Felt treats!

Ever since I created my own Halloween outfit, a bag of Skittles, out of a pillow case and felt, I've been interested in additional uses for felt. What else can I do with it, especially now that I know how to sew and have moved beyond the hot glue gun.

I found the cutest site! Browsing thru Etsy, I found this felt food, and upon further exploration, I realized that she has her own site, and all sorts of tutorials. UmeCrafts (wu~may~crafts) doesn't sell the crafts, but she tells you how to do what she does. Even better. She charges for her patterns on Etsy, like this dim sum set. She even teaches you how to weave the basket.

But, if you browse her webpage, Lit'l Brown Bird, there are free listings as well. Like this one of the picnic basket (you can purchase all the fruit patterns)


Or this one of the bowl of strawberries.

This stuff is sooo cute. I just cant handle it. It also looks like she has started a new Etsy site, Lit'l Brown Bird starting in April 2009, where the felt will be sold in kits, so it will make your fruit and cookie making experience that much easier.

Could you imagine. A house where everything for your kids was soft, and no one would get hurt? Aweosme.

Etsy Tag Monday: Lady bug

A good friend of mine is having a baby girl in the upcoming months. The theme of the baby shower is lady bugs. The invitations were adorned with lady bugs, the envelope covered in lady bug stickers, so when deciding what onesie to create for her, the choice was obvious. As was the tag for today. While you cant have this one, because its for Emily, if you want something similar, let me know and we can work it out.

To accompany this onesie, I found the cutest Lady Bug booties from LaurasLoft, and hopefully they make it to me before mid April! Cant wait to see them.


Outside of my current purchase, there were some other adorable items on Etsy tagged with lady bug. Like this tutu. Im a fan of the tutu, even wearing them as an adult when the occasion is right, but if you have a daughter, you should put her in this! The Pampered Little Princess Boutique has a ton of tutu's and other girlie goodness.

If you and your kids like story telling, these little finger puppets are too cute. There are bugs, bears, mice, people, etc. So many stories to tell using your fingers. :) Wee Knit is talented, again reinforcing my desire to learn to knit and crochet.








To round off any good gift giving idea, or buy it just because you are a fan of the lady bug like I am, these burp cloths are awesome as well. They look think and absorbent, and are made with terrycloth for easy washing. Check out the rest of The Trendy Baby's shop.

crafty kiddos- Flat Stanley comes to Oakland

If I ever get back into teaching one of the first things I'm going to do with my kids, regardless of grade level, is host a Flat Stanley project. Flat Stanley is a book by Jeff Brown. Its about a kid who gets flattened by a bulletin board one night, and becomes a half inch thick.

Amazing things begin happening to him. Stanley gets rolled up, mailed, and flown like a kite. He even gets to help catch two dangerous art thieves. He may be flat, but he's a hero! There are quite a few books about Stanley and his adventures.

Teachers have used this as an opportunity for their kids to get crafty and creative.

A little background Flat Stanley: The project was started in 1995 by Dale Hubert, a third grade teacher. It is meant to facilitate letter-writing by schoolchildren to each other as they document what Flat Stanley has done with them. The Flat Stanley Project provides an opportunity for students to make connections with students of other member schools who've signed up with the project. Students begin by reading the book and becoming acquainted with the story. Then they make paper "Flat Stanleys" and keep a journal, documenting the places and activities in which Flat Stanley is involved. Then they send Flat Stanley to someone else to continue his journey.

Its a great way for kids to get creative with their Flat Stanley, and his many adventures.

Mick and I got a Flat Stanley in the mail last week, courtesy of our friend Kristen's class in Austin. We took him on BART and around the lake. Here is part of his journey. Honestly, he was kind of a pimp. Check it out.

shoe photography

I am an amateur photog at best. Just because you have a digital SLR doesn't make you a pro...and while I would love to have better equipment, and take better photos, I do what I can with what I have, and use my little Photoshop skills for some post production. I could use a class. I could use a few. One of my personal faves that I took with my Nikon D40 is one of a shoe in a shoe garden in SF. Alamo Square to be precise.

One of my favorite shots Mick took the same day.

What I realize though is how much i like shoe photography. In my search today, I found some awesome examples. My personal favorites being the shoes that I love to wear...Chuck Taylors. Comfort is key.

Check out this lot of Converse photography by Pink Sherbert Photography.

I wish I knew how to borrow other peoples images from Flickr, but check Honey Pie!'s shots out too. Gorgeous.

There are pools dedicated to Converse photography on Flickr. Like this shot by steviemcgillicuttie. Love the polaroid. Love the shoes.



