Let's Go Swimming

Lil C and i started baby swim classes recently. I thought he'd enjoy it as he loves to play with water and bath-time is a highlight of his day. So far, i have to admit, it's not his favourite outing. But, we have cute swim diapers to wear, so he looks pretty adorable! He does like clinging (ahem) wrapping his arms around me, and loves to chase after the rubber ducky though.

I wanted to find some cute swim diapers, and after being less than impressed with the ones on hand from the usual cloth diapering companies (weird tie dye prints, too gender-specific images), i realized Etsy probably has some sellers who make them. Good idea! I found lots to chose from, but settled on this adorable suit. Rethink Crafts has a great line of fabrics to choose from, the price is right, and the work is great. Plus, they fit really well and luckily we've had no leakage issues! Check out her site to see what else she has!

Maybe by the time June comes around, C will be into the Splash Pad in our local park. We can really get use out of our swim diapers/suit by then.

a crafty vegan's 12 Days of Christmas - Day 2

Buy Handmade or Local

Unfortunately, i will not have a lot of time to make gifts this year - don't ask! - but i have been able to keep my promise to buy local and/or handmade. It is easy for some of my gift recipients like my sister, who is just as crafty as me, but others prove a bit more of challenge. Like some kitchen supply wants for someone, books for others, etc. But only a small challenge, as living in a big city allows me to go to independent stores for such things - the goods may not be local necessarily, but we fill good buying in smaller stores and not the (ahem) big box ones!

There's nothing i love more than shopping for a few hours for loved ones and then carrying all the goods home, only to reopen the presents and wrap them up. Such a warm feeling!

Another holiday season love of mine are the various craft fairs in the city. Most are done now, but one or two more can still spring up. This year, i did the One of a Kind Show, The Workroom's Trunk Sale, and City of Craft. At each event, i was able to stock up on some gifts. One of me as well!

If you are interested in buying handmade, here are some great sources on-line, if you don't already know of them:
- GoodEGG Industries
- Etsy
- Buy Handmade
- Buy Olympia
- Bust Boobtique

Day 7 - Make and Buy Handmade

I have always grown up making gifts for friends and family, even when being crafty wasn't so 'in.' These days, we can read articles even in the New York Times about making handmade gifts, to mark how far we've come, i guess. A couple of years ago, there was even a discussion on CBC radio about the idea of making gifts vs buying, though times were a bit different then - someone had the audacity to say that making gifts is cheap and insensitive to those that can't return them to a store to get something 'better.' Grrrr to that. I'm much happier living in a world that's crafter-friendly.

I love making gifts and spending time to think of exactly what the recipient might want, and how to make it. I go through my supply of craft books and blogs to look up ideas as early as September. I have a notebook filled with craft ideas that i regularly check over. My dining room table turns into crafter central until oh about Christmas Eve. Good fun, i promise!

This year, i vowed to Buy Handmade and it's been a great challenge. I've also vowed to make gifts for everyone, but also to cut down on gifts - my little change purse is stretched thin these days! It may be too close to buy things on-line now due to mail travel (especially from the States) , but sources like Etsy or Poppytalk Handmade, let alone some great blogger stores, and the onslaught of crafter fairs are great places to go. Other great stores in Toronto include MADE, Fresh Collective, Nathelie-Roze, and my favourite hat maker Wildhagen, whose bird hat i wear is a great conversation starter!

My New Hood

I came home yesterday to a notice in the mail that i finally got the handmade hood hat that i ordered. I love getting good mail like this! Just in time too because the snow came down hard today. I went to the post office and eagerly opened the package to find my one-of-a-kind hoodie inside! (Please excuse the photo, i played around with self-portrait on my camera and this was the best of it.)
I am so happy that i randomly found PillBox Productions work on Etsy and this became my first purchase there. Poor Kristen ran into some bad luck sending the package to me, and it ended up being sent back to her. Thanks to our mutual support of sorts, she was able to send it again and this time it arrived in no time. Along with my lovely hat, she sent me a lovely other hat as a surprise (she really SHOULDN'T have) and some cute ornaments. The way she packaged everything too is added testament that she cares about what she does and is passionate about her work. I will wear this hat proudly, starting first thing tomorrow!

Since gettting this today, i am also vowing to buy handmade for gifts, as well as try my best to make my other gifts handmade by me. The will definitely be a craft vibe for gifts this year! Here's my pledge: