Showing posts with label Handmade Fun 4 Children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Handmade Fun 4 Children. Show all posts

Saturday, July 9, 2011

WINNERS!!!!

Thank you for the GREAT response to my Handmade Fun 4 Children Event. 


MMEM
Please visit my sponsors!
Winners are listed below:

*So Simple So Sweet- Jenna
*Glory Glass Magnets - Michele
*Mama's Felt Cafe- Gianna
*Wooden Moose Creations -Pamela
*Little Rosie Posie Girl -Kimberly
Winners have been emailed!

Friday, July 1, 2011

Handmade Fun 4 Children: Little Rosie Posie Girl Review/Giveaway

MMEM
Handmade Fun 4 Children Presents: 
Little Rosie Posie Girl

Cars, cars, cars!  That's all my son really plays with.  I actually think he has cars permanently attached to his hands.  He doesn't really have any favorite car, but he it seems like he can't live without them.  And they are so small that whenever we pack them up to take them anywhere, they get lost.  Enter...the car wallet!

This compact little wallet has slots for 4 cars to fit snugly inside.  It rolls up neatly so no cars are lost! Sweet!

And look at what comes inside?  A built in road.  My little guy was thrilled to unpack this fun car wallet and discover a road where he could drive his cars.
And look how easily it rolls up.  You just fold, fold and roll.  There is a nifty little velcro that seals it all up.  Not only that, this car wallet is made with an irresistible fabric that boys will really enjoy- Spiderman!  Julee also has several other types of fabric to make these car/toy caddys.  You can view the selection HERE.

I was very impressed with the quality of the sewing of this product.  The seams are reinforced and the fabric is thick to handle all the rough and tumble that it will go through during play.  This is perfect to take for on the go to grandma's house, doctor visits and as a quiet activity at home.  What a great idea!

Let's get to know Julee:

*Where did you come up with the name of your shop?
My husband came up with the name for my shop. My daughter's middle name is Rose and he calls her his little Rosie Posie girl.

*How long have you been making crafts?
When I was a girl, my mom would pick a craft technique each summer that we would learn. I remember latch hook rugs, cross stiching, and then there was the summer of sewing. I didn't really do much sewing again until I became a co-sponsor of a sewing club at the junior high where I taught.

*What do you like best about what you do?
I enjoy creating things that have a function. As a mom of two boys first before the baby girl, I don't usually mess with things that are only pretty with no function. So now I take something that serves a purpose and I make it cute!

*What is unique about your shop?
Because I had the 2 boys first, I noticed there isn't much out there for moms of boys to get excited about. I know I'm not the only one out there that makes items for boys but i do try to keep my prices in a range I would actually spend. Sometimes I see things in boutique stores that are cute but 3 times what I would be willing to pay...so my prices are realistic!

*This product was provided to me free of charge for the purpose of this review. This is my honest opinion of this product and no monetary compensation was received for my opinion.*
 

Buy it: Visit Little Rosie Posie Girl and enjoy her cute creations!

Win it: Julee is giving away a Mickey Mouse theme Car Wallet!  Giveaway ends Friday, July 8.

To enter:Be sure to click on all the links before filling out the entry form.

1. Be a follower on my blog (required)
2. Visit Little Rosie Posie Girl and tell me another product that you like (required)
3.Use the Handmade Fun 4 Children button for your blog post about this giveaway and provide link 
MMEM

4. Subscribe to my blog by email
5."Like" Milk N' Honey Learn and Grow on Facebook (link on my blog). 
6. Post about this giveaway on another site (blog, facebook, twitter, etc) (1 entry for every site) 
7. Add Little Rosie Posie Girl as a favorite on Etsy.
8. "Like" Little Rosie Posie Girl on Facebook
9. Make a purchase at Little Rosie Posie Girl.
10. Tell me one thing you learned about Julee. 



