Condensed Countdown! (Otherwise known as where the heck did this week go?!)

So last weekend's event was a success!

Phew!

Now it's on to the next, the Englewood High School craft fair which is tomorrow from 9:30-3!

I fully intended to continue my nightly countdown this week, but between workouts, sewing, fevers, and grocery shopping, I blinked and it was already Friday!

So instead, brace yourself for one long shameless display of fabulous gift ideas that will hopefully entice you who are able to come see me tomorrow at EHS!

Lets start with my diaper and wipes pouches, which are not only handy for mommies, but also for organizing your suitcase when you pack, as I mentioned in THIS POST you can put your socks and undies in the pouch and never lose them among all of your travel flotsam again!

And I have lots to choose from!

Next in line is a favorite from last year, the chap stick cozy!

Never lose your chap stick again!  It the perfect stocking stuffer!

Another fan favorite is the car trash bag, and although I sold out of these babies last week, I managed to create a few more for this weekend's sale!

This car trash bag can hang anywhere in your car, it's easy to clean, attractive, and it will never tip over!

And best of all, they are lined with fused grocery bags which make them earth friendly, and SEW UNIQUE!  (I had to go there, had to,,,)

Ok, now on to a personal favorite of mine, and new to the shop this year...

It's the wine tote bag!!!

Tis the season to bring wine...

And with this snazzy little secret pocket, you won;t forget the corkscrew!

The color combinations are stylish and unique, making this the perfect wine accessory gift for your hostess, your best friend, or even for yourself!!

And finally, do you want to know what the very best teacher gift is?  (besides the wine tote bag which is the perfect gift for almost anyone!)

It the hot/cold pack!

Good for anything from a stiff neck to a bum knee, to cold toes, these pouches are filled with rice which emits a soft toasty scent when warmed.

These babies are a life saver, and are guaranteed to be appreciated by anyone!

Whew!

So there you have it, just a few tantalizing glimpses of what you will find if you stop by my table tomorrow between 9:30 and 3 at the Englewood High School craft sale!

Remember, there are only 4 more Fridays until Christmas!!!!

Everybody Needs a Little Cake

So, lets talk cake, and not just any cake, lets talk about the very best cake you've ever eaten.

I mean, dense and moist, light and creamy, roll your eyes to the sky in absolute wonder at the indulgence and the silent acknowledgment that you will be having a second piece kind of cake!

Ever had a cake like that?

I have...

Allow me to introduce you to Sweet Little B's...

 an online bakery run by my good friend, Bethany...

Bethany's cakes are partially organic, completely non-GMO, and absolutely delicious!

Bethany doesn't do fondant, she does flavor, and she will decorate a cake any way you want it, from the whimsical to the naughty, and everything in between!

The philosophy of Sweet Little B's is that dessert is not just for special occasions, and in honor of that concept, Bethany has created what she calls "Baby Cakes" 4" round multi layered miniature cakes able to feed 2-4 people, and perfect for any occasion, or non-occasion!

This particular cake is my all time favorite, dark chocolate love cake filled w chocolate ganache, peppermint cream, and candy cane dust, and finished w classic vanilla Italian meringue buttercream, and while the cake itself is gorgeous, the inside layers are an absolute work of art...

Her buttercream frosting somehow manages to be light and creamy, and it is not overly sweet which makes it the perfect compliment to the rich and moist dark chocolate cake which in turn melts together into pure bliss with the smooth dense and absolutely sinful flavor of the ganache!

I cannot say enough about how glorious these cakes are, and honestly, words and even pictures just can't do these confections of perfection justice, you just have to try one for yourself!

Check out Sweet Little B's online at www.sweetlittle-b.com!

Are You Ready for Reason #1?!!!

It's Tote Bags!!!

The number 1 reason why you should make the time to come by my table at the Holiday Craft Sale tomorrow at 4596 S Jason St on November 16th from 11-2pm is tote bags!

I have so many to choose from!

Reversible totes...

Large pocket totes...

Small pocket totes...

Large pocket totes...

And extra large pocket totes!

