Mamas Like

Check out these shoes!  Are these adorable or what?  My one year old adores her “pwetty shoes” and you wouldn’t believe the compliments we get when we’re out!  You can get these cute, custom hand painted shoes at Confetti Kidz.  Susan at Confetti Kidz has some of the cutest, most stylish little girl accessories around.  You can find boutique clothing and accessories, including bracelets, bibs, and bows as well as tights, socks, and tote bags.  Take, for instance, these fuzzy cuffs knit from soft fluffy yarn.  How stylin’ do those little girls look with these?

Their fantasy Christmas portraits are such a fun idea!  Confetti Kidz will work with you to create a custom portrait of your child(ren).  For one low price you’ll receive a disc and can reprint the photos in any size.

And for all you Do-It-Yourselfers, Susan offers directions for more than a dozen projects you can create yourself here and here.  Have fun while making cute items to use or to sell.

Right now, get free shipping on your orders.  Just use coupon code ShipFree1207 when you check out!

I met a girl named Tamara this past weekend.  Tamara had contacted me via email several weeks ago, letting me know that she and a few of her follow Etsy members had donated some of their handcrafted items for me and my family.  While she was in town for Thanksgiving, we met up for pizza and she delivered a HUGE basket of homemade goodies to me!  Wow!  I think it may take me a month to review all these fun items! 

First, from Tamara’s Etsy site, TP Design, check out these fabulous hand painted mirrors.  These are sold either individually or as a set of three - Faith, Hope, and Love.  What a gorgeous addition to your decor!

Tamara also makes one-of-a-kind greeting cards and gift tags.  For the price of a Hallmark card, you can have a hand made card as unique as its recipient.

Check out Tamara’s Etsy site to see all her hand crafted products!  And right now get 10% off if you put the code MAMASLIKE in the comments and wait for a revised invoice.

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 Second on our tour of Etsyland, is Linda from Poppy Patch Quiltery. 

Linda sews these adorable blocks herself.  Each block is made from a double layer of fleece.  The blocks are stuffed so they’re really soft and squishy and appliques of various colors and textures are added to the sides.  A jingle bell is embedded in the stuffing so they make a pleasant, soft jingling sound.  They’re sold in a set of three (small, medium, and large.)  If you want to custom order specific colors or appliques, just drop Linda a note at poppypatch@windstream.net. 

 Also, be sure to check out Poppy Patch’s gorgeous quilted handbags, mini wallets, and Christmas stockings!

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Our tour of Etsy shops today concludes with a stop to Wrapsberry.  Flo makes simply indulgent blankets with chenille, minky, fleece, and satin.  She also makes wonderful eye pillows.  These are the perfect size to drape across your eyes, your forehead, or behind your neck.  These pillows are filled with fragrant herbs such as lavender, peppermint, orange peel, and flax seed.  Simply pop the pillow into the microwave for a few seconds and enjoy the calming fragrance and warmth.  I bet you could even pop this in your pocket to keep your hands warm when you’re standing outside to pick your kids up from school!  Or you can chill the pillow and use it to soothe tired eyes.  She even makes child sized eye pillows.  Use them to help make boo boos feel better or to soothe a child with a cold or a headache.  

Check out this great Etsy shop now! 

As part of their ongoing mission to “make” a difference, a team of crafters/authors from YouCanMakeThis. com have come together to launch “Twirls for Girls.” This month-long drive is set up to encourage the creation and donation of handmade doll clothes to Toys for Tots during the holiday season.

The “Twirls for Girls” website provides free, downloadable patterns for making simple, yet adorable, doll clothes. The patterns, written in “eBook” format, include step-by-step instructions so that even those who are new to sewing will have success with these projects.  The completed items can be taken to any of the 601 Toys for Tots donation centers nationwide, where they will be matched up with donated dolls and plush toys.

