Julene over at Present by Design recently introduced me to her line of adorable baby socks. The Fortune Tootsies are two pairs of white socks and one pair of red socks that have individual fortunes printed on the bottoms. All come in a take-out box and include fortune cookies for mom and dad. Visit the site for the special fortunes that come on each sock. Available in sizes 0-9 months and 9-18 months. What a great gift for a newborn that is both fun and practical. Check out Present by Design for other handmade goodies.

Fortune Tootsies: $18.95:

I adore these precious letterpress cards for babies and children by Sweetbeets. Lisa Zuraw started this company after the birth of her first child a few years ago. She was in search of a unique birth announcement and couldn’t quite find the right one. Drawing on her observations of her children at play along with the memories of her own childhood, her greeting cards were born. Images that capture the magic of being young are found at Sweetbeets.

Puddle Jumping Fun: $5.50; Birthday Girl Holding Balloons: $5.50:

Birthday Boy Superhero: $5.50; Five Marbles: $5.50:

Sorry for the week that I was M.I.A., guys. I have been busy at work on a couple of things including going to my day jobs. First, I just reopened Punk-n-Pie after our move and family affairs that I mentioned earlier. There are tons of things on sale, so help us make some space in our tiny place for more items. There’s also a bunch of amazing new clothing pieces added as well. Check it out:

Camp Flannel in Baby Blue: $36.00; White Tie Top: $24.00:

I’m also working on putting together a Goodies Galore Giveaway for Mixed Plate. If you haven’t signed up for our newsletter yet, please do. That will be your chance to win a box full of handmade items. If you’re a business owner wanting a way to advertise you can email me (liana@mixedplateblog.com) and send your donation in. I’ve got an ad in N.E.E.T. Magazine coming up and donations are due soon.

Something else that’s going on is my jewelry site is getting a makeover. So, be on the lookout for the new On a Friday (I’ll let you know when).

So, enough of the shameless plugs. Where was I last weekend? I was taking pictures of boys! Oh, not like that. The husband and I rented a car and drove from San Francisco to Santa Barbara to watch a stage of the Amgen Tour of California. It was a crazy trip but the adventure was totally worth it! We got cowbells, a foam finger and yelled and cheered like crazy. It was awesome. Here’s the proof:

There may still be time left for shopping from our great Holiday Gift Guide participants.  Please show them your love and see what wonderful handmade goods they’ve got.  Remember, there are a lot of discounts offered throughout the guide (and some sales!)…

Tuscany Magnet Set by Gallimaufry Arts ($8.00); Auto Bird Turd Emergency Kit by Grumpy Girl ($31.95):

Maurisa Top by Snoozer Loser (currently $80.00); Doggie Skull T-Shirt by Punk Rock Dogg (currently $17.17/ea or $31.50 for matching set for dog and people):

Soho 1 PhotoCuff by Smoy PhotoCuffs ($17.00); Signature Sets by JustJenn Designs ($12.00):

Check it out, a fun sponsor that I was fortunate enough to meet in person this past weekend…

Meet Rebecca Thoms Hanley of BananaSaurus Rex:

Name: Rebecca Thoms Hanley

Business Name: BananaSaurus Rex

Where are you located?
Livermore, CA

What is it that you design and create?
I make accessories for Mamas, Babies and Home out of vintage and recycled textiles.

What is your favorite part of the design process?
Discovery! I love finding a beautiful piece of fabric, being inspired by something unexpected, solving a problem, building a prototype.

How did you come up with your business name?
My sons love dinosaurs and we make up names for them. BananaSaurus Rex is one of our favorites. I like it because it’s Mighty and Silly both.

Where/How did this all begin?
I’ve always made things for friends, and I guess enough people finally said, “You could SELL this!” that I started to believe it.

Who or what inspires you?
Almost everything.

What advice would you give other independent artists who are just starting out?
Well, I’m still just starting out myself…but I’d say: ask lots of questions and keep your chin up (it helps if all of your friends think you’re the most talented person they’ve ever met).

What is your favorite indie purchase or trade?
A French/English Love-O-Meter from pickypicky.etsy.com

What’s on your iPod/music player right now?
Lots of Beck and Dave Matthews Band. Death Cab for Cutie. Tenacious D. Cake.

What t.v. shows are you currently hooked on?
Over the summer, I was loving Burn Notice. I think it’s the new Magnum P.I.

What was the last movie you watched?
The Incredibles.

What’s your favorite food?
We have a meal at my house called Leftovers Quesadilla. It’s exactly what it sounds like. Leftover Yankee Potroast Quesadilla is the Best!

What’s your favorite candy?
Dark chocolate.

Coffee or Tea?
Coffee, please.

What store could you walk around in for hours and be happy?
Etsy!

Any pets?
No pets. Unless you count the the two boys. They’re small but they’re ferocious.

Favorite place to visit or place you’d like to visit?
I love going to Kauai and I can’t wait to get back there.

Any celebrity crushes?
Cary Grant. Have you seen Charade? He’s almost unbearably sexy.

Favorite Holiday?
I’m not really a Holiday kind of gal. I like ordinary days that turn out to be extraordinary.

If you were a shoe, what shoe would you be?
I’d like to think I was something more graceful than a Reef Flip-Flop, but then again being well-designed and functional is nothing to sneeze at. And I find they go with everything.

What do you secretly wish you could do/be?
I wish I could blow glass, play classical guitar and perform Japanese tea ceremony. Really.

