Seeing the Everyday

There's a newly launched magazine that has completely hit a soft spot for me. Seeing the Everyday.

First of all, it's gorgeous. (And you know I have kind of an obnoxious why-bother? attitude about anything poorly designed.) The photography is excellent. The layouts are well thought out. The paper has a lovely feel. It's a pleasure to hold and read.

Second, the concept is unlike anything I've seen out there on the magazine racks. And it is needed. And at the end of the day, really important. Seeing the Everyday aims to cover the "in-between" moments of parenthood. The non-events that actually make up the bulk of the act of parenting. To shed light on how important these small moments are.

I found the stories and articles authentic and compelling — and loved them for being affirming and positive without being patronizing. I was wiping the tears right and left as I read cover to cover (I'm not kidding when I say it hit a soft spot with me). If it celebrates parenthood and families I can typically be counted as a fan. I'm fully aware that parenting is the most important and meaningful thing most of us will do in our lifetime. It is always good for me to be reminded that the birthday parties and big events aren't any more important than the down days — and probably much less important.

Lastly, Seeing the Everyday is ad free. As in sans ads. As in there aren't any advertisements. No really. (And of course, this is partly why it's so gorgeous.) Consider how lovely that is. Every page is content. Every page is beautiful. How to get one? Via internet of course. Sign up for your subscription here. If you check it out, I'd love to hear what you think.

Baobab Clothing

Another boutique Australian clothing line I've fallen for — say Hello to Baobab. The tulle skirt. The dragon graphic. All the stripes. And a haven't-seen-one-before-and-I'm-in-love kimono hoodie. Oh how wonderful.

Winners — Five Books from Blurb

Oh Goody! Five winners today. Five winners that get to make super cool Blurb books. Delightful! Thank you so much to everyone for participating. And congratulations to the lucky winners:

1) Annie who said, "This is the blurbiest!"
2) Tawnya who said, "Oh, I can't even say how badly I want this."
3) wishful thinking who said, "oooh, please pick me! I have been wanting to make a cookbook of my favorite recipes!"
4) Emily and Nikolas who said, "Perfect timing, I'm dying to make a book all about our little boy's 1st year of life- he'll be one next month!"
5) Allysha who said, "please, me!!"

Hooray for the winners! Please email me from the link on my blog so I know that you know you won and I'll get you your Blurb code right away.

Thank you to Blurb!

The Sk*rt Paramount Meetup

This is really going to be a fantastic week. Laurie and Laura are coming to New York and we have a jam-packed schedule full of business meetings and lunches and get togethers and drop bys for sk*rt. On Thursday or Friday we're even hoping to make it to at least a little bit of the BlogHer Business conference. But the coolest part of the week will definitely be Wednesday night.

We want to make sure we get to see friends and internet buddies while we're all together, so we're hosting a fabulous meetup. Here's the 411:

The Sk*rt Paramount Meetup
NYC Wed. April 2, 8 p.m.
Paramount Bar
235 W 46th St (@ 8th Avenue)



par·a·mount [par-uh-mount] –adjective: Of highest importance, chief in importance or significance.

If you’re sk*rty or (Design Mom-y) and you happen to be in NYC, we are going to have a get together on Wednesday, April 2 at 8 p.m. at the Paramount Bar at 235 W 46th St (@ 8th Avenue).

And we totally want you to be there. It's paramount. Plus, just in case you need more convincing, check this out:

Blurb, the super-cool custom bookmaking company — the very same one that just hosted a Giveaway right here on Design Mom — will treat all sk*rty paramount meetupers to a free book! Whoohoo! That's right. Everyone that attends will get a code to make a free Blurb book. Everyone.




Make a cookbook. Make a wedding album. Make a book for Mother’s Day. Make whatever book you like. Or try the famous and exclusive Blurb Slurp: Your blog. Automatically slurped into a real book. So freaking cool. Now, it’s even more paramount that we get together.

Seriously. Can't wait to see you. And give you a Blurb certificate. Let me know if you can make it!

Letter Baking Trays

I'm thinking I should probably own these letter and number baking trays. From their website: "Oven-safe to 572ºF and (-58ºF). Cool to the touch within minutes after baking. Make ice, Jello, butter, chocolate, cookies, muffins, etc... Food cooks and browns evenly. Trays won't retain odors or flavors, and are dishwasher safe. For storing, they fold or bend to fit anywhere."

See. I'm sold. I'm thinking it would be fun to make letter treats for preschool. Or for some sort of alphabet party. Or just for fun.

Hanging with Guy at Gansevoort

So I've been blogging for a year and half or so. And I still love it. Loooovvve it. For lots of reasons. One of which is the unexpected and unpredictable opportunities that come up through all these interweb connections. Things like realizing companies want to give free stuff to my readers, making crafts at Martha's studio, and the chance to start a cool website. But one my the most unexpected experiences so far happened last Wednesday night.

Guy Kawasaki was in New York. He had recently become aware of sk*rt and decided he was a fan. He happened to meet Laura (my sk*rt partner) after a panel at SXSW, and then met Laurie (my other sk*rt partner) in Charlotte at a conference. So of course he figured he better complete the meeting of the sk*rt trio by catching up with me in New York.

I'm sure some of you out there don't know much about Guy — but your husbands and boyfriends will — especially if they're even slightly techie. Guy Kawasaki is one of the most well respected men in the business and technology world. He is best known as the Apple Evangelist, the man who helped the world realize how much we all love Apple products. He's an entrepreneur — a starter of excellent websites like Truemors and Alltop. A connector of people. Author of nine books. Super smart — wise even. Super nice. If you want him to speak to your company about innovation or motivation — and he is consistently in high demand — you'll need to pay from $45,000 to $55,000. He's that cool.



So Wednesday night I hung out with him in his hotel lobby (whoever was hosting him had put him up at the super-chic-impossible-to-pronounce-hotel in the meatpacking district). We talked for an hour and a half. Just me and Guy. Having very frank conversation about building websites, selling advertising, answering email, politics, venture capitalist funding, giving interviews, site traffic, ad networks, failing, how much money can be made at different types of ventures, and how Guy likes to play hockey (every single day). No agenda. Nothing to accomplish. Just hanging out.

He had been up and traveling at 4:00 am that morning, and I kept him up way past his bedtime. But how could I pass up the opportunity to hang out with such an interesting person for as long as possible?

