by MissMalaprop on June 8, 2010
MacKenzie Fairhead is a hard-working mom to 2 young boys as well as a robot inventor! Okay… well… they’re really cute appliqued robot kid’s clothes, but still! MacKenzie’s children’s clothing line, Cal&Bram, features these adorable robotic creatures made from Eco-Fi felt and fabric which adorn cotton clothing, sized for infants through 6T. MacKenzie is a self-professed Sci-Fi devotee and hip-hop & rap junky, and I think her style shows through in her funky kid’s clothes!
Each robot has its very own bio, so you can learn more about their sparkling personalities! Cal&Bram designs are available on bibs, onesies, t-shirts, hoodies, dresses, hats and blankets. Check ‘em out at calandbram.com. (If you’re in Nashville, where Cal&Bram is based, you can also find these cute clothes in person at PoPo, Cool Kids Stuff and Serendipity.)
by MissMalaprop on May 26, 2010
Yep, you read that right, it’s time for a giveaway! And this time it’s very special – I’m giving away a $50 gift certificate to my new online shop! Here’s the deal: I want to know your thoughts about my new shop. What are your favorite finds, what would you like to see more or less of? Is there anything that you think I can do to improve the shop in any way? I honestly value your opinions, and I want to hear them!
This giveaway is open to everyone! To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment with your thoughts about the shop on this post by midnight on Friday, June 11, 2010 (Central Standard Time – go here to figure out what time that is where you are). Want a second chance to win? If you post a link to my shop on your own blog or Facebook page, AND post a second comment here with a link showing me where you posted it, you’ll get an additional entry.
Winner will be chosen at random from the comments. Please use a valid email address, as that’s how I’ll be contacting the winner. (I won’t share it with anyone, I promise!) If you are chosen as the winner, you must respond to my email within 1 week from the date I send it, so I can get your information and send you the gift certificate, or an alternate winner will be chosen.
I added a few new lines to the shop in the last week or so. My friend Veronica of Yoyodyne Galactronics makes these creepy cute sock monster dolls. Aren’t they fun? Every one is different, and they all have their own name and personality. I have trouble deciding which one is my favorite!
I also just added these belly bands by Haramaki Love. Inspired by the traditional Japanese belly warmers she discovered while living in Japan, Haramaki Love founder Julia Aynsley created these fun and functional accessories. They’re great for layering under or over clothing: got a too short shirt? Layer with one of these instead of wearing 2 shirts at once! They also provide great support for the belly and lower back during pregnancy. Julia introduced me to the haramaki phenomenon and I think this classic Japanese garment is really cool!
Soo… let me know what you think about the new goods or any other thoughts you have about my shop for a chance to win that $50 gift certiciate!
by MissMalaprop on March 3, 2010
Picked By You! is back! Below you’ll find some great handmade goods recommended by you, the readers!
This handmade Extra Slouchy Beret in Lemon was crocheted by Softspoken and recommended by MariaHug (who I recently featured here). She says, “Yay for yellow and the coming spring!” I agree! Love the bright color and the way this beret is styled in the photos.
Carol Bradley suggested the soy candles by Kenny CoOp. She told me, “I’ve used 8 of their candles… The scents are original, crisp and clean. By “clean” I mean that it’s just right. One small candle fills a small room well without being cloying or overpowering. My favorite is Frog!”
zJayne said this about this handmade stuffed blue gorilla toy made from recycled wool sweaters by sighfoo: “I melt when I click on this listing. The face, I tell you, it speaks to me. Adorable as all get out. (What does that even mean?) In fact, I bought his buddy, spumoni gorilla. May have to have this one too.” I agree, this gorilla is pretty cute, but it’s hard to choose which animal is the cutest out of all the adorable stuffed creatures in sighfoo’s shop!
Got your own amazing handmade or eco-friendly shopping find? Send it my way! You can email me a link to the item, one or two sentences about why you think it is so special, plus your name and a website/blog link so I can credit you to mallory [AT] missmalaprop.com and let me know it’s for Picked By You!, or you can post your picks in this thread in the Etsy forums or at my Facebook fan page. Designers, while I definitely encourage you to let me know about your own work as well, please note that Picked By You! is to showcase the work of other artists, so show some love for your favorite fellow artisans!
by MissMalaprop on October 13, 2009
One of my wonderful sponsors, Alex Norton of Lil’ Sprout Knits, has offered up one of her adorable handmade stuffed elephants for one very lucky reader!
