So here I was today, driving to pick up my daughter from preschool when I had an "AH HA!" moment. Related to sewing, of course! I thought why not create a special edition placemat for the holidays. 'Tis the season when we all want (and deserve) to enjoy the company of our family and friends around a dinner table topped with our favorite holiday delicacies! And, how do we enjoy such a meal with little ones at the table, too? Keep their minds and little fingers busy...whether scooping up their next spoonful of peas or doodling to their hearts content, this placemat is your ticket to a warm meal eaten in peace. For parents with young children, it is a sure holiday must-have!

Are you putting out a yummy plate of cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve? Write him a short note OR maybe he'll leave you a thank you note for the delicious treats! Use this placemat for your holiday treats, countdown the days until Christmas -- be creative!

The "O Christmas Tree" special edition Dine.n.Doodle chalk mat is available now in my Etsy shop. Happy Holidays!

C-U-T-E! Seriously, these are THE cutest cross-eyed sheep you'll ever see --- they make you smile. I was silly with anticipation for the arrival of this laminated cotton. No sooner had I taken it out of the package (after dashing 1/2 down my driveway to meet the post officer delivery lady!) I had a chalk mat in production.  Available now in my Etsy shop!

And for a bit more of sheep goodness, here are three adorably cute sheep products made by fellow EtsyKids members --- (l to r): "Match Made in Heaven" print by cicifactory; Vintage Storybook Lamb Print Pink-n-Blue with Snowy White Blanket by eblankies; Set of 3 Farm Patch Quilt Clips by LittleElephantCo. Enjoy!

:::tossing the confetti high in the air:::
The EtsyKids Street Team launched its official website this week! To celebrate, I've selected a few of my favorite things made by EtsyKids members for this holiday season...not an easy task, mind you, considering the thousands of adorable, unique, and boutique items created by over 400 EtsyKids artist and designer members. 

I love the combination of red + green --- it's a festive pair for all year long! Enjoy seeing these items here then discover more for yourself --- visit Etsy and search the tag "EtsyKids." Simply...amazing...creations.

Top Row: Heather Bailey Fabric Covered Buttons by FabricBoutique; Red and White Newborn Hat by BurryBabies; Baby Rag Quilt or Playmat by BulaBean

Middle Row: Happy Holidays Reusable Fabric Banner by ThePolkaDotTotSpop; Personalized Merry and Bright - Triple Ribbon Initial Necklace by VMDesigns; Christmas Gingerbread Shoes by PinkMarshmallow

Bottom Row: Deck the Halls Notecards and Envelopes by SkyGirlStyle; Holiday Ruffle Pants by AbbyChaseDesigns; Fairy Wishes - Christmas Ornament by ChiChiBoulie

So, what does a "Rockin' Robots" chalk mat have to do with our Halloween fun? Lots! It became a great source of inspiration for my family as we meticulously made (...and ate!) our Monster Treats turning rice krispy treats, icing, and candies into creatures from another planet. Lilly went a step beyond by making herself a cell phone complete with Skittles as buttons and a gum drop antenna. Brandon and I cracked plenty 'o laughs with the "voices" we gave our creatures as they came to life.

I am curious about one thing, though. I have a sneakin' suspicion that a bit more candy was eaten during our decorating fun than the candy that actually landed on our monster treats. But seriously, isn't that what it is really all about?

1,000 SALES ON ETSY!
*This is a picture of Lilly celebrating her 1st birthday. It sits in my work area and never fails to put a smile on my face. It is the perfect picture to symbolize this happy moment!

I did it, I really did it! Oh how I need a nap. No, seriously, I really do...but fret not, I'm not slowing my momentum. I'm more motivated than ever! Sleep is over-rated anyway, right? I got really good training when Lilly was born --- she didn't sleep through the night until 8 months old (!) --- and nighttime is when most of my sewing happens. Thank you, thank you to all of my fabulous customers for buying my Dine.n.Doodles. I am so grateful for your support!

