Winter Baby Fashions.

So, not that we really, truly experience "winter" here in Phoenix, but trust me, it does get colder here than you'd think. We actually experience night freezes on occasion and did you know it snows in northern Arizona? Anyway. All this to say that, despite our not needing the following products, I know many of you do, and, hey, we can share the love, too, can't we?

If you haven't seen these before, they are quite the winter accessory for your baby or toddler, I must say! And if you're outdoorsy, then these will be perfect for you. Introducing snow strollers. Have you seen these yet? They range in price from about $130 -$200 each, but do allow you to have winter walks without having to carry your kids around. That's certainly worth something. Not to mention, they're offering 15% off certain models until New Year's Day. Their Deluxe Plus model (their most popular) features an adjustable 3-point safety harness, reclining seat, warm padded seat, wind-proof boot, weather-proof tent, can be folded up for transportation, and carries up to 110 pounds.

And the other absolutely, positively adorable product for winter is the Stonz Wear kids' boots. They are handmade in Vancouver, Canada, and have wide openings for slipping over feet that are bare or with bundled socks. The exteriors are made of a durable coated nylon that keeps babies' feet both warm and dry. Linerz that fit inside the booties are also offered for extra warmth. Their other functional and very fashion-forward feature are the 2 toggles around the calf and ankle for a custom fit. They'll run you $46.95 per pair, but are oh-so-adorable and probably a great investment for those of you who like to be outdoors with your wee ones. Oh, and did I mention they've been seen on the likes of some of Hollywood's hottest tots? Again, probably not the most essential accessory for babies of warm climates, but with booties this cute, I certainly wouldn't pass up a pair if they came my way!

Cocooi Baby Wrap.

I've always loved the idea of swaddling a newborn to keep things as similar to womb conditions as possible for baby. On the other hand, I can't say that I've been a huge fan of doing and redoing the "traditional" large square swaddling blankets (although I think they are soo versatile for other things, too, like tummy time and stroller covers). Instead of that traditional wrap method, this wrap-swaddler has a wing-shape to allow for more natural movement from baby as they did in the womb

That being said, I came across this award-winning design from Merino Kids and just had to share it with you. It is crafted from 100% merino wool for safer baby sleep. And, as their website states, "The superfine natural merino fabric is luxuriously soft and light, allergy-safe, and readily absorbs and releases moisture to create the perfect safe micro-climate around your baby's body any season." What more could a mother ask for? Well, it also comes with a leg pouch to enable easy diaper changes without having to unwrap baby's arms (and risk waking them!) while they sleep. Additionally, the cocooi baby wrap boasts a safety belt feature, allowing your baby to sleep, while swaddled, in a car seat or stroller. Fabulous!

Kinderville.

I love the whole concept behind Kinderville's storage jars.

They provide a one-stop solution for not only being able to store your children's foods and snacks, but also do so in a bacteria-resistant, BPA, Phthalate and Lead-free way, unlike your typical plastic containers. Not only that, but you can use them in the dishwasher, refrigerator, freezer AND microwave ~ talk about some great versatility! They also are made to stack together and are perfect for storing baby food, snacks or leftovers, and of course, being able to warm it all up in the same container without harming your little ones. They are available in 2 sizes, as well - the little bites (set of 4 for $19.99) and the bigger bites (set of 2 for $16.99).

They also have toxin-free freezer trays (set of 2 for $18.99) with 2 oz. serving sized cavities, which would be perfect for storing homemade baby food.



And these I would also love to have for making toddler yogurt pops ~ their adorable popsicle molds ($16.99 for set of 4).

Little Lasso.

So, are you always having to retrieve your baby or toddler's cup after they either drop it mistakenly or throw a tantrum?

I'd like to introduce you to Boga Baby's Little Lassos. They are an absolutely adorable way to keep those snack cups and sippy cups at bay! Best of all, no snaps, velcro or clasps, and will adjust to fit just about any sized item. They retail for $19.95 each, and you can purchase at Little Lasso.

blue disco dot

carnival bloom

cabana stripe

Barefoot Books.