Best thing about Guy Kawasaki: he's an incredibly nice person. And I wish him only the best of luck in all of his ventures. And especially in the hockey rink.

Oliver + S Children's Clothing Patterns

Good morning! You may have noticed my missing posts on Friday. I'll explain. We had dear, dear friends come visit for the night on their way to Jamaica, and I spent the morning straightening up. While doing so, I realized I had better spend the entire day straightening up because the house was in such a state of disgust-o. But I missed you terribly.

So today I have big plans to post lots and lots of cool things so that I can get back into your good graces — plus I'll announce 5 winners for the Blurb Giveaway. Yay!



Let me start by sharing this fantastic site where you can find simple, contemporary patterns for children's clothing. It's called Oliver + S and the patterns are designed by the talented Liesl Gibson. Although modeled by adorable paper dolls, these patterns are indeed very real and, I've been assured, will allow even not-very-good-sewers (that would be me) to whip up something darling for the kiddies.



Extra fun: while you're busy at the sewing machine, your little ones can keep themselves busy with the actual paper dolls included with every order.

By the way, we loved having Wes and Em come to visit. We could talk with them forever.

Random Giveaway — Five Blurb Books

My oh my. It is so time for a Giveaway! Remember those Blurb books I posted about last month? From the company that offers the option of "slurping" a blog? The ones that everyone seems to love so much? Well how about if five of you get to make your own Blurb book for free dollars and fifty free cents? Nice, right?



Blurb books are easy to make. High-quality. And have a fast turnaround. Basically, you upload the pretty pictures and the pretty words and you'll receive a polished book that looks like it came from your favorite publisher. Square, portrait and landscape options. Up to 440 pages. Softcover or hardcover. Starting at $12.95. You have total creative control.

What kind of book will you make? Baby's first year. An album of 2007. A collection of Grandma's favorite recipes. A record of your blog. Something for your Mom (Mother's Day is coming quickly.) The sky's the limit — and you can find inspiration and book ideas here. Think the book you made is especially amazing? You can even promote and sell copies of it on the Blurb website.




Oh. I love this Giveaway. I'm imagining five of you receiving your finished book in the mail and grinning with delight, then showing it to your family, and getting a big pat on the back for having made something so lovely. I think I'll spend the afternoon daydreaming about the books I could make — feel free to join me.

[ Edit: I should mention the details. The five winners will receive a code allowing them $29.95 credit for a free book, or toward a book valued at more than $29.95. Happy commenting!]

Thanks, Blurb!

-------------

Random Giveaway Guidelines:
-You have until midnight PST on Sunday, March 30th to enter this giveaway.
-Just make a comment ON THIS POST to enter — any comment.
-Anonymous comments will be ignored/removed.
-One entry per person, please.
-The winner will be randomly picked and announced Monday morning.
-What are Random Giveaways? Read about them here.

Chic Papoose Slings

A friend of mine was looking for a pouch-style sling (read: no rings or snaps) featuring some color or pattern. I sent her to Chic Papoose. They're reversible, so you get two fabric options in one sling. They're compact, so they roll up small to fit in your handbag. And they're easy care — machine wash and dry.

Glamorous Girl Accessories

Pretty hair adornments at Glamorous Girl's Etsy shop. Betty's bangs are in her face and I am constantly acquiring barrettes and hair pins as I attempt to let them grow. There are so many cute options — I can't help but find things for me as well : ). Too fun.

Origami sans Cranes

From the Chronicle Books blog, check out Ayako Akazawa's great ideas on ways to use origami paper beyond the traditional. Those jar covers are calling to me.

Little Poco

Say hola to Little Poco! Everything you need to add a little Latin flavor to your child's lifestyle. I'm particularly taken with the guayaberas (pronounced at my house as why-a-ver-us) for the papitos and the hand-embroidered poblano dress for the mamacitas. I am fully coveting both.

From the website: "Maybe it's because he looks like a mini-man, or that he stands out at the playground. Nothing makes Abuela smile more than seeing her little boy in a guayabera." I feel the very same way.

Oh. And don't miss the piñata and futbolistas onesies with a vintage illustrations. Fantastic.

Little Deer

Ooooh! Stylish Chelsea just sent me a great link. Feast your eyes on the lovely felt wares of Little Deer based out of Portland. My favorite thing ever is that little cap. And happily, it's available in 6 colors. Perfect little details and just the right weight for spring.

Celebrity Gossip Round Up — by Guest Mom Vera Sweeney

Hey gang! My name is Vera Sweeney and I am this week's Guest Mom. I'm super excited to be part of Gabrielle's website because I just love the concept and she is a fun gal. I run I'm Not Obsessed, a celebrity gossip website that is work and kid friendly. I keep everything PG so wandering eyes can gaze upon your computer screen without any scarring effects. After all, who doesn't need a little gossip during the day? Here is today's recap:

A) I'm giving away three of these amazing necklaces from Emitations. Click here to get started!!

B) Any Cashmere Mafia fans? Well, you better get online because rumor has it that the show is not getting renewed. So I suggest you start making a stink if you want to keep Lucy Liu on the small screen.

C) Guess who is starting her own jewelry line? We can't get enough of this new mom whose boyfriend has his own clothing line that is slowly becoming a Hollywood standard. How does she have time with that new baby?

D) Looks like Owen Wilson and Kate Hudson are back together and I couldn't be happier. Click here to see all the juicy details.

E) Want to get the celebrity look for less? Blake Lively is a new comer on the scene — but her Gossip Girl fashion sense is ON POINT. Get her entire outfit for less.

F) How about a new wedge for the summer? These are cheaper versions of Jennifer Aniston's seasonal shoe. Find out the prices here.

G) Why is White Tea good for you? Here are the reasons why it should be part of your daily routine.

H) Five exercise habits that sabotage weight loss! There is so much more! I can't possibly cover it all here. Check out I'm Not Obsessed to fulfill all your obsessions!!

Say Hello to Vera Sweeney!

So I'm way happy about our Guest Mom this week. Her name is Vera Sweeney and when she's not chasing her two adorable babies around, she runs the incredibly popular (read: millions of hits each month) blog called I'm Not Obsessed — all about her complete obsession with celebrity gossip.

I've been running into Vera at one event after another and took it as a sign that she just had to be Guest Mom. So I begged and pleaded and this very busy lady said yes! And I said oh goody!!

Obviously, celeb gossip is not the order of the day around here, but that doesn't mean I don't love myself some 411 on Brangelina. Besides, it's fun to shake things up a bit — to add a little hollywood among the design posts. Blame it on spring fever or cabin fever or saturday night fever. Or whatever.

Vera is sure to delight us this week. She is friendly and cool and oh-so-business-savvy. Plus, she has the fiercest name ever. I might need to have baby number 6 just so I can make a baby name list featuring Vera Sweeney. Welcome Vera!!

Mommybar Toolbar

Has anyone tried this? I just heard about it. It's called Mommybar and it's a toolbar you can download that becomes part of your web browser — and apparently has all the Mom websites and blogs in one place, plus a google search box. If you have any experience with it, I'd love to hear what you think.

Hand Picked Pumpkin

Have I told you about Hand Picked Pumpkin already? It's like choose your own adventure, but for baby clothes. You start by picking from a great selection of baby and toddler basics in thick, soft, interlock knit — all the classic playwear shapes are available. You pick the base fabric color. You pick the accent fabrics for the trim. You can mix and match to your heart's delight.




Design a hat to go with a romper. Design a hoodie to go with some pants. Because we all have a little Project Runway trying to get out.

Little Lark

I just got a sneak preview of the latest designs at Little Lark Letterpress. Available on tees, onesies and cards. I swear I can not get my fill of robots these days.

Easter Download

I realize I'm not the only one Easter snuck up on this year, but forshizzle, I almost missed it. I started the month with big plans — hopeful thoughts of getting wheat grass planted in plenty of time. But it didn't happen. Here's how it went down at our house:


Easter clothes were purchased on Saturday.


Easter decor went up Saturday evening.


Easter eggs were dyed (rubberbands make the streaks) on Sunday afternoon.

And our pathetic Easter dinner (taco salad was on the menu, because I'm seriously not kidding about Easter sneaking up on me) was saved by an invitation to a real-Easter-dinner-plus-egg-hunt Sunday evening. Where the food was so yummy and the company so delightful that this Easter-that-almost-wasn't was possibly our favorite Easter yet.


One last highlight: an unexpected Easter package from Lindsey — full of an assortment my very favorites — pear Jelly Belly's, sour candies and caramels. It was a generous package, but she picked my favorites so precisely that it lasted about 5 minutes in my able hands.

See Kai Run

I first saw these amazing shoes on Backwards Attraction. For boys. For girls. I'm feeling the green today, but they have dozens and dozens of choices on the site.

See Kai Run is a family-owned and operated business located outside of Seattle, Washington. Their shoes are thoughtfully hand-crafted from buttery soft leather and promise to be kind to developing feet. Twice a year they come out with a collection of 15-20 designs — and I'm having to fight back the urge to collect one of each — as if they were baseball cards. Don't you just want to eat them up?

pingg e-invitations

Kelcey sent me a link to pingg. It's a new email invitation service, and they've tried to really step up the design and photography. The site is clean and beautiful and easy to use. Pick formats from the pingg gallery and the designer series. Now I just need an excuse to send out some invitations.

This looks like Ben Blair as a Kid

This photo made me happy all day yesterday. via sk*rt.

Monthly Baby Photos

What a great idea! Ohdeedoh posted about Kathy who took photos of her baby from one month old to 12 months old, lying on a Stendig calendar. A very visual way to see the growth of your baby — plus it looks so cool!

(FYI: the Stendig calendar is oversize and classic and famous. You may remember seeing it on this post. Every other month switches from black background to white background. They sell a new one every year.)

I saw this on say YES!

Bébé Ravi

Angel just sent me an email about Bébé Ravi, a mission driven company that makes gorgeous hand crocheted and hand knit clothing for children. I was an instant fan as soon as I laid eyes on that blue crochet dress. (Daydream: Man, how cute would that be on my daughters this summer. Maybe as a swimsuit coverup? . . .)

More reason to love Bébé Ravi: proceeds benefit the Patrick Chege Orphanage in Nakuru, Kenya which currently provides shelter, food, healthcare and education to twenty children.

Alphabet Ribbon

Just found this great project at The Small Object. Sarah used this charming alphabet-twill-tape-ish-ribbon to personalize some cloth napkins. Brilliant. The same idea would also be great for washcloths or towels. Plus, that ribbon could inspire a whole slew of other cool projects. Alphabet birthday party anyone? via sk*rt

Alltop

So have you heard of Alltop? It's a new and super-cool way to explore different interests on the web. It's the brain child of Guy Kawasaki — social media superstar — so you know it's got to be good. How does it work?

1) Go here to see the topics covered by Alltop.
2) Pick a topic you're interested in, for example "Dads".
3) Then, what you'll see is a list of all the top/best/hottest Dad blogs, plus the titles of their most recent posts. And those post titles are updated constantly — pretty much like "live" updates.

It's a fantastic way to get a sense of what's happening out there on the internets and a great starting point if you're wanting to explore.

Of course, if you check out a topic list and your very favorite blog is missing, you can go ahead and suggest it. Find out how here. I'm especially loving Alltop because I just found out that they added my blog to their Design List and Mom List. And I couldn't be happier. Thanks for the love Alltop!

Charmed

How delightful are these lovely pieces from Etsy shop Charmed — and very reasonably priced as well. My good Mother-in-law, Julia, sent some great photos of Ben as a child — they're kind of aged and yellowed. They'd be perfect for this kind of thing.

Teeny Tiny Envelopes

So I've just discovered this hole punch that makes teeny tiny envelopes. I know. I know. All you scrapbookers are like, geez, Design Mom, old news. But it has completely captured my imagination and I have vowed to buy one.

For making invitations to a teeny tiny party. Or making little notes to hide in your easter eggs. Or for writing notes to the teeny tiny tooth fairy. Too much fun! The finished envelope size is 1" x 1.5". Found on sk*rt.

Ikea's New Fabrics

It's been a couple of months since I've made it out to Ikea, but this line of new prints might make me schedule a trip. I'm craving a sewing project. Found on sk*rt.

Featured Editor

Quick announcement in case you didn't see it. Sk*rt has yet another super cool feature. Each week we'll be highlighting a Featured Guest Editor who will share with us their favorite sk*rt links. Sort of like an iTunes Celebrity Playlist. Only cooler and sk*rtier. Our first Featured Editor is the fabulous Kristin Van Ogtrop, Editor of the equally fabulous Real Simple Magazine. You'll be able to see her favorite links — a different one each day — all this week.