So, I just had to share my joy in reaching this big milestone --- 1,000 sales in my Etsy store! I sold my first item on December 13, 2006 and a mere 680 days later, my shop ticker hit 1,000. I like to think of it as my first 1,000 sales.

As my Scrabble tile pendant that I'm wearing right now says, "Keep Calm and Carry On." Onward and forward!

I say, "Woo Hoo" for having my business in the age of the internet! How ever could I find so many adorable laminated cottons. They hail from the US, Finland, the UK, Japan, and places in between...then land on my doorstep where they are magically sewn into limited edition or one-of-a-kind chalk mats for your fun and enjoyment. I'm sure these four are the beginning of more to come. My eye is always on the lookout for more -- and you can find these at my Etsy shop -- Lil.B.Designs. Go...hurry...before they are gggone!

I'm always looking for a good bargain and now I'm offering one! Lil.B.Design's is participating in a BOGO sale of monstrous proportions for the EtsyKids Street Team...

Friday, October 24th & Saturday, October 25th over 175 EtsyKids’ shops (!!!) are offering the sweetest deals on what you need this holiday season for children big and small. Get your shopping list ready today and beat the crowd by previewing the entire list of EtsyKids shops taking part in this colossal event:

http://etsykids.blogspot.com

Participating shops will post their BOGO deals in their Etsy shop announcements, plus you can search tags for "EtsyKids BOGO" to get the full item list.

Now's your chance -- buy 1 Dine.n.Doodle, get the 2nd 30% off (equal or lesser value)! They make the perfect stocking stuffers -- visit Lil.B.Designs on Etsy. Happy Shopping!

Just in time for this year's holiday season, I'm rolling out new Roll.n.Go Crayons designs. Here are the first three, with many more fun and colorful designs to come. I'm finally getting to my special stash of new ribbons! Stay tuned to see what's coming off of the sewing machine next...

New designs are now available for purchase in my Etsy store.

Cupcake Cuties

Vintage Airplanes

Where The Dinosaurs Roll

I have such wonderful vivid childhood memories of our holidays -- "patiently" waiting for dad to put on our favorite Statler Brother's Christmas tape (yes, this is before the invention of the CD!) and get the coffee brewing for mom; getting a baseball-sized navel orange at the toe of my knitted stocking (which was promptly returned to the fruit bowl later that morning!); and looking forward to another lifesaver candy storybook, ready to marathon chomp through all 8 packs one after another. Lifesaver books are certainly harder and harder to come by these days, but I can remember them so clearly. It wasn't Christmas without one!

So here's a sweet twist to an old favorite --- use a roll.n.go crayons to wrap up 8 fun packs of lifesavers. With eight wide pockets, it's the perfect re purposed twist to a favorite holiday tradition. The hard part is choosing which kinds of lifesaver flavors to include!

I love, love, love this time of year. October brings a welcomed reprieve from the heat and humidity of summer, and the trees treat us to their red, gold, and orange fall foliage. Dozens upon dozens of honking geese have been flying over our house as they head in their perfect "V" formations southward. Though we have had warmer weather than typical for this time of year, I placed a few mums on the porch to remind us that autumn is really here!

On Saturday, we took Lilly to Belmont Pumpkin Farm for an afternoon of favorite fall fun -- hay rides, petting farm animals, corn maze, and of course, choosing THE perfect pumpkin in a field full of every shape, size, and color pumpkin. Lilly even chose an itty bitty pumpkin for her puppy (a stuffed animal, btw!).

Next to the pumpkin patch was an amazing field of sunflowers. They were all standing tall at attention with their smiling faces glowing brilliant yellow toward the warmth of the sun. Lilly, being 4, loves to see how tall she is compared to just about anything. She searched and searched until she found a sunflower just as tall as her. I loved watching all of the bees busy with their days' work hitting up each and every one of them. Nature in action!

Where else are sunflowers found? Right in my shop and ready for the picking. What a bright and festive way to decorate your table at home or wherever you dine with your child this time of year. These sunflowers will continue to smile at you for years to come!