Twenty Best 20 - Toddler Backpack

20 Best Twenty

Christine & Company is happy to announce that the 

Amy Butler Toddler Backpack in Morning Glory 

has been featured on 20 Best Twenty!

 

   "20 Best Twenty reveals the best designs, premier pieces, and unique products from independent makers across the globe. Our goal is simple – to feature the undiscovered items that are often lost in an age of chain retailers and commercial advertising. We celebrate inspired design, 

and unite original ideas with discerning consumers."

Toddler Backpack in Amy Butler's Morning Glory

I am so proud to have been chosen among the submissions that were received for a feature in the "Lil Ones" section of 20 Best Twenty.  There are some amazing designers there...check out some of this great stuff!

Scarlet Scarf - DBK Design Arts

Orange Blossom Soap - Starlet Glam

Smooch Card - Crafted by Lindy

Heart Bangle - The 7th Crow

There's just not enough room here to show you everything I love over at 20 Best Twenty, so go check it out for  yourself!

Christine
www.christine-company.com

Ask the Expert - Party Planning with Sweet Stella's

Please welcome Shannon Moyer-Szemenyei, Owner and Designer of Sweet Stella's for Day 2 of the Ask the Expert Series.    She is going to give us some great ideas for a party for a small child.

Dumptruck Themed Party

When Christine and I started chatting about her new Ask an Expert, I got really excited because it meant that I got to talk about my favourite thing…party planning!

Even before I became a mom, you could find me helping my friends plan their children’s parties and dreaming about my future childs’ momentous first birthday party. When it came time to throw it, I was able to set months and months of planning into action.

First and foremost, get a theme, and by that I mean an inspiration for the party. It can be…a colour, favourite toy, game, shape, cartoon character, or even just a feeling.  Once you’ve nailed it down to what you want your party to be inspired by, the rest should come pretty easily. For our purposes here, let’s take a dump truck and build a party around that.

Every party needs a food table, and what better use of a dump truck than to use them on your food table? Go to your local hardware or lumber store and get a 2x4 cut into a variety of sizes. Use these as risers on your table, and place two dump trucks on the planks. Fill the dump trucks with…salad…buns…burgers…really anything can go into a dump truck! Thank goodness for a party without rules!

 

Once you have the main course figured out, think toward dessert. If you want to forgo the fancy cake, consider baking one yourself, and making a wee bit of a mess with it. Fill up the dump truck with the cake, and drizzle over the icing, then sprinkle with cookie crumbs! Guests can take a scoop, and enjoy something a little less traditional, but something that fits so completely with the theme.

Another dessert option would be to take mini dump trucks that you can find at tour local party supply store in the favour section, and fill them with chocolate pudding. Place them out with toppings like cookie crumbs, sprinkles, chocolate candies and nuts (if there are no allergy concerns, of course!). For the spoons, get mini shovels! 

Incorporating elements of your inspiration into every party aspect is important, but it’s also important to not overdo it. You don’t need to have an actual dump truck on everything, but having cute little elements like the mini dump truck pudding desserts, using plastic shovels to serve the food, table linens in colours that match with the dump trucks that you choose…it all goes a very long way and you will notice a difference in the overall feeling of the party.

As a special treat to you party planning parents out there, I’m offering 20% off all custom party orders (as well as instock items in my Etsy shop) to Christine’s readers. Just use coupon code PARTY20 at checkout!

Please take a moment and visit Shannon here:

BLOG || FACEBOOK || TWITTER

Christine

www.christine-company.com

The Touch of the Master's Hand

This has been a week I'll always remember. On Monday, I turned 37. On Monday, my grandfather passed away. He was 93. This is the poem I read at his funeral. It was his favorite...

The Touch of the Master's Hand

'Twas battered and scarred,

And the auctioneer thought it

hardly worth his while

To waste his time on the old violin,

but he held it up with a smile.

"What am I bid, good people", he cried,

"Who starts the bidding for me?"

"One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?"

"Two dollars, who makes it three?"

"Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three,"

But, No,

From the room far back a gray bearded man

Came forward and picked up the bow,

Then wiping the dust from the old violin

And tightening up the strings,

He played a melody, pure and sweet

As sweet as the angel sings.

