Monday, December 13, 2010

GIVEAWAY! - MamaRoots!

If you have been following along here for a while then you know it's not a secret that I adore MamaRoots! Not only is the shop fabulous, but Chris is such a wonderful person, mama, and inspiration. She is one of the first blogs I ever read and followed and so many fabulous books and creative ideas of things to do with Zach have come from her world.
Chris's shop always has something original and creative and she's willing to work with customers on their ideas as well. She has a love of monsters and fairies that we share in our home and many of her sweet little monsters are part of Zach's everyday play.

Chris also shares a love of stories -- both written and spoken -- that shines through in her work.
I asked Chris a few questions so you all can get to know her too...

When did you start making toys?
I actually started making toys when my oldest son was a baby. I have been a "maker" my whole life but I felt it finally had a focus and was rooted in when I first became a mama. I created mamaroots and made gifts and toys from fiber- cotton and wool which later evolved into wood. So I have been making toys for about 9 years now and making wood toys for about 3 years. I like to call it the Slow Toy movement!
What inspires you?
My boys inspire me everyday- their energy and love of story. My educational background is in English and Art History and during the day I work at a local bookstore as a book buyer, so books are probably my second most influence in my life. I was an early reader, loved books as a child, and now love discovering them and helping others discover them. Storytelling and books have always been a huge influence in my toy making.
And Chris has an important message about handmade toys:
Sadly many of us small toy makers are still closely watching all the CPSIA stuff- the second government stay will end in Feb 2011 and we will see if they make any amendments. It is so incredibly complicated but basically for wood toy makers, wood is exempt from lead testing unless you add anything to the wood- paints or seals, not matter if you use non-toxic, plant based or not. Otherwise you have to pay very high testing fees- It may force many of us to close or limit our selections- ughhhh. This is a good link:  www.handmadetoyalliance.org/
Chris generously made up this sweet little holiday humbug set pictured above during her busy season for one lucky reader to win. Just visit Chris's shop MamaRoots on etsy and tell me your favorite item past or present (the past ones are addicting to browse!) and leave the comment here between now and Friday morning 8am EST. Please become a fan on Facebook as well and tell me about it here for an extra chance to win. I will pick one comment at random and announce the winner Friday night.

COMMENTS CLOSED -- I will post the winnter tonight!


Thank you MamaRoots!

68 comments:

Willew said...

I was just browsing there the other day. I love the reindeer set that she made. Thanks for the giveaway!

sarah in the woods said...

I like Conkers the wood elf. Lovely giveaway!

Shanda said...

I love all her toys, especially the monsters. Little Red, Patchy, and the oh so many others!

lemontreelane said...

I totally love all of those muchrooms!

eidolons said...

My favorite item from her shop (and let me tell you, it's really hard to pick just one!) is the Howl's Moving Castle door with Calcifer - because my wonderful husband bought it for me! (:

Bethany said...

Such cute things! I love the little Jack Frost book for the little boy in my life named Jack!

Bethany said...

I am a FB fan!

Mama_Amethyst said...

We like conkers! He is so cute! We love mamaroots-and cherish Chris! Thanks for the giveaway!

Mama_Amethyst said...

FB fan!

Tricia said...

My favorites are the inuit people, I really wish I snatched them up last year when they were just sitting in her shop!

Thanks for the giveaway

KlaraM said...

Love it! All the mushrooms are my favorite!! I'm about to become a fan on FB...Thanks for the giveaway

juli fields said...

we love the wooden stamps, we love your blog, it is my daughters favorite

Kara H. said...

Oh my, I think I'm in love! Thank you so much for introducing us to her site and her shop! I have a feeling I'll be spending a lot of time at both those places. My favorite things are the little wooden monsters. They are so adorable!

I also just became a fan on facebook. I'm looking forward to getting to know mamaroots.

Elizabeth said...

Oh my what lovely items. I couldn't pick just one favorite. But some of the top would be Father Frost, Advent Elf, Three Sisters(I have 3 daughters), and the Blueberry King. Thank you for the introduction to a beautiful shop.

