November 22, 2012

Handmade items from RfC readers

I've been really excited to share this post! And since tomorrow is the biggest shopping day of the year, what better time to post this? There are some very talented Runs for Cookies readers out there, and I wanted to let them share their handmade items/home-based businesses. Handmade items make fantastic gifts, because they are always one-of-a-kind. They are usually a little more expensive than you would find in a big store, but the love, care, and time that goes into making these things make them totally worth the money. I hope you enjoy browsing these websites and designs as much as I have!




I'm Sarah, and I make handmade quilts from your favorite t-shirts. These quilts are perfect to keep your memories close and keep you warm, whether it be shirts from your favorite races, t-shirts from school or sports. I have also made several memory quilts with pieces of clothing from a passed loved one.

My quilts are not like traditional t-shirt quilts made by piecing the same size blocks together in rows. I custom cut each shirt in multiple sizes and piece my quilts like a puzzle. I take pride in delivering the best quilt possible - something my customers can be proud to show to friends, family and co-workers and eager to use. You can find details on my website, and check me out on Facebook as well.



Hi all!  My name is Lindsey, and I make fused glass art and gifts in my tiny home studio in Boulder, Colorado.

Working with glass was a hobby for years, and when we moved for my fiancĂ©'s work, I found myself jobless and friendless in a strange new place.  I used my free time to start an Etsy store and practice my craft, and was so surprised when I had my first sale!

I strive to keep my glass business zero-waste, melting even the tiniest of scraps into cute stud earrings, and reusing shipping materials.  I am grateful for the opportunity to share my art with others, and hope each piece brings its new owner the joy I felt while creating it! You can find my designs in my Etsy store, Boulder Design.



Hi, I'm Helen from Vancouver, BC Canada. My little home business Juicybath Soapworks started out as a creative hobby. I had so much fun with it that a few years back I decided to start offering my soap for sale. I have an online shop and I also sell my soap at a few local holiday craft fairs each year.

I make soap from vegetable oils, like olive, palm, coconut and castor. My Oh Baby! line of soaps are 95% olive oil with goat milk. It is a super-gentle soap that's perfect for babies or for problem skin. My regular line of soaps are made with a balanced blend of veggie oils. They are super bubbly with thick, luxurious lather. You'll never go back to commercially made bars or body wash once you have tried handmade soap!

Please visit and Like my shop's Facebook page to see more new product photos.

I'm offering a special coupon code to Katie's blog readers for a limited time. Enter the code  AL6N92  with any order of 3 or more soaps from my online shop before November 30th and get one FREE bar of Oh Baby! Unscented Olive Oil & Goat Milk. Just in time to stock up for holiday gifts! (Free samples are included in every order, too!)



Hi, my name is Liz and I have a little Etsy shop called September Lane.  I started my shop as a way to take my mind off food and weight loss, no joke.  I found that by keeping myself busy and interested in other things I’ve had an easier time staying focused on a healthy lifestyle.  It has worked so far because I have lost 35 pounds with 25 more to go!  I am trying to set a good example for my five boys by showing them that being healthy and productive is a better life.
September Lane is a shop that is all about adding just the right touch to your home, embellishing a gift for a special friend, and creating a keepsake that you will enjoy for years to come.  Everything from September Lane is lovingly handmade and created for your delight.  I have items such as personalized clay eggs in a nest, fun and useful magnets, unique name place holders, decorative clay balls, and personal gift tags.  I hope you find something you like!


I'm Ellen, and I've always had a desire to run my own business.  After college I ventured into many creative jobs:  Mural painter.  Illustrator. Furniture Painter.  Eventually I fell into private home care and that is where I remained for over a decade.

As a result of unforeseen circumstances, my self employment had to come to a close in May of 2012 and at the same time I found myself in need of major surgery.

With a recovery time of 6+ weeks, I found myself inactive for the first time in years.  Thankfully, I had my personal blog to keep me connected to the things and people I cared about, but I also realized that my recovery time was precious; I didn't want to squander it.

My convalescence, at first seen as a hindrance, ended up leading me back to my original love: art.  Once again, the six year old within me began working fast and furious, and my shop on Etsy, Ellen Brenneman Studios, was born.



My name is Jessica and I'm a ceramic artist, graphic designer, and love to experiment with everything in between. I have a love of printing and have a new Etsy shop that I'd like to share with everyone.

I've started with single color black ink prints on a warm, earthy brown card stock. Please come have a look at my hand-carved, hand-printed stationary and be aware that I will be uploading new designs weekly, so check back often!

You can find my designs at Paper Planes & Mud Pies on Etsy.




My name is Misty, and I live in the piney woods of northeast Texas.  It's about an hour drive from Shreveport, Louisiana, and about two hours from Dallas.  All my life I have had a love affair with baking.  (Baking - not cooking - I can bake a cake or make a fabulous creme brulee, but I burn Hamburger Helper every time! My poor husband exists on a diet of mostly cakes, pies, and cookies!)  It started about age 6...I can remember baking my first cake.  Then about age ten I remember setting the oven on fire and learning what a timer was for.

Over the years, thankfully I've gotten much better at my craft! Once I reached high school, friends and family always assumed I would bring the cake when inviting me to showers, birthday parties, etc. And after a while word got out, and about two years ago I decided to set up a website, post some photos, and get busy!  Boy did I ever get busy!  I love what I do, and learning new techniques and tricks.  I wouldn't trade this for anything in the world. You can find me on my website, and also on Facebook.



