1000 sales!

I have had the goal of reaching 1000 sales in my Etsy shop for years, and I finally reached my goal today! It feels so great to achieve what I have been working on for so long! Yay!

When I first started selling my bags, I would see some shops with so many sales and think I would never get anywhere close. To finally be here feels great!

Now onto my next goal ... I want to finally start working on my Facebook page. If you haven't yet, I would love if you took a look and "liked" my page!

My new baby carrier - a review

I got this baby carrier because I am on a quest to find one that is both cute AND functional. I had the Baby Bjorn active carrier with my first daughter and loved it, so I thought this Baby Bjorn Original carrier would be just as good, but so much cuter in the bright pink color. When it arrived, I was very happy with its appearance. It is bright, well-made, and looks great on.

After wearing the carrier for a few weeks, though, I started to miss my first (although black and boring) Baby Bjorn Active. While this Original carrier works fine, it is just not as comfortable as the Active. The back has just one adjustable spot, and although I tried over and over (and over and over) to find the sweet spot where it would be perfect for me and the baby, I just couldn't get it adjusted right with just the one adjuster (the Active carrier has several different buckles that can be adjusted). The shoulder straps are not as padded as in the Active carrier, so it is harder to wear for long periods of time. Finally, the shoulder area for the baby is tighter in this carrier than in the active, so I always felt that my baby was a little more squeezed in and not quite as comfy.

Truthfully, had I not had my previous experience with the Active carrier, I would probably be raving about this carrier. Like I said, it is cute and made to last. It does its job and keeps baby snug against me for hours. I just feel that for the price, it may be worth it to spend a little extra money to get the Active carrier that is designed to be more comfortable for longer periods of time. If you will be carrying your baby for an hour or more, it is probably a better investment. You might not look as colorful, but you'll feel better.

New purses in my shop

I am loving the new design of handbag I just listed in my shop. Large and roomy, but so easy to carry. And the leather handles are so cool!

Making Ice Cream!

My daughter and I tried out the Sassafras Kids 14-Piece Ice Cream Set from CSN Stores today.

This is a great little ice cream machine! It was very easy to use, and took less time to make ice cream than I even thought it would. Best of all, the ice cream was actually delicious!

There are a few recipes included in the kit, and we tried the vanilla first. I had to do the cooking since it all involved the stove, but my daughter was able to help measure the ingredients. While the cream warmed on the stove, she was able to color in her ice cream-maker hat - a little trinket that makes a HUGE impression on the little ones! She loved it! Once the recipe was ready, we popped it in the freezer, and hours later we were eating something she was so proud of! It did take longer to freeze than the directions said, but it did note that this was a possibility since all freezers are different.

This company sure knows how to please kids, because there was also a pack of sprinkles included in the kit, and some cute ice cream bowls and spoons. Talk about a fun treat! My daughter was just in heaven with these little extras, and it made her ice cream-making day all the more special.
This little machine is definitely not as powerful or as fancy as most ice cream makers on the market. But it's also geared toward kids and other ice cream makers are not. This is her special machine, and it makes just enough for her (and her mom, of course!) to enjoy.


The machine was easy to use, easy to clean, and (yay!) is easy to store. It runs on batteries, so it doesn't need to be stored in the freezer like other machines (so it doesn't take up valuable freezer space). The directions say it can run 8 cycles before needing new batteries ... not bad.

I would definitely recommend this kit to anyone with kids. A fun treat for the whole family!

More redecorating ...

My goal for 2011: finally finish my house! We moved in two years ago, and we've been slowly working on getting it to look like how we want it. We have made A LOT of progress: a new kitchen, two new bedrooms, my beautiful sewing room. But the dining room - the room right in the center of the house - needs some work, and it hits me in the face every time I walk in the front door. We were able to paint it right before Emmy got home - a bright red and cream instead of the rusty, dull red it was when we moved in. And we have a new red and white floral cabinet in the corner to stash all our stuff. But the table in the center is the wrong color and, most embarrassing, the chairs that go with it are broken and stained beyond recognition. I found this round chair at CSN Stores. I think this would go a long way toward making my dining room something bold and modern, something that fits my style, and something I can be proud of. Pair it with an inexpensive old table from Craigslist and I'll have a complete house!

Sisters!

What a great New Year is has been so far! I get to see adorable stuff like this every day ....

I love having two daughters!

Fisher Price Fun With Friends Musical Table

A few weeks ago, I received the Fisher Price Fun with Friends Musical Table from CSN Stores. Emmy needed something to distract her while the rest of the family got ready in the morning, and I thought this might be the perfect toy. So far, it's working great!

I have always been a fan of Fisher Price toys, and this one lives up to the others. I love that there are the different learning modes, so each part of the toy does something different in each mode. That's a lot of options ... and we're still discovering new songs on this toy! Always something to explore!

My daughter's favorite part is the telephone. She loves picking it up and pushing the buttons.

One of the modes is a Spanish mode. That one's not my favorite, and I try to keep that one off as much as possible. Instead of being purely in Spanish, it translates from English to Spanish. As a language teacher, I know that is not the way to learn a language, so it bugs me.

My other complaint is that the toy does not seem as sturdy as other Fisher Price toys. When Emmy leans on it to play, it actually moves. It's difficult for her to stay in one place and play with this. She is getting better and learning not to lean too much, but since I got this toy BECAUSE she could stand to play with it, it's sort of disappointing it isn't more stable for her.

But despite those minor flaws I do recommend this toy. It has great (catchy!) songs, lots of buttons to push (to keep baby entertained while developing dexterity), and a lot of options for long-term learning.