A Fundraiser for Jocelyn

Celebrate the life of Salem's Jocelyn Callahan tonight (Friday, August 29) at The Gulu-Gulu Cafe at 247 Essex St. in Salem.

Callahan, a cook at Gulu, passed away early Monday morning. She was only 25.

Gulu will be hosting a fundraiser to help the Callahan family deal with their tragic loss. Machine 475 will be heading the evening. Donations of any kind are welcome (a live auction will take place as well). Cover charge will be $10 and all proceeds from the evening will be given to the family.

We extend our love and support to all of Joceyln's friends and family.


Click here to read The Salem News article. Click here to read The Salem Gazette article.

Forest River Park playground

Let’s raise money for a great playground!

The Friends of Forest River Park is working with the city of Salem to replace the playground at Forest River Park. The city has allocated funds for a new playground in 2009, and the goal is to seize this rare opportunity and raise additional funds to help the City build an even bigger and better playground.

So if you can volunteer your time and talents to our fundraising effort please contact Holly Grose at hollygrose@aol.com.

Additionally, donations of any amount are appreciated (and needed) for the playground fund.

Please send your donation to:

Friends of Forest River Park Playground Fund
P.O. Box 1064
Salem, MA 01970

Thanks for your support and we can't wait to see you at the new playground!

more products arriving everyday!

Summer is winding down and you know what that means... Fall products are beginning to arrive!

We would like to welcome some new products (and some good old fashioned favorites) back to CGB. And don't you worry, we're expecting more shipments of crunchy stuff.

• Jen Willett Monkeyshines Sock Monkeys
• Under The Nile Organic Stuffed Produce
• Under The Nile Lion and Mouse Stuffed Toys
• Potty Mouth Aprons
• Potty Mouth Bib and Burp Cloths (great baby shower gift and totally affordable! oh...and made by a local mom!)
• Under The Nile Newborn Basics - side snap onesies, side snap tees, footed pants, baby gowns, etc
• Under The Nile Footie Pajamas
• Under The Nile (reversible) Warm Suits
• ...and more are arriving everyday!

featured product: sock monkeys!

Well, they're back. And apparently more popular than ever! Jan Willett, along with her handmade sock monkeys, were featured in this week's issue of the Weekly Dig. Check it out here. Or, to make it really easy for you, simply read below:

You'd have to be blind (or stone-hearted) to miss Jan Willett's MonkeyShineStudio wares at a craft fair. Dozens of goofy, huggable sock monkeys—striped, colorblocked, all sporting a mischievous grin—drape about this toy entrepreneur, a sculptor by training who's been manufacturing these handmade, long-limbed creatures since sewing her first in Fall 2004. With the help of a skilled sewer (hired on Craigslist with something not too far from "sock monkey manufacturer seeks professional seamstress"), Willett soon found herself in, well, monkey business.

Willett first began buying socks at department stores, but then "got more and more picky about the fabric." Cheaper socks, commonly made overseas from acrylic, weren't holding up well, and she "was also concerned with being local and buying American products." After much research, Willett found one of the few remaining US sock manufacturers, and exclusively sources her cotton-Lycra blend socks from Pennsylvania. "I'm looking into doing an organic troupe, probably for next season (organic cotton with recycled stuffing)," she relays encouragingly.

How does one christen a monkey, be it Eugene, Lexi or Fabien? "I finish them and I put their faces on," explains Willett. "I look at them and say, 'What's your name?' Then they tell me." Probably the best strategy, all said. "I also keep a list of interesting names," she continues. "When I see a movie—especially a foreign film—I look at the list of credits for names." Even after four years, her determination to never duplicate a handle still runs strong.

"On my sewing table right now is the Socktopus prototype," Willett divulges. "I also have a penguin that I'm working on, made out of Ankle Biters." Enthusiasts? Anticipate a menagerie of sock surf to accompany the turf.

"It's definitely rewarding in that I know these things are going out into the world and making people happy," says Willett. "It's gratifying to see people's faces light up when they hold them. I feel like I'm doing something good for the world." She laughs, summing up her plushy creations within a simple compelling one-word mission: "Positivity."

new featured artist: ashley fletcher

Well if you've been in the store sometime in the past few weeks, you've noticed our new artwork. And if you haven't been in the store sometime in the past few weeks, you are missing out!

Ashley Fletcher is our new featured artist for the months of August, September and October. Fletcher was born in Maine and grew up in a beautiful house on Cobboseecontee Lake in Manchester. She began taking art lessons at a young age and developed a love for drawing. Ashley went on to study at Wheaton College. In 2001 she graduated with a BA in Studio Art and Art History. It was at Wheaton that she first began working in watercolor and discovered her love for this medium. Ashley now works and resides in Swampscott, Massachusetts. Be sure to check out more of her work and contact information at AshleyFletcher.com.

NEW! toddler playgroup!

Crunchy Granola Baby is now hosting a weekly Toddler Play Group! Come play with us every Wednesday (beginning August 20) from 10 to 11 AM! All parents and toddlers are welcome and, as always, our playgroup is free. Hope to see you Wednesday!

considering homebirth?

Are you and your partner considering homebirth? Then join our meeting for pregnant partners!

Massachusetts Friends Of Midwives is hosting a meeting exclusively for the partners of pregnant women. This meeting, moderated by a homebirth midwife, will specifically address questions and concerns for those who don’t know what to expect. No question or concern is too silly! Those who have their own homebirth stories to share are welcome, too.


When: September 17th @ 7pm
Where: Crunchy Granola Baby, 72 Washington Street, Salem
How: Contact us at info@mfom.org for more information