The Adventures of Cootie Pants

Black Friday Cyber Monday SALE!

2010-11-24T07:07:00.000-08:00

Cootie Pants is having a Black Friday-Cyber Monday SALE!!!! Sale 11/26-11/29. Save an additional 10% by entering coupon code BLFBTW10 at checkout. Offer only good during sale.

Sneak Peek!

2010-10-23T11:49:00.000-07:00

Sneak Peek

I'll still use this too

2010-10-22T20:13:00.001-07:00

I still plan to use this blog, but mainly to redirect to my new website and new blog. Please check out the new blog at The Adventures of Cootie Pants

We have moved!

2010-10-19T21:13:00.001-07:00

Please visit Cootiepants.com for the new blog and website!

One week left until shop closes for move

2010-08-20T19:49:00.000-07:00

Well time is running out. I have decided to close my shop next Friday 8/27 so I can start packing all of my fabric and notions away. I really hope this move to Texas goes smoothly. We are flying my mom in to drive with us to help out with our son and two pugs, so that should help a lot. Then the fun begins! We are using PODS for our move and will be loading everything ourselves and then they will store everything until we call and tell them to deliver it. We will have to find pet friendly hotels on the drive there and when we get there and then we will start looking for a house. We will probably be without our belongings for at least a month. That means I won't be able to reopen the Etsy store until we find, close, move into and settle in a house. I am hoping for the end of October, but we will see. Anyhow, wish us luck!

Awesome Art Folio pattern from ginia18 on Etsy

2010-07-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

Since we are getting ready to move in about six weeks I decided to start making some things to occupy my son in the car for the long trip. I did many searches for patterns for an art wallet instead of a crayon roll (which I already know how to make) and found Gingercake patterns at ginia18's shop at Etsy (and on youcanmakethis.com). ginia18 has some really great designs and I bought the art folio and art caddy patterns and decided to make the art folio last night. I plan to make him the art caddy as well.

The folio has 6 crayon pockets and a pocket for a 5x8 pad and a sticker pocket. It closes with velcro and has carrying handles. The pattern comes in a .pdf file and is very easy to follow. It is detailed and written in a professional way with diagrams for reference. I took my time plus had a few interruptions so it took me a few hours, but now that I have made one I'm sure others won't take half as long. It always takes me forever to make the very first of anything, LOL!

My son loves the movie Cars so I took a yard of cute Cars fabric and a fat quarter of Michael Miller Stripe Hype, some Pellon Craft Fuse, polyester batting, velcro and some yellow webbing and yellow thread and followed the instructions.

Here is the result: A Happy 2 yr old!

Get your pattern here: ginia18

Or if you don't know how to sew or don't want to make your own, be on the lookout this Holiday season for ready made ones in my shop!

Super Moving SALE Again!

2010-07-11T14:23:00.000-07:00

We are headed to Ft.Hood, Texas in September, so once again I am having a super moving sale! Please check out my shop to see the great deals!

Super moving Sale thread

My Shop

Tough Transition

2010-05-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

Moving is hard, sometimes it is very hard. I went from having great friends and all the resources I needed within minutes to no friends and the things I am used to being over an hour and a half away. I want to like it here, the landscape is different and it is a nice little town but it is just too small for me. I feel trapped. Luckily I discovered a MOMS group and have started going to playgroup dates. That has been a life saver. I was getting a horrible case of cabin fever and it was making me a very bitter person. It has gotten to the point where I just want to walk away at times. I know that my son is suffering the most, because I am not giving him my 100% like I should be. I am obsessed with my business and its seemingly horrible failure and put a lot of time into trying to figure out where I am going wrong and working on new ideas hoping it will make a difference. But I really think it is just a diversion from the fact that I am miserable here and feel like it is solely because I am afraid to create a life here when I know I have to pick up and move again to an unknown location in the fall. Since I am already so miserable I have no motivation to really accomplish anything around the house or go through all of the old clothes and toys that I need to sell or give away. I have no real interaction with my husband either because he is wrapped up in his studies for the school he is here for. He is angry about all the stuff I haven't gone through, so that just makes matters worse and he hates that I keep buying supplies or shopping in general which just makes the gap between us even wider. I am so sensitive right now that when a buyer asked me to cancel the sale of an item that sat in my shop for over a year today I about broke down in tears. I seriously considered just giving up and selling off everything. I have tried very hard to make this work. I've changed my shop look, worked on pictures, advertised everywhere I can think of and I just don't seem to be doing as well as my competitors. I know a lot of it has to do with the fact that I was closed for a few months, which just irritates me that I have to close again this fall for another month or two. People say this time of the year is slow, that is true, but one seller I know who had less sales than me before I moved skyrocketed to over 250 sales in just 3 months. She sells similar items. That really hurts. I know I make quality products and I put a lot of time and effort into what I do. I love making my products too but as my bills pile up and I don't make enough to cover them each month I have to stop and wonder if it is worth it. If a person cancels a sale that equals $4.50 total because they didn't mean to confirm the purchase but may buy from me in the future, how am I supposed to deal with the feeling of rejection? That my product wasn't really worth the money to them right now. I feel extremely pathetic. I'm sure my customers don't really want to participate in a pity party, but I am a person with feelings, not a big corporation. I'm a one woman show and I put 100% effort into what I do. All I can do is keep looking forward to when we go to the next place and can settle in for a few years. Maybe then things will get better. Thanks for reading.

