MyShoppingConnection is a resource for people who love shopping for unique, high quality or handmade items from reputable online vendors and independent artisans.

Handmade Back to School Shopping: Part I

As summer vacation draws to a close, back to school shopping is on the forefront of many parents' minds.

This year, why not make back to school shopping an opportunity to support local artists and small independent businesses?

If you want some unique back to school goodies you'll never find at big-box retailers, check out our first of two installments featuring handmade items for kids!

1. School Bus I Spy Bag - $28

Those Greathouse Women created this cute little school bus to capture a child's imagination! The I Spy Bag is a fleece bean bag with a clear window, and inside, little toys and trinkets are hidden away for children to discover. The toy can't be opened (for safety reasons) and is a great tool to get pre-school little ones excited about going to school in a big yellow bus.

2. Toast Loves Butter Pouch - $15

What child wouldn't want to stash pens and pencils in this sweet pouch from Pink Olive Boutique? The Toast Loves Butter Pouch is a red polka dot bag that zips closed to keep those little odds and ends from winding up at the bottom of a backpack.

3. Personalized Lunch Box - $28

A tin lunch box is an eco-friendly alternative to brown bagging it, and a personalized one will make your child enjoy bringing a lunch to school that much more. A Touch of Whimsy's personalized lunch boxes come in designs for boys and girls and are completely food safe, lead free and easy to clean! Each lunch box measures about 8" by 6" by 4" - deep enough for large sippy cups for the little ones, too.

4. Cobra Messenger Bag - $88

For the older students who need a strong, sturdy solution for carrying books, Global Exchange's Cobra Messenger Bag is a great choice. The messenger bag is made of recycled truck tire inner tubes by a Fair Trade El Salvadorian artisan group. Instead of meeting their demise in a landfill, the inner tubes are recycled into a highly functional book bag. The messenger bag comes in your choice of a red or blue stripe and measures about 15" wide by 10" high by 4" deep.

5. Personalized Luggage Bag Tag - $12

No more misplaced bags or trips to the lost and found this school year. SooBoo Designs' has an ingenious solution: Personalized Luggage Bag Tags for boys and girls! Each tag can be customized - front and back - with a child's essential info. The front will feature an artistic version of his or her first name, and the back can include an address and/or phone number. These sturdy, laminated tags are accented with colorful, coordinating ribbons and a vinyl loop - making it easy to attach to backpacks!

6. Turtle Backpack - $28

Looking for a backpack with some personality? This huggable little Turtle Backpack from Partners for Just Trade is made by a Fair Trade artisan group called Kuichi in San Genaro, Lima. The backpack measures about 15" by 13" and is machine washable - a great choice for elementary students!

7. Tweedy Cabled Hat - $37

Tot Toppers' Tweedy Cabled Hat for boys is a great choice for cooler weather at school. Each hat is knit to order in any size with a brim in front for shade and bobbles and cables for accent. Solid colors are available, as well!

8. Pistachio Penguin Felt Pouch - $17

TickleWorm's Pistachio Penguin is made from wool blend felt with a bright blue cotton lining. The pouch secures with a button and can hold school supplies, eyeglasses, etc. Featuring a hand-sewn penguin on the front, the pouch measures 7" wide by 4-1/2" tall.

9. Nap Pack - $39.99

Crafty Baby's Nap Packs are a smart choice for little ones with nap time at preschool, kindergarten or day care. A Nap Pack is an all-in-one fleece blanket with a pillow attached that easily rolls into itself for carrying and storage. The blanket measures about 48" long, and the pillow at the top is about 11" by 16" - meaning it will fit onto a standard school cot or kindermat. Eight different print designs include dinosaurs for boys and ladybugs for girls!

Stay tuned! We'll have some more handmade back to school items soon!