Everybody needs a tote bag, it is quite possibly the ultimate Christmas gift!

So please come by my table tomorrow at 4596 S Jason St on November 16th from 11-2pm!

Only 2 days left!

EEK!  Where did Wednesday go?!  

I guess we will be combining reasons 3 and 2 for why you should take the time to stop by my craft table at 4596 S Jason St on November 16th from 11-2pm!

Let's start with reason #3...

 This rice filled pouch is actually a small miracle, perfect for migraines, sore muscles, stiff necks, injuries, and even just cold nights!

The packs are completely unscented except for the natural warm toasty fragrance of the heated rice!

Just 2 minutes in the microwave and you have warm comfort, or 24 hours in the freezer and you have a cool compress!

At $10 each, this is a gift that keeps on giving!  

Ok, now for reason #2...

Let's talk a little trash!

 Or, in this case, trash bags, car trash bags to be exact!

Simple in design, but genius (if I do say so myself) in execution, you will never have to worry about a tipped over pile of refuse in your car again!  

Lined with fused grocery bags, these beauties are virtually water proof, and, you can tie them to almost any surface in your vehicle making them convenient as well as stylish!

And I have to say that while I designed the bag specifically for cars, it can be used just about anywhere, so don't be afraid to get creative!

The car trash bag is only $12, making it the perfect gift for just about anyone this season!
Remember!
Craft Sale on the corner of Jason and Tufts at 4596 S Jason St on November 16th from 11-2pm!

4 Days Left = Reason #4...

It's Tuesday! 

 And that means there are only 4 days left until the CRAFT SALE  located on the corner of Jason and Tufts at 4596 S Jason St on November 16th from 11-2pm!

And since there are 4 days left, it's time now for reason #4 why you should stop by!

The wet/dry bag!

This bag is similar in concept to the snack bag, except it is much bigger.

Like the snack bag, it is lined with fused grocery bags making it virtually water proof, super green, and Sew Unique!

This bag is very versatile, perfect for carrying wet bathing suits home from swim practice or summer fun, it is excellent for use as a lunch bag, simply add an ice pack to keep things cold, or it is the perfect companion for a diaper bag, ready to hold any soiled clothing!

The wet/dry bag is machine washable (air dry only), can be rolled up for compact storage, and at $18 each is a stylish gift that is absolutely Sew Unique!

Remember!

Craft Sale at 4596 S Jason St on November 16th from 11-2pm!

The Countdown Continues!

There are only 5 days left until the craft sale on November 16th!

I'm hoping you all are planning to stop by my table, and in honor of the countdown, I have decided to give you the top five reasons why you should head over to 4596 S Jason St on November 16th from 11-2pm!

Lets start with reason #5 today and we can work our way down to the #1 reason by Friday!

Ok, reason #5 is the reusable snack bag!!!  (please forgive the picture quality as I was using my phone)

This bag is roughly 6"x8" of attractive snack holding brilliance, and...

It's lined with fused grocery bags, so it's a double whammy of green!

The bags have a strong Velcro closure, are machine washable (air dry only), and at $5 a piece, they are fun, practical, and  Sew Unique!

Remember!!!

5 days left until the craft sale located on the corner of Jason and Tufts...

4596 S Jason St on November 16th from 11-2pm!

Countdown to a Craft Sale!

Many of you know that last year I participated in an in home craft sale and it was such a success that we decided to do it again this year!  

So mark your calendars for NOVEMBER 16!  

The sale will be at 4596 S Jason St on the corner of Tufts and Jason St from 11am-2pm!

I'd love to see you there, so please try to stop by!

And, just to give you a sneak peak at what kind of goodies you can expect to find at my table...

Like, a variety of make-up/travel bags...

lined with fused grocery bags to make them virtually water proof, super green, and SEW unique!

And in case you need an excellent stocking stuffer, check out this chap stick key chain!  Perfect for keeping your chap stick close at hand during the dry CO winter!

And I have lots of them!

And lets not forget the classic car trash bag...

Also lined with those versatile fused grocery bags, and available in a variety of colors and prints, this handy item would make an excellent gift for anyone with a licence!