I still remember my first glitter nail polish. It was 1986 and I was 6 years old. That year my mom made me a Rainbow Bright costume and we were at a Halloween costume store looking for some accessories. I came across a bottle of purple glitter nail polish and begged my parents to buy it for me. They gave in and my love of glitter began.

My name is Jennifer and I am a 31 year old with a not-so-exciting job that allows me to work from home full time. Since most days I don't dress up and put on a full face of make-up I've found that nail polish is an easy low maintenance way to still feel fun and dressed up. I started looking for some super chunky glitter nail polish and after being super disappointed at what I found in the stores, I decided to learn to make my own.

After lots of trial and error I finally came up with the perfect blend of base and found just the right kind of glitter. People started taking notice and asking if I would be willing to sell them the polish and make them their own custom mixture. From there Viva La Glitter was born. Each bottle is jam packed with an assortment of glitter in different shapes, sizes and colors. Custom polishes upon request. Remember: You can never have too much glitter!! I'm hoping that I can bring that same joy to everyone else who wears my polishes.




Hello, everyone. My name is Angelina and I am the owner of Race Junkie Tutus. I started running about a  year ago and it changed my life forever. I was at a low point in my life in regards to my weight and decided to do something about it. I started running. I instantly loved how strong I felt and the way running was transforming my body and washing away all my stress. After a few weeks of running and feeling good about the results, I decided that I needed to challenge myself even further. I signed up for my first 5K Run. I remembering looking around and seeing all the runners. Most were dressed in your basic black and white gear. But the ones who stood out the most, and seemed to have the best energy about them, were the ones with festive costumes and colorful running apparel. Well I was dressed in the basic black and white and blended in with everyone else. When I looked at all the photos after the event, I had trouble finding myself anywhere. However, the runners I saw crossing the finish lines in costumes, hats, and colorful knee high socks, not only looked really happy, but they were easy to spot! 

  After that I decided to design my own Custom Made Tutus and run my next few races in them. I began to instantly get noticed and stood out from the hordes of people dressed in black and white. I guess you can say that’s when a light bulb came on and I decided  to make Tutu's for more runners like me... Race Junkies! I went home and made some samples of my best Tutu designs and opened a home based Etsy shop. The response has been great. I really enjoy working with my customers and helping them design their dream Race Tutu. I can honestly say one my greatest joys is being able to read the excitement from my customers once they open the box and post pictures and compliments via my Facebook page. I remember being a kid and my parents saying to me that 'The real gift at Christmas was watching me open my gifts”. It made zero sense to me then, but I get it now. And besides, shouldn’t every runner look and feel as good as they could when they cross the finish line? Yes, they should.

When I design my Tutus I make sure they are fully handcrafted from American made products. Each Tutu is custom made to fit the individual wearing it and tied in such a way as to not only be big and fluffy, but also super durable. Personally, I think a tutu is perfect for any occasion! I have worn them running, cycling, dancing, and just around the house for fun. For me wearing a tutu to an event just makes sense. We all train hard and its our time to shine, so why not shine in style!

Note: Angelina is offering a discount for Runs for Cookies readers! To get 12% off, use the code COOKIES. 





I'm Mandee, and I make hand sculpted, hand painted polymer clay jewelry. I have lovely sugar skull pendants as well as adorable kawaii-style jewelry.

Everything is handmade with lots of love and attention to detail.You can find my items in my Etsy shop, Killer Kawaii Designs.

12 comments:

  1. Wow! You have some creative and talented readers Katie :)

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  2. Thanks so much, Katie. I can't wait to check out the other artists/crafters!

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  3. Thank you so much for including my shop! There is some really cool stuff up there!!

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  4. I loved visiting these shops - that fused glass art is A.MAZ.ING!! If you ever do a post like this again, I'd love to share my site too!

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  5. Thanks so much Katie. This was so nice of you to do. Little shops need all the help we can get :-)

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  6. So cool. I have always loved to craft. I think it came from my Grandma, always crocheting, knitting, making her own clothes... Paper crafts are my thing now, cards and scrapbooking. It is a GREAT way to keep occupied and out of the kitchen!

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  7. Thank you so much for including me. I look forward to reading your blog everyday- I love it!

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  8. Thanks for including my t-shirt quilts! I really appreciate it. Love reading your blog and keeping up on your progress. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving.

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  9. That R2D2 cake is the best thing ever! Love it.

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  10. Love this post. For about two months now I have been thinking about making a "fat cloths quilt" (all my cloths that are too big for me) but could not find anyone who knew how to quilt. Love this thanks Katie!

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  11. Thanks so much for letting us share our homemade shops with your readers! Really appreciate it!

    -Jessica (Paper Planes & Mud Pies)

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  12. Thanks so much for letting us share our homemade shops with your readers! Really appreciate it!

    -Jessica (Paper Planes & Mud Pies)

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I used to publish ALL comments (even the mean ones) but I recently chose not to publish those. I always welcome constructive comments/criticism, but there is no need for unnecessary rudeness/hate. But please--I love reading what you have to say! (This comment form is super finicky, so I apologize if you're unable to comment)

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