Plus, we'd love to hear who you'd like to see as future Featured Editors. Dooce? Martha? Amy Winehouse? Ariana Huffington? Stephen Colbert? Budget Fashionista? JT? Tina Fey? We can't promise they'll say yes, but we'll certainly ask. If you think of someone who would be perfect, please suggest them in the comments below.

Choose Your Own Adventure Vinyl

Aaaahhh. More vinyl love. This very cool Spanish company, called Mono Devinilo, features select designs by their team of artists, and then let you pick the colors you want the design printed in. What? It makes more sense on their website. Go to their collections, choose a category (like robots, for example), and you'll see the designs available and the colors you can choose for each design.

Choice is good.

Ask Design Mom: Easter Baskets

Ask Design Mom Question:
Dear Designmom, I've been looking for easter baskets for my three kids and have had a hard time finding something that will last through the years and that looks great. You are always posting such great finds and ideas for all the holidays and I am hoping that you might be able to help me find a few resources for fantastic easter baskets. Thanks! Becky

Design Mom Answer:
Great question Becky! And I hear you on the long-lasting aspect. The first Easter baskets I purchased for my kids were sweet, but they broke the second year and were a beast to store.

If you're super traditional, then you may not like my answer, but I'm a big fan of "alternative" Easter baskets. In fact, I look for baskets that are multi-purpose and highly functional — that I can use throughout the year for all sorts of things. I also prefer a small container, because it prevents us from getting out of control with the candy.



Our current Easter baskets are small galvanized metal buckets. The kids decoupaged them a few years ago with crepe paper, wrapping tissue and watered down glue. (Although, I think they're lovely unadorned as well.) After they've done their duty collecting eggs, they go back to the shelves in my girls' room, where they corral Polly Pocket pieces and Barbie shoes and dress-up jewelry. You can see them on my daughters' shelves here.

But if buckets aren't your thing. I recommend looking through home organization departments to scope out other alternative, long-lasting "baskets". Wire fruit baskets would be charming and would show off the colored eggs — no grass necessary. Or a small cloth bin that you could embellish with a ribbon handle so they can carry it during their egg hunt would be perfect. In fact, if you hunt around your house, you may find that you have just the thing on hand already.

I hope that helps, Becky. Happy Hunting!

Small rhombus totes from The Container Store. Metal buckets in galvanized silver and solid colors from The Bucket Outlet. Wire baskets from Organize.com. Natural sling bag by Eco Bags.

Vampire Weekend

Ben Blair bought me this album during his last trip. And I love every song.

Nature Contained

The other day I received a charming box in the mail from Nature Contained. And when I opened it I was both surprised and delighted to discover three pastel eggs resting on a bed of green grass. A delight for the eyes and to the sweet tooth, because the eggs are filled with El Rey Organic Venezuelan chocolate.

To be clear, these eggs are not plastic or foil or paper. These are actual hen and quail eggs, carefully emptied and cleaned, then filled with decadent truffle. What a sophisticated Easter treat. And what a brilliant idea.

Want some of your own? Well, if you live near Tiverton, RI you can stop by their charming shop and pick some up. Or, you can order the ship-able eggs over the phone at 401.624.4484.

iCar

This was Ralph's third and final year to build a car for the Pinewood Derby and this is what he said as we started the project, "My car last year was pretty fast, and that was fun, but this year I just want to concentrate on making a cool car." Well. All right then.

His idea: make it look like an iPod. So we did. And it was a hit! For any other cub scouts out there wanting to try the same idea, here are basic directions:



1) Trim: Take the block of wood and trim off the longer end, so that the wheels are the same distance from the front and back. Then divide the thickness of the block of wood by half — you don't want to go much thinner, because you still need to attach the wheels. (While you've got the tools out, you may want to hollow out a portion of the bottom of the block of wood so you can add weights.)

2) Sand: Sand the trimmed block to smooth it and round the top edges so it feels like an iPod.

3) Paint: Give it two coats of glossy white or silver spray paint.

4) Print: Create an iPod surface in Adobe Illustrator (or whatever drawing program you prefer) and print it on high gloss photo paper. You can also use one of four we created by downloading our PinewoodiPod.pdf.



5) Mount: Use an Exacto knife to trim out the iPod surface print out, and then use spray mount to attach the print out to the block of wood.

6) Screen: For extra reflection on the "screen" we used an old clear plastic report cover. We trimmed out a square of the plastic to match the size of the screen and also attached it with a very thin coat of spray mount.

Ralph was super happy with it. And it was fun to hear the boys chanting iCar! iCar! iCar! during the races.

Polyvore

Don't you love it when technology catches up with your wants and needs? Take the brilliant site Polyvore for example. Using simple drag and drop software you can put together outfits or inspiration boards. Ever wondered how that Anthropologie skirt would look with the J Crew sweater? Now you can find out before you make a purchase.

I messed around on Polyvore for 20 minutes or so this morning. It's super easy to use. And pretty darn addicting. Have fun. Found on sk*rt.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

It was a great weekend! Mostly because we were all together for the first time in awhile. And also because it was jam packed with fun stuff.

On Saturday we hit the matinee of Horton Hears a Who. The kids loved it. And it was especially fun because we know two of the animators that worked on the movie. (Blue Sky Studios, the company behind Horton and Robots and Ice Age, is based here in New York, very close to where we live.)

Saturday night was the Pinewood Derby. More on that later.

Sunday we wore green, ate green food at a church get together and then went to the Josh & Erin's for a traditional St. Patrick's Day feast. Corned beef, cabbage and lots of root vegetables (potatoes, beets, parsnips, carrots, and one other one I'm forgetting). Plus no less than 3 desserts. So yummy. I had seconds. And thirds. If you ever get the chance to live near Josh and Erin I highly recommend it.

We're all wearing green today and wishing good luck to all we meet. Including you.

Kayce Hughes

I couldn't be happier about the traditional, classic lines that are showing up in children's clothing lately. Check out the fall '08 collection by Kayce Hughes. My favorites: This palm green corduroy dress. This sea blue Andrea dress. And this red corduroy John John.

Ben Blair turns 35

Today is Friday, March 14th. Which means that Ben Blair's birthday was one week ago on Friday, March 7th. Ben is 35 years old. And we still haven't celebrated this joyous occasion. Which is not good. Not good at all.

