Goodbye to Little Window Shoppe
May 18, 2009 by Emily · 62 Comments
My Dearest Window Shoppe Readers and Friends,
This post has taken me over a month to write - partly because this is my last post on this blog. I am so sad to announce that as of today, Little Window Shoppe is closing for good.
The decision was not taken lightly and was really hard to make, but a combination of factors came together that brought me to this post…very much wanting to spend more time with my family (I have a very busy two year old who needs more mommy-time), 
getting ready for baby #2 in November (I’ve been out sick for two months! But it’s totally worth it as we’re so excited to have a new baby come to our family), and finally getting ready for a move to a new state with my family this Summer (my hubby is starting a new job).
{Photo source: Wilson Library Reserve}
I have learned so much from blogging at Little Window Shoppe and will be forever grateful for the kind friends I have made and the amazing experiences that I have had here!! Thank you so much for taking time to make Little Window shoppe a part of your lives and for being such a fantastic community. And also, thank you for all of the nice emails and inquiries about how we are doing.
Before I say goodbye for good, I want to thank a few people who helped me along the way:
First and foremost, my husband Scott. He is an incredibly supportive husband and friend and was the first person to listen to my every idea and concern throughout my blogging adventures. He has also been Superman at my house and has cooked, cleaned, taken care of our two year old and helped me out while I was sick over the last seven weeks! I couldn’t ask for a better man in my life and I love him so much!!
I also wanted to thank Holly of Tutus and Turtles. She is so cool and listened and talked to me for hours on the phone as I worked out how I would end my Window Shoppe blogging days. Her blog has been an inspiration to me from the beginning and I think that her blog ideas rock!!
Finally, I wanted to thank each of the writers and contributors for Little Window Shoppe. Each of them had creative and beautiful ideas to share and I’m so grateful and honored that they wanted to be part of this blog with me. They have become some of my dearest friends and were the best group of writers a blog ever had! They even sent me tulips when I was sick (just about made me cry, I felt so loved).
Please visit each of their blogs to keep up with their cool ideas!
- Vanessa - her blog: I Never Grew Up
- Lauren - her blog: Supermom Central
- Michelle - her shoppe: Sweet Mady’s Paper
- Michaelle - her blog: Monkeys Momma
- Cassie - her shoppe: Madison Envy
- Kelly - her blog: Albany Mommy
Also, I wanted to leave you with a few additional recommendations of blogs I love - in case you are looking for new places to subscribe:
- www.simplemom.net - this is my absolute favorite blog to follow…it has the best family tips and ideas that make sense, the ideas are easy to follow and I just can’t get enough of its coolness.
- www.howaboutorange.blogspot.com - artsy, tons of crafts, diy ideas, printouts, and the best time-wasters ever.
- www.thepioneerwoman.com - recipes, photoshop tutorials, photography 101, down-to-earth life.
- www.makeandtakes.com - the coolest (and most creative) kids crafts ever!
- www.metropolitanmama.net - and for all you contest lovers, this Metro Mama has excellent giveaways all of the time - and she writes helpful articles with tips for parents. Love it.
There are so many more…but I think this is a great start.
If you want to stay in touch with me, you can follow me at a few sites:
- www.emilyjune.com (I’ll still be designing blogs and websites - starting again this fall).
- I’m also going to be checking in and updating my facebook page and my family blog regularly. They will have weekly updates of my family life and the cool fun things we are doing.
**If you want to stay in touch with me at my family blog or on facebook, just email me or leave a comment letting me know and I’ll send you the links.**
Thank you again for making this the best blogging experience I have ever had!!
Always,
Emily
Blue Lemon
March 24, 2009 by Vanessa · 4 Comments
For a little local Utah browsing today…I wanted to introduce you to Blue Lemon. My husband and I are huge “foodies” and we’re always on the lookout for a new spot to go out for dinner as a family. When Blue Lemon finally opened it’s doors we were ecstatic! They use only the freshest all natural ingredients, never fried, with no extra preservatives added and offer many vegetarian dishes.
Our family really believes in being eco-friendly and reducing our carbon footprint so we were even more thrilled when we found out all of their supplies are eco-friendly. The restaurant is very family friendly and the best part is that their menu is surprisingly very affordable for how nice it is. The kids meals are only $5 and that includes the drink.
My husband and I are always looking for something new and fun to do on our date nights too. Blue Lemon offers monthly Iron Chef Date Nights and monthly cooking classes with top chefs from around the world.
