Random Giveaway — Goodies from Delight.com

I've got a Happy Halloween Giveaway today. No tricks. Just treats. And let's start with this: 12 WINNERS ON THIS GIVEAWAY!! Delight.com and I emailed back and forth, discussing whether this Giveaway should be one prize or lots of prizes, and Delight.com was like: the more winners the better! Apparently, they love the idea of giving away tons of their cutest items to Design Mom Readers.

So get your comments in. Because you've got 12 chances to win. And the prizes are fantastic — just as fantastic as you'd expect them to be when you know they're from Delight.com. Take a look:



1) This lego-esque iPod speaker. Actually. Two of these. Going to two winners. Perfect for your cubicle, for traveling, for the bathroom. Best part: no batteries needed(!) — they power up through your iPod instead. In Red, Blue, Green, Yellow — plus, just announced — also in white and pink. Hot! Which color will you pick?



2) Next. There are Four Sets of these gorgeous Woodgrain File Folders up for grabs. Two winners will receive the Birds & Flowers design. Two winners will receive the Damask pattern. Each of the four sets contains 12 lovely folders. With Tiffany Blue interiors. Nice. They're so cute, you'll be looking for excuses to organize your papers, just so you can stare at the folders.



3) Third. Two winners will receive a clever Chalkboard Candle. One in Gardenia scent. One in Persian Fig. Yummy. And now you'll have the perfect place to leave secret notes to your lov-ah.



4) Then. We've got two more prizes for two more winners. Useful and adorable Flashcards. Two sets — one in French, one in Spanish. Cute for kids. Cute for grown-ups. And really nice to keep on your desk as inspiration to plan a trip somewhere exotic.



5) Finally. There are two Summer to Snow Scrapbooks — by Sukie in the pot. So cute! They're retro and charming and the ideal gift to encourage your kids to make a record of their year — through their own eyes. Made of 100% recycled paper.

And there it is. Twelve great prizes for twelve lucky winners. All from the fun collection at Delight.com. Could it get any better? Ummmm. Turns out yes. Delight.com is offering free shipping on any order over $45 for Design Mom Readers. Just use the coupon code DesignMom (case sensitive). Good timing, because today is Halloween. And that means tomorrow is the unofficial beginning of "the Holidays." And during the holidays, free-shipping feels like striking gold.

Happy commenting. Thank you Delight.com!

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Guidelines:
-You have until Midnight PST on Monday, November 3rd to enter this giveaway.
-Just make a comment ON THIS POST to enter — any comment. One entry per person, please.
-The winner will be randomly picked and announced on Election Day — Tuesday, November 4th.
-What are Random Giveaways? Read about them here.

Chevy Volt

On Wednesday, I attended a press event to get a preview of the Chevy Volt and to hear from Frank Weber, Global Vehicle Line Executive and Global Chief Engineer for Chevrolet. The preview took place in a cool space at Terminal 5 — just off the Hudson River.





What I know:

The Volt is not a purely electric car — electric cars that can go for long distances between charges can't be mass-produced. It's not a hybrid — hybrids don't give us petroleum independence, instead, they improve efficiency. The Volt is a whole new propulsion category. The idea is this: you plug it in at the end of the day and it takes about 3 hours to charge. Once charged it can go for 40 miles without using gasoline. If you're driving more than 40 miles, once the electricity is gone, the Volt will seamlessly switch to gasoline power and can continue the same distance that any compact car's gas tank would provide.

The 40 miles concept really struck me as the brilliant thing. Apparently, after studying and studying American driving habits, Chevy concluded that most Americans drive less then 40 miles in a day. 40 miles is just the right distance to include a commute and some errands, or for a typical soccer mom's daily chauffeuring. So. If used for simple daily driving, the Volt will never need gas. And its estimated electric cost to run it for a year is between $250 and $300.

The whole idea is just really energizing. Like everybody, I'm watching the economy and wondering what's next. I love the idea of an iconic American brand like Chevrolet taking the lead on this. I hope it goes huge and brings back some of America's manufacturing strength.

Here's a video I shot (it's about 2 minutes) of Mr. Weber, explaining how much electricity the volt uses over the course of a year — it comes in somewhere between a fridge and a clothes dryer. So much less expensive than tank after tank of gas:



I first read about the Volt in the July/August '08 issue of The Atlantic. If you're interested, the article is fantastic and goes into detail about whether or not the Volt will save Chevrolet — and revolutionize the car industry. Although I've never owned a Chevrolet, as I read the article, I found myself cheering Chevy on and wanting this to be a blowout success.

The production date is November 2010. Some people are skeptical that Chevy won't be able to make this date. But Frank Weber was completely confident it would happen. And I'm totally on board. I'll be watching for the launch of the Volt and looking forward to it.




Other interesting notes I jotted down:

-Assuming the Volt is a success, its E-REV technology will be compatible with any of Chevy's compact cars and can roll out in other models depending on what the market demands.

-Even though the driver may never use the combustion engine, it will still meet all environmental standards required of any car.

-The dashboard will be touch-screen based and have very few buttons or knobs. The dashboard will track how many miles have been driven on battery and how many on gas.

-The battery goes through the center of the vehicle — and is concealed by a center console that runs through the car from front to back. After 10 years the battery can be resold in a secondary market for batteries — for use by hospitals or as back-up power sources. Overall, the battery will have about a 20 year life.

Farewell Friends — by Guest Mom Mrs. Dub

Happy Halloween!

In all my Design Mom excitement, I totally didn't come up with a costume. I'm thinking about going as a SAHM, complete with workout shoes, lounge pants and — wait for it — minimal jewelry. Those close to me know that I'm an accessory junkie, so that would be big for me. Same with wearing workout shoes in public, though I am contemplating buying some sensible "mommy" shoes for the winter. The lounge pants aren't so much of a stretch. (You: "But they're so comfortable!" Me: I know!)

Whatever you are going as, I like it. Because I like you. You've all been far too kind to me and my posts, especially the one about Baby Zee. (Spoiler alert: Her given name is Zella.) Thank you for sending your love and prayers and sharing your own experiences and losses. Life is not fair, but it is beautiful.

Speaking of beautiful, isn't this blog beautiful? I've been so impressed by Gabby as I've gotten to know her. It's amazing that she can juggle her various responsibilities and still find time to appreciate the simplistic beauty of things and, more importantly, motherhood. If we could give her a standing ovation, I would, but it's kind of awkward when Mr. Dub asks me why I'm clapping in my pajamas.

By the way, where the H is Gabby finding all this stuff? Pretending to be Design Mom for a week nearly gave me IBS. I wish I was a fraction as creative and resourceful as her, but I'm also glad to be me, because no one expects much beyond the occasional funny post. I was totally unqualified to be here, but you made me feel welcome. Thanks.

Isn't it wonderful that we can all be so different and yet be united by our common natures? Mothers. Women. Humans.



I hope that you spend this weekend forgetting your to-do list - you know, the one with long-term, unrealistic goals like, "Make my outfits from sustainable fabrics before work each morning" - and reflect on your "done" list: the things that you've accomplished because of who you innately are and not who you want to be. It will make you feel good.

If you ever get bored, come visit me at www.mrsdub.com. The door is always open, along with my big mouth.

Happy haunting!
Mrs. Dub

stone pumpkins from Grandin Road

Sew What? — by Guest Mom Mrs. Dub

So I'm the third girl in my family, with a little brother finishing it off. My mother is a quilter. And no, not the kind of quilts your mom made with all your soccer jerseys. My mom is a quilt artist, as is evidenced by her "stash" seen here. (Though I can assure that is only a small sampling of her fabric. The quantity of material in that woman's possession is illegal in 23 states.)

My other two sisters are excellent seamstresses. One sewed my wedding invitations, the other sews her own winter coats. I, on the other hand, am just learning how to thread a bobbin.

I've frequently pestered my mom as to why I was never taught to sew, since it's clearly in our blood. She claims she tried, and I wasn't interested. Probably true, as I very involved with boy-chasing as a youth, but it's a huge regret of mine, because sewing is, like, the best thing EVER.

The point of this rambling is that when I finally learn to sew I am going to immediately make this beautiful headband by giantdwarf — after first sewing some curtains and some pillow covers and adorning every last sweater I own with a bird. Then, I'm going to make it, and I'm going to wear it every day, even to the grocery store. And then I'll go home and die because I'll be 95 by the time I figure out that stupid bobbin.

via sweet sassafras

Butter Issues — by Guest Mom Mrs. Dub

Sometimes I hate blogging. I turn on my computer and feel like a hundred voices are screaming at me — "Buy organic!" "Live in the moment!" "Sew everything!" "Be true to yourself." It often makes me feel worse about myself, even while enriching me. Like anything, there is too much of a good thing.