Blessings, Elizabeth

mb said...

i've been following mamaroots for a while now (probably heard of her through you....) and think i'm going to have to indulge for solstice. quinn is super duper into mice right now, and the geraldine-and-flute set, and the amos-and-boris set, are super cute!

gardenmama said...

*LOVELOVELOVE* Mama Roots!!
I have always been in love with her amanita mushrooms! Her spirit is lovely and her story telling through her toys is incredible! I would be over the moon to win something so meaningful! Thank you Cindy and Chris for the chance : )

Taylea Smith said...

Love them all!

kate of here we are together said...

Oh how fun!
Did you spot the giveaway over at my place?
I'm in the UK, but I would love a chance to win this!
Much love
Kate

momma rae said...

i just love chris and her adorable creations. she is such a talented and beautiful mama! how nice that you featured her here. i own conkers and LOVE him. i just ordered a tomten for my son. he is going to love him, too. ;)

Anonymous said...

Gosh...I spent a looooooong time looking! My faves are actually some of the things you posted pics of. I also like the fall snail and anything like the tokens made out of well-sanded wood circles :-)

Christa said...

Love mamaroots blog and shop! She has such great ideas that I "steal" all the time. I'm loving this humbug so much right now. I'm also a FB fan! Thank you both so much.

Annie Cohn said...

I am so in love with the amos and boris set! I just love that book. Thanks for introducing me to Chris's work and shop.

Emily Cole said...

I love those stamps! The humbug is SO cute!!!

Tabatha D said...

I love mamaroots, all her stuff is amazing. I have to say my favorite item is the little frog...we had to have one!

onegoldensun said...

I love all of mamaroots' work! It is so awesome. My personal fave are the tortoro characters, because that is my most loved kids' film. happy holidays!

Lee said...

The Christmas gnome is our current favorite.

Lee said...

FB fan

Stacy said...

What a sweet giveaway -- such a neat holiday set! The humbug is adorable! We love ALL of mamaroots' items on Etsy, but our favorites are the journals, the winter dice sets, and anything with woodland creatures (like squirrels, racoons!) My girls adore squirrels especially :)

Thank you for a fantastic blog, and for supporting a great crafter!

Stacy said...

We're also fans on Facebook of MamaRoots! Do you have a Facebook page too?

Lori said...

Bibo is my favorite!

Red Charlotte said...

I like Bibo the monster!

Red Charlotte said...

'Liked' on Facebook too!

Rhiann said...

Love Mamaroots!!

It's hard to pick a favorite but I think I'll go with the Winter Story Dice because it's so inspiring. But I just can't help but love Bibo, with his full Spanish name! <3

Thanks for the opportunity to win!

Rhiann said...

Fanned on FB too!

Rachel Fee-Prince said...

The various manifestation of Three Sisters are definitely my favorite!

Rachel Fee-Prince said...

I'm a fan on FB, too!

Rjabinnik said...

The whole shop isfull of wonderful pieces... But "Rudolph and Clarice" are my favourites...

The whole my family loves Mamaroots! She is not only one of our TopTen Etsy sellers, but also most inspirative and important creators in the handmade world...
Thanks for this great Giveaway and promoting Mamaroots...

Also "liked" on FaceBook.

Sandra said...

Oh, I like father Frost.

Linda said...

Oh, I love her stuff and have been trying to win something from her for ages! Maybe this time! :)
I love all her items but the candle holding monsters are adorable {and they can hold flowers etc. at other times - love that}
Thanks for the giveaway and I have a feeling I'll be reading your blog top to bottom soon.
Thanks!
cokelush at gmail

Sandra said...

And I am already fun on FB :)

Linda said...

I'm a fb fan.
Robin P-K are my initiials.
Thanks!
cokelush at gmail

Anonymous said...

Father Frost is nice. Though I've wanted King Winter for some time. All so lovely! nancywalters44@hotmail.com

ellen said...

I love Chris too- we play with her alphabet dice all the time. The wood elf is my current shop favorite, and of course I'm off to facebook her shop. Thanks for such a great giveaway, Cindy! Your Hannukah candles were so goshdarn beautiful, btw.

Happiness is... said...

Oh Cindy -

I have admired MamaRoots now for years, seeing what you have bought Zach. I love too much. The monster surprise balls are awesome; and the story blocks. Oh!!! I cannot wait to get figurines with matching stamps and little books.

Really, she's nutter talented.

Off to "like" her on FB...

GN. Sleep Tight.

-Super Jen

Happiness is... said...

Count my second chance. She's officially a like on my FB. I really cannot wait to get Grey and some other friends some monsters and adorable toys!

Once again, GN! XO

Super Jen

moment to moment said...

I absolutely love little Conkers the wood elf, and he has been on my list for a while..

moment to moment said...

she is now a like on Facebook, thanks for this lovely giveaway!

lgrossman27@yahoo.com said...

I love everything on her site! Especially the wooden animals and gnomes!

lgrossman27@yahoo.com said...

Liked on Facebook, thanks!!

Anonymous said...

What a great shop, and a great artist!

Jaclyn said...

My favorite things are the Save, Spend, Give jar tags.

I also "like" MamaRoots on FB!

Love everything she has....so hard to choose.

The Salty Dogs said...

Too cute! I'm equally smitten with the Nessie (or "Chessie, around here") candle holder and the deer yarn surprise ball (a past item.) Following them on FB now.

mare said...

thanks for the chance, i love this blog & shop!

mare - curiousmare at hotmail

mare said...

just hit fan on facebook!!

mare - curiousmare at hotmail

Kelly said...

I discovered MamaRoots through your blog a couple of years ago, and I love to window shop her Etsy store. I've had Conkers on my boys' wishlist for awhile now, and I love her original Elias and the Tree Stairs story. I've also long wanted a Hojo the birthday dragon for my boys! As a frugal mama and my family's sole provider, I haven't yet bought anything though. Someday!! Thanks for supporting a gifted artist, and thank you for sharing your life in your blog!

kendra said...

ooo, i really like the little people. elves andgnomes. the animals are also adorable.

kendra said...

i'm a fan!

kelly said...

I *love* the nessie candle holder. We used to live in Scotland, and spent many, many hours scouring the banks of various Lochs looking for monsters.

I also love Bibo - what's not to love!?

Open Roads Mama said...

I just love the Story Dice - so beautiful AND such a great idea!!! All her little sweet toys are just lovely!

Anonymous said...

I am now a MamaRoots FB fan :-)

Susanna Joy said...

Story dice rule! :) So do the stewardship (spend, save, give) tags. Wow. iked her on FB. :)

Brooke said...

There are too many we love to pick a favourite! How ever I have already placed a custom order of the reindeer set for next Christmas so I will say that is my fav! We love our pumpkins and ghosts on a fence for songs and stories as well as both books Chris has written and illustrated. She is a very talentated, creative, loving mama and we love her too! We love your blog as well. Thanks for hosting such a great giveaway. Of course I'd love to win another mamaroots gift but if someone who doesn't know who she is were to win that would make me extra happy....have to share the love and make another addict :)

Krista H said...

i love the starchildren! gorgeous..

pulchrabliss at hotmail dot com

Tonya Gunn said...

Everything is wonderful, but journals are a favorite in our home (especially new ones full of possibilities).
thank you for this generous giveaway.

Whirlwind Woman said...

Trying to pick a favorite of Chris's toys is like trying to pick a favorite star! We own a few of her toys now, but I was sad when I missed Rudolph and Clarice. I love old Befana. But I think the one that I would love the most to have would be one of her Three Sisters sets. It's all beautiful work!

Domestic Diva said...

Geraldine and her Flute is fabulous!

carly garner said...

that storydice and wee journal to capture what rolls out is so so so marvellous! definitely my favorite.

Anonymous said...

The wooden Totoro and friends are my favourite. Sooo cute! I also love the Whoo Knows marble towers.

j_momof2 at hotmail dot com

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