justbaby.us

 

After six wonderful, glorious, fun-filled years, we closed the brick and mortar shop.  **sigh**  First, six years went by really, really fast.  And on the other hand, a lot of life happened in those six years.  The boys grew up, my dad passed, my mom moved in.  And through it all, we had Just Baby to give the continuity to life.  How lucky we have been to do what we love, every single day of those six years.

But the times be a-changin' people and Just Baby is a-changin' along with it!  Welcome to the electronic age!  Yes, I'm a little slow cuz, geez, I'm not a teenager!  But here I am taking the big plunge and going online... only!  Cyberspace!  Web!  E-Commerce!  Clicking! Surfing!  It's the wave of the future.  No, it's the wave, no future about it.  It's here and personally, I've been click shopping for a looooong time.  I'm an expert on online shopping as a consumer.  Time to join the party.

Make no mistake, we've had the online shop for 5 of the 6 years we've been in business, but never with the attention that it deserves.  So now it's 100% focus, detail and attention which will make a better shopping experience for our wonderful audience.  

Couple of cool things because of the change.  A.  I can lower prices!  For real!  The overhead is no longer there and it's always bugged me that people pay more for baby clothes than they do for their own clothes!  No longer.  Expect lower than MSRP on what we offer.  Yea!  Because we can!

B.  More time available to create our own, wonderful, justbaby.us designs!  Independent baby shops are a dying industry and more and more is just Big Box.  Ew, sameness.  It's hard to find unique things.  And babies are unique!  Baby stuff should be unique!  And we really like being able to create our one-of-a-kinds for your one-of-a-kind!   And now we can do more!  We are excited, can you tell?!?

So there it is!  A huge change and, hopefully, for the better.  Stay tuned for specials and sales and more justbaby.us.  And thank you for your support, patronage, and friendship.   Here's to a new future and we hope you come with us!  Shop at www.justbaby.us  See you there!

Enjoy your day!

Mom & Jen

Something Old, Something New Two

 The second of the Christening Gowns made from the Grandmother's wedding dress!

It was a magnificent dress but I think you can tell from the exquisite lace and embroidery incorporated in the christening gown.

Mrs. Suzie B had express wishes for her grandson's christening gown (see previous blog) but for the granddaughter-to-be's gown?  Carte blanche!  Two of the most beautiful words that any artist loves to hear!
I said 'embellished? over the top?' and Suzie shook her head YES...go for it!

Sooooo exciting!

 I was able to cut the body of both gowns out of the train and underlying fabric.  Just!  There was just enough fabric for two christening gowns - who woulda thought?!?   The photo on the right, above, shows the gown in two pieces, bodice and skirt.  Taking it apart was not painful because mom took it apart as it was stitched.  Goodness knows, we have taken stitches out on numerous occasions for boo-boo's, so this was easy.

 I used the center overlay from the front skirt of the dress for the center of the front skirt on the gown.  The overlay fit quite well and the majority of the sewn lace was able to be used.  However, I had to remove a big quantity of lace from the wedding dress in order to sew it around the waist of the gown.  Removing lace from netting is not fun.  Soooo time consuming and careful work.  It was hard to see!

 I also used a bit of the lace removed to adorn the sleeve.  Being a puff sleeve, the design was just perfect to show off on the puff.  Even better, I was able to remove the net lace bodice front from the dress and the button back with netting, and tailor it to fit the infant gown.  It was meant to be.  That should not have happened, that should not have fit, that should not have worked.  But it did.  Amazing!  Perfect!  What a giggle:-)

And this, my friends, was the hardest cut.  This was the first cut into the beautiful wedding dress overskirt to embellish the front the of the christening gown.  It's a funny thing.  This cut was 'ruining the gown'.  However.  Once this cut was made and the piece removed, I turned into a cannible, drooling over all this gorgeous fabric and lace wondering 'what else (drool).  what else can I remove from this and use (drool and slobber)'.

And then, ta da!, the end result.  One spectacularly gorgeous Christening gown for one spectacularly gorgeous baby.  Someday. And, hopefully, both gowns will be worn by many, many Baby "B's" in the years to come.  

Enjoy your day,

Mom & Jenny

Something Old, Something New

I have always said that we are in the most joyful business

ever.  And we have the most wonderful customers as well.  And one of my most creative challenges came from one of our lovely customers, Suzie B.  

Suzi brought in her wedding gown, worn 34 years prior, and asked to have two christening gowns created from it - one for her grandson, whom she will be welcoming in October, and one for the girl that will be.  Someday.

Oh. What. Fun.

Except for actually cutting into the most beautiful gown I've ever seen.   But I'll get to that.

And so, ta da!  The little lady's on the right, the young man's below.  Wow.

My goal was to incorporate the wedding dress into each gown.  The girl gown was mentally easier because, well, lace, pearls, netting, embroidery, okay.  The boy gown was a bit more difficult.  Suzie envisioned a simple gown with a smocked bodice, pin tucks  and an embroidered cross.  Challenge given! 

I used the fabric from the train for both gowns - just enough.  Believe that?  Just.  I turned over the front of the boy gown to mom, who pleated and smocked the bodice.  I think it took her about 6 hours to smock - could be a world record.  And it's tiny.  Tiny little diamonds.  Perfect!

The design came together on it's own.  As a boy gown, the collar and sleeve cuff were piped, as was the bodice.  I could not fit a proper cross on the bodice so it was embroidered on each sleeve, which really showed off the design.  I put the belt in the back to make the gown even more masculine and used the buttons from Grandma's dress.  Pin tucks added, all good.  But it needed something more from the dress to bring a bit more of the history in.  Aha!  I cut the bottom pleated edge down from 4 inches deep to 1 1/2 and added it to the bottom of the gown.  A little bit more tailored looking than the deep 4 inches, but in it's own way, it matches the girl's gown AND Grandma's dress.  Yea!

Okay.  Gown No. 1.  Gown No. 2 in the next blog!  With pretty pictures:-)

Make it a good day!

Mom & Jenny

Life's a Beach!

I just had a lady call and ask if we "had anything 'beachy', whales or sand or something?  Something that makes you think of the beach".  Yes, I said with happy confidence!  Because every year we go out of our way to buy beachy, cuz we're at the beach!   It's a nice place to be even though it includes fog, which makes it chilly.  And you can really tell who the tourists are because they're in shorts and sandals and really, really cold!  But we beach people know that sweaters and sweatshirts are a summertime requirement!  

These lovely, classic sweaters come from Elegant Baby, who makes, um, elegant baby clothes.  Classic, seersucker, pale colors.  My favorite style for little ones.  

Both of these sweaters are made of the softest, lightweight cotton.  Mmmmmm, yummy.  Not too heavy, not too light.  Perfect for summer.  Match 'em up with jeans, shorts or a pretty dress under her cardigan.  Done!  









But don't forget a hat!

So grab your sweater, and your hat and 

ENJOY yourself!

Make it a great day,

Jen & Mom

May Flowers!

Smocked Rosebud Dress

April Showers bring May Flowers, and while our California showers were woefully scarce, our May Flowers have arrived in an abundance:-)

Like the precious Rosebud print dress that we designed, hand smocked and finished with heirloom perfection -  French seams and hand stitched hems.  Love the eyelet and ribbon sleeve finish.   Yes?

And here's another:

Sea Mist Smocked Dress

This fabric is one of my favorites that we found in Hawaii.  It's a 100% cotton lawn in a luscious sea green color.  So it's kinda blue, but it's not.  It's green. ish.  Hand smocked in a deeper shade of sea green.  And the lawn falls so beautifully in the full skirt.  Love lawn!  I piped this one in cream and it really compliments the dress.  Again, heirloom finish techniques.  Yea!

We design and hand craft our smocked dresses and sweaters, so remember that there is ONE of a design.  These beautiful treasures sell very, very fast.  So don't delay if you simply must have a particular design!  Sign onto the website at www.justbaby.us, buy it, and be tickled that you got it first!  And that your darling will be wearing an exclusive design.  Because our babies deserve the best, right?!?