Here's the boring story: Ben was out of town last Thursday. Then I was out of town Friday through Sunday. Then he's been out of town again this week. It's kind of like playing tag — but at JFK, and with airplanes. He'll be back in the morning and I can't wait to see him.

To ease my guilt about leaving town on his birthday, Ben promised me we would pick a-date-sometime-in-March to celebrate. We want to make him breakfast in bed, and bake a cake, and wrap up some presents. I don't think he would mind skipping all of this, but our kids would be terribly offended if any of these traditions were taken lightly.

Just to be safe: March is slipping away fast — if for some reason the celebration doesn't happen, well then at least this blog post will mark his big day. Happy Birthday Ben Blair.

(I know we like to believe that God loves all his children equally, but I could make a strong argument that I'm his favorite because I get to be married to Ben Blair.)

Vintage Paper Doll

Thoughtful Laurie M found this vintage paper doll set, remembered I have a daughter named Olive and kindly mailed it off to us. What a treat! And how delightful to see Olive's face as she opened the envelope. It makes me want to browse an antique shop to look for small treasures that I could also send off to a friend. Thank you Laurie.

Tinfoil Reborn

I'm not totally sure why I'm so drawn to these porcelain serving pieces by Lorena Barrezueta. (I've visited her site 5 times so far today.) I know the colors are great. I love that the pieces are hand made. But mostly I think I'm in love with the whole idea of taking such a non-thing — a tinfoil takeout container that's going to end up in your recycling bin — and using it for inspiration. The original container does its job so well, functions so flawlessly, that we forget about it.

Her wares are available on her website, or you can find her seconds at her etsy shop. Found on sk*rt — shocker.

Prettiest Cupcake Wrappers Ever

There's a prettiest cupcake wrapper contest going on in my head. And these won.

Found on sk*rt (seriously, if you're not checking out sk*rt several times a day, you're missing GREAT stuff.)

Scooterlicious

I'm on the look-out for a ride-on toy for Miss Betty. This U Roll Scooter makes my heart go pitty pat. By fab design group 10 grain. The scooter is so very cool. Sit on it. Put your toys underneath the seat. You're good to go. Available in chili red or with the Small Paul monkey graphic.

Want to pick one up for yourself? Well lucky you. They're on sale, and you can even get free shipping.

Book of the Week — Little Hoot

Little Hoot just wants to go to bed. But no. Poor Little Hoot. His parents require him to stay up all night and play. Play. Play. Play. He is not allowed to go to sleep until the sun rises.




And that's pretty much all you need to know, because how could a book premise be more charming than that?

Oh. And you also might want to know that the illustrations are by Jen Corace — a talent of gigantic proportions. While I save up for an original Corace, it's nice to be able to bring her work into my home right away. The book is beautiful. As further proof, I offer you the publishers name: Chronicle Books. (When was the last time you saw a Chronicle book that wasn't beautiful?)



Plus also, you might want to know that there's a sort of companion book called Little Pea by the same author/illustrator combo. Little Pea just wants to eat his dessert: spinach. But no. Poor Little Pea. His parents require him to eat 5 pieces of candy for dinner before he can have dessert. . .

Via Letter

There is something so charming about this service. I would love to receive some actual letters in the mail spelling out — really anything. It wouldn't even matter, it's just so cool. You pick they word. You pick the typeface. Via Letter sends it off. What word will you send?

found on sk*rt

HEMA

I don't even know what in the world this is, but I think it's brilliant. Go here and watch for like 30 seconds. And then smile.

Thanks for the link Hailey.

Visual Dictionary

Annie sent me a link to the Visual Dictionary. What a discovery! Photos of words found in the actual world. From their website: "Photographs of signage, graffiti, advertising, tattoos, you name it, we're trying to catalogue it. . . "

Best part: anyone can submit an image — and you know you want to. What a cool place to browse and find inspiration on a sour day.

Spring Flats

New, pretty blog Coveiter just did a splurge vs. save post on several pairs of J. Crew and Old Navy flats. I love seeing them side by side and realizing how similar they look — and what a difference in price!

Baileys

Ready for the prettiest thing you'll see all day? Click here.

Design Mom Readers, meet Baileys. Baileys, these are the Design Mom Readers. I think you'll really enjoy getting to know each other.

Every page of the Bailey's website has gorgeous photos of gorgeous household items, but when I clicked on Garden and Eco-Household 1 I almost fainted as the wave of beautiful came at me. Sign me up for one of everything.

Thanks for the great find, Whitney!

Fashion Roundtable with Cate Adair of Desperate Housewives

Two weeks ago I spent a lovely afternoon at a Blogger's Roundtable with the stylist and costume designer for Desperate Housewives. Her name is Cate Adair and she has wonderful ideas and a gorgeous collection of handbags. Plus, she was super down-to-earth — especially for someone who dresses six of the most glamorous women on TV. I've been meaning and meaning to post about the event and today's the day.

This was my first Blogger's Roundtable and in case you're curious, this is what went down:

1) Yummy lunch — fresh fruit, salads and sandwiches — at Dream Hotel. (My first visit to Dream Hotel, by the way, and it is gorgeous and in fact dreamy.)



2) Chatting with the loveliest group of fashion & celebrity bloggers ever. I met mother-of-two Vera from I'm Not Obsessed, newlywed Lauren from Second City Style, Bryn from She Finds — recently upgraded from mere writer to full-fledged editor — she is adorable and friendly, and new-to-blogging Felissa from About This.

3) After the food, Cate told us about herself, answered our fashion questions and told us what to look for while we watched the Oscar's — and what to expect in stores this Spring (like stacked bracelets). A bit of Cate's wisdom: when shopping for a big event, try on the dress while wearing the "undies" you plan to wear — it makes a big difference to the fit.



4) As we talked, Cate had a model come into the room wearing some of her favorite lines. She introduced us to: Rare Vintage (a clothing store in Manhattan). John Hardy Jewelry. Jeanne Jarvaise Shoes. Rich & Skinny Jeans. Parajumpers Coats.

5) The whole thing was sponsored by Febreeze and Cate said her favorite time to use Febreeze is when she's working with vintage clothing — which invariably comes with a scent because a) it's old, b) it's used, and c) if it's been stored correctly, it probably smells like mothballs or cedar or both. She said Febreeze freshens her vintage collection in a snap. We were sent home with Febreeze samples — I've never tried it before and I'm pretty curious to see what kind of uses I find for it.

