7.27.2015

shop spotlight | bannor toys

My favorite types of toys for our girls are wooden ones -- I love how classic, timeless and rich they are. Not only do they give Olivia the opportunity to think creatively and use her imagination, but they are beautiful on display in a room or scattered across the nursery floor (in the event you have a toddler in the house who doesn't always put her toys away). One of my all-time favorite shops for handmade wooden toys, teethers, blocks and more is this week's Shop Spotlight feature -- Bannor Toys.


Owned by husband and wife team Stacey and Jesse Bannor, Bannor Toys is based out of Iowa and has been crafting toys nearly four years. Stacey shares more of their story below...

"Jesse and I started creating handcrafted wooden toys in fall of 2011 and we have quickly become know for our State Rattles and uniquely designed toys with splashes of color that are completely organic. It all started when I was still running an in-home daycare; Jesse wanted to make the kids toys that would last and be safe so he cut out a toy truck using some of his grandfathers tools. The kids loved the toys he made and were still actively interested in them several weeks later so we thought we would give it a shot and signed up for a local craft fair and started selling on Etsy! Four years later we no longer work out of our house and have several employees, but we still keep the small family business feel to each transaction. To this day we have still not taken out a loan or had the need for an investor, we have simply re-invested in the company as it has grown!"

"The most challenging part of owning a business is the unpredictability of it and balancing it all. We try to give 100% to things when we are doing them to help with the balance. So when we are with the kids, we are 100% with the kids and when we are at work we are 100% at work. On the flip side, the most rewarding part is seeing all the pictures of kids with our toys; our toys have become a part of so many memories -- its crazy to think about sometimes! We've come a long way since our early days in the basement."

"When we aren't busy making toys we are spending time with our 3 kids, Emilie, Ethan, and Eli. We love to garden, attend the local farmers markets, spend hours in the book store, go camping, relax and catch up with the DVR, or spend time with our families. We also have a miniature Schnauzer, Henry."


Bannor Toys has countless options for children, the nursery, and beautiful baby gifts for expectant Mamas. They offer amazing personalization on nearly everything and when we first found out we were having another little girl, I loved seeing her sweet name on her very first teether. A few of our favorite products from Bannor Toys are the state rattles with customizable colors, the bump & baby milestone blocks, personalized name blocks (another favorite part of Penelope's nursery), their amazing new kids furniture collection and their retro wooden camera.



One of my favorite ways to track this pregnancy has been with the milestone blocks, which is a set of 16 blocks that allow you to create the words "WEEKS" and "MONTHS" as well as two-sided number blocks 0-9 to create any number you can imagine. I use them each week in flat lays with some of my favorite pieces we've gathered for Poppy and then plan to use them in photos with her as I track how she grows week by week and month by month. They are so darling and are already on my list for go-to gifts for Mamas to be!


We are clearly huge fans of Bannor Toys in our home and everything Jesse and Stacey make is just so, so good. The quality is outstanding, the turnover time is quick, the customer service is unmatched and they are all pieces we will cherish for many years to come. 

If you'd like to pick up a few of your favorite pieces from Bannor Toys, as a Blessed Nest reader you can save 10% off your total purchase using the code BNBLOG10 at checkout / Discount is valid today through Monday, August 3 ONLY and includes their best-selling block sets, which never go on sale! {Discount not valid on furniture} / start shopping here

AND because it's Monday (which naturally means us Mamas need a pick-me-up), I'd love to give away a $25 shop credit to Bannor Toys to one of you! To enter, visit my instagram @blessednestblog, find the original post & follow the simple steps // You can also earn extra entries by filling out the Rafflectoper below. This giveaway runs from Monday, July 27 through Sunday, August 2 and the winner will be announced on Monday August 3; the winner is responsible for contacting A Blessed Nest within 24 hours of being announced. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!!

14 comments:

  1. I think the picture blocks, so many great items!

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  2. My son already has a TN state rattle and the alphabet blocks from Banor, but we need more :)

    I think I'd get him the number blocks and maybe a car.

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  3. I LOVE Bannor Toys! Everything they do is great! I would love to get the ABC blocks :)

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  4. Tough decision! I like the state and rocket rattles and the airplane teether.

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  5. I love Bannor Toys! I've been following them on IG for awhile now, I think is have to order a personalized state rattle. :)

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  6. I would choose a Texas or California state rattle. Thank you for the giveaway! Your Instagram feed and blog are absolutely gorgeous!

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  7. What beautiful handmade toys! I have always wanted to get my babes some great quality personalized name blocks! Also being a photog I LOVE there wooden baby camera rattles!

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  8. I would choose either the Illinois or Georgia state rattles. Or both!

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  9. I woudo choose either the weekly number blocks, name (letter) blocks or a Maine state rattle! It woudo be difficult!

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  10. I would get either a Minnesota or an Iowa (with ISU colors) rattle. I've been eyeing these for awhile.

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  11. I would love to get the toy camera and toy phone.

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