A Chicken in Every Pot...Or Just Two

Seems there are many people who like to have a chicken of their own in their pot...the Bitty Birdies have been in high demand this season but low supply due to the elves in my Beeper Bebe sweatshop going on strike over demands for holiday pay increases, as well as affordable healthcare. Whatever.  

There are, however, two lone Bitty Birdies that are making their way to completion as we speak with all their usual accoutrement--and I hope to maybe have them in my shop come Friday--probably late afternoon or evening with the way things are looking around here.  I tell you this because I know that some of you are keenly interested in acquiring one of these birds yet...and for those of you who have emailed me already about them, I will send you an email and let you know as soon as they are posted to my shop.  

I know there are more of you that want one than there are of the Birdies, and I do wish I could deliver one to each and every one of you but I do really, really need to get around to completing holiday gifts for all the other good little girls and boys on my list (Rome can be built in one week, I tell you).  But please, in your rush for the Birdies, I implore you not to break out in violence in the Beeper Bebe Etsy shop aisles.  There will be more Bitty Birdies...I am not sure when, I admit, but there will be more.

Please Share...

Chez Beeper Bebe Readers, Crafters and Country-Men: Lend me your ears.  I've got something to say--something you should know.  I have a Flickr group--did you know that?  Has anyone even noticed?  Have a look--the link is over there in my sidebar--yeah, that's right, toward the bottom there.  And you know what that is for, don't you?  Why for sharing your own creations made from one of my tutorials, silly readers.  I mean, you don't have to, but then again, why not share your creations with me and the world?  Be proud of what you make--take some photos, upload them to Flickr, put them in the pool and smile--because you made something lovely and creation is next to godliness.  At least it is in the Chez Beeper Bebe Flickr group.  So come join and share with me...free toaster ovens if you act now.

Reduce Waste & Use What You Have: Over Ripe Bananas & What to Do with Them

I am an ardent saver of fruit that is overly ripe and on the cusp of going bad. Saving it for other uses is really a snap--just toss it in a plastic bag in the freezer. We perpetually have a big bag of over-ripe bananas in our freezer--as well as smaller bags of things like strawberries, blueberries, mangos, pineapple, etc. Always stuff that was on its way out if left to languish in the fridge much longer...no fruit is left behind at our house. Those overly sweet fruits (as they are inclined to be late in their lives) are a perfectly lovely additions to things like muffins, smoothies, pancakes, even made into glazes or sauces. Of course, banana bread is the old stand-by for overly ripe bananas--and yes, I am going to share the recipe for my version which incorporates oatmeal and other whole grains (as do most all baked goods I make). I love this bread--I eat a couple of slices each morning, slathered with peanut butter, aside coffee and half of a grapefruit--it is my go-to winter breakfast, if you must know.

And yes, you can use bananas from your freezer for this--simply defrost the amount you need and use them as you would any other over ripe bananas. You should be prepared for the fact that when you thaw bananas from the freezer they will have quite a bit of liquid floating around with them and that is okay--I simply mash this in with the rest of the banana and use as usual.

So here is my banana oatmeal bread recipe for you:
DOWNLOAD BANANA OATMEAL BREAD RECIPE

And if you care, here are some other recipes that will make use of your overly ripe bananas or other fruits stocked in your freezer:

• Super Smoothie
• Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Pancakes You Can Feel Good About--to make banana pancakes, simply add 2 mashed bananas to this recipe

Happy over-ripe fruit freezing and baking.

Handmade Toy Nirvana

Have you been trolling for handmade gifts as much as I have?  Scouring the pages of Etsy?  Late nights, red and bleary eyed in front of the computer?  No?  Well, fine--but I have.  I admit, I frickin' ADORE shopping for toys--I mean, I make plushies and toys in all of my spare time, so of course buying them turns my crank too. And I have found so many fantastic and lovely toys on Etsy this year and I just feel obligated to share them with you--because what if somewhere, one of you is desperate to find a handmade toy for a sweet little girl or boy?  Or need to buy something for that crazy friend of yours who makes plushies and toys during all her spare time but you are at a total loss as to what to buy her?  

Let me tell you, dear Chez Beeper Bebe friends, I so have your back on this one.  You can relax, take a deep breath, light a cigarette, pour a glass of wine and calmly click any of the links below to the toys pictured above and handmade toy nirvana awaits you...

