A Child’s Imagination

Posted on May 3, 2013 by sassmuffins

Tepee and Tent

How creative is this? Not your average teepee here, this one from Tepee and Tent is quite the girly number! Layers of peach, pale pink, and almond colored ruffles form the sides of this lush tent, which has the sweetest peach polka dot fabric on the top half. Perfect for playtime or some really fun photography sessions!

This all-girls tent made by Bubbaloubands in Ontario, Canada measures just under 4 feet wide and long and measures approximately 36 inches from the ground to the inside peak. It is perfectly sized for children under 6 and can typically accommodate between 2-3 children. Tents are available for both boys and girls. It is of course very portable and quickly sets up indoors, or can be taken outside for even more make-believe fun!

Little Goodall

I just love, love, love the childrens’ coats made by Little Goodall in McKinney, Texas! This little fox coat has always been a favorite. I mean, what child would not want to slip on one of these precious coats and take a walk in the wild woods! And check out that fluffy tail! This coat is made of eco-felt, made from 100% post-consumer plastic bottles. This Little Goodall original design features foxy “claws”, a fox face hood, two slip pockets for warming foxy paws, and a fuzzy yarn fox tail.

The interior of this beautiful coat is fully lined with a fun cotton print and closes down the front with three vintage buttons. Sleeves are lined with brown poly lining fabric to slip easily on and off over clothing. The coats are designed by Molly, who holds a BFA in Fashion Design, and is a featured Etsy seller. All coats are custom made in different sizes for both boys and girls, and are dry clean only.

Miss Pretty Pretty

Take a look at this pirate card table playhouse by Etsy seller Miss Pretty Pretty! Julie in Wisconsin makes these in custom sizes to accommodate different table sizes; instantly turns any card table into an imaginative playhouse. They are all completely handmade from wrinkle free eco-felt and are designed to be heirloom toys. All items used in these playhouses and toys are certified completely child safe for all ages. No small parts, no paint, no glue or vinyl! The felt used in these playhouses is produced from 100% post consumer plastic bottles, manufactured in the USA.

Each unique playhouse is created, drawn, traced and lovingly cut by hand. There are no pre-made die cuts and no store bought appliques, which in our fast-paced world is simply amazing! Recently the “Little Red Playhouse” was featured on a “Cool Stuff for Kids” segment on the Today Show.

If you like, there is also an option to make your own version of these award winning card table playhouses by purchasing the Card Table Playhouse Pattern. This pattern will teach you how to make the popular Little Red Playhouse that was seen on the Today Show, and Julie even promises to help you every step of the way through emails or Etsy conversations. She’s making me think again about offering my own patterns up for those who like to create at home.

If you use Facebook, you can “like” her Facebook fan page to receive all of her shop announcements and fun postings of great projects and activities that inspire imaginations in young children and families at www.facebook.com/MyFirstPlayhouse.

Luck of the Irish

Posted on March 1, 2013 by sassmuffins

It’s been several weeks since I posted an article for Etsy Friday, but I am seeing green and ready for St. Patrick’s Day!

Dog Treats

Check out these luscious all natural green dog treats from Pos Bag of Bones Bakery in New York. They are just perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. So keep the green beer for yourself and let you dog have some of these! Each classic chicken bone is decorated with organic yogurt chip icing and sugar free sprinkles. You can even have your dog’s name added to the bones!

Two medium sized (3.5″) bones and two shamrocks (3.5″) will be wrapped and shipped to your pup like a gift. Please keep in mind that all Saint Patrick’s Day orders must be received by March 11 to ensure that they arrive in time for the holiday.

All treats are baked to order from Pos Bag of Bones Bakery. Original recipes have been taste tested by owner Lauren’s two pugs. They are all made with natural and organic ingredients; no preservatives or artificial flavoring are ever used in any of their products.

Leather Collar

This exquisite couture large leather dog collar is by Argos Collars. The natural beauty of premium Italian leather, with a little green bling in the stone studs! Absolutely perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any day! The leather is specially treated with oils to maintain its good looks both outdoors and indoors. Suede liners are also available for this collar. All hardware is made of stainless steel and stitched together with heavy duty nylon.

