Over the Weekend

Spent the weekend at the Eco Chic Show. It was really fun and after a rough start Saturday, the sun came out shining and bright Sunday. Sunday was such a beautiful day, I was just happy to be outside in the nice weather, hanging out with my family. Selling stuff was a nice perk to that.

My zipper pouches and brooch/Pin trays. I love using these stacking plate trays. Helps to showcase a lot of stuff in a small amount of table space. Lots of selection!


My blankets in a vintage cradle. I LOVE this set up the best of all.

Bibs, Boob Pads and flowers. Not to self:Next show, don't spill the water from your flowers all over the table 1/2 way through the day-haha.

Some t-shirts and bibs

The fam hanging out. We brought a small rug and placed it next to the tent. Throughout the day we started collecting kids. More kids just kept showing up to play with the toys and mingle with the mini-crowd. It was so cute!

Some new goodies

Getting ready for the show! Here's a sneek peak at some stuff I'll have with me at Eco Chic.

Lets hope for sunshine.

See you there!

Feature Friday!

Some of my favorite things in our home are from cool shops I've found on Etsy. Here's a few of our new toy additions:

Starbright Baby makes these fun teething giraffes. Colorful, soft and really fun. He's a big hit at our house with all the kids. All though I often hear, "Make the giraffe sound, mama!" What sound do they actually make?

Need a unique handmade baby gift? check out Starbright Baby.
{L} got this cool wooden, helicopter below for his birthday. Fun, looks cute hanging out on the shelf and made from a natural material. What more could you want? Find one for your special someone at Imagination Kids.

Also from Imagination Kids is this amazing bunny set. The Easter Bunny left one at our house for the kids. This set gets played with EVERY day here. Can it get any cuter than these little rabbits? No! Enjoy your weekend!! Hope to see some of you at Eco-Chic. Let's hope the rain holds off and we are still able to be outside in the fresh air! Keep your fingers crossedf or me.

Corners of my Home

As many of you know, I LOVE Seahorses! As a child I found them so magical, and cute! AS I grew up, it never really went away. Lately I have found myself enthralled with them again.

I made this seahorse a few months ago. Originally I was going to create a security blanket for some lovely child and add it to my shop. I fell too in love with him and he now lives on my couch. His fin moves and something tiny can be placed into his pouch-if needed. And yes, my kids are always trying to think of things that "need" to be placed there-lol.



Here's a side view. I paired it with the bright and cheerful octopus print from the Heather Ross line.

Shop Update Coming

Check back starting Monday the 18th, and throughout the week, for new goodies to be added to the Kunklebaby store. The shop will be closed through the weekend, as I will be selling at Eco-Chic. So if your local, come on down, say hello, and check out the new stuff in person!

Smile...

Take a moment to smile at the beauty all around you! Sometimes we need a quick reminder about just how lucky we are.

Darth!

{d} has this cool Darth Vader mask that has a voice changer. It has a few programmed saying- Luke I am your father, etc, but the most fun is hearing your voice all darth-y. This same feature is why {L} is terrified of the mask!! He used to be ok with it, until it said his name one day. It was all over at that moment!

He runs and clings to me when he see's the other kids playing with it. {D} has decided this running and scared face, happen to be the cutest thing he has ever seen. -sigh- So, he goes out of his way trying to "accidentally" scare the baby into making his cute, scared face. When {L} is safely with his mama, he starts to growl back at the mask. Grrrrrrr....gRRRRRRRRR, GRRRRRRgggr!!!! At that point, even I find it cute and have to stop myself from laughing. It's just so sweet!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the mama's, grandma's and special ladies! Hope you had a wonderful day filled with love!
They make everyday special!

Feature Friday

With the new paint and bedroom renovation, all I can think about is blue and orange. How to combine the bedding, curtains, art-into one pleasing, but fun room for two boys. Add my new affection for knitting and I found these goodies!

Super Organizer - for knitting needles from Madbirds.

I LOVE Heather Ross fabric and this combines knitting and one of my favorite fabric designers.

Beautiful Here Fishy Fishy Fishy- Handspun Super Bulky Yarn from Spazzy

Love these sweet little booties from pombamarela . I wish {L}'s feet were this tiny still!

