Sunday, March 28, 2010

Come Fly With Me

Yesterday we went to Beczak Environmental Center for a class called Come Fly WIth Me. After talking a bit about the Hudson River, Ms. Doreen talked to the kids about migration. She talked about the birds coming back into the Hudson River Valley after spending the winter in Florida or even parts further South. After discussing why the birds fly South for the Winter, (Lack of food, lack of shelter, cold weather,) Ms. Doreen helped the kids make a bird feeder using a small plastic plate, a water bottle, a piece of rope, and a stick. Then the kids painted their bird feeders. Next everyone went outside to play a game about migration. Each child was given a picture of a bird. Each bird was labeled as an early migrator, February and March; a middle migrator, March and April; or a late migrator, May and June. Once they all knew when their birds would migrate, the early migrators took off for their flight North. They were soon followed by the middle migrators and the late migrators. At each station along the way the little birds had to do something before continuing to the North. Sometimes they had to rub their tummies or pat their head. Sometimes they had to hop on one foot. As they made their journey North, some of the birds encounter bad weather, tornadoes, rain, and floods. Some couldn't find food so they either turned around and went South again or some of them died. The little birdies who died got a red sticker on their foreheads and then they went out to help the others. Eventually all of the birds either made it back to the Hudson Valley or well, unfortunately some didn't. Everyone came back inside to discuss what things kept some of the birds from making it back and what things helped others make the trip. It was a very educational day for everyone. Even the birds who died had a good time. As the children were leaving, they were each given a bag of birdseed to put in their bird feeders.
When we got home Dakota hung is birdfeeder in a tree. He filled it with bird seed. Well, he covered the ground with bird seed and got a few grains in the feeder. We'll have to get more from the Peapod man on Thursday.Our next class to Beczak is a hunt For Hatchlings.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Check out this Handmade Shop

Handmade Shop of the Week: The Enchanted Cupboard

Beccijo, of The Enchanted Cupboard, is the creator of wooden toys, dolls, minutures, and wedding cake toppers. She has been filling her shop with these simple pleasures since Oct. 08, 2008. Hard work and great ideas have brought her to the etsy front page as well as nick's parent's choice.

Why did you decide to open your handmade shop?
I wanted a creative outlet. Something that belonged to me. A place to share my art of toy making!

Has your inventory changed much since you first opened?
I had a few other items in the begining but the dolls have taken over.

Who are the majority of your customers? How did they find you?
Mom's wanting great toys that are natural. Toys that are good for the imagination and inspire!

What inspires you to create?
My kids and my imagination. Inside I never grew up!

What is your favorite item in your shop currently? Your most popular item?
My Mushroom Stacker is my favorite right now but the fairies are diffrent little girls in my life (some are no longer little but are mommies themselves but to me they will always be my little girls). My big sellers lately have been Fairy Kitchen Set and Fairy Doll Acorn Stacker

What has been your greatest resource to make your shop successful?
Research and understanding marketing. Seeking help when I needed it. Reinvesting my profits back into my shop for more supplies or advertising.

Any changes coming to your shop in the future?
Always more designs, more playboxes but also some limited addition items. All coming out this Spring, it seems the right time to launch new things.

How else can we find you online? Any team affiliations?
http://www.beccijo.com/
http://www.theenchantedcupboard.etsy.com/
http://www.theenchantedcupboard.1000markets.com/
EtsyNJ Team,
SHEteam,
NaturalKids Team, I am the Team Leader
Child's Play Market (1KM), I am the Market Manager

LETS DO A GIVEAWAY!
Seen on Etsy Front Page
Woodland Fairy Forest Accessory Set
Here in Fairyland the woods are full of Pretty little mushrooms and rich with little trees. The fairies have collected a few just for you. This forest accessory set is a lovely addition to any fairy playset or all on their own. Each set is hand painted. This set is for 3 mushrooms and two pine trees.

Here is how to enter: 1) comment on this article below 2) share this article on facebook/twitter 3) heart her shop and or your favorite item 4) blog about her shop and/or this giveaway

If you want to enter this giveaway, you need to go to the original article at:

Handmade Shop of the Week: The Enchanted Cupboard

Beccijo, of The Enchanted Cupboard, is the creator of wooden toys, dolls, minutures, and wedding cake toppers. She has been filling her shop with these simple pleasures since Oct. 08, 2008. Hard work and great ideas have brought her to the etsy front page as well as nick's parent's choice.

