Amy is one of those blogging friends who seems to have been part of my "neighborhood" for as long as I can remember. I couldn't put a finger on the point when she and I became blogging pals, but I'm so glad we have. Not only is she a complete sweetheart, she and her husband are the genius team behind one of my favorite shops, Little Alouette.
My children have the privilege of having a set of Little Alouette shakey blocks in our collection. They are one of those toys that are equally fun to play with and look at. There is something about the sweetness and beauty of wooden toys that can never be duplicated in the world of plastic. And LittleAlouette toys have a simplicity and style that I love. They are classics.
A few months ago, Little Alouette was one of etsy's featured sellers. As I was reading the article this morning to be sure I had all my facts straight about Amy 🙂 , I had to share a few words from the write-up because it is a good story:
Over a decade ago a handsome British boy and an Ohio lass met and
fell madly in love at first site in a sleepy university town. The boy
was a classically trained master carpenter and the girl a writer with a
bit of wanderlust. They worked together creatively through the years on
many projects involving woodworking as they restored and remodeled
homes together. The boy taught his love about trees on their land in
the country and how to use power tools and the girl read poems to him
while they worked. They started a journey of following their bliss and
eventually brought two wee ones into the world and began creating
wooden toys for them. They decided to share these wee wooden toys with
the world and Little Alouette was born over hot steaming mugs of cocoa
in the winter of 2007.
We are Joe and Amy Sharp of Worthington, Ohio.
And I love their words about their creative process:
Each product is made by hand and usually all the wood is surrounded by
cups of tea, laughing children, and disco music so each product will
come to you infused with love and bliss! We use locally sourced Ohio
timber and only finish our products with certified organic flax seed
oil.
Seriously. I've been telling my husband that if I can't have a bandsaw, then I'll just settle for a jigsaw. Reading about Joe and Amy's process makes me think I need to put it on my birthday list again this year.
If you haven't been introduced to LittleAlouette be sure to take a few moments to check out their shop. And after my Lotta Jansdotter giveaway last week, I know a lot of you are shopping for baby gifts–for yourself or for people you know. And if you are "people I know" and you're having a baby soon…don't look, unless you want to spoil the surprise.
And guess what? Amy has graciously offered to give one mommycoddle reader one of her Harper the Hippo teethers! yay. You know the drill, leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway. I'll announce the random winner on Sunday!
Happy Weekend, friends!
My nephew would love this!!!
Hi Molly. Thanks for this post. I have newborn twins next door, and I’ve been looking for the best of all baby gifts. Think I found it-I’m going over to their shop right now!
I love Little Alouette.
These are beautiful. My little Henry would love that teether– it’s perfect timing!
I would love this for my new little one coming in August!
These are beautiful toys.
I would LOVE to win this hippo for my baby boy! Thanks for the chance!
Would love to win this- I have been coveting their work for a while now.
I love finding toys that are both safe and beautiful. What a great alternative to the mounds of plastic toys trying to creep in to my son’s life…
He’d love this hippo! Even at 15 months. And it would be great to have for the next one in the not-too-distant future 🙂
What great stuff! I’d love to have the hippo for my little girl, too. Thanks to everyone for the giveaway!
so cute! thanks so much! count me in
would LOVE to win this! thanks for the giveaway!
i have been eyeballing their shop for baby gifts for quite some time now… would love to win!
What beautiful works of functional art!
How sweet!
Wonderful story and beautiful blocks!
Thank you! My DD would love this. She is teething, and it would definitely give my fingers a break 😉
This would be perfect fo my neighbor who just had a baby!
What a sweet little hippo. I love it!
A harper the hippo teether would be perfect as I have a very cranky teething baby at the moment! Those poor little gums!
oh, how we need one of those divine hippos for baby ezra, who at just three months is already teething. love it.
Oh, lovely! I too am going over to check out the shop now!
harper the hippo…how delightful!
I love the shape of this guy! He would be super cool to have for my little one on the way.
Eek! Cranky teething baby over here too. Harper the Hippo is awfully cute.
