Meet Baby Swank

I wanted to tell you about one of my favorite Etsy shops...Baby Swank. Megan Visser is the creator of all the beautiful and useful products at Baby Swank. She recently started making herb infused organic baby bath wash, shampoo and oils. I recently ordered the baby wash/shampoo for my grand babe. I choose the lavender chamomile scent, as I know my DL loves lavender. After trying it, my DL said that is smells wonderful, and leaves babys skin soft, silky and feeling moisturized.

Megan says of her products, "I love items that are fun & fashionable as well as natural, good for you & the environment, & save you money in the long run. I strive to make products that fit into this mindset. "

Megan started her shop in 2010 selling her one-of-a-kind wash cloth bibs.  They are fashionable and functional, and since they snap on in the back, toddlers can't pull them off too easily!  She decided to offer them to the public after making them for her own sons and friends.  In that short time she has not only created a very nice Etsy shop, but has also been an awesome encouragement and help to moms who are learning to manage a business and raise a family.  You can read more about her and her shop at her blog Baby Swank.

Camping and Donuts

Camping; in the Midwest our thoughts don't turn to the idea until the leaves start to turn a little orange and yellow.   My family got the bug to take a short camping trip; just a short week end, invite friends, roast marshmallows.  We were having beautiful fall weather... until the week of the planned trip! Then the temperature suddenly dropped to the high 40's low 50's, but they were determined to go, so I reluctantly agreed.  The day of our trip was actually beautiful and sunny. We met our friends at a nearby campground, grilled burgers, roasted marshmallows and generally had a lovely time.  We have had a very dry late summer and early fall, so the big bon fire we envisioned to keep us warm after the sun went down could not happen.  It was ok, we had a tiny fire and huddled around it, betting who would light their shoes on fire first. Two of my sons made an amazing discovery that I will now share...

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Nearby our house is an apple cider mill. Ever since my kids were little, we have been buying their apple cider donuts. (not just in the fall either, we eat them all year!) My lovely DL and oldest son requested cider donuts for the camping trip (another aside, they were smart and went home to their bed for the night, as they live very nearby the camp site). Finally this leads me to my recipe... As the guys were sitting around the campfire waiting to be fed some dinner, they remembered the donuts were in the car. I had also brought a bag of caramels to munch on. They decided to heat up their donuts over the fire, and upon finding the caramels they hit on the idea of roasted caramel cider donuts! Here is the very simple recipe...

*Put a caramel on your roasting stick, heat it up till it starts to get warm and pliable.

*Remove caramel from stick and try not to eat it while you stick your donut on the stick. (you don't have to have a cider donut, but the cake kind probably works best).

*Now fill up the donut hole with the softened caramel.

*Roast the whole thing till warm and slightly browned.

*Devour immediately!

The evening ended blissfully until we went to bed and discovered that this particular campground was infested with skunks!....but that is another story!

Meet Sunshine and Ravioli.......Etsy Shop Monday

SUNSHINE AND RAVIOLI is an Etsy shop featuring fun and whimsical paper goods for any special occasion you might have, or just to pamper yourself with something beautiful.  The shop is run by Stephanie and as she says her name comes from, "my favorite line from Louis Prima's version of "Pennies from Heaven". It's a fun, optimistic song and that's what I hope to offer you- fun, whimsical pieces of paper sunshine (but you'll have to get your own ravioli- sorry!)."

I recently ordered these book plates from her shop. They arrived in a sweet little glasine envelope and I love them because they have character and just the right touch of vintage feel to them.  I look forward to using them on my most special books.

You can find Sunshine and Ravioli at www.sunshineandravioli.Etsy.com
Stephanie is a self-taught folk artist, who says she doesn't remember a time when she didn't like to draw, color, paint, or just make things. Most all of her paper goods are made from high quality inks on acid free paper.
Creating her beautiful paper products from home allows her to be there when her kids get home from school.

 Please check out her blog and Facebook links:
newsletter, for special offers:
http://eepurl.com/eYZD

Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/SunshineandRavioli

Sunshine and Ravioli blog:
http://sunshinenravioli.blogspot.com