One of my favorite parts of designing a nursery for baby girl #2 has been adding one of a kind handmade plush animals and dolls, customized with her name, initials or something extra special. I love seeing them sitting in her nursery on her glider or in her crib and knowing in a few short months she will be cuddling them in her tiny hands.
This week's Shop Spotlight features one of my all-time favorite shops for such creations - Dainty Cheeks Boutique. It seems every time I turn around, Chrissy is adding another gorgeous piece to her shop that just blows me away. She made a custom unicorn plush for our little lady with a "P" emblem added and "Poppy" stitched on the back of the leg, as well as one of my favorite quotes stitched on the front -- "I love you beyond measure."
Chrissy shares more of her story below
I’m Chrissy,
a native New Yorker currently living in Ohio, owner of Dainty Cheeks Boutique. I graduated from FIT with a degree in Fashion Design, and worked for
a knitwear company in NYC before relocating here. I have a 6 year old who is my
mini muse and the best guy in all the land who also helps with shipping and
cutting patterns when orders get heave. I also have a slight obsession with
sweaters and thrifting for vintage “gems.”
My business officially started
once I had my daughter. I had worked for a knitwear company and acquired
a ton (understatement) of sweaters. I remember looking in my closet when she
was a just a few days old. I wondered if they would ever fit again, but
then I immediately had the urge to create something beautiful for her out of
what I had always loved for myself. I started making baby knit hats out of my
old sweaters. That led to other pieces and products out of upcycled knit and
fabrics not only for her but for others. And so with the birth of my daughter,
Dainty Cheeks was born.
When my daughter was born, her
“dainty cheeks” were the first things that my mom pointed out as we were
admiring all of her little features.
Truly, I find inspiration in
just about anything. I find it differs from day to day and mood. I think that
some of the best inspiration has developed when I am not even looking from it;
color combos in nature on a day off. Sketches that my daughter draws. When I am
looking for it, I love Pinterest (uhhh... who doesn't??). I love
thrifting too. I think there is so much potential in vintage and thrift stores
-- it really gets my mind going. Sometimes I love to just pull out scraps of
fabric that I already have and lay them all out and continue to move them in
different places, next to new ones. It’s such an awesome way to find color
stories you may not have originally even given a chance.
The most challenging part is finding
the balance between family and work, especially owning a business and working
from home. It's really important to manage my time and devote both time for
work and time to play with my little one. The most rewarding piece is packing up
orders once they are complete and sending them off to their new homes. The
customer feedback is so rewarding too. Each piece is made with so much time and
love and I think when customers take the time to let you know how much it means
to them, it totally makes my day. That and customer photos.
The best part of owning my own
business is having a flexible schedule, especially being a mom. Also having
creative freedom.
Of all the products I make, I enjoy making my heirloom
dolls the most. Each one is totally unique. I love incorporating vintage fabrics
too. It's neat how I am never quite sure how they will look until they are
complete. Each one has its own personality that sort of takes shape through the
process.
One of my favorite parts about Poppy's unicorn is it's large size -- it makes such a statement in a room and because it's a neutral color, it looks great with any and every decor style. It has the perfect mix of vintage and modern, with the softest mane and tail and the coziest body. Unicorns are whimsical and charming, making them the perfect childhood friend.
To make her creations, Chrissy uses a wide variety of materials, including vintage chenille, upcycled knit, recycled sweaters and hand dyed cotton, so each piece is truly one of a kind. Chrissy is great to work with to add custom touches, including names, initials, and quotes. She completely brought my vision to life and our unicorn turned out even more perfect than I could imagine. I especially adore seeing "Poppy" stitched into the leg, knowing it was made just for our little girl.
Because it's impossible to choose just one favorite piece from Dainty Cheeks, below are a few of my absolute favorites:
sweet sloth plush / wonder-filled elephant plush / heirloom doll / unicorn lovey / darling deer plush
The quality of her products is unmatched and the whimsy + creativity that Chrissy incorporates is inspiring. I couldn't think of a more perfect home than a babe's nursery for one of her incredible creations. I just adore them all.
If you'd like to snag a piece from Dainty Cheeks Boutique for your little one, Blessed Nest readers can save 15% off their total purchase this week only using the code BLESSEDNEST15 at checkout. {Discount valid from 6.22 through 6.28 only} // START SHOPPING HERE
Happy Monday!!
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