Sweet sweet sweet. count me in.
So cute! Thanks.
I got goosebumps when I read their story. It sounds like a fairy tale! Who can’t feel good about buying something (especially these particular somethings) when it comes from a place like theirs? My friend just had a baby last week and I’ve been wondering what to get for her. This little hippo would just be perfect. Thanks for the opportunity!
I’m not even entering because I never win anything, but I just got the rattle/teether pictured to the left in your top photo and my 5 month old absolutely loves it! He can hold onto it so easily and his teeth sink in a bit easier than the hard varnished Haba toys we have so he really holds onto it and chews for a long while. He’s had teeth since 4 months, and this has been a wonderful, wonderful toy! So well made ;o) Okay, I will stop gushing now… back to the contest!
I’m expecting my 3rd baby in August and this looks like a beautiful toy to add to our arsenal of plastic.
this would be perfect for my little piper! i was just looking at her butterfly teether…thanks for the extra info on this little company!
I do just love these toys. So beautiful! Thanks for opportunity to win the hippo teether.
These are adorable & would make lovely baby gifts!
That is just the most adorable teether I have ever seen.
Oh wow! This would be perfect for our little one arriving in a couple of weeks!!
I am slowly working on transitioning over to natural baby toys. This would be a lovely teething toy for my little man.
lovely teether!
What an excellent post, what a sweet story of true love…and a give away to boot! I’m totally in, if I win I’ll save it for our future papoose. ;o)
Oh their things are lovely. I have a egg shaker and keys that I ordered not too long ago – would love Harper to round out the collection for my kiddos. Thanks for the great giveaway!
I have a new great nephew that this would be awesome for!
How precious! My teething little boy would love one of these!
Wonderful! I have a friend having a baby in a few weeks.
It is so cool these days to hear about folks following their passions and being successful at it! Gives me hope.
One of my best friends is having a baby. I would love love love to give this to her. I am going to check out the website now, just in case I don’t win!
Oooh Baby showers GALORE comming up, this “wood” be fantastic…. Yes, I know im corny 😉
Very cute! I have a baby who’s gonna be teething soon 🙂
absolutely love these!!
My lil man would love to play with this Hippo, I have checked out their products and have been thinking about buying somethings.
I have so many friends with little ones on the way that would love love love this!
That is gorgeous – count me in! Jennifer
Oh this would be perfect, since Natalie is in the mist of teething.
that would be perfect for the little one!
oh how sweet, both their story and that little hippo!
Happy Harper the Hippo for a happy teether. Sweet.
very cute
Those look so cool! Seems like everyone I know is having babies these days.
I have a teething almost 5 month old who would love this! So sweet!
Those wooden toys are beautiful. I’d love to win Harper the Hippo for a friend who had a baby this very day.
oh, those are so cute! I will definitely be “hearting” their shop!
What a fabulous giveaway. I have a friend expecting a baby any day!!
I love that hippo!
I would love to be able to give this to my high school best friend finally having her first baby. Put my name in the hat. Por Favor!
I want to WIN! I live in Ohio as well.
Michelle
ohhh!a frined of mine is having her baby any day now, so i really need this hippo.-)it`s so loveable… best from berlin,annick
These are just too sweet. I love toys that I enjoy looking at, especially since they never seem to stay put away around here…
Giving a hippo themed baby gift and this would be perfect.
teething will be here again in our house before we know it…lovely hippo! (if you can say that about hippos)
I have a baby on the way, this would be such a sweet gift! I will likely buy something from their site regardless, I love their toys.
I know a little baby boy to gift this little teether to.
So awesome
I am going to a baby shower this week. Thanks for the great ideas! I’ve seen these before and love them.
those are incredibly lovely things
Molly, I just started reading your blog a couple of weeks ago and then this past weekend we had a big festival here in Columbus, OH and who had a booth there? Little Alouette, of course! I told Amy that I had read your post about her just the other day and promised to buy some of her lovely toys when I’m no longer unemployed.
Amy was so sweet and said nice things about you.
Cute stuff!