Have a great weekend everyone! It's wedding and Mother's Day-YAY! Hope all you mama's have something wonderful planned for the weekend.

Eco Chic Is Coming!

Members of Etsy Team Columbus are very excited and proud of the upcoming Eco Chic Craftacular at the Whetstone Community Center on May 16 & 17. Many hours of planning and marketing have gone into this event. With over 50 vendors, live music and delicous food...we feel this will be an unforgetable gathering.

Did you know there will also be FREE workshops going on the entire weekend? Be sure to stop by our information table in the Community Center lobby (beginning the 16th) to pick up a schedule/map for more info. Topics being offered include: rain water harvesting, composting basics, bike maintenance 101, keeping our rivers clean, etc.
Each of the artists and crafters appearing at the Craftacular has been asked to include or incorporate eco-friendly elements in a portion of their wares. You might see canvases colored with soy based paints, creations from recycled or sustainable materials, vintage goods and found/repurposed objects.

In additon to all the above, there will be a daily swag bag giveaway. Be among the first 50 guests to arrive each morning to get your hands on some fab freebies. Here is a list of the possible swag contents in YOUR bag: bubble rings, fabric wallets, postcards, magnets, buttons/ pins, coffee cozies, coupons, gift tags, coasters, patches, erasers, notepads, stickers, ACEOs, recycleable bags, honey (yes honey) and more!

Raffle tickets will also be sold during the Craftacular for $1 each or 6 for $5. If you are a winner, you might end up taking home any of these prizes: original paintings, handbound journal, dyed fabric/ textile art, denim purse, leather "snail" business card holder, embroidered tshirts, fabric totes, goats milk soap & candle, plushies or jewelry.

We hope you will join us as we celebrate creativity and caring for our planet. The support you show these artists is always appreciated and goes a long way towards stimulating the local economy and small businesses.

Many thanks readers and please help us spread the word----let the countdown to all this FABULOUSNESS continue...

Cool Stuff

I've been meaning to write about these little felted animals, since Easter. I, a grown woman, am so in love with these cute creatures!!

The Easter Bunny added these guys to the older kids baskets this year. The little duck is my favorite. She's so tiny and sweet! {D} carries the chocolate bunny everywhere with him. We have been making some paper boxes lately and the bunny has an entire wardrobe of hand colored, paper box homes.

They come in their own little egg homes, but as you know, everyone needs some accessories. It's been fun watching the kids make the extra homes. Lots of smiles and laughter!

Want your own super sweet new friend? Check out the Canadian based shop: Magic Forest on etsy.

Weekend

We spent the weekend painting and moving furniture. After it was all said & done, I realized we moved EVERY room in the house besides the living room and dining room. It was a L-O-N-G process, but gives us some much needed space. It's a way better use of the space we have.

I love when we find a better way to fit into our home! We have a smaller-ish house and with 3 kids and the huge amount of "stuff" they come with, organization is extremely important. I used to get annoyed and just say. "We need a bigger house-ahhh!!". I've now switched my way of thinking to: What can we do to fit better.
It involved pairing down our objects and keeping those most special or useful only. At first it was a little hard [as a self proclaimed pack rat], but we are all benefiting from the lifestyle now! When we want to buy something, we think a lot harder about how much we really "need" the item. If it's something that will help us, benefit our lives, or just crazy cool, then we will get it.
I like to think about the impact it has on the Earth also. With cost differences, it is not always possible for us to afford the "most" Earth friendly, but in most situations, not a problem. We try to use things that go back to the Earth-wood and cloth vs. plastics. Cotton, wool, organic vs. synthetics and polyester.
That doesn't mean we have no plastic, or chemicals in our home! The kids have a mix of toys that have been passed down or gifted to them. It's just the process of making them think about where it came from and where it's going. I was so proud the other day when the kids requested crappy $$1 toys. After a moment, {d} said, "No...I changed my mind. I don't want this plastic toy. It's junky, made in China and I don't even need it."