Shop owner, maker, and designer Dado states that “the idea was to make a product worthy of the stamp ‘Made in the USA’. I wanted to design collars that stood out and made people turn heads. All my designs feature 5 vibrant colors that are Feng Shui elements such as Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. I am very passionate about my product and I love to see when people and their pets enjoy what i have created.” His dog Benji inspired these wonderful products made in Los Angeles, California.

Dog Bowl

Oh the inspiration continues! This lovely ceramic dog bowl is made by Lauren of Lauren Bausch Original in Macon, Georgia. Once again so pretty in green, this wheel thrown medium sized stoneware bowl will keep your canine pal happy at feeding time, and will keep you smiling every time you see it. Signed Lauren Bausch on the bottom. Oh yeah, and there is a bowl on her Etsy site just for kitties, too!

Lauren used a speckled brown stoneware clay and added the “Woof” bone to create this uniquely designed food bowl. It is food safe, microwave, and dishwasher friendly. Be sure to check out Lauren’s many other pottery designs, and her blog.

Feathered Friends

Posted on February 1, 2013 by sassmuffins

Sculptural Bird Feeder

Art. Sculpture. Bird feeder. All in one! This hand crafted, beautifully intricate sculpture by Missouri artist Joe Papendick is welded from steel & copper and stands approximately 6′ tall. An “I-beam” shaped base on the bird feeder is securely welded to the upright support, and allows for placement 8-10″ deep into the ground. A stainless steel screen keeps the bird seed dry and will never rust through. A lovely verdigris copper hood gives some protection from rain, wind, and sun, and is as beautiful as the birds that will feed beneath it. I love the fine intertwining metal “branches”, and can imagine that this piece would indeed be very difficult for any bird to resist, as it will provide both a feast and a welcoming refuge.

All new work currently in progress can be seen on Joe’s blog. In addition to lovely pieces such as this that deftly imitate nature, Joe has some wonderful contemporary designs, including one which was featured in the April 2011 issue of Martha Stewart Living. His earlier work was featured on the HGTV series “I Want That” back in 2006. He is also a featured Etsy seller.

Watercolor Parakeet

This precious little watercolor piece is from Welsh artist Alison Fennell’s Etsy shop Eastwitching. This 8×010 inch print is of Bertie. Alison states that he is “a real busybody and loves a cup of tea. I had fun painting his plump little body in some of my fave shades of turquoise, lime green and aqua.” Watercolors have always been a favorite medium of mine; I just love the light and translucent quality they bring to an art piece. Be sure to check out Alison’s “About” page in Etsy, to follow her interesting story about her life and art. Looking for more whimsical animals? She has many, many to choose from, so have fun browsing!

The high resolution and quality of these prints on archival authentic Epson Radiant White paper makes them almost impossible to tell apart from an original. They are packaged in a clear cello sleeve (including certificate of authenticity) with a piece of rigid cardboard for stability, then placed in a sealed waterproof plastic mailer for complete shipping protection.

Bird, Birdcage, and Tree Wall Decals

Even if you don’t have your own garden, you can have one now with these contemporary wall murals by Estsy shop Cuma. Created with the very best vinyl decal material, these look super easy to put on the walls of your home, and are easy to remove should you want to change the decor of the room at a later date. Decals won’t damage the paint but cannot be reused. All the wonderful designs on the site are made by Cuma, can be custom made to different sizes upon request, and are offered in a wide range of colors. Be sure to see all the offerings on the Etsy site with examples of the decals used in different type room settings including nurseries, childrens’ playrooms, offices, dining rooms, and bedrooms. The decals offer a quick and easy way to change the entire look of a room, or conversely, you could quite literally build your room around them!

Pet Valentine

Posted on January 25, 2013 by sassmuffins

Valentine Beanie

Isn’t this the most adorable Pomeranian photo you’ve ever seen? The valentine beanie hat adorning it’s head is by Eternal Light Shop is just too precious for words! The hat ties under the dog’s chin and obviously makes for some great photo opportunities. The owner Priscilla uses the best quality 100% acrylic yarn and can customize the hat in different colors and sizes. She has been crocheting since she was 12 years old, and puts a lot of love into each piece she makes!

Heart Collar

Cute, cute heart collar for your beloved dog is by Etsy seller BowWow Store. Definitely both paws up for this one! Custom made in various sizes, this collar features a quick release side accent buckle, wide mouth nylon slip lock buckle and a heavy weight nickel plated D-ring to attach to your pets leash. The collar is sewn on a industrial sewing machine using the strongest thread available. A matching leash in available for some collars. BowWow Store has been selling collars and other pet products at dog shows and craft fairs in the northeast for the past 10 years.