Their first cooking class is this Thursday, March 26th from 6:30-8pm with their Executive Chef, Todd Leonart and the theme is “Anyone Can Cook.” You can visit their website to sign yourself up!
11073 north alpine hwy, Highland Utah 84003
Written by Vanessa of I Never Grew Up
Earthy Mama Chic
March 11, 2009 by Lauren · 7 Comments
These days, to be hip, you have to be Green. Going organic is not only better for the earth, it’s better for you! And even more importantly, it’s better for your baby. The chemicals used in growing and processing conventional cotton are harsh on a little one’s skin, bad to breathe, and dangerous to ingest. Good thing eco-friendly mama-gear is widely available, and super fashionable! Here are three of my favorites:
By far the best mama-invention to come along is the Nursing Cover, which now comes in beautiful organic patterns from The Undercover Baby. I particularly love clever features like the flexible neckline (so you can easily peek in on baby) and an adjustable buckle, for comfort.
Why go through box after box of the scratchy white ones? These washable organic nursing pads are not only cute, they’re gentle on both you and the environment. I think the pirate pattern is too cool!
If I could, I’d do nothing but cuddle my baby all day long. However, since I have two other children who also need my attention (not to mention the cooking and cleaning!) I love the hands-free closeness I can give him with a sling. The organic line at Hot Slings looks especially soft and snuggly!
Each of these companies works hard to ensure the finest quality and workmanship, while also staying conscientious of Mother Earth. Isn’t it refreshing to find baby gear that is both savvy and stylish?
Written by Lauren of Supermom Central
You Can Make These
February 12, 2009 by Emily · 10 Comments
Easy Felt Magnets
Hello magnets! I’ve been looking for clever ways to brighten up my fridge, so when I found this little DIY Tutorial for felt magnets I was really happy. They seem easy to make, and the results look quite cute. I think I’m going to try this today. Check out the instructions here.
Recycled Magazine Holder
This girl wins the “coolest recycled craft” award in my book! I was so impressed with her tutorial. You can learn how to turn an ordinary priority mailbox into a sweet and stylish (fabric covered) magazine holder here. (Sewing not required.)
Play Dough
The perfect indoor activity! This play dough ‘recipe’ is not too salty, not too dry and the directions help you to make just the right mix so that you can enjoy it for hours. You can read all about it here.
Make Keepsakes From Your Old Baby Board Books
January 28, 2009 by Emily · 12 Comments
Hey guys! Wouldn’t you know, we woke up with a little sick bug this morning…. So, I’m going to take a tiny posting break and instead present Katie of Katie’s Nesting Spot as our fabulous guest today. Her crafty ideas are fun and original, just take a look at her DIY awesomeness:
As your kids grow up, it’s inevitable that they’ll outgrow their collection of books and toys, but before donating your old board books, save a few for some crafty fun. Turn them into little mini-scrapbooks.
You will need: children’s board book, mod podge, foam craft brush, scrapbook papers, photos and embellishments.
A note on embellishments: Chose flat ones such as stickers and die-cuts if you want your finished book to close and be somewhat flat. 3-D embellishments will add to the bulk of your book and prohibit it from closing.
The Pages
Begin by choosing a board book that has its binding intact, sand all the surfaces, and wipe clean. Now that’s you’ve prepped your book, cover each page, one at a time, with a thin layer of mod podge. Cut your scrapbook paper just slightly larger than the board page. Attach the paper to the book and smooth out any wrinkles with your fingers. Continue until pages are all covered.
Let the glue (mod podge) dry, then cut around the edge of each page with an x-acto knife. Sand away any excess paper so the page edges are smooth. Add pictures and embellish the pages.
The Cover
Decorate the cover of the book last; cover the front and back using the same method as the inside pages (scrapbook paper, mod podge and sand the edges). Then, measure the spine of the book’s height and width. Add an inch to the width measurement, so that the binding will overlap onto the front and back. Cut the binding cover (out of scrapbook paper) and hold it up to your book to check that you like how it “fits” and make adjustments as necessary.
Attach your binding cover to the spine of the book. Start with the front first and then fold it around the spine to the back (glue it along the way with mod podge). To cover the seams, use ribbon on the front and back. Finally, add a title and decorate it; when you’re finished, apply a thin layer of mod podge to the covers to protect it from fingerprints and smudges
Extras
Once you have the basic technique down, it’s fun to add a few extras to your book (plan for these when you first design your book before adding paper to the pages). You will also need strong double-sided adhesive to attach pages to each other.
- Shortened pages: A fun twist is to cut off part of a page so that the following page can be seen, kind of like giving a peek at what’s coming up next.