I think I'm going to start taking shoe photos. Your shoes, my shoes, everyones shoes. Especially the little shoes...after all little things are my game now.

a turtle named Monkey

It seems that all of my friends are pregnant, or with child. This may be where the inspiration came for me to start with the Wunzees, but who knows. I went to a old friend's wedding this past January, and it was a smaller affair, with a few of my good friends in attendance. There were about 8 ladies that I knew at this wedding, and two had their children with them, two guests were pregnant, and the bride was too! Still is in fact. That is where the inspiration for my latest creation came from.

Cindy had a turtle back in college. The turtle's name was Monkey. (As a side, we have a dog friend named Monkey as well. Apparently its a popular animal to name another animal) When Monkey got too big for his tank, and Cindy's apartment got too small for a Monkey, so she had to find him a new home. With Cindy having baby in the next few months, a baby gift will likely be necessary, and seeing as though baby gifts are my game now, I thought she could have a new little turtle who poops less, doesn't require daily feedings, and has a different name.

Don't get me wrong. This lil guy is totally for sale. However, if when the time comes for a baby gift to be given, if its still unsold in my shop...decision made. Remember too, that if you are reading my blog, or visiting my site, and you like one of the designs I have, but it's not being sold in the right size, just let me know and I can make another one!

If you have ever visited my Etsy site, you know that there is some clever wordsmithing involved that describes the items I put up for sale. Courtesy of my funny boyfriend Mick. (Check out his own blog WTF is Mick Drinking?) With that, this cutie patootie turtle is named

Padurdle the Turtle.

Padurdle is Mertyl the Turtle's Lertle Bertle. (Little brother)

He isn't quite as smart as Mertyl, but OOOH BOY...hes a LADIES' man....

That's when he comes out of his shell...

He is a little flirt, but he means well and has a hurtle gurdle. (heart of gold)

Don't be slow on the draw, and get your lil friend this Wunzee today!

This fits size:

0-3 months
19"-23"
8-11 lbs

Etsy Tag Monday: Goat

In order to support my fellow craftsters, every Monday I will have one tag that I use, and find cute stuff around that tag. I will gladly take suggestions, and use readers suggestions for tags. For my first Etsy Tag Monday, I went with the most obvious choice, GOAT.



For anyone who knows how to crochet (I wish I did), this pattern is awesome. I want to buy the goat due to my lack of skill in the crochet dept, but if anyone wants to make it for me, I'll gladly buy you the $4 pattern! You should totally add the Crocheted and Felted Billy Goat Amigurumi Pattern by thebirdsandbees to your pattern collection...if you are into that kind of thing.

For just $15, you can own this cute Goat Girl from cocoandmatilda.
I really like her style, and for an 8 x 10 print, thats a great price.







This whole Plush Goodness Etsy shop looks like something out of an amazing kids book. What great stories you could tell with multiple plushies, and starting your collection off with the Goat of course. Who doesn't want a blue crotchety Gramps Goat for their stuffed collection?






This one I just thought to be interesting. Looks cozy, and cute, with a hint of freaky. Its a good thing that they state that it's meant for people over the age of 12, because this Duck, Duck, Duck, Goat leaves me with just a touch the willies, so I can imagine how a four year old would feel. I'm curious as to the thought process behind it. You should check out more of michellekeller's creatures, especially the Angry Goose Crab. I want in on the decision making, and animal combos. Could be fun!


With all of the goat plushies and art, also came up were a lot of Goat's Milk Soaps. I'm a sucker for lavendar, so this one got my attention. This Handmade Lavender Goats Milk Soap for only $2 sounds like a steal! All of dolisoap's soaps are made from vintage molds, and are handmade...sexy.

Welcome!

So in an attempt to expand and rebrand, I have decided to start a blog that is craft oriented. To this point, I've been writing a WordPress blog Too Salty for my Taste, but I decided that I want to be more focused, and in the process try Blogger.

Why "The Little Goat" you ask?

Maybe I'm nesting, maybe I just like little things, but making onesies makes me happy. I have been designing onesies for my Etsy.com site, Wunzees. When deciding to rebrand, to possibly make more stuff other than just onesies, The Little Goat was born. Seriously, goats are pretty darn cute, and if you actually think about it, a little goat is a.....kid. Perfect.

I have been as successful as I can be, with my friends being my biggest supporters. I work another job 8:30-5:30, in a field completely unrelated. I prefer the sewing. I would love to find a way to do something creative for a living and have other people buy my stuff, other than people I already know. But in the mean time, I'm small potatoes. Its therapeutic through the whole design process.

This blog is a late attempt at me writing about my process, showing my designs, and sharing other peoples designs that I find to be awesome as well.

This process isn't all mine though. I may do the cutting, sewing, stitching, etc...buy my boyfriend Mick is the creative wordsmith that describes all the items. His words are half the fun. He also designed the banner and is helping me brand myself. This is phase one. When I started my Etsy site, we declared it "Wunzees". Now "The Little Goat" is the future. Its evolution.