Small Business Saturday at Thermies

Small business Saturday is coming up in just a couple of days. As a small business owner it is our hope that shoppers will turn to small businesses to make purchases instead of relying solely on big box stores. Small businesses like Thermies often have very unique and handmade items that make great gifts for friends, family, co-workers and children.

And don't forget the stocking stuffers! Thermies will look adorable peeking out of the top of a stocking on Christmas morning!

Remember that personalization is available for these Personalized Thermies!

Baby Quilt - Pink Bird by Thermies

Introducing the first baby quilt by Thermies! More are coming soon but we are starting out with a baby girl quilt featuring a unique bird sitting on a limb. Our quilts are non-traditional with modern lines and a shabby chic feel. All quilts are raw edge applique so with each washing they will get softer and cuddlier.

This handcrafted quilt has been machine quilted and hand tied with love in a smoke free and pet free home studio and is made with only 100% cotton (fabric, batting and threads). Perfect for baby!

 

To add to the charm, detail and visual texture of this quilt hand embroidery has been carefully stitched on the bird.

 Close up of some of the embroidery details.

Polar Bear Heat Pack - Thermies

Polar bears are the largest land carnivores in the world. Although, a polar bear could eat a person for a snack we still seem to find them cute and cuddly, or at least I do! When I see polar bears I think fuzzy, snuggly and warm just like our handcrafted Polar Bear Thermie.

Thermies are a fantastic stocking stuffer idea, holiday gift idea for friends, family and co-workers. Check out our other Thermies in our Etsy shop to see what you can have personalized!

Best Stocking Stuffer Idea Ever - Thermies!

I remember, like it was yesterday, how much I loved waking up on Christmas morning and seeing all the presents Santa left under the tree but what was the most magical for me was when I saw my stocking overflowing with trinkets. I would rush straight for it with the biggest grin on my face thinking that Santa must have thought I was REALLY good this year.

I would reach in my stocking and pull out each trinket like it was a nugget of gold worth a million bucks. Still to this day all I want is a stocking filled with random trinkets. It's my absolute favorite.

I would have loved to get a handmade Thermie as a stocking stuffer. A little handcrafted animal or bird all my own that could keep my cold feet warm and cozy in bed.

Thermies make unique gifts for:
- Children who love to have their cute toes uncovered at bedtime!
- Adults who have to put their cold feet on their spouse’s leg to keep warm!
- That hard-to-buy-for person in your life.
- Gag gift for someone who’s had bed bugs. I know - kind of mean, but funny!
- Bridal shower gift ideas or Bridesmaid gift
- Mother’s Day gift ideas
- Personalized gifts for kids & adults – who doesn’t love something personalized?
- Stocking stuffer
- Birthday gift
- Cramps - at least Thermies will make you smile when your cramps can’t. Jumbo size recommended.
- Anyone who wants to relax and fall asleep in comfort! 

How cute would these Thermies look peeking out of a stocking on Christmas morning?!

Thermies Goes PINK!

There are so many social media avenues that it's easy to forget to update at least one of them. In this case I blasted that Thermies goes PINK for breast cancer awareness month all over my social media sites and forgot to blog about it. It's late, but here it is!!

Chances are you know someone with breast cancer. It's a very sad reality but the statistics are staggering for the amount of women diagnosed with breast cancer every day.


My mother-in-law is an inflammatory breast cancer survivor so in her honor Thermies has created exclusive pink ribbon designs and has chosen to donate $3 directly to breast cancer research for every Thermie sold! Pink ribbon Thermies are jumbo sized heat packs to keep cold feet warm and cozy.

Pink ribbon Thermies make great gifts for any holiday or occasion for any breast cancer survivor or their family.

Visit us at etsy.com/shop/thermies to purchase your Thermies today and support cancer research.

Thermies for Halloween

Are you planning to take your kids trick-or-treating on Halloween? If you live anywhere that is cold on Beggars' Night you are probably dreading following your small kids around the neighborhood. In fact, last year (in my town) it was freezing rain the entire time my kids were going from house to house accumulating unnecessary amounts of candy!

