{ Coming Soon! }

Pssssttttt......The Kunklebaby Organic Collection is currently in the works. I am very excited to start offering organic choices. The fabric is so soft and luxurious. For my loyal blog followers, a little extra tidbit of information: the organic collection will feature my own handprinted designs. So each piece is a one of a kind creation. I am working hard to unveil several pieces at the same time.

I have been dreaming of incorporating my artwork into Kunklebaby and the Organic Collection is the first step. In 2009, I am hoping to offer some printed work also. My first love was painting. I miss the days of creating late into the evening...and sometimes morning. With my growing family, time to paint has become smaller and smaller. I have so many pieces in my head, just needing to be created and shared with the world.

With a few home renovations we have in the works, I will be getting an actual studio space-just for me!! I'm hoping this allows me to work a bit more in my favorite medium. I hope to be decorating nurseries from textile to the walls.

{ Tiny Canary was a Success }

Thanks to everyone who came out to see us at the Tiny Canary show last weekend. We had a great time! Met some cool crafters and artists, chatted with tons of awesome customers and sold some stuff in between.

We had a new display for the nursing pads and it was a hit. So many people asked about them. Our fun, turkey boob pads even have a new home...they were the hit of the weekend! I had many requests for the labels that read "boob pads" vs the boring "nursing pad set. I think I see a change in the future. Everything we had labelled with "boob pads" sold out at our last two shows.

It was a great show that I hope we can do next year! A special thanks to my mother in law who came into town just to help me out on Saturday.

{ Etsybaby Holiday Sale }

Kunklebaby is included in this sale!
FREE shipping with purchase of any 3 bibs. Plus listings showing the Etsybaby Holiday graphic will receive a FREE gift with purchase.

To redeem:
Please add "Etsybaby Holiday" in notes to seller. Shipping will be refunded through paypal before your order ships.

Additional special to my great blog readers:
Add "EB Blog Sale" in notes to seller and receive Free Christmas gift tags with ANY purchase.

Start your Christmas shopping now!

{ Etsy Columbus Team Giveaway }

Some of my friends are participating in a giveaway. Yay-free stuff! Check it out:

Etsy Team Columbus is excited to announce our first Virtual Giveaway! In preparation for the holiday season we have decided to giveaway $10 gift certificates from each of the following Street Team members shops!

Please check the team blog for the list of shops.

{ Featured Seller: Caramel Jubilee }

-Tell us about your shop:

I have a quaint little caramel shop on etsy called Caramel Jubilee. As you probably guessed--I sell caramels. I currently have five flavors: vanilla, chocolate, pomegranate, black licorice, and pumpkin pie. I'm commited to creating delicious, high-quality caramels. The recipes are all my own creations and they've been very well-recieved here in the etsy community. The caramels are cooked and wrapped entirely by hand.

-How did you get started?

I've been cooking since I was very young, but only recently started making candy. Last spring I was browsing online for a new challenging recipes (I love a good challenge in the kitchen!) and came across a caramel one that seemed to fit the bill. Although I don't use that recipe for my shop, it was the beginning of a wonderful discovery which eventually lead me to opening my own candy store on etsy.

-Where does your shop name come from?

I've been successfully selling on etsy under the name earcmra, but then recently decided I needed a more memorable name. I thought about it for several weeks, and then one day just thought up Caramel Jubilee. It describes my wish that these caramels will be celebrated and bring friends closer together as they enjoy them.

-Advice for other artist?

Do something you love and do it well. I thoroughly enjoy what I do and I hope others can pick up on that when they meet me. I always like talking with people who are passionate about their work, whatever it may be.

-Favorite or best selling product?

My best selling product is the pomegranate caramels. I really enjoy them too because the pomegranate juice gives them a bit of tart tang which is delightful and a bit unexpected.

If you want some yummy treats visit-Caramel Jubilee's Shop

{Under the Big Top}

The circus is in town...just kidding. We threw a circus themed party and needed some yummy circus cakes...mmmmm! These fun & easy elephant cake toppers were the perfect fit for the cupcakes. Super easy and add a fun element.

1. Start by punching out circles with paper punch. We used 2" circles. You need 2 circles for each cupcake.
2. Handstamp with a plain craft stamp each piece with whatever image matches your theme. The extra craft can carve their own stamps too.
3. Take 2 circles, add a toothpick in between and glue them together plain old Elmer's Glue.
4. Hold for a few seconds to let the glue set.
5. Stick the toothpicks into the frosted cupcakes...and your DONE! Cute, fast and easy to match any theme.

