New Item - Brag Book Meets Scrapbook

Here is my latest work in progress. I'm working out the details. Basically it is the classic brag book with fabric cover. The photo pages will have scrapbooking paper to highlight the photos within(that way if you are like me and have a bunch of wallet size photos, you aren't looking at the ugly white page!) I was inspired by the cute designs on the paper so I hope to translate one of the figures into a fabric applique to coordinate with the patterned paper within. When I work out all the details I will post the new photos and finished product!

Berry Suet Bird Treats - the finished product

Here is the finished product! Now the only thing left is pricing and packaging. I'm thinking of selling them in groups of three and packaging them in simple biodegradable packaging(possibly a paper lunch bag with simple label)
Not bad for the first try!

New Items and Further Proof that my Son is Odd Like his Mama!

Like I mentioned before, for some inexplicable reason my son sleeps with his bottom up in the air. I can't help but share, it still makes me smile!

I had a customer request a smaller version of my Fairy Dust Play Dough.
I liked it so much I am including it my shop.


Another new project is Gingerbread Cookie Wreaths. I started making the Snowflake Gingerbread Cookie ornaments for my Christmas shop. I was playing around with the snowflakes one day and designed this wreath. It's my prototype(and finished before I had perfected my ornament technique, I now dip my cookies in scented wax before I decorate them to make sure they are sealed). I have my snowflake wreath hanging in my kitchen.

I like these so much I'm expanding the cookie designs and making them for use throughout the year. I also hope to have single decorations and garlands. The scented wax smells fabulous but isn't so heavy it makes you sick! I use a scent called pumpkin spice for the fall and winter designs and have a cookie scent and vanilla scent I will use for the spring and summer motifs.New shapes include: hearts, butterflies, bees and dragonflies,stars, leaves, four-leaf clovers and Easter eggs.

I love this project because it bridges my loves of baking and creating (plus I can't eat the product!!)
I'll post them here as they start to take shape!

Snow Fort Brick Molds Packaging Art

Snow Fort!

Taking pictures of snow forts is not the easiest of tasks!! Here are some better pictures that I have adjusted the contrast on. If I had a tripod I could probably get even better pics but these will work just fine for now! Coming next: the packaging preview!

preview of new play item!

Not the greatest picture but I will try to take more. I am working on the packaging of our snow fort/sand castle brick forms. Keep your eyes open!

We're exhausted!

But happy! The Laurel Show went well and it was nice meeting new folks and catching up with old favorites! The whole family is tired though especially mommy and the bug! Early bedtime for us, then it's up early to fill some orders from etsy. In the meantime, here are a couple of photos of my table and new products just added to busy little elf.

Coming Soon!!

I'm finally getting ready to list the gingerbread ornament decorating kits as well as the other mini play dough kits. They will be listed first in the Christmas shop and later in the regular shop. I also am working on a couple of felt food items for the busy little elf shop, I think they are going to be very cute, I hope to have at least one of them done by Monday. I'll post photos as soon as I have something!!

It's been awhile!

It's been a pretty hectic week for me! My 40th Birthday was Saturday, no special plans, my mom came out and took us to dinner and bought me a nice gift. My husband and I argued about things that never should have come up on my birthday and that he just can't drop once he gets fixated(a long story that has to do with a waste of human flesh that he for some unbeknown reason tangled himself up with and a legal battle that is absolutely corrupt and ludicrous!!)My little one scared the begeezus out of me when he fell off the couch, almost choked on an animal cracker, went limp and then came back to normal!! I told him he is never allowed to scare mommy like that again!!! I've been trying to keep up with all 3 blogs, my astrology group, 2 businesses, my holiday window proposal all while trying to keep the house somewhat in order!! I've introduced Halloween Play Dough(busy little elf) and Gingerbread Cookie ornaments (busy little Christmas elf). I've been working on mostly Christmas things since I've just been accepted to do a juried craft show the first weekend in December.

My newest item!

Well, this project took me a long time to finish! I have been working on it for months, mostly researching bugs and how to collect them for the manual. I then had to regurgitate(and yes, that is the word I meant to use) what I learned into an easy to understand manual for boys between the ages of 5 or 6 and 10. So it's finished and listed! I hope other parents like it as much as I do.

new item - listing soon

Looks like dirt, smells like a chocolate brownie. Turns water brown but won't stain boy or tub!

Wow! What a couple of days for busy little elf!