If you entered more than one giveaway this week:

Extra Entry Form for Handmade Fun 4 Children Week

MMEM

If you entered more than one giveaway this week, please fill out this extra entry form.  Thanks!
Remember, for every giveaway that you enter, you will get that many extra entries.
For example if you entered all 5 giveaways, you will get 5 extra entries for EACH giveaway!
Please enter before Friday, July 8 so I can plug in your extra entries.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Handmade Fun 4 Children: Wooden Moose Creations Review/Giveaway

MMEM
HANDMADE FUN 4 CHILDREN PRESENTS:
WOODEN MOOSE CREATIONS
One thing that is really satisfying to me is to find a toy that Shrade and I can play with together that is not only fun, but packed with learning possibilities!  Wooden Moose Creations not only has several great products like this, but the way these products are made is what caught my eye.  Each creation is made from pine wood which is perfect for wood burning and not one is the same!
We were given the Fruit Puzzle to review.  This puzzle includes 6 puzzle pieces that fit on a board.  Each large puzzle piece has a certain number of a specific fruit.  The pieces are sturdy and only interlock in a specific pattern.  This allows great fine motor and problem solving skills.  Shrade was able to analyze where the pieces fit on the board and how they fit together through trial and error.  It was fun to watch his young mind as he turned pieces to match on the board.
We also had fun counting the different fruits and identifying what fruits they were.  I loved the detail that Emmalee made on each piece.  Shrade was occupied for several minutes as he manuevered the puzzle pieces.  I overheard him chatting to himself.  "Oh, this one goes here.  Uh, oh, it doesn't fit."  I truly believe in letting children explore with open ended play and this was definitely a winner!
Emmalee has so many other uniquely wood burned products that you will enjoy browsing in her Etsy shop.  She has a great gift to create such one of a kind products.  She also has some products that can be personalized.



Let's get to know Emmalee:

*Where did you come up with the name of your shop?
I have always loved working with "wood". There's something special and nostalgic about wooden toys and since I have had children, I started making a few toys for them. "Moose" came from my love for them and quest to see a real moose one day. I put the two together and my shop was born.


*How long have you been making crafts?
My mother is an artist and we have been making things my whole life. Of all the different artistic venues the 4 of us children were exposed to, I always loved working with wood. My mother taught me how to wood burn in high school and I haven't stopped since.


*What do you like best about what you do?
I love approaching a piece of wood with no ideas. It's like looking at a blank canvas. Nature inspires me the most and I love adding some of those images back to wood. Thankfully, I never get tired of it. Trying to incorporate nature back into our children's lives these techno-driven days is fulfilling to me.


*What is unique about your shop?
There are many people who wood burn and there are many people who make wooden toys but only a few put them together. I am one of them.

Thank you, Emmalee!

*This product was provided to me  free of charge for the purpose of this  review.  This is my honest opinion of  this product  and no monetary compensation  was received for my opinion.*
 


Buy it: Visit Wooden Moose Creations and enjoy her wonderful products!




Win it: Emmalee is giving away a matching game- nature images with handmade bag.  Giveaway ends Friday, July 8.





To enter:Be sure to click on all the links before filling out the entry form.





1. Be a follower on  my blog (required)
2. Visit Wooden Moose Creations and tell me another product that you like (required)
3.Use the Handmade Fun 4 Children button for your blog post about this giveaway and provide link
MMEM


4.  Subscribe to my blog by email
5."Like" Milk N' Honey Learn and Grow on  Facebook (link on my blog).
6. Post about  this giveaway on  another site (blog, facebook, twitter,etc)  (1  entry for every site)
7. Add Wooden Moose Creations as a favorite on Etsy.
8. "Like" Wooden Moose Creations on Facebook
9. Make a purchase at Wooden Moose Creations.
10. Tell me one thing you learned about Emmalee.


If you entered more than one giveaway this week:


Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Handmade Fun 4 Children: Mama's Felt Cafe Review/Giveaway