In addition to the free patterns, YouCanMakeThis. com has specially priced a selection of patterns for the duration of the drive, and 100% of the proceeds from these patterns will be donated directly to Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. The organization will use this monetary gift to bring Christmas joy to needy girls and boys across the country.

For more information or to download your free pattern, visit here! 

Check out this super cape from Simply Lovely Gifts!  My son, Super Clay, has been “flying” around the house in this for days!  Of course, that kid doesn’t need a cape to fly around the house, but it helps him reach maximum velocity.  Not only does Simply Lovely Gifts carry a wide selection of feminine, girly items, but they stock cool products for the boys too.
 

Aren’t these shoes the cutest?  You can browse Simply Lovely’s collection of hand painted shoes for boys here.

It’s not too late to save - now through the end of December, when you place an order with Simply Lovely Gifts, you’ll receive 10% off your purchase! Simply use coupon code DAWN. Enjoy!

That’s the name of a great CD supporting a great cause!  Actually, it’s also the name of a song on the CD.  Come to think of it, it’s also the name of a story read by Dustin Hoffman on the CD.  I love the story and of course, you just gotta love a guy who can dress up like Tootsie!  ;)  This CD is filled with fun, toe-tapping songs by musician/songwriter/author Barney Saltzberg and includes special guests Dustin Hoffman, Jackson Browne, Vonda Shepard, Richard Thompson, Jessica Harper, and Peter Himmelman!  My personal favorite song on the CD is entitled “Short”.  You have to get the CD to see why!  To listen to the title song, click here.

Here’s the coolest thing about this CD - 100% of all artist’s royalties are being donated to Concern Foundation (funding cancer research worldwide).

To get this CD, stop by your local Best Buy or Walmart, or go here for more information on downloads and purchasing options.  While you’re there, check out Barney’s other CDs and children’s books!

The winner of Sara’s contest for a free countdown box or set of holiday cards is…

Carrie Walls!

 Congratulations!  Email Sara at info@norwoodarts.com to claim your free goodies!

That’s right, I said Yikity Blar!  That’s the name of the lastest Booples DVD.  Booples are animated videos that teach little ones a Bible lesson.  Each DVD contains several episodes based on Bible stories and verses.  Although the animation is simple, the songs are fabulous!  You’ll find yourself singing along to their catchy tunes in no time.  The good thing is - There are Booples CDs available too so you can listen to them on the road!  And that’s not all, you can also order books, bibs, and T-shirts of the Booples. 

Right now, in time for Christmas shopping, you can buy one DVD and get a second one free!  Just type “mamaslike” in the comments section during Paypal’s checkout to Buy One/Get One on the DVDs and as always, shipping on orders within the U.S. is only $1.99!

 You have to hold the baby to get her to go to sleep.  Clay goes to bed at about 8:00.  He usually asks for a sippy cup of water.  Make sure you give Lexi her antibiotics before she goes to bed at about 8:30.  Jax always has to have a snack before he goes to bed.  It’s fine.  Let him make himself a sandwich or have some cereal or something.  Make sure Austin and Savannah read at least twenty minutes before they go to bed…… 

This is just the beginning of my instructions to a babysitter.  Let’s face it, no one can take care of our kids the way we do.  No one knows them like we do.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have a handy reference guide for sitters so they could easily look up the answers to their care-giving questions?  How long do you heat the bottle?  Does the baby take a pacifier at night?  How much TV are they allowed to watch?  What if I can’t get a hold of the parents?  Who should I call in an emergency?

By The Book -How to Take Care of MY Kids by Melissa Bishop and Karen Berg is just the thing you need!  This book is actually a handy binder with pages you can fill with information about caring for your children.  It’s divided into sections that deal with basics, medical info., emergency info., etc.   Each section deals with different aspects of childcare like nap time routines, how to feed the fish, and what things are allowed.  Some sections are helpful to the four hour babysitter while others apply to the full-time nanny.  See just how much is in this book by taking a look at the Table of Contents here!
This book is fully customizable.  There are extra pages in the book and replacement pages can be ordered as your family grows and changes.  There is even useful information on finding a nanny, nanny interviews, and contracts. 

