Penguin Toy

A new penguin toy in my collection. Soft and fluffy, I made him from two different fleece. My daughter said that fleece from his belly is addicted. 💓😊

The penguin toy has 24 cm. And I think he or she needs some penguin kids. It will be perfect not just for playing, but for telling stories too. Kids love to have a buddy with them. 

The written pattern will be in My Shop soon. Thank you for visiting my blog. If your child have a penguin toy, tell me their stories. 

Ema 

How to open an Etsy shop

If you have a passion for craft, take into consideration to sell your items. Maybe somebody in the world needs your products. Or your handmade items are so beautiful that they have to be recognized and appreciated by someone else. Did you know that sometimes a handmade item can be an object that brings joy, and calm, and happiness? For example, I like to read beautiful quotes and see green plants in funny pots. Let's start with a shop, an Etsy shop, because you can sell your handmade creations in the whole world. Comparing to other selling platform, Etsy has integrated SEO and attract traffic to your store.
I am a seller too, so all the below ideas are from my learning and struggle and I hope they will be useful for you too.

Open an Etsy shop step by step

1. Choose a name for your business. Search online to see if the name already exist. Choose a name that represents your business. 
2. Start to open your Etsy shop from my link HERE to receive 40 free listing. After you use these listing, every new list will be $0.20. 
3. Read HERE about fees and taxes on Etsy. 
4. Follow the steps to set up your payment account and options. 
5. In your Dashboard, on the left side, in Settings, you have the option Shipping settings. Many shipping providers have websites and you can calculate the price for shipping your items in different countries. 
6. List an item. Be ready to upload 10 beautiful pictures for your item. Take the pictures on white background, in daylight. Keep them simple. 
7. Put a title for your item. Use a combination of 3, 4, 5 words that describe your item, for example: Crochet frog toy, Red Flower Earrings, Silk Wedding Dress, Kids Birthday Card. 
8. Write a beautiful and complete description of your item: what is it, for who, write about the colors and materials, size, how to use it, how to wash it if it is necessary. 
9. Put some tags. You have 13 tags to use. These tags will help your item to be discovered by shoppers on Etsy or Google. If your item is a pair of earrings, put tags according to their descriptions. Use combination of 2 and 3 words, for example: red earrings, long earrings, red flower earrings, and so on. 
10. Fill the space for categories, size, quantity, materials you used. Put a price. 
11. Choose a shipping option. 
12. Save. You list your first item. 

How to manage your Etsy shop

• Take it slowly. If you don't have experience selling online, don't despair! You will learn, by yourself, from others, online, how to manage your shop. Search online for everything want to know, using key words to find out something: how to put tags on Etsy, how to promote my shop, titles on Etsy, how to sell online and so on. Also, on YouTube you will find many other sellers that talk about from their experience. 
• First, read the articles that Etsy writes for everything that you need to know. The Seller Handbook HERE contains many useful information about how to write titles or descriptions, how to use tags, how to take pictures. 
• Join in the teams and communities on Etsy. In your Dashboard, on the left side, you have the option Community and Help. You can post your questions and get the answers from people that already know many details. 
• Take a look at others shops that sell similar items. Look at their pictures, descriptions and tags. 
• Take into consideration to promote your shop. You can have a blog, a Facebook page, a Twitter account,an Instagram account and a Pinterest account, all based and related to your work. 
• Be part of social media communities. Join in some networking teams, make friends. 
• Work everyday at your shop. List a new item everyday if you have the quantity. 
• Sign in for an account on Etsy Rank. This will help you how to find right tags, and you can monitorize your shop.  
• Be patient and confident. The sales will come. 

These are basic ideas for opening an Etsy shop. If you have any questions, leave a comment, I can help you. I am a handmade seller and I have learnt by myself everything about Esty and selling online. It was a struggle for me too. I don't know everything, but I try to say connected and informed because online platforms are continually changing. Recently, due to some technical problems, I had to close my shop and to open a new one, so I start it again with this work. 

You can find me here and if you give me a Like or Follow, it will help me a lot and I thank you in advance: 

Etsy Shop, Facebook Page, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter Account. 

Teddy Bear Pattern, Sew by Hand a Bear

I know the struggle for finding an easy pattern to make a toy. Many years ago I had the same issue: every pattern that I found requires to use a sewing machine or it was a complicate pattern to follow. I made this pattern for sewing a bear for my daughter. She loves teddies. She is 12 years old now, but she still have bears. And I made this bear not just for her, but for her friends too and she gave the teddies as Christmas presents. No matter how big you are, if you are a child or an adult, a Teddy Bear will make you smile.

How to sew a Teddy Bear 

Easy peasy! If you are a beginner in sewing, this pattern is for you. It is an easy sewing tutoarial, with pictures and explanation. Just print the pattern, cut all the pieces, then sew by hand all together. I used fleece because it is easy to sew, it is soft and cuddly, but you can use the fabric you want. If you enlarge the pattern, you can make a big pillow. 

You can find my pattern HERE. And if you have any question, just leave a message or a comment. 

Ema 

 

Green Crochet Frog

Green, green crochet frog in the green, green grass. Cute little frog as a toy. I love this crochet pattern. I love this toy. It is so cheerful. I made the frog following the pattern from Lillellis. 

Activities with a crochet frog

1. For me, as a teacher, this frog will be very helpful for telling stories. 
2. It can be a puppet at the theater. 
3. Describe the frog using many adjectives.
4. Make a long sentence about the frog. 
5. What do you know about frogs? 
6. It is a helper for counting or writing. 
7. The frog is the best bedtime toy for telling a fairy tale. How about The Princess and The Frog?
8. Take it with you when you visit a doctor. Or in a trip by car or by plane. 
9. It can be a great present for a little kid. 

I like the pictures that I made in the park. It is a great background for my crochet frog. 

If you want a crochet frog toy like this, find me here, send me a message and I will crochet a frog just for you. 

Ema 

Crochet pig for Three little pigs story

They are cute toys: Three little pigs. I like to tell stories using them as puppets. For this crochet pig toy I used a pattern from Lilleliis. She has wonderful free and paid crochet patterns.

Crochet pig as an educational toy

These crochet pigs can be used in many activities. It is very well known that children are more responsive and willing to do something if a toy is involved. You can use them to tell stories or to invent stories. 

One crochet pig can stay besides the kids while they are eating, or doing some homework. 

Because they are small pigs, they can be carry in a normal bag. 

If you want to have your own crochet pigs, buy them from my Etsy Shop Here. 

Ema

Crochet wolf - a cute crochet toy

I made this crochet wolf to be part in my set of three little pigs. I like to use them to tell stories to my kids.

The crochet wolf is the size of a palm. It is made with cotton yarn. 

Crochet wolf toy 

I like that my crochet wolf is not a scary one. I think its red little tongue is a cute detail. 

I made a purple scarf for this crochet wolf, but I think other colors will be great too: yellow or blue for example. 

If you want a crochet wolf toy, order one in my Etsy Shop Here. 

Ema 

Llama Banner - a personalized felt garland with letters

I like to make personalized things. People want to have something unique, made specially for them. And this is the part that I like: my items are unique and it is a refreshing thought. A custom one is this llama banner. It is made with colors to match to room furniture.

Llama, llama banner, no probllama 

Llamas become so popular! They are cute with their friendly and childish faces. I made my own design pattern for these llama. 

The letters for this llama banner have almost 12 cm in height and they have anti bacterial toy filling inside. 

It is a versatile banner. It can be a decoration in a room, in a nursery. But also it can be a banner for a baby shower party or for a birthday party. 

Llama, llama! You can order your llama banner in my Etsy Shop Here.

Ema 

Dragon Banner for a Boy

This is a personalized dragon banner made for a little boy. It has two green dragons at the ends.

Dragon banner in a room or at your party

The banner is made from colorful felt. The dragons and the letters have anti bacterial poly filling inside. 

The dragons hide the ribbon that helps you to hang on the banner on the wall.

You can use the dragon banner as a boy room decor, in your nursery, or at your baby shower party. 

If you want to order your dragon banner, visit my Etsy Shop Here. 

