Etsy Curator

Rainy and chilly - thoughts of winter

The cool and rainy weather on the east coast has gotten me thinking about winter.  One of the battles we always have in our home during the season of slush is whether or not to make people remove their shoes at the door.  I have a little one and I know that gives me an automatic excuse to make people go shoe-less but for some reason, I just never feel comfortable asking people to leave their shoes at the door.  A couple of nights ago, the hubbie and I were talking about possible solutions to this dilemma.  We decided that we're ok with asking people to remove their shoes as long as we can provide alternative footwear.  So over the next few posts I'm going to be featuring a number of slippers that we're considering offering to our guests.  Let me know what you think.

First up are these slightly expensive but oh-so-cool crocheted slipper boots.  They're $50 which is more than I'd like to spend on each but a few at that price point might be OK.  Visit Craftidame's shop to seem more of her creations. 

Home decor: Pillows with personality

I just discovered this artist, Zillows Zany Pillows yesterday.  I'm in love.  The pillows range from simple (i.e. cool fabrics with no extra designs) to intricate (i.e. Betty Law, Pickles Rule see below).  In any event, there's something for everyone.  This is an inexpensive way to add a little style to your living room.  No need to buy a new couch, spruce up your old one with these accent pillows.  Perhaps it's because I live in a brownstone but this one's my personal favorite.

Betty Law $100

Big City House Love $22

Look fierce and stylish with this ninja girls tote

If you think of totes as ugly bags that you get for free at corporate events or bags you use when shopping for groceries, think again.  These bags from Haut Totes will certainly change your mind.  The artist has a very interesting story which you can read about in her profile.  But whether her story inspires you or not,  how can you resist these bags?  They're unique and the prints are awesome.  Prices range from mid $30s to low $40s.  This is one of my favorites.

Cute wooden zoo animals - pick the 3 you want

I love this set of zoo animals by Happy Squash Toys.  They look really engaging and fun.  Sure to keep your little one busy for hours (well....if your kids are like Baby O...maybe minutes).  You can pick the 3 animals you want or even substitute for dinosaurs.  Feedback on these sellers is lengthy and positive.  Plus no worries about lead based paints, they use the best materials. What are you waiting for?

Handmade wooden toys

We have a number of handcrafted wooden toys for our daughter.  But with the exception of one of them, she generally casts them aside in favor of the cheap & noisy plastic crap.  The one wooden toy she does love is a push toy that has alligators that make noise when the toy is being pushed.  This got me to thinking, while we as adults love them for their charm, the only way a handmade wooden toy is successful for a child is if it actually DOES something. 

Over the next few days, I'll share a few push toys I've found that are sure to keep your little ones entertained.

The first by SS Woodcraft is a Mallard Duck ($25) that waddles and makes a sound when it's feet hit the floor.  If you read the reviews, this item seems to be quite popular with the little ones.