It really was a lovely afternoon. If you're dying for more details, you're in luck — we were videoed the entire time. Check it (2 minutes, 42 seconds):


photos from I'm Not Obsessed

Love You Baby

I'm for sure impressed with Love You Baby. The site looks really cool and the collection is hot.

Love You Baby focuses on hard-to-find children's clothing lines. Like Imps & Elfs. And Uniform Studio. Super high quality stuff. Colors and designs that make grown-ups envious. Not inexpensive — but you'll keep these items forever and hand them from baby to baby to baby.

I want this dress by Neige in my size.

Winner — Kitchen Goodies Giveaway

Clearly. There's nothing like aprons and cake pedestals and serving platters to give 1366 of you a smile. Thank you so much for entering the lovely and delicious Kitchen Goodies Giveaway. I hope it kept you warm and cozy while I was away for the weekend.

Congratulations to the big winner:
Kristen M. who said, "I love everything...Winning would necessitate a party!"

Hooray Kristen M.! Please email me from the link on my blog with your shipping address and apron pick, and I'll send your info to the sponsors right away.

Thank you to the wonderful sponsors: Nora Fleming, Indulge Aprons and Interior Style Home. Yay Giveaways!!

Embellished Hoodies

I'm trying to decide if I should splurge on one of these fantastic hoodies by Rose La Biche. They look so dang cool. High style and yet totally practical. (Can you get more mom-friendly than a hoodie?) Perfect for Spring.

found on sk*rt

SXSW

photo by Karen of Chookooloonks

I'm back from Austin. And it is good to be back. Things I want to tell you about:

1) How incredibly nerdy-awesome SXSWi is. As in 99% of attendees were 21-30 year old males who love to spend hours building lego sculptures (and if at all possible, motorizing them), wear flip flops through all four seasons and think Facebook's announcement yesterday (that Facebook is now in French) was a life-changing piece of news (either because they live on Facebook or because they are so-over-Facebook and are offended that anyone has deemed it newsworthy).

I've hung out with people like this all my life and I always enjoy it, but it was a tiny bit disappointing that I was with thousands and thousands of people and there was no one to notice my cute shoes. :)



2) How fun it was to meet Heather and Jon Armstrong. They are lovely and basically stood in a reception line for hours and hours so that adoring fans (the sk*rt chicks included) could kneel at the alter of Dooce and pay their compliments.



3) How delightful it was to host the sk*rt meet-up yesterday with yummy cupcakes, prizes from Everyday Food and lots and lots of attendees who braved the cruel daylight savings time change to join us for breakfast. Oh. And there was a unicorn.



Plus more stuff. Like how this was the third time Laura and Laurie and I met in person — and how they are the most bestest people to work with. Yummy lunch at the Whole Foods flagship. Meeting and hanging out with some awesome sk*rt editors — like Karen and Gwen and Betsy. Power-lunches with Shannon and Jesse. And on and on and on.

But really, until I have photos (someone please send me photos), this is the most boring story in the world. (And even with photos, I fully realize that this story is mostly for my mom.) And thus I end my picture-less report.

Edit: Oh. Hooray! I found some great shots on Gwen's flickr page. Thanks Gwen! And more photos from Laurie. And even a photo from Karen. This post is now overflowing with glorious photos.

Random Giveaway — Kitchen Goodies

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm heading to Austin for SXSW. In fact, I'm heading to the airport in about an hour. But I want to leave you something fun while I'm gone. And what's more fun than an awesome Giveaway? Get your comments in to win a fantastic prize package that will completely brighten up your kitchen. Because spring is coming and bright and fresh and clean is what I'm craving. Yay for Kitchen Goodies! Here's what you could win:


A Gorgeous Cake Stand and 4 Minis from Nora Fleming. retail value: $110.00
Not just any cake stand. This one is from Nora Fleming's brand new line called Pewter and Pearl. It's super pretty. And shiny. And pearly. The minis are too — the winner will receive the pearl-finish bluebird, tree, presents and pumpkin — and they'll look perfect on the pewter cake stand! I've featured the wares from Nora Fleming before, but this pewter and pearl line is my favorite. And for those of you who are new to Nora Fleming, the basic idea is this: one serving piece, with interchangeable "minis" that can reflect a holiday or event. Smart thinking.


A Lovely Apron (winner's choice!) from Indulge Aprons. (retail value up to $60)
Indulge is all about handmade quality. Kristin, the designer behind the shop, loves fresh ideas and likes to introduce new patterns all the time. She can even whip up a custom order exactly to your liking — in case you're one of those "it has to be an original" kind of girls. Definitely check out her shop — so many cute choices! Aprons for kids. Aprons for Moms. Which one will you pick? (And what a fun decision to make.) I like what Kristin says about aprons on her site: "There is just something about wearing a fun apron that brings a little something extra to the chores we face everyday. It really will bring out the domestic goddess in you." So true.


Festive Serving Pieces from Interior Style Home. (retail value $68.00)
Oh yummy color! These melamine lovelies make me smile every time I see them. It would almost be a shame to cover them with food. The winner will receive the Mosaic Platter. A Set of Geo or Floral Trivets — really cute and raised up on little rubber feet. Plus, my favorite: beautiful Floral Salad Servers — I'm thinking they're pretty enough that I'd be looking for excuses to make salad just so I could pull them out and use them. While you're checking out the fab serving pieces, have fun exploring the rest of the collection at Interior Style Home — lots of great items — don't miss the children's art.

Fun prizes, right? Just the kind of thing to bring a breath of fresh air into your home as the season changes. And won't it be lovely to have pretty new things to display after you've done your spring cleaning? Thank you to the wonderful sponsors! Have a great weekend! I'll be back on Monday.

-------------

Random Giveaway Guidelines:
-You have until midnight PST on Monday, March 10th to enter this giveaway.
-Just make a comment ON THIS POST to enter — any comment.
-Anonymous comments will be ignored/removed.
-One entry per person, please.
-The winner will be randomly picked and announced Tuesday morning.
-What are Random Giveaways? Read about them here.

Dinosaur Soup

Yesterday I received an email from Martin at Bob's Your Uncle and I just had to share. They are looking for recipe submissions written by children to be featured in an illustrated book — to be published this year. Here are some charming sample pages from the book:





Want to have your children submit something? Here’s the brief as I received it from Martin:

This should be a project without any parental help or referring to cook books, the more instinctive the recipe, the better. The child should not be corrected or advised about any aspect of the recipe, even if measurements, temperature or timing is way off (that’s what we are looking for!).

