I started this blog over a year ago just after my baby girl turned one, and with the intention of sharing my hunt for cool, nostalgic, kitschy, iconic and hip Latino children’s products. Along the way I've found some really awesome T-shirts and dolls, great music and kids shows, sweet vestiditos, excellent Spanish or bilingual books and more. But the truth is, these products are few and far between or just not so easy to come by unless you have the money or time to be an adventurous traveler.

There are just so many things that inspire me about our culture that I want to share with my child. Since I've been writing, I've had a ton of ideas for kids' shirts and other cool Latino-ish products. Eventually, I started keeping a list of my ideas, which kept growing and growing and is still growing. And a few months ago, I finally decided to take the leap and turn my fun ideas into a reality. So the news ... next week DosBorreguitas.com will be turning into an online shop where, for starters, I'll be selling T-shirts and onesies that are Latino/bilingual-inspired. Or as I say, this is "Spanglish Style for Kids."

I'm totally stoked about doing this. I can truly say this is a family business, as my daughter has been right by my side through each step of this process, literally. I wouldn't have it any other way.

If you like what you see please help spread the word to other comadres and compadres. I'll be posting special offers on Facebook, and for starters I'll have free shipping during the holiday season. And of course, if you have ideas for something you'd love to see on a shirt, let me know. I'll be starting out small -- and for now I just have two designs in a few colors and sizes. But I have a few others already on the way so I expect to expand quickly. So excited!

Oh, and of course, the blog will still be a part of DosBorreguitas.com and will be a place where I can share cool finds or just write about raising my little girl with Spanglish style.

A few days ago I ran across these calavera iron-on appliques as I was cruising down the sewing/crafts section at Wal-mart. I was shocked, **shocked**, when I saw them just hanging there, completely out of place at this random Wal-mart in Maryland. I probably wouldn't have been surprised if I had been in South Texas or California, but in the DC beltway? I think visitors to my house think my La Catrina dolls are Wiccan or something. Anyway, these appliques are very cute and only cost about $5 so I had to buy.

I picked out the appliques with pink in them and decided to go with a heather purple American Apparel track shirt that I got for under $10 through Amazon.com. I placed the calaveras on the front and the pink flower on the top back of the shirt (near the neckline). All I had to do was whip out the plancha and ironing board -- and it took all of two minutes to do this. Now that's what I call a project fit for me!

The appliques I bought are from a company called Next Style Fashion Art, but I can't seem to find any online. Etsy to the rescue! You can find other calavera appliques here.

I've been dying to get one for a while and finally ordered the toddler this uber-cute mija shirt from Hola Baby. Hola Baby has a sweet mijo shirt too. I don't know why, but every time I call my little girl mijita I just get this maternal feeling that stirs me. I don't use the words sweetie or darling or my dear or anything like that -- because those terms of endearment just feel wrong coming out of my mouther. But mijita is a warm and fuzzy word. It feels and sounds right. Nuestra palabra.

Right now Hola Baby is having a sale that is running through May 15. Use the code CINCO at checkout to get 20 percent off!!! Andale, go get your own mijo shirts or onesies.

Just a few days before the holiday shopping hell fun begins. Joy! Actually, I like shopping, but I usually do better online or in focused stores (Sephora) or boutiques. I feel totally overwhelmed every time I step into catch-all stores like Target or Wal-mart, or even Macy's or Marshalls, because I feel pressure to get through every department and not linger too long in any one.

OMG, and Ikea -- I can only do it about twice a year, and I have to take a mental break at the cafeteria every time. It's too much for me, especially with the toddler in tow because when she's done shopping, we're all done.

My husband gets frustrated with me when I go into a store, spend half an hour there and buy nothing. I always try to explain that's a good thing, but he sees it as a waste of time. That I should shop with a purpose. The thing is, the older I get the more I am shopping with a purpose. And that is to not let myself get overcome with "shopping disease" -- which is when you just totally buy crap just to buy crap.

Over the past year, instead of unleashing myself on Etsy, I've saved a bunch of different Etsy stores and items to my favorites list, thinking I might eventually buy some of these as Christmas gifts. If you aren't familiar with Etsy, it's basically like Ebay, but for handmade items that range from jewelry to clothes, art, toys, ceramics, etc. etc.

Etsy rocks my friggin' world. Prepare to be sucked into the black hole of shopping if you've never visited the site, muahahaha. If you'd rather look with a "purpose," here are a few things that I've found that are great for the chiquitos and mamacitas that would make terrific Christmas gifts:

1. ABCs of Cuisine kids shirts: Lala Lu is an organic baby shirt company from the Bay Area, and their selection is bilingualicious! It goes from 'A is for Amor' to 'H is for Helado' to 'P is for Pho' to 'F is for Falafel' and more. $20

2. Mi Vida heart necklace: The hard plastic resin heart, in red, that says Mi Vida is perfect for a little girl or big one. $15

3. Se Habla Espanol onesie: Hand-printed onesie is simple, and I love the font. $12

4. Spanish Nursery Decor: I ordered the Spanish alphabet poster from this Etsy store, Art and Philanthropy, a few months and framed and hung it in the toddler's room. The vintage farm animal cards are super adorable. They also have items in French, German, Italian, Hebrew and a few other languages. $22 and up. Holiday sale going on NOW!

