Mommy FTW

Every year I get Cameron a new winter hat from Etsy, and during the search for the perfect hat I always come across so many super cute options that I like to share with my Mommy For the Win readers. This year is no exception!  The weather has turned and it’s time to get my Etsy on again.  Here are a few great options for boys and girls.  FYI I’m partial to fleece hats because I think they are less itchy – but I did include some other ones because I couldn’t resist:

Etsy seller SunnyMomo makes all kinds of adorable zombie hats – this is just one of them!  So be sure to check out the shop to see what else there is to offer.  These are perfect for your little monster especially around Halloween!

Oink Oink!  Etsy seller diddeedits makes lots of cute animal inspired hats – I love this little piggy.  Check out the shop to see the other options for your little animal lover.

I love the beautiful teal buttons and the plum of this felted wool hat made by Etsy seller SugarBlums.   Your little fashionista will look stunning in this cute hat!

This one might seem a little plain – but I think it’s totally classic and I’m pretty sure it will look down right adorable on your little one.  Who can resist a pom pom hat?!  This one is made by Etsy seller YouNeedMoreFiber.

This is another simple hat which I totally love.  It’s made by Etsy seller Ikuka – be sure to check out the shop for lots of super cute fleece hat options.  I had trouble choosing which one I wanted to post!

What a sophisticated hat your your little darling.  The subtle color really highlight the amazing textures in this hand knit beauty.  It’s made by Etsy seller effybags.

Finally, 3 hats from my favorite winter hat seller, katiesegel.  I’ve gotten Cameron a hat from her for the past two years, and I’m pretty sure she will get my business again!  Her hats are so adorable and comfy.  Cameron loves to wear them, and I can’t tell you how many compliments I get.

Meow! Cat Hat by KatieSegel

Roar! The dinosaur hat is prefect for your little natural historian

The Truck Hat is made for your transportation lover!

When I was growing up my mom always made my Halloween costume.  And as I got older, I really got into making my own.  I have to admit at this point in my life with an almost 3 year old and a 6 month old, I don’t have the time to make a crafty costume – thankfully there is Etsy!  With a little looking, you can find some incredibly adorable costumes at a wide range of prices.  Place your orders now to be sure you’re ready for Halloween!!  Here’s a rundown of my favorites:

I stumbled upon the shop of Etsy seller NotTheKitchenSink and I was totally blown away by the incredible costumes they had.  They are a little on the expensive side ($35 and up – more for twins costumes) but they are some of the cutest and most creative costumes I found.  Here’s a few:

Sushi and Soy Sauce. This almost made me wish I had twins.

Peas and Carrots - I'm sure you can get them seperate, or for twins

So sweet! What a tasty little cookie!

Do you have a little monkey on your hands?  Well Etsy seller MegSewCool has the costume for you priced at $55:

Chunky Monkey!

How about a cute little bumble bee costume, complete with cute flower headband?  Check out this one from Etsy seller PeaPodRay – $52 with headband, $36 without:

Buzzzz.... Love this cute and comfortable look!

I love the DinoCapes made by Etsy seller MaukyJo – I think they would be great for creative dress up play throughout the year, not just for Halloween – and only $28!

I have a feeling this cute DinoCape could get a lot of year-round use!

And another great dress up / costume option that is really affordable (only $14!) is this cute Robot costume from Kidatheart01 – don’t forget to check the store because there are lots of other affordable costumes too!

I'm pretty sure you can't beat the price on this Robot Costume - 14$!

Want some more choices?  There’s endless tutus, balarina costumes, cowboys, and princess dresses on Etsy too.  Just search and see what you can find!

For my little girl’s room I ordered some SurfaceInspired Wall decals from their shop on Etsy.  I have to admit they were a bit time consuming and sometimes frustrating to put up, but in the end, totally worth it.  The finished product is gorgeous and has gotten so many compliments.  I wish I had known before I ordered them that they have a 15% off coupon code – SURFACEINSPIRED15.

So if you are thinking of giving them a try, check out their shop and be sure to use the code!  Oh, and watch the YouTube video before you put them up – it’s really helpful in understanding how to apply them.

I’ve turned to Etsy for creative solutions a lot in the past two years getting Cameron quite a few hats, a custom tie tee for my brother’s wedding this past summer, and also for our Holiday photo cards.  So, when it came time to start getting my baby girl’s nursery in order I decided to see what I could find there.  I was pleasantly surprised by all the totally cool things I came across!  I wanted to show you all a little of what I saw – FYI the color scheme I’m going for is green, white, and purple so most of the stuff you’ll see is in that theme.  But!  These sellers offer all kinds of cute things, many available in custom colors and designs.  Check them out, and don’t hesitate to contact the sellers and ask them if they can work with you.

For Cameron’s room I got him Blik ReStik which has lasted very well. We were even able to move it from Brooklyn to DC without a hitch. On Etsy I found seller surfaceinspired which makes gorgeous wall art very similar to Blik.  For baby girl’s room I’m going to get this cherry blossom art.  You can even choose whatever colors you want.  I can’t wait to see it!