Her hand-knit stuffed animals are just the cutest and they’re all made with organic, 100% cotton fibers that have been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Alex designs and makes a variety of organic, eco-friendly toys and goods for kids and babies, including these super cute stuffed animals. She also offers patterns for these elephants in her Etsy shop, in case you’re a crafty knitter and you’d like to make your own.
For this giveaway, Alex has offered to make a special stuffed elephant in the winner’s choice of colors. For sports fans, she can make an elephant in your team’s colors. (Alex suggested an LSU elephant, and she’s got a University of Georgia elephant in her shop right now.)
All you need to do to enter to win this adorable handmade elephant is leave a comment on this post with the colors you would choose for your new elephant friend if you win! The deadline for all entries is midnight on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 (Central Standard Time – go here to figure out what time that is where you are). A winner will be chosen at random, and I’ll email you if you’re the lucky winner!
Find more adorable organic hand-knit toys and baby gear at www.lilsproutknits.com on in the Lil’ Sprout Knits Etsy shop.
by MissMalaprop on September 23, 2009
My co-worker Beth just tipped me off to this absolutely adorable line of eco-friendly children’s clothing – Adooka Organics! The company was founded by a friend of her family, and I think that this line is just the cutest! (And I’m totally not a kid person, but sometimes you just have to admit, cute is cute.)
Everything in this line is made in the U.S.A. from 100% certified organic cotton that was knit in Canada and dyed with low-impact, fiber-reactive dyes. There’s stuff for babies and toddles, in styles for both boys and girls.
I absolutely love all of the pieces from Adooka Organics, and I love the company’s mission! I’m so glad Beth told me about them, because companies like this one are exactly what we need in this world!
by MissMalaprop on August 20, 2009
Why do the coolest things for kids always come out after you’re all grown up? I love, love, love the dinosaur princess dresses by children’s designer Elise Hooper. I mean, girls like dinos too! (Frankly, I don’t think I would mind having a dinosaur princess dress now…)
Elise creates more than just fun dino princess dresses for kids though. Her personalized blankets are super cute, and what kid wouldn’t want a blankie with their name on it? I chatted with Elise to find out a little more about her designs and inspiration.
How did you get started as a designer? I learned to sew and knit from my grandmother and mother as a little girl and never stopped. While in college, I got a job as a seamstress in the costume department and learned how to make whalebone corsets and many things that I have never tried again, but I had fun learning and seeing my creations on stage. When my daughter was born, I began making her clothes as a creative outlet and have never stopped. Now I have two girls, so the possibilities are endless for creating fun things for them.
What inspires your work? Children’s books with their wonderful illustrations and stories about talking animals appeal to me. I love the “Ella” series (D’Amico), Eric Carle books, books by Leslie Patricelli, and many others! My daughters and I also visit Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo about once a week and many of the animals there provide me with ideas. Trips to the beach down the street make me notice colors and shapes and walks around the neighborhood also give me the opportunity to study people’s gardens for color and texture. I also simply listen to my kids and what interest them. One of our friends developed a love for dinosaurs and princesses and there was nothing out there that paired those two together, so I took matters into my own hands–literally!–to create my dino princess dresses.
Who are your favorite designers? Where to start? I adore Heather Ross and her imaginative designs. The classic but modern patterns of Marimekko are timeless. I watch Project Runway religiously and love to hear what their judges have to say. In addition, the NY Times Style section and InStyle are on my must-read list.
What are your fashion & beauty must-haves? Nothing beats a terrific pair of jeans! I’m also constantly looking for handbags and brightly colored shoes. Since I live in Seattle, I need color! I’m also currently loving the smell and texture of Alba daily facial moisturizer and Dermalogica eye cream.
What advice would you give to aspiring designers? To try to learn as many new skills as possible and try to make as many things as possible so that you can keep learning new techniques and advancing through trial and error. I read books, blogs, and study pictures to try to figure out new strategies for creating things. I also ask lots of questions when I’m in fabric stores, art stores, and hardware stores about different tools and materials.
Where can people find your work? elisehooperdesigns.etsy.com