Now stocking Boutique Burp Cloths!

2010-04-23T14:30:00.001-07:00

Look stylish while burping your baby! These boutique burp cloths are made from 100% cotton fabric and absorbent Gerber 3 Ply Birdseye Cloth Diapers. Perfect for cleaning up big messes! They are pre-washed so you won't have to worry about shrinking. Check my shop for coordinating items.

Care: Machine Wash Cold, Tumble Dry Low, Low Iron If Needed

Boutique Burp Cloths

New Item!

2010-04-19T15:28:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I bought a pattern from Keyka Lou and got permission to modify it to make a new item for my shop. Today I listed the first "Binky Bubble Pouch". Please stop and take a look! I will be making more soon.

Binky Bubble Pouch

New Look and Content coming soon!

2010-04-15T16:10:00.000-07:00

If you have visited my Etsy shop recently you will notice that I have changed my avatar and banner. As I previously mentioned, I hired enchantedmemories at Etsy to do a mega redo. I am very pleased with everything so far! She also redesigned an ad for me which is currently on Craft Cult and now on Project Wonderful. Aside from those sites I am also advertising my shop on Handmade Spark and Cafe Handmade.

That being said, with all of these ads you would think I would be selling like crazy. But alas, I am not. The weird thing is I have had a few people convo me for custom listings and wholesale inquires and I will answer them and then get no further response. It is a bit of a downer. Add that to the fact that we have been here since the end of February and I have made no friends at all even though I have given my number to three people and still have a ton of stuff to do around the house. The good news is my family is getting along better since the move so that trumps anything else.

So that brings me to the new content. From now on I plan to use this blog not only for my shop updates but also for what I originally intended it for: To talk about life, the things that interest me and to hear from you. Long before I blogged I had a live journal and my own website where I rambled about pretty much everything. Then my life started to become especially overwhelming and busy and I just kind of stopped. I went to college to become a journalist, so naturally it is my nature to want to write and explore all different sorts of ideas and thoughts. Yet,the only part of my degree I am currently using is the research, so now it is time to write! My vision for this blog is to talk about all sorts of topics that relate to babies and toddlers such as breastfeeding and attachment parenting, cloth diapering, love and logic parenting and more. I would also like to include aspects of military life. These are the topics that interest me and are a part of my everyday life. I hope to gain some new followers as well as insight from my current followers. Thanks for sticking around.

The Toddler Belts Are Going Up!

2010-04-09T12:40:00.000-07:00

The first 10 toddler belts are going up today!
Toddler Belts!

The introductory price is $8a belt plus shipping. They range between 24-25 inches long and fit most up to age 4. They are handmade so each is slightly different in sizing, but each has ribbon sewn on the backside so you see the print when pulled through the d-rings. I can do custom belts too, just send me a convo with your child's waist measurement!

Stay tuned for more to come!

More to come!

2010-04-08T00:30:00.001-07:00

There is still a lot more to come in the next month or so. I will be introducing hair bows and clippies, hair bow display boards and even tutus! I have a whole long list of new items that I will be introducing this spring/summer before we have to uproot and move again to who knows where. Also coming soon is a new look for my Etsy shop and this blog! I have hired a great Etsian to do all the hard design work. Take a look at her shop, she is excellent! Enchanted Memories

Stay tuned for more updates and reveals!