Do you know them? I have to admit, I wasn't really familiar with them until recently. We have read "I Took the Moon For a Walk" (a check-out from the local library), and my son and I did enjoy it ~ great imagination and images! And although I have yet to purchase one, I have a number of them on my wish list for our little guy and girl-to-be, as I've heard some raved reviews of them. The other great thing about them is that they cater to all incomes, as they offer all books in either paperback or hard cover.

$16.99, hardcover

Here are a few I have my eye on.... And who knows, by the time you read this, I may have ordered some as they currently are offering free shipping and 30% off all online orders (enter SNOWY at checkout)! Whoo-hoo!

$19.99, hardcover with story CD

$6.99, paperback

$19.99, hardcover

$9.99, paperback with music CD

Sooooo....do you have any of these? If so, what are you & your child's favorites??

Thank you to all who entered our giveaway!
The winners are listed below! Merry Christmas!

Bib and Burp Set - erin, maker of chimes
Tea Bag Set - Hailey

***************************************************************************

Tis the season to be jolly...especially since we have 2 festive {giveaways} for you to enter!

Win this decadently divine Ironwork bib and burp set from {Adam's Blankie}. The fabric is a designer print from Joel Dewberry and is backed with plush, absorbant cream chenille.

Win a cute, creative tea bag set (2 flavors) for your little one's play kitchen from
{Gourmet Play}.

{To enter}:
Become a follower of this blog, and then submit a comment on this post/thread for your entry.
The drawings will close December 16th, and the winners will be chosen and posted December 17th.

Good luck and Happy Holidays!

Anthropologie Love.

So am I the only one who didn't realize Anthropologie has a kids section? Granted most of their kids' items are online only (and, believe it or not, I usually don't go online to stores I could visit in person instead), so that must explain my neglect.

Anyway. Here are some fabulous {crafty} finds from their lovely collection of kids' items...enjoy the eye candy. P.S. They would all pair nicely with our Doodle Diddie Crayon Rolls to make a fabulous Christmas gift, if I do say so myself!

Miss Doodle Coloring Doll, made from paper and polyfill, $50.00


Deciduous Puzzle, made from cardstock and recycled paper, $38.00

Doodle Giant Coloring Book, 368 pages to color/doodle, $18.95


Apron, cotton, machine-wash, $24.00

As I eagerly anticipate the arrival of our baby girl in March, I have been busily making things for her...and the list of things I'd like to make just grows longer instead of shorter. (Sigh). Such is the life of a seamstress/craftster, I guess. Most of the items I've been making (or that are on my "to do" list) are quite girly ~ pink, purple, ruffles, flowers, etcetera. But these sensory bags I made are actually great for any gender and will stimulate the newborn to the toddler!


I crafted them in red, white and black, as these are the first colors a baby sees. I sewed in some ribbon tabs for her to maneuver and suck while teething. When she moves them, they'll have a light rustley noise to please, and they also have french lavender inside. This will help keep her soothed if fussy, and help to reduce my headache (because I know inevitably there will be one). :)

Once older (actually, I'm sure our son will take these from her to use himself...better plan on set #2 for him!), she can use them to learn matching (the set has a pair of 3 different coordinating fabrics) and distinguishing and even later as a traditional bean bag set! She can play "basketball" {or beanbagball, rather} by herself or catch with her big brother, which I'm sure he'll be trying to get her to do!

They are currently available for purchase at Adam's Blankie.

Christmas Traditions.

What are your family's Christmas or Holiday traditions? One of my favorites has always been setting up our Christmas village. And it is definitely one I want to "pass down" to my son, but for now, he's definitely too young to be handling such delicate, breakable pieces!

