just a good idea

good day, all.

i got hit with the stomach flu and am still in recovery...but just wanted to share...how cute is this?

seems so simple...

i hope my friends around the bloggo universe don't mind if i borrow from their talents tonight...

{sidenote: this is what i do at night after the baby goes to bed and my dear hubby cooks dinner (and i'm not just painting a pretty picture here; he actually does cook the dinner on most nights. and he's really good at it. i am a lucky girl. there is a downside though. the man can cook, but he cannot clean. oh well. it's not so bad scrubbing dishes when you have a nice, satisfied tummy.) anyway...so each night i peruse a myriad of design-y, crafty blogs and websites, getting inspired by all the creativity out there. dreaming of how awesome this idea or that is, and how cute it would look in my home. then i get off the computer and feel drained from staring at the screen, wondering how all these people simply find the time. and yes, i am aware that there is an obvious culprit - and solution - to my time management problem, and it's staring right at me as i type this...}

in any case, i thought i'd share with you some valentine projects that are so, so simple that i really don't have any excuse that i'm just sitting here posting the pics instead of getting off my arse and actually creating them myself...

{heart garland from mayamade}

{heart tea bags from martha}

{homemade marshmallows from nienie}

thank you

in the spirit of acknowledging milestones, i have just realized that it has now been 6 months since i started my lil' business. quite a bit has transpired during that time, including~

...changing the name of my business from oliver. to oliver.handmade, mainly due to the latter being slightly more descriptive (and more successful in a google search!)

...participating in my first 2 craft shows and introducing my line at a local boutique

...changing my onesie source several times, and will likely continue to do so until i find the right affordable, quality, and ethically sound wholesale vendor - not an easy task. any suggestions?

...fulfilling almost 60 etsy orders and perhaps as many private orders (i should know a number...perhaps tackling my bookeeping skills will be on the 1 year list of accomplishments...)

...and most recently, making the dive into the world of designer fabrics:

 

most of the fabric that i use comes from discount bins and thrift shops...and these remain my preferred source, as i love the thrill of finding a great deal or repurposing an awesome shirt or bedsheet. but i just couldn't resist these fabrics - and i got the whole batch for just 13 bucks at this lovely little shop.

starting my own business has been an unexpected adventure and i'm excited to see what the future holds for oliver.handmade. this could not have been possible without the support of all of you, so as a valentine's day treat, i am offering free shipping on all orders, now through feb. 13. to take advantage, don't place your order through etsy but rather take a look at my shop and then convo (through etsy), email me, or leave a comment here with your order.

thanks sooooo much, y'all! and have a marvelous weekend!

pretty

valentine's day is right around the corner and to start the countdown, i have the sweetest card shop for you to check out!

whether you want to slip a little love note under your honey's pillow or you want to tell your mom how awesome she is, what better way than with a one-of-a-kind, earth friendly card. re: by leah couch features handmade paper goods made with recycled and reclaimed materials.

aren't these just the cutest?

not to mention, the artist is pretty much totally rad.

the thrill of the countdown

this weekend the clouds rolled in, bringing with them gradually cooling air. today the world is bright, sunny, crisp - and almost 40 degrees colder than it was 3 days ago. a welcome change for the new season.

the cooler, overcast weather made for the perfect backdrop for lots of cozy last-minute holiday preparations. this weekend we enjoyed...

~ a family holiday evening downtown, armed with travel mugs of spiked apple cider, wandering the streets and enjoying the holiday sights and sounds


~ deliciously crusty homemade bread, made with the assistance of this amazing book

~ the final farmers market of the year, at which we picked up our final csa box of the season


~ creating two handmade ornaments for my little one's first christmas - a tradition i am adopting from my godmother, who made me a handmade ornament every year for the first 18 years of my life (see inspiration here)


~ attending an ugly sweater party. alan was in charge of finding the sweaters and this one he picked up for me - but i think it looked much better on him, don't you agree? we especially love the detail on the sleeve

