Welcome our June sponsor...ziezo!! (and a giveaway)

Today we'd love to give a BIG Twig and Toadstool welcome to our newest sponsor...

We LOVE supporting mamas making things! 

Ziezo makes beautiful Waldorf inspired toys, crowns, silk wings and beautiful aprons. 
Please keep reading to find out more about this wonderful mama made business!!!

Firstly tell us, who is the mastermind behind Ziezo??
My name is Andrea, and I am a mother to 3 and married to my best friend.  We have been living in Nairobi, Kenya for nearly 5 years now.

What inspired you to start your own business and what do you sell??

Online I sell a selection of Waldorf-inspired toys such as wool-felt crowns, silk butterfly wings, bunting dolls, knot dolls, natural ornaments, as well as children’s aprons out of East African fabrics.

I created my first children’s kikoy apron as a gift for a little friend of my son’s as she was leaving Kenya with her family.   It was a practical gift with a lot of symbolism from the place where she was born.  My son liked it and wanted one for himself when he was baking, playing, or crafting.  Next there were a couple I made as birthday gifts and eventually people approached me to make some for them.  This let to the final push from an entrepreneurial friend, who insisted that I create a label and sell them. . . and this is how my first ‘ziezo’ product with an East African flair originated.  I also added a selection of Waldorf inspired toys that I had been crafting for my little ones early on and the general idea for the ziezo Etsy shop was born.  I finally opened my shop in July 2011 and will soon be celebrating my first year online!

Who or what inspires you to be creative??
My main inspiration comes from my children and their respectful, wondrous, and innocent view of the world and nature.  Creating something that enhances their imagination and creativity is such fun.

One of the things we encourage on Twig and Toadstool is self care...if you could have a day to yourself, how would you spend it??

It would be an extremely unusual occurrence, but I am certain it would involve sleeping in, a massage, relaxing near the beach and reading a book.  I am also wishing not to be alone and that my husband and kids would be at the same location and are having a great time on the beach and in the water.  In the evening we would enjoy the sunset together during a beach walk and we close the day with a nice meal together. . .

Andrea from ziezo Designs

http://www.ziezoDesigns.etsy.com

http://www.facebook.com/ziezoKenya

http://www.ziezoKenya.blogspot.com

Thank you Andrea!
(and congratulations on Ziezo
 turning a year old!!!!)

And here's the GIVEAWAY!!!!
Andrea is generously offering one of our readers a $20US credit to her Ziezo etsy shop. 
To enter please go over to her shop and tell us what your favorite item is.  You can get additional entries for
 "liking" Ziezo on facebook,
 putting the ziezo etsy shop on your favorite list  or for following Ziezo blog. 
 Enter by leaving a comment below!
This giveaway will run for one week, (until next Friday at midnight).  We'll announce the winner on Saturday.

The winner is #12 Fairyluver...we will be in touch with you soon. 
We use a random number generator to choose our winners!

I can't encourage you enough...please support a mama made business the next time you need to buy a birthday or holiday gift for a special someone...gifts like these just feel good!!

Good luck everyone and thank you to Ziezo!

xo maureen & shanti