Shop Small. Shop Local. Shop Handmade.

Good news, everyone!

We had an actual Thanksgiving this year! No Barfsgiving for this family!

In even better news….

Screen Shot 2017-08-13 at 12.31.45 PM

MarshMueller is having its largest sale of the year! Take 20%(yes, that’s 20%) off in the ‘ol Etsy shop with coupon codeTHANKFUL2014 and you can stock up on essentials for your little one, or get prepared for the influx of baby showers you’re about to attend (they seem to happen in bursts, don’t you think?).

Yes, I know the sale name is total cheeseball, but I HAD to do it.

Not only are you getting some kickass stuff at a fantastic price, but you’re also going all vigilante on these big-box stores that keep pelting you with emails every hour on the hour with the latest deal (I’ve already hit the “Unsubscribe” button on a few of them!).

Buying handmade, buying local, and buying from small businesses are small, yet impactful ways to support the economic recovery in the right direction.

You’re also supporting a movement that keeps the economy small. Instead of lining the pockets of overpaid executives of humongous corporations who pay their front-line employees a painfully small percentage of what they deserve, you’re supporting actual people. It could be your sister, your neighbor, or someone who makes amazing stuff at a local bazaar. These people will turn around and spend their money within their local economy, most likely from other small businesses. It’s a beautiful cycle.

So today, Small Business Saturday, shop small. Buy handmade for this holiday season. Chances are you’ll never go back to buying big.

 

The Boy versus Thanksgiving

It’s been far, far, far too long since I’ve written a post! The last month and a half has been a whirlwind, consisting of toddler dentist appointments, glucose test screenings (no gestational diabetes for this gal!), Quilt Market, scrambling for handmade costume post Quilt Market, and then Halloween. I should have written about some of these, but meh.

Things in MarshMueller Secret Labs have been moving right along. In between fulfilling orders, stocking up stockists on goods, sewing like a madwoman for two big holiday shows, I’m attempting to develop a new product for the MarshMueller line, revamp and develop packaging, and make pajama pants for The Boy.

You’d think I’d be exhausted, being in my third trimester with The Other Boy, but so far, so good!

*Knocks on all the wood in the house*

I don’t really consider it “The Holiday Season” until after Thanksgiving. While it is one of my favorite times of the year, I like to savor it, and that includes preserving it to the days after Thanksgiving.

Because Thanksgiving is its own holiday, after all.

The last two years have really solidified this notion, as something else has overshadowed our national day of Thanks.

We in the MarshMueller household like to call it….

…Barfsgiving.

It started two years ago. The Boy was down for a nap in his crib, I was in the shower, and Rob was minutes away from taking the gorgeous, perfectly roasted turkey out of the oven. We were having our own little Thanksgiving, just the three of us.

But then my shower (and the removal of the turkey from the oven) was interrupted by a very sick little boy who could have gone all Jim Morrison on us with his lunchtime mac n cheese. I am thankful every day to Rob, whose Daddy Instinct caused him to check on The Boy and discovered the little sickie. The “what-ifs” still haunt us to this day, and I couldn’t stand the smell of Annie’s White Cheddar Mac N Cheese for months.

And yes, babies sleeping on their back is the best, unless they get sick, and then it’s super scary.

Let’s just say turkey wasn’t that appetizing that day, either (and yes, Rob got it out of the oven in time).

Last year: I waited. I planned to wait until the DAY BEFORE Thanksgiving to get groceries. For those who know me, this is considered my own personal form of torture.

I’m glad I waited. The Boy was courteous enough to get barfy sick Tuesday evening. I didn’t even have to go to the store!

So instead of turkey last year, we had chicken noodle soup and Advil.

Fast forward to this year.

We already had turkey two weeks ago, because dammit, I haven’t had turkey in November in two years!

We did go grocery shopping today. The Tuesday before Thanksgiving. I know, I know, it’s a risk, but we’ve got to try.

Plus, The Boy and I made these super cute turkeys as a plea to the Thanksgiving Deities and Lysol Gods:

Glitter Jar Turkeys | MarshMueller Blog

Found on ilovetocreate.com

Okay, Rob totally helped because ‘Ol Pregnancy Brain didn’t understand the directions on adding water and glitter…and it just looked like crappy glitter water-filled jars. He was the voice of reason (as he usually is), and with a small spray of adhesive in the jar, we had glitter-coated jars!

And there was only a small glitter mess…I’d say it was rated Katy Perry on the Glitter Scale (the lightest being a Twinkle in your Eye…Literally, to the heaviest being A Dirty Stripper Glitter Bomb).

So hear us, oh, Thanksgiving Deities and Lysol Gods, let us have a day of Thanks….and turkey….and pumpkin pie….and MST3K Marathons.

Happy Barfgivin–er, Thanksgiving, everyone!