New Year, New Shop, New Contest!

What is MY New Year's resolution? I resolve to update my dear blog more often! Half-Pint Creations has been blessed with some wonderful friends and customers this past year. Business has been good and steady, and I have decided to open a second shop filled with many items for the do-it-yourselfer. It will offer custom and ready to ship appliques, hand-sculpted buttons, fabric, scrap packs and much, much more! I will also offer some of my designs as PDF patterns as well as sewing kits including fabrics, patterns, and step by step tutorials.

Half-Pint Creations will exclusively carry children's clothing, baby items, and a new line of items for Mama too!
The new shop will open by February 1st; however, it does not have a name yet! SOOOO, I am holding a contest that will run until January 10th, to NAME THAT SHOP! The winner will receive a gift basket filled with goodies tailored to the ages and interests of their own children. If you like, you can also choose a prize basket of goodies for yourself =)
All you have to do to enter is leave your new shop name suggestions in the comment area on this blog, on my facebook fan page , or send your suggestion to halfpintboling@yahoo.com. I will then make a decision among all of the entries on the morning of January 11th and contact the winner to send them their goodies.

Here's a hint....I would like to incorporate my love of music (I sing in a band) into the shop name...something like "Symphony in Fabric" or "Noteable Creativites". Good luck to all! I look forward to seeing what my wonderful online friends can create!I want to wish all of you a very Happy New Year filled with promise, creativity, and your heart's desires! Abundant blessings to all of you and please, take care of one another =)

Autumn Splendor

Half-Pint Creations has been on vacation for the last month with a Grand reopening on September 1st. There are some new goodies and I'm bringing back some old favorites! My new Averi swing dress will be a perfect transition into fall with a sweet long sleeve t-shirt and leggings. They will soon be available in Halloween and Christmas prints to add a little comfort and sparkle to the holiday season.Also coming back are the Half-Pint ornaments collection that I have lovingly named "Snowed In". They are always personalized free of cost and make a great gift for a teacher, grandparent, or loved one on your list.Autumn is coming soon, school is starting soon, yes, it's the most wonderful time of the year! Pop on over to Half-Pint Creations on Sept. 1st and check out the new look and all of the new surprises that will keep your little one stylin' through the holidays!

The countdown begins.... I need goodies!

We have all seen the commercials of parents dancing through the aisles of school supplies as the countdown begins. You may not physically have done this yourself, but let's be honest, we all get a little giddy at the sight of bookbags and #2 pencils. As a work at home mom, the schedule changes drastically around our house as fall arrives. Living in a cabin in the woods affords us a front row seat to the arrival of autumn, my FAVORITE time of year. I enjoy buying all of the lovely school supplies, shopping for school clothes, and waving as the school bus pulls away. My youngest is 2.5 and will be home for a couple more years. She is growing so fast I am enjoying every moment with her. I will be a sobbing mess the day that she boards the big yellow monster and speeds away. Yes, I'm choking on the thought as I write.
Along with the start of the school year comes many, many "celebration" days. Holidays, birthdays, and lots of special "bring a yummy to school" days. When do we remember this necessity? 7 pm, the night before the goodies are to go to school. We ponder the run to the store, but feel the twinge of guilt at sending storebought mini cupcakes- again.

I have a sweet, sweet little secret!!
http://www.LipSmackinCreations.etsy.com

These cookies are AMAZING! I can speak from experience, I have made the ooey gooey chocolate chip and they went off the plate faster than you could possibly imagine. Having a few of these jars in your cabinet is a little "home baked" insurance policy for those "Mom, I need to take a treat to school- tomorrow" blues. If you figure out the cost to buy all of the ingredients, the time spent measuring, these babies are a lifesaver. It also adds to the "Yes, I am supermom" appearance. Allow me to share my favorites with you.....

Dreamy Chocolate and Cream

Sassy Cinnamon

All of her jars have decorative toppers of fabric with a detail of ribbon around the jar. She uses super fun, out of the ordinary fabric toppers that make them great for gift giving. Special orders are always welcome and encouraged! They are ideal for a rainy day with the kids, a quick home baked gift for your holiday party, or maybe a pick me up for that friend that needs a little home baked hug.

LipSmackinCreations understands the importance of family time, and tries to make baking / cooking as easy as possible without the "boring" long task of measuring ingredients.
You can even make these with your little "tippy toes" helper. Imagine the fun they will have just dumping the jar in a bowl and being able to say I helped mom or dad bake these!
So hop on over, and yes, wipe the drool off first, and grab some of these delish cookie creations. She offers a variety of sweet and savory confections. You will be so glad you did when you hear "MOM, I need something special to take for snack time tomorrow!"
Peace, love, and chocolate chips,
Amber, Half-Pint Creations

Coconut? Strawberries? Peaches?

Have you ever come upon a store owner that has gone way beyond what you would ever expect with customer service? I had the extreme pleasure of stumbling upon "Mylingy's Purrfect Candles" http://www.Mylingy.etsy.com , owned by a fellow Etsian. I had been looking for some tarts for my wax burner and found that she had hearted MY store. I always try to check out the stores of people that "heart" me, and found her store full of yummy scrumptious scents meant to tease and tantalize.