The music ceased and the auctioneer

With a voice that was quiet and low,

Said "What now am I bid for this old violin?"

As he held it aloft with its' bow.

"One thousand, one thousand, Do I hear two?"

"Two thousand, Who makes it three?"

"Three thousand once, three thousand twice,

Going and gone", said he.

The audience cheered,

But some of them cried,

"We just don't understand."

"What changed its' worth?"

Swift came the reply.

"The Touch of the Masters Hand."

And many a man with life out of tune

All battered with bourbon and gin

Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd

Much like that old violin

A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,

A game and he travels on.

He is going once, he is going twice,

He is going and almost gone.

But the Master comes,

And the foolish crowd never can quite understand,

The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought

By the Touch of the Masters' Hand.

Myra Brooks Welch

It's the small things...

I love small things. I mean little things...tiny things. There's just something about an itty bitty that makes me smile.

Here are a couple of my favorite little things.

Here are are a few more....

Check out this Wee Chunky Book from Wee Bindery on Etsy. 

It is smaller than a deck of cards and is too cute.

Handmade Leather Journal

On a scale of 0-10 on the adorable scale, these little guys rank 20! 

They are hand crocheted in Vietnam...makes my fingers hurt just to think about it! 

Not going to Vietnam any time soon? Visit Su Ami on Etsy instead!

Tiniest Sock Money

Micro Snail

Ok...now I'm not really into little dogs, but come on. 

Tell me this is not the cutest thing you've ever seen.

Time for a shameless plug!  How about these adorable Toddler Purses by 

Christine & Company?  

I've been working on them to add to a new boutique.  They are small - yet the perfect size for a little girl to carry all the important stuff.  What do you think?

Zebra Print - Hot Pink Polka Dots

Heather Bailey - Nicey Jane Lindy Leaf Pink

Amy Butler - Morning Glory

And last, but not least, these fun jewelry pieces by 

Tiny Hands Jewelry are modeled after my favorite yummy treats. 

And...are you ready? They are scented!

Scented Birthday Cupcake Necklace

Scented Maple Syrup and Butter on Waffle Earrings

So, just remember, it's all about the small things.... 

Christine

www.christine-company.com

Ask the Expert - Bath Salts Tutorial

Today is Day 1 of our Ask the Expert Series.  Please welcome Stephanie Sharer of Alchemy Lifestyle and Wellness.  Stephanie will be providing a bath salts tutorial for us today.  I know Stephanie would welcome any questions you may have, please ask away in the comments section below.

Simple Bath Salts Tutorial

Difficulty:  EASY | Time:  20-30 minutes | Yield:  16 oz.

Nothing says 'relaxation' quite like a soothing soak in a warm tub.  Adding a therapeutic bath salt mixture just puts the icing on the cake.  Bath salts are a great way to help detoxify the body, drain the lymphatic system and improve circulation and overall well being.  They are also a great way to reduce stress and experience the benefits of aromatherapy.

For this recipe, you will need:

1 cup Epsom Salt

1 cup Dead Sea Salt

1/2 cup Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Jojoba Oil

Colorant of choice (optional, can be purchased from soap making section of craft store)

1 tsp essential oil or fragrance oil of choice**

Most of the ingredients can be found in your local grocery store or health food store.  Food coloring makes a great colorant substitution for those who don't have micas, iron oxides or lab colors on hand.

**For a true aramotherapy experience, be sure to use ONLY essential oils.  "Fragrance" oils may smell nice, but they are synthetically made.  Only true essential oils have therapeutic benefits.

STEP 1

Pour Epsom, Dead Sea salts and Baking Soda into a large mixing bowl.  

Mix together to break up any clumps.

 STEP 2

Drizzle 1/2 tsp jojoba oil and 1 tsp Essential Oil blend over salt mixture and blend thoroughly.

 STEP 3

Add desired amount of  color and blend well.  (You can have some fun here by 

splitting your mixture first and coloring half of it to create a neat layered effect!)

 STEP 4

Package and label your salts.  They are ready to use!

 Recommended usage:  Simply scoop about 4 TBS into warm bath water.  Soak for 15-20 minutes and pat dry.  The addition of the Jojoba oil will keep your skin from drying out.