~ finishing the holiday baking...this year i made spiced vanilla cookies, mini pumpkin loaves, and good old recipe-off-the-bag chocolate/peanut butter chip cookies


~ a treat for our lazy sunday morning: cinnamon rolls, made with the same dough as the previously mentioned deliciously crusty homemade bread

~ a treat for our lazy sunday evening: stew made by hubby using all the veggies he could fit in from previously mentioned csa box


gifts are wrapped, holiday greetings are sent, laundry is...well...guess that's the excitement that today holds.

safe travels and happy holidays to all!

the stocking is hung...

blue, sunny skies...80 degree days...windows wide open, letting in the warm breeze...

sounds lovely, right? and is lovely, no doubt about it. just not exactly the type of weather that gets one into the holiday spirit.

regardless, i'm still excited about christmas, and have been enjoying the slowing down of orders so i can ramp up the holiday preparations. first thing checked off my to-do list: a stocking for my babe's first christmas. my desire? to make something without having to buy any new supplies, but rather using what i've already got in my big rubbermaid craft box. my requirement? to be able to make it all by hand, seeing as i don't currently own a sewing machine.

here is the result - and i must give credit where credit's due - i got the inspiration here. next up: baby's first ornament! then it's on to the kitchen...

 

 

 

save handmade toys

we have all been warned about buying plastic toys, especially those made in china, and the importance of choosing wooden toys that are made with non-toxic paint, for some time now. it is encouraging that so many companies have responded with safer alternatives and there have been new safety standards placed upon toy and clothing manufacturers. unfortunately, it seems that now the careless actions of many mass-producing companies are possibly going to ruin it for the rest of us. the "rest of us" meaning anyone who makes, uses, or supports independent, handmade, and small toy manufacturers.

i have recently learned that congress has passed the consumer products safety improvement act, which will go into effect in two months. this is good news for the regulation of large toy manufacturers, but,with the way the law is currently written, it is possible that we could see the end of independent and small-business toy crafters.

as a mom who prefers to buy locally made, handmade, natural items for my daughter; a former montessori teacher who knows that these also what comprise the materials used in montessori classrooms; and as a crafter myself...this is scary. there needs to be modifications made to this law so that independent and small toy makers are not put at risk.

if you'd like to help prevent this from happening, go here to find out more about what you can do. you can also learn more on etsy, where many of these small toy manufacturers sell their products, and at the handmade toy alliance website. it only takes a few minutes to take action on something that can make a world of difference to our children.

one last oliver.handmade update...for now

i promise this is the last post for awhile about oliver.handmade and tomorrow i'll get back to some other subject matter...such as the simple, cozy holiday decor that my mama helped me with in our little house or some of the decorating, gifting, and baking projects that i hope to tackle this week.

but just one little announcement to make...oliver.handmade onesies and tshirts can now be found at poe studio. if you live around charleston or happen to pay a visit to our fine city, you must stop by this adorable shop and check out the handcrafted children's clothes, non-toxic toys and irresistible shoes. so irresistible are the shoes, in fact, that it looks like santa (a.k.a. grandma "gigi") will be leaving a pair for olivia under the tree this year...

and on another note, have you ever realized what a difficult word "irresistible" is to spell?

holiday sale!

 

the december days are quickly sliding by, which means the christmas holiday is inching closer and closer! now that i'm finished with my shows, i have switched gears and am trying to focus on what each of my loved ones will recieve this year. my hubby and i have vowed to buy handmade and/or locally made for each other, which is great and all, but i'm having trouble figuring out what to get. no last minute trips to williams-sonoma for a cookbook or the gap for the trusty ol' button down shirt this year! any ideas?

for you, i am offering a SALE in my shop! all holiday onesies and bibs have been marked down, including several that are ready-to-ship, as well as a few other selections from the "early" days. come and get 'em while they're hot!

budding entrepreneurs?

