Dear readers, would you please vote for me in the UncommonGoods product design competition on Facebook? It will take no more than 2 minutes with the instructions below.

All you need to do is (1) Become a Fan of UncommonGoods on Facebook and (2) click “Like” on the Chalkboard Pillows photo album. The product with the most “Like” tally wins. Voting ends EOD Sunday March 14th.

I’m a finalist, and the winner will get a trip to NY to meet with UncommonGoods to discuss being part of their whimsical product line. I’m dying to win and I need to amass hundreds of votes before EOD Sunday, March 14.

So Facebook users, please take a moment to contribute to the karma pool and vote for me. Pass it on!

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Detailed Voting Instructions:

To vote you must have a Facebook account. If you don’t have one, please pass this along to friends and family who do.

1. Go to http://www.facebook.com/uniquegifts

2. Click the “Become a Fan” button (you will need to log in to your Facebook account)

3. Go to the Chalkboard Pillows photo album at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=153343&id=44340057816

4. Click “Like”

5. Please pass along to your spouses, family, friends, coworkers. Even one or two people voting along with you will help tremendously!

(NOTE: Later if you’d like to stop being a fan of UncommonGoods you can do so, just please do it after March 16th when the contest is over. Thanks!)

My baby Elise is four months old now. She can hold her toys in both hands and sit up assisted. I think this big girl is ready for some colorful jingly oversized 5″ x 5″ baby blocks!

I am really loving the colors that I chose …which sort of was a fluke. I just went through my fabric stash, cut squares and grouped them afterward. And well I think even my graphic designer friends would approve :)

Block 1 – Fresh: Three shades of blue, one shade of green, with yellow and gold on the ends

Block 2 – Warmth: Light pink, hot pink, burgundy and red with tan and black on the ends

Want to make your own? :)

Step-by-step tutorial instructions and supplies for the baby stacking blocks after the jump –>

Continue reading “Colorful fabric baby stacking blocks” »

At the risk of dating myself my sisters and I used to play with embossed label makers when we were kids. With the new “improved” models and computers that came out in the 90s, manual embossing label makers all but disappeared from use.

I saw this Dymo retro embossing label maker while walking through the crafts department at Wal*Mart. I just had to have it, not quite sure at the time what I’d do with it.

Recently I put it to use when writing thank you notes for Elise’s baby gifts. I love how they turned out, such a simple yet personal sentiment with a cheeky, throwback edge.

Step-by-step tutorial and supplies for the retro embossed thank yous after the jump –>>>

Continue reading “Retro Embossed Label Maker Thank Yous” »

Hearts is the theme of two easy Valentine’s Day gifts perfect for spoiling the sweet toddler and tween girls in your life.

First is a teeny pouch bracelet perfect for storing candies or tiny love notes.

You can make it with either heart-shaped velcro and button closures.

Next is a cute and simple mini-purse…

Like the bracelet the flap is actually a heart! Here it is shown open and turned over…

…and here it is open…

This is an easy and quick Valentine’s Day project.

Step-by-step tutorial and supplies list for the Valentine’s Day heart bracelet and mini-purse after the jump –>>>

Continue reading “Valentine’s Day Felt Heart Pocket Bracelet and Mini-Purse for Kids” »

My friend Amy and I met in the second grade on the DeVaney school playground. She was the new kid and I asked if she wanted to jump rope. We’ve been friends ever since. Last weekend I was giddy to stand up as a bridesmaid in Amy’s Greenwich Village wedding to Jeff Hock. I needed to gift wrap a USB drive filled with music that I bought them to enjoy on their honeymoon flight to South Africa. And I needed to take the wrapped box through airport scanners.

Years ago I bought a vintage kissing couple pendant at a Manhattan summertime flea market. I wore the sweet thing ad nauseum, which you can see here in this summer cider and berry smoothie post that includes this photo of me fawning over Stephanie and Dale at the Green City Market. But then the clasp on my pendant broke …and I was heartbroken. Since then I’ve kept my broken pendant in a ceramic bowl on my dresser. Then it occurred to me to give it a new life by scanning and enlarging it to make this romantic package decoration.

WANNA MAKE IT? Get the full supplies list and step-by-step tutorial for the kissing couple >>>

Continue reading “Vintage-inspired Kissing Couple Box Wrapping” »