Spring on a playmat

Spring is here! I know this, because my allergies make me sneeze 3 to 10 times in a row while walking to work. But seeing bright, colorful images is a wonderful part of spring. Stacey Sharman (also known as PeppermintPinwheels on Etsy) creates handmade quilts and homemade accessories; the items that my eyes really love going back to are the baby mats and blankets.

Of all her padded baby mats, Stacey's "Padded Baby Play Mat with Rabbits and a Squirrel" is my favorite, probably because of bright mix of colors (green being my favorite). There's something about the combination of green, pink, white, rabbits, a deer, and a squirrel that shouts "SPRING" at my eyes; the best part is that my eyes don't get puffy and watery and my nose doesn't run when I see this image. Spring without the allergies? Yes, please!

Handmade using canvas-weight cotton on one side, and a soft heavy brown cotton on the other wise, the comfortability of these play mats is safe enough for your baby or toddlers to crawl around on and have fun with. The quilting is done in a diamond pattern with a lime green thread and the edges have been double stitched for added stability, so these bundles of love will last through constant play time and laundry days!

At approximately 24" by 38", this is the perfect item to take to the park, beach, or any outing to let your little one play on; here's yet another item to keep in mind for new moms! Many of Stacey's items are also customizable, so your baby can grow up with a personalized play mat with big, bold letters.

To top off this cute play mat, 5% of proceeds from Stacey's shop are donated to Kiva, an organization that provides small loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries. To find out more, visit: www.kiva.org.

Check out PeppermintPinwheels's listing on Etsy now: Padded Baby Play Mat with Rabbits and a Squirrel!

Tune in next week for the Wednesday Item Feature!

Love & donuts,
Mayene

Tiny fingerprints: a touching gift

Parents always want keepsakes of their bundles of joy from tiny hand-prints molded into plaster to little stompers painted on paper. For those who want something more durable and easier to keep close, how about fingerprints in fine silver?

LilyBuds on Etsy offers 99.9% pure silver handcrafted personalized jewelry, fun to give as gifts or keep for yourself to show off. For parents of two, LilyBuds has a cute little fine silver heart that fits two little fingerprints and names. Great for mothers (think twins!), grandmothers or busy godmothers with more than one little kid to keep in mind!

As a recent college grad bearing zero kids and having no nieces or nephews (yet), I still think the fingerprints-on-silver is a great idea! And I'm a sucker for cute stuff. LilyBuds puts an extraordinary amount of effort into these little things; shipping out from Clayton, she'll send you a little kit with simple instructions on how to get your children's fingerprints done, which you'll send back so she can handcraft your jewelry with the impressions you take. Depending on where you're located, this might take some time, so if you're thinking of having one done as a gift or by a certain date, keep in mind the time restraints associated with a process like this.

If I were a mom, I'd definitely get this; there's something special about personalized jewelry, but having tiny fingerprints of your own toddlers close to your heart is even more touching. It's also an amazing thing to have for those who adore their younger relatives — I know many students who go away for college and talk about how they "can't wait to get home to play with their little brother/sister/niece/nephew". I can't imagine this being a quick and easy gift for a friend since you'd have to borrow a couple kids for a bit, but if you're a husband, think about it! You could give your wife a fancy store-bought necklace encrusted with jewels or you could give her a more personalized touch of love with the help of your kids.

Oh, and Mother's Day is coming up in a couple of months — how convenient!

Check out LilyBud's listing on Etsy now: Two Child Fingerprints in Fine Silver Heart - Medium

Tune in next week for the Wednesday Item Feature!

Love & donuts,
Mayene