So I’ve decided I MUST clear out some of the clutter in my office. As a result I’ve listed some great new sample sale items… and many more to come in the near future!

English Bulldog set ($22). Size 6 months.

Wiener dog onesie and burp cloth set ($24). Size 0-3 months.

Wiener dog onesie and pant set ($24). Size 3 months.

Great Dane onesie ($22). Size 3 months.

Wiener dog onesie ($16). Size 6 months.

I’ve also listed a coupon code on Facebook so go on out and become a fan to save even more!

While I promise not to rejoin the living only to turn this into yet another baby or mommy blog, I will share with you a few of my absolute favorite handmade baby items.

One of the first things I bought when I discovered I was having a boy was this handmade pinwheel mobile (“Ties and Dress Shirts” pattern) from Dosta Beba on Etsy.

It is so well made and Oliver absolutely loves it. Each pinwheel is just perfect and it was shipped with loving care – not a dent or a scratch anywhere on the mobile.

I am also madly in love with these burp cloths from Punkin Junction on Etsy:

I will admit that I have purchased at least five sets (or is it six?) for Oliver and it’s not too many for my messy baby. They are very absorbent and if you’re anal retentive like me, you will appreciate how easily they fold up into neat little bundles

This hat is just too precious for words:

It’s from HuggaBeans on Etsy and at $8 it’s a steal for handmade loveliness. Oliver wore this hat in the hospital and I was so sad the day he outgrew it.

Speaking of hats this tangerine and turquoise pixie hat is one of my favorites, too:

It’s from Deusprovidebit on Etsy and the quality is just outstanding.

I swear every time I buy something handmade and it arrives better than I even imagined it to be, I am amazed at the number of talented people in this world. And the value for the quality of goods is just amazing, too. So buy handmade!

I’ve been busy! Meet the other Oliver!

I’m thrilled to announce the birth of our precious son, Oliver Edward Hodgson! He arrived on October 22 and we’re madly in love!

We’re also pretty busy tending to his every need. This whole parenthood thing is no joke!

I’m so jealous of the snow that has hit so many of my East Coast friends… even those in the deep South! We’ve had to settle for gloomy cold weather here in Austin but no snow, I’m afraid. It’s been a relaxing weekend and I’ve managed to get a lot done and sleep in (my favorite weekend pastime). I’ve been working on moving everything over to the new Etsy shop and so far, so good. I’ve uploaded a few new products and I love these new bib sets:

Weiener dog bodysuit and Dressy Drooler bib set ($32):

Wiener dog 3-piece gift set in breeze lei floral print ($36):

Lab bodysuit and Dressy Drooler bib set ($30):

I’ve got some new stationery products to photograph and upload as well. Not sure I’ll get around to it considering the laundry, nap and hours of Grammy Awards and red carpet pre-show coverage that await me…

So I’ve obviously had a lot going on lately and I am doing my best to take it all in stride and embrace the change. So far it’s going well but it never hurts to remind myself to look on the bright side. What better way than these fun prints from around Etsy?

Bright Sunshiny Day by Farouche ($30).

Do What you Love 8×8 by Happy Times Co ($18).

Let the Sun Shine in Screenprinted poster by Slide Sideways ($28).

A Quiet Calm print by Blue Bicicletta ($20).

The World is Amazing and So Are You print by The Love Shop ($18).

Custom Sunshine Print by Nella Designs ($19.5).

To Make Plans by Janny Pie ($8).

What Enlightenment Means by Nector Girl ($29).

Eames Typographic Print by Blue Sky Clouds ($8.5).

Letterpress Friendship card by Sycamore Street Press ($4).

Do One Thing Every Day…print by Popcorny ($38).

Make Something Good Today by Please Be Still ($40).

Retro Letters Collage Poster by Green Nest ($14).

You Me and Our Garden 2009 by Me and Mac ($200).

Welcome to the new site! As you can see I’ve been gone for a while and busy with lots of changes around here. Last fall I discovered that it would be necessary to change my company name in order to file for proper trademark protection for my products and business. I’ve learned many things through this journey of BellaBlu designs and now Oliver Blu designs…which I plan to share with you in a future post…but perhaps above all else I’ve learned that you’ve got to be ready to tackle what is thrown your way. And inevitably, things will be thrown your way (and usually at the most inopportune times).

So change is upon us and I am so very excited and proud of my new identity and my new site. Once again I’m working with the fabulous Jenny Medford of Websy Daisy here in Austin and I could not be more thrilled with the way everything is shaping up. I’m still working on the online shop portion of the site and hope to have more products listed in the coming weeks. Hopefully this will be an easier alternative to Etsy for those of you not familiar with the site or adverse to registering for yet another account.

I have also been busy moving my Etsy shop over to the new location and I’ve got a few Valentines listed if you’re feeling amorous. Don’t forget that Valentine’s Day is just around the corner so get ready to spread some puppy love!

As always, I can customize with any breed or combination of breeds so give me a shout if you don’t see what you’re looking for.

Thanks for finding me here on the new blog and check back to see how the site takes shape as everything is finalized.

I am so excited for all of the changes in store for 2010!

Happy Labor Day weekend! It’s been a laborious weekend around here but I feel very accomplished. We finally got to the store to pick out a new mattress and box spring on Friday and it was delivered last night. For two people who love to sleep as much as we do, it’s a crying shame we went soooo long before replacing our old set which had to have been at least 18 years old. It was a hand-me-down about 10 years ago from my Aunt Shelley and it was well past its prime. So we replaced it with a new pillow top set and I am pleased to report it was a great night’s sleep. The only down side is that I am going to have to get one of those little doggy ladders for the cats because this one is about 10 inches higher than the old set. Old creeky bones Stitch is having a hard time hurling his 17 pounds over the edge!

I am also in the process of doing some serious de-cluttering around here. When I was in Atlanta last month I got lots of new fabrics so I plan to list some new items in the shop – like this new bulldog onesie and burpcloth set:

I also hope to have the start of my (gulp) holiday items up in the shop over the next couple of weeks. I designed my gift tags last night and am going to start on cards today/tomorrow. I can’t believe it’s still Africa-hot here and I am thinking about Christmas stuff… but if I don’t do it now it will never happen. So stay tuned for some fresh, new holiday goodies coming soon! Enjoy the long weekend.

I’ve been hard at work on some new invitation designs — check ‘em! So far I’ve listed the bunny hop invites in chocolate, tropical green and aqua. More to come!

Happy Hump Day!

I have several pregnant friends at the moment and I’ve been shopping around for gifts. I just can’t get enough of all of the adorable handmade baby shoes on Etsy. Some of these are rather intricate designs — precious!

Violets are Blue – Brown Damask Mary Janes by Gracious May ($30.99:

Organic Baby Boots. Leaf Green by Infusion ($34):

Red Barn Daisy – Baby booties mary janes by Barr-etzz ($23.50):

Lavender Green Tea Baby Booties by Pleasantly Plump Knits ($25):

Soft felted wool baby shoes/slippers by Katt Paws ($14):

Wool Baby slippers, Blue by Handknit Hugs ($16):