So this year, besides doing our own Advent Calendar chain (a couple posts ago, if you missed it...), I decided we're going to start doing a gingerbread house. And believe it or not, I'd never done one before myself. So what a great tradition to start for all of us. I must say, it took much longer than I thought it would, and didn't turn out nearly as well as I would have liked, but our little guy absolutely loved it, and we had a blast! Below are some pics of our process....

pdf Pattern Winners!

Thank you! to all who participated in our survey to help give us feedback in the hopes of providing more of what YOU, our clients, want to see in our store in the future!

The following people are the lucky winners of a free pattern from our shops! Hope you enjoy! And for those of you who missed the chance at this one, we will be hosting a monthly drawing for a gift certificate to one of our stores (Adam's Blankie, Gourmet Play or Haute Tot Couture) each month! Just click here for your chance to win December's drawing ~ good luck!

Allie Schell
Ashley Owens
Elisha Horning

(If you are one of the winners, an email with your free pattern is on its way to your inbox now!)

Salted Chocolate Caramel Apples.

Are you ready for some sweetness? If so, you should really gather these few simple ingredients to make some for you and your little ones...a great Winter treat...and a way to sneak in some fruit, in case your little tyke doesn't normally do so.

What you'll need:
apples
caramel pieces
chopped chocolate chips
sprinkles candies (optional)
chopped nuts (optional)
coarse sea salt
candy sticks
wax paper
apple corer (optional)

Put the sticks into your apples. Melt your caramels (we used 20, and had more than plenty for our 4 apples) over low/medium heat, and then begin dipping your apples. We used Honeycrisp apples, but I bet the tartness of Granny Smith would pair nicely with the sweetness of the chocolate and caramel. Immediately place your carameled apples onto the wax paper and begin sprinkling with the chocolate chips, sprinkles, nuts and sea salt (just a tiny pinch of the salt will do!). Enjoy!

For the little guy, we sliced his apple with the corer and let him dip into the caramel.
(He actually didn't even want to touch the caramel, can you believe it?
He doesn't know what he's missing!)

mmm...goodness.

Christmas Link Countdown

So today my little guy & I constructed a countdown-to-Christmas link. I figure it to be our little variation of an advent calendar, only I'll give him his "treat" each day, instead of him opening a door to find it. The theory is the same, isn't it?


Here's a picture of it. We just used some holiday paper, cut them into strips and stapled them together. We decided to hang it with some ribbon from a doorknob...only 23 days to go!

{Holiday GiveAways}!

{Holiday Giveaways}. You gotta love them. So I thought I'd bring you one...it is the season of giving, afterall. It will be happening some time in the next week or two, so be sure to stop back to see what's on the goodie list! The {giveaways} will include one item from my Adam's Blankie shop
and one from my Gourmet Play shop!
Can't wait!

Here is a sneak peek at one of the {giveaways}...can you guess what it is??


Also, we are donating one of our {sushi bib & burp sets} to Fabulous K for her own {holiday giveaway}, which starts TODAY! Just click the "fab k's giveaway" button on the right
to find some lovelies to win!
Enjoy!

Cyber Monday!

So...you've been out and about all weekend, striving to find those perfect gifts at the perfect prices, right? And now that you're completely exhausted from the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving AND Black Friday, you {and your feet} should heartily welcome "Cyber Monday." What's that mean for you, you ask? Ways to score FREE SHIPPING, FREE GIFTS and DISCOUNTS at Adam's Blankie and Gourmet Play! You better head over now, though - these deals will only last 24 hours starting...NOW!

(Check shop announcements at the tops of the shops for details on how to score these deals!)

By the way, if you'd like to purchase the beautiful swag (or other similars) shown above, just head on over to www.twoinspireyou.etsy.com. They have some absolute holiday lovelies there!

Make Your Own Memory Board: FREE Tutorial

So I have always wanted to put up a gloriously plush memory board in my office for things that inspire me, and I actually got around to it this past month and wanted to share the process with you. These would be great for your own office, playroom or kitchen and would look absolutely adorable with your fave kids' pics (or kids schedules, notes to husband, meal planning, etc.) posted up on them. They also make great Christmas gifts, if you're looking for something creative you can make that's relatively low on cost but high on style and meaning. Afterall, I'd rather have a beautiful way to display all my treasured memories and inspirational items as opposed to the trite & ordinary dry erase board or fridge, wouldn't you?