This is a must have for parents who work outside the home and for parents who like to get out and leave their children with a sitter now and then.  It makes a terrific, unique gift for expectant mothers as well!

Right now our readers can get this book at the discounted price of $22.95 (plus shipping and handling).  Just use coupon code BTBKBLOG when checking out.  Want to win a free book?  Just leave a comment here and Melissa will pick a winner on or about December 20.  Good luck!

I goofed up!  Melissa will pick a winner on December 7th to allow ample time for holiday delivery on orders.  Check back here the 7th to see if you’re the lucky winner!

Lauren at Sunthings Charming has found a way to bring awareness to skin cancer and help promote skin protection.  A former science teacher, Lauren uses UV detecting beads to make her beaded chains, Turner Tags, that can be attached to keys, strollers, diaper bags, or baby slings (out of reach of baby).  These beads turn colors when exposed to UV light, alerting you to get out of the sun, apply sunscreen, or cover up exposed skin. 

I personally think this is a great idea.  You’d be surprised at how many UV rays come through even on overcast days.  My middle son has Vitiligo (an autoimmune disease that destroys the pigment in his skin causing white patches that burn within a couple minutes of sun exposure.)  Lauren not only ships the handmade beaded chain, but she also includes information from the Skin Cancer Foundation and a single, individual bead to test out your sunscreen.  Coat the bead with  your sunblock.  If the bead changes color in UV light, then you need a stronger sunscreen.

You can completely customize your Turner Tag!  Pick out the color beads and the charm you’d like and Lauren will make it up for you.  Email Lauren through her contact information page and put ”free tag” in the subject line.  She will pick the winning name a week after the review is posted.  You can go ahead and place your order now and she’ll reimburse you if you’re the winner of the free tag.  And just for Mamaslike readers, get 10% off your order by using coupon code “MamasLike” at check out.

Wickless Wonder creates some truly yummy smelling goodies!  I mean, she makes the kind of soap you want to eat because it smells so good!  I swear I didn’t take a bite of my soap though.  Why are you looking at me like that?  No, those aren’t bubbles coming out of my mouth!

Wickless Wonder sells scented wax to melt in a tart burner, handmade soaps, lip blams, body sprays and much, much more! 

I got some Wonder Melts in “Breeze in the Keys” fragrance and oh boy, do they smell gooood!  This particular scent is like B&BW’s Coconut Lime Verbena (one of my faves!)  I also got a bar of handmade soap in the Chai Latte scent.  This is the one I want to eat!  Yum! 

At Wickless Wonder you can coose from over 140 difference fragrances!  With delicious scents like… 

Bermuda Shorts – This refreshing blend of tropical fruits with a twist of citrus and a hint of coconut will take you away!  No need for Calgon here!  Cabana boys available to the right!

Butt-Nekkid – So fresh, clean and just yummy!  Fresh fruit notes of granny smith apples, honeydew, strawberries and pears.  Hints of spice round it out.

Chai Latte – Just Yummy!  This warm, delightfully spicy blend is the perfect complex blend of spices with a touch of vanilla.  So smooth and delicious smelling, you’ll want to kick back and have a cup!

Christmas Splendor – Sleigh bells ring…are you listening?  Ring in the Holiday season with this fruity, spicy bouquet of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and juniper all on a sweet musky background.  How many more shopping days until Christmas???

The only problem is choosing which ones you want the most!  Check out Donna’s FAQ for some interesting information about her products!

Oh, and Donna packages her products carefully.  Each item is individually wrapped and labeled, so there’s no chance of shower gel leaking out all over everything.  Scents don’t mix in shipping so you won’t end up with soap or scented wax in applebananacoconutlilacpeachchaichocolatesweetpeacucumber fragrance.

Now until November 25, take 15% your order (excluding sales items and shipping) when you use coupon code MAMASLIKE!