Now open at Zibbet!

2010-04-03T11:46:00.000-07:00

I have decided to open up shop at Zibbet as well! Please visit my Zibbet and check it out.

CootiePants at Zibbet

Sneak Peek!

2010-04-03T10:44:00.000-07:00

In the next few weeks I will be listing new items to my shop. The first will be the toddler belts that you have already seen as part of the Cantaloupe Corner giveaway. The belts will be available starting on April 9th, the day after the giveaway ends. The introductory price will be $8.

The next will be Pacifier Clip Display Boards. I haven't worked out the pricing details yet or whether or not the easel will be included or available for purchase separately for those who want them. They are 8x10 and are padded and backed with felt. They have a ribbon on the top to hang on the wall and come with a free pacifier clip. They will hold a maximum of 10 pacifier clips from my shop (maybe a few more or few less depending on what size you have from other shops). If there is a demand I can make larger sizes, but am starting with these for now. Here is a sneak peek!

Check back for more sneak peeks and updates!

Win the first of the new toddler belts!

2010-03-31T21:38:00.000-07:00

Our friends over at Cantaloupe Corner are celebrating their 300th sale! Visit their blog for a chance to win the very first of my new toddler belts and a chance to win other great prizes.

http://cantaloupecorner.blogspot.com/2010/03/big-300-giveaway-party.html#comments

Cootie Pants is back!

2010-03-30T15:44:00.001-07:00

My shop is now open on Etsy! I have many new items in development including pacifier keepers and a new line especially for my favorite fur babies: Dogs! "The Pimpin Pug" dog line will feature stuffed toys, decorative lightweight ID collars for small/medium dogs and eventually heavy duty multipurpose collars for all size dogs as well as beds and clothing. If you have any suggestions or ideas please send me a Convo at my Etsy shop or leave a comment in the blog. I have a lot of projects in the works! Check back often for updates!

Update!

2010-03-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

So we are now in Arizona. Wow what a HUGE difference! We went from the Arctic tundra to the Desert bowl. My backyard is nothing but dirt and some rocks! We're almost settled in so I will hopefully reopen my shop sometime at the beginning of April. I have all of my equipment set up (except my embroidery machine) and all my inventory and supplies organized so it is just a matter of my getting the rest of our house set up before I am ready to start selling again.

And now some more interesting news:
I discovered something disturbing today while checking my email. Someone going by the name of Sarah McMillen out of California decided to sign up for a MyLife account using my email address,logo and business name! Considering she wouldn't have access to my email I'm not quite sure what to make of this as it was some sort of Social Networking site. It could have been a bogus name but just in case I wanted to put it out there that there is no one by the name of Sarah McMillen affiliated with Cootie Pants; so if someone by that name or any other name other than the one listed as the seller on Etsy, me, tries to sell you anything under the name of Cootie Pants please contact me! Anyhow I accessed the account and deleted it.

Well, that's it for now! See you on Etsy soon!

Boy did I put my foot in my mouth!

2010-02-02T19:48:00.000-08:00

Not only are we moving to Arizona, I just moved out of my house! We found out last week that we were denied the extension and have to be in Arizona on the 17th! I had to quickly organize the move, send my pugs to Florida to be with my parents and get a cleaning crew to clean my house for our final housing inspection this Thursday. What a nightmare! So our stuff was loaded on the truck today and we are now in temporary housing. UGH

Yay I'm staying in Alaska!

2010-01-10T17:22:00.001-08:00

So we are no longer moving to Arizona, well at least not for a few years. So now I get to focus on my business once again! Be on the lookout for lots of new items in the next few months. I am so happy!

A New Year Approaches

2009-12-28T23:09:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I posted anything and that would be because my life has been chaos the past few months. We were supposed to have already been moved to Arizona by now but plans have changed. We are now moving in early February, MAYBE. Who knows. So until I know for sure I am just going to keep moving forward with my shop. I'll keep everything on sale for now and continue to make new products. Pretty soon I will start listing nursing covers and maybe a few other new things. It really depends on the status of our move. I hope everyone had great holidays and I wish you all a great new year in 2010!

