New business focuses on creative gifts for new parents
The focus of a new business in its infancy is creating fun gifts for new parents.
Melissa Hopkins and Laura Raia recently launched My Few Favorite Things, a venture that involves making gifts for baby showers. A doll made out of diapers that resembles a baby is the main product.
The business owners customize the dolls made out of about 40 disposable diapers. The doll is dressed in a sleeper, bib, scratch mittens and infant hat. It comes with a bottle, pacifier and toy.
"It's a complete gift all in one," said Raia of South Elgin.
The gift is a highlight at baby showers. "It's a great wow factor. It's everything wrapped up in one unique gift," added Hopkins, a resident of St. Charles.
The women, who work from their homes, charge about $50 for the dolls that can be boys or girls with different skin tones and hair and eye color.
Women receiving the gifts often don't want to take them apart to use the diapers and other pieces. The dolls are often made with clothes and diapers for the 3 to 6 month old baby so parents can enjoy the gift for a while.
The entrepreneurs also make diaper cakes topped with toys, pacifiers and other trinkets. They also make decorative wedding cakes out of bath towels.
In addition to the creative dolls, the women also cut hair part time.
They have been friends for about five years and met when their 10-year-old daughters were in kindergarten. Their daughters now play soccer together.
Hopkins and her husband, Jim, are raising three children ranging in age from 6 to 13. Raia and husband Joe also have three children, ages 10 to 16.
The women have sold the dolls at craft shows and on their Web site at www.myfewfavoritethings.com. For more information, call (630) 742-5634.
Girls night: Food, friends and prizes are part of the event taking place at Real Deals Home Decor, 575 S. Arthur Ave., Arlington Heights.
Relaxing chair massages from Revita Health Center and wine tasting offered by Vino 100 are part of the event. Participants are able to bring in a photo of a hard to decorate room and "ask the experts" from Redesign Express and Lynk Home Transformations for assistance.
Real Deals Home Decor is offering a 15 percent discount on everything in the store.
Brazilian touch: Singer Monica da Silva will perform at Casa Brasil in Long Grove.
In addition to her own music, American pop, she will also perform Bossa Nova, Brazilian style at 2 p.m. June 28.
The shop, featuring everything from handcrafted jewelry to environmentally sensitive hair and skin products to specialty foods and coffees, is at 249 Robert Parker Coffin Road.
The Shops on Butterfield at Yorktown Center will get musical this summer.
On Thursdays for four weeks, live music and food sampling takes place in the new outdoor courtyard.
Concerts take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday through July 17. On Thursday, The O'Malley Starr Trio performs. Other acts include Jennifer Lucrezio and Band, June 26; Sunfallen, July 10; Curbside, July 17.
Safe disposal: KCT Credit Union is holding a Free Shred Event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at 28 N. 5th St., Geneva.
Participants can bring up to three bank boxes of personal files to be shredded for free. Free brats and hot dogs will also be served.
Kim Mikus covers small business. She welcomes comments at (847) 427-4567 or at kmikus@dailyherald.com.