1. Wee Bird Plushie from Krakra craft, $5
2. Beetle Style Car from Imagination Kids, $6
3. Little Red and Wolfboy Notebooks from The Black Apple, $14
4. Block Set by Fidoodle, $85 (this is so brilliant--it is a puzzle, a mix and match people set, a building set, and  features little red riding hood and peter and the wolf)
5. Garbage Truck by NinDesign, $38
6. Custom-Made Paxton Doll by Project Grab Bag, $65
7. Yoyo by Goose Grease, $5
8. Idaho Little Monster from Cotton Monster, $58
9. Wooden Max Truck with Blocks Trailer from Gaga Baby Boutique, $65 (lovely wooden stuff in this shop...)
10. Farminals by Goose Grease, $18
11. Stick Me FLICKr sticker N1 Sticker Book from Yaelfran, $12 (stickers designed in collaboration with 8 different illustrators--stickable art, I tell you)
12. Lacing Tree with Apple and Pear by Linen Kids, $13
13. Olootee Doll by Raplapla, $56 (love!)
14. Tops from Urban Turn, $3.50 each
15. Dress Up Belle and Boo Paper Dolls by Belle and Boo, $10 (with more outfits to download for FREE from Belle and Boo's blog)
16. Bitty Bebe Doll with Play Accessories from Beeper Bebe, $50 (wait, how did that get in here? )
17. Wooden Star House Camera by Star House, $16
18. Small Draw Original Art Coloring Book from Small Magazine
19. Sleepy Red Forest Fox Plushie by Sleepy King, $24 (my fave new plushie artist)
20. Rainbow Stacker from Imagination Kids, $22
21. Car Bingo from Pilosale, $28
22. Baby Oobee Sleepy Set from One Girl, $32
23. Wooden Toy Boat from Friendly Fairies, $28
24. Alphabet Flashcards from A Little Hut, $8 (more printables, people!)
25. Dinosaur Stamp Set by NoraJane, $10 (I bought a set of these for Beeper)
26. Breakfast Set (9 piece) from Forever and After, $55
27. Lego Crayon Set from Gaddy Nipper Crayons, $4.50
28. Ernesto the Softie Red Dog Plushie from Pink NouNou, $60
29. Tell Me a Story Set from The Small Object, $35 (also bought these for Beeper)
30. Kiki the Paperdoll from Elsita, $20

Downloadable Calendar Love

I am so in love with the downloadable calendars available on Etsy, right now, as we speak. Between you and me, I have ordered 4 already--and I may be back for 1 or 2 more of the above.  Does this seem irrational and like I may have some sort of hoarding problem around which a reality show could be constructed?  Well, I like to merely think of myself as smart and thrifty--because, what I plan to do with all of these calendars (aside from revel in their design during spare moments) is to give them for christmas gifts--one for everyone on my gift giving list--friends, family, teachers, coworkers, you-frickin-name-it--they are ALL getting one of these calendars this year.  And this is the beauty of the $5 downloadable, PDF calendar, non?  You can make as many copies as you please and give them out to the paperboy, neighbors, newly acquired friends on street corners...whomever, whenever.  Give, give, give.  And also, since you do have to print and assemble them, I think they can at least partially count as handmade--right? (and with the Decorate Your Own from A Little Hut, well you get full handmade credits there).

And for your own reference and further perusal, these are the calendars pictured above (listed left to right, from top row to bottom):

1. Patterned Initials by A Little Hut
2. Printable Nature Calendar by Blue Tricycle
3. Printable Calendar by Yaelfran
4. Blank Calendar--Decorate Your Own by A Little Hut
5. Petit Paris by Little Brown Pen
6. Simple Woodcuts by E.M. Papers
7. Printable Monthly Colorful Animal by Printable Project
8. Vintage Silhouettes by Red Door Studio

The downloadable calendar is pure genius, if you ask me.  I wish everything was downloadable and endlessly reproduce-able and cost only $5 for the pleasure...

In My Shop: More Vintage Button Barrette Sets

These have been a hot seller this month, so I have put three more sets up in my shop. You can find them here. Get 'em while you can or something like that...

In My Shop: Plush Memory Matching Game

Made a little fabric box for the memory game, added a few extra pieces, and now you can get your own in my shop.