[Now re-read the post title using your best Monster Truck Rally announcer voice!]
A heads-up for our Los Angeles area readers! This Sunday, my pal Clare Crespo and I will be hosting a crafty event for boys and girls ages 8 to 12 at the lovely Home Ec store in the Silverlake neighborhood of Los Angeles. We’ll be creating jellybean bugs and bubblegum bunnies and all manner of candy critters to inhabit special box dioramas! Clare’s baking a festive batch of bird’s nest cupcakes for snacking and the kind folks from the Pasadena Humane Society will be bringing a live bunny for ooohs, ahhhs and gentle pats on the head!
There are a few spots still available so visit the Home Ec site to sign up or call the shop at (323) 906-8826. Come join us and join in the fun!
There are two new and one returning Junior Society Sponsors this month that I’d like to introduce you to: Classic Play!, Little Lark and Vintage Paper Parade! You’ll find their buttons/links in the right hand column underneath the tree swing. These folks make it possible to keep a roof over our virtual clubhouse and for that I’m very grateful. Take a few minutes to visit their respective sites and send them some JrSoc love!
From editor and publisher Jen Cooper of EllieBellieKids.com comes the online quarterly magazine Classic Play! Filled with thoughtful essays and family-friendly activities, each issue of Classic Play! rallies around a theme such as storytelling, giving, love and music. Browse the archive of past issues and then sign up for your free subscription!
The adorable picture below comes from a feature on Family Date Night from Classic Play!’s most recent Love Issue:
Portland, Oregon based Little Lark is a lovely online shop of hand printed baby clothes and letterpress cards designed by artist Christy Nyboer. “Little Lark is inspired by beauty and wonder through the eyes of a child. Many ideas have blossomed from old children’s educational books, science textbooks, and Christy’s fond memories of living in Alaska as a child. Little Lark is inspired by what is beautiful, terrific, and optimistic about our world.”
We’re pleased to welcome back the Toronto based purveyor of “whimsical, stylish paper goods with a modern twist for children’s birthdays, baby and bridal showers” Vintage Paper Parade. And we’re thrilled to be hosting a Vintage Paper Parade giveaway this week of St. Patrick’s Day goodies - learn how to enter here!
Learn more about how your family-friendly business can become a Junior Society sponsor here or email me at GrandPoobah@JuniorSociety.com for more information!
Well, I’m pleased as punch to announce a crafty event for boys and girls ages 8 to 12 with myself and my new pal Clare Crespo. You may remember Clare from the post I wrote in December featuring her cookbooks the Secret Life of Food and Hello There, Cupcake! and her show the Yummyfun Kooking Series. We’ve put our noggins together and thinking ourselves quite clever have planned a fun morning of crafts, snacks and a special guest appearance by a furry friend!
Inspired by vintage sugar eggs, participants will create spring candy dioramas packed with tasty birds, bugs, bunnies and a whole lot of imagination. Clare will be concocting a special (surprise!) spring snack and a punchbowl of fun. And we’ve confirmed that the kind folks from the Pasadena Humane Society will be bringing a live bunny for ooohs, ahhhs and gentle pats on the head! Egg-ceptional!
The event will be had at the lovely Home Ec store in the Silverlake neighborhood of Los Angeles. Visit the Home Ec site to sign up (space is very limited) or call the shop at (323) 906-8826.
Do you remember making dioramas as a kid? They seem to be a classroom staple - the basic idea being to create a miniature world inside a box. And for this project, that little universe will be viewed through a small hole in one end of the box - the results are magical! Stocked with bowls of sweets, Clare and I will walk your kiddo through some basic steps of crafting candy critters and then let them stretch their imaginations to create anything they like to populate their tiny box landscapes. We’ll have diorama boxes available in bubblegum pink and chocolate brown - crafters choice! Come join us - don’t miss out on all the fun!
Like many, I’ve got a touch of Olympic fever - watching most evenings and screaming cheering at my television. (As a stupid aside, I have to tell you the other night was particularly trying as there were new episodes of Lost, American Idol AND figure skating - I think I developed ‘flipper’s finger’ from rapidly switching between stations with my remote.) Anyway, there are several more days of Olympic events ahead but in the crafty world they’ve just announced the winners of the 2010 Handmade Olympics!