“Be Mine” Dog Tag

Happy Valentines Day!! Great “Be Mine” metal dog tag by Woo Woo Workshop should get your pooch plenty of love! The “Juliet” Woo Woo Tag™ is the shop’s newest design with triple layered metal. Made of a soldered nickel silver heart onto a scalloped copper plate with two layers of lightweight aluminum, the design just begs to be touched. The tag has an aluminum contact backer with space for adding pet name and contact information. Be sure to visit both Melissa’s Etsy site and her beautiful blog to see all of her unique handmade designs.

The tag is ready for wear right out of the package, and is sealed with clear polyurethane for protection. Woo Woo Workshop guarantees that your pet will have the coolest tag on the block. Love is in the air!

A Big Woof!

Posted on January 18, 2013 by sassmuffins

It’s Etsy Friday and I’ve got some really great dog finds!

Border Collie Artwork

First is some fantastic original graphic artwork by Etsy seller Gemini Studio. Artist Stephen Fowler creates giclee prints of his original illustrations on archival matte finish paper. This particular print is 12″x12″, but custom and larger sizes are available upon request. It is a hand signed and numbered print.

Stephen professes a “fascination with big graphic artwork, vintage/urban design, and advertising posters”. Although Gemini Studio began as a handmade greeting card company, it now includes a variety of media including graphic design, photography and illustration. Themes include Cats & Dogs, typography, Chicago themes, Food & Drink, and other beautiful designs. Also be sure to check out Stephen’s website at geministudioart.com. Inspiring! Although his art must look just fabulous on big loft walls, I’ve no doubt it will look just as nice in your home or office (or both)!

Engraved Buckle Dog Collars

Need a colorful personalized dog collar for your pet? Or an engraved buckle on that collar? Check out these great pieces by Shop Mimi Green! What a fantastic idea to combine the info normally found on your dog’s tag right onto the collar’s buckle. Your pooch will be styling and safe! Buckles are made of a hybrid metal/plastic and are lightweight. Washable designer fabrics stitched to tough nylon webbing make the collars both durable and easily cleaned.

This classic cotton collar comes in 5 sizes and 2 widths. No matter if you have a Great Dane or a tiny Chihuahua, a laminated cotton collar by Shop Mimi Green will fit your dog just right, be super strong and match your dog’s cool style! Be sure to check out their collars in bridal leather (3 colors) and many wonderful shades of the softest velvet.

Dog Placemat

Bring on the messy dinner! These great oil cloth and chalkboard placemats by Diggity Dawg Designs make cleanup a breeze. The one shown in the photo has a lovely turqoise dot border design, and comes with a single white piece of chalk in it’s own coordinated carrying case.

Personalize with your pet’s name or your own endearing words or design. Free your imagination and get creative! I love items that are beautifully and simply designed, yet serve a very practical purpose. These oil cloth and chalk mats score on both counts. They can be used on any flooring, and are easily cleaned by wiping with a wet sponge or damp towel. Then just air dry and you are ready to go again!

Chalk Mats measure approx. 12″ x 19″ and fit standard size pet food and water bowls. There’s room for two bowls on each mat. Each comes packaged with a custom hang tag which makes them ready for gift giving. When on the Diggity Dawg site, but sure to also check out her toy hampers and cute toys for dogs.

Dog Pillow

Val’s Art Studio makes some truly detailed and beautiful felted design pillows. I just love this one with the little terrier. So cute! Val needle felts a “painting” out of wool roving onto recycled, felted sweater fabric. Then she uses ribbon and trims on the pillow sides, and a coordinated print fabric for the pillow back. Pillows are stuffed with an organic cotton/bamboo, eco-friendly non allergic batting. These are personalized by using a photo of your favorite pet, and then turned into either a pillow as you see here or a wall hanging. Each is a true endeavor of love!

The measurements are approximately 9 x 11″ – 11 x 12″. These are “art” pillows and meant for gentle/decorative use only, and can be created in either the box style design or with a ruffled trim. Let Val know if you have a color preference and she will work with your color palette, keeping in mind that recycled sweaters are used as the base for each of these one-of-a-kind pillows. Also, if you want, your pet’s name can be added to the design for an additional $25.00.

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