There are crayon rolls from when I used to keep one in every pocket and every bag, moveable alphabets of all sizes and sorts from when I was focused on providing a language-rich hands-on environment, felt sets and bean bags and remade crayons and all kinds of things that little ones love.
We're beyond much of that now. These days my girls mostly ask me for custom clothing and novelty blankets, and many of the handmade items that they want they're fully capable of making for themselves--and they do!
I let all my listings for little ones linger in Pumpkin+Bear for years longer than I needed to, violating my original principle that I made things for sale as I made things for myself and my children, a side hustle that was more an extension of crafting for my family than a business--if I ever quit my day job, it's never to be a full-time artisan!
Anyway, my Girl Scout troop is preparing for a big garage sale fundraiser next month, which means that of course I'm on the hook to go through all my stuff and see what I can stand to get rid of. I was crouching down, digging through crafting supplies and thinking about what I needed for what, and out of the blue I thought, "Huh. I don't actually need felt play set materials or crayon roll materials or play silk materials anymore, other than for Pumpkin+Bear. And what if I didn't actually even need them for Pumpkin+Bear anymore, either?"
Well, I'd have more space, that's for sure. I might have more time to invent creations that I'm more passionate about. I might have time to make and sell some things that are better suited to the tween and teen that I've got now.
So deep breath, because I'm putting everything that I'm no longer going to make on BIG SALE--like 50% off big! When it's gone, it's gone. Here's what's going:
To be fair, Syd DOES still use her vast collection of play silks once in a while, and whenever we're going through our possessions and I ask her if she wants to keep them out or move them into keepsakes, she always wants to keep them out!
Still, it's been years, probably, since she's asked for a new size or different color...
You can tell the things that I've been making so long that I didn't know how to properly photograph them when I started. Also, how long has it been since I've made my children some nursery decor?!? The last thing that I made for the kids' bedroom was embellished picture frames for their Comic Con art purchases...
Fairy Tale Flannel Christmas Stocking--Originally $16.25, Now $8.12
I actually will probably continue making the odd Christmas stocking, particular as the kids' interest change, but regardless, there's no need to buy more fairy tale fabric, not with kids who are much more into Greek myths and post-apocalyptic literature and European history memes.
Since I'm on a roll, I might as well clear out all of my Christmas stocking flannel altogether...
The preschool years really are over, if the kids are no longer playing with their felt boards and asking me for new felt pieces and making and embellishing their very own felt pieces for all of their pretend play.
I love the felt play sets the most, because they're all based on something specific that a kid asked me to create for her at one time.
Do you guys remember when Syd was OBSESSED with rainbows?
Sydney is outgrowing her American Girl dolls WAY faster than I am!
I should have suspected what an artist Syd was growing to be back when she was a toddler and I had to pack crayons and paper or chalk or markers or play dough every time we left the house. I still do that, or rather Syd does it for herself, but now it's generally fashion design notebooks or comic book templates and Prismacolor pencils.
I've tentatively set my sale to run for a full month, and I'll still have most of my supplies through then, so let me know if you've got a custom request.
Right now, though, I've got to get back to sorting stuff for that Girl Scout garage sale...
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