What's Going in My Hospital Bag | From our Favorite Shops

footed pants | swaddle blanket (use the code KOZY at checkout for 25% off through April) | gown

crib moccasins

striped swaddle blanket | knotted beanies | suede pacifier clips

With just a few days left until my official due date with baby number 3, I wanted to share the second portion of my "What's Going In My Hospital Bag" series.

This time around, I'm sharing all of the things that I have packed for our sweet little guy, from some of our absolute favorite shops.

You might know pretty well by now, that I am a HUGE fan of supporting small businesses, so it should come as no big surprise that when it came to outfitting and accessorizing our new bundle, these shops and their products were a no brainer for me! All of these items are super high quality, extremely well made, and in my opinion, on point when it comes to style!

I've really been digging monochrome stuff for baby number 3... so you'll likely be seeing a lot of back and white in the near future, but I also went for pops of color here and there.

Here's to hoping that now that his bag is packed our little one will soon make his grand entrance into the world, because I am dying to see him in all of this stuff!

*** Some of these items were provided to me for the purpose of products reviews/blog features, however, all opinions are entirely my own, and I would never feature anything on this blog that I didn't absolutely love and wouldn't highly recommend.

Shop Small Love: Little Beasties Shop + A DIY Magnet Board

If you weren't already aware, I am a HUGE advocate for shopping small.  There are so many amazing small handmade businesses out there, many of which are run by super talented mamas, that offer a wide array of high quality products, and I love supporting them.

One of our favorite new small business discoveries is Little Beasties Shop.  Jess, the owner, makes the sweetest handmade plush toys out of fabric and felt. Her work is incredible, and her creativity is second to none... just check out this awesome Felt Garden Set.

Recently, Jess was kind enough to send over a set of her Magnetic Alphabet Letters, which naturally were a huge hit with Max and Ella!  

The letters are sewn using super soft and bright colored (our favorite) flannel fabric, they are slightly plush, and there are magnets inside, making them perfect to use on your refrigerator, or any magnetic surface.  Their size is perfect for little hands, and we had so much fun practicing our ABC's and spelling out words while we played with them.

The quality of these letters is impressive, and I could instantly tell that they were durable enough to withstand the roughness of toddlers/little ones, so I know they are a toy that we will have around for a long time.

Seeing as our refrigerator is stainless steel... aka non-magnetic, our amazing new set of letters from Little Beasties Shop got me to thinking about adding a decent sized magnet board to our playroom.

M&E received a set of magnetic animals for Christmas, and now this set of alphabet letters, so I just knew a magnet board would be the perfect way to display and play with our new toys.

I originally considered using magnetic paint to make a board that could also serve as a chalkboard, but after reading numerous reviews, the magnetic paint sounded like it might be more trouble than it was worth, so I enlisted my husband to help me, and we came up with a much, much easier DIY project.

I purchased the materials at Home Depot and Michael's (using a coupon), and have linked them below.  The entire project cost just over $25.

If you're interested in making a 24"x 36" magnet board like the one pictured in this post, you will need the following materials:

24 inch x 36 inch galvanized steel sheet

24 inch x 36 inch frame (I purchased this one on white, using a 40% off coupon)

To make the magnet board, we simply removed the cardboard backing from the frame, as well as the layer of plastic that would normally cover the photo/poster going into the frame.  We then used the cardboard backing as a template, and using a marker, we marked what would need to be trimmed from the metal sheet, in order for it to fit in the frame.  It was less than 1/4 inch that needed to be trimmed from both the length and width, and the metal was easy to cut, using just a pair of kitchen scissors.

Then we popped the metal sheet into the frame, and replaced the cardboard backing... and that was it!

A super fun addition to our playroom, and the perfect place to play with our alphabet letters from Little Beasties Shop!

Swoon Worthy | Small Business Saturday

I hope you're all recovering nicely from the overindulgence that comes along with Thanksgiving, and  that you got the opportunity to take full advantage of some of the great Black Friday deals that were floating around yesterday.

We had a pretty low key holiday, seeing as we all seem to be fighting some sort of never ending cold/virus over here.  So, we spent the day in pajamas, stuffed our faces, and lounged by the Christmas tree.

Now that we are actually in the throws of the holiday season, it seems that the shopping madness has officially begun.  As much as I love a great Black Friday deal, I am a HUGE supporter of Small Business Saturday.  Shopping small is a cause that is near and dear to my heart, and it always makes me feel good to support the small business owners who work so hard to create some truly amazing products.

This week's Swoon Worthy post is dedicated to some of the small businesses that I have grown to love so much, and the creators of some of my favorite quality products.  Some of them are even offering awesome discounts this weekend, so please take advantage while supporting a great cause!