Today I just ordered a mobile from LilSproutCreations based on this purple one.  I sent the seller a picture of the rug I had bought for the room and she is going to do some tweeking to match it.  I’m sure it’s going to look amazing.

Most of the changing pad covers and crib sheets I’ve seen out there are pastel colored, which I am not a huge fan of.  So I was excited to find the crib sheets by SweetMemoriesQuilts and changing pad covers by LittleOwlsNest.  Now I can find the perfect shade of purple!

Other items I pictured above I’m still deciding on (or in the case of the butterfly mobile I just had to post because its so beautiful!) but I wanted to show them to you all so you could check out the sellers and see what adorable things they have.  Check the image captions to find out the Etsy seller names.  Happy decorating!!  I’ll be sure to post pictures when it all comes together.

We’re rapidly speeding through December, and for the organized among us (not me so far!) it’s time to order holiday photo cards and send them off to friends and family.   Last year I got my card off Etsy, and shared with you all some of the great options I found on the site.  I couldn’t have been happier with the result – so weather I actually get to a card this year or not, I did some hunting so I could share some with you all:

From left to right, top to bottom….

The first card is from Etsy seller katiejaussie.  It’s festive, classy, and happens to be made by my sister-in-law (plug!!).  This is a great choice for those of you out there who can’t decide on just one picture.  FYI, for those of you who live in the Boston area, she is an amazing photographer – focusing on weddings, family shots, maternity photos, and also does boudoir pics in case you were thinking of getting your man something extra spicy this Christmas!  Ok, end of family-related-endorsement.

The second card is from Etsy seller pipeup.  I love it because it’s not too Christmas-y so if your family celebrates lots of different holidays it’s a good pick.  Like the first card, it lets you use more than one photo.

The third photo card is from Etsy seller LoveJuneBug.  Again it’s festive without being too Christmas’y and I love the modern look of this card.  Plus its nice and bright and cheery.

The fourth card is from Etsy seller frankandfrida.  I think it’s classic looking without being dated.  Very nice and festive!

The fifth holiday card is from Etsy seller lukecommasara.  Again it’s very non denominational but sends a nice message.  Perfect for those of us who don’t manage to get something out before the actual Christmas holiday… it works as a new years wish too!

The sixth card is from Etsy seller ClassicChicDesigns.  Can you really go wrong with a snowman?  I don’t think so.  This one is so fun!

These are just a few examples of the cards you can find on Etsy – there are hundreds if not thousands more.  Some of the sellers will just insert your photo and send you the file back so you can have it printed yourself (at Walgreens or Kinkos for example) and some of them will do the printing for you.  Just ask them!  Also, if you want a word changed or something don’t be afraid to ask.  I’ve found Etsy sellers to be extremely accommodating and great to work with!

Last year I did a few posts about cute winter hats for babies that I had found on Etsy.  The Car hat I got for Cameron from the KatieSegel shop still (barely) fits him, and still gets him tons of compliments.  Those posts are also some of my most popular ever – so now that the weather has turned, and Cameron is in the market for a new hat, I hit up Etsy.com again to see what I could find.  Here are a few of my favorites for boys and girls (NOTE: if the hat is listed as “Sold” don’t worry – check the seller shop, it’s likely they have another one that is the same or similar for sale):

Is your baby a total bad ass?  Then this is the hat for them.  I think it’s adorable and cool at the same time.  You can find it at the Charlie Mai Etsy shop.

Is your little one totally into Owls (I’m looking at you Jordan!) then this hat might be just right… oh, and what a hoot!  Sorry, I couldn’t resist.  You can find this little number at Maddie Lou Beanies.

Are you ready for some football?  If you are a fan, you might not be able to resist this cute hat.  I might have to buy one for my new niece that just arrived!  This hat is available from Etsy seller Little Bird Lucy.

This hat totally makes me think of Twitter.  Maybe that’s because I’m such a geek!  Anyways, you can choose the color combination with this one, so pick anything you like and make your own custom creation.  It’s also from Charlie Mai’s Etsy shop.

Another birdie hat – but this one has a cool twist – it’s made from a recycled wool sweater.  Don’t worry, it’s lined in a cotton knit so it won’t be itchy!  This hat is one of a kind, but the seller has other similar ones made from other recycled sweaters.  Check out the Etsy shop of ZaaBerry to see more.

This colorful cap will bring brigtness to the coldest winter day – and the ear flaps will keep your little one nice and toasty.  It’s available from Etsy seller Imomzi.

This hat made by Etsy seller Katie Segel is going to be Cam’s for the winter.  I think he is going to totally love the monster truck!  If you’ve got a little one who is as into trucks as Cameron is, you should consider getting it!

We’ve all seen the plastic Halloween costumes at the drug store and thought “My kid is going to wear something way cuter than that!” But, when it comes down to it – who has the time to make something cute, original, and quality?  Not this mom!  But thankfully, there’s Etsy.  I did a little searching to see what was out there for toddlers and found some nice options.