The boys got a lovely new shade of teal on the walls. An accent wall is done in teal, orange and white stripes. I'll post more pictures when the re-do is done. The coolest thing about the move-I got a studio space!! YAY! I can't wait to show you all. Right now, it's just a room filled with my sewing and painting supplies-in other words a GIANT MESS. As soon as everything finds a home, I'll get some shots posted.
Not sure when everything will get put back together though. I am so heartbroken about the loss of our dog. It's really been much harder than I ever could have anticipated. I have no motivation to finish the room, or anything else either. Each time I look out into our back yard, the tears come and I am struck even harder with sadness. Each time a car passes the house, and I don't hear her bark, I feel pain. I can't believe I actually miss her non-stop barking. My husband thinks we should just "move on" with life, but I am taking the time to mourn her. It's a [painful] process that I need to go through and it's important. She is the first pet I've ever had pass on. Since we had to put her down, I feel sadness, but also guilt and anger. I miss my friend and want her back. Although my head knows we did the right thing that needed to be done, my heart aches for her back. I thought it would get easier as the days pass, but I have yet to reach that point. She was my friend and I miss her!

I could use your vote

Kunklebaby has has been selected for the Handmade Kid and Baby item poll on the Storque. The winner will be featured on the Etsy blog. Yay! Lots of cute things in the runing!

Please stop by :here: and vote for my Organic Seahorse Bib in Orange.

Thanks!!

Goodbye Old Friend

Words cannot say how much I miss you! Thank you for being my friend all these years.

Friday Feature: Jarbles

I came across Rachel Gurney's shop while on Etsy today. I am in love with her jarbles series. They would look amazing having 3, 6 or ALL of them matted and framed together. They are a mix of funky and sweet, and coordinate so well!
Lately I have been interested in work that is intricate and small. These wonderful ACEO prints are small and so detailed. My favorite part are the little inscriptions around the edges of the lid.

Here's what Rachel Gurney[the artist] has to say about her Jar of High Tea in the series:

"‘Jar of High Tea’ is from a series I am working on called ‘Jarbles’ it is a tiny little jar of High Tea. What better to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon or special occasion than to open up a jar of High Tea! Comes with fresh brewed tea, tiny sandwiches, bite sized assorted cakes and more!"

Want to see more from this artist, including many fun, colorful, skull pieces, check out : rgurney

Places I've Lived

My Very First Place

After moving out of the dorm, I moved into an apartment with my husband [then boyfriend] and my friend Mary. I spent the first night in the apartment alone. After all the boxes were moved and the truck unloaded, my husband had to go to Cleveland. Mary was in Texas, visiting her family.

I was scared being in the new place, and overwhelmed with all the boxes and stacks of furniture. I decided to make the bed and call it a night. The sheets were on and the pillows fluffed. I was getting ready to call the dog into bed to snuggle with me. Across the room I saw her move and there touching her nose [nose to nose] was A MOUSE!!! Bowie was all calm, checking him out as if to say "Hello, neighbor!", and then I started screaming. In an instant she was up ready to defend me....except she could not figure out the danger. She ran in a quick circle, finally just frozen in front of me. The mouse ran away, scared of the noise, and I spent the next hour crying on the phone to my then, 9 year old brother.

A few days later, the little mouse met my cat....and that was that!

The Sniblet Family from Yoborobo

Places I've lived...

Great painting from Fauve Bohemian

I have moved around quite a bit in my life. I've been thinking about the different places lately and thought I'd share.

I grew up in a large, old, green house on the West side of Cleveland. We moved to the house when I was in first grade. It was the first house that my parents owned, and we were so excited! It was large and drafty in the morning and downright cold in the winter. My sister and I used to fight about who got to stand in front of the metal heather gratein our dining room, each morning. You had to be careful though, it got so hot that it would burn your legs if you touched it.

I consider this to be my childhood house. We moved out when I was in 8th grade and I was devastated. I missed my friends, my room and the comfort of the large, strange old house that had become my home.

from A Punkin Card Company

Time Spent

This is what I have been working on! Brooch after Brooch. They are so fun to make, use up small pieces of fabric I cannot bear to get rid of and have tons of uses:
They can be pinned onto hairband and used to add some color to your daily do. Added to a plain bag to spice it up. Fun accent to a scarf, jacket or shirt. Add one to a belt for a fresh look. I like to use them when wrapping gifts-It makes the package look pretty and it's functional too.