The Generosity of Complete Strangers

2009-09-09T19:38:00.001-07:00

So this is a quick little blurb about what happened to me today. It was so nice I thought I would share with the rest of you. After I picked my son up from hourly care I decided to go to the BX/PX and Commissary to kill some time and pick up a few things. While at the PX I found a great deal on a little tikes table that B.Lee can eat and color on (it has adjustable height too which is great!) for $39! So of course I had to get it. Here is the kicker, I had B.Lee in the stroller and this was a very large box! So I tried to carry it under my arm but it kept sliding out and hitting the ground. Well you if you know me you know I don't care what people think so I decided to prop it up on my head ala native woman carrying water style. You should have seen the looks I got from people, like I was a crazy lady! Funny, no one offered to help me! As I was going out the automatic doors (thank god for those) a lady was walking in and laughed and said "you're kidding right?" LOL I said it was the only way I could carry it! So after a few more laughs and a guy saying "Hey, you're a mom" while I explained again that it was only way I could carry it I finally got it in my car. Then I decided to go to the commissary and get some snacks. On the way out I was about to stop at Starbucks when I saw the lady again with a friend and she said "So you made it ok huh?" I laughed with her and she started to tell her friend about seeing me with a giant box propped on my head while pushing my son out to the car. She then told me that they were here vacationing from Florida, she was retired military, and they had just spent 3 weeks rv'ing all over Alaska. She said they were leaving tonight and tomorrow (2 different groups) and asked me if I wanted the food they had left. I said sure as I knew if I couldn't use it then someone in my neighborhood could. I found out they were from Tampa (I am from St.Pete) and we talked about the weather and their trip. They were very kind and they gave me a ton of food. I was so shocked and spacey that I forgot to ask their names even though they asked mine. They even gave me hugs! So here is to the ladies from Tampa, I hope you make it home safely. I gave them my business card so maybe they will eventually read this. If so thank you so much for your generosity! The world needs more people like you.

CPSIA Compliant Labels and Packaging

2009-08-12T17:30:00.001-07:00

So I started sewing in the labels that comply with the ruling that puts the labeling into effect in two days. I have also made product cards for everything I make to go inside the packaging. After some thought about my how my competition makes their receiving blankets vs how I do, I have decided that even though theirs may be larger in theory at purchase most will end up being the same size as mine after washing. Since I also do a lot more preparation to make mine I should not lower my prices. As of right now my blankets will be on sale until August 18th along with the bibs and pacifier holders. After that all of my prices will revert back to what they have been. Even when I drop my prices it doesn't seem to bring me any more business. I make great quality baby items and I am tired of running scared because of what my competition does. I don't know who their suppliers are so maybe they are getting great deals which allow them to sell things so cheap. Unfortunately I live in Alaska so I am limited in what is available and what is available here is very expensive. So instead I go through co-ops and spend a fortune shipping fabric up here. Even that way is still cheaper than buying locally, sadly. Add all the costs of trying to comply with the CPSIA , which I know for certain not everyone is doing and that is where my costs add up and get rolled into the price of my items. In reality I should be charging more than I do but I am trying to stay competitive. I may not be able to do that if after the testing stay is lifted and I am forced to test. Why do I keep talking about pricing to everyone (you are probably thinking to yourselves), shouldn't I keeo this to myself? Well if I were the customer and I saw two blankets that were similar and one was slightly smaller yet the same price I would want to know why. At the same time all of this is handmade and I would hope that the customer takes that into consideration. Every seller's cost and time to make their items is different, therefore prices are going to vary even on similarly made items. I guess you can say I have been really overthinking this but I have been baffled at why I can't seem to be as successful as some of the other sellers on Etsy who make baby items. It is very disheartening. Anyhow that's enough for today. Thanks for reading.

New SALE!

2009-08-11T12:53:00.000-07:00

Starting today until August 18th all bibs and pacifier holder clips/toy leashes are on SALE! Get your shower gifts now!

Free Gift to the 40th, 50th and 60th Customers!