 

 

 

 

barbara and i had a lot of fun at our combined booth at the daniel island holiday festival yesterday. we were very happy with the way our set-up looked and decided that we are one day going to open a shop full of our handmade goodies, hopefully recruiting some of our other crafty pals. so stay tuned.

the funny thing about this show was that although it was significantly bigger and longer than the other show i did earlier this week, i actually sold a little less. i think there is something to doing smaller shows that can be more successful. at the bigger show, although we didn't really have any competition as far as our actual product, there were so many more vendors that even if people like your product and intend to come back and buy, they may a) spend their money elsewhere; b) forget about you by the time they get the whole way around; or c) just basically get wiped out by the whole overstimulating affair before they make it back to you. but the plus side is that a lot of folks took our business cards, and other vendors shared that they often recieve good business a few months down the line this way. also according to some other vendors, this year is very slow due to the stellar state of our economy. lots of browsers and not as many buyers.

but all in all, the shows were great fun and a great experience. now i'll be glad to fulfill my little etsy orders and concentrate on other things, like making my babe some special first christmas keepsakes!

enjoy your sunday.

today!

i have been busily preparing for my very first venture into the world of craft shows (artisan market? art show? i haven't decided which term i like best yet). i am excited and anxious to see how it goes! every free moment in the past month or so has been spent either sewing or preparing in some other way (making postcards and flyers...painting my sign...spreading the word...tagging and ironing...procrastinating on facebook). i have sixty onesies and tshirts to take with me, plus some bibs and holiday cards. i'll be happy even if i only sell a few (although i'd be happier if i sold a bunch!) i see this as an experience, to spread my name, to learn what works and what doesn't.

if you're in the charleston area, stop by and see me at lowcountry local first's holiday bazaar today! in addition to the artisans selling their wares, there will be food from local restaurants and musical entertainment. is there a better way to support local artisans and the local economy while scoring some cool gifts?

give local this holiday season

if you have checked out my shop recently, you've probably noticed that i've gone crazy with the onesies. i've been a madwoman lately, ferociously sewing every chance that i get. this is partially because i've felt some good inspiration of late, but also because i am preparing for two upcoming holiday markets. the first of these will be on tuesday, december 2, and is hosted by lowcountry local first. this awesome group and its even awesomer sustainable ag director are doing amazing things for the businesses, farms, and people in our area. if you live in or near the charleston area, come out and support your local economy while scoring some unique gifts! find out more info and directions here.


the second market is later that same week, on saturday, december 6. my friend barbara and i will be sharing a booth at this all-day affair. there will be lots of vendors there, as well as activities for the kiddos (including, i am told, santa and mrs. claus...) we will also have some surprise treats to share with everyone who visits us. hope to see you at one of these events!

oliver.handmade giveaway!

 

starting to get that holiday list together and looking for the perfect something for the expectant mom or new baby in your life? hop on over to this blog to get details on how you can win an oliver.handmade onesie or t-shirt! the winner gets the design and size of their choice. this contest will run through november 22. and be sure to check back to my shop in a few days...i am working on some holiday bibs made with an adorable vintage fabric and will have them posted by the end of the week. happy shopping!

what goes around...

my friend barbara creates the cutest children's clothes out of recycled clothing. people that she knows will give her old clothing and she uses this as the basis for her inspiration, which she then uses to "cut, patch, create". last year when alan and i were in the throes of renovating our house and preparing to add a baby to it, my mom sat me and my closet down and forced me to clear out and move on...a painful but necessary exercise. afterwards, i gave barbara a big bag of these clothes, and one of the items that i (er, mom) had forced myself to hand over was a old and worn, peasant-ish, wraparound skirt. this skirt had been my mom's in college, then as a child i wore it to play dress-up, and later wore it when i was in college myself...you may remember the little hippie girl erin days. well, i told barbara the story of the skirt and she surprised me with the most darling little dress for olivia...the skirt has again reincarnated itself.

 

 

check out barbara's other adorable creations here.