These would be really fun for the upcoming holidays. Cute Merry Christmas, or Turkey images. A fun rainy day project with the kids too. They could draw their own images and color them with paint, crayons or markers.

And you can' t have a circus without the clowns! We used suckers to create a bouquet of balloons and to create a 3-d nose.

{ Tiny Canary }

Kunklebaby will be showing at this year's Tiny Canary. YAY! We are really excited to have made the cut. It will be a really fun show! I can't wait to get some Christmas shopping done too-handmade for the holiday's.

Please join us at Junctionview Studio's Nove 15-16. First 100 people each day are getting a FREE swag bag from featured sellers. Stop by my booth also, as I'll be passing out FREE goodybags including cool Etsy sellers from all across the USA and beyond.

More info can be found here, with a listing of vendors: Tiny Canary

{ Pumpkin Patch }

One of our favorites things to do in October is go to the Pumpkin Patch. The kids have such a great time choosing the perfect one...or 10. Since it's all you can carry, they load up Dad's arms with way more than he could ever hold.

A few years a go, we left with all but one, GREEN pumpkins. The kids decided they were the best one's and had to have them. It looked like we carved watermelons that year!


This year, orange was the desired color and they scouted out the far ends of the field. {M} liked the 1/2 orange and 1/2 green pumpkins, but they had to be small with no moldy spots. {D} was looking for a teeny tiny pumpkin for his little brother. It was so sweet. He thought he found it quite a few times, but all the small one's seemed to have soft spots, so they were no good.

This is {L}'s first Fall, so his first time joining us in the family tradition. He really liked the fields, but wanted to eat the anything he could get his hands on. We found him with a vine in his mouth more than once-lol.


My husband is the best! He isn't really into "holiday's"{he married the wrong girl} but makes them fun for all of us. He goes along with all the parties I want to throw, decorations and travelling. He's a great man & father. This October will be our twelfth year together and fourth wedding anniversary. It still seems like yesterday I was meeting him for the first time.

{Cupcakes!}

Fall is here...already. It seems like it happened by surprise this year. Usually I am so happy for it to arrive, I find myself waiting. I don't know if it because of the baby or what, but I feel like I missed summer this year. It went by in an all too quick blur.

Already the leaves are falling, we've had quite a few brick days and we have pumpkins on the porch. To celebrate the arrival of Autumn, the kids baked cupcakes with their grandmother. She brought over a huge goodie bag of candycorn, sprinkles, frosting, candles and peppermint flakes.

{D} & {M} went crazy decorating. I thought every tooth in my head might instantly fall out after taking the first bite of my specially decorated cupcake. They had so much fun and I just had to share a few of their creations...the dentist should expect a visit shortly.

{ the storm }

We were hit with a big windstorm this week-blah! We spent Sunday-Wednesday with no electricity. We were lucky to have gotten away with only scratched & dented cars, a few crushed tomato plants and A LOT of clean up. Our poor neighbor had a tree fall and crush a hole in their roof. Trees were uprooted and downed power lines were everywhere. We sadly had to throw away all of our perishable foods. There was no where to find ice as all the business who still had power sold out immediately.

The first day(Monday) was very frustrating. The kids wanted to watch tv...and have lights. They were a little bored and didn't really understand what was going on. We spent the day cleaning the tree branches and debris from the yard. I was stressed about all the food and we drove around for 2 hours in search of ice-no luck. I was not looking forward to another evening without night lights and the kids coming out of their bedrooms 100 times due to be scared. Luckily, my mother in law was in town and staying at a hotel with power! We took a trip up to see her and went out to dinner. The stress of the day melted away quite a bit.

The second day went much better. I had gotten over the "food issue". We tossed everything and moved one. The news was saying Thursday at the earliest for power, so we were getting ready for a few days. I had the most wonderful relaxing day with my children. No emails to check, sewing could not be done and available cleaning was at a minimum. I spent the morning snuggling on the couch and just...being. It was absolutely refreshing! I had no guilt about the cleaning, or working on items for Kunklebaby.

We were so desperate for the electricity to come back, and when it finally did I felt a little sad. It was such a nice break from the daily hustle & bustle. I spent more quality time with the kids than I have in awhile. I felt happy & rested. I was going to bed early, as I could not work in the dark, my sewing machine and Internet were worthless. I read an entire book-with candlight. Our dogs got a much needed grooming. My husband and I actually got to sit and talk to each other.