MMEM
HANDMADE FUN 4 CHILDREN PRESENTS:
MAMA'S FELT CAFE

Pretend play is one of the best ways to develop critical cognitive skills like problem solving and vocabulary.  Upon finding Mama's Felt Cafe, I see great potential for creative pretend play.  We were given the Heart Shaped Whole Wheat Peanut Butter and Jelly Felt Lunch to play with!  My son is a big fan of PB&J sandwiches and it was fun to watch him "make" lunch with this felt version.  Included in this set 2 slices of heart shaped whole wheat bread, a layer of peanut butter and a layer of jelly, three granny smith apple slices and two cookies.  All are hand sewn with wool blend felt, Eco-Felt and Polyfil stuffing.  Love was definitely in the ingredients too!
So many great concepts were discovered with the felt lunch.  Shrade learned about matching shapes (hearts) since the sandwich is a heart shape.  He also learned about different colors.  Which color would be the jelly?  Yes, the red heart! 
We also did lots of counting.  How many hearts are there?  How many apple slices?  How many seeds on the apples?  How many cookies? 
And can we forget...food identification.  Shrade figured out right away what everything was except the cookies.  And he was a little distracted because we found a surprise in one of the cookies!  There is a little bell that jingled when we shook it.  Sweet!
And after assembling the lunch, of course we had to "eat" it.  I put all these items in a paper lunch bag and periodically throughout the day Shrade will volunteer to "make" lunch for me.  We go through all these different concepts in the form of pretend play and it's fun!  Be sure to check out all of Brittany's felt food and other felt products that can encourage such bonding and growing with your child.

Let's get to know Brittany:

*Where did you come up with the name of your shop?
~My blog, www.mamasfeltcafe.com, came before the Etsy store name. When I first started making felt food, I flooded my personal Facebook page with pictures and links to the tutorials I used. I decided to start posting my own tutorials and create a fb fan page to contain my crafty excitement. There are a lot of felt shops/blogs out there, so when it came time for a name, it was a bit overwhelming. I wanted to use "Mama" as that is my main job title at home, and my husband had suggested a restaurant theme for my felt food collection so I toyed around with "cafe", wanting there to be a social aspect to the name. Hence, Mama's Felt Cafe was born!

*How long have you been making crafts?
~I've actually only been doing this about 6 months. I found a wonderful wooden play kitchen for my son this past Christmas and I needed food to fill his little pantry. When I looked online, there were many resources for making your own toys. I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed hand sewing and started crafting everyday. If someone had told me a year ago that I would have a craft blog and Etsy shop, I would have laughed aloud. But, you never know what you are capable of until you try!

*What do you like best about what you do?
~I love having a creative outlet and building my own little community with the blog and fb page. I was starting to feel a little hum-drum in my stay-at-home-mommy life. You can only fold laundry and load the dishwasher so many times, you know? But this has given me an opportunity to stay close to my son, challenge myself by creating new items, teach others how to make toys for their own tots, and earn a little money on the side. I can't think of a more fun way to spend my time!

*What is unique about your shop?
~I really pride myself on trying to create original, unique items. There is a lot of redundancy in the felt food world--much of which is representations of junk food. I think we can offer our children play food that sets a healthier, more diverse example. If I have an idea for a food piece, I'll do a search on Etsy to see if someone is already selling something similar. If so, I generally go back to the drawing board. There are too many fun things to make to spend time doing what has already been done!

Thanks, Brittany!

*This product was provided to me  free of charge for the purpose of this  review.  This is my honest opinion of  this product  and no monetary compensation  was received for my opinion.*
 


Buy it: Visit Mama's Felt Cafe and enjoy her wonderful products!




Win it: Brittany is giving away a pancake breakfast set.  Giveaway ends Friday, July 8.






To enter:Be sure to click on all the links before filling out the entry form.





1. Be a follower on  my blog (required)
2. Visit Mama's Felt Cafe and tell me another product that you like (required)
3.Use the Handmade Fun 4 Children button for your blog post about this giveaway and provide link
MMEM


4.  Subscribe to my blog by email
5."Like" Milk N' Honey Learn and Grow on  Facebook (link on my blog).
6. Post about  this giveaway on  another site (blog, facebook, twitter,etc)  (1  entry for every site)
7. Add Mama's Felt Cafe as a favorite on Etsy.
8. "Like" Mama's Felt Cafe on Facebook
9. Make a purchase at Mama's Felt Cafe.
10. Tell me one thing you learned about Brittany.


If you entered more than one giveaway this week:



Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Handmade Fun 4 Children: Glory Glass Magnets Review/Giveaway

MMEM
HANDMADE FUN 4 CHILDREN PRESENTS:
GLORY GLASS MAGNETS


Shrade and I had so much fun exploring and learning with this ABC Alphabet Magnet Set.  First of all, Shrade was fascinated with the magnets and loved to see what parts of the box the little glass gems would stick to.  This set came in a little magnetic box with an alphabet set of lower case letters that includes a complete set of the alphabet plus an additional set of vowels and three larger glass magnets with an image and word. The bottom of the tin has a card of additional words to spell, A to Z, each with a corresponding images, apple to zebra. Use the back of the tin for the spelling surface. These 3/4" glass gems are colorful and little hands can practice fine motor skills.