- Window Page: Cut a basic shape out of one page and add a picture or paper and embellishments to the page behind it where the opening is. (It will look like a picture frame) Then cover the back of the framed page with pretty paper.
- Flap Page: This is like making a little door on your page; make it the same way as a window page, but leave one side of the shape attached. Score that side so that it will bend.
Vintage Modern with Amy Butler
January 26, 2009 by Emily · 12 Comments
After gazing at Amy Butler’s bright and beautiful patterns, Spring feels like it is just around the corner. Amy Butler is a fabric, fashion, home and print designer known for her fresh and modern vintage style. With bright colors and gorgeous prints, her designs are splashed throughout the fabric industry in handbags, bedding, sewing & craft patterns (free pattern downloads too!), stationery, gift wrap, project books and home design . I love her style and her commitment to give back.
She has a shoppe too! Not only is this gift wrap an eye-catching display of green and pink elegance, it is made with 100% recycled/biodegradable tissue paper, 100% post-consumer waste paper, soy based ink, and all of it can be recycled after use. Isn’t that impressive? It makes gift wrapping pretty irresistible.
Seven Smooches
January 20, 2009 by Vanessa · 7 Comments
Seven Smooches is an inviting little shoppe with items created and hand sewn by two mothers who have seven children between them. Their company is inspired by the indulgent natural softness of a child’s kiss. All of their beautiful products are one of a kind, machine washable and made out of 100% recycled wool sweaters. Their spring/summer line is made from recycled sheets and feedsacks.
I love the beautiful astrology blankets they offer, each blanket is hand felted and stitched with the constellation of your choice. These would make a perfect little baby gift.
Seven Smooches also offers many different types of clothing, from kimonos to cardigans - with attention to every detail.
Hollywood has gone crazy over this shoppe, rumor has it that Halle Berry, Laila Ali, Marcia Cross and Courtney Cox Arquette’s daughters wear the clothing. I have fallen for it too, I just love everything they offer.
Written by Vanessa of I Never Grew Up
Cute *Eco-Friendly* Shoes for Baby Feet
January 12, 2009 by Emily · 4 Comments
For Moms who want blue for their baby girls…you will love these little handmade baby booties from Sugar Plumb Tree! They are made out of eco-friendly felt and blue fabric, with a velcro closure and they are so light-weight and soft that your little girl can wear them all day.
Eco-Friendly Art Supplies for Creative Kids
January 6, 2009 by Vanessa · 9 Comments
Stubby Pencil Studio is the perfect place to find eco-friendly art supplies that are healthy for your children and the environment. I placed an order for Christmas last year and we were so impressed with the wonderful customer service and high quality of the products.
Recycled Sketchbooks - Super earth friendly sketchbooks from 100% FSC certified post-consumer waste recycled, acid free and processed chlorine free paper and fully biodegradable glue and vegetable based inks. Various Prices.
Crayon Rocks - Made from non-toxic soy wax and tinted with natural mineral powders, Crayon Rocks make vibrant colors and beautiful textures. The pebble shape crayons are easy to hold and encourage the use of tripod grip to develop fine motor skills. 16 Crayon Rocks for $6.95
Smencils - Made from recycled newspaper wrapped around #2 graphite and soaked in environmentally-friendly fragrance liquids. Cotton Candy, Tropical Blast, Cinnamon, Watermelon, & Root Beer Set of 5 for $5.95.
Stubby Pencil Studio is my new place to buy all of my art supplies. They also have non-toxic toys & gifts, recycled cards and personalized stationery. It truly makes me feel good to provide my children with art supplies that I know are healthy for them as well as the environment.
Written by Vanessa of I Never Grew Up
Sweet Shoppe: All the Numbers
December 16, 2008 by Emily · 7 Comments
Laura C. - one our creative readers sent a tip about this charming, modern shoppe called All the Numbers. The instant I looked at it, my mouth dropped, and well…here’s the rest.
This set of 6 stitched note cards (made with fabric scraps) consists of heavy white card stock made with 100% post consumer recycled materials, so that you can send eco-friendly notes to your friends. Woo! Pretty and friendly, all in one card.
Modern {Red} Poppy Quilt, where have you been all my life?!? This signature baby/toddler quilt generously measures 48 x 39 inches and is made with the softest white flannel for your little tot. Looking for colors to match your nursery? No problem! All the Numbers accepts custom orders too.
These intricate quilts make a perfect play mat and if you want something smaller, you can purchase a handmade mini “security blanket” quilt for $36.
Featured Shoppes
