Five Favorite Etsy Stores- The Best Way to Spread Christmas Cheer...

I want to keep highlighting amazing makers in the US, and I feel like my Etsy links can get caught in the more mainstream shuffle. So starting a series to focus on the greatest stuff we have found. 

from Meadow Tea

This week we watched one of my favorite Christmas movies- Elf! Best thing Will Ferrell ever did, and now a namesake movie for the world's cheeriest baby (so appropriate). We usually watch it while we put up Christmas decorations, because it is bright, spirited, and has a great soundtrack (Brian Setzer Orchestra doing the Nutcracker Suite is the best). If you are also a fan, you aren't alone and a bunch of people on Etsy are selling cool Elf-inspired stuff (like this adorable mug)! Look it!

Cleopatra Candy (Alabama)- These earrings really capture the manic joy of this movie. They have oodles of kooky earrings in their store. Love the idea but don't want Will Ferrell's crazy eyes hanging off your ears? Check out the sweet earrings from Erin etc,

from Dainty Dirtbags

Dainty Dirtbags (Columbus, OH) sells all sorts of hilarious t-shirts (including ones honoring the Beloved Barb), but their commitment to Buddy the Elf might be my favorite. Check it out if you need a special decorating shirt every year.

from Strong Girl Clothing

Strong Girl Clothing (Arizona) also makes some of my new favorites. Perfect for the woman who loves a holiday theme shirt (because you are awesome).

Sweet Littles Inc (Florida) makes onesies. Kind of like the Elf-themed t-shirts,but smaller.

Widdershine and Bones (Georgia) is a store entirely devoted to Peter Pan and Elf hats. Because we live in a truly strange and wonderful world. I think these are adorable, and maybe the elf party can overtake ugly sweater parties. Bad news everybody, ugly sweaters are over.

If I can find Elf presents on here, you can definitely find the gifts on Etsy that you want to buy loved ones. Want even more eco-friendly and local shopping inspiration? Check out my Giant List of Ethical and Eco-Friendly Shopping Lists. 

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November Fashion Inspiration and What Worked in October

 November Fashion Inspiration

So, I am going to go out on a limb and guess this won't be the lookingest month for me, but I figure if you just make a habit of still trying even when your body is putting up a very strong fight for you to look crazypants.  I started to get a couple things that lend themselves to being squishy and nursing. In November, I probably won't graduate out of maternity clothes, but I am still hopeful to come up with some good stuff. Here are some of my inspirations that I am thinking about:

from https://www.etsy.com/listing/118763439/nursing-necklace-teething-necklace-for?ref=favs_view_20

from https://www.etsy.com/listing/192898439/flower-mama-nursing-necklace-with-fox?ref=favs_view_18

Nursing and Teething Necklaces- I didn't even know this was a thing, but it is pretty genius, and they can look pretty nice. I know this might be more helpful in a few months, but I like the idea of having chic looking jewelry that is meant to be in a baby's mouth/ covered in slobber.

The Boy got me a nursing cover that looks like an infinity scarf, and I bought 2 more big blousy button ups like this one to wear for Thanksgiving (I hope!), so this (minus the boots, which is a shame because they are amazing) is basically my plan for postpartum nursing outfits- warm, layered, with fabrics that pull away from my body rather than sticking to it.

I have also started thinking about getting dresses that work for nursing without being too dowdy, and was looking at dresses like this one. Perhaps a battle for another month, once I have a better sense of what I am working with (because I have never had a worse sense of what my body is going to be doing in 4 weeks, 8 weeks, etc). Still, it's kind of fun to be working on a whole new game plan again!

What Worked In October

 I don't have a ton of pictures from this month, because I mostly have to remind The Boy to take the weekly picture for BBG's book. This is when we hosted the Apple Pancake Breakfast at our house. The sweater was a mistake, I think, this turned out to be my best maternity dress- lower cut neckline (seriously, this is important!) and it doesn't cling at all.

 When my Mom came to visit, she bought me two new shirts, both of which are the right kind of clingy and mostly look nice, I think. It makes little sense that clingy would still look better once you have expanded to this level, but it really does help the situation.

 Probably my best effort for the month- I bought the sweater for after the baby comes (I thought it looked like fall and Christmas so it should fit the coming seasons. I still am not sold on the big baggy sweaters in general, but I do think it looked nice and feels cozy. Also, thank the heavens for boots. They are like a fresh haircut- you don't have to do much to look put together if you have boots on.

 This outfit went out with boots too, but they didn't make it through the shelf-building process. Leggings, boots, and a dress worked as my uniform this month (and will probably get me through November as well). Also, the bangs are almost completely grown out, which means I will have to cut them off again.

I don't even care how dorky this is. On Halloween, I wore it with hair clippies that look like skeleton hands. Because I am classy like that.

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