This ABC Alphabet magnet set is great for identifying pictures, increasing vocabulary, spelling and matching beginning sounds to words.  This is a great learning tool for kids as young as 3 years old.  Even though my son is only 2.5 he is starting to recognize letters and this was fun to see him using his thinking and reasoning skills to match the letters to the pictures.
What I really liked about this product is that it is compact and would be a great activity to take in the car and use during times of waiting.  It's a fun way for kids to interact with letters, pictures and words and is perfect for little ones getting ready to attend school. I also loved the quality of this product.  It was very user friendly and the pieces are made to last a long time!
As you can see, there are multiple uses for hours of fun and learning with this small, yet powerful teaching tool!


Let's get to know Martje:

*Where did you come up with the name of your shop?

My sister in law came up with the name. We bantered names about and hers was the best. It was based upon my original items which are the Bible versed based magnets. There is already a Glory Glass shop on Etsy, though it doesn't seem to be in operation. I added the word "magnets" and became GloryGlassMagnets on Etsy. I do go by Glory Glass for everything that is not Etsy.

*How long have you been making crafts?

I have been crafting since I was a young child. My mother was a Kindergarten teacher and in that era, teachers made almost all of the visual teaching aids, bulletin board decor, etc. themselves. Both of my parents were very artistic and so it seemed natural to be creating things. One of the first things I recall making was a trash can for my bedroom, out of an oatmeal box and covered with wallpaper scraps. I learned to sew when I was 11 years old, which opened up a whole new world to me. I had LOTS of throw pillows on my bed in all shapes and sizes when I in high school! When my children were young, we would devote the month of December, beginning with the Friday after Thanksgiving, to our holiday crafts. Over the years that evolved into major cookie baking - I had so many decorations that I really didn't need more! I am pleased that my daughter has made crafting and baking part of her daughters' lives as well.

*What do you like best about what you do?

I enjoy the designing of the art and layout. I'm certainly not Rembrandt, but drawing and painting is just plain fun! I also really enjoy the research that I put into the Bible themed magnets - looking up commentary and related quotes.

*What is unique about your shop?

While many shops have glass magnets and push pins for sale, I don't find any other Etsy shops or internet stores that have anything similar to my ABC Alphabet set for children or the line of Bible verse themed magnets. And though there are many inspirational or Bible verse quote magnets for sale, I have a growing line that is really devoted to helping people understand the meaning of the Bible verses, not just the verse itself.
 
Thank you, Martje!!
 
*This product was provided to me  free of charge for the purpose of this  review.  This is my honest opinion of  this product  and no monetary compensation  was received for my opinion.*
 


Buy it: Visit Glory Glass Magnets and enjoy her wonderful creations!



Win it: Martje is offering a 25% discount on any one item.  Giveaway ends Friday, July 8.




To enter:Be sure to click on all the links before filling out the entry form.





1. Be a follower on  my blog (required)
2. Visit Glory Glass Magnets and tell me another product that you like (required)
3.Use the Handmade Fun 4 Children button for your blog post about this giveaway and provide link
MMEM


4.  Subscribe to my blog by email
5."Like" Milk N' Honey Learn and Grow on  Facebook (link on my blog).
6. Post about  this giveaway on  another site (blog, facebook, twitter,etc)  (1  entry for every site)
7. Add Glory Glass Magnets as a favorite on Etsy.
8. "Like" Glory Glass Magnets on Facebook
9. Make a purchase at Glory Glass Magnets.
10. Tell me one thing you learned about Martje.

Entry for Glory Glass Magnets 25% discount 

If you entered more than one giveaway this week: 




Monday, June 27, 2011

Handmade Fun 4 Children: So Simple So Sweet Review/Giveaway

MMEM
HANDMADE FUN 4 CHILDREN PRESENTS:
SO SIMPLE SO SWEET

Goldilocks and the Three Bears


Shrade and I had SO much fun playing with this very unique puppet set- Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  So Simple So Sweet Etsy shop has several puppet sets that include a glove with magnetic squares on each finger and foam character pieces to mix and match to tell a story.  Wow! 