Three cheers and a warm ‘hurrah!’ to the medal winners. I was honored to be the judge for Event 2: Favorite Handmade Goodie for Kids where I narrowed down the entries to a short list of 10 which were then voted on by the general public. And get this - there were more than 15,000 individual votes cast for these Handmade Olympic games! I love that so many people participated. Many thanks to our pal Kristal of RikRak Studio for acting as head of the Olympic Committee and coordinating the whole hootenanny!
Following are the winners for Event 2! See winners in every event here.
Winners in Event 2 receive the following:
GOLD prize pack ($150.00 worth of handmade goodness)
a $50 gift certificate to Plushroom Soup
a $50 gift certificate to Paisley Baby
a $50 gift certificate to Blueshine Baby
+ an ‘I WON the Handmade Olympics’ banner/button image for their site/blog/shop
+ an artist/crafter feature on the RikRak Studio blog
SILVER prize pack ($100.00 worth of handmade goodness)
a $50 gift certificate to Small Grapes Fabrics
a $50 gift certificate to The Framed Frog
BRONZE prize pack
one FREE month of March 2010 advertising on the RikRak Studio blog
We’re anxiously awaiting the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, but while we wait there are the fabulous 2010 Handmade Olympics to keep us company! I posted about this crafty competition a few weeks ago and its lovely host Kristal of RikRak Studio. She’s pulled together more than $2,000. in prizes to be awarded to winners in the eight events.
The judges have narrowed down all of the entries to approximately 10 items for each event and now voting is open to the public! The rules are as follows:
1. You can vote once in each event.
2. Voting closes on Wednesday, February 17th at 5pm
3. The top 3-vote getters in each event will be announced on Thursday, February 18th!
Click on the links below and you’ll be whisked away to the voting booth.
Yours truly was excited to be the judge for event number 2 - Favourite handmade goodie for kids! My shortlist for the top ten are below.
“Oh nominating public, what a task you’ve given me! More than 150 lovely handmade children’s items were submitted and it’s taken quite some doing to whittle it down to a mere 10. The criteria I considered in selecting the finalists included originality, workmanship, creative use of materials and overall aesthetic appeal. Thank you for the opportunity to review the wealth and breadth of your talents and my best wishes to the final ten!”
Fergus and Me
Blog of an interior designer and home stylist with a big family, a big heart and a dog named Fergus. Lovely recipes, design finds and kid-friendly goods abound. Also see their corresponding Etsy shop filled with vintage finds for home and playroom. Many thanks for their sponsor Blogad this week.
Charlotte’s Fancy
“Favorite things, family life and fun projects,” is the tag line for this really delightful blog. Author Molly has a wonderful knack for vetting charming and quirky finds be they dreamy travel destinations or birthday party fun.
Beau Rabbit
This working journal of creative endeavors is filled with author Brooke’s “ideas for inspired children and highly imaginative adults.” I love that tag line and am currently obsessing over her sock monkey cupcakes.
There are three new Junior Society Sponsors this month that I’d like to introduce you to: Loloko, Grasshopper and Vintage Paper Parade! You’ll find their buttons/links in the right hand column underneath the tree swing. These folks make it possible to keep a roof over our virtual clubhouse and for that I’m very grateful. Take a few minutes to visit their respective indie shops, browse their online aisles and send them some JrSoc love!
Northern California based Loloko specializes in imported Japanese decole products (ie: unbelievable cuteness) and is run by the lovely Laura, who explains the shop’s name - “Lolo was the name given to me by a toddler. When ko is added to a girl’s name in Japanese, it is a term of endearment.” Charming treats for every occasion!
Pictured below are a set of Loloko’s wooden mushroom magnets, $7. for the set of 3.
Portland, Oregon based Grasshopper has both a physical storefront and an adorable online store specializing in children’s clothing, furniture, toys and a book selection that they share is “our biggest pride and joy; featuring many of our old favorites as well as some new ones.” Great selection of organic and American made goods!
Pictured below is the plush robot by Manhattan Toys named Bee Bots Twir, $22.
Based in Toronto, Ontario, Vintage Paper Parade offers “whimsical, stylish paper goods with a modern twist for children’s birthdays, baby and bridal showers.” All of their beautiful custom designs are handcrafted in their Canadian studio and reflect a simple, charming and oh-so-cute aesthetic!
Learn more about how your family-friendly business can become a Junior Society sponsor here or email me at GrandPoobah@JuniorSociety.com for more information!
Thank you to the many who submitted their blogs and websites for inclusion on our Member Links page! I’m fairly certain that everyone that has requested their blog/shop be added is now posted - but if you’d be kind enough to confirm yours is there, I’d appreciate it! Feel free to continue sharing - email me at GrandPoobah@JuniorSociety.com and I will update the page on an ongoing basis. Spend some time exploring these links and getting to know your illustrious fellow members!
