As you may know from my little side gig, Kids Deserve Art, I love supporting mom entrepreneurs, artists and innovators. So I thought I’d bring you three of my faves. Checkit!

Mabel’s Labels

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Everyone loves Mabel’s wonderful sticky water-proof labels! I was first introduced to them when Mabel’s Labels suggested I give their labels a try as loot bags for one of our parties. Now my kids (and their friends) are enjoying the labels on their schoolbags, lunch bags, water bottles, pencil cases, piggy banks and more. The cost for the loot-bag combo (like all of their combos) is very reasonable: $30 for 6 sets — each set includes 5 sticky labels and one bag tag.

Name Your Tune CDs

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Name Your Tune CDs suggested this as a loot bag item for one of our birthday parties too. How could I say no? The CDs were a hit with both kids and parents, especially since Volume 2 is brand NEW! If you go for the loot bags, you can get 10/more for $10 each. The company wraps them up for you in pretty cellophane bags with a ribbon — all ready to go for your party!

Tip: If you decide to go with Mabel’s or Name Your Tune’s fab personalized loot bags, make sure you indicate the gender of each child (even if you think it’s obvious).

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My friend Susannah Findlay — whose daughter went to preschool with The Monkey! — makes these awesome products by hand out of environmentally-friendly felt (made from recycled pop bottles!). My kids enjoy taking their own “wallet” full of mini gel pens and a pad of paper on road trips to the cottage. You can also get purses, crayon “rolls,” bags, adorable aprons and more. Prices are so reasonable, from $10 to $15 (i.e., for the aprons).

For more of my fave mom-created products, check out my article over at Todaysparent.com! What are some of your fave mom-made products?

Love!

xo Haley-O

PS. All of these products were generously given to me for review, and I loved them, so I had to share.


While friends of mine are home teaching their three-year-olds how to write (WRITE) — you know who you are — I’m busy making my little monkey THE BEST GLOP EVAH…and taking pictures of it for my Gorgeouses!

It doesn’t look like much, no…. And, it could probably use some food colouring, yes…. But, it is (as Kevin Malone would say) AWWWWWESOME! It’s totally gooey and SEEMS like it’s wet…BUTITSNOT! It’s NOT WET.

Here’s what you do:

1. Pour a little mountain of cornstarch in a plate or tray or bowl or whatever;

2. Pour water over top until you get your desired consistency….

Et VOILA! GLOP — Cheaty style!

My mom’s best friend, Marsha, gave me this little recipe. She used to be a nursery-school teacher. And, she’s been giving me tips — like this one — on how to keep my very clingy monkey busy FOR MORE THAN 2 MINUTES. Ahem. She also suggested beading with cheerios. We’ll be doing that one tomorrow.

Marsha has LOTS more suggestions. So stay tuned for more creative crafts, glops and imagination games for kids!