2009-08-09T19:07:00.001-07:00

Since my 40th sale is just one sale away I thought I would offer some free gifts for the 40th, 50th and 60th sale. The gift will be a surprise! I will convo the customer and ask a few questions and then send them a surprise gift with their order. It could be anything I have in my shop! You just never know! :)

Shop update 08/09/09 and new look

2009-08-09T15:17:00.000-07:00

So I finally took the time to update the look of my blog and the design on Twitter. I hope to be using both of these tools more often to keep people apprised on what is going on with my shop. So here is my update.

My son is finally mostly sleeping through the night thanks to my mom's visit so now I am getting more sleep and am able to get more work done. I have the Ft.Richardson country fair coming up in November which is a one day craft fair in which I will be taking everything I have made up to that point to sell. I have already cut out about 60 receiving blankets to serge and list to prepare for this event. Of course I precut and then washed them not thinking that I needed to leave a few more inches so they are all slightly shorter than usual. They are all still very big so it really doesn't matter very much. I could do like other shops and just cut and serge straight from the bolt, but I don't like doing that because they will shrink in the wash and then you run the risk of pulling and puckering and I think that takes away from the quality. I'm not saying that always happens, but it can. Especially with flannel and a rolled hem. Plus I think it is false advertising to say a blanket is 36x44 and then the first time they wash it it shrinks to 33x39. I would rather sell it as prehrunk 33x39 so I know the next time it is washed it will look the same and the customer will be pleased. I also like how since it is prewashed the sizing and chemicals are gone so it is very soft to the touch, another selling factor. I get a lot more interest in them locally because people can see first hand how nice they are. Trying to sell them on Etsy or anywhere else is very hard because of the competition and you don't have the opportunity to see and feel it in person.

I plan to have a lot more new items listed in the next month or so. I will finally start listing embellished prefolds and more cloth wipes as well as some new things I have been working on, so be on the lookout for new product reveals! If you have an idea for something you would like to see me make, like a particular item or a character or slogan for a bib or even a specific fabric please contact me! I am always open to suggestions. Thanks for reading.

New items!

2009-08-08T23:43:00.000-07:00

Check out all of my new listings! I have all sorts of new embroidered bibs and some new receiving blankets. Many more to come!

Sneak Preview of my new Punk/Goth Rock Star Line

2009-07-23T18:56:00.000-07:00

I wanted to give everyone a sneak preview of my new line. Having been enmeshed in the punk/goth subcultures for many years before I settled down and had my son I have decided to go back to my roots and add a smattering of goth and punk style baby items to my shop. This picture shows 4 of the new bibs coming soon. I will also have receiving blankets added soon thereafter. If you have any slogans or special requests please ask, I have many designs and alphabets available for boys and girls. I also have colored bibs.

More info on Uleen in the news

2009-07-22T15:39:00.000-07:00

http://www.cftktv.com/node/964447

http://www.terracedaily.ca/show4493a/SKEENA_VALLEY_EXPEDITIONS_ADDRESS__LOSS

I have to say, I don't know what the usual is for that big of a party but I would think there would have been more than one certified guide there. Also, considering the conditions and the fact that the party from the previous day also had several rafts overturn I don't think they should have allowed the tour to go on. I realize that they could not help the fact that satellite communications were not working at the time but it seems to me by the way the articles were written that they took too long to decide to go for a land line. It almost makes me wonder if she could have been saved if they had acted faster. I am still very angry, even more so now that I know more about what happened. It is awful to know the details I guess, because now I have mental pictures in my head. I don't know what else to say except I will continue to look for more info on the accident as time progresses.

So sad and also a little mad

2009-07-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

As you may have seen in the comments on my last post, Uleen's passing was confirmed as I suspected it would be. There were two news articles posted today, although they did not release her name.

http://www.cftktv.com/node/962898

http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_north/terracestandard/news/51238447.html

Now this is where I get kind of mad. I realize many people did not know her or her character but there were a lot of people yesterday in Etsy chat who tried to make a conspiracy out of this. I realize that you can't know who is really behind a name on the internet, but as I said before I knew enough about Uleen and her family to believe it was truly her mother who was on her account informing us. I knew that she and her mother started the shop together so it was only natural that her mother would have access to the account information and was professional enough to come take care of her affairs. It pained me to think there were people who thought it was some elaborate joke or hoax. A few people offended her mother by asking some things they really should not have and I feel horrible for her and the rest of her family. There were others who then turned the events into a "what if" scenario and made the focus all about them. Comments such as "If I died no one would tell you and my listings would be up until they expired" is not an appropriate response to just hearing of another Etsian's passing. I was completely disgusted by this behavior, just as I was this moring when I saw people become forum police when another member tried to collect charitable donations for the family. People in general are very self-centered and some true colors are really shining through.

