Thanks to everyone who bought dolls Friday on Etsy – that was a little nutty! They’ve all been sent home – should be there by week’s end =)
I’m finally beginning to get into the holiday spirit. It usually comes to me right after I’ve sent off my last doll at the post office. It was snowing today, which helped and my Internet was down for most of the day – helping to focus in on the kids and the gorgeous weather. (Don’t worry Devon and Jenny – yours are happening this week!)
This year I’m having some small playstands made by Mike. You all know Mike, the partner of the lovely Constance – he makes the wonderful little sewing machines (love, love LOVE!). It means so much to us that our toys is coming from artisans. I guess it’s because it’s what I do and I know how much goes into making the dolls and I know its the same for other toymakers who are doing what they love. I’m excited, they are small arches – kind of like free standing picture frames. You can throw some pieces cloth over them and turn them into a tunnel, a cave, a boat, a house – whatever really. Ben is stage where he loves to build forts and caves – so I think these will be perfect for him. I went to the fabric store and bought 10 meters of broadcloth in various colours for him to use with the stands- I just serged the edges for no messy frayed bits.
I had a midnight shopping spree last night over at Etsy. One of my favorite artisans is now on – Jalu Toys. This west coast husband and wife team (he makes the toys and she paints them!) have been around for a long time. I first bought a stacking rainbow from them 3 years ago at the Vancouver Waldorf School’s Christmas fair and we are still playing with it – almost daily actually. Their figures are gorgeous, finished in a waterbased non toxic paint and finished off with beeswax. Amazingly well made. I can’t tell you how happy I am that they are on Etsy and more people will be able to experience their toys. I bought Benjamin this Gnome family and a forest animal set (with a cave.. he’s really into caves lately).
I also went over to ZooLoo Naturals for a set of Tree Branch blocks. I like these ones because they are smoothed out a bit. These are similar to the ones at my sons school , which I know he plays with a lot.
Jasper is getting the Learning Tower this year. We totally couldn’t afford this, especially because it does seem like a splurg-y thing -but man alive, I know this is going to get used to pieces. I first saw it when Ben was about 3 – a little old for it but I knew that if I had another child I was going to get this. Ben spent hours at the sink playing with the water with me hovering around worried that he’d slip and fall. So, we took all the grandparents Christmas money and bought it last night.
I’ve got a new doll in the works this week – it’s a new style of baby doll. It’s a design idea that came up while talking about ‘perfect’ baby dolls with little V (Bamboletta model – she’s the little girl you almost always see in my pics) and little V’s mom– it’s coming straight from a 3 1/2 year old – it’s going to be good. I’ll keep you posted!
Also, I’m going to do a ‘Thank You – You are all Awesome Doll Giveaway’ in two weeks – more to follow! I’ll send out a newsletter about it.
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