Now you know how to make an awesome luxurious bath treat that is great for personal use or for gift giving!

Below are a few of my favorite essential oil blends for the bath.

Calming Blend

3 drops Lavender

2 drops Jasmine

2 drops Palmarosa

1 drop Geranium

Detoxifying Blend

3 drops Grapefruit

2 drops Lavender

2 drops Sweet Fennel

2 drops Rosemary

2 drops Cypress

2 drops Geranium

1 drop Lemon

1 drop Juniper Berry

Earthly Delight Blend

2 drops Bergamot

2 drops Lavender

2 drops Geranium

1 drop Rose

1 drop Patchouli

1 drop Vetiver

Feel free to adjust the number of drops to suit your recipe and preference.  I have listed them all in "single" dose proportions.  For the above recipes, you would need the equivalent of 100 drops to scent your batch.

CAUTION:  Essential Oils contain therapeutic constituents that may not be appropriate for all users.  Please do your research before making your choices of which oils to use.

There are so many great resources available both in print and on the internet for how to make natural bath products and aromatherapy blends in the comfort of your kitchen.  Check out a few of my favorites.

Aromaweb - www.aromaweb.com  (fantastic info about all aspects of aromatherapy including essential oil safety and blend ideas.)

NAHA - www.naha.org (for general aromatherapy resources, courses, aromatherapist directory)

Amazon.com - www.amazon.com (for books on aromatherapy and product making)

Stephanie Sharer is the owner of Alchemy Lifestyle & Wellness - a holistic personal care business.  She is a mom of one, a wife, a daughter and a holistic practitioner with professional accreditation with the NAHA (National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy) and the AIA (Alliance of International Aromatherapists as well as being a member of The Artisan Group.  She has studied and practiced clinical aromatherapy and natural skin care for more than 13 years and has put her passion for both to use on her Etsy shop site:  www.alchemylifestyle.etsy.com

Thanks so much Stephanie for this fantastic tutorial.  I can't wait to try it myself.  Stay tuned for our next Expert - Party themes with Shannon of Sweet Stella's.

Christine
www.christine-company.com

Assistance for Nikki Cutro

I learned some awful news this afternoon.  Nikki Cutro, managing parter of The Artisan Group lost her home in a devastating fire. She is being treated at a New Jersey hospital for smoke inhalation.  All but one of her pets were lost in the fire.  You can read about it HERE.

I cannot imagine the fear and sense of loss she must feel.

I have never met Nikki personally, but she is a vital part of The Artisan Group, a juried group of artists that I am proud to be a member of.  Our members raised over $2000 for Nikki in a little over an hour and I know that there is more to come.

Please consider donating to help Nikki get back on her feet when she is released from the hospital.  Every dollar will make such a huge difference to help her purchase the basic necessities that she will need to start her life from scratch.  If you would like to donate, please visit:  Assistance for Nikki Cutro

If you cannot donate, please say a prayer, add her to your prayer list at church, send healing thoughts her way or just take a moment to consider what it would be like to lose everything you own. 

Christine & Company will be donating a portion of all sales during the month of February to Nikki's assistance fund.  Stay tuned for more details.

Christine
www.christine-company.com

Ask the Expert

Hello Friends, long time no see.  It's been a crazy few months here at Christine & Company.  Lots of exciting things happening.  I wanted to take a moment and let you know about a new feature here on "the blog".  Starting in February, I will be featuring expert guest bloggers who will be providing a tutorial on a variety of topics!  Some of the scheduled features are:

Making your own bath salts by Stephanie of 

Alchemy Lifestyle and Wellness

Image by:  winnond

Party Planning for All Ages by Shannon of

Sweet Stella's

*image by:  Master isolated images

~AND~

DIY Oil Based Perfume by Amanda of

Esscentual Alchemy

Some other features will focus on capturing great photos of your kids or pets, fantastic recipes, stress management and more! 

I hope you'll check back often to learn some fantastic new tips.  Let me know what kinds of topics YOU would be interested in learning more about in the comment section below - and if you would like to be my next "expert", email me at christineandcompany.shop@gmail.com

Christine
www.christine-company.com 

*image by:   http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1962
*image by:   http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1970