It has been very hard to bite my tongue on this one so I now write about it without any calling out just so I can release some of the anger and frustration and overwhelming sadness I am feeling. And lets not forget about the guilt. I feel guilty because I hadn't talked to Uleen as much as I normally do lately because my mom has been visiting. I didn't even know she was going rafting this past weekend. The last time I saw her in chat was on friday and she was upset about something but I wasn't sure about what because I kept getting distracted by my own life. The last real conversation we had was about my purchasing some logo stickers from her. Which brings me to another another regret, that I never bought the chinese animals and military ribbon designs from her. I had been putting it off until I had some more money but now I will never be able to get them and that makes me very sad. I would ask her mother if I could buy them but the timing isn't right and it seems very tacky. So I have nothing from her and that pains me. I would like to have something that she made to remind me of her. She was such a talented graphic artist and such a wonderful person. She was a great friend. I'll never forget her kindness, especially when I was facing a possible volcanic eruption from Mt.Redoubt. She offered her home to me even though she had never met me in person and I had a baby and two pugs to tote along if I came. That is the kind of gesture one cannot forget and I love her for it and the other gestures of kindness she gave to others as well as myself on a daily basis. The world is a much lonlier and sadder place without Uleen. She touched so many people without even knowing it. I will love her and miss her forever. I hope she is happy whereever she may have gone and again I say I hope to see her again someday in another time.

A Sad Day for Etsy, My Etsy Friends and I

2009-07-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

I found out today that a really wonderful person, a great friend I had met through Etsy has passed away. Uleen Ann Toovey aka ChromaSmear died in a white water river accident yesterday in British Columbia, she was 34. Apparently she and members from her work (her boyfriend may or may not have been there I am not sure) went rafting and two of the rafts overturned and they were not able to revive her. I am in a state of shock and disbelief. I had a brief online conversation with her mother who informed us all. As you can guess many people are skeptical, but because I know enough about her family and her character I do believe this information to be true. I am deeply saddened and will miss her greatly. I love you Uleen. I hope to meet you again someday in another time.

Nicole

Shop update 7/10/09

2009-07-10T17:32:00.000-07:00

So I keep telling myself I need to use this more often. I recently changed prices in my shop and figure I could use this to explain why. Many people do not know the cost of fabric, especially designer fabric. I just had to raise the price on my new wipeable changing pad because once I sat down and figured out the actual cost of materials it was more than what I had listed it for and that wasn't even including the time it took to make. Then there is my competition. I just lowered all of the prices of my receiving blankets because my competition is wiping me out. I don't know if it will help or not. I have been playing with prices since I started selling at the end of December. I just thought an explanation was due to those who have been buying from me since the beginning and those who may have viewed the change pad and wondered why the sudden price increase. I hope everyone understands. I'm not getting a lot of business so there may still be more changes to come. I'm trying to price fairly and be competitive but sometimes being competitve isn't practical, since I don't know what price they are getting their materials for. I had originally based my changing pad on the price of other changing pads, but then I discovered I was seriously under charging and adjusted the price. I am the only one on etsy who is making them like this at the moment (though I'm sure others will eventually) so I feel if someone really likes it and values the quality they will be willing to pay the price for it. I see blankets that are smaller going for more.

As for my products there will be a lot more to come in the next month. My mother is here to visit for a month and will be spending a lot of time with my son so that opens up time for me to start making a lot of items. So be on the lookout for all kinds of new items in the next month!

Team EtsyBABY virtual shower this Saturday and new product!

2009-04-30T21:45:00.000-07:00

I am proud to annouce that Cootie Pants will be providing a prize for the Team EtsyBABY virtual baby shower! The prize is one of the new products soon to be stocked in my shop. This particular blanket/burp cloth set features a Sandi Henderson Farmer's Market Spring Petal Party print with an Organic Bamboo Velour back. It is very soft, lightweight and fashionable. It is a little smaller than the flannel blankets, but is still big enough to swaddle an infant. I will be offering these new sets soon and will possibly be offering some with dyed OBV to match the print colors. This is just one of the new products coming in the near future. Here is a preview of the new set being given as a prize:

Be on the lookout for these new sets in my shop soon!