It's ok for an adult to write down the recipe as dictated, it does not need to be an illustrated page or presented in an artistic style, as we will design and layout the finished product.

Please send submissions by e mail to: recipes@bobsyouruncle.com

Too fun! I hope you send something in. I'm definitely going to see if my kids want to write one.

I'm Going to SXSW!

I'm super excited. I'm heading to SXSWi tomorrow. I've never been before but I keep hearing it's a kind of Geeky-Disneyland-Circus-Awesome-Event. (I told my techie brother Josh that I was going and he almost passed out because he was so happy for me.)

Of course, I had no idea what it was until maybe 3 weeks ago — I'm clueless like that. But if you're a player in the interactive world, apparently you have to be there. And since sk*rt is all that and all web 2.0 and all social media and all, we will be there. Handing out mints.

We're even hosting a little SXSWi get together Sunday morning. And you are so invited. If you are going to be anywhere near Austin this weekend, here's the official announcement:

Meet us at City Hall Sunday, March 9th! Swing by Austin Java (301 West 2nd Street) at 9 a.m., and we’ll all be there for an hour or so (or more, or longer or however long we want) and we’ll hang. It’s super close (steps away) from the convention center, so if you’re going to SXSWi, you’ll be right there.

We might even have cupcakes.* Because we’re crazy like that.

Of course, we know that there’s a lot happening on 3/9, so we’re getting an early start…with coffee… and sk*rt lovers…and breakdancers**… and trained monkeys***, and then even more coffee****.

We can’t think of a better way to start a day. You can even let us know you’re coming if you visit the event listing at Upcoming.

And! This just in! Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and their awesome magazine Everyday Food have just let us know they’ll be giving 10 subscriptions plus 10 cool counter top magazine holders to 10 random people there. So, the most random people win. Kidding. But something like that. Plus, everyone who comes will receive a copy of the latest Everyday Food issue. You know, to read if a SXSW speaker gets boring. It could happen.

We hope you come — we'd love to meet you.

Kisses,
the sk*rt chicks

*Cupcakes could be anything.

**Okay, so not really breakdancers.

***And probably not monkeys. Probably.

****Also, herbal tea.

We like to throw a Pretty Party

Yesterday was Maude's birthday. (I sure love that girl.) We didn't have a friends party this year, but we had fun planning the family gathering. She picked her favorite meal, fettuccine alfredo, for dinner and asked for strawberry shortcakes as her birthday cake. Blue is her favorite color, so we went with it. It felt a tiny (really tiny) bit spring-like yesterday so I loved how clean and fresh the table looked as we were preparing our little party.




Speaking of family parties, a lot of my family gathered in San Fransisco last weekend to attend the baby blessing of my nephew Moses. I love the party supplies Jordan pulled together for the open house — including water bottles featuring Moses himself.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Making Bacon Cups

Let's get it out there: I've never made bacon cups. It's true. I didn't even know they existed until yesterday and I feel that my life has been somehow lesser because of it. Thankfully, Not Martha has posted full instructions, and from now on our futures can be filled with edible, smoky-flavored, little containers.

(I know "bacon cups" sound dorky, but they sure look pretty charming. Then again, bacon always looks attractive to me.)

found on sk*rt

Perfect Poppies

Oh man. These delicate little poppies would be so pretty sprinkled through your daughter's hair (or your hair) this spring. Made of repurposed vintage fabric by the etsy shop Foundling. Available in several colors and as tiny broach pins as well.

Found on sk*rt.

Chalkboard Oilcloth

My brain is spinning with ideas after seeing this product — which is essentially chalkboard fabric. (So cool!) To cover an art/project table? To create a roll-up-able and easy-to-transport blackboard? Yes and yes. But I have a feeling that the perfect use for this fantastic oilcloth has yet to be revealed to me. Available at Bell'occhio.

found on sk*rt

Girls Day. Pencil Day. Happy Day.

Fair warning: you're going to hear a lot about sk*rt from me this week. Because there's lots of cool stuff going on over at that cool site. And because I (and my partners) have worked really, really hard on sk*rt and want to talk it about it all day long without stopping for meals.

But. I promise that what I share this week about/from sk*rt will be wonderful and worth your time. And that after this week, I will tone the sk*rt speak down. Way, way down.

Now that I've cleared that up, I can't wait to tell you about more fun stuff I found on sk*rt yesterday.



Like this fantastic tutorial from Photojojo on how to apply your favorite photo to a set of pencils. I'm totally bookmarking this. It will be perfect for next Christmas when my kids make gifts for their siblings. Found on sk*rt.



Also. Did you know that yesterday was Hina Matsuri or Girls Day in Japan? March 3rd. Or 03/03. (Apparently Boys Day is 05/05.) Here's the basic scoop:

"The overall idea of Hina-matsuri is to wish girls a healthy growth. In a family where a baby girl is born, parents give a set of dolls called “Hina-Ningyo” to the baby at her first Hina-matsuri hoping that she will grow happy, healthy and beautiful. Every year they keep decorating the dolls on the day of Hina-matsuri and hold a party to celebrate the child’s growth with some cake or tiny rice cakes."

Too sweet. I'd love to celebrate this with my kids. Now I know. Found on sk*rt.

The Great Big Grande Brand Spankin’ New Sk*rt Contest!

There's a great new contest at sk*rt celebrating all the big changes I mentioned yesterday. Ihave to tell you all about it because I don't want you to miss out. Entering is easy. Just tell us sk*rt chicks what you think of the new changes — Snazzy? Chic? Brilliant? Disaster? — we want to hear what you have to say. Leave your comment on the sk*rt blog or the sk*rt contest post and you could win over $1000 worth of prizes:



1) An InGrid Home Security System and a year’s worth of monitoring service. $660 value.

Designed by Klaus Rosberg, the designer who created Target’s ClearRx prescription bottle and Heinz’s EzSquirt ketchup bottles and whose work has been featured in MoMa and The New York Times. The InGrid Digital Home Security System. It provides important home security AND it’s aesthetically pleasing. InGrid has e-mail and cell phone notification, as well as Web site access and control that allows you to customize, manage and monitor your home protection systems from anywhere in the world. It has about a million other features too, so you can set the system to work simplest and best for you. Awesome.

