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Child’s Own Studio is Seeking Softie Makers

February 17, 2012 by Amanda Formaro

I have something really cool to share with you. I almost didn’t because in a post on the 7th the site owner begged for mercy and asked for no more pinning and blog features, at least until she could get caught up on email requests! But then on the 13th she put out a request for help, from crafty people who would like to join her in making some of the coolest softie toys I’ve ever seen. She (I keep calling her ‘she’ because I couldn’t find her name on the site) takes a child’s drawing and turns that drawing into a softie. Genius.

When my now 19 year old son was in first grade he drew a colorful face with lots of fun features. I took that picture and painted it onto a glass jar. He still uses it TODAY to hold pens and pencils. My point? Excellent keepsake that he has cherished for almost 14 years now.

These softies have been all over Pinterest and blogged about in several places. I’m here to tell you that she needs help! So if you sew and are looking to be a part of this exploding enterprise, go to Child s Own Studio and click on the tab “The Other Talented Softie Makers”.

Warning though. Once you start looking at all of these fun and totally amazing creations you’ll be there a while. And you thought Pinterest was a time suck! 😉

Related Posts:

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Comments

  1. Kimberly says

    February 18, 2012 at 8:43 pm

    WOW! This is completely AWESOME! Wish I could sew! 🙂

    • Amanda Formaro says

      February 21, 2012 at 4:26 pm

      I know, I thought the same thing 🙂

  2. Sarah @ Dolls And Daydreams says

    February 20, 2012 at 10:49 pm

    too cute! Love them … what a wonderful idea xxx

  3. Monica H says

    February 21, 2012 at 2:21 am

    This is one of the coolest ideas I have seen in a long time

  4. Sheilagh says

    February 21, 2012 at 2:40 am

    a simple but brilliant idea, and beautifully executed! – thanks for bringing it to our attention. I think the lady’s name must be Wendy Tsao, as that’s who’s copyrighted the images on the information page 🙂

  5. Karen Mead says

    March 19, 2012 at 6:41 am

    This is the most fantastic thing I think I have ever seen. I love this and I want to have her do this for my grandsons.

  6. sam says

    May 21, 2013 at 7:13 pm

    who do i contact to order?

    • Amanda Formaro says

      May 27, 2013 at 8:27 am

      Follow the link in this post and you can ask from there.

Have you read?

How To Hide Ugly Outdoor Hose Pipes

garden-hose-how-to-hide-ugly-easy.png

Okay, let’s be real—nothing ruins a zen garden vibe faster than a neon-green hose sprawled across your patio like a drunk caterpillar. I learned this the hard way when my mother-in-law visited and politely asked, “Is your hose… part of the decor?” Cue my frantic Googling of “how to hide garden hose without looking like a weirdo.”

After testing a ridiculous number of solutions (including a failed attempt to disguise one as a “rustic clothesline”), here are the best tricks that actually work—no landscaping degree required.

1. The “Lazy Gardener’s Best Friend”: Hose Pots

Perfect if: You want something cute that takes 2 minutes to set up.

I grabbed this simple hose pot from Amazon last summer, and it’s been a game-changer. It looks like a giant planter but secretly swallows 100 feet of hose. Pro tip: Skip the cheap plastic ones—they crack faster than my resolve to “water the plants daily.”

 

2. The Ninja Move: Fake Rock Cover

Perfect if: You want your hose to pull a Mission: Impossible disappearing act.

I was skeptical, but this hollow fake rock from Amazon actually works. Just plop it over your coiled hose, and boom—instant “rock garden.” Warning: It’s lightweight, so toss a brick inside if you live somewhere windy (learned that after mine rolled into the neighbor’s yard).

3. The “Why Didn’t I Do This Sooner?” Wall Reel

Perfect if: You’re tired of tripping over hose loops.

I splurged on a  wall-mounted reel, and now my hose lives neatly coiled off the ground like a civilized garden tool. Key hack: Mount it at elbow height—unless you enjoy awkwardly squatting to reel it in.

4. Mother Nature’s Camouflage: Let Plants Do the Work

Perfect if: You’re cheap and patient (my spirit animal).

I trained creeping thyme to sprawl over my hose along the garden edge. Other great options:

  • Ornamental grasses (they’re basically nature’s curtain)
  • Hydrangeas (big, bushy, and great at hiding sins)

Avoid roses—hoses + thorns = a bad time.

5. The Sneaky Twofer: DIY Hose Bench

Perfect if: You need seating and storage.

I repurposed an old wooden storage bench by drilling a hole near the spigot. Now my hose lives inside, and I have a place to sit while pretending to weed.

What Not to Do (Trust Me)

 Burying a regular hose (it’ll kink and die a slow death).

 Using PVC pipes (they crack faster than my patience with squirrels).
 Letting it bake in the sun (UV rays turn hoses into brittle spaghetti).

So… Which One’s Right for You?

SolutionCostEffortBest For
Hose Pot$2/10Renters, small spaces
Fake Rock$$4/10Ninja-level hiding
Wall Reel$$6/10Frequent hose-users
Plant Cover$8/10Eco-warriors
DIY Bench$$5/10Overachievers

Your Turn!
Which hack are you trying? (Or do you have a better one? Spill your secrets—my hose is still judging me.)

Need more inspo? Check out:

  • Good Housekeeping’s reel roundup

P.S. If you spot my runaway fake rock in Ohio, let me know. 🌱

 

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