Setting up the characters

Shrade is telling the story
What I found quite compelling about this puppet set is that it offered so many great ways to bond with my child.  It was highly interactive and with so many possibilities of sharing a story that are different every time.  I like this story because it is repetitive and helps my son to learn the art of storytelling, retelling and increases vocabulary.  The characters are cute and simple and have great visual quality.  The little foam pieces provide great fine motor skills and are very durable.  This is definitely a worthwhile teaching tool and will get kids involved with literature on a whole new level!


Retelling with daddy

It was so enjoyable to see Shrade retelling the story to daddy.  And since the characters are magnetic, they can be used on any magnetic surface such as the refrigerator.  And you can easily take these with you on road trips and use for waiting in airports or doctor offices.  Inspire the imagination of your child with these great puppet gloves!


Let's get to know Heidi:

*Where did you come up with the name of your shop?
I wanted a name that was easy to remember that was not product specific so I could change what I was selling if I wanted to! I love trying new things and the name makes it so I can try whatever I want!


*How long have you been making crafts?
I have been crafting forever! I have been papercrafting since I was 11 or 12 and I started making puppets about 5 years ago. I love doing many other crafts like jewelry, sewing, and painting.


*What do you like best about what you do?
I love that I can stay home with my kids while I craft! I would not trade being a stay at home mom for anything and so working at home is perfect for me. I needed a creative outlet that was somewhere for me to be more than a mom and etsy is perfect for that!


*What is unique about your shop?
I feel like I offer a unique twist on the old favorites of finger puppet gloves and greeting cards. I get tired of the same thing all the time and love to find new ways to do things. I really like that my puppets are not just for the glove, they can stick on any magnetic surface and so you can use them anywhere and everywhere! I also think my pocket card idea is unique because the greeting card has been around forever and it is sometimes hard to find one that is not the same old, same old. They are fun for kids and adults alike and the tag parts of the cards are so cute you can keep them around! I am really a believer in quality not quantity, I would much rather pay more for something that will last, and I make my products well so they will be around for a long time! I spend a lot of time making sure my puppets and cards are durable and not made in a rush.

Thank you, Heidi!

*This product was provided to me  free of charge for the purpose of this  review.  This is my honest opinion of  this product  and no monetary compensation  was received for my opinion.*
 


Buy it: Visit So Simple So Sweet and enjoy her wonderful creations!



Win it: Heidi is giving away any puppet set (except brown bear) or one of her cards.  Giveaway ends Friday, July 8.




To enter:Be sure to click on all the links before filling out the entry form.





1. Be a follower on  my blog (required)
2. Visit So Simple So Sweet and tell me another product that you like (required)
3.Use the Handmade Fun 4 Children button for your blog post about this giveaway and provide link.
MMEM


4.  Subscribe to my blog by email
5."Like" Milk N' Honey Learn and Grow on  Facebook (link on my blog).
6. Post about  this giveaway on  another site (blog, facebook, twitter,etc)  (1  entry for every site)
7. Add So Simple So Sweet as a favorite on Etsy.
8. "Like" So Simple So Sweet on Facebook
9. Make a purchase at So Simple So Sweet.
10. Tell me one thing you learned about Heidi.


If you entered more than one giveaway this week:



Friday, June 24, 2011

Handmade Fun 4 Children Review/Giveaway Week

MMEM
Next week is Handmade Fun 4 Children Review and Giveaway Week!  
I have some great Etsy shops to share with you!

Here are a few tips:
*You can blog about this giveaway ONE time on your blog by using my Handmade Fun 4 Children button.  Just put the button in your post and send people over my way! That counts as an entry.
MMEM


*Also there will be an extra entry form to fill out on Friday if you entered more than one giveaway.  For each giveaway that you enter, you will get that many extra.  For example, if you entered all 5 giveaways you will get 5 extra entries for EACH giveaway!

I'm really excited about this week and hope that you get to win one of these great giveaways.  You will get to visit each of the shops and I'm sure you will fall in love what they have to offer.  Thanks, Shonda

Friday, June 3, 2011

MMEM

I have four great sponsors for my Handmade Fun 4 Children Event in June:


Can't wait for you to see what I have to review and give away!

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Handmade Fun for Children Week...coming soon!

MMEM

I had such success last Fall when I had Handmade Fun for Children Review/Giveaway week.  I decided to seek out sponsors again especially from Etsy.  So if you are from Etsy and you have something that I can review for this fabulous week, please email me at shondaet@gmail.com.  I plan to run this event the last week of June or beginning of July.  Thanks and can't wait to share what I have for reviews!

Friday, October 1, 2010

Exra Entries for Handmade Fun 4 Children

MMEM

How did you enjoy Handmade Fun 4 Children Week?
I hope you had fun visiting these great shops that provide tremendous new ideas for children.
I hope you got some great ideas for gifts and that you will win one of these prizes!

If you want extra entries, please fill out the form below:

Handmade Fun 4 Children: Jenny's Quiet Creations Review and Giveaway

MMEM

Ready or not, it's Jenny's Quiet Creations!!

This past summer I was so anxious about going on a long plane trip and an even longer car ride with my 20 month old.  I scoured the internet and fortunately found Jenny's Quiet Creations here on Etsy that had exactly what I needed for my traveling adventure.  What do you think I found?  Jenny makes these delightful quiet books for young children.  These books are very creative and educational as well and are made to entertain for long periods of time where little ones need to be quiet.  I chose Under the Sea that features several underwater animals counting up to 10.  All of the pages are interactive and include a cute rhyming text for the story.  They are great for visual and tactile learners.  Shrade was absolutely enthralled as we traveled and even during our week long stay in a cabin.  His favorite page was the turtle who had 6 triangle shapes on it's shell that come on and off with velcro.
  Let's get to know Jenny a little bit:
*Where did you come up with the name of your shop?
My shop name wasn't actually that creative. It took me so long to find a name that wasn't taken.

*How long have you been making crafts?
I have been crafty since I can remember. The earliest things I can remember is sewing with my Nana. She taught me to sew cloths, blankets and diapers for all of my dolls. That later turned into curtains for my first apartment and a duvet when I married my husband Chris. I hadn’t ever had my own machine until July of '09. I have the fondest memories of a quiet book that my Nana made me when we were little. I was looking for one for my son Carter's 1st b-day and had no luck. I found the patterns that copycrafts sell, ordered my machine from QVC and got started. I made him the “Buggy for You” book for his 1st b-day. I have sold tons to his friends’ parents and decided to go online a few months ago.

*What do you like best about what you do?
I love the simplicity of these books. Not that I don't love all of Carter's electronic toys, I just really love simple things. It is amazing to see a toddler sit perfectly quiet and play with a simple felt book. I love to see his friends face light up when they get one.

*What is unique about your shop? I think my shop is unique in that I really do take a long time to create a perfect book for my customers. I typically have a longer turn around that most but I feel the quality is worth it. I make each book as if it was for Carter. Plus I love to put messages on the back of my books. I love to see kids face when they see the book has been made especially for them. 

Thanks, Jenny!

Buy it: Visit Jenny's Quiet Creations and see the wonderful quiet creations that she makes!

Win it: Jenny is offering a $35 gift certificate from her shop for the winner.  Open to US.   Giveaway ends on Friday, October 8.

To enter:Be sure to click on all the links before filling out the entry form.

1. Mandatory: Be a follower on my blog (2 entries)
2. Visit Jenny's Quiet Creations and tell me which book you would like to win. (Required)
3. Put my Milk N' Honey Learn and Grow button on your blog and provide the link. 
4. Put Handmade Fun 4 Children button on your blog and provide link (button must be on blog until giveaway ends)
5. Subscribe to my blog by email (top right corner)
6."Like" Milk N' Honey Learn and Grow on Facebook (link on my blog). 
7. Follow on Networked Blogs (link on my blog) 
8. Follow me on twitter (@shondaet)
9. Post about this giveaway on another site (your blog, facebook, twitter, etc) (1 entry for every site) 
10. Vote for me for Top Mommy Blogs (link on my blog)
11. Add Jenny's Quiet Creations as a favorite on Etsy.
12. Make a purchase at Jenny's Quiet Creations.
13. Tell me one thing you learned about Jenny.


Click HERE for extra entries if you entered more than one giveaway this week.