If you heat up a few Thermies for your pockets you can keep your hands toasty warm for the adventure. Your kids will also appreciate the warmth a few times between houses...if you are willing to share!!

Click here to visit our Etsy shop and purchase today!

'About' Page

I finally have a proper 'About' page on Etsy so everyone can briefly learn why my husband and I created Thermies. Thanks for stopping by for this very short post and check out this link!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/thermies/about?ref=shopinfo_about_leftnav

Jumbo Thermies Now Available

Jumbo Thermies are now available in our Etsy shop. You can jumbo-size any Thermie for extra heat and cozy comfort. Just drop us your choice of design and category (i.e. polar bear - woodland creatures) in the 'notes to seller' and we will start creating a unique Thermie just for you!

Thermies make great stocking stuffers and great gift ideas for holiday 2014. What are you planning to get for your nieces and nephews? If you aren't sure you should consider Thermies. They are an inexpensive, thoughtful and unique gift that the kiddos don't already have. Prices range from $6 - $12.

Check us out today or click our Etsy Mini site on the right side of this post. It will take you directly to our shop! www.etsy.com/shop/thermies

Thermies Make Great Stocking Stuffers

I know the weather is still relatively warm in most of the country so most people are not thinking about the holidays or stocking stuffers yet, however, I went to Michaels yesterday and they already have Christmas items on display! I couldn't believe it. Seriously, there were wreaths, stocking stuffers, fake poinsettias, etc. This is the first time I have ever seen holiday displays this early!

Crazy, but my point is that it's never too early to start shopping for great gifts for friends and family. We have already gotten lots of feedback that Thermies will make great stocking stuffers for 2014. We couldn't agree more!

Thermies will also make excellent and thoughtful gifts for nieces, nephews, friends, co-workers and relatives who you aren't willing to break the bank for! All regular sized Thermies are only $6. If you have kids yourself one stocking stuffer is already in the bag (or stocking)!

Visit us at etsy.com/shop/thermies to make your purchase today!

Etsy Shop OPEN!

We are pleased to announce that our Etsy shop is now open. Please visit the site to see our full line of Thermies. www.etsy.com/shop/thermies

We are currently offering Thermies (beautifully designed heat packs to keep cold feet warm and cozy!) in the following categories:

• Woodland Creatures
• Beautiful Birds
• Bugs / Insects
• Mischievous Cats
• Ninja / Lucha Libre
• Personalized Gifts

We will be expanding our line soon to include baby quilts and professional high-res prints. Keep checking back to find out more.

We enjoy feedback and are committed to making our products the best they can be. Please share with us any thoughts (good or bad) about our products and our Etsy shop.

We appreciate you stopping by! Thank you.

Tweet Tweet - Beautiful Bird Thermies

Who doesn't love birds? Well, actually my sister doesn't. I think it's weird since they are so pretty and sing such nice songs and can FLY! My sister would say that they make loud noises when she is trying to sleep and they are dirty! She should really change her viewpoint and opinion of birds because it ultimately lands her a really nice bird calendar every year!!! Ha ha, Sister!!

Okay, enough of that. The etsy shop is almost open (waiting on one last piece of info) so I wanted to post some of the bird sketches that inspired the bird Thermies. Not only are these bird Thermies going to keep your cold feet warm, they are going to be super cute sitting next to your pillow every day waiting to be warmed up when you go to bed!

Are you ready for color yet? I bet you are getting sick of looking at sketches. Here are a few examples of the bird Thermies that were ultimately created from the sketches. Aren't they adorable?!

I will let you know when the shop is officially open for business so you can rush out and get a few Thermies for you or as a gift! Thanks for stopping by!