If you want to make your own dragon banner, grab my Pattern Here. 

Ema

Crochet Teddy Bear, a lovely gift for someone

I made these Teddy Bears after a pattern by Lilleliis. They are adorable. It is an easy to follow pattern. I added some fabric on their belly and on the ears.

Teddy Bear as a gift

They can be a lovely gift for any occasion, for children or for adults too. A birthday gift, a Get Well Soon gift, a graduation gift. They have 22 cm and they are filled with anti bacterial toy filling. 

Ema

Montessori Toys Shapes and Colors

Montessori toys, sensory toys shapes - soft small cushions for match the colors and shapes. I made them in rainbow colors to be bright and cheerful. If the shapes are related to a color, kids are learning them quickly.

Montessori toys for your kids

I made them from cotton and filled with anti bacterial toy filling. You can play with them in different ways: 

1. Choose a color. Find around your house or outside objects in that color. 

2. Sort the colors and the objects. 

3. Sort the shapes. Match them. 

4. Match the colors. 

5. Build something. 

Because they are soft, they are suitable for 3 - 5 years old kids. 

If you want these Montessori toys, find them HERE. 

Ema 

Rainbow Gnomes, Waldorf Gnomes Days of the Week

These are my Waldorf gnomes. Because my background as a Waldorf teacher gives me ideas, I made these Waldorf gnomes. They are used for setting a seasonal table for example. They represent days of the week, and each has a particular color.

Waldorf gnomes

The colors are: Monday - purple, Tuesday - red, Wednesday - yellow, Thursday - orange, Friday - green, Saturday - blue, Sunday - white. 

Waldorf dolls have no face, so the kids can imagine their expression. 

Rainbow gnomes

Waldorf Gnomes Activities 

• Using a different color for each day can help you in many activities. On the other hand, kids love the colors. 
• You can dress in the color of the day. 
• Following the color of the day, the kids can choose easily their clothes and they will learn the colors quickly. 
• Use the gnomes to tell or to invent stories, use them in math or when you read a picture book. Make them your partner. 
• Ask your child to find through the house or outside things in the color of the day. 
• Kids will learn easily the days because they associate each day with a color. 

Each gnome doll has 8.66 inches (22 cm).

Waldorf Days of the week

If you want these Waldorf gnomes, find them HERE.

Ema 

Bunny toy and a tote bag

I made this toy thinking at the little girls who need a bag to carry their stuff: small rocks, flowers, a candy, a plastic coin, a ribbon, a toy. A bunny toy in a tote bag is a cute gift.

A bunny toy

The bunny toy is not a big one. It is perfect for little hands. It is soft and it has a nice dress. 

The bunny and the bag are made from assorted fabric. Choose at the check out the print of the fabric: polka dots or flowers. It could be a great birthday gift too. 

Size for bunny: 28 cm
Size for bag: 32 x 16 cm 

They are made from cotton fabric and they have anti bacterial poly filling inside.

Ema

How to make Fabric Memory Game, sewing tutorial

Fabric matching memory game. You can make a game like this with uni fabric with different colors, or with some printed fabric with different motifs.
Before telling you how I made it, let's see haw you can play with these squares.

How to play with matching cards

1. Play memory game. Turn the cards with their face down. Turn 2 and see if they match. 
2. Put the cards on the table, face up. Match the cards 2 by 2. 
3. Talk about their pictures.
4. Describe the pictures using many adjectives, attributes: The snail is small, green, hungry, tired. 
5. Invent stories about their pictures. 
6. Count them. 
7. Draw the picture from a card. 

How to make fabric memory game

I found this lovely fabric that is perfect for sewing a memory game for kids. It has some divided squares and they are match 2 by 2. How I made the memory game:

I cut the pieces. I made some same size pieces for the background.  They are from simple uni fabric.

At sewing machine, I sew on the edges.

Then I turned inside out and I sew the open space with invisible stitch. The game is finished.

Because I have different sets, I made a bag for each. I embroidered the theme on the draw string bag. 

If you have another design or idea, leave a comment. 

Find this fabric memory game in My Shop Here. 

Ema