a new look

I decided to try out a new banner in my etsy shop, and changed my blog banner to match. I think it is pretty cute, and since I have been focusing less on screen printing t-shirts and more on sewing playsets for kids, I thought my banner should reflect that. I still looove the rainbow of bright t-shirts, but maybe I'll have to save that for another venture.

Here is the before banner :

and here if the after banner:


Don't worry, I'm not over screen printing! I may soon be sharing my printing knowledge at a gallery workshop near you. Stay tuned for news on that!

Check out the new Yellow Stripes Kids Basket in the shop too. I have been finding the most amazingly cute, brightly patterned cotton for the placemats and I thought they would make great suprise, educational Easter baskets! What do you think?

eco-friendly

I found some new felt while stocking up on reds and pinks for a custom trade project I'm working on with etsy.com yarn spinstress banadura. This new felt is a hand washable polyester fiber made from post consumer plastic bottles! I love that it is a vegetarian, recycled material and since I have been having trouble finding a good price and color selection of wool felt, it makes a really great material to work with in the mean time!



I have been really diligent with bringing my own canvas bag when shopping to avoid having to take plastic bags and the more I do it, the more I remember to grab my canvas bag[s] and bring them when I go into stores. One of my fellow Cleveland Etsy teammates, zJayne, actually recycles t-shirts and sews them into unique, one of a kind shopping bags! She picks out some really great ones, and this two pack is totally one of my favorites, probably because of the Cleveland t-shirt she used in the main photo :o)

Two new HandMade Plush Kids Toy Baskets are now in the HandMade Goods shop - Pink Stars and Blue Flowers. I am way into the new yellow squash and zucchini plush toys I have just added to the collection. I will continue to add new fruits and vegetables soon!

Citrus Lime + Neapolitan

Hi there! I'm Nicki.


I have a webshop on etsy called HandMade Goods where I sell my HandMade Kids Plush Fruit and Vegetable playsets, cat toys made with organic catnip that I grow, and t-shirts that I screen print by hand.


The holiday orders certainly kept me busy from November until this week. I am excited to take a few days off and give my terrible eyes and sore fingers a much deserved rest! I definitely put my Grandma's old Singer to good use. I'm sure she would be very proud.


I am also eager to expand my product line. I have had ideas for weeks now with little time to do much else but fill orders and even more rarely, print more t-shirts... which is another thing I would like to do more of in the very near future.

In the mean time, I just listed two new Kids Plush Playsets - Citrus Lime and Neapolitan, which are featured in this blog. Each playset includes a combination of six handmade fruits or vegetables, a handmade placemat, and a small wooden picnic basket. I figured, with all of the last minute orders I was getting, I'd better have at least two baskets ready to go in case I needed to rush off to the post office immediately. I love love the stripes in the Neapolitan! When I see the colors together it just looks yummy to me. The bright lime and kelly green Citrus slices are nice and bold. Quite a contrast to the near white-out blizzard conditions we were having here as I was sewing it!