Enjoy your day!

Jen & Mom
From our Studio in Capitola, California, USA

Falling into Fall

It's such a funny thing.  Just when we, on the Central Coast, get our best 'summer' weather, snow starts to fly across our beautiful country. So we must be thinking 'warmly' for our wonderful clientele when we are (sorry to brag) warm.  This always gives me a giggle.  Easily amused:-)

 

New New for Fall from my most favorite company (except for Just Baby Designs, of course:-) is Blossom's Bunny Coat, and here's a real coupe:  These adorable minky swing coats for the precious little Miss start at 0-3 months!  Unheard of!  Brand new baby gets a brand new stylin' coat of her own.  Never mind bundled in blankets, bundle in bunny instead!  And, snug boots to match.  Again, they start little at 3-6 months.  What an outfit for the chilly weather!  And see those cute little white bunnies on the front of the coat?  Pockets.  Yup, bunny pockets.  Oh my goodness!

 

Why, oh why, do I continue to hear that they 'don't make cute boy stuff'.  Always.  Again.  I have two words to say to that: Oh contraire!  I have two boys.  I am 'in-tune' with boy cuteness and I do not fail to deliver.  Neither does Bunnies by the Bay.  Drum roll!  Bao Bao Bear Coat!  Where DO they get this fabulous minky fabric?  Kind of like bear/dog fur.  Authentic even, but much much softer.  And washable, without smelling like a ... wet dog!  Have I gone too far yet?  Can you say cute?!  With a bear hood with ears?  And a little brown nose?  And boy red-and-white-stripe-cotton-knit-lining?!  Bam!  Nailed!  Athletic style coat for da guys.  Perfect.

 

I was so excited about the coat that I left out the matching slippers.  Matching 'bear feet' slippers.  Get it?  Did you see the bottom of those slippers?  Yes, the slippers, too, have eyes and ears and a cute nose, but the best part are the piddy paws on the bottom.  Cute with a Capital C!  For boys!  Okay!

 

And it's all available online at www.justbaby.us and I think you will very pleased with the prices cuz 'S' Wonderful!

 

 

 

Christening Gowns & Heirloom Sewing

Satin Batiste Christening Gown

We are on a tear!  Is that a good way to explain what it is when you're madly going about doing what you love to do with ideas exploding in living color and the studio looking like a tornado hit it and all the while having a wonderful time?!?  I call that a 'tear'.  No, not the crying kind, unless we're talking about tears of joy!

The Mere and I have ramped it up a bit - it must be the sunshine - and we're completing project upon project of unique and beautiful things, just for you:-)  Designs that we have wanted to make for five years now.  Like the white eyelet dress with the pale pink ribbons running through!  What little girl wouldn't look like a Victorian doll in a dress like that!


 
 
 




And we've completed four new Christening gowns.  We wouldn't be "us" if we didn't have Mere's pearl smocked gown, which we make a little different each time so that each gown is unique!  The Satin Batiste gown is new and adorned with beautiful French lace 'oooh la la'!  We even designed a stunning gown from organic cotton.  Are we having fun?  Yes!

And, boy, are we happy baseball season is upon us.  Actually, you are happy too, you just don't know it.  And you're probably wondering why you're happy, why we're happy, and what baseball season (Go Giants!) has to do with our 'justbaby.us' designs.  Sweaters!  Lots and lots of new sweaters because what else does any self-respecting baby clothes designer do while watching a baseball game???  Knit!  Mindlessly.  Hurrah for extra innings!  Mere turned out a sweater in three days - the white one below.  Actually, the Masters might have helped her along, but still.  Three days!

 

Yup, we're happy and creatively bursting.  More to come...the next project has been a dream of Mere's to do.  Anyone who has been in our brick and mortar shop has seen my father's quilt hanging in the back.  It's a beautiful applique quilt of the ABC's.  I could have sold it 1,000 times, but never.  But... we have recreated the beautiful 1927 quilt and will be showing it off very shortly.  It's whimsical, colorful and gorgeous.  Coming soon!

 

In the meantime, happy Spring, happy family, happy life.

Jen