Materials Required:
picture frame (with matting and picture - premade)
glue/glue gun and/or mounting tape
fabric
batting
ribbon or trim
staple gun
cork board squares

1. So, instead of starting from scratch, since I'm not much of a woodworker (although if you are handy with wood, you could build your own frame and board, too) I bought a pre-made picture with frame (find clearance deals! I found mine at Kirkland's) and removed the picture box from the front. (You'll probably just end up finding a plain 2D picture, but the frame I found, which was the large size I wanted, actually was 3D, so I needed to remove the 3D object first).

2. I then glued on all my cork board squares (my picture frame (about 24"x24" square) fit all 4 cork board pieces perfectly, but you may have to trim them if you're using a smaller picture frame). I decided to add some mounting tape to each piece, as well, for added security.





3. Next I cut the batting and fabric, making it overlap the size of the frame by about an inch on all 4 sides. The batting went on first, and the fabric went over it. (Note: The batting isn't necessary, but I wanted an extra plush, rich look). I pulled the layers taut over the cork boards and used a staple gun to attach to the back of the frame.

(this side with the print is actually the back-side of the board)

4. I then added my trim (or you could use ribbon) on my board. I started with a large "x" (using 2 separate pieces of trim) that went through the center of my board, and then made a diamond shape (using 4 separate pieces of trim) with the trim over my "x" (see pictures). I used the staple gun to secure the ends to the back of my frame corners.



5. Then it was just time to put the board back into the actual frame. Once in place, I added some staples from my staple gun to the sides of the frame in the back, right behind my board and around all 4 sides, to keep the board in place. And voila! A new memory board! Now just time to "doll up" with my motivational items, pictures and more!

BLACK FRIDAY!

Sooo...are you preparing for shopping all day long? Or are you like me, and try to avoid the crowds and stores as much as possible on Black Friday? I hear that Westcor Malls are opening Friday "morning" at midnight...are they serious? I could see myself shopping for an hour at midnight and going to bed afterwards instead of getting up for the day at 3:00 a.m., I guess. How 'bout you? How does your typical Black Friday go?

If you are like me, and instead of facing huge crowds instead like to shop from home (i.e., the internet, eBay, Etsy), then be sure to check out our store tomorrow! We'll be starting our Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving Day instead this year! Enjoy FREE SHIPPING on orders over $100, up to 60% off already clearanced items (our "sale" category in the upper-right hand corner), and 20% off all regular-priced items (excluding stroller blankies) when you spend at least $50!!*

*If the items haven't already been marked down, please convo/email me first to change the pricing for you before checking out! Also, if you'll be ordering over $100 in merchandise, convo/email me then, too, so that I can delete all shipping fees before you checkout! You can send messages via Etsy or email me at adamsblankie@gmail.com.

One last thing...mention you're a blog follower upon checkout and receive a FREE GIFT with your purchase!

See you tomorrow! :)

Pray for Kate.

So I realize this is a holiday week, and I've been getting all excited about bringing you great ideas and toys for the holiday season, but I really felt the need to bring a deeper and more important topic to you tonight...something to think about, reflect on, & pray about over the next days, weeks, or even months....

The story is about a little girl in our church who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor this past summer. She has been undergoing chemotherapy and seemingly unending weeks in the Phoenix Children's Hospital since July. The good news? How many lives she's already touched and changed! All through a 5-year old...amazing. What can you do to help (besides prayer, of course)? Contribute to their "Kate's Crazy Cool Christmas" event!! It will provide at least some temporary joy to the children in the oncology unit this December who are spending their holidays in a hospital...can you imagine? Check our their site here. And above all else, let's remember to be grateful for all our blessings and each and every day we're given here on earth....

You Ask, You Shall Receive...PATTERNS!

A lovely Wednesday morning to you all, I hope!

I can't remember the last time I was this excited about something (other than my pregnancy, of course!)... I wanted to share with you our EXCITING news that both our Gourmet Play and Adam's Blankie stores will now be offering our in very high demand {and very economical!) PATTERNS! That's right, now YOU can have the same couture & toys but at a fraction of the cost (most will be a mere $5 per pattern!) by making them yourselves and without the cost of shipping, as well! And once you have the pattern (emailed to you within 48 hours of purchase), you can use them to make the items over and over again...sweet. And we'll also have a Fabric Kit option available for most patterns just in case you want to save even more time by not having to go to a store for fabric, not to mention having access to our fabulous designer fabrics! Of course, you'll still have the option to purchase the goodies already made by me, but this gives you some options...which are always good to have.

We have a few items listed already and will be adding more and more every week! My goal is to have at least half our items available as patterns, so I'll be a busy gal! This will, of course, allow me to have some "rest" once baby girl arrives in March (because YOU'LL be doing the sewing instead of me!), which was a huge part of the inspiration, along with my desire to share my creativity with you!

These are absolutely FABULOUS for the upcoming (or maybe it's officially already here?! that's up for debate, I guess...) holiday season, by the way, and also for birthday parties and baby showers naturally!

Our first ones that are already up and ready to be purchased include our Paper Bloom Balls (a folkcraft I learned from my Mom who used to make them when she was a little girl!), Owie-All-Gone bags, bean bags & shaped crayons! They are beginner level sewing (no sewing involved for the crayons, of course!), so, YES, you can DO IT! :) Up next? Tooth Fairy Pillows & Sachet Kits!!

paper bloom balls

shaped {snowflake} crayons

owie-all-gone bags

bean bag set

NOW...HERE'S YOUR INCENTIVE!
To aid in our progression over to a pattern-friendly store, I'd like to know a few things...now just hang with me a second...because if you participate in my little questionnaire, I'll offer THREE LUCKY WINNERS ONE FREE PDF PATTERN EACH (You MUST enter your name/email at the end of the survey to be entered)! Click here for our survey! And THANK YOU SO MUCH for your support and time!

BLACK FRIDAY!

Just wanted to make sure you stop by both our Gourmet Play and Adam's Blankie stores on BLACK FRIDAY (November 27th), as we will be having lots of DEALS! It's a great way to kick off your holiday shopping, and all from the comfort of your home. See you then!!

Baby Girl's Nursery.

So I've just begun trying to figure out how to decorate our baby-girl-to-be's nursery. Which is late for me, considering I had our son's all ready to go by the time I was 5 months pregnant with him. Amazing what a pint-sized toddler wreaking havoc on your day can do to your effectiveness (or the lack thereof, rather)! So I plan to post pictures once the room is complete, but for now I'll just give you a sneak peek at some of the ideas I plan to implement into the room. I plan on doing a pink, black, cream & green theme with paprika accents. That might sound like a bit much to you, but I think it will work well (the inspiration comes from the bedding I will be making from Amy Butler's luscious Lotus line!).

here's a frame I just made this past weekend...love the rhinestone accents & distressing around the edges...

a little bird art...can't go without an adorable birdcage...

one of the many fabulously fun paper flower balls I plan to hang from the ceiling

I'm thinking I'll use this cute egg crate (from {Anthropologie} ~ get one while they last!) for jewelry or hair bows/pins or something of that nature...

this chandelier is just for inspiration, as I have yet to find an old chandelier to spray paint and redo myself...anyone for ideas on where to find such a piece besides hitting a lucky garage sale?!

And below is a picture of my son's nursery (it basically looks the same now, except that he has a different dresser and toddler bed instead of the crib ~ that's the beauty of using "non-baby" themes for a nursery, I guess!). You may recognize it, as I had posted an image of it before, since the bedding was put on the Etsy Baby Gift Guide earlier this year!