While I am happy to no longer be in the dark, the storm did teach me a lesson. I need to forget about everything every so often and just "be". I really took a look at my life and saw how unimportant some of the things I do to fill my time are. I'm looking forward to a few "power free" days with the kids every week now. Just spending time hanging out and seeing where the day takes us. We used to do this so often before I started Kunklebaby.

So the calamity actually helped me "see the light".

{ Green }

The past year we have really made a huge effort to green-up our lifestyles. I'm really proud at how far we have come in such a short amount of time! While we are by no means perfect, I feel that every one thing we can do matters. I was so proud of my son when I found him lecturing his grandfather about not recycling. He was telling him what he can recycle and wanted to know why he wants to kill the Earth-lol. My son was so bothered by his non-Eco ways that he tried to bring his recyclable garbage home with us-a 2 hour drive. My little environmentalist!

• We make our own earth friendly laundry detergent(which works awesome!)
• 75% organic diet at this point
• Cloth Shopping Bags
• Cut our trash out put by about 65% by recycling everything possible
• Upcycling fabrics into new clothing for my children
• Breastfeeding-& cloth nursing pads
• No BPA, Paraben, GMO items as much as possible
• Vegetarian family
• Have a huge garden this summer, including the yummy tomato's above
• Buy local! We visit the local farmers market every Saturday. There is a lovely organic farmer we buy from there.
• Buy in Bulk whenever possible to avoid excessive packaging-gotta love Wholefoods
• Cloth Napkins
• Reusing glass jars and anything else we can find a use for.
• Reduce-Reuse-and then-Recycle

Every little bit helps! I want to save as much of the planet as I possibly can for my children, grandchildren and beyond. If each of us makes knowledgeable, Eco-friendly choices we can change the world. While many of these items do cost more, I don't put a price on my families health. Battling cancer or diseases caused by the pollutants and food themselves is costly in the future. I would rather put that money towards prevention.

We have made sacrifices to help finance the extra costs associated with organic and all natural. All the things we had to cut out were no good for us anyways-processed food, snacks, sugar cereal, etc. We have maintained a healthy, organic diet on the same income we were using to eat before...which as a family of five, means a lot of food. Growing our own food in the summer really helps to supplement too-and it's so easy!

{Craftin Outlaws}

Craftin Outlaws was great this year! Tons of wonderful indie work and lots of friendly customers. I was so happy to be seated with my EtsyColumbus friends Miss Megan Mac, Maram and Jewels of Luxury.
The new location at Boma was great for the much needed extra space. Everyone was inside and there were clear walkways. I had never been to Boma and love the cool old stained glass windows there-fun!
We had shuttle {L} back and forth for feedings, but even that wasn't a big deal. He was happy to be at the show and people love playing with babies. He was the official Kunklebaby spokesperson for the day.
Everyone was really excited about the Etsy giveaway bags I put together. It took some extra time, but I think I will try to do them for the next show too. Hopefully it helps some new people find Etsy and the great sellers who sent in promo's and samples.

Moo Cards, Promo's and More

I have spend the last few weeks working like crazy(that's why there have been no new blog posts-sorry).

I have been putting together promo packs and sending them out to anyone who's willing to pass them along (thanks guys!). I think I have put together just under 400 in the past month.

My new business cards are here, yay, just in time for Craftin Outlaws. I LOVE my fresh, new logo & look! I've been working with a graphic designer friend on the new look of my brand. She did a wonderful job, and I'm thrilled at the results.

My mini-moo's arrived also. I so love moo cards. They are just too cute. I love the ability to get so many different images and the quality is awesome. Other artisans are always excited when you hand them a moo card.

I'm planning on branching out the Kunklebaby line to include my artwork. I think some Moo cards showing work from my portolio will be in order before the big launch.

{ Spout }

I just love this little whale clip. The shade of blue goes so well with {m}' s complexion. The little thread spout is the perfect touch! Cute, cute cute!
{M} is forever brushing her hair out of her eyes. I'm always on the lookout for cute, original designs.

Want your own clip. Visit PammyDawn on Etsy.
Lots of other fun little creatures to be had-adorable & affordable.

{ Little Animals }

LOVE LOVE LOVE theses fun winter hats. {L} is the black sheep of the family(not really) and {M} is in a little piggie cap. I saw these last month, yes in the middle of summer, and had to have them! We are all stocked up for the winter now.
{M} has been wearing hers' since it arrived. She adores it. The only problem is it's been 90 degrees outside-lol. I keep trying to put in aside for the cold weather, but she keeps convincing me to keep it out. She likes to walk around with it pulled over her eyes saying "I can't see, I can't see".
{L} isn't sure how much he likes his yet. It's a little big, so that it will fit this winter. It slips over his eyes and he freaks out. {D} thinks it's hilarious!



