Try Handmade

Shopping blog featuring products made by people not factories.

Owl and Piggy Hats from Wooly Mammoth Woolens

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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.

Kristin Parsons Illustrations

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Creatures and beasties from another world is how you might describe Kristin Parsons‘ whimsical creations. Whether the creatures are fish-like, frog-like or totally unlike anything you’ve seen, kids seem to love these illustrations. Kristin worked as an inker at an animated cartoon studio in Barcelona in the mid 60’s and has continued to create work inspired by the little ones in her life over the last 60 years.

Over the years she’s had gallery shows, both group and solo, in the United States and Europe and has illustrated a couple of books. You could certainly imagine a picture book full of these critters. Each creature starts as hand drawings and then are scanned in and digitally manipulated to achieve the colorful finished product.

My favorite item from my Etsy shop is “Flower Inspection,” because it reminds me of my grandson, who’s four and always busy figuring out how things are put together.

An artist at heart, Kristin has been creating since she was 2 years old. While she has been selling her work offline for some time now, she’s just recently started selling online after discovering it as a way to share her work with potentially thousands of people every day.

A recent Florida transplant, she is currently only selling online. Kristin comes from a long line of artists – both her grandfathers and an aunt were artists, and, like them, she started drawing from a very early age. Growing up, she lived in three countries in Europe and stayed for art school.

She has one daughter with her husband, and a grandson who is a constant source of inspiration (and I gather from her conversation with me, pride). Her shop is truly Freshly Made, she’s only been listing for a few days and is working on adding more creative creatures. If you know of a kiddo who would love these funny fellows, make sure to check out her shop.

Friendship Bracelets from Camp Smartypants

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Summer days have faded and we’re heading into the holidays. What better time though, to reaffirm a special friendship and say, “You’re a pal for all seasons!” Friendship bracelets from Camp Smartypants keep those friendship campfires burning.

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I love these cards and bracelets almost as much now, as I did when I was a kid. It’s the perfect thing for a tween to drop in the mail to tell a friend they are thinking of them, whether they live next door or their parents job has transferred them to the other side of the globe.

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The card that these come with are what makes them extra special and perfect for holiday season gifting. Why wait for the summer months to make your friends feel special?

Pretty Dreamer

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Pretty Dreamer {previously featured} is truly my kind of toy store. Offering beautifully crafted handmade wooden toys made from sustainably harvested local hardwoods, Pretty Dreamers is a wonderful place to find playthings. I saw these cute little wooden town blocks, which are made for play or for home decor, and knew I had discovered a trove. Each little set is individually handcrafted, so each one is one of a kind. And you can rest assured that all materials are non-toxic.

And what village would be complete without townsfolk? Little Village Children come in pairs, but are so, so, collectible. Each is hand carved and painted using vintage folk colors. You can pretty much request any combination of little folk that you’d like, even pick the clothing colors and whether you’d like boys or girls, or one of each.

I love that this little Wooden Garden is referred to as “Kinetic Sculpture”. What a fitting name for such a beautiful stacker toy. Each flower is handcrafted from locally harvested maple and reclaimed mahogany and invites movement and change during play.

I really like the retro feel of these Bucolic Cow push toys. They remind me of the wooden push and pull toys of my childhood. The careful crafting and lovely detailing are all the kinds of things that make a toy a treasure that a child reaches for again and again. I adore the sweet little flowers and brightly colored wheels.

This trusty little Woodworker’s Carpenter Set might be my favorite toy of all. The tools are hand pegged to look realistic, and the storage box is sturdy enough to hold real tools. This is one of those sets that’s destined to become an heirloom, as are many of the lovely playthings found in this shop.

Tim's Sally

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Tim’s Sally: Painting for me, is a nostalgic descent back to my childhood – a time when dolls were a huge part of my life. Today is not altogether different. I think of my paintings as play sets where I dress my dolls up and create their own environment. Sometimes this “land” is a sweet setting of animals, nature, and innate innocence while others are captivated by a mysterious engulfing darkness. I can relate.

Memories of playtime and my special collection of “neat stuff” that I kept in a wooden trunk made specially for me by my uncle were treasures to me. Baby doll heads, vintage dolls, sweet scents of everything yummy are areas of great inspiration. Artists such as Mark Ryden, Joe Sorren, and Casey O’Connell also capture my heart with a sweet tenderness encompassing subtle moments of time we all would like to revisit; a dream state so unique one could only wish to take part.