So unexpected, the fine admins at etsy included a couple of my items in their related items section of two pretty big articles!

Check it out!!(scroll down to related items and look for busylittleelf)

http://www.etsy.com/storque/section/reviews/article/handmade-kids-an-insiders-review-of-cafemomcom/2277/

http://www.etsy.com/storque/section/spotlight/article/etsy-finds-dosidough/2320/

Big thanks to the powers that be, whomever that may be!

Finger Paints Recipe

If you store this airtight in the refrigerator it should last longer. Happy painting!


Homemade Finger Paint

1/2 cup flour
2 cups water
1 tablespoon glycerine
2 teaspoon lemon extract for preservative
small screw-top jars
Wilton food coloring paste

1. In a saucepan, mix flour with a 1/2 cup of water to form a paste.
2. Add the rest of the water and cook over low heat until thick and clear, stirring constantly.
3. Let cool. Add glycerine and lemon extract. If mixture is too thick and does not spread easily, add a little more water. Divide and pour into smal, screw-top jars (baby jars are great for this). Add food coloring to tint.
Store in airtight containers. Refrigerate for longer shelf life.

New Item Preview!! Homemade Finger Paints!!

Here's a photo of the finished finger paints. I still need to paint some lids and label them but I'm still testing the new formula to make sure they will last for a long time if kept sealed at room temperature!
Colors-top: (L to R) Galactic Blue, Black Hole, Comet Purple

bottom: (L to R) Mars Red, Golden Sun, Vulcan Green, Meteor Orange

new picture of finished watercolor paints!

New Items!!

Today I'm hoping to introduce a couple new products.

First on my list: Safe watercolors for kids. Made with pantry ingredients but they definitely won't want to eat them! They will come in a palette with a paintbrush.**Finished! (see picture> Paints are drying, will be packaged and listed over the weekend!)

Next: Silly putty. Although I haven't figured out the packaging.

Also: The bug observatories should be ready to post, I have to go through and figure out what is and isn't ready but I believe I finally have everything together. The scanner needs to be hooked up to my PC and if I can get that working, the graphics can be scanned.

Finally: I'm also trying out my new recipe for finger paints, I'll still have to see if they are stable enough to sell (you sure don't to buy want stinky finger paints!)

There are a couple other items, as I make them I'll take photos and edit this post with pics!

Also, I have a scheduled post with more pictures of the Holden Arboretum. It's scheduled for sometime between 12 and 1pm. Enjoy the photos!!

Christmas Elf!

Here is the prototype for my holiday Christmas elves. He was made a few years back so I need to fix him before listing him on etsy.(bzlittlechristmaself.etsy.com) It will probably be after Monday before I can repair him and touch him up (he seems to have gotten a bit beat up in the 3 moves that we've made since his creation) I also want to fix his nose(it needs a bit of rhinoplasty, seems a little too flat!!) and his forehead has a couple wrinkles I want to smooth out. But he's cute nonetheless! I hope to do some girl elves and more boy elves to list within the next month to month and a half. I'll post their photos here first so check back occasionally!

Watercolors!

I have the palettes for the kids watercolor paints and I hope to have them listed within the next few days. I'm still working on the boy's birthday cake and have my wedding anniversary in a couple days so I probably won't be able to get much more than that accomplished before Sunday. I always think that I can get so much more done than I actually can! I guess I do get a lot accomplished, it's just the things that I don't plan on getting done or the things I forget to schedule the right amount of time for. Like errands! Today it took us nearly 3 hours to get all our errands done! That's just ridiculous! Oh well, it's time to turn in for the evening, after all our running today, and working out in the yard, I'm a wee bit tired! Sweet Dreams!!!

New Items!

I'm working on new play items for my shop. I may have finally worked out a recipe for finger paints that won't go bad too quickly and I'm hoping to offer watercolor paints for kids also. To keep the finger paints from spoiling I need to add something non-edible but I'm also testing an edible preservative. Still will be a lot safer for our kids than the mass produced varieties out there!
I'm also almost done with my bug kit. Having problems with the printing sequence on my publication so once that's hammered out I'll post it on etsy! Also, If I can persuade my husband to hook up the scanner to my computer I'll re-post this with the graphics!

Snippets of new drawings

Okay these are not the best pictures, normally I would scan them but the husband has the scanner on his computer so I can't. We'll have to get by with these until I'm finished!