Why did you decide to open your handmade shop?
I wanted a creative outlet. Something that belonged to me. A place to share my art of toy making!

Has your inventory changed much since you first opened?
I had a few other items in the begining but the dolls have taken over.

Who are the majority of your customers? How did they find you?
Mom's wanting great toys that are natural. Toys that are good for the imagination and inspire!

What inspires you to create?
My kids and my imagination. Inside I never grew up!

What is your favorite item in your shop currently? Your most popular item?
My Mushroom Stacker is my favorite right now but the fairies are diffrent little girls in my life (some are no longer little but are mommies themselves but to me they will always be my little girls). My big sellers lately have been Fairy Kitchen Set and Fairy Doll Acorn Stacker

What has been your greatest resource to make your shop successful?
Research and understanding marketing. Seeking help when I needed it. Reinvesting my profits back into my shop for more supplies or advertising.

Any changes coming to your shop in the future?
Always more designs, more playboxes but also some limited addition items. All coming out this Spring, it seems the right time to launch new things.

How else can we find you online? Any team affiliations?
http://www.beccijo.com/
http://www.theenchantedcupboard.etsy.com/
http://www.theenchantedcupboard.1000markets.com/
EtsyNJ Team,
SHEteam,
NaturalKids Team, I am the Team Leader
Child's Play Market (1KM), I am the Market Manager

LETS DO A GIVEAWAY!
Seen on Etsy Front Page
Woodland Fairy Forest Accessory Set
Here in Fairyland the woods are full of Pretty little mushrooms and rich with little trees. The fairies have collected a few just for you. This forest accessory set is a lovely addition to any fairy playset or all on their own. Each set is hand painted. This set is for 3 mushrooms and two pine trees.

Here is how to enter: 1) comment on this article below 2) share this article on facebook/twitter 3) heart her shop and or your favorite item 4) blog about her shop and/or this giveaway

Handmade Shop of the Week: The Enchanted Cupboard

Beccijo, of The Enchanted Cupboard, is the creator of wooden toys, dolls, minutures, and wedding cake toppers. She has been filling her shop with these simple pleasures since Oct. 08, 2008. Hard work and great ideas have brought her to the etsy front page as well as nick's parent's choice.

Why did you decide to open your handmade shop?
I wanted a creative outlet. Something that belonged to me. A place to share my art of toy making!

Has your inventory changed much since you first opened?
I had a few other items in the begining but the dolls have taken over.

Who are the majority of your customers? How did they find you?
Mom's wanting great toys that are natural. Toys that are good for the imagination and inspire!

What inspires you to create?
My kids and my imagination. Inside I never grew up!

What is your favorite item in your shop currently? Your most popular item?
My Mushroom Stacker is my favorite right now but the fairies are diffrent little girls in my life (some are no longer little but are mommies themselves but to me they will always be my little girls). My big sellers lately have been Fairy Kitchen Set and Fairy Doll Acorn Stacker

What has been your greatest resource to make your shop successful?
Research and understanding marketing. Seeking help when I needed it. Reinvesting my profits back into my shop for more supplies or advertising.

Any changes coming to your shop in the future?
Always more designs, more playboxes but also some limited addition items. All coming out this Spring, it seems the right time to launch new things.

How else can we find you online? Any team affiliations?
http://www.beccijo.com/
http://www.theenchantedcupboard.etsy.com/
http://www.theenchantedcupboard.1000markets.com/
EtsyNJ Team,
SHEteam,
NaturalKids Team, I am the Team Leader
Child's Play Market (1KM), I am the Market Manager

LETS DO A GIVEAWAY!
Seen on Etsy Front Page
Woodland Fairy Forest Accessory Set
Here in Fairyland the woods are full of Pretty little mushrooms and rich with little trees. The fairies have collected a few just for you. This forest accessory set is a lovely addition to any fairy playset or all on their own. Each set is hand painted. This set is for 3 mushrooms and two pine trees.

Here is how to enter: 1) comment on this article below 2) share this article on facebook/twitter 3) heart her shop and or your favorite item 4) blog about her shop and/or this giveaway

If you want to enter this giveaway you need to go to the original article at:

http://www.traceyknits.com/2010/03/handmade-shop-of-week-enchanted.html

Kathi