{Disclaimer: We’re working with Molly’s Crunchy Crafts to bring you this post, however, the opinions are all our own!}
I especially love handmade gifts. As a knitter, I have a great appreciation for the hard work and love that goes into creating items for others.
When approached with the opportunity to work with Molly of Molly’s Crunchy Crafts, I could not have been more excited!
If you aren’t familiar with Molly’s Crunchy Crafts, (and I’ll admit that I wasn’t until fairly recently), allow me to introduce you to Molly and her wonderful business.
Molly first tried her hand at sewing while in a middle school home economics class, completing a tote bag. However, she did not lay hands on a sewing machine again until 15 years later, when her first child was born. The motivation to sew again came from a desire to make diaper covers for her baby out of felted wool sweaters. Once she began babywearing, she discovered many types of accessories for baby carriers. She decided to try her hand at making them as well. Through these projects, Molly discovered her love for matching fabrics, picking coordinates, and piecing it all together to create her final products. In 2013, she began ‘Molly’s Crunchy Crafts’ as a personal business.
Today, Molly has two daughters and is a full-time music teacher, in addition to owning her business. As a business woman, Molly sews and markets a variety of adorable and useful baby items including: doll carriers (both Meh Dai and ring sling styles), accessories for baby carriers (suck pads, hoods, and toy leashes), bandana style baby bibs, and pacifier clips. She also makes teething necklaces and offers bra conversion services, making the bras you already own nursing-friendly. I wish I had known about this service when I was nursing! It was difficult to find nursing bras that fit comfortably, provided support, and didn’t cost an arm and a leg.
(Photos provided by Molly’s Crunchy Crafts)
Her offerings don’t stop there, however. Molly is environmentally conscious, having utilized reusable products for many years, such as cloth towels, reusable snack bags, and sandwich wraps.
After she began sewing, she noticed that it was more cost effective for her to make these types of products, both for herself and as gifts. As a result, she sells handmade reusable snack bags (in small and large sizes), unpaper towels, and dining room wipes.
Needless to say, browsing her Facebook page made the crafter and mom in me swoon! She makes so many products that are entirely useful, good for the environment, and are long-term money saving solutions.
While I could go on about her products, I also must say that working with Molly is so easy!
In my recent experience of working with her, she made a doll carrier for my two year-old daughter. Molly’s ordering process is very simple. Every decision I had to make was made right from the comfort of my own home and on my own timeline. All communication with Molly was completed through the ‘messaging function’ of the Crunchy Crafts Facebook page. I just needed a vision and my computer (or phone) and Molly did the rest!
I picked out the style of doll carrier I preferred, the Meh Dai, and decided to take advantage of the option she offers to make the Meh Dai carriers reversible. Molly then asked me if I had any ideas about what patterns I would like on the fabric. My daughter likes animal prints on her clothes. So, I thought it was a pretty safe bet to see what Molly had in that realm. She sent me pictures of multiple fabrics featuring animals and even gave me time to show the pictures to my daughter to see which fabrics she preferred. Molly also offered to see if she could find the patterns she gave me in other colors if I’d like.
Being only two years old, I showed my daughter the picture of the fabrics multiple times. I figured this was the best way to see if there was one that consistently caught her attention. There was a butterfly fabric that was an obvious favorite, but she didn’t seem consistent about any other pattern.
Still wanting to make the doll carrier reversible, I decided to change direction. I asked Molly if she had any fabric with ‘sweet treats’ on it (maybe cupcakes or ice cream, etc). Molly ran with that idea and sent me more fabric options. Soon, my daughter had picked out an adorable cupcake pattern for the other side of the carrier. Molly suggested that purple straps would be perfect to tie the whole design together and I couldn’t have agreed more.
Despite being a busy mom and teacher, Molly is extremely efficient when it comes to completing her Crunchy Crafts orders.
It did not take long after my decisions were finalized that she sent me a picture of the final product. I was in love! I showed my daughter, who could not seem to contain her excitement. She immediately began to verbally list which of her animals and dolls it would soon hold.
Our mailman delivered the doll carrier soon after that.
Since it arrived, my daughter has played with it every day!
Due to her excitement and enthusiasm, the first few times she wore her dolls in the carrier, my daughter wasn’t patient enough for me to tie the carrier neatly on her. The carrier fits her well but she was eager to play with it before I could do a good job of putting it on.
I should also mention that there is a snap pocket on the top of the Meh Dai carrier. My daughter loves putting things in it, in particular, an old sippy cup she ‘uses’ with her babies. So nifty! So practical! And so essential for any doll baby mom on the run.
While it’s primarily my daughter’s carrier, my five year-old son also likes to take a turn with it from time to time when he plays with his sister.
The carrier receives a lot of love from both of my children.
All of Molly’s products are top-notch! The next time I need reusable snack bags or a baby gift for a friend, I know who to contact. She hasn’t heard the last from me!