Since each piece is hand cut, no two are exactly alike. Most don't even look similar to any others. I love the texture and colors. Feeling extroverted, add a colorful, loud pin. Shy quite day? A nice neutral pin made from organic, undyed cottons and upcycled buttons will do the trick.

Theses will make their official debut at the Eco-Chic Craftacular. Come early[first 50 people] and you might just score a free one in the cool swag bags. I will be adding whatever I have left after the show to my Etsy shop starting May 18th. So, if your not local-they can travel to your home town also.

Tons of zipper pouches too. I have become somewhat obsessed with cutting the fabric squares and have a HUGE pile waiting for nap time to be sewn. Look for all the typical, fun, bright prints that I love. There will also be some quieter handprinted. organic versions. I can't decide if I love loud color, or calm serenity more.

Hope to see you at the show!!

Bath Time

We had beautiful summer weather here over the weekend. Saturday was spent gardening, giving [D] a much needed haircut, cleaning the yard and dog baths!!

Those smelly dogs sure needed a good cleaning. Bowie, our black dog is a furry, knotted mess by the time spring hits each year. She loves gets scrubbed and fluffy clean. She got a quick brushing, but needs some more!The kids said she looked like a sheep when she was done.

Our other dog is not such a fan or cleanliness...or water. She would be happy to stink for the rest of her life if it meant she didn't have to get wet. She's the dog we have to push out the door to go to the bathroom, when it's raining. She will sulk under the covered porch and refuse until the rain stops.

All the fun we had with the dogs was bitter-sweet. We have come to terms with the fact that our old friend, Bowie is going to have to be put to sleep. Tears well up at the thought every time. She has been my friend through college, good times and some bad, years before and after the kids joined us. She was always there when I needed a snuggle and would give her life to protect me. She has her fair share of annoying quirks, but now in the final days even those seem endearing. I can hardly look at her without wanting to cry lately.

She was my "baby", before I had children. Giving her what may be her last bath, I was reminded of her puppy days when she was[needed] bathed all the time. She would shake and run all through the house trying to dry her fur on anything fabric she could get a hold of. We would watch her and laugh & laugh. She was always happier all clean and sparkly-silly thing. We've made the call to the vet twice now, and just can't seem to commit. I never thought it would end like this-it's heartbreaking!

I never had a pet pass away as a child, so she will be the first. When we welcomed our pets into the family, I had never even thought of "the end". [We have 2 cats and 2 dogs] All the sudden I am realizing how much I have taken them for granted. They are a part of our family and it felt like they always would be. I am suddenly struck by the cruel reality of life. It's been extra hard explaining it to the older children. I don't believe in lying to them and have been talking with them to prepare. When I see the sadness in their eyes, it breaks my heart-twice. I will be missing Bowie and watching my children hurt. [M] thinks her soul with be reborn into a bird. That bird is going to be born at the Columbus Zoo, and she is sure she will know the bird as soon as she lays eyes on it. It is so sweet to me that my four year old can see such beauty in life & death. I'm not there, yet.

Happy Friday!

After a L-O-N-G week, I was struck this afternoon with the need to create something for me. I've been putting off so many projects that I want, and started feeling uninspired to do the others. I've had plans to make a few new throw pillows for awhile. The pillows our couch came with were SO hideous! They have been stored in the attic for 2 years now. I started thinking that they would make a perfect pillow form, for some washable, removable covers.

The last time I made pillows, I cut, sewed, stuffed and sealed them....cut to a week later and the kids had food, marker and god only knows all over them. I decided then, it was the last time I make pillows that cannot be washed-for a house with 3 kids under 5!!

These are paired with upcycled sheets for backing, making the total cost only a few dollars for each!!! They only take about 15 minutes to make also [a good thing because that's about the only time I can find lately]. Below is the back of the larger pillow. When I get a chance, I'll add a few button closures.

Here is one of my brooch's shown by the new pillow and my purse.