I love this little Where the Wild Things Are costume.  It’s as fun for mom and dad as it is for junior.  The Etsy seller is PaulaAndErika – check out their shop for more info.

Giddy up!  If your little one is into the wild wild west, this one might be right up their alley.  The costume is just the vest and chaps – you supply the shirt and jeans.  The seller is Saltwaterkids – check out their shop for more info.

Roar!  This costume reminds me of one that I made for myself when I was younger… but in a much more finished and professional way.  I think this one is my favorite!  The Etsy seller is amysewsit.  Check out the shop for more info.

This fine feathered costume is the least expensive of all the Etsy options I found.  It’s also super cute!  The seller is DIPdesigns.  Check out the shop for more info.

If these options are a little more money than you’d like to spend, I suggest check out Target’s website.  They’ve got lots of options at reasonable prices.  Also think about putting together your own costume – you don’t necessarily have to sew anything!  I think Cameron will be Bob the Builder.  He’s already got a checkered shirt and overalls, all I need to find is a hard hat and we are set to go!  Anyone else have any creative Halloween ideas?

Ah – June is here – and that means it’s wedding season!  I know we’ve got a few on the calender for this summer, most notably my brother, in the end of July.  I wanted to find something cute for Cameron to wear that wasn’t going to be too hot or uncomfortable.  I turned to Etsy – my go to place for creative and cute clothes for Cam.  I found some great options:

Etsy seller - pumpkingirl

This tie tee is made by Etsy seller pumpkingirl.  You can get a tee or tiesie (onesie + tie) in a variety of sizes, with a variety of ties.  I even emailed the seller to see if she would make me a custom one to match what the guys in the wedding are wearing.  She said yes – SCORE!

Etsy seller - ShockNRoll

The Tuxedo t shirt is a classic.  This style is made by Etsy seller ShockNRoll.  Available in sizes 12 Months 24 Months, 2T, 3T, 4T, 5T.

Etsy seller - pillowfightdesigns

A different take on the tuxedo shirt by Etsy seller pillowfightdesigns.  You can get this shirt in blue and pink as well.  I like the plain white and black because it’s not going to clash with anyone’s wedding colors.

Etsy seller - WeChooseJoy

Another cute tie tee option from Etsy seller WeChooseJoy.  Be sure to check out their shop for more tie options.

Etsy seller - lamourdebebe

If you want to go the actual tie route – check out these ties from Etsy seller lamourdebebe.  Pair them with a polo or button up for a sophisticated and adorable look.  Be sure to check their shop for more tie options.

I hope the moms out there with baby and toddler boys have found some inspiration – I know I have.  Thanks to Etsy for bringing us all these options!

Don’t worry moms out there with little girls – I’ll round up some cute finds for you too!

Etsy was my go to spot for Cameron’s winter hats this year – and he got so many compliments!  It’s nice to have a hat that is a little unique I think.  So, with the weather turning to spring (thank goodness) it’s time to start thinking sun protection for our little ones – which means a nice sun hat!  Of course, I thought of Etsy again.  Here’s a few that I found – but there are lots more.  I’m sure you can find the perfect sun hat for your little one.

These first two come from the worthygoods shop (FYI, I liked pretty much every one of their hats!):

This hat is reversible - I am loving both sides

A less traditional sun hat - but I love the attitude

And now something for the ladies – these come from the blissfulmoments shop:

perfectly pink and adorable

I am a sucker for an orange flower

And now back to the boys:

This one is also reversible - more planes on the inside

This baby is ready for a 4th of July BBQ

Don’t see one you like, or want to check out more options?  Then take a look at this search for “baby sun hat” on Etsy.

The creators of BKLYN Yard Kids clothes wrote me recently to ask if I would do a little write up on their items.  After looking over their adorable clothes and learning more about them I was more than happy to do so.

Brooklynites Michelle Zuluaf and Nicole Keating have created their own Brooklyn inspired clothing line, and are donating some of the proceeds of the sales to charity.  This season they have decided to donate 10% of sales to H.E.L.P (Haitian Education & Leadership  Program,) An organization providing scholarships to top high school graduates that could never afford an education.  BKLYN Yard has also donated to the American Cancer Society during the 2009 holiday season and to DonorsChoose.org

So, that’s the “feel good” stuff… now on to the “look good” stuff.  These clothes are super cute!  Here are a few of my favorites from their Etsy shop – click on the image to take you to its page on Etsy:

Swipe for Me

They have a onesie version of this design for the little ones.  It’s called “Catch you on the train.”  This one is totally my favorite…. Cameron loves to take the subway – doesn’t matter where!

I Bike Breukelen Hoodie

For the little bike messengers out there, this hoodie will keep them cozy.

Spread Love It's The Brooklyn Way

Sometimes I wish I had a little girl… the fashions are just so adorable. Love, love, love this sweatshirt.

Breukelen Long Sleeve onesie

And a cute long sleeve onesie, so even the littlest Brooklynites can represent!

Take a look at the rest of the BKLYN Yard shop on Etsy, visit their website, and check their blog to learn and see more.