Baby Ellie Designs is your place for custom stroller liners, stroller foot muffs, car seat foot muffs and accessories.
The brainchild of Dionne Hodson, Baby Ellie Designs was created five years ago to make specialty baby items available to parents around the world.
“I absolutely love creating things that other mums find useful and unique,” Hodson, a British import to Canada, said. “I have made several things over the years and get so many custom orders from mums all over the world.”
Hodson has always loved sewing, since it allows her a creative outlet.
“I’ve always had a complete fascination with the concept of creating,” she said. “I started doing alterations and making small items such as bags and cushions etc. When when my daughter was born I wanted to create things for her. I desperately wanted to channel my creative side into a hobby, then this energy went from ‘doing this as a hobby’ to ‘doing this as a business.’ Now I spend every day coming up with new ideas and marketing strategies to make my business grow into the baby I know it will be.”
With winter in full effect, sales trends have moved to the stroller foot muffs, to keep baby’s feet warmer and secure, and stroller liners, giving parents more storage solutions for the stroller. Hodson sells her wares through her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BabyEllieDesigns and etsy shop found at BabyEllieDesigns.etsy.com.
“I am also in the process of growing my stock levels so I can re-stock my etsy shop,” she said. “I love doing craft shows and showing off my products. Having a repeat customer is the biggest form of flattery for me.
“I love doing the shows and showing moms how useful my products are and why they need them.”
Hodson is hoping to be able to expand her business to a level where it is her full-time job.
“I do all of my sewing at night as I work a full-time job,” she said. “But with growing custom orders, my goal for this year is to go part time at my day job with a view to doing my dream job, doing this full time.”
This year, Hodson hopes to expand the business with some new products and specialty liners for strollers including Uppa Baby, Baby Jogger and Bugaboo etc..
Custom embroidery may soon also become available for her customers.
“At this time I do not offer custom embroidery,” she said. “However, I have been asked this many times so I may look to offer this in the near future.”
Hodson said a typical order can take two to three weeks to complete, depending if the chosen fabric is in stock and when she can sew around her kids schedules.
“Right now I sew at night when they are asleep, but if I do manage to sneak in some sewing hours while they are awake, then they know to not disturb me,” she joked. “I try to let them know that my sewing room is dangerous and out of bounds. I wouldn’t want them to step on a pin. They are pretty good though; they very rarely enter my room.”
Hodson calls Baby Ellie Designs her “dream job” and there isn’t anything she wouldn’t try and create for a customer, within reason.
“I don’t think I have ever had a strange order as such,” she said. “But over the years I have made everything from a curtain for an antique kidney bean shaped dressing table to a raincoat for a dog.”
Do not forget to check out Baby Ellie Designs on her Facebook page or blog.
Those are some really pretty designs. I love the sling.
Keep in mind that anything put into a car seat that goes under the baby voids the car seat warranty.
That chevron ring sling is CUTE!
We are done with babies, but I’ll have to keep Baby Ellie Designs in mind for shower gifts!
I love the idea of the slings for the little ones! My daughter would love to hold her babydolls 🙂
I also love the car seat covers, especially for in the summer.
Love the customized look! Sharing now!
Beautiful stuff ladies! My daughter would die to have a dolly sling…what a fab idea. Love your choice of fabrics as well. Do you prefer certain designers? Jasmine