Sale is going great!

2009-04-24T16:55:00.000-07:00

The sale is going great! 7 receiving blankets have already been whisked away. Some of the most popular prints are going fast. The red with pink apples print is gone. It will only reappear in burp cloths and a special double flannel with embroidery blanket I have planned. I still have the print in blue with green apples but that is very limited as well. I cut a bunch of fabric today and will be making and listing new blankets over the weekend at the sale price. Be sure to keep an eye out for the new prints!

Cootie Pants Mega Sale!

2009-04-23T01:39:00.000-07:00

In celebration of my 3rd Wedding Anniversary I have put everything in my shop on sale! Sale runs from April 23rd to May 9th. Now is the time to stock up for your new bundle of joy! Hurry!

1000 Markets and where I stand right now

2009-04-17T18:52:00.000-07:00

I recently found out about a new site to buy and sell handmade items. It is called 1000 Markets and I have decided to try it out. So far I really like it. It is so much easier to list products than on Etsy and there is just one page where you can add everything instead of several. It looks great and the search works well, unlike Artfire. I am just not having a lot of luck on Etsy, as much as I love it. If I start doing well on 1000 Markets I may move most of my stuff there. I plan to keep my shop open on Etsy regardless and I plan to start stocking my Hyena Cart with Cloth Diapering products by June. This means I will have shops in several places so I hope to get my own website to link to all of my shops in the future. I have so many new products I am working on that are not listed in my shop. I just don't have a lot of time to make things. I just got in a lot of designer fabric, organic bamboo velour and benartex minkee so I will be offering super soft and luxurious items soon. Not that my current stuff is not, this is just more top of the line! Anyhow please take a look at my 1000 Markets shop. It has the same items as Etsy but I just love the look of the 1k Markets site.

http://www.1000markets.com/users/cootiepants

Blanket Booty for your Baby, plus new pictures!

2009-03-24T12:50:00.000-07:00

Need some booty for that pirate baby? Look no further! A soft and snuggly Pirate receiving blanket made from one yard of flannel is the best booty around.

New pictures on all listings including customer appreciation photos. Three of my customers have sent me pictures of their babies using my blankets and have given me permission to use them in my shop. Please check my shop for all of the new photos.

New Product! Hooded Bath Towel Set

2009-01-11T17:34:00.000-08:00

I am excited to present to you all my newest product: A hooded bath towel set! My first set is made with a light yellow terry and a stars, moon and clouds flannel back. This towel set is a bit bigger than the towels you would buy in a pack at the store. It is serged and has rounded corners and is warm so baby won't freeze as you dry them and lather them in baby oil or lotion. I will be making more of these soon from many different prints and colors. This is a gender neutral set.

I made my first sale!

2009-01-03T16:06:00.000-08:00

After going into a featured seller chat room on Etsy last night I made one sale. I was excited and a bit nervous. I sold the Zebras and Dots blanket that had over 60+ views. Here it is:

All wrapped up and ready to be put in its waterproof bag:

And ready to go into the mailer:

I hope she enjoys it!

Little Lamb

2009-01-02T16:24:00.000-08:00

I finally finished a new blanket a few days ago that really gave me a hard time. I used the star utility stitch on my new Brother Quattro and it just gave me all kinds of trouble. I had to rip out about 15 stars which took me several hours over the course of two days. After about 7 hours of work on this it is finally done. In the end the border is a bit uneven but it still turned out really cute. Forget about the cow jumping over the moon, a lamb is cuter.

Can I get a sale?

2008-12-28T14:58:00.000-08:00

Ok so I knew that starting off a new business wouldn't be easy, but I did a lot of research and I was certain I would be able to make SOME sales. So far I have made one and I lost money on it. That was on ebay. I can't believe how many views my stuff gets, yet no one buys it. I even had it at rock bottom prices and no one bought. I am trying to advertise and will be making new inventory this week, but I am a little disheartened. Here's to hoping things pick up soon.

