Every once in a while I come across a shop on etsy that just captivates me. I grew up in a family that made each and every birthday magical and special. From waking up to my family marching into my room singing Happy Birthday. Or the banners I’d see the second I walked out of my room, my favorite meals all day, you name it, my family made me and my brother feel special. I now feel this urge to do the same for my daughter. Even when she was too young to know any different, I went all out. Streamers, dozens of balloons, elaborate decorations, it’s just as much for her as it is for me.

I recently found Lollipop Workshopon etsy. They make custom cake toppers for weddings, birthdays and any special occasion. Their creations are fun, colorful and are sure to make both the kids and adults gasp when they see them! 

Click here to head over to the Lollipop workshop and let them inspire you with their custom creations. They surely won’t disappoint with their custom creations and one-of-a-kind pieces. 

Not satisfied yet? Need to see more? I found another shop called Dainty Pastimeswhere the adorable dolls are made by a lovely girl from England. Not only does she have some of the cutest clothespin dolls I’ve seen, but she can also do custom orders. I recently gave her the task of helping me create the perfect cake topper for my daughter’s third birthday. She was able to create a topper in my daughter’s favorite colors (purple and pink) and include a few of her favorite things! I was so impressed with how much she was able to make the doll look like my daughter and that it arrived in just a few days (insanely cheap)! Check out her items on etsy. Here’s a picture of the adorable topper she made for my girl. 

CitiBlocs are toys that are safe and also require your child to turn their own ideas into reality. They’re small, light wooden blocks precisely cut from Grade A Radiata Pine from certified renewable forests in New Zealand. They’re high quality wooden construction blocks with no glue, snaps, connectors or magnets to make you fearful of choking hazards or chemicals. The items your child constructs with their blocks are created from their imagination using gravity, balance and creativity. CitiBlocs won 14 industry awards their first year in business and are also the cover toy in Good Housekeeping magazine’s Best Toys (list of 7 toys) for their age group. They’re also a Parenting magazine Best Toys and have been featured on the TODAY show.

My daughter loves playing with the CitiBlocs. In fact, we turn it into an entire family activity. She helps us stack all of the blocks into different items and then smashes them. What’s funny is that she’s also turned them into money. She hands out money to us telling us how much each block is worth. The possibilities are really endless on what they can create. The blocks are cars, buildings, money, train tracks, a house, anything you can think of, they can create. CitiBlocs are also non-toxic, so if you catch them with a block in their mouth, you don’t need to be worried!

Sarah: I dumped out the CitiBlocs and my daughter went crazy.  I was surprised, but she knew exactly what they were for.  She must have snuck a look at the box.  She screamed “CASTLE!” and the building race was on.  We made a family event out of it and made several different structures.  She then decided it was time to build a castle for her Yo Gabba Gabba friends… There HAD to be a ramp for them to all walk up, which I thought was pretty smart!  I love that these products really encourage creativity.  She was SO PROUD when she was done.

Want to buy a set of CitiBlocs? Head over to their site here and you’ll see that their blocks are safe, afforadable and fun!

Want to win a set of CitiBlocs? CitiBlocs has an exciting opportunity for our ITKM readers. We have one set of them to GIVE AWAY! Such a great toy to win especially before the holiday season.

To Enter: leave a comment below telling us if your choice of CitiBlocs 52-piece natural, 54-piece red/blue, orange/yellow, green/teal or white/black sets. Click here to see their entire line of products.

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Giveaway ends Sunday, December 6 at Midnight Pacific.