cut off. Since I always feature custom items of my own design, my shop could offer no less than the same for babylegs!
Later this week I'm expecting to receive a pattern for toddler training pants that I'm more than a little excited about! My son Zach is 2 years old and about 75% of the way towards being potty trained. Some days we run through an ungodly amount of pull-ups, so I'm thrilled to eventually own a non-disposable yet waterproof option.
So excited that my little unicorn horse baby toy and a slim reversible car seat handle cushion have both sold recently! I had so much fun making both and I'm happy to send them on to new homes. :)
I'm offering free shipping on all car seat handle cushion through October 23rd. Please take advantage if you are interested. I also have free shipping on my baby blocks right now, and hope to add my Amy Butler girly-girl baby blocks to my store this week!
Wish me luck, I'm thinking ahead to Halloween and about to start my first baby tutu!
Yes, Lucy Belle, my 4-month old daughter, is going to be a baby ballerina...decked out in layers of pink tulle--hot pink, medium pink and light pink. All tied around a fuschia grosgrain ribbon.
At least, I think I bought some ribbon. It's hard to remember in the haze that descends over me when I'm at Joann Fabrics (my fave store) clutching a 40% coupon in one hand and a scribbled list that's invariably missing one semi-important item in the other.
Anyway, the Amy Butler baby blocks are on hold temporarily so I can satisfy the tutu urge...but the 3 sets I'm making are at least 90% complete anyway and I'm hoping to get them listed by the weekend. :)
I've got the fabric cut and ready to sew for a set of girly baby blocks....in Amy Butler's Midwest Modern fabric. Just gorgeous and ultra-pretty! I can't wait to finish these. :)
The accent fabric will be Michael Miller's Dumb Dot in cocoa...a dark brown fabric with light pink polka dots. Love it!! Lucy Belle and I might have to keep a set for ourselves.
Fancybelle Boutique has a new collection of Belle Baby Doll cloth dolls for babies and girls
I'm just so excited to have my Emma Belle doll featured on Gold Crest Bags recent blog post: A Doll Guide--For Every Pocket!
I want to thank Miriam of Gold Coast Bags for including one of my new dolls on their lovely post!
Each old-fashioned cloth doll is made from retro paperdoll fabric by Sherri Marquez and meant to be played with and given a lot of love by a very special little girl! Just the right size to be carried anywhere, tucked into pockets or tossed into any sized diaper bag.
Check out my store for details and more photos!
I made the jump to Twitter, and I have to say...it's kinda exciting! You can follow me at twitter.com/fancy_belle. I hope you can join me. :)
Coming this weekend to Fancybelle Boutique...
Three types of infant carrier handle arm cushions...you can chose from light, medium and plush thickness...boy or girl patterns.
Seven new cloth dolls...so sweet and just the right size for little hands to hold and love!
New handcrafted items to be available on fancybelleboutique.etsy.com by 9/25/09!
The extra-plush Groovy Guitar infant carrier handle cushion---made from designer Michael Miller's Groovy Guitar & Dumb Dot fabrics,with blue grosgrain ribbon fasteners
Totally reversible!
My baby model, Miss Lucy Belle, shows off one of my latest products!
The medium-plush Dandy Damask infant carrier handle cushion---made from designer Michael Miller's Dandy Damask fabric in black,with white grosgrain ribbon fasteners
The reverse side:
Lucy Belle's new cloth doll...such a sweet vintage-style plaything for little girls! This is just an example of 6 other cloth dolls on their way to fancybelleboutique.etsy.com
I just finished a set of sweet little cloth dolls made from fabric printed with old fashioned 1930's-style paperdolls, as shown above. My own Lucy Belle loves the dolly I picked out for her...just the right size for tiny hands to hold and love! Each doll is stuffed with premium extra-soft poly-fil and backed with cotton, flannel or fleece fabric. Perfect stocking stuffers for your own girly-girl!
Six unique cloth dolls will be available for sale at Fancybelle Boutique's Etsy store by the end of this week. Please check them out! :)
Fancybelle Boutique now has enough fans on Facebook to register a username, so if you're a fan of my shop, please let your friends know how they can be fans too! Just go to facebook.com/fancybelleboutique to sign up. Thanks!!!
Thanks again to debby444 for being Fancybelle Boutique's first Etsy sale!! What a rush...I couldn't be more excited and I can't wait to send her the awesome items she ordered!
Store news:
I've just made a bunch of new button ponytail holders in an assortment of gorgeous fall colors. They should be posted for sale by the end of this weekend.
Also, several new infant carrier handle cushions will be available for sale by Monday. One features blue and aqua guitars on a black background, another is in a beautiful black and white damask pattern...and the rest, well I haven't decided yet! There are so many amazing designer fabrics out there, it's hard to choose. But I want you know that I'm 100% dedicated to offering a mix of gender neutral designs as well as items geared specific to boys or girls.
Over the weekend I just listed several new button ponytail holders made from designer fabric and a sweet little stuffed unicorn toy with a grosgrain ribbon mane. Here are a few photos!
These button hair ties are an affordable and easy way to add a lot of style to a simple ponytail or braid.
Prices range from $2.75-$4.00. An affordable way to indulge your sense of style.
Today I'm posting on Etsy a few of my sweet little creations from my baby hat collection! Take a look, and I hope you enjoy them. All of them can be customized with different colors or special yarn, just let me know. I love making new things. My handcrafted items make really special, one-of-a-kind baby shower gifts...no one is going to show up to the party with the same gift as you!
Coming soon...I hope to post some arm cushions for infant car seat carrier handles. I couldn't live without mine. Well, that might be a bit of an overstatement, but this is one of those items that you don't realize you need until get it and use it yourself.
I've been using mine for 3 months and no more hard plastic digging into my arm when I carry my baby around in her car seat. And Lucy Belle has something fun and colorful to look at as well! Ours in Alexander Henry pink kleo fabric and I'll be listing several in a variety of designer fabrics for both girls and boys.
Also coming soon...an adorable stuffed unicorn horsey with a ribbon mane, available in designer fabrics. Perfect for little and big kids alike!
Welcome to Fancybelle.com!
This site will display handcrafted items for babies, children and their mommies that will be available soon at fancybelleboutique.etsy.com.
I make car seat carrier handle cushions, strap wraps, knit hats and toys for girls and boys. I'm learning how to make fabric blocks, baby Bjorn covers and fabric hair accessories. My own two children have inspired these creations. In fact, this store is named after my precious and lively infant daughter, Lucy Belle! But I won't forget about the boys in your life. Being a mom to a 2 year old son that is "all boy", I know the importance of quality products that can withstand plenty of washings.
The majority of the profits of Fancybelle Boutique will help supplement my family's income as I transition to being a stay-at-home mom. Please come back and check my site often to see new products that will be added. Thank you so much for visiting!
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