100 etsy sales!!!

Today, I got my 100 th sale!

It may be small, but it's just the beginning. I have more imaginations to spark! More playscapes to see. More...more...more!

www.mybigworld2015.etsy. com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Woodland Pond Playscape Play Mat

Okay, I am not going to lie.
This one took a while.
A looong while.
6+ hours.
100s of hand-stitched stitches.
So many details.
I had Oliver, my almost 5 year nephew, in mind when I dreamed this one up.
Cattails and snails and puppy dog tails and all that.
I worked with materials I had never work with before and took my playscapes to new heights - literally. This one is 3 dimensional.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

All hand stitched

I have made several versions of this Hollow Log Playscape. Well, 3 or 4. I space them out, because I KNOW that each one takes 6+ hours to make. 100s of tiny stitches - all by hand. #handmade

I have one cut out and ready to make. I just have to talk myself into it.

Until it's ready, see all my playscapes and Imagination Kits in my etsy shop at
www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Nocturnal Animals Imagination Kit

Are your kiddos curious about nocturnal animals? This imagination kit will spark their interests. Best of all, they will be learning while they play!

www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

What is an Imagination Kit?

Simply put, an Imagination Kit is a collection of items - a couple of toys, items from Nature, and a play mat - to engage your child, spark their imagination, and encourage creative play.

Play is important. Imaginative play develops and strengthens language skills, storytelling, creative thinking, role playing, and more! If you are play alongside your child, Imagination Kits also promote strong bonds and communication skills with your child and...it's fun!

Immerse yourself in the whimsical small world play. Make up stories together. Laugh. Be silly. Or send as a gift to that special kiddo in your life.

I am the first one on #etsy to offer this concept. My background is early childhood education. Creating imaginative play was the basis for creating these Imagination Kits.

Too often kids sit in front of a tv or video game or DVD. Let's exercise their imagination. Let's remember how to PLAY and entertain ourselves. Let's make up our own stories and invent new fairytales!

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Mini DIY Unicorn Terrarium

Okay, doesn't this look magical?

Today, I am making up some mini terrarium DIY kits for my etsy shop. This unicorn one Will be listed soon.

Wouldn't this be fun to make at a fairy or princess party? Maybe as a favor or take home craft. Contact me through etsy for bulk ordering for a party.

www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

TI am notorious for sending fun mail to my nieces and nephews. This is the kind of thing I would send to them. Or a grandparent Could send it to their grandchild or make it with them when they visit. It's all about carving out fun, creative time together.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

I love Fall

I do. I really do. I love Fall. Someone once said that Fall is the second Spring All of the trees are bursting with a fabulous new color palette. The world seems to slow down and take notice of Nature's changes.

I have a new Fall Forest Imagination Kit in my etsy shop now, so your kiddos Imagination can be as colorful as the Autumn foliage.

www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

FREE shipping this week!

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

FREE shipping this weekend

Go to www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

All Playscapes and Imagination Kits Have FREE shipping this weekend Sept. 11 - 13 2015.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Cityscape Play Mat Playscape

My nephew Oliver turns 5 soon. He is all boy. Cars and trucks and dirt and mud. I had him in mind when I created this city play mat.

It's different from what I typically do, but you can see that I did it. It has so many details and is all hand-stitched.

See it at www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Stay Curious

College Visits

I think it was yesterday that my youngest daughter was a terrible two year old, pulling laundry out of the basket and dragging it down the hallway every five minutes.
Today, she is a senior and planning college visits. What? How did that happen? You snicker, but just you wait. Time passes by so fast in that time we call childhood.
I am looking forward to the college visit though. Road trip!
Can't wait to see Michigan in the fall.
They grow up too fast.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Math charts with a toddler

Roo loves to count.
She asks to count.
So...we count.
We count a.lot.
That's good - really good.
Her first experiences with math are positive ones. She is excited about her early math experiences. But she doesn't know it's math. She just thinks it's fun. That's what learning should be.
We made this simple graph with numbers. I modeled how to do it correctly on the first try. The second time, she helped me. But the third time, she was doing it on her own!
Math and fun - yep, they can go hand in hand.
Have a fun and playful day
Mel

love

love by melanieshanks featuring romantic home decor

Romantic home decor
etsy.com

All Imagination Kits now $20

See all imagination Kits in my etsy shop

www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Birch Forest Birthday Party Imagination Kit

Just listed (like minutes ago!) this whimsical small world play kit. The play possibilities are endless. Everything you need to create This magical play mat is included in the kit.
Check it out at

www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

How much whimsy is packed into this little Imagination Kit? The answer...tons! Everything pictured here comes in the kit - trees, animals, gnomes, mushrooms, gems, garden. The Imagination Kit is $23 + $4 shipping but oh, the play possibilities are endless.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Red Mushrooms

I spent a good portion of yesterday painting red mushrooms in various sizes. I have them in my etsy shop in different capacities. Some are in a group of 12 - perfect addition to fantasy or fairy play or party decor. Some are part of the Imagination Kits. It was a relaxing way to spend some of my Saturday. More Imagination Kits today! It's more play than work.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Bear and Blue are cooking

Bear and Blue are best friends. They live to cook together. Blue likes to cook. Bear likes to lick the spoon and do dishes. They make a good team.

This is just one play possibility your kiddos might come up with when playing with my Imagination Kits.

See all my imagination play items at www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Tinkerbell and Friends Tinkering Around Imagination Kit

Look at all the fun stuff that comes in this imagination kit. 3 fairies, tree, pinecones, acorns, mini mirror, moss rock, buttons, ticket, beads, flowers, etc. Your child's imagination will run wild with this kit. Check out all my imagination play items at www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Woodland Tinkerbell and Friends Imagination Kit

This was the most fun - putting this imagination kit together. I have been collecting tinker fairy teeny tiny stuff for a long time. Now, it's finally time to put together some amazing imagination kits.

Everything you need to make this whimsical small world play is included in this kit. Check it out.

www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Bear and Blue Treasure Hunt Imagination Kit

Just listed today in my etsy shop is this Bear and Blue Treasure Hunt Imagination Kit. Everything you need to make This whimsical small world play is included in this kit.

www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Bear and Blue Treasure Hunt

Bear and Blue are best friends. They do everything together. Today, it seems, Blue has talked Bear into going on a treasure hunt.

Bear carefully studies the map, while Blue gathers the necessary tools. They are a good team like that.

You'll have to stay tuned to see if Bear and Blue found any treasure.

These are the kinds of storylines that kiddos can play out with my Imagination Kits found in my etsy shop. See all at

www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Small World Play - Polar Play Imagination Kit

This morning, I added a Polar Play Imagination Kit to my etsy shop

www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

This imagination kit comes with everything you need to make this whimsical small world. I am the LAST person who wants to think about winter, but...my nanny girls love to play with polar bears and penguin all year round! Even in August :)

Check out all my imagination play items in my etsy shop.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Custom order

Yesterday, I received an order from an aunt and uncle sending a terrarium to their birthday girl niece out of state. They requested that I gift wrap it and send a card along. I was happy to do it!

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Map themed bridal shower

Sweet reviews about my etsy shop

See more at
www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

Happy September

Tis the season to build a campfire and roast marshmallows and tell stories. I love Fall for that very reason.

I made this teepee Playscape Play Mat yesterday. It is now listed in my etsy shop. A big blue lake, whimsical garden, campfire, and (movable) teepee are all set on an approximately 12x18 Wool Felt play mat - all hand-stitched.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel