Limited-edition Christmas Thinking Putty! Holiday Lights

We were lucky enough to snag some of the coveted, limited-edition 2013 Christmas Thinking Putty from Crazy Aaron’s. There are two colors: Holiday Lights and Candy Cane.

I’ll blog about Candy Cane tomorrow, but first a look at Holiday Lights. It’s a translucent green putty that glows in the dark. And it’s FULL of glitter. Green, red, and even some holographic gold glitter. Texture-wise it’s a little grittier than most other Thinking Putty, but for me that glitter punch makes it well worth it. SO SPARKLY.

You can buy it on our website here, while supplies last!

Holiday Lights Thinking Putty is packed with green, red and gold glitter. And it glows in the dark!

Holiday Lights Thinking Putty comes in a limited-edition tin.

PS — Thinking Putty is made in the USA!

American-made baby toys from Earnest Efforts: Safe, non-toxic, beautiful rattles

If you know me, you might know I’m a little bit of a snob when it comes to woodworking.  (I blame it up on my upbringing. My dad built furniture at the Anthony Hay shop at Colonial Williamsburg when I was a kid, and now he builds pipe organs at Taylor and Boody near Staunton.)

That’s why I tend to be super picky when it comes to wooden toys, and I really scrutinize ones made by small woodworking shops. If we’re going to sell them, they need to be good. And these hardwood teether/rattles from Earnest Efforts are good. They’re sanded silky-smooth and the glue joints are essentially  invisible. They’re a great size for teething babies to hold and gnaw on, and the rattle sound is excellent (nicer than similar rattles I’ve tested). And the wood selection is cool — they offer familiar options like maple and cherry, plus madrone (a hardwood that grows on the Pacific coast. We don’t see it here on the East Coast very much, so it’s kind of fun!).

If you’re looking for a safe, beautiful, American-made rattle option, these are a fantastic choice! Local customers can find the rattles in our Staunton, Virginia store now, and our online customers can find them here.

Earnest Efforts teething rattles in walnut, Madrone, cherry and maple

Little Sapling teethers are here!

Another American-made option for babies has arrived here at Pufferbellies.

Shop for Little Sapling teethers on our website.

Little Sapling hedgehog teether (image c. Little Sapling)

American-made toys at Pufferbellies: A Wish Come True dress-ups

We were at a toy show in Baltimore a few weeks ago, and it was the end of the last day. We were tired and sort of dazed, and we wandered into the A Wish Come True booth … it was like wandering into fairyland. All our resistance fell away, and we had to get one of everything. Well, almost everything

Now that they’re here in the store, we are even MORE  head-over-heels for these gorgeous dress-ups. AND, they’re made right here in the USA — Bristol, Pennsylvania, to be exact. They have enough poof, sparkle and shine to satisfy pretty much any little princess-wannabe. Plus, they’re beautifully made. Amazing materials, flawless construction, the works. We just know you’re going to love them.

A rack full of puffy, sparkly goodness from A Wish Come True at Pufferbellies

American-made toys at Pufferbellies: Watercolor Magic

After our incredible time making watercolor spray-paint for Crafternoon, I ordered in a big supply of liquid watercolors made by Sargent Art. I was especially excited to get them after I read that liquid watercolors like these are MaryAnn Kohl’s number one most favorite art material! (MaryAnn Kohl is the author of Scribble Art, one of my all-time favorite books about making art with children. And a lot of other amazing books, too.)

We have regular and glitter colors in generous 8oz bottles. Watercolor Magic is washable from most surfaces and made in the USA.

The real name of this color is "Glitter Blue," but we like to call it "Mermaid."

American-made toys at Pufferbellies – felt crowns by Dream Child Studio

Amanda at Dream Child Studio handcrafts these gorgeous crowns from wool-blend felt. They’re soft enough to wear all day, and adjustable to fit many different head sizes — from toddler to “big kid.” The workmanship is really impeccable, and the crowns are even sweeter in person than in the photos. We’re so happy to be working with Amanda and bringing her lovely creations to the little ones of Staunton.

Flower crowns by Dream Child Studio

Felt crowns by Dream Child Studio

American-made toys at Pufferbellies – Mimi the Sardine aprons and bibs

Today the spotlight is on Mimi the Sardine — a small, California-based company that makes THE most charming bibs and aprons for kids (along with a bunch of other cool stuff). They use fabulous Swedish-designed-and-manufactured 100% organic cotton fabrics, and cover them in some sort of non-toxic acrylic coating that I think is almost magical. You can wash and wear and wash and wear and wash some more … the aprons and bibs are practically indestructible, but the coating doesn’t make them overly stiff or plastic-y feeling, so kids won’t rebel against wearing them.

You can check ’em out in our store, or find them on our website.

Mimi the Sardine bibs are made in the USA

American-made toys at Pufferbellies – StarbrightBaby Giraffes

I am smitten with these giraffes! They’re made in Michigan by StarbrightBaby, and they’re just the cutest. 100% cotton, firmly stuffed with hypoallergenic fiberfill. Great teethers for little ones, and friendly companions for toddlers and preschoolers.

StarbrightBaby Giraffes are made in the USA

American-made toys at Pufferbellies – Sunography fabric

Sunography paper at Pufferbellies - made in the USA

So, this is not strictly a toy. But we do sell some not-toy items at Pufferbellies, and this would make a wonderful gift for an artistically inclined teenager or adult. Plus, I’m just so excited about it that I have to share.

You’re probably already familiar with making sun prints on cyanotype paper. But now you can make beautiful sun prints on FABRIC. I have a day off on Sunday and I’m desperate for sunny weather so I can give it a try.

The sunography fabric kit has 6 pieces of cotton fabric in assorted colors, and you can print on the front and the back of each piece. You can stitch or paint over your sun prints, so the artistic possibilities are basically endless.

Here are some beautiful experimentations from flickr user N@din@.

American-made toys at Pufferbellies — DIY Bubble Gum Kit

Who doesn’t love BUBBLE GUM? I’m so glad to have found this excellent, made-in-the-USA bubble gum-making kit from our pals at Copernicus in Charlottesville. It comes with all the tools and ingredients you need to make more than a quarter-pound of bubble gum, which you can flavor any way you like. We recommend this kit for ages 8+, with adult supervision for the microwaving part. Science kits are a great way to get kids and grownups interacting (and learning something new!). The kit also comes with a sheet that has all kind of fun gum facts — I learned the difference between chewing gum and bubble gum, and that bubble gum was invented in 1928. See? We’re totally learning stuff, here.

Copernicus Bubble Gum Kit - made in the USA. YUM!