2) Gillette Venus Embrace, One-year supply. $75 value.

That’s 3 Venus® Embrace™ razors, 3 cans of shave gel, and 2 replacement blade packs for the year supply. That adds up to 14 razors for the year. Venus® Embrace™ is the most technologically advanced shaving system we’ve seen. Snazzy. It has lots of blades and even a Protective Ribbon of Moisture™ (doesn’t that sound so spa-like and schmancy). It really makes shaving swell.

3) SIGG: A Collection of 5 Bottles. $125 value.

We LOVE SIGG and their most stylish reusable beverage bottles in all the land. And we thought they were a relatively new thing, but SIGG is celebrating its 100-year anniversary at: www.SIGG100.com. The site will launch on Feb. 11th and last through April 22nd (Earth Day). During this 10 week period, SIGG will partner up with Laurie David’s organization, Stop Global Warming, to explore 100 Significant Eco-Moments in the past century. Visitors to the site will have an opportunity to win a trip for two to Hawaii to attend the 5th annual Kokua Festival headlined by Jack Johnson. SIGG will also be hosting online Q&A’s with 5 environmental activists, which include Zem Joaquin, Ed Begley Jr., P. Simran Sethi, Christopher Gavigan and Laurie David. How freaking cool is that?!

4) Lands’ End $250 Gift Card

Lands’ End was an “early adopter” of the Internet, launching its web site in 1995. Initially, the site featured 100 products as well as stories, essays and travelogues, but today, the U.S. site offers every Lands’ End product. And you can take your pick from the massive amounts of Women’s, Men’s, Kids’ and Babies’ clothing, shoes, home and travel gear as well as overstocks.

Fantastic right? How fun will it be to receive all those goodies?!!

It's a big contest to celebrate a big exciting new look at sk*rt. Leave your comment before midnight, March 15th, and you’re registered to win big! Hooray!

(Note: I'm going to turn off comments on this post, just to make it clear that you need to make your comment over at sk*rt.)

Mark Your Calendar: Easter Grass

Easter comes early this year. If you're planning on using wheat grass in your Easter baskets or in your spring decorating, plan on planting it this weekend or early next week so it will be lush and tall and super green for the big day.

My so-easy-they-hardly-count-as-instructions instructions are here. You typically need between 1 and 2 weeks to get the grass to the really pretty stage.

photo from flickr

The Emperor's Laundry

When I'm not fawning over European soaps and cleaning supplies, you can find me drooling over children's clothing from Australia — like The Emperor's Laundry. A simple collection, heavy on the polka-dots (which I always love), with classic kid lines. Wouldn't you just love to see your kiddos in those pjs?

Their offerings in green would be a fresh take on Easter clothes.

Sk*rty Findings

Just found this fantastic Easter-Egg-Sidewalk-Chalk how-to, by Skip To My Lou, on sk*rt. Brilliant. I can't wait to try this with my kids.



Also just found on sk*rt: this site called Stuff White People Like. Equally brilliant, but for different reasons. Super funny. Plus, I've never felt so transparent.

Sk*rt Excitement

Have you checked it out yet? Sk*rt unveiled its makeover today — under the genius direction of Laurie. It's got some major new features and is getting all kinds of attention and we couldn't be happier about it. Laura wrote up a fantastic little announcement about the changes and I'm dying to share it with you:

sk*rt: Now with Extra Kick Pleats.

Kick pleat, n. : An inverted pleat in a skirt used to give breadth.

Notice anything new around sk*rt? Sure you did! How could you miss sk*rt's new kick pleats...they make the whole ensemble extra fierce with even more breadth and style and schhwank. We just made that word up. But it still doesn't even begin to describe all the coolness happening at sk*rt. And since goodness comes in threes, we have three very exciting things to tell you about:

1) sk*rt has a new look.
Isn't it great? You can read more about it soon — we're still getting it all written! But the biggest difference is the popular page now features two columns...a Popular section and an Editors' Picks section. Which brings us to number two...

2) sk*rt has new editors.
That's right. 20 new editors who won't actually edit anything per se. They'll just be on the lookout for the coolest items posted on sk*rt and everywhere elsewhere on the internets. Each editor is an expert genius in her area, so we can't wait to see what all they'll find near and far. Far and wide. World and wide and web. Look for more details soon on all our amazing sk*rt editors.

3) sk*rt has a new ranking system.
You'll notice the numbering system on the left has changed a bit and the 'Love it' phrase has gone. We all still have a lot of love to give, but the ranking system is much easier now. First of all, you don't have to be logged in to rank. And now, each time you click on a story, the number will automatically increase. This creates a more accurate, smarter ranking system that happens without you having to make that extra step. But don't worry, if you don't like what you just clicked, you can "un-vote" a story back down by clicking the "un-vote" button that appears once a story has been clicked. It's really simple. Much simpler and real than before. If you want more details on this new do, go to the Getting Started or FAQ sections. Or email us at whatsup@sk-rt.com.

And that's not all. Of course that's not all. Because it wouldn't be a big exciting new-look, new-editors, new-ranking sk*rt kind of week without a GIANT CONTEST. That's right, you guessed it, sk*rt is having a huge contest over the next two weeks (March 3-15) in honor of our kickin' new sk*rt, and we're giving away over $1,000 in prizes. You read that right. And you can read more about it on sk*rt and on the sk*rt blog.

So that's the skinny. You were right, sk*rt is different, better, breadthier. You asked for the betterments, and you got 'em. And we agree. These kick pleats are going to be fantastic.

We're so excited about the new sk*rt!

xo,
The sk*rt chicks

Winner — Bun in the Oven Giveaway

So nice to know that so many women are excited about having babies. Also. So nice to see so many women excited about the cool products featured in the Bun in the Oven Giveaway. And now to the winner:

Congratulations to:
Angela who said, "Okay, so this post and giveaway is for ME! I can relate to all of it. Emotional, big, etc. But pregnancy is a blessing, and oh so wonderful. Thanks for the reminder!"

Hooray Angela! Please email me from the link on my blog with your shipping address, and I'll put you in touch with the sponsors to place your orders right away.

Thank you to the wonderful sponsors: Nine Times Three, the creators of Happy Baby, Healthy Mom, Hicks Paper and Blush for the amazing giveaway — and for bringing smiles to pregnant women everywhere.

More Giveaways ahead. Thank you for participating.