Busy Busy Bee!

That's right, it's been another busy week here at IndigoElephant HQ, with sewing up orders and preparing for the next market... Or I thought I was preparing for a market, but found out today that it's cancelled.  Fortunately I emailed to check some details! 

As always I seem to be at my most creative when I'm flat out trying to get other things done??  There are so many new ideas popping up at the moment and simply not enough time to try them all.  Actually, the lovely Kim from Kaboodle, suggested sending myself an email of the new ideas, to be filed away and re-visited as time allows. A pretty good solution, and now I have some time to do a few of those things on the "to try" list.  And I can finish things Kids In The Kitchen, that I've been fine tuning for ages!

I was planning on launching a few things at the market, but will do it here instead!  The first: sets of face washers  (or wash cloths) - designed to co-ordinate with bibs -  and will also tie in with Dummy clips... I like things to co-ordinate, just ask my boys! 

Styled to co-ordinate with the colours in the Michael Miller Groovy Guitars fabric, these also tie-in with the Rockin'Guitar Feeding Bib.

This set matches the Woodland series - with options for Feeding Bibs & Dummy Clips.

Just an idea for packaging, for markets as this won't work for keeping postage costs down!

What do you think? Would you use these on your bub... or yourself?  Would you give them as a gift?  Your feedback is valued!  Oh, and these will also be available at Madeit for local buyers who are battling the fluctuating Aussie dollar!

Handmade Co-operative Giveaway

The Handmade Co-op is hosting a massive mega giveaway this week and we're very happy to be involved.  The Co-op supports Australian designers and creators of gorgeous handmade goodies for kids, so there are some wonderful prizes on offer.  More giveaways are added each day, so check out the blog for more opportunities to win!

IndigoElephant has contributed the lovely (and non-gender specific) Apples & Pears Dribble and Feeding Bibs, which have been teamed up with some delightful textile cards by Here We Go Loopy Lou.  All you have to do is check out either shop and leave a comment on the Handmade Co-op blog about your favourite item.  You have until June 3 to enter, and it's only open to Australian residents - sorry global friends.  Good Luck!!

Highs and Lows.

This last week has been a little bit crazy for us!  And the craziness has been both good and bad... The low points of the week would have to include us being sick with gross colds, the onset of cold and gloomy weather, and the realisation that I won't be selling kids pyjamas.  You might remember, I was really excited when I made Atticus his first pair of pyjamas? Mainly because I perceived a gap in the market for adorable sleepwear, especially for boys, that wasn't emblazoned with skulls, crossbones, pirate flags or licenced characters.  So I started fine tuning and doing a bit more research into it... which was when the penny dropped that flannelette is a highly flammable material.  And that Australia and New Zealand have the strictest standards for kids sleepwear, and as I won't be paying mega bucks to have my products tested this idea will have to be shelved for the moment. Definitely a low point.

The high point of this week was receiving my winnings from the Li'l Magoolie and I Just Love That Fabric giveaway!  Opening this package up brought a big smile to my face!

How gorgeous are Sprout Design fabrics, cant wait to make something for the boys with these!!

I was also able to finish up the first round of samples for the Kids In The Kitchen items. A bit more refining to be done but here is a sneak peek!  Don't know if the little chef's hat will be very popular but it's so cute!

Toasty Toes.

Recently it became glaringly obvious to me that  Baby Elephant #2, who is nearly 18 months old, hates wearing socks or shoes.  I know this is because he has been a bottom shuffler from way back, so when most other kids his age were crawling, then walking & running, he was scooting around on his bottom.  He has always hated tummy time, so it was very natural for him to not want to crawl, or walk.  And with the advice of those in the know, recommending shoes only for those already walking, he has been shoeless for quite some time.  But we're heading into winter, the autumn chill has descended and our timber and tiled floors are very cold, so I've started experimenting with some baby booties/slippers to keep his tootsies toasty on chilly days.

This set has been made with navy pinwale cord and stripey flannelette.

These are adorable little shoes, they keep his feet warm, and he can't get them off too easily... oh, he also seems to like wearing them!  I was thinking of adding them to the shop, but am still developing the pattern.  I want to make them reversible, adding a loop to help with pulling them on, and generally simplifying it all.  The trickiest bit is sewing all the layers together, evenly, with no puckers, and a neat seam all round. So I'm reconsidering adding them to the shop, not sure yet, still trying to decide if I can make them neat enough...

Madeit.

I finally took the plunge and yesterday opened a shop on Madeit - it's an Australian site dedicated to gorgeous, handmade, Aussie talent... and you can buy there in Australian dollars!  Not sure why it's taken me so long to do it, maybe just the worry about not being able to manage two different online shops, but I'll see how it goes.  More excitingly, I started stocking my shop  yesterday, and last night in the Madeit Shopping Guide, staring back at me was my Amethyst Elephant!  Below is a little snippet of the Guide, the rest of which can be seen here!!

Babies, Babies, Babies!

No, no, not mine!!  But there seems to be a bit of a baby boom amongst my friends this year.  I'm definitely looking forward to lots of cuddles, but there is nothing like a brand new, tiny little baby to get the creative juices going.  So, there will be new creations, with a focus on gift sets, so stay tuned for them... Now if I could just find more time to sew...

Starling Dribble Bib and Face Washer Gift Set

 

Butterscotch Treasury.

Butterscotch - by Beadsme

The Summertime Owl has been included in this very autumnal treasury! To take a closer look at all the lovely items just click on the image above.

Needs & Wants.

Some of you may know that I tend to make things to fulfil a need, as it arises, for either my kids or one of our little friends.  The Feeding Bibs were the beginning of it all, for Baby Elephant #1 who'd guzzle down a feed, and invariably bring some of it back up again and the Dribble Bibs for Baby Elephant #2 who'd saturate shirts in an instant!  The aprons you heard about here, the softies were for fun and bobby pins for mums - because we all know that mums love shopping for the kids, but it's nice to treat yourself to something little here and there!!  Most items are designed to bring a bit of style to a job that could be fairly yuck, but some items are simply great to look at...

I'm working on a few new things right now, some to fulfil a need, and others just beacuse I want to! It's great getting one's head around something new!  I'm looking forward to sharing these with you soon, but was wondering if there's anything out that you're working on, a little project, or new skill?  I'd love to learn how to crochet, but I just don't know where to start with that!  Maybe the Handmade May challenge will inspire me, with birthdays and Mother's Day just around the corner?

Handmade May

May begins today, and with it the challenge from Jess of Epheriell Designs, to only buy handmade (where possible) for the whole month. It's all about making a concious decision to support micro businesses and pay your money directly to the person creating the item you're buying.  I love this idea, more so since being challenged by Jo over at A Mum's Musings to think about who is making the stuff we buy and how they are being treated in the process of making it.  So, I have pledged to be involved and give it go... you can too, just head over to Epheriell Designs and commit to being involved! 

Here's what Jess has to say about the idea:

What if – for a whole month – you only bought handmade? That’s my challenge to you for the whole of May 2010 – to buy only handmade goods.

Now – obviously this doesn’t include things like medication… with some things in life you don’t have the choice to buy handmade.

But for things like…

• Clothing, shoes and accessories
• Handbags, purses
• Home decor
• Art
• Food if you can find it! (think your local farmer’s market)
• Journals, notepaper, calendars
• Crockery, pottery
• and much more….

… there are a wealth of options out there – both online and at your local markets!

Just think – for a whole month you’ll be making the conscious choice to support a micro-business – to pay your hard-earned money straight to the person who put care and love into the item you’re purchasing – rather than to an anonymous corporation.

I look forward to sharing how I go!!