SO Proud and Happy

I added beautiful new designs for Ramadan and Eid baby clothes to Little Characters

I really hustled to get these done and I was only able to add them with a handful of days of Ramadan left:





I worked really hard to get these done, and the morning I successfully posted them on the store, I was just bopping around with joy. I told Patrick and my mom that even if I didn't sell any of the designs for Muslim holidays, I would still feel so good that I had created them. I felt such a sense of accomplishment!

And then before the day was even done, I saw that someone bought two onesies with my Ramadan and Eid designs! I only earned $10, but I have to say that sale made me feel like a million bucks!

And tonight I just checked the babycenter community groups, and saw this message posted:

I love all your eid/ramadan designs, they r just adorable!!! Thanks for including the muslim holiday sentiments. We need such acceptance of diversity in religion and people in todays world. You r doing a wonderful service to all mankind. Eid Mubarak to you and your family.

I think saying that I'm doing a service to all mankind might be a bit of an overstatement, but obviously this post is making me feel absolutely wonderful!

Challenge for Muslim Holiday Baby Clothes

Okay, I'm adding to this blog now that I've had some responses about the Eid designs on babycenter.org

A couple of people on the parenting board explained that some Muslims believe it is forbidden to have images of animate things. Other Muslim mothers on the board said they don't think that is true - as long as the images are not idolatry.

I was surprised to find this out, and I feel bad that I have offended some people. That was the opposite of my intention.

I'm going to try to draw some designs that don't have any people in them - though that isn't my usual drawing style at all. One of the mothers said she would like balloons, so I think I'll try to draw a stroller or baby carseat with balloons that spell an Eid message. Someone else (or maybe it was the same mom?) said she'd like a Ramadan design, so I think I'll try to draw a baby bottle with a band of geometric designs (like Islamic art) and some kind of joke message about not fasting yet.

I have no idea if I'll be able to finish drawing these in time for anyone to actually get them for the holidays, but I think it's worthwhile to try to make up for my mistake. I want to make sure that if I'm going to say I'm offering products for all of the main religions, that I'm offering products that are actually inclusive and accessible to most of the people in those traditions.

Baby and Toddler Clothes for Eid Ul Fitr

If you go to Little Characters now, you'll see these new designs in time for Eid:



Clicking either picture will take you directly to those products.

This has been a challenging set of designs for me to do. First of all, there are just a lot of holidays happening now! I just barely finished Rosh Hashana (September 29th), and I had to really hustle to get designs out in time for Eid (October 1st). Yom Kippur is October 8th, but I don't think I'm going to do any designs for that - at least not this year. I really don't think infants or toddlers will be too involved in repenting. But Sukkot is October 14th, and that's right around the corner.

My ignorance about Islam was the main challenge in creating the Eid designs. I've read some, but there is just so much I don't know. When I researched Eid Ul Fitr, I couldn't find any distinctive foods or symbols to draw.

The only food I found mentioned was vermicelli in sweet milk, and, honestly, I really have no clue how to draw that in a cute way. I finally settled on the symbol of the crescent moon (halil), because Eid doesn't officially start until someone spots it, and sometimes children are the ones who go hunting for it. I got the idea of having a baby seem to be reaching out - as if to try to grab the moon.

The next big challenge I had was how to dress the babies. I wanted to make sure that the babies appeared modest, so I knew this design wouldn't have my typical diapers-and-little-else look. But I had NO IDEA what the baby should actually wear. I read that families liked to dress extra special for Eid, but I couldn't find any photos of what babies or children would wear.

And I was very concerned about how to draw the heads. I didn't think it was appropriate to draw a head scarf on the baby girl, because girls aren't expected to wear those until they reach puberty, but I thought the baby's head should be dressed somehow. I saw photos of boys in those fancy prayer hats, and finally, I spotted a photo with two little girls wearing them on their way to mosque.

So this is what I've settled on. I really hope that the babies seem appropriate, and that their dress doesn't exclude anyone.

I'd love some information or suggestions from any practicing Muslims out there. I'm always looking for ways to improve my designs, and I'd like to include other Muslim designs, but honestly, I don't know what I would do other than the Eid stuff.

Baby Clothes for Talk Like a Pirate Day

Hurry to Little Characters and pick up some garb for your Little Pirate before September 19th!

Ahoy, mateys, If I were a drinkin wench, there'd be salt in my beer now, cuz I'm sad that I didn't do a better job of advertising this sooner. Don't let my goof up ruin your ankle-biters' holiday! Just cuz they have to stick to milk instead of grog doesn't mean they shouldn't have fun. Before they can even shout out, "Arrrr!" your babies and toddlers can join the party.

These designs are purty enough to be called a treasure.

For more information on this silly, but real, holiday go to The Official Talk Like a Pirate Day Site

Just created Rosh Hashanah baby / toddler clothes

I'm really excited about the designs I just added for Rosh Hashana! Click here to see them.

The timing for this has worked so well, because I just opened up the shop recently and Rosh Hashana starts September 29th. I'm not Jewish, but I always hated it when people only referred to Jewish holidays as a sort of token afterthought linked to a Christian holiday. When I was a teacher, it really troubled me that the children learned about a minor holiday like Hannukah just because it happened near Christmas, but never heard anything about the High Holy Days. I didn't have much influence over the situation when I was teaching in public schools, but with my own store, I have the freedom to try to act on my principles.

So, for any parents out there who want a sweet way for their babies or toddlers to wish people L'Shanah Tovah, here's your chance!