Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Carousel Designs Teams with Operation Shower To Honor Military Moms





Carousel Designs, a contemporary and trend-setting leader in the baby bedding industry for more than 23 years, is set to sponsor a baby shower honoring expecting military moms. The event will be hosted by Operation Shower in conjunction with The TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola, and will be held at historic East Lake Golf Club outside Atlanta on September 21, 2011.

At the baby shower, each mom-to-be will receive a “shower-in-a box,” packed with essential baby supplies, clothing, toys, books, blankets and much more courtesy of sponsors like Carousel Designs and other generous donors. Carousel Designs has provided financial support and crib bedding donations for Operation Shower’s Atlanta event, which will be hosted for a group of pregnant women from the Fort Benning and Fort Gordon, GA areas whose husbands are deployed.



“All of us at Carousel Designs feel honored to help provide a special day for military moms-to-be and their families,” said Jonathan Hartley, Carousel Designs CEO. “As a veteran-owned company, we understand and greatly appreciate the sacrifices that military families make on a daily basis. We are also excited that Operation Shower is coming to Atlanta for the first time to host one of their showers here in our hometown.”

The baby shower will be held on the TOUR Championship’s Community Day and is expected to be attended by 40 military moms-to-be. The shower will be held at the Birdies for the Brave Patriots' Outpost presented by Kipper Tool on the 16th green.

“Operation Shower is thrilled to be joining with Carousel Designs to treat military moms-to-be to a joyous day just for them,” said Chief Shower Officer LeAnn Morrissey. “The support of Carousel Designs and other sponsors allows us to reach more and more military families and show our appreciation for their sacrifices. Working with a veteran-owned baby bedding company for our upcoming military baby showers is certainly a perfect match. We look forward to hosting a wonderful event.”



Carousel Designs is the lead sponsor for the Atlanta event. The company has also contributed to several Operation Shower events throughout 2011, including baby showers at Camp Lejeune, N.C.; Groton, CT; Norfolk, VA and Fort Campbell, KY.

Carousel Designs president Allan Sicat said, “We’re committed to doing what we can to support military families because we feel like they are an extension of our family.” He continued, “Due to our military background and because our own family members are currently serving and deployed overseas, our involvement with Operation Shower is much more than a business endeavor; it’s extremely personal to us.”

From its start as a small family business in 1988, Carousel Designs has grown to become an award-winning national online retailer and trusted brand of premium baby bedding, twin bedding and home décor. Jonathan Hartley continues the family tradition of ownership as CEO with his business partner Allan Sicat, president. Hartley and Sicat are both dads of young children as well as graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and former U.S. Army officers. They take special pride in the fact that all Carousel Designs baby bedding products are made in the U.S.A.



Operation Shower recently received national recognition following the attendance of First Lady Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden and Martha Stewart at the organization’s April baby shower at Camp Lejeune, N.C. The First Lady and Dr. Biden attended as part of their newly launched initiative, Joining Forces, to support and honor military families. Following their attendance, Operation Shower was featured on Martha Stewart’s primetime television special America’s Moms with Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden. The organization was also listed in a Parade Magazine article as one of three of Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden’s “favorite groups that are helping America’s military families.”

About Carousel Designs
Georgia-based Carousel Designs, a contemporary and trend setting leader in the baby bedding industry was founded in 1988. For more than 23 years, Carousel Designs has manufactured high quality baby bedding, toddler, twin and full/queen size bedding and nursery décor. Carousel Designs is the only baby bedding company that allows parents to design and create their own virtual nursery online with their Nursery Designer®, a unique, interactive design tool. The company also offers more than 100 pre-designed ready to ship crib bedding collections and more than 300 fabrics to choose from in a range of versatile styles. For more information visit www.babybedding.com.


Operation Shower is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating and honoring military families by providing joyful baby showers for military wives to ease the burden of deployment. Since the organization’s inception in 2007, Operation Shower has showered more than 400 women on military bases and other locations for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and National Guard. For more information visit
www.operationshower.org.



Photos Credits: 
·         Carousel Designs President Allan Sicat (left), Carousel Designs CEO Jonathan Hartley (right)
·         Shabby Chic Chenille crib bedding collection
·         Gray Zoology crib bedding collection

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Featured Etsy Designer -- Mouse House Creations!


We want you to meet a little someone special.
Meet Hayley....the absolutely wonderful designer of Mouse House Creations.
We are so thrilled and behind excited to share this wonderful gal (and shop too!) with you.


{1} Tell us a little about yourself & your Etsy shop.


My name is Hayley and I am 31 years old with 2 adorable children, Ethan (4) and Ainsley (almost 2). I am married to an amazing guy that I met in the 8th grade and we love to laugh and enjoy life. Before children, I was a teacher and a part-time drug rehab counselor, but LOVE that I now get to be a stay at home/work at home mother. I am very lucky to have the best of both worlds.


{2} When did you realize you wanted to open a shop on Etsy?


I have always had a love of sewing and various crafts, but I didn't have an outlet for it. When my son was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 2, I knew that I needed desperately to have a place for my creative abilities. I felt so immersed and involved in his therapies and hospital visits and I was losing myself. I started researching and creating and posting on my blog and friends and strangers kept telling me to start an etsy store. So I did.

{cupcakeMAG fave: round neck dress or shirt, $28}
...the detail is perfection....

{3} When did you begin to sew?

Sewing is in my blood. My Great-Grandmother taught my Mum how to sew when she was a young child and in turn, my Mum taught me when I was a young girl. Some of my fondest memories as a child are going to the fabric store and dreaming of all the projects that my Mum and I could create together in our sewing room. We would make pillows, dresses for my dolls, little blankets, and clothing for me, all on our vintage Singer sewing machine. I would watch my Mum create bedding and curtains and I just knew I would want to do that one day.



{4} When you aren't sewing what can we find you doing?

When I am not sewing or doing my other crafts (which I am doing all the time lately!), I am playing with my kids, remodeling/redecorating my house (check out my blog!), refinishing furniture, and trying to relax with my husband, while we listen to some music (Jack Johnson or Led Zeppelin are bands of choice!)

{we LOVE: Custom Apron Knot Dress, $38}

{5} What are some of your favorite Etsy shops?

Oh, I have so many! If I HAD to choose just a handful, it would be (in no particular order):
{a little something pretty for your home too!}
{6} What is up next for your shop?

I have another etsy shop where I sell vintage patterns and vintage items, plus fabric and paper remnants. I hope that I have more time to devote to that in the near future because it is so fun to run my fingers through all my old patterns. I have so many more to list!

I have recently had some medical issues and I will be limiting the number of custom orders I take per month, but hopefully that will change soon (as long as my health issues clear up, fingers crossed!)

  
My long term goal is to continue branding my shop and one day, it can be my full-time job (after both kids are in school, of course!) I love what I do and I couldn't be happier about the success I have encountered. I am very, very lucky and so extremely proud.
 
{Editors' Note} We are keeping Hayley in our prayers during this time and hope all health issues resolve quickly. In the mean time, make sure you shop now as she will be closing her shop for a period time during the month of August while she takes care of herself. Hayley, we wish you all of the best!  

{shop now!}
{Facebook too!}
{We truly thank Hayley so much for sending the beautiful dress for review.
It truly is one of our favorites in our Littles wardrobe. Big thanks to Hayley!
We are so happy to have you as an Etsy Feature Designer}
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