Favorite piece of clothing?
This Eco-fleece Wrap from SweetSkins! http://www.sweetskins.com/items/Fleece/FleeceWrap.html

Do you speak any other languages? If not, would you like to learn one?
Actually, I wish I spoke better English. I’m 38 and I still talk like Moon Unit Zappa.

There are just a couple more months left in 2007. Any exciting plans for the rest of the year?
YES! BananaSaurus Rex will be at Bazaar Bizarre in San Francisco on December 15th. It’s my first show and I’m super excited!

Yup, that’s where I met Rebecca. She’s so sweet and her handmade items really are of excellent quality. Thanks, Rebecca! Here’s some of what you can find at the shop:

MamaGoToMarket Bag ($36.00/set of 2); Ooo-La-La-Lavender ($6.50):

Vintage Hanky Blanky ($32.00); Vintage Bibage ($16.00):

Vintage Wine Wrap ($40.00/set of 6); Ooo-La-La-Lavender Laundry-Style ($6.00/set of 3):

Alright, so it’s the last day (sale ends on Wednesday, October 24) of the sale over at Punk-n-Pie. EVERTYHING at the shop is marked down and the deals are amazing! Hurry over and get your shopping done now before everything is scooped up. Some of the items will not be back in stock again once the shop reopens in a month or so.

Samurai Girl Cap Sleeve T-Shirt; Baby Wash: Calm:

Band Tee; Carnivale Wall Art:

Brown Hat w/Army Green Skull, Distressed; Guitar Tank Top:

{Samurai Girl Cap Sleeve T-Shirt: $28.00 (reg. price: $32.00); Baby Wash: Calm: $10.00 (reg. price: $14.50)}

{Band Tee: $20.00 (reg. price: $24.00); Carnivale Wall Art: $45.00 (reg. price: $76.00)}

{Brown Hat w/Army Green Skull, Distressed: $18.00 (reg. price: $20.00); Guitar Tank Top: $20.00 (reg. price: $24.00)}

I love the idea behind Simply Silhouettes, a company founded in December 2006 by Patrick and Angela Flynn! Based in Vancouver, Washington is a truly unique way of preserving the priceless moments of childhood. You send a photo in of your child, family, pet, etc. and they can create all sorts of cool items for you. Stationery, tote bags, apparel…that’s just the start of what you can put a custom silhouette on. So cool and you’re sure to have your (or your family member’s) best side featured.

Regulation Playing Cards; Tote Bag; Circular Bookplates:

{Playing Cards: $40.00; Tote Bag: $40.00; Bookplates: $40.00/20 labels}

You can be, too. Just take a look at these fun Peter Pan collars by Lynnelle Moran of Little Wings. Yup, not just for the little kids but also for the big kid that resides within us all!

Peter Pan Collar; Children’s Peter Pan Collar:

Too cute!

{Peter Pan Collars: $20.00}

Head on over to Punk-n-Pie and enjoy the SALE that’s going on through August 20. All of the Little Twig and WallCandy Arts products have been marked down 15%.

Tokidoki Wall Art; Bubble Bath: Calm; Carnivale Wall Art:

PLUS…Check out the new caps for newborns by Pink Axle:

Black Hat w/Metallic Silver Guitar w/Hot Pink Strings & Swarovski Crystal Accent; Brown Hat w/Metallic Silver Peace Sign, Distressed; Black Hat w/White Skull, Distressed:

{Tokidoki Wall Art: $47.60; Bubble Bath: Calm: $17.85; Carnivale Wall Art: $64.40} ~sale prices!
{Hats: $20.00/ea}

When Jennifer contacted me regarding her shop I was so excited! You know how I love paper, so this seemed perfect. Once I visited her site, Turtle Papers, I discovered so much more than just cards. Fun baby wear, prints and stationery were all screaming “Look at Me! Look at Me!” right through the computer screen.

Jennifer does all of her designing and producing in a small studio based in Seattle, Washington. Hand-silkscreened onesies and tees for your tots feature animals, origami images and even a “Cutiepie” design that are in bright, vibrant colors. As for the prints and stationery, you’ll have to witness them for yourself because I cannot find the words to describe her drawings. They are just so beautifully done. So, as I feel that I may not be able to do any justice to Jennifer’s products, how about I show you some of my favorites (well, the whole shop is my favorite!)…

Hostess With the Mostest Note Card Set; So In Love Note Card Set:

Elephant Lap Tee; Origami Onesie:

Hide and Seek Original Print; Love Bird Original Print:

{Hostess With the Mostest and So In Love Note Card Sets: $9.00/set of 6 with matching envelopes}

{Elephant Lap Tee: $18.00; Origami Onesie: $17.00}

{Hide and Seek and Love Birds Prints: $10.00/each}

Right now at Punk-n-Pie there’s a special going on. If you purchase $25 or more of Little Twig products, you will receive a FREE gift with purchase. The free gift? A cute little lady bug wash mitt with samples of Little Twig products.

Little Twig is a great company that produces natural products for sensitive skin. With ingredients such as lavender, jojoba oil, vitamin E and more, you know you’re getting quality goods. Plus, how cute are the bottles and all?

Head over now to Punk-n-Pie to get your free Little Twig gift while supplies last.

Baby Basics Gift Pack; Bodymilk:Pure; Travel Basics:Bee:

Yeah!!! The cool Appaman clothing line has finally arrived at Punk-n-Pie. Head on over to check it out before they’re all scooped up. Everything is absolutely adorable!