4. Kids Enmascarado (Lucha Libre wrestler) Shirt: This Etsy store, minimalista clothing, also has some cute Frida Kahlo shirts for little girls. And cool stuff for big girls, too. $15

5. Bibs from Trata Threads, including one that says No Cookies for Santa Just Tostones. $10

6. Brown is Beautiful baby tshirt: Need I say more. $15

And if you're looking for handmade Christmas cards, there's always a Feliz Navidad lucha card or a Feliz Navidad mariachi card. Ah, nothing like a mariachi to make your holidays sparkle.

I am a sucker for DIY. Once in a while, I'll dig out my crafting crap from the basement and give it a whirl. It's all those specialized tools I bought at Michael's -- that in the store I was totally convinced I needed -- but have no idea how to use mostly because I'm not patient enough to follow written directions. Oh yeah, I also have a pretty sweet Singer sewing machine that my husband bought me for Christmas around the time Project Runway made its debut. Yeah, me and how many other people thought that they'd somehow learn how to sew and become brilliant designers overnight, make it on the show the following season, and become Tim Gunn's darling. Ha! The clothing I attempted to make was hideous and unwearable. Carry on, carry on.

These days, I have no delusions about having time to learn how to sew or even cook a meal that takes longer than fifteen minutes to slap together. Good thing that now I feel a vicarious sense of accomplishment just by watching h HGTV or Food Channel -- or Biggest Loser :)

But if I really feel like actually accomplishing something, I can always go to a crafts show. I don't mean an old school crafts show, either. I'm talking about the Crafty Bastards Arts and Crafts Fair that happens every fall in DC. It's like the physical embodiment of Etsy -- with tons of indie artisans and young hipster crafters hand-making everything from felt or crocheted toys; recycled silver or clay jewelry; original prints to hang on your walls; screen-printed t-shirts or onesies; reusable coffee sleeves; headbands and tons of other stuff. Lots of recycled, lots of felt, lots of hand-sewn, lots of unique singular style.

And lots of overusing the words cool and cute. But it's pretty much true -- everything there is pretty much cool and/or cute.

Last year, I bought the most awesome stuffed and mounted unicorn head that hangs above the toddler's crib. Love it so much, I'll even overlook that Candycorn's story is that this unicorn is meth addict from the Plushkill Forest and could possibly scare the child as soon as she realizes its not like her other toys.

I also got a fabulous for-mom family birdie necklace for myself -- great gift, btw.

This year's show was this past weekend and the husband bought a cute bunny love t-shirt for the toddler.  And I totally regret leaving without buying this nameplate necklace that says Mala. I'm totally going to get it on the Etsy store. Makes me think of the song by DLG: Juliana que mala eres. Que mala eres Juliana.

THANK GOODNESS FOR ETSY. And the Etsy Addict iphone app :) It's like the Crafty Bastards that keeps giving all year long.

I got this Peace & Love/Paz y Amor romper for baby K at Ping and Pong Kids online. It's cute, soft, a simple design and a great outfit to hang around and play in on weekdays. They have a few other bilingual shirts and rompers for kids -- in English and Spanish and English and Chinese.

Cabronsito! It's what you want to say when the little Frito (or Sabritas) bandito starts talking back, giving attitude or acting out. Forget timeout. Just put this shirt on them! Or not. I don't know -- I'm back and forth on this one. I think it's kind of a strong word for a kids shirt, even if when you say it in a kidding way and make it diminutive. Is pendejito better than pendejo? Um, no.

But no one knows what goes on in your crazy mama head, right! Think it loud. Throw a chancla, in your head. Better yet, walk around work thinking it. Yeah, party in your head.

Latin Lingo just let me know that they've just put up their blue Chavo and Chilindrina shirt for sale on their website. Coolness. I did a post a few weeks ago of baby K wearing it. I bought it in the company's store in San Jose, but couldn't find it online. Until Now!

In the meantime, last week when I was in Los Angeles I hit up--at the suggestion of a friend--El Mercadito, on First and Lorena in East LA. As she had described it to me, "it's like a glorified pulga," and that's just about right. They sell everything from molcajetes to pinatas, pan dulce, boots, quince recuerdos and aceites to cure all sorts of ailments (or envidias). It's totally what I was in the mood for. In one of the tendajitos upstairs I came across a ton of Chavo, Chilindra and Chapulin t-shirts--for five bucks each, woo hoo. I literally salivate when I find a deal.

When you're gonna hang in the public park, gotta dress up for the occasion. Got this pink Latina tank top at the same place in San Jose where I bought the Chavo and Chilindrina t-shirt. But again, can't find this particular one in their online store. BUT, it's similar to this one sold online at Arte y Loqueras. Some of the other children's shirts this store carries are the ones I saw at Latin Lingo. Hmmmm.

And no, baby K is not wearing those denimish diapers. They are actual denim diaper covers. Baby K has two pairs, one from Old Navy and the others are by Wrangler, and bought those in South Texas at a Western store.