I also wanted to make certain you were aware of our Blog Buttons & Badges page - the link is located near the base of the tree trunk in the left hand column. Share your Junior Society pride by including one of these cute graphics on your personal blog or website. I’ve also included the currently available buttons and badges below - simply click once on the embed code below your desired image, copy and paste it onto your site. There are multiple styles and sizes and even a few that are animated. Continue to check back for new designs!
Attention faithful Junior Society members! If you’re a regular Junior Society reader and have a personal blog or website, I’d like to place your link on our Member Links page. For those who didn’t know we even had such a page, you can find the link in our left hand column, near the bottom of the tree trunk.
Simply and kindly leave a comment on this post with your blog or website address. I will review and post links at my discretion, assuring they’re a good fit (meaning if you suggest links to your farm equipment dealership, pyramid scheme or porn palace, they’re likely not to be added).
I am forever appreciative of your visits to this blog, your kind and enthusiastic emails and unwavering belief that membership in the International Chapter of the Junior Society does indeed build character. Earn a merit badge for community building and share your blog or website with us!
Oh friends - happy 2010! I hope this finds you all brimming with the happy anticipation of a new year. I for one was thrilled to tuck 2009 into bed and turn out the lights - and don’t doubt that most of us could use a kinder, gentler twelve months to start the new decade.
“Focus on the positive,” I tell myself. “Count your blessings. Eat less, craft more. Keep calm and carry on. Happy, happy - joy, joy.” All mantras to repeat in heavy rotation this year.
Among the many things I’m grateful for are the ever-growing number of Junior Society members who, rain or shine, attend club house meetings, tolerate my oddball humor and repond with kindness. I don’t write one of those blogs where 500 people comment on every post but you all do write the sweetest emails for which I am always appreciative. I know you’re out there and thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading.
And as I do every year around this time, I thought I’d race through the membership 101 questionnaire:
“How do I join?”
“What does membership entail?”
“Where do I sign up?”
“What does membership cost?”
“I’m having a difficult time learning the secret handshake. Do you have any tips or suggestions?”
Fear not, all questions will be answered below. In all truthfulness, your regular readership makes you a member. Simple as that - no fees, no forms.
“Then, why,” you ask, “is there a membership sign-up box?” Good question. This sign-up box allows you to subscribe to a free, optional service called FeedBurner that emails daily Junior Society posts to your inbox. It’s a sure-fire way to receive some non-spam ‘happy mail’! To take advantage of this service, type your email address in the yellow box and click on the “subscribe” button. Easy!
Membership dues? There are none. Like most blogs, Junior Society is a free online publication available to anyone with internet access. I do accept advertising and the very nominal funds that I receive from this go into maintaining the site. If you have a blog or business that you’d like to promote to a smart kid-friendly demographic - sponsorship banners appearing in the right hand column (under the tire swing) are available in two sizes for very reasonable rates. Please feel free to email me at GrandPoobah@JuniorSociety.com for details. I also offer advertising through Blog Ads with larger banner sizes and the inclusion of text located prominently in the middle of the left hand column and top of the right hand column. Click here for more information on BlogAds.
And then regarding the handshake (illustrated below in 7 simple steps). You learn it the same way you get to Carnegie Hall - practice, practice, practice. And should you manage to master it, take a little video on your digital camera and email it to me - I’ll post it on the blog where you’ll receive accolades and applause from your fellow members, not to mention 15 minutes of fame. I have yet to have anyone take me up on this challenge but can assure you there will be accolades galore!
So there you have it! I hope I’ve cleared up any vagaries about our little club. Again, I sincerely appreciate regular Junior Society readers and want to make certain you know it. As I like to say, membership is free and it builds character!
From editor and publisher Jen Cooper of 
Portland, Oregon based 
We’re pleased to welcome back the Toronto based purveyor of “whimsical, stylish paper goods with a modern twist for children’s birthdays, baby and bridal showers” 
Northern California based 
Portland, Oregon based 
“Then, why,” you ask, “is there a membership sign-up box?” Good question. This sign-up box allows you to subscribe to a free, optional service called FeedBurner that emails daily Junior Society posts to your inbox. It’s a sure-fire way to receive some non-spam ‘happy mail’! To take advantage of this service, type your email address in the yellow box and click on the “subscribe” button. Easy!