Hobnobbing with "The Spouses"

2008-11-20T22:19:00.000-08:00

So tonight I went to my first "Ft. Richardson Spouses Club" event. It was a wine tasting and fur show. The furs were gorgeous but way out of my price range and I didn't have but one small taste of fruity merlot because I am nursing and was more interested in the food, lol. While I had a good time I felt out of place. I mean the good thing about the spouses club is it is for all spouses although it really seems like it is mainly upper enlisted and officer wives, which I am pretty used to by now. I didn't know anyone and almost wanted to leave before it ever began but I saw a woman look my way and took my chance. She had a nose ring too. LOL Her name was Debi and she was really nice and talked to me all evening. I still felt like an imposter though. I joined this club to get myself involved in volunteer work again and mingle with people like myself. I want to start doing the things I used to do before I found myself an Army spouse again. The thing is, now that I am a new mom, I feel like a naive child. I feel like I know nothing and am fresh out of high school all over again only with less confidence. Something has happened to the confident person in me. Ever since we moved here and I was ostracized in my husband's last unit because I was friends with someone people didn't like I just feel like people don't like me. Even with my own friends I feel like I have something to prove or have to step back and let them take control. I don't like this feeling, it is not my nature and I just don't know what happened to me. I am way too emotional and take things personally when I shouldn't. I also feel like when I talk to people about things that they think I am trying to compete with them when in reality I am just trying to relate. How did making friends and just being yourself get harder to do when you get older, I thought it was supposed to be easier. It doesn't help that I look like I am in my 20's still either, people treat me like a kid. Granted I am glad I still look younger, I just don't like being treated as if I am unexperienced and naive. Maybe that is why I feel that way a lot of the time,because you become what you allow people to treat you as.

The OHO/CinC fiasco

2008-11-19T12:29:00.000-08:00

Like so many others I am just about fed up waiting for answers. I woke up yesterday to a myspace message from a friend telling me she didn't have authorization to post and then had to reregister. Now I had noticed the forum url switch and the overall bugginess of the forums a few days prior but we weren't told anything. Then I get this weird email from Meredith Leyva saying she and OH had split and she hoped that I and the other mods would moderate her site and then had another email granting me moderator priviledges for Cinchouse.com. So finally I go to my favorites and click and get a page that tells me to choose which site I want to visit. It was only then I discovered the fiasco that had been going on for quite some time since I am on Alaska standard time. I then decided to figure out how to log on to Cinchouse and see what was going on. As of right now I haven't made a definite decision about where I will be moderating, although I am leaning toward a specific side. As it is only a volunteer job I have to decide where my loyalty lies which is very hard to do. I really want more information about why the two split. There has been a lot of shadiness between the two and there have always been questions that have gone unanswered. Be as it may a volunteer position, I put in a lot of my time and list it on my resume. I don't want to be associated with something or someone that is being brought into a negative light because it will also make me look bad when I have had nothing to do with what is going on. Unlike others, I don't have the luxury of being able to be a member of both sites. If I choose to stay at OHO I will be banned from Cinchouse so far as I can tell. I am not sure if the same would be true at OHO. I don't like being caught in the middle and I don't like being misled or lied to. I think both parties are responsible for this mess and have some real explaining to do.

Michael Miller First Sight/Soft N Comfy Satin Edge Blanket

2008-11-18T01:38:00.000-08:00

So I bartered with one of my friends this past weekend, a nice blanket for her son in return for a massage (that I should be getting this week, she is a licensed massage therapist.) It took three times as long to make because she was here standing over my shoulder the whole time. Of course she was playing with her baby and mine while talking to my mom and I and we had dinner too; but it was a bit nervewracking making it while she was here. In fact I sliced my finger open cutting the fabric. The soft-n-comfy fabric is a real pain to work with, like minkee, because it stretches and moves all over the place. Even using a 90 stretch needle it was a pain in the butt. Everytime I would get to the middle when sewing the satin blanket binding the fabric would start to move making the hem uneven and not straight. Regardless, it turned out really nice and she was happy with it. I am making B.Lee one with a black satin binding. Here is the one I made for her:

Just getting started

2008-11-18T01:13:00.001-08:00

So my online friend Carol has a blog that I forgot about until now and after reading it I decided to make my own again. I figure that since I now have a son and a business named after him making baby items I should probably keep track of my life in case he steals anymore of my brain cells. More to come later, hi CinC ladies!