1.  The Jones Market offers some of the most gorgeous necklaces and bracelets.  They're non-toxic, come in an amazing variety of colors, and are great to give as gifts, or as a treat for yourself.

2.  This shop is hands down one of my favorites when it comes to beautiful and unique artwork.  Their handmade signs are amazing, and they have an impressive choice of quotes, scriptures, and song lyrics available to suit any taste.  They're offering 20% off your purchase today with the code:  THANKFUL.

3.  The absolute best and most beautiful handmade hair accessories are made by this small business.  Their color chioces and Liberty of London prints are to die for.

4.  This shop hand makes some awesome all natural soy wax candles in scents that are just so good.  They're offering 30%, today only, with the code: BF30

5.  These guys make some awesome printed tees, with some of the best phrases on them, including my current personal favorite.

6.  I recently discovered Stop Growing Up.  I love that all of their amazing prints can be purchased as digital downloads that you can print right on your home computer.  I scooped up a bunch to frame for our playroom, and I think these not only make for great decor, but would be great as gifts too.

7.  The owner of this handmade shop is the sweetest, and her products have even been featured by Martha Stewart.  She's offering 20% off today with the code: 20PLAID.

8.  Giving the gift of awesome children's books is always a great idea.  This collection is a definite favorite in our house.

9.  For my fellow expectant mama friends, these are a great investment.  They can be worn as a stylish maternity top while pregnant, and then used as a nursing cover, a shopping cart cover, or to drape over a car seat/carrier once baby arrives!

10.  Last, but not least, I'm offering 15% off your purchase in my own shop, with the code:  SHOPSMALL15.

I hope you'll all check out some of these great shops, and the amazing items that they have to offer!

Have a great weekend!

Five Reasons to Shop Handmade

As the owner of my own little shop featuring handmade knit, crochet and sewn items, showing support for other makers and other handmade shop owners is a cause that is very near and dear to my heart.

This holiday season, I can't stress enough, the importance of shopping handmade and local. So... I decided to compile a list of the top 5 reasons why I think that you should consider shopping and supporting handmade this holiday season.  In addition, I also decided to include a list of some of my most favorite handmade shops that offer a wide array of items for all of the people on your to-buy-for list this season.  Many of these shops I have personally purchased items from, and I can't gush enough about the quality of the items, the obvious amount of time you can tell went into every detail, and even the thought that went into the packaging and shipping of the items.

Here are 5 reasons to shop handmade this holiday season and always...

1.  When you shop handmade, you're not buying an item that was created in mass quantity.  These items are quality made, not made for large production and quick turnaround time.  There is a ton of attention to detail, because the makers of these items take pride in their work and want their customers to come back for more.

2.  You are potentially buying local, which helps to stimulate your local economy... but even if you are ordering something via Etsy, Big Cartel, a shop's personal website, etc, you are purchasing an item likely made in the USA, not from overseas. *Please note, a few of the shops on my favorites list are located out of the US, but the items and shops were just too fabulous not to include!

3.  You are likely helping to support a family.  I know personally, my family has made sacrifices for me to be able to stay at home with my children.  When you purchase an item from someone like me, you are helping moms and dads to support their family, while doing something that they love and enjoy, and helps them showcase their passions and talent.

4.  Handmade items are items that can be treasured for a lifetime.  More often than not, these items last longer, because they are made with good quality materials.

5.  Handmade items are made with love.  Sometimes I love an item that I make so much, that I have a hard time parting with it.  Knowing that an item that I created is being sent off for someone else to love means the world to me, and I know many other shop owners feel the same way.

With all that being said, the following is a list of my most favorite handmade shops.  Please consider shopping handmade this holiday season and throughout the year.
***If there is a shop you love, but don't see listed, please feel free to comment and share.  I love to learn about new shops and items!

Freshly Picked
Little Hip Squeaks
Sophie and Lili
Candy Kirby Designs
LWPH Sews
Sweet Littles Handmade
Sahnda Marie Kids
Lucky Sage Shop
Coral + Cloud
Shop Sadie Sky
Alexandra Rose
Hello Apparel
Gulush Threads
Mama and Little
Littlest Crochet Shop
Bannor Toys
Little Mr Ties
The Jones Market
Caged Bird Blog
Mina Loves Bows
Tnee's Teepees
Pen and Paint
Jezzie Anne Designs
Woodland Owl Trinkets
Briar Handmade
Gentry's Closet
Baby Jives Co
Candelles
East + Acland
Mushy Books
Fawn and Clover
Aidie's Hideaway
Alex & Ally

I hope you all love these shops and the items they make and sell as much as I do!  Happy shopping!
-J