BirdyBoots / UpAndAwayPatterns

Necessity is the mother of all invention, and I know that mothers of squiggly children's feet everywhere will love BirdyBoot's line of handmade soft soled baby/toddler shoes.  Not only are they eco-conscious (made from upcycled and recycled materials) but they also look cute doing it!  The elastic around the back makes sure that shoe ain't going nowhere!  (Also available in a ballet-flat style without the elastic.  And she has boy styles, too.)

But she has more than just shoes available.  She has organic wood blocks, children's clothes, headbands, and more wooden toys.  And that is just in her first shop, BirdyBoots.  In her second shop, UpAndAwayPatterns, you can find the patterns behind some of her products so you can get creative all on your own.

I just love looking that the picture you use for your shop’s logo! It is hilarious. Very Maisy Mouse. Who thought this up?

When I first started my Etsy shop, I sold only children’s soft soled shoes so I wanted to base my logo around that…in about 30 seconds, I used a Sharpie pen to sketch out my ‘bird in boots’ logo and uploaded it to my computer. (I am not known for my patience.)

Have you made any adult-sized slippers? They look so comfy!

No, I haven’t, but I do want to make myself a pair when the weather gets cooler! My dad requested a pair last Fall and went so far as to trace out his foot for me, but I have yet to make him a pair!



Hmmmm...would she make these in adult-size also, I wonder?

Wow! You have your products from coast to coast literally. They can be found at Stoopher & Boots in NYC and at the Bella Vita Boutique in Oakland, CA. How did your products find a way into those two stores?

The owners of both of these boutiques found me on Etsy and asked if I would do larger orders for their shops...wholesale is a great thing!

Are you the one doing the hand-cutting on your wooden toys?

No, my husband cuts out our wooden toys. He also does the initial sanding and then I take over painting and finishing the toys.

I have to insert here that as the mother of a 4 year old, she wants everything pink.  Yesterday she asked for  pink alligator.  Sadly, I had to tell her no.

My husband met on the job and we liked it so much we worked together a second time. Have you worked with your husband before or is teaming up with him on the shop a first-time thing?

No, this is a first-time thing... and I think it's good we still have our day jobs separate :) (big smile)

And here is her big smile (And what a wonderful smile it is):

Her two young daughters also make her smile, and her blog is dedicated to leaving them pearls of wisdom.

Follow her at http://www.pearlsformydaughters.blogspot.com/

and

FB – www.facebook.com/birdyboots1

She also runs sample sales of her clothes, for all of you moms who love a good bargain.  (or aunts, grandmas, friends, or if you are a hoarder and just can't pass up a great deal, lol.)

Piper Bella Boutique

Recently, a lady in my community gave me some wonderful knitted dishrags.  After using them I thought, "Wow!  These are wondeful!  What could be better than these?"  After sorting through Piper Bella Boutique, I think I found something better!

Piper Bella Boutique sells these fabulous, stylish, colorful, and machine-washable dish scrubbies.  They come in all sorts of colors and in packs of three.

By your shop announcement, I glean that you weren’t expecting your scrubbies to take off quite the way they have. So far this month, you’ve sold roughly 40 scrubbies (3 in a pack). Are you stocked up or just making the orders as the come in?

I totally wasn't expecting for the scrubbies to sell much, I kind of decided to sell them as an afterthought and because I thought they were cool, but I certainly didn't really expect anyone else to think so! I really wish I was stocked up on them and that was my original plan, but it takes every moment of my spare time (when I'm not at work or taking care of the kids!) just to keep up with the orders!

I know a little bit about dish-warshing (haha, that’s how some people say it in the South). There were 5 girls in the house growing up, and my dad refused to get a dishwasher as long as he had so many girls! (I never thought I would say this but, "Thank you, Dad!") I did a search on the other dish scrubbies out there and, to me, your dish scrubbies do have the best design. Did you figure this out on your own?

I wish I could take credit for the amazing pattern, but I'm NOT a designer! I find most of my patterns, including this one, on a fantastic website called www.Ravelry.com  ! If you work with yarn - you need to sign up for it, it's totally free and has tons of free patterns! Some day I would love to try designing my own patterns, but I was born a baker and if you don't follow the recipe when you're baking and put in baking powder instead of baking soda, nothing turns out!

Over at Piper Bella Boutique, she also makes barrettes that are just as colorful!  Cute, polka-dotted ones!

How do you treat the ribbon to prevent fraying?

This truly isn't a big secret - I got the info off of YouTube! You just hold the ribbon ends really close to an open flame and the ends will melt! Sometimes I accidentally light them on fire and have an "oh no!" moment, but my house is still standing!

What do you use for the non-slip grip?

That is just some ingenious little strips of rubberized foam with super sticky backing that I put on the clip and it holds like a dream!! I could put these clips on a combover! (which my 11 month old daughter seems to have at the moment! :)

I noticed that one of the treasuries that you created is "Autism Speaks Through Art". What part has autism played in your own life?

I have been fortunate that I actually haven't had any personal experience with autism, but I am truly inspired by people with what the world would call "disabilities". I think the world would be a better place if we could look at it through the eyes of innocence like they do!

Any additional information you would like for me to include on the interview?

I have a true passion for crafting in almost any form! Every time I see a new craft I want to try it! I currently know how to knit, crochet, paper craft, poetry, make basic jewelry and of course hair clips, but I am constantly discovering new crafts that I want to try! On my to do list are needle felting, paper quilling, calligraphy, polymer clay work, papercutting, origami, drawing (I'm currently working on this and am not very good!), and sewing...just to name some of them!

As determined as she seems to be, I know that she will conquer them all!  Let's just hope she has a long, long life!

Links to Piper Bella Boutique:

Shop:  http://www.assortedmiscellany.etsy.com/

Blog: www.onlineshopspotlight.blogspot.com  If you are an Etsian and follow her blog, one item from your shop will eventually be featured on the My Favorite Things page!!)

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PiperBellaBoutique

Twitter: @PiperBellaBoutique