All of her candles are homemade and hand-poured. They are half soy and half paraffin, the best of both worlds. They burn cleaner because of the soy and they smell fantastic due to the paraffin. She has over 700 fragrances. How can you possibly go wrong with scents like "Blueberry Cheesecake" and "Coconut Lime"? I opened my package, which arrived pretty quickly (mine was even a custom order), and inhaled deeply. She included many extras, all packed safely with care - one scent even more enticing than the last. Pure Heaven!

I can't wait until the seasons change because I will be back to purchase some pumpkin scented candles, and yummy christmas time scents.

I encourage you to make a visit to http://www.mylingy.etsy.com/ and just TRY to choose your favorite. As I sit here enjoying her "Bahama Coconut", I am being whisked away to the tropics with my mango banana smoothie in hand, cool blue waters lapping at my feet. Let her scents carry you away after a tough day. You'll be glad you did!

Bubblebums?

Ahhh.. the joys of toddlerhood. My baby is beautiful and smart, kind and compassionate, funny and intuitive. She is also fiercely independant, and even at two, thinks she knows it all. In the same breath I am frustrated by her and in awe of her. Since the beginning of this year, I have done all my photos with a black backdrop and a dressform. I feel they are sharp, colorful, and different from the masses. However, while designing my new bubble bloomers, I had an outside photo shoot in mind.

I wanted something cute and "foofie", something meant to be worn on it's own and also under dresses. The new "Bubblebum" line was created. Soon to be joined by "Rufflebums", baby bottoms will never be the same. It was only natural that my little one model these new bloomies.

They are currently available at http://www.halfpintboling.etsy.com/ in different prints and sizes. They are fun and functional, comfy yet funky! I am always happy to do custom orders, so if you have something in mind, please don't hesitate to ask. As a collector of fabrics , I have a special fabric for every Half-pint. Keep an eye out for "Rufflebums", coming soon!

Summer Celebration time!

Can you feel the warm summer sun on your face? Can you hear the cool waves splashing on the shore? Can you smell the freshly cut green grass? No matter where you are this summer, the new additions to my Half-Pint Creations Etsy Shop http://www.halfpintboling.etsy.com are meant to wrap your gorgeous little ones in summer whimsy. The fabrics are light and summery and will make folks smile at their down home, yet funky combinations.
This ruffled halter top is designed with summer past times in mind. The amazing fabric will bring back all of the wonderful memories that made summer so magical.

Beside the Seaside is a funky colorful combination of hot pink, lime polka dots, and an amazing Alexander Henry print. Full of dolphins, turtles, crabs, and lots more sea creatures, you'll be able to hear the seashore as your little one runs on by!

Super talented Jennifer Paganelli 's fabric is as bright as the summer sunshine. This print is very popular, not to mention vibrant! It just begged to be turned into a ruffled halter for a sweet lil' Half-Pint.

Lastly, I found this amazing fabric at an Amish quilting shop here in PA. I put it back several times before I decided that I liked it. The print is very retro New york. Scenes from 1940 New York make this a dress/top like no other for celebrating the 4th of July holiday.

There are many new hand sculpted buttons as well as new "Mama made It" Kits in the shop. So grab a cup of coffee (or herbal tea if that is your thing) and stop in for a browse:)

Have a blessed weekend and enjoy your little ones this summer and always.

My Mother's Day Gift

This Mother's day has quite possibly been the most emotional, eventful, and blessed Mother's Day I have ever had as a mother and a daughter. Monday of this week arrived uneventfully as just another Monday -until mid morning when Mom could'nt remember a simple recipe that she has made a million times. As a cook, that was very odd. She could'nt answer basic questions -the brain and mouth just could'nt work together. An emergency trip to the family doc and then immediate ambulance ride to the hospital confirmed that Mom had had a stroke.

We were blessed to find that her limbs had not been affected, just the part of the brain for organization and memory. After a long week in the hospital, I filled Mom and Dad's freezer with food, got the house cleaned and cozy, and awaited my father bringing her home. She is now home in her own bed, with more meds than I can count, and a hovering family that just wants to wrap her in bubble wrap.

I am incredibly lucky to still have my Mom after the things her body has been thru. I am also lucky enough to call my mother my best friend. I would move mountains for that wonderful woman. After many answered prayers and happy tears, THIS, my friends, is the best Mother's day I will ever have- my Mom is here to celebrate it with me.

You never know when a stroke will affect someone you love. Here are the signs to look for:
Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

If you or someone with you has one or more of these signs, don't delay! Immediately call 9-1-1 or the emergency medical services (EMS) number so an ambulance (ideally with advanced life support) can be sent for you. Also, check the time so you'll know when the first symptoms appeared. It's very important to take immediate action. If given within three hours of the start of symptoms, a clot-busting drug called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) can reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke. tPA is the only FDA-approved medication for the treatment of stroke within three hours of stroke symptom onset.

Life is too precious to take for granted. If you are lucky enough to still have your Mom, give her an extra hug tomorrow. Make that weekly phone call an extra long phone call. If your Mom has passed on, close your eyes and remember all of the wonderful things she's done for you and the timeless love that you will always carry for her.

I wish all Mothers a happy, fulfilled, and healthy Mother's day! Enjoy your day!