Ciaran Blumenfeld, Author at Try Handmade

Owl and Piggy Hats from Wooly Mammoth Woolens

April 9, 2018 by Ciaran Blumenfeld Leave a Comment

In this day and age, with such an abundance of cute hats available, it should be considered a crime to put your child in a boring chapeau. There’s no risk of being charged when you put your kids in these Owl and Piggy caps from Wooly Mammoth Woolens.

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I love the slightly silly felt embroidery on these. It takes the handknitting to the next level. The fact that the pig is speaking in French and the owl is Woot-ing rather than hooting, is just priceless.

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Would that I could shrink my kids a bit to fit into these fabulous caps.

Felt Play Food from One & Only

March 28, 2018 by Ciaran Blumenfeld 2 Comments

Once, when my girls were littler, a well meaning relative bought them a box of those really inexpensive molded plastic playfood items that sort of, kind of, resemble food shapes but leave you wondering if they are beets or potatoes. My girls tried to muster up a little enthusiam for the strange little plastic beetatos but barely a week passed before someone decided to use the plastic play food in the tub (soup?). Shortly thereafter, beetatos went bye bye. Since then I’ve been super picky about playfood. I don’t need any more rejected toys gathering mold in the bath. I’ve got a no plastic play food rule. It’s all wood, crocheted or felt. For felt food I have a new obsession. The play food from One & Only is not just play food. It’s art!

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Lunch Box Love Notes from Cards Between Friends

December 17, 2016 by Ciaran Blumenfeld 1 Comment

Just a few weeks ago you could not wait to send those kids off to school and on their way. New shoes, a special lunch, a brand new schoolbag. But now that the newness has worn off and school days have settled into a routine, it’s easy to get in a rut. The lunches have lapsed into lackluster leftovers, the new shoes are scuffed. We need a pick me up! That’s why October is the perfect time to break out some Lunch Box Love Notes like the adorable ones made by Cards Between Friends.

I like that these notes are simple and graphic and can be personalized with your own handwritten message. Tuck them into a lunchbox or backpack. They are sure to brighten any test day and make your kids feel super special and cared for.

These cards strike the perfect balance between sweet and cool. They are not overly precious, which is a plus when you have little boys who like monsters. Cards can be customized to your favorite of the themes offered by Cards Between Friends. Can you think of a more simple and inexpensive ($3.50 for a dozen!) way to put a smile on your child’s face on a daily basis?

Lovely Longies and Recycled Clothes from Treebottom Wool

September 21, 2015 by Ciaran Blumenfeld 2 Comments

In the far back reaches of my closet, where my good intentions gather dust bunnies with my long lost dreams of “creative time”, there lies a pile of abandoned felted sweaters. I’d intended to make magical, whimsical longies & garments for my baby out of these. That was three kids ago. Current score? Kids: 4, adorable mom made felted garments: 0. I am a girl with sweaters in her closet.

I’m not sure what I was thinking. After all, I live in Southern California. On the one day each year when it is finally cold enough to wear a felted wool garment, I dig the ol’ sweaters out, do a feverish late night google search for free pants patterns, stay up till 1 am sketching out a design and make great plans. The next day it’s 85 again and I’m too tired to get out of the car for my coffee. The detritus from my late night creativity fest enjoys two weeks on my nightstand before the sweaters migrate back to the corner of the closet for another year while I berate myself in print.

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