Ninja & Lucha Libre Thermie Sketches

Does anyone else have a little piece of paper taped to the side of their computer with the millions of user names and passwords necessary to function in everyday life? And if that little piece of paper ever got lost would you curl up and cry for three weeks? I think I would rather have my identity stolen than lose that little piece of paper! Okay, maybe not, but still I would be a complete disaster if that thing got lost!! I use extra sticky tape for insurance!! Ha!

On that note, completely unrelated, why not combine ninja and lucha libre to make fun mask Thermies? Here are a few sketches:

I mention the user names and passwords because little did I know the amount of detail that goes into an Etsy shop. I've mentioned this before but for all you out there who want to post a few items 'quick' and make a few bucks, be warned that there is definitely more than meets the eye. I'm certainly not trying to discourage anyone but please do your homework. It's a lot of work! And a lot of accounts to set up with, yes, more user names and passwords.

Since we have two little kickin' ninja at our house Eric thought it was fitting to make some ninja/lucha libre inspired thermies. Ninja are everywhere and if you have any small-ish boys in your life you have certainly heard of TMNT (Teenage Muntant Ninja Turtles for those of you who live in a cave) and Lego Ninjago!

I will be posting finished Thermies soon! Also, the Etsy shop should be opening in the next week and a half!

Cats! Meow!

This category is ironic to me simply because Eric (thermies designer) is highly allergic to cats. Eek! However, he said they were very entertaining to make even though he can never officially be around them. Here are a few sketches. Meow!

My favorite thing about cats is that everyone has a cat story. Even if it isn't their own cat they have a story to tell about a naughty cat that did something funny, strange or mean! I know you are thinking of it right now! Share your story in our comments, we would love to hear it!

A bit mischievous I do think!

I was just talking to a friend the other day who is ordering our set of four cats for her boss as a personalized gift who has 'cat' everything! It's not officially a personalized gift in the way that it has her name on it but it is a personalized gift in that she loves cats. A great gift idea in that sense!

Thermies (our Etsy shop) is getting closer and closer to opening! We have heard for a long time....oh, you should just open an Etsy shop. There are many more steps involved then I expected but we're getting there!

Thermies Inspiration

I can do a lot of crafty things well, but I can't draw. It's as simple as that. I simply can't translate what's in my head to what I want on paper so I'm always amazed and extremely impressed when I ask my husband, Eric, to draw something specific and...BOOM!...it's on the paper in a matter of seconds! Just from memory. 

Here is a sampling of some of the sketches Eric has done from the Woodland Creature category. Keep reading to find out a brief history of Eric!

Eric started drawing when he was very small and from many stories I've heard found himself frequently lost in his sketchbook for hours on end. He knew early on that he wanted to be an artist (of some kind) and gained more interest and technique from his grandmother who loved to paint with him. In my opinion it's a gift to be talented like this but Eric would probably say that he has been moved by comics, graphic novels and art historical movements that inspires his creative output.

Eric did eventually become an 'artist'. He majored in painting and minored in graphic design at the University of Arizona (Go Wildcats!), quickly started a career as a graphic designer and ended up owning his own business for many years. Later he decided to go back for his MFA in graphic design at the UW Madison (Go Badgers! He doesn't know which side he's on anymore!) to become a professor of graphic design which he is today. This is in fact his 'dream job'.

The photos you see are a sampling of some of the pages in Eric's sketchbook for thermies! We are starting with fun categories including: woodland creatures, bugs & insects, mischievous cats, ninja & lucha libre, beautiful birds and personalized gift thermies. We will be adding more creatures in the near future when I get the Etsy shop open.

These sketches are just a starting point for the final designs of thermies. Drawings are scanned and drawn over in Illustrator, made into layers and pieces and eventually filled with color. That makes it sound fast and easy, doesn't it? From watching, I can tell you that Eric makes it look easy but the process certainly isn't fast. There is much care and consideration that goes into each thermie design. We want to put only a unique and thoughtful handcrafted item in a customer's hands that will use and love their thermie on a regular basis!

We are very much enjoying the process and fabrication of thermies and hope you enjoy hearing and learning about it too!