Mamas Like

Check out Dawn’s latest press in the Chicago Tribune - they even mentioned Mamas Like! Woo Hoo!

GOOOOO Dawn!

Thank you to the people who left comments about The Little Shepherd Girl book.  Congratulations to Tina and Sher!  You were both picked to receive a free copy of the book!  Just contact Amy at Amy.Quicksall@davidccook.com to give her your shipping information.

Attention all you dog lovers!  Check out these totally cute pet beds from Treasured Heirlooms!  Spoil your precious pooch with his own custom made bed!  Each bed is individually made from hand painted and sealed solid wood.  The beds come with pillows and coordinating, custom made covers that can be removed for easy cleaning.  You can even have them personalized with your pet’s name at no extra charge!

Choose from five different sizes to fit any dog (or doll!)  Tammy, at Treasured Heirlooms, not only makes gorgeous custom dog beds, but she also makes raised pet feeders, wooden toy boxes, stacking stools, and snippet and tool stools (for those who stitch or hook rugs). 

From now until January 30, save 10% on your order (excluding wool) when you purchase through TAMMY’S ETSY STORE or her TREASURED HEIRLOOM STORE.

Have you all heard about nursing necklaces?  I’d never heard of them until I was nursing my sixth little baby.  When she got to be about four months old, like most babies, she became engrossed in anything and everything around her while she was supposed to be nursing.  She’d nurse a little, then whip her head around to look at the wall, then she’d go back to nursing, only to turn her head at the sound of the TV a couple seconds later.  Nurse, look around, nurse, check out her hands, nurse, look at the couch, nurse, try to put her feet in her mouth.  This made for some really long feedings! 

So, I got this nursing necklace from Mommy & Me Necklaces and wore it when I sat down to feed her.  She would reach up and hold onto the necklace while concentrating on the task at hand - breastfeeding.  She enjoyed looking at the brightly colored, chunky beads while nursing and it saved me a ton of time and stress.  As Brooklyn got older, I kept the necklace in my diaper bag and used it to amuse her now and then.  She loved to look at the beads as I named the shapes for her.

You can get a personalized nursing necklace in bright, fun baby-inspired designs, or in fashionable, stylish mommy-inspired designs.  All necklaces are made with non-toxic beads in different textures and bright colors that engage baby’s senses.  These are extremely strong and durable and they have safety closures to help prevent breakage.

While you’re there, check out Raelynn’s reminder bracelets to help sleep deprived moms remember on which side they last nursed, or choose from tons of beads to create your own personal design.

There are a lot of places that sell handmade blankets out there, but Sugar Baby Blankets are some of the most decadent, luxuriously snuggly blankets I’ve ever seen felt!  I know I should probably give my blanket to Brooklyn, but I think I have to keep it for myself.  I’m so taking it with me the next time I fly so I can cuddle up with it on the plane and sleep instead of listening to the guy, seated next to me, say things like, “If the plane crashed right now, do you think we’d be close enough to the ground to survive?”

These blankets come in several different sizes and you can choose from dozens of different fabrics when you order your very own custom-made blanket.  Sugar Baby Blankets offers smooth satins, faux fur, soft chenille, and cuddly flannels in a rainbow of colors and combinations.  Most of their blankets are machine washable too!

And what better to go with a super soft, cuddly blanket than a coordinating pillow?  Sugar Baby Blankets offers pillows, sleeping bags, bibs, burp cloths, personalized Christmas stockings, and pet bedding!  Check them out!

And Jennifer and Holly, from Sugar Baby Blankets sew and donate every tenth blanket to a child in need.  How great is that?!

The winner of By the Book:  How to Take Care of MY Kids

is…

Tiffany Baillie!

Congratulations! 

Email Melissa at zzbishop@charter.net to claim your copy of this awesome book!

I LOVE this jewelry!  Patricia, a stay-at-home mom of three has been making jewelry for years.  Now she’s found a way to combine her art and her faith!  At Precious Text, you’ll find fine art jewelry that is a source of encouragement and a reminder of faith, not to mention the fact that it’s really gorgeous!  Patricia crafts these exquisite pieces from a material called metal clay, an innovative art material which begins as clay and during firing, becomes fine silver (99.9% pure).

She imprints verses from Scripture on her jewelry.  Choose The Lord’s Prayer on a scroll pendant, a pin imprinted with Joshua 24:15, the names of God written in Hebrew, or one of her many other beautiful designs. 

 And what a perfect Christmas gift the necklace, featuring the Nativity picture and Scripture from Isaiah 9:6, makes!

Patricia also welcomes custom work.  Have a favorite psalm or prayer you’d love to have on a piece of artistic jewelry?  Just ask Patti!

Calling all scrapbookers!  The guys at Mockutv.com have made a DVD spoof on scrapbooking.  This half hour “mockumentary” will have you laughing out loud (especially if you’re a die hard scrapper).  The story follows Molly McGann, played by actor Russ Jones (he assures me this is perfectly normal in California) as she and her “Scrubby” (scrap bookers husband) prepare to go to Scrapapalooza!  Check out their site to see a free trailer of the DVD.

The cool thing about this DVD is that $1.00 of every one sold now through January 1, 2008, goes to Austism Support Daily.  This DVD would make a great gift for any obsessed, I mean, avid scrapper on your list!

The first stop on the tour is Wyles Style.  Find handmade flannel pillow cases, keychains, bags, baby blankets and more!  My boys have pillowcases in football, cars, and camo prints.  They love them. 

And check out this bag!  It’s gorgeous, no?  Stop by and take a look at Wyles Styles wristlets and other hand sewn items.  Feel free to request a special order!

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Check out these cool Christmas ornaments at Donna Pool Designs!  They’re pretty Christmas tree ornaments and puzzles in one!  Each ornament consists of three hand stitched pieces that, when put together correctly, form an intricate ball ornament.  (It took me longer than I care to admit to get this ornament back together once I took it apart!)  She also makes buttons, keychains, pocket mirrors, and magnets from photographs.  While you’re there, check out her notecards too.

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Next, drop by Little Elf for a hand knit hat.  These Forest Sprite hats are made from an acrylic/wool blend that makes them toasty warm and yet machine washable!   Perfect for keeping little ears warm while sledding!  Stop by her sister-site Zhinka Dinka Doo for pen holders.  Stop looking for something to write with.  Keep your pens handy with these.

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And finally, looking for something cute and different for the little princess in your life? Look no further. Girls Beaded Socks sells cute beaded socks in every color of the rainbow to go with every outfit your little one owns! 

Do it yourselfer?  No problem.  You can buy instructions (with or without supplies) for crocheting these cutie-pie, embellished socks.  The Beaded Sock Crochet Pattern shows you how to make three different styles of beaded socks with 25 pages of color pictures.

The Little Shepherd Girl by Juliann Henry is a story about the miracle of Jesus’ birth told from the perspective of a young shepherd girl.  This Christmas story is heartwarming and inspirational.  Guided by a bright star, the little shepherd girl finds Jesus in the manger. 

The illustrations by Jim Madsen are just beautiful.  Young girls will especially like this story told from a little girl’s point of view.  Reading this book at Christmastime is sure to become a family tradition in your home.

You can order a copy of this charming book here.  To download a FREE coloring page and/or Sunday school lesson plan, click here.  Leave a comment for a chance to receive your own hard back copy of this enchanting book!  Two winners will be chosen on December 17.