I ordered these from a great shop on Etsy-LuLu's Woobies. I am thrilled with the quality and design! She offers a variety of knit designs including a bear, fox and panda. Great customer service too! I highly recommend checking out LuLu's. Get your own hat here:
http://luluswoobies.etsy.com/.
The shop is running a sale for the rest of the month too.

Enjoy!

{ ZadyBall }

I do a lot of shopping for the kids on Etsy. I love supporting handmade-and local if possible.

I came across these fun Zadyballs while searching in one of my groups. Zadyball creator, Alayna, is also in my Etsybaby group.

My original intention was to keep the larger, blue one and give my sister's baby the smaller white one, but "L" had a different idea. He loves the white one, which also houses a bell inside. So...we now own two Zadyballs and love them both-sorry little sister.

It's a wonderful toy without plastic and a million blinking lights and sounds. I am really trying to get back to basics with the toys we purchase now.

Simple, non-plastic, no flashing lights or swirling parts. I think kids should go back to using their imaginations and being creative. Many of the "toys" on the market "play" themselves while the children sit and watch them. No more!

I hope the trend goes in the other direction and people start thinking about the lead paint, plastic leeching and get back to some of the basics.

If you want your own special Zadyball, please visit: http://zadyball.etsy.com/. The owner is super friendly and has perfected this toy from her own design. Not only are they fun, but you can't beat the prices at $10-$15.

{Customer Appreciation Sale}

Don't miss the Best Sale of the Summer!
Want to save gas and stay cool while leisurely shopping for bargains?The EtsyBABY© Street Team is having a SUPER SUMMER SALE!

Stock up on those baby essentials now, while you have the chance! Be sure to visit, http://ShopEtsyBABY.com/customer to see the 32 participating EtsyBABY© boutique's and the specials each shop is offering!

Ride the EtsyBABY© wave and surf through the Summer Sail-A-Thon, during July 14th to the 31st!

{Craftin Outlaws 08}

Kunklebaby will be at the 2008 Craftin Oulaws show. Yay! We had a wonderful time last year and are really looking forward to the new, larger location. So. any locals, come out and show your support. That said, I better get outta here and start sewing my butt off.

August 16th

BOMA-Bar of Modern Art

12-7pm

First 10o visitors get FREE swag bags full of goodies

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am also putting together FREE Etsy sample bags. Stop by my booth and pick one up. They will include samples, coupons and cool, little goodies from artisans all over the country.

{ Best Daddy }

I just love this picture. The kids are so in love with their Dad-especially "M". We were just leaving the zoo after a long, hot day when I took this shot f the two of them. She' s such a sweet little girl and can't get enough hugs from her him. At the same time, she's super tough and love wrestling and playing with the boys.

He is truly a great father! He is always around for the kids to talk to. Every night he hurries home from work so he can spend as much time with us as possible before bedtime. He has pushed aside many of his hobbies and free time to help out. He is the most doting dad you'll ever meet. He takes the time to explain things at a child's level and never makes them feel like it's a trouble, or they are wasting his time.

Growing up, I had a wonderful father who was always supportive of me and my art. All I ever wanted was to give my children as great of a dad as I had growing up. We are truly lucky, because we have one.

{ El Diablito }

My own person little devil...well really he's angel, but he's still got time! Look at that smile.
I'm currently working on my new line of t-shirts. Little "L" is modeling my favorite one. I have a big, new batch of black and red shirts and bodysuits. I'm always annoyed when the only color choices are white or blue for little boys-or white and pink for girls. I love the black and it's not readily available in stores!
There will be a division of Loteria shirts as well as some vintage letter patches (from Autralia) and dancing princess'. The letter patch shirts are all one of a kind, as I only have one patch in each design. They are all really fun and I have to be careful or I'll keep them all.
We had a lovely week relaxing and visiting family for the 4th of July. Our week included the zoo, relaxing, swimming, relaxing, farmers market, relaxing-lol.
"L" sprouted a FEW more teeth, so he was a bit grumpy at times. "D" and "M" were amazed by the fireworks this year. "M" is a little scared of the loud noise, so she cuddled up tight with her daddy. The baby slepy through most of the fireworks, leading me to believe this child can sleep through anything!