And lets not forget those sweet little owl loveys...

These babies are so cute, so cuddly, and yes, I have to do it...SEW UNIQUE!

Stay tuned for more sneak peaks as we continue our count down to a craft sale!

REMEMBER!  November 16th at 4596 S Jason St from 11-2!

So, you want to travel...Internationally...with kids?!

Noah is about to start kindergarten, Gigi is about to turn 2, Josh was able to secure a bit of time off, and I NEED A VACATION!

Of course we considered many possibilities, some more reasonable/practical than others, and in the end we chose to leave practical and reasonable in the dust and head to Italy!

Josh and I visited Italy a year before Noah was born (almost 6 years ago) and we have wanted to go back ever since!

We are especially excited to share the experience with Noah and Gigi...

Now you may scoff at the idea, but we are no novices to traveling with children, Noah traveled with us to Alaska, Ireland, and Hawaii all before he turned 2!

And when Gigi was 6 months old we crossed the "pond" to visit England!

(I should interject here that compared to my sisters-in-law, one of whom lives in England, and the other in Turkey, I am a novice in the traveling with kids department, but I do have a few tips and tricks to share!)

Tip #1 seems pretty obvious, but is probably the hardest to accomplish...Pack light!

This means, pull out everything you think you will need then cut it down by 1/3!  You can do it, remember, almost anywhere you plan to go they will have stores where you can purchase items you may run out of!

This pile represents the sum total of our gear, and that's for all four of us!

Choose bags that are sturdy, roomy, and can roll or have back pack straps for versatile carrying.

This duffel is a back pack which leaves Josh's (yes the heavy bag is his responsibility ;) free to carry other items or corral children...

But packing everything in one large bag can create a real problem when it comes time to get dressed since everything gets mixed together...

My solution is somewhat primitive, I pack each individual into their own grocery bag.  You can purchase fancy bags made for organizing just this way, but grocery bags are free, and are also useful as dirty laundry bags as you go along!

So that solves the problem of finding your larger clothing items, but what about socks and underwear?  

For the small and sneaky items I pack pouches, brightly colored, easy to find, and since they are all different, easy to match to the individual in need!

So now you've taken care of your main bag, but what about a carry on?

You are allowed to have two carry on bags per ticketed person plus an extra diaper bag if traveling with an infant, but if you bring that much you will look like crazy bag people stumbling through the airport and worse...through security!

So we bring 2...

The first carry on bag is our camelback which will also serve as our day pack once we arrive at our destination, holding essentials like snacks, jackets, diapers, etc. and it can hold several liters of water eliminating the need to carry bulky water bottles!

The camelback will hold non-essential items for the flight including non-liquid toiletries, guide books, and the emergency kit...

Sidebar: the emergency kit contains Motrin, band aids, nail clippers, toilet seat covers and neosporin!  

The primary carry on holds all of the things you will need to get to frequently during the flight, like wipes, diapers, entertainment devices...

And snacks!  (They feed you on international flights, but kids especially tend to eat more than the average box of flight food provides!  Be sure your snacks are contained in a zip loc and can be squished if necessary, and don't pack liquid snacks or you could face the wrath of the powerfully ridiculous TSA...

This bag should also hold the liquid toiletry essentials...

You want to bring your toiletries on board with in case of lost or delayed luggage, so I also ways pack them into the carry on.  

By keeping all the liquids together in one easily accessible bag, I make going through security much easier...

Don't get me wrong, people see you + 2 children coming and their eyes will still roll, but by following this simple organization method you will shock them with your efficiency!

You also want to have all passports and IDs in one easy to access location (this is for moving through the airports, once you reach your destination you can decide on the safest place to carry such items)

Knowing exactly where your documentation, tickets, and IDs are at all times will also aid in the efficiency with which you glide through security...

And remember, technology is your friend as far as entertaining the kids in flight.  Tablets, Ipods, and Iphones are excellent ways to bring books, games, and movies along while taking up minimal space!

So now we are packed and ready for 10 days of pasta, fromaggio, and Vino!

Chow!