23 days...

...until the first day of spring. March 21st! That day also marks my daughters first birthday! While I'm not looking forward to her birthday because this year has gone by far too fast for my liking, I'm dfinitely looking forward to the end of winter! The Chicagoland area has gotten the most snow this year since 1978! I can only remember a few days this winter where there wasn't snow on the ground. Now, don't get me wrong, I love snow, but everything in moderation, right? I'm hoping that the winter that we've had isn't an indication of a blistering hot summer, but even so, I can't wait for warmer weather!

Custom nursing cover

I recently made a custom nursing cover for a friend from the Bradley childbirth class that I attended last year. I think it turned out so beautiful, and is by far my favorite project since I opened up shop! I just love the fabric that she chose and how tidy the whole thing turned out! I had so much fun making this and hope to have opportunities to make more in the near future!

Photo Editing

Thanks to a fellow etsier, I finally figured out how to brighten up my pictures. I downloaded a free trial version of Adobe Photoshop Elements and have been working on updating all of my listings to make them much more presentable. Check out some of these before and afters!

Not bad, eh? The trial version is only good for 30 days though, so hopefully this vast improvement will help with sales and I will be able to afford to purchase the full version. Here's hoping!

Nursing accessories

When my daughter was born, I committed to giving her the best start that I possibly could. My first priority was making sure that she got the absolute best nourishment to help her grow and strive. To me, this meant breastfeeding since it's natural and comes packed with so many more benefits, such as unsurpassed bonding time! We have been breastfeeding now for about 11 months and it has been absolutely wonderful experience that I will surely miss when Nadija decides to wean herself.

I have become so passionate about breastfeeding from my experience that I decided to launch new products to assist other moms in their breastfeeding adventures. Though good times will far outweight the bad, but without a doubt there will be sleepless nights and frustrations. When Nadija was first born, one of the biggest problems I had with breastfeeding was remembering which side to nurse her on during those groggy 2am feedings! Thus, the breastfeeding charm was born!

This sweet little charm is a wire hoop adorned with swarovski crystals in either pink or blue. It clips right onto your bra to remind you of which breast to nurse your baby on. They are just big enough to fit around your bra strap so they are very discreet underneath your clothing, but are such a sweet reminder for sleepy moms!

Another nifty accessory I came up with to help nursing mothers is nursing necklaces. These are designed for moms who are nursing older babies with curious hands. Nadija loves to grab, twist and pinch anything in her reach while she is nursing. This includes my lips, nose, shirt and anything else you can imagine!

I designed these necklaces to help her stay focused and give her something to play with and tug at while nursing. They are made with natural gem stones and plastic beads which are less likely to break than their glass and wooden counterparts.The beads are strung on nylon coated wire and hang from an organza ribbon. Finished with a lobster clasp, they are strong enough to withstand resonable tugging and twisting. Slip one around your neck and give your lips, nose and shirt a break!

One last thing that desrves mentioning is the item responsible for the birth of my etsy shop! Nursing covers, in my opinion, are a must-have for any nursing mother! They allow you to breastfeed your baby in virtually any situation with discretion and style. Stop by my shop at http://www.babytopia.etsy.com/ to see a few examples of nursing covers that I have in stock.

Thanks for stopping by, and happy nursing! :)