The best perk of blogging, however, is the way it has made me more conscious. I'm more aware about my feelings, my preferences, my aesthetic and my choices than before I started reading. Seeing the homes and belongings of other people has made me more aware of the choices available to me. As a result, I don't settle as much when buying household goods.

Unfortunately, this is why I don't have a butter dish.

First, a confession: I grew up in margarine household — Country Crock, to be specific. (It was the 80's, can you blame us?) When I grew up and married a butter-loving man, we compromised and now break out the butter on special(er) occasions, like Sunday dinners.

For the last five years, I've just been throwing that butter on a small dessert plate. It's not totally offensive, but it isn't the best way to care for butter. Most of the time, it gets all smooshy and ends up down the drain.

However, my conscious buying has prevented me from getting a formal butter dish. Every time I go to Target, I stop and look at their small array of butter dishes and think, "You can do better." (No offense, Target; it's me, not you.) A plain, white ceramic butter dish wouldn't be the end of the world, but wouldn't one of these be even better? Then again, some of these are pricey! At least boring costs less than $10.

Clockwise from left:
1. Michael Graves for Alessi via Unica Home, $119 (!!)
2. Fiestaware at Macy's, $32
3. Blomus dish at Pure Modern, $46.34
4. Alessi stainless dish via Unica Home, $87

Idea Conference

I'm attending the Idea Conference today. So excited. No really. So excited! I look forward to hearing from — and possibly meeting (cross my fingers) — some of the people behind companies I love and have blogged about. Like the man behind Tom's Shoes. The creator of One Laptop Per Child. The mind behind Method. And the founder of Etsy (the link is to my very first etsy mention 11/21/06 — awwww).

And I can't wait to tell you about the Chevy Volt. I got a sneak preview yesterday and it is revolutionary. 40 miles on one electric charge. Post forthcoming...

Hosting for Dummies — by Guest Mom Mrs. Dub

Like many in the DM Club, I have a compulsion to throw parties. I would actually prefer to be a guest at a cool gathering, but so would everyone else, so I play party martyr a few times a year. My biggest weakness is baby showers. I could meet you in the check-out line, and I would offer to host your shower. (That actually happened.)

Thankfully, my bestie and her sis run Gourmet Girls. Everything I know I've learned (= stolen) from them and their long line of culinary-minded kin.

Thus, if I had to give one tip for throwing a big bash it would be to copy someone else. It's always easier in my opinion, and you know it's worked before. (Unlike Mr. Dub's proposed grilled cheese party: BYOC. Get it?)

Here are a few other tips I've learned from them and from my own hosting gigs, though this might be a big "duh" for some of you seasoned party peeps. However, if you ever read this blog and feel a tad insecure like me, here you go:

* Lots of food, little table - While your table will be crowded, an overflowing smorgasbord looks more impressive than a spartan spread, even if it's the same amount of food. If you are going for a modern look, you can still benefit from a smaller space; just organize food into tight rows.

* Plate up - Use tiered trays and cake stands to add height and interest to your spread. Easy.

* Personalized dishware = homemade - I'm all about convenience foods, especially with the gourmet variety now available at warehouse and grocery stores. The key is to plate them on something equally beautiful. Do not serve it out of a plastic container, or I will fight you.

* Pick your battles - Do NOT convince yourself you are going to try 10 new recipes for the big event. First, you'll freak out the night before and edit the list down, wasting a ton of groceries, and then Mr. Dub will give you that look. Second, you don't have the time or energy. Just pick a few "wow" items from your repertoire and supplement the rest with pre-made items and easy dishes.

* Ten percent rule - I totally stole this from the Gourmet Girls, who always plan for 10 percent more food than they think they need. (Understanding that typically one-third of your guest list won't show.) You'll probably go home with leftovers, but better than than seeing your guests stop by Taco Bell on the way out.

* Let it go - When it's time to party, party! You do want to be on top of refills, but don't be a slave to the kitchen. You did the work; you deserve to enjoy it. It's not worth it if you are counting the minutes until everyone leaves. (Unless it's your awkward friend who always talks about her ex-boyfriend -- from tenth grade. That's understandable.)

image via the amazing Amy Atlas

Spooky Snacks — by Guest Mom Mrs. Dub

Halloween is a sacred occasion at Mr. Dub's workplace. Their annual party is NOT to be missed, both because it is over-the-top and because, well, you gots to make nice with the boss sometimes, you dig?

Every year, they put on a killer Halloween party with serious prizes (= $$) for various things like coolest costume and best plant photo. (We dressed our spathaphyllum as Hugh Heffner surrounded by Miss Dub's baby dolls, but the photos were mysteriously deleted when I accidentally hit delete. Maybe it was a sign?)

This year we have our eyes on the spookiest snack contest. Last year there was some freaky contenders, but this year I want to win. There is a fine line between clever and repulsive, so I'm leaning towards something tasty with a seasonal twist. Here are a few ideas I found (once again) on the BHG website, although some aren't very creepy. But someone needs to make something you actually want to eat, right?

p.s. Mr. Dub just informed me we are making this rat-infested cheesecake via Delish. Looks like a winner!

Little Boogies — by Guest Mom Mrs. Dub

Next month, we're headed to a baby shower for a friend who doesn't know the sex of her unborn one. As someone with no self control, I have to tip my hat to her. If I could place a phone call to my babies the minute they're conceived, my first question would be, "How's it going?" shortly followed by, "Are you a he or a she?"

I'm thinking about giving her a onesie from little boogies, unless she's reading this, in which case, I'm totally not. Many of the animal designs are gender neutral and all are very charming. I love the ducky.

Since my sister is part-owner of the company, I might be able to get a discount. Then again, she's the same girl who made actual client files when we used to play office as kids, so maybe not.

Baby Zee — by Guest Mom Laura Warner

As I mentioned in my intro, I prematurely delivered a daughter in February, who passed away momentarily due to a chromosome abnormality. Her death was not a surprise. A couple months into my pregnancy I began to experience extreme pain, bleeding and nausea. Early ultrasounds suggested the baby was fine. At my 17-week appointment, however, an ultrasound showed cystic masses in my placenta and swelling on the baby's brain. An amniocentesis confirmed our worst fears: I was suffering from a partial molar pregnancy, caused by a (very) bad egg. As a result, Baby Zee had an extra set of chromosomes and would pass away during pregnancy or soon after birth.

It was devastating, of course, but in a way it was very peaceful. It was a beautiful experience to know that I had been chosen to carry a unique soul. My only mission as her mother would be to give her a body, share my love and send her home. I was honored, and I was distraught.

Our doctors offered termination due to increased health risks, but that didn't feel right for us. Waiting for her die in utero was unbearable, but sending her away wasn't any better. After much prayer and contemplation, we decided to carry her as long as she would let me. Within minutes of that decision, I was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with preeclampsia. I would have to be induced to save my life, even though I was only 19 weeks along.

The doctors recommended a surgical removal, but Baby Zee asked for a traditional chance at life. They induced me in the early morning hours on February 4. Within hours, I began to hemorrhage severely. Ultimately, I received an emergency C-section and blood transfusion. My life was spared, as was Zee's. While I lay under anesthesia, Zee slipped away after taking a few shallow breaths. She lived.

The weeks that followed were bittersweet. I was empowered by my birth experience and thrilled to have pictures and mementos of my tiny little girl. At only six ounces, she fit in the palm of my hand, but all her miniature parts were perfect.

Since then, I've had many hard days. I feel sad others can't understand the loss of an unborn child. I feel sad that I don't have a 4-month-old baby to nurture at home. I feel frustrated that the pregnancy has caused ongoing health problems that keep me from trying again. But mostly I feel joy that I got to be her mother.

While most people have been understanding, some are so uncomfortable that I have to comfort them so they don't feel awkward. I don't mind doing it, but I know other people in my situation who are too fragile to bear that added burden. As a result, I'd like to share a few tips for someone who is mourning, especially the loss of an infant or unborn child:

1) Don't judge – Every situation is different. Don't speculate on what might have caused the death. Don't hypothesize why it happened to that particular person. Don't criticize them for how they decided to handle their medical care, funerals, etc. And never, ever critique their grief, even if you think they are overreacting. The only way to get better is to get all the hurting out. For some people, this takes a lifetime.

2) Don't minimize their loss – Don't tell them it was meant to be. Don't tell them to appreciate what they have. Don't tell them they are strong enough to handle it. Just listen. You don't have to make it better, because no words will change what happened. Just be supportive, sympathetic and available.

3) Don't avoid the subject – In the two weeks between diagnosis and delivery, my every thought was consumed by Zee; yet, many people who knew our situation didn't bring it up. I'm sure they thought I didn't want to talk about it, but they were wrong. I did, and I still do. Talking about Zee validates her existence. I love every opportunity I get to share her special life.

4) Do show your love – Call, visit, mail a card, send a gift. Showing you care about our pain makes it hurt less. One of the best cards I received simply said, "I don't know what you are going through, but I do know this: you have always seemed like a happy person, so it hurts me to know you are suffering."

5) Do read about it – Knowing about their situation will help you understand them better. In my case, a partial molar pregnancy put me at risk to develop placental cancer. I had to get weekly blood draws to ensure I wasn't growing malignant masses. Most people assumed I was better, but close friends continued to check on my health.

Enough lecturing! How about some pretty things? Following Zee's birth, I received a tremendous amount of cards and packages. One friend sent me candy, magazines and some cozy pajamas. (Perfect.) Another friend sent me a gorgeous gold necklace from Anthropologie adorned with the word "February" and a small amethyst. My sister made me a stamped necklace with both my daughters' names and a birth announcement for our memory box.



Here are some other bereavement gifts ideas:

1) A box - Most hospitals provide a free box for mementos, but it's usually flimsy. A special box, like these padded leather ones by Inside Avenue, is a great way to hold all the pictures, kind notes and memories of their little one. Our memory box for Zee is pictured at the top of this post.

2) A blanket - If you know someone who is expecting infant loss, a small blanket like this mini lovey from Yatoil's Esty shop is a perfect gift. They can use the blanket to hold the baby after birth, then save it as a keepsake or include it in the burial services.

3) A necklace - Most mourning moms want a daily reminder of their child, especially in the weeks following their passing. A delicate necklace like the J'taime necklace by Urban Outfitters is a great way to keep their memory close. Plus, it's just a chic accessory.

4) A letter - A written letter is great, but so is a letter hanging for their home, like these from Anthropologie. Buy the first initial of the baby's name as a subtle memorial. (We have a Z hanging in our house.)

5) (Not pictured) A hug.

Halloween Costumes 2008

The Chili Cookoff ended last Saturday with the annual trunk or treat. My favorite part of trunk or treat is that it forces me to have the costumes ready to go well before Halloween night. Our family didn't have a costume theme this year (like our Classic Halloween Monsters from last year). But all the kids were happy with the results.

Ralph is a mime (and shoot! it looks like he's trapped in a box). Maude is the Paper Bag Princess. Olive is a ballerina. Oscar is a dragon. And Betty is not that into it:

Glamma Fabulous — by Guest Mom Mrs. Dub

Glamma Fabulous is a woman with so much creative energy that you can't stop by her home without making an impromptu craft or two. She can turn anything ordinary into something extraordinary, which makes her (as the name implies) fabulous. Glamma is a local artist, mother to five talented women, "glamma" to 10.5 grandkids and wife to a man who makes the meanest ribs in the West. Her speciality is holiday crafts, and Halloween is her favorite. You'll have to visit her blog to understand the depth of her H-day passion. I'm especially digging her Nightmare Before Christmas-esque decorations.

Flower Power by Guest Dad James — by Guest Mom Mrs. Dub

I'm about to blow your minds with a blogosphere first: guest blog within a guest blog. Did your head just explode? Sorry. As I mentioned, I'm a bit unqualified to give design advice, but I'm lucky to be surrounded by talented friends and family, like my brother-in-law, James. He's not only a caring husband and father to two boys, but he's the owner of Flowers on Main. Let me tell you, his floral arrangements aren't just pretty; they're art! I put back on my reporter cap and interviewed him about fall floral care. Then, I asked for a free arrangement.

MD: Why are flowers so essential to celebrating seasons?
James: Flowers are always for the moment. Flowers are the crowning jewel of any holiday; they bring colors, textures and fragrances you can't get any other way.

MD: How can you make your flowers live longer?
James: The biggest killer of fresh flowers is bacteria in the water. To maximize vase life, always use professional floral preservative in your water. If none is available, add a teaspoon of Clorox to a quart of water. Make sure that your bouquet has plenty of water. Flowers drink a lot more when they are not in a collr. Change the water when it looks like the water is getting cloudy. This is also a good time to recut the stems with a sharp knife. This will reopen the path for more water uptake.

MD: What are some good fall flowers?
James: Mums, lilies, gerberas, roses, hypericum berries, leaves, branches, hydrangia, sunflowers, rovers, safflower, coxcomb, purple majesty, kale, solidego, artichokes, just to name a few.

MD: What's your favorite flower?
James: I love most any flower when it's in season and at its peak of perfection.
MD: Very diplomatic.

MD: Want to put in a shameless plug?
James: Sure. You can find us online at www.flowersonmainstreet.com.
MD: Did you mention your shop is inside a cozy, vintage home?
James: No, I didn't, but it is.

image from Rose and Radish

Chili Cook-off

Guess who won Best Chili at the church cookoff on Saturday? Maude and Ralph Blair. That's who. (Yay Ralph and Maude!!) And the photo you see is Maude sporting the trophy apron.

Here's the chili story. 8 years ago. When the Blair family only had two kids and we lived in a little house in Utah, we won the Fall Chili Cookoff at our church. To anyone who knows my meager skills in the kitchen, this was surprising news. Especially considering the recipe used as the basis for the chili was found on the back of our generic chili powder bottle. I made a few adjustments (I doubled the garlic and spices), but otherwise, followed the recipe exactly. Here it is (with my adjustments):

1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp garlic, chopped
3 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 16 oz. cans kidney beans
2 T cumin
2 T chili powder

Brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic. Drain the fat. Add the rest of the ingredients (don't drain the beans) and simmer for 30 minutes. Or all day.

Pretty basic. But we now call it the Blair's Award Winning Chili. And that makes it sound fancy. Sadly, we ended up making it so often, that we got sick of it, and stopped making it altogether. And kind of thought our chili-making days were over. In fact, for this year's chili cook-off, I signed up to bring corn-bread instead. But then I heard whispers that they might be low on chili, so we decided to pull out the old recipe and whip up a pot.

I got the meat and onion and garlic going and Ralph and Maude started asking if we could add some "secret ingredients." Like what? says I. They pull out a packet of taco seasoning, a packet of ranch dressing mix, and a packet of creamy pesto mix. Can we add these? I had a quick vision of seeing the entire congregation die of sodium poisoning and said, well, we've already got garlic happening — both the pesto mix and the ranch mix have lots of garlic and could be okay. Why don't you pick one. They picked the ranch.

We added the ranch and the beans and the tomato sauce and let things simmer a bit. Then we tasted. They wanted more spices. I recommended some cumin and chili powder. They sniffed both of those and gave their approval. We decided it needed a bit more salt. They asked if we could add black beans. Sure, why not. They asked if they could add garbanzo beans. Ummm. No.

Then Ralph decided we still needed one more secret ingredient. He suggested cream cheese. Cheese is always a good thing, so we added a couple of spoonfuls and let it simmer for a few hours, until it was time for the party.

And honestly, it really was delicious. Plus it confirms what I'd already suspected: that Ranch Dressing is one of the greatest American inventions. Rivaled only by the cotton gin and assembly line.

Here's Ralph and Maude's Recipe. They call it "Three Bean Chili Deluxe:"

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 heaping tsp garlic, chopped
3 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 16 oz. cans light kidney beans
2 16 oz. cans dark kidney beans
2 16 oz. cans black beans
1 entire packet of Ranch Dressing powdered mix
1 T cumin
1 T chili powder
1 t salt
2 spoonfuls of the secret ingredient

Brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic. Drain the fat. Add the rest of the ingredients (don't drain the beans) and simmer for 30 minutes. Or all day.

Making Nice With Halloween — by Guest Mom Mrs. Dub

Warning: Halloween isn't really my holiday. I know, poor timing on the Guest Momming, right? Actually, no holiday is really my holiday because I'm very much an "every-day-is-a-holiday" kind of spontaneous person, so any form of obligatory tradition rubs my anarchist self the wrong way. Mr. Dub calls me a communist; I prefer impulsive.

Ideological reasons aside, Halloween is typically neglected at my house. I blame the limited black-orange combo and cheesy, gory décor of years past. It just felt tasteless to me. Plus, I live in an apartment (sigh), and one has to limit seasonal accents, or it ends up looking comical.

However, things have changed in the last few years. There is now a whole slew of Gothic-inspired Halloween décor that is classy and cool. Plus, green, purple and white have rounded out the Halloween palette, giving us more visual possibilities.

This year I'm really digging on black and white — black birds, white pumpkins, black and white polka-dot ribbon — though you need a dose of orange for good measure. Here's a sample of what I'm currently adoring:


{1. I heart this black feather wreath from Pottery Barn. It hints at gore but has a lot of glamour. I'm sure you could make this yourself, but I don't condone killing birds. Besides, it's on sale.

2. All you need is some black paint and a homemade stencil of something spooktacular to make these classy creepy pumpkin silhouettes, seen here.

3. The intricate lattice work on these green gourds look Victorian, giving these pretty pumpkins an antique glow. Of course, Martha is behind this labor-intensive project. My hands hurt just thinking about it. Probably not worth it.

4. An easier, but equally delightful pumpkin display found on Delish. Little bits of ribbon glued around small gourds scream "Halloween," but could easily be swapped out for a fall ribbon palette come November.}

And there's so much more out there, like this slideshow from Better Homes & Gardens' website. I must admit this magazine used to cater to people who collect roosters, but it's recently become one of my favorite home mags thanks its increasing variety and modernity. Just check out a sampling of their pumpkin designs. Swoon!

Book of the Week — Ghost Poems

During the month of October, instead of our usual bedtime story routine, we like to turn off all the lights, light candles, and read Halloween books. We have a handful of scary/Halloween books in our collection, but I like to supplement with library books. I picked up Ghost Poems a couple of weeks ago and it has been a hit.




It was first published in the 1970's and the illustrations are by Tomie de Paola — which is perfect. His drawings hit the right balance between spooky and charming. And the poems themselves are a well-edited collection. Some silly, some actually a little scary. But all kid-appropriate. And there are a wide-variety of styles from lots of different poets and sources.

It's an old book. So you can't buy directly from Amazon or Barnes and Noble. But they have links to other vendors.

Welcome to Mrs. Dub

Please say hello to Mrs. Dub. And I'll say hello as well, because Mrs. Dub is a new friend to me. I don't know Mrs. Dub at all in real life. And I barely know her digitally. But I do know that she has been really great about emailing me with recommendations for possible Guest Moms. And her emails are always clever. So I started checking out her blog and thought she'd make a terrific Guest Mom herself. Mrs. Dub has written up a lovely little introductory post — I can't wait to get to know her:



What am I doing here?

That's a question I've been asking myself since I was invited to guest blog here at Design Mom. I like pretty things, I like to read about pretty things, but I don't find or create pretty things very often.

I like writing. I love words. I adore syntax. I — forgive me, for I have sinned — even adore alliteration when used appropriately. I once made out with grammar. So while I have the credentials to be a blogger, I don't know that I'm qualified to be a Guest Mom.

But here I am, and here you are, and, oh my, is this already the fourth paragraph?

About me: My name is not Mrs. Dub, but let's just say it's a sensible pseudonym. I blog at here, but I used to blog here. I am wife to one Mr. Dub and mother to a (just turned!) two-year-old we call Miss Dub. I'm also proud mom to Baby Zee, but she only lived for one minute outside my womb in February.

I've lived in the Chicagoland area for 3+ years. I was really freaked out by the word Chicagoland when I first got here and said I would never use it, but three years of Midwest living changes a gal. I'm in love with the city, hate the weather and miss my Arizona upbringing six months out of the year. All in all, life is good.

Before Miss Dub, I worked as a reporter, and still call myself a journalist, mostly to sound cool. I write a quarterly column for Eliza magazine and do some other stuff on the side. I've written the first 100 pages of several different novels. When I die my children can publish them as a collection of short stories, because short stories are much more palatable when you're dead. (IMHO.) (Also, I hate Web acronyms.)

I hope that you will bear with me, my writing, my finds and my poor photography skills.

I regret I'm not one of those moms –the kind who leave you wondering how they do it all, in antique shades of turquoise to boot – but I am a mom, and I couldn't think of anything else I'd rather be.

Happy reading!

Winner — Ses Petites Mains Giveaway

Oh my. I just picked a lucky winner of the Ses Petites Mains Giveaway. And I'm kind of jealous, because I totally want the $150 shopping spree for myself. But mostly I'm just happy knowing someone is going to get some lovely clothes in the mail.

Congratulations to pillingfamily who said, "oh my! that little shirt dress is calling the names of my three little girls." Please send me an email and I'll get your info to the sponsor right away. Thanks Ses Petites Mains!

HSM3

Friday night we took the 3 oldest kids to the opening night of High School Musical 3. The theater was packed with groups of tweens and their parents. And the audience was loud and high energy — with lots of eeeewww grosssss exclamations during the (one) kiss and lots of singing along. It was awesome. Go Wildcats!

For a little while we were unsure if we could make a Friday night showing, so we toyed with the idea of surprising the kids by getting them out of school early and taking them to a matinee. The Friday night thing ended up working out just fine, but now I'm obsessed with the mid-day movie idea.

Can you imagine how happy your kids would be to get pulled out of school unexpectedly just for fun? To see whatever good kid-movie is showing and eat lots of popcorn and candy? I am determined to do this during a boring, gloomy day in November...

Happy Diwali Tomorrow!

Every now and then I get an email asking me if I use babysitters and the answer is yes. But the schedule of how often changes all the time — depending on what sitters are available, their schedules, and what my family's needs are.

Right now I have a lovely situation. My sitter is a friend of a friend at church and her name is Davy. Her daughter started full-day school this year and she was looking for work she could do during school hours. Which is a perfect fit for my schedule. So Davy comes from 9:00 to 2:00 on Monday through Friday. She can get her daughter to school in the morning and pick her up from school at the end of the day. And my toddlers can play with Davy while I sit in my home office and get my work done.

Davy is Indian/Trinidadian. And tomorrow she is taking the day off to celebrate Diwali — the Festival of Lights. She has invited us to come by for dinner tomorrow night and we're all looking forward to it. I'm so curious to see what the Trinidadian take on Indian food is like. Based on food Davy has shared with us previously, for sure it will be delicious.

Happy Diwali (a day early) to any readers who are celebrating!

Paul's Polaroids Made Me Think

Did you see this on Oh Happy Day yesterday? My brother Josh used some polaroid pictures taken by Paul (Jordan's husband) and made a short video. Just cause.

It's beautiful. Really beautiful. I've watched it like a dozen times. I embedded it above, but you can see it in a larger size here.



And I also have to comment here that I think I have really wonderful siblings and siblings-in-law. They are interesting and creative and they work hard to create the life they want to live.

Random Giveaway — $150 at Ses Petites Mains

Here's a Giveaway for anybody who knows a girl. A girl that likes pretty clothes. You could win $150 gift certificate to Ses Petites Mains. And you could use that certificate to buy pretty clothes. For a girl. Take a look. The clothes sell themselves.




Ses Petites Mains is designed by Beth Miles, in sizes 12 month to 8 years, and manufactured in San Francisco. The company name — French for "their little hands" (I think) — is said to refer "not only to the sweet, little hands of those who would wear the clothes. But also, to the delicate details which separate disposable clothing from those you hope to cherish forever."

I love that sentiment! And I'm absolutely curious to see if the changes in our economy lead to purchases of longer-lasting clothing. The sort of thrift that would put less items in your closet, but increase the quality and wearability of those items.



The designer, Beth, also says, “I love the idea of all fabrics being able to be worn together. As children love to throw 'anything' on, I designed all the pieces to work together. Shirtwaists with slips; slips as dresses; slips as loungewear; tunics with bermudas; halter overalls — darling with or without anything underneath."

A wonderful concept. And it's easy to see how well Ses Petites Mains makes it happen — with classic lines and traditional silhouettes. I have yet to see any items from this line in person, but knowing the backstory, and seeing the pretty pictures, I feel like I'm a big fan already.

THIS JUST IN: Use the code "designmom" to get a 20% discount on your next Ses Petites Mains purchase. Nice.

Happy commenting. Thank you Ses Petites Mains!

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Guidelines:
-You have until Midnight PST on Sunday, October 26th to enter this giveaway.
-Just make a comment ON THIS POST to enter — any comment. One entry per person, please.
-The winner will be randomly picked and announced on Monday, October 27th.
-What are Random Giveaways? Read about them here.

First Birthday in a Box

How adorable! CityBird Designs is offering a First-Birthday-Box-In-A-Box-Kit. In a girl version. Or a boy version. The perfect solution for any parents out there craving a stylish party, but without the time/energy/resources to make it happen. I love how sophisticated it all looks. Because let's be clear. The first birthday of the first child is all about the parents.

This is what the box includes:
-"Happy First" banner, strung with a grey grosgrain ribbon
-12 invitations plus envelopes
-12 thank you cards plus envelopes
-12 goodie bags
-Mixed Confetti — some of it printed with the child's name
-Five place/food identification cards
-A decorated case that holds all of the birthday party supplies

A Link List

Question: how does one know if one has carpel-tunnel-syndrome? (Ouch! It hurts to type this.) My list today is long and deep. And may or may not include a visit to a physician. So instead of my regular trio of posts, I will leave you with lots of great links to visit. In no particular order.

1) Mighty Goods has a clever Guide to Halloween Costumes being featured right this minute. Spotted on kirtsy.

2) The World's Smallest Postal Service is available for hire. Brilliant. I can die happy knowing this exists.

3) My friend Lisa Clark, the sister-in-law to Nie Nie, wrote a beautiful post on perspective. Don't miss. For realz. Don't miss.

4) Online scrapbooking is taking the world by storm. Or so say several emails in my inbox. If real, live, paper-and-glue scrapbooking doesn't float your boat, check out Inkubook and Scrapblog to see if they're a better fit. Different strokes for different folks, people.

5) Papered Together has their 2009 Calendar ready to go. The bee page is my favorite. Bonus, each calendar page doubles as a mailable card. Recycling in action.



6) Gwyneth Paltrow started a website called Goop. It's pretty. But the interwebs have decided it is a joke. Not clear on the backstory here, but just thought you'd like to know. Spotted on kirtsy.

7) The most recent post I wrote for Cookie was all about a basement decorated in Sharpie Marker. Probably I should do all in my power to make sure Ralph doesn't see this and attempt a bedroom makeover.

8) Francesca's Collections. It was described to me as Forever 21's slightly older sister. But I haven't checked it out yet. Please let me know if it's worth a more thorough look.

9) Rocks in My Dryer has a pretty new design. Yay Shannon!

10) Liz included these handknit slippers in her etsy roundup the other day. I am all about slippers from October through May. And these might be the cutest I've seen. Machine washable. Made to order in your exact size.

11) Win oodles of goodies from Lucky Magazine, plus tickets to their big Lucky Shops event, in the Get Lucky Giveaway at Kirtsy.

Livie & Luca

Look at these London Boots from Livie & Luca. Don't they look comfy? I want a pair in brown for Oscar.

Fall Photos

Go see Matthew Mead's Portfolio to get your fix of pretty images.

Discovering a really simple idea with a big impact feels like striking gold. Those caramel apples would be about 90% less charming without the long, actually-a-stick, sticks. A very do-able idea.



Speaking of discovering, how is it I've never heard of Matthew Mead until recently? Thanks for the link Bek!

What is it with Charlotte and Video?

On Saturday, Sunday and Monday, the kirtsy team got together in Charlotte for a retreat. I heard rumors that it was going to be a "nap-cation" and that bubble baths would be the order of the day. But it was way better than that. Imagine 72 hours of non-stop twittering. And getting schooled on social media by the newest team member, Gwen Bell. (Note: Gwen can feel free to school me on anything she'd like, because recently she wrote about how I still look like I'm squarely in my 20's.)



Things you should know about Charlotte:
-Everybody lives in super-stylin, super-artsy houses with handmade dinnerware.
-Vast quantities of cooked-to-crispy-perfection-bacon and handmade-buttermilk-biscuits are eaten every day. -People stay up till like 4:00am and then wake up around noon.
-There are incredibly charming red-headed twin girls that show up now and again. Just to be charming.
-Although I heard the word "drought" come up a few times, Charlotte is as green as the blue lagoon.
-Everybody is friendly.

And in Charlotte, apparently people have a thing with video. Two videos were made of the kirtsy team on Saturday (one here, and another link coming). Another video was made of the kirtsy team on Sunday (link coming). And an additional video interview of the kirtsy team was made on Monday. Plus, Five Minutes for Mom put up a post about kirtsy — including 2 videos — also on Monday.



So. If you're going to the Queen City. Know that you will fall in love with the place. And keep your lipgloss with you. Because you may find yourself on camera. A lot.

Photo at top: the kirtsy team with Wayne Sutton.

Charlotte

I'm in Charlotte, North Carolina. The kirtsy girls are together doing kirtsy things. It's all kind of kirtsy-licious. We're staying at Laurie's house and she bought this chocolate milk, delivered to her porch by Homestead Creamery, just for me. And I'm going to drink the entire contents.

Can't wait to tell you more! In the meantime, cool contest over at kirtsy.

Beautiful, Awesome, Bike Helmets

Spotted on kirtsy. Yakkay bike helmets. Seeing these made my day. I love when a designer reinterprets an everyday object with a new style.

Children’s Books: My Favorites — by Guest Mom Wendy Baldauf

My dear friend’s daughter just celebrated her 8th birthday, and I got her books. A smattering of my favorites. It was hard to choose — there are so many great ones — but these are some of the books I got for her:

Pink and Say by Patricia Polocco
This book makes me cry every time I read it. It’s a good book to have if you have 5th graders, because it’s about the Civil War, which is part of the 5th grade social studies curriculum. It has generated so many great questions with my own kids- so much learning.

The Sunsets of Miss Olivia Wiggins by Lester Laminack
Another tear-jerker. It’s a sweet story of a great-grandmother with Alzheimer’s- totally tender and moving, and perfect for helping children understand the disease.

Tulip Sees America by Cynthia Rylant
If you have a 3rd grader, they’ll be learning all about cardinal directions this year- get this book. Get a map of the United States, and while you’re reading it, have your kids tell you which direction Tulip is heading. So fun.

A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck
This is a terrific read-aloud! Grandma Dowdel is unforgettable, and by the last chapter you’ll love her so much, the end of the book will have you in tears. Or maybe it’s just me…

Sister Light, Sister Dark by Jane Yolen
This is book one in the Great Alta series, there are three books in the series so far. All about girl power, these books are good for girls from 12-90+, but younger girls may be able to handle them as a read-aloud. Such a great storyline- I’ve read it a few times and each time, I can’t put it down.

Oh, if I only had time to share every favorite on my list. I’d need at least 5 blog entries! I hope you are able to read these and enjoy them.

Neige

Pretty textures for little peoples at Neige. I don't think of it as a kid color, but these photos have me on a gray crave.

Startup Princess Retreat

On November 7th and 8th I'll be spending a couple of days 1,954 miles from New York — participating in the Startup Princess Academy — where I'll be heading out a workshop all about social media. I'm really, really looking forward to it.

It is always a pleasure to meet women that have started (or are hoping/planning/trying to start) their own businesses — I'm a total sucker for anything entrepreneurial. And I'm delighted to get to spend time with the other speakers as well: Barbara Jones, who I know and love. Holly Buchanan and Janet Meiners Thaler, two women I would love to meet. And the founder of Startup Princess, Kelly King Anderson.





Staying at the Zermatt Hotel in Midway, Utah — where the Retreat is being held — looks like it will be icing on the cake. No doubt I'm biased because I grew up in Utah, but look how pretty these shots are! I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but in college I worked at the Sundance Resort's Wildflower Farm — very near Midway — and I had views like this out my window while I worked. That was a pretty amazing way to earn my way through my freshman year.

Hey. If you're all about women and startups, I'm thinking you should totally register for the retreat. And I'll see you there!

Gifted and Talented: A Semi-Rant — By Guest Mom Wendy Baldauf

There has been a lot of discussion in PTA circles about the gifted and talented program — what brand of enrichment is it, who is entitled, and who ought to be included but isn’t. In our district the program for the gifted and talented kids is called WINGS, and it’s available to the brightest students in grades 3-8. (That word is italicized because it’s such a loaded and irritating word for me — more on that in a minute...)

Each elementary school in the district has its own WINGS teacher, which means the quality of the enrichment at each school varies because some of the WINGS instructors aren’t great. Sadly, my kid’s school isn’t the best in the district in this regard, but my kids have been and are currently in WINGS: Jesse, who is 15, was included during 6th, 7th, and 8th grade, and Grace, my 4th grader, was invited to join this year. That being said, I’m not convinced it’s actually a positive experience for students.

The mommy-discussions range from “my kid should be included and isn’t” to “it’s so elitist” to “why can’t every student be included?” to “it gives kids with big heads even bigger heads.”

Because of the intrinsic unfairness with giving enrichment to only the brightest, our district has adjusted the program to include everyone in a full-class setting: the WINGS teacher pushes in to each class once a cycle and delivers a fun lesson that is curriculum-based. Even so, the program in our district has unfortunately taken on a “have/ have not” persona — many kids, who are not invited to join WINGS, automatically view themselves as ‘not smart.’ I hear it all the time! This in an indication that the entire system is flawed.

Now, don’t get me wrong: I wouldn’t deny any gifted kid the chance to progress and grow. If our own child was an awesome soccer player, wouldn’t we find her a team? If our child was naturally artistic, wouldn’t we sign her up for lessons? Yes, of course, we would. Same goes for every kid who performs consistently above grade level — that kid deserves to be intellectually challenged.

However, in every class there are bright kids who do not excel academically. Maybe they’re poor test takers. Maybe they weren’t born with a math brain. I clearly remember a conversation I had with my daughter Jesse as a 3rd grader: we were talking about WINGS, and she said “Clara should be in WINGS because she writes cool poetry. And Madison should be too because she’s great friend.” There are so many ways to be great and special, but we’ve been programmed to think that success = academic success and poor academic success = failure. And the whole ‘I’m smart/I’m not smart’ polarization really ticks me off.

If you’re as interested in these things as I am, and would like to read an interesting perspective on education, I just finished a book entitled: Real Education: Four Simple Truths for Bringing Americas Schools Back To Reality by Charles Murray. His in-your-face attitude about public education is refreshing and bold, and his views about how to fix the system are surprising. His perspective certainly challenges some of my closely-held beliefs, particularly about higher education.

Note from Design Mom: the sketches at the top are by my brother-in-law Paul Ferney. He's a fantastic artist — definitely gifted and talented. : ) He's participating in Open Studios this weekend in San Francisco. If you're in the Bay area, you should totally stop by and say Hello.

Trunki

What a smart idea! Children's suitcases that can also be ride-ons or pull-a-longs. It's like built-in entertainment for airport waits. Called Trunki.

Thanks for the link, Lauren.

The Thing I Wish All Parents Knew Before Their Kids Start Kindergarten — by Guest Mom Wendy B

If you take nothing else from my visit here, please take this piece of information and use it:

If you are involved in your child’s school, in whatever capacity, your kid will fare better academically than the kid whose parents aren’t/can’t be involved.

There is so much literature out there supporting parent involvement in schools, it’s silly to imagine there are parents who simply choose not to pitch in. But in truth, there are social, economic and cultural barriers that prevent some parents from participating in their child’s school, even if they have a desire to do so. Each day I see parents who, when they have an appointment at school, need to pay a taxi for each ride because they don’t own a car and they live too far away to walk. Many times they simply cannot get there.

Single parenthood is another social and financial barrier — a very difficult, time-consuming and tiresome barrier. We acknowledge and appreciate all single parenthood entails. How can we argue with those single parents who simply do not have another ounce of energy for school events? I totally get that. I’ve been there. I could go on and on.

My plea then, to those of you who have been blessed with sound families and stable homes: please get involved with PTA and help support those sweet students — your kids’ friends — whose families are struggling. Not all parents can be involved; can you be involved? Your own children will be better, smarter, and more capable, and you will help support the entire school community — every child. It’s important.

In case you're interested, here are two adequate books on the subject:

Building School and Community Partnerships Through Parent Involvement, by Kay Wright and Delores Stegelin. In addition to the points I’ve already made, this book goes on to discuss the unique issues that are exclusive to those families with special needs students.

Parents Are Lifesavers: A Handbook for Parent Involvement in Schools, by Carol S. Batey. There is so much good stuff in this book for PTA members — it ought to be a must-read. It’s not exclusive to PTA though, and it has fantastic ideas for ways for you to get involved in a sort-of ‘don’t-wait-to-be-asked’ way.

‘Till tomorrow. . .

Note from Design Mom: the gorgeous illustration at the top was found on Definatalie. It was drawn in 1910 as a vision of what the year 2000 would be like. How cool is that? It's part of series and the collection is housed at the National Library of France.

Welcome Guest Mom Wendy!

I can't wait for you to meet my friend, Wendy! Wendy knows much about many topics, but one of the things she cares and thinks about the most is how parents can get involved in their child's school. Like most parents, she has strong opinions about what works and what doesn't — and she doesn't mind a bit if you don't agree with her.

So with that in mind, I asked Wendy to share her PTA-expert-wisdom with us. Also, I think I should mention that Wendy is gorgeous. She looks just like the lead in The Notebook. Identical.

Here's more introduction in Wendy's own words:



What’s up everybody? I’ve never blogged before, although I’m a frequent and enthusiastic visitor to this site. I’m honored to have been asked to join the fun! I’ve always thought the most perfect job on the planet would be having a syndicated opinion column, where I could just prattle on about anything I thought was relevant. So why don’t I blog? Seems like an even better deal, right?

Gabby asked me that question about 2 years ago, and my answer was, ‘my life isn’t that interesting…’ But I'm feeling like my life has gotten a lot more interesting (or at least busy-er), since I was installed as PTA president at my kids’ school.

I have learned a lot: about public education, about school politics, and most importantly, I’ve learned that most parents just want their kids to be comfortable, happy, intellectually challenged, and socially adjusted. Plus, they want to see the real, tangible examples of their kid’s progression. Many of the calls that I get are due to the lack of communication in these areas.

Sometimes it’s hard to believe, but there are many, many parents who do not use their voices to advocate for their own children. The job of the PTA, then, is to be an advocate for children and families who, for whatever reason, do not have a voice in their own school. My job as PTA president is to make sure everything gets done: to make sure there are enriching programs that benefit every student during school, to oversee and help to organize fun social functions after school hours that are accessible to everyone, to present clear communication between home and school about upcoming events and programs,

And since school has just begun, the best part of my job is getting to know new families, helping them feel at ease, giving out as many comforting hugs and words of encouragement as are needed, and showing them how to easily navigate the school hierarchy.

On another note, it seems to be a tradition for Guest Moms to share the things they love, but I’ve been asked to talk about all things PTA — and it feels like a boring introduction. : )

So let me show you some of the things I love — things I’m certain you won’t see on Gabby’s blog ever again:



1. Someday, I would love to own this 1967 Impala, or any hot late 60’s ride.

2. We just bought this bed, and it’s comfortable and beautiful, and every time I lay down I feel like someone should feed me grapes and fan me.

3. This is our boat, and I. LOVE. IT. We have so much fun and carefree family time on the lake, splashing around, skiing, and showing off. I realize it's not in everyone's budget — we had to save up for ages to get ours — but owning a boat is a terrific way to spend your summers. And work on your tan.

And now, I’ll dive right in and share my experience and thoughts about all things PTA. Hopefully by Friday I’ll have convinced you to pitch in and serve. I’m grateful to have been invited to linger this week and share my small area of expertise.

AstroRalphCentral

My son Ralph has had a blog since before I started Design Mom, but recently he's been posting super consistently — often 3 times a day. Could it be because we finally gave away our ancient computer and now let the kids use Ben Blair's old laptop? Possibly.

But I think he also spurred himself to action by making a plan. He's decided on themes for each day of the week. Yesterday was Movie day. Today is Video Games or SuperHeroes. You can see his schedule here.

Check it out. AstroRalphCentral. And feel free to make comments. Ralph likes comments only slightly less than legos.

The Norman Rockwell Museum

On Saturday, we took the family to Massachusetts for a day at Benton Brook Farm. The drive was picturesque — I think the fall leaves were at their peak. And in the middle of the afternoon, we made a fieldtrip to the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge.



I enjoyed the museum immensely. Everything I learn about Norman Rockwell makes me happy. An art director for Boys Life at 17. His first cover for the Post at 22. And not afraid to take on the controversies of his day.

Twice a year our friends generously open their farm for a day of fun — bouncy slide, relays and games, great food, and a square dance in the barn at the end of the day. We always look forward to being there and love getting to have a laid-back day with friends and neighbors. I even got to meet a new blogging friend! — Jaime of Sophistimom.

I spent the morning representing kirtsy and Design Mom on a panel of women I was delighted to get to spend time with — Kimberly Coleman, Kelcey K., Amy O., Kim P., Amy Platt, Andi Silverman, and Alexis Martin Neely. We answered all sorts of questions about women in social media. And as is my habit, I talked too much. On the way out, I grabbed Alexis for a quick mini interview:



Isn't she lovely? And where can I find that flower headband in her hair?

Thanks to Maria Bailey of Mom Talk Radio and NewBaby.com for putting the event together. By the way, if you're interested in learning more about what Moms are doing in social media (blogs, kirtsy, twitter, facebook, etc), you should pick up a copy of Maria's new book: Mom 3.0. It just came out today!

Pretty Party

Spotted on kirtsy. Look how cute this two-year-old's birthday party is! Such a great color scheme. Such pretty party hats.

My favorite part is when the hostess admits right off the bat that she spent too much time and money on a party for a two-year-old. I'm the same way. Half of why I throw parties at all is just so I can make something pretty and do something creative.

Day Off

Two apple pies baked before noon. From apples we picked ourselves.

It's hard to improve on that sort of day. Did the kids ransack the house during the making/baking process? Yes. Am I still in my pajamas? You bet. Is my foot covered in powdered sugar? Oddly, yes. But I have a whole pie to eat and a whole pie to give away. So who really cares about the rest?

Also, I just tried this circle thing instead of my usual slits in the crust — I'll stare at it for awhile longer, but I think I love it. If I was ever going to have a pie signature, I'm pretty sure this would be it.

One more thing. In case you're wondering, while the first pie is baking, there is just enough time to make a second pie, clean the kitchen, and make fresh whipped cream — and if the kids help, you can even get the family room whipped into shape. So you might as well make two. I'm just saying.

Winners — Three Necklaces from Lisa Leonard Designs

I have the pleasure of announcing three winners today. Three winner's of the Lisa Leonard Designs Giveaway. Three winners who will each receive a beautiful bird necklace. And here they are:

1) Wendy Sue who said, "oh my gosh - this is gorgeous - I LOVE it!!!"
2) Kirby McCauley who said, "These designs are so beautiful. I particularly love the Tag Key Chain!"
3) randalswife who said, "Love the designs - so fun! Can't wait to find out who wins!"

Congratulations to all three of you! Please email me with your address and I'll send your info to the sponsor right away. And a big thanks to Lisa Leonard Designs. Yay for pretty jewelry!

Rebecca's House Tour

I posted a wonderful house tour over at Cookie's Nesting blog yesterday. It's the home of my dear friend Rebecca, who moved to Kansas a couple of years ago. I miss her! And love getting to see photos of where she and her wonderful family live. Now when we talk on the phone I can imagine her in her home. I don't want you to miss it.

Also, I posted about these gorgeous log bowls at Nesting a couple of weeks ago. Soooo pretty. I keep re-reading my own post just to look at them. Check it.



One last thing before I sign off — two Giveaway reminders. You have until Sunday night to:

a) Get in on the sweet Lisa Leonard Jewelry Giveaway here on Design Mom. 3 Necklaces. 3 lucky winners. Go here to enter.

b) Get in on the huge YouData Contest. Five fantastic prizes up for grabs.

Leave a comment on this link to win one of 2 iPod Nanos.
Leave a comment on this link to win one of 3 iTouches.
Fill out a MeFile at this link to win the Laptop of Your Choice.

We're making pizza tonight to celebrate Columbus day — a major holiday here in my very Italian-American neighborhood. Yay for 1492! Have a great long weekend.

Apple Picking 2008

The kids had school off yesterday. We spent the morning working on Halloween costumes and we spent the evening apple picking at Stuart's Farm.

Stuart's Farm is exactly what I want in an apple-picking adventure. No bounce house. No hayride. No carnival. No paid parking. Just a beautiful, walkable orchard (with great apples) and a small shop where you can buy local jams and gourds and mums.

We are notoriously bad about forgetting our camera when we go on outings, but we didn't forget yesterday. So I posted a million photos of our adventure on flickr. To share with the Grandmas. And any curious blog readers.

Illy Push Button House

I missed a press event for this funky Illy Push Button House this morning. But I wish I'd been able to make my schedule work, because stuff like this totally fascinates me. You can see it for the next few days in the meatpacking district as part of New York Food Festival.

Random Giveaway — Lisa Leonard Jewelry

A great Giveaway today. Three beautiful necklaces for three beautiful winners. From everyone's favorite stamped jewelry shop, Lisa Leonard Designs. You know the drill — get those comments in asap and you could be one of the lucky three.



This pretty little bird-y creation is the necklace up for grabs. It's called the Sweet Simple Bird Necklace and it really is adorable. A sterling silver disc, one and 1/4 inches across, is hand-stamped with a little birdie sitting on a branch. A cream freshwater pearl makes a perfect accent. Strung on 18" sterling ball chain. And remember — three of these lovelies will go to three lucky winners.

The following aren't up for grabs in this Giveaway, but how can I visit Lisa Leonard's site without sharing some of my other favorites from her collection:



All of Lisa's designs are quite wonderful, but I think the spoons may be my very favorite. So simple and elegant. Very chic. Growing up, my mom kept a drawer full of tiny keepsakes from when we were babies, along with other little heirlooms. As children, we loved getting a peek inside that drawer. I think it would be a wonderful tradition to have a spoon made for each child. You could frame the spoon in a handsome little shadow box — along with a photo of the baby eating their first solid food using the very same utensil. A spoon would make a wonderful gift for that mom who seems to have everything she needs.

Happy commenting. Thank you Lisa Leonard Designs!

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Guidelines:
-You have until Midnight PST on Sunday, October 12th to enter this giveaway.
-Just make a comment ON THIS POST to enter — any comment. One entry per person, please.
-The winner will be randomly picked and announced on Monday, October 13th.
-What are Random Giveaways? Read about them here.

Spooky Tree Paintings

Bek (thanks Bek!) sent me the link to this wonderful Spooky Tree Art Project for kids. I'm bookmarking this. I think a gallery of spooky trees will be just the thing for next year's Halloween display. And it seems like a doable project for kids of all ages.

Full directions on That Woman Artist.

Isabella Oliver

Yesterday I went to a breakfast preview of Isabella Oliver's Spring 2009 line at the Soho House. It made me want to be pregnant again. For reals. I didn't discover Isabella Oliver until a few weeks after Betty was born, so I never got the chance to wear the line. But I think the clothes are lovely — all about ruching and wrapping — my two favorite maternity looks.

The Spring line isn't online yet (luckily there are lots of cozy, fall/winter items like the ones pictured above), but watch for it in the next few months.

Amy Atlas Dessert Events

Spotted on kirtsy: Amy Atlas and her gorgeous site. Find oodles of inspiration for your next dinner party or birthday party or family movie night. You'll especially want to spend some quality time perusing her portfolio. And then you'll want to hire her. Great photos!

Like Jordan, she's an expert at using color to her advantage. Also. Amy Atlas is an awesome name. She could totally be a super hero.

More Fall Spoils

On a spare shelf in the entryway.

Family Equation

Joanna Goddard, an excellent writer who keeps a lovely blog called A Cup of Jo, is now writing a daily relationship blog for Glamour Magazine called Smitten (great name!). One of her posts today featured this smart family portrait idea featuring the (clearly clever and talented) Pasanella Family: her profile + his profile = child's profile. Love it!

Ses Petites Mains

The silhouettes and details in these pieces by Ses Petites Mains are beautiful.



Not that I'm thinking this far ahead, but I would love to put my girls in the Sofia dress for the holidays this year. Isn't it stunning? Oh. And look — one of my very favorite dresses ever (I posted about it earlier) is on sale!

Carina Schott's Mini Compound

In the June/July issue of Domino there was a tour of Carina Schott's home. I have read the article at least 15 times and I study the photos a little more deeply each time. I am in love! The home, in rural Matunuck, Rhode Island, is part of "50's mini-compound that also includes a guest cottage, a laundry shack and a neglected pool." The group of buildings is connected by a deck.

The home is beautiful, really beautiful, but I think what keeps me coming back is the unusual nature of the mini-compound buildings themselves — which according to the article, were almost uninhabitable when they first bought the home.



My daydreams are filled with atypical dwellings — converted warehouses, commercial spaces gone residential, experimental homes. Is it just me, or do you sort of have to happen upon an interesting space? How easy is it to seek out an atypical space when on a real estate hunt?

The Hannover Sisters

Another Nie Nie Day item now in my possession: a print of The Hannover Sisters by the generous and talented Tollipop. Isn't it lovely? Part peaceful. Part melancholy. How shall I frame it? Where shall I hang it?

For those of you following Stephanie's story, remember, you can still find active auctions (like these beautiful bowls) and other fund-raising events at Nie Recovery.

Dinner Party on the Pier

Did you see the pretty dinner party Jordan hosted on a pier in San Francisco? I wonder what it's like to wake up each day and be as cool as Jordan.

Winner — Sycamore Street Press

Hooray for Giveaways. Hooray for pretty paper. And Hooray for Tiffany — you are the winner of the Sycamore Street Press Giveaway — Congratulations! Please send me an email and I'll put you in touch with the sponsor right away. Thank you Sycamore Street Press!



If you didn't win, you can totally distract yourself with this Hue Test — move the color chips around until you have them in order. My score: 4. How did you do?

I spotted this on kirtsy. And Laurie put it on kirtsy after she spotted it on Goody Blog. And Goody Blog spotted it on How About Orange.

Dinosaur BBQ

Ben and the kids picked me up from the Generation Huggies event this weekend and we headed straight to Dinosaur BBQ in Harlem. It's probably the most family friendly restaurant I've been to in the city. Plus. It's housed in a really cool space.

And. It's a party in my tummy. So yummy. So yummy.

Generation Huggies

Hey! If you're in the city today, come to Union Square. For reals. Because I'll be there. Checking out the Fall Festival and live blogging. And I totally want to meet you.

What will I be live blogging about? Generation Huggies, my friends. Generation Huggies.

Huggies is celebrating its 30th birthday in a big way — big as in a $30,000 sweepstakes prize. Because Huggies loves moms. Moms are great. And moms buy diapers. It's kind of a match made in heaven. I think Huggies might love me especially. Because I'm pretty sure I've kept Costco in the black over the last decade buying ginormous boxes of diapers and wipes and pullups — all Huggies. I started using using those oh-so-tiny-adorable-newborn-Huggies with Ralph and I never looked back.

Huggies knows moms. But they want to know moms even better. They want to hear from you. So, in addition to the huge sweepstakes, they are also hosting a huge video contest. And the winning videos will be featured in an upcoming National Ad Campaign. You — yes you — can make a 60-second video, talking about what motherhood means to you, or how motherhood has changed in the last 30 years, or sharing an everyday moment you had with your baby.

Then you can upload it to the Generation Huggies site. And check out the other videos. And vote for your favorites. Basically, you can join Huggies as they celebrate Motherhood.



Can't get to Union Square? Because maybe you live in Montana? Then check in with me today over at The Motherhood. I've created a group/circle called Generation Huggies NYC. Click here to see what I'm seeing at the Park today. I'll be posting and taking pictures and uploading video and texting and calling in voice messages and doing everything there is to do at the new, the improved, The (just relaunched!) Motherhood.

And if you register at The Motherhood (fast, easy) you can join the Generation Huggies NYC Circle (even if you're not in NYC - amazing!). Just login, then find the circle here, and click Join This Circle in the left hand column. Once you've joined, you can add photos, and record voice messages that get posted online — you'll be able to do anything I can do. And we can all hang out there. Together.

So. Come by Union Square. Bring your kids. Say Hello! I'll take your picture and write about how cute your hair is. If you let me. Or. Come say hello online. I'll be at The Motherhood. Live Blogging. About Generation Huggies. And Moms.

How to Peel an Egg

Spotted on kirtsy. A video demonstrating how to peel an egg without peeling the egg. Starring Tim Ferris, author of The 4-Hour Work Week (which is a very interesting read, by the way) and master of efficiency. I've now watched this video like ten times and I'm off to the kitchen to experiment.



And have I mentioned lately that kirtsy is the coolest site ever? It pains me to think of all the cool links I missed out on before it existed. Which reminds me of something else that's cool and kirtsy related: you still have time to get involved in the huge YouData Contest. Fab prizes up for grabs!

Leave a comment on this link to win one of 2 iPod Nanos.
Leave a comment on this link to win one of 3 iTouches.
Fill out a MeFile at this link to win the Laptop of Your Choice.

Seeing the Everyday Magazine

On my California trip, I used some of my flight time to read the latest issue of Seeing the Everyday. From cover to cover. And no doubt the passengers sitting next to me wondered at my tears. But it is just the most heart-string-tugging/inspiring publication I can imagine.

I need to keep it out on the kitchen counter so that I'll remember to read it more often. And apply the inspiration it offers to my daily mothering actions.

Random Giveaway — Sycamore Street Press

Friends. Ladies. Peoples. I've got some pretty, pretty paper products to give away today. Quality, touchable paper products that have been letterpressed to perfection. All from the stylish crew at Sycamore Street Press. One lucky winner will receive:



A set of Three Letterpress Frame Mats. You can choose turquoise or crimson. They will make your lovely photos seem all the lovelier.



An Alphabet Print. Choose your favorite: crimson + turquoise or gray + orange. For the nursery. Or for your niece.



A Set of Cards designed by Be a Decent Human Being. A whole set! How many is in a set? Not sure. But I'll let you know as soon as I know. Also. I've read the message on this card maybe 2 dozen times today, and it still makes me smile every single time.




A Pack of Letterpress Tags. You pick your favorite style — or ask nicely, and maybe they'll put together a multi-pack for you. (No promises, but say, "pretty please with sugar on top" and your chances are good.) So terrific! I think the gift tags are my favorite item in the Sycamore Street Press Store.

In related news, Sycamore Street Press has also unveiled their new website. It's gorgeous. It features really great product pics and it's super easy to use. You can help them celebrate! Through next Wednesday, October 8th, when you enter the code "grandopening" at checkout, you'll get 25% off of your entire order. Hello! 1/4 off? Nice. This includes sale items — so get ready to get a deal.

Happy commenting! Thank you Sycamore Street Press!

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Random Giveaway Guidelines:
-You have until Midnight PST on Sunday, October 5th 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 on Monday, October 6th.
-What are Random Giveaways? Read about them here.

Book of the Week — A Child's Day

I've mentioned the artwork of Ida Pearle before. I'm a big fan. So how happy was I when I found out about her new book? It's called A Child's Day: An Alphabet of Play and it is beautiful. Q is for quack — while a child marches in a parade of ducks. R is for ride — as in a ride on a zebra.





The book is full of happy colors and compositions. Great patterns and imaginative ideas. And you can snag your own hardbound copy for about 10 bucks at Amazon.

Welcome October!

Remember last year's Spooky Halloween Branches? I loved those! But this year, that idea was kind of shot down by my kids who were like been there done that, let's make plates instead! And I was like, sure, why not, I've got all sorts of time to work on a breakable, lots of sharp objects project. Let's do it!



My kids had been begging to do Danny Seo's plate project ever since I came home with the elephant after the Method Party last May. A series of Halloween themed plates seemed like the perfect reason to make it happen. I believe I explained this plate-how-to once before, but here it is again, keeping kids in mind.

The process:



1) Gather the supplies. Plates you don't mind painting over — use your old mismatched pieces or pick some up at the local thrift store. Enamel paint. Brushes (sponge brushes are just fine for this project). And full sheets of printer label paper.



2) Draw or print the shapes you'd like to feature on your plates on the label paper. My kids picked Halloween shapes. Bat, cat, skull, jack-0-lantern, scarecrow. Plus two profile silhouettes — which they consider spooky.



3) Cut the shapes out and apply the stickers to the plates.




4) Paint the whole plate. We used only black paint for this Halloween series, but I've also done this in fall colors with leaf silhouettes. The sky's the limit.



5) When the paint is dry (I did two coats with drying time between), use open scissors to scrape the label into itself all around the edges. Once the label is removed, I used an exacto knife and a fine paint brush to scrape/touch up the edges as needed.

6) Bake according to the directions on the paint bottle.

What kids can do: decide the images, draw the images, cut out the images, put the images on the plates, paint the plates. But the scraping should really be done by an adult.



The plates looked super cool on the wall, but I was still wanting something more. So we wrapped glass containers with strips of orange tissue paper and placed tealights inside to create our orange glow.



Then we staggered their heights by stacking them on thick books. Dusty old, antique tomes would have been perfect — but I settled for removing the dust jackets of a couple of dozen thick novels (read: the Twilight series) until I had enough black and orange covers to do the job.

Welcome October!

10/2 Edit: A couple of people have been curious about how to hang the plates. I use a plate hanging product that's similar to this one. You can pick up plate hangers at any hardware store. And for you DIY-ers, I was flipping through an old issue of Martha Stewart (Oct 1998) and found a tutorial on how to make your own wire plate hangers.

Multi-Tasking

This past July, when I was at the BlogHer conference in San Francisco, Janice and Susan of Five Minutes for Mom interviewed me for a 4-part video series. Part One was posted here and Part Two was posted here. (You can see all the 5MFM Interviews from BlogHer here.)

On Monday, they posted Part Three — where in I discuss my complete and total inability to multi-task. I'm just no good at it. I vaguely remember being good at it at one point, but with each additional child, the ability seems to slip further from my grasp.

In fact, at this point, my brain is so dedicated to doing one thing at a time and one thing only, that I can't even listen to music while I'm working. Apparently, my brain considers listening to music an activity or task. And if music is on, I have to stop everything and listen to that music. Period.

Anyway. Here is the interview. I've been told that at some point I will no longer cringe at seeing myself on video. Still waiting (not very patiently) to reach that point.

Vintage Rain Boots

My sis-in-law Liz has a great post up about her latest thrift store finds. I know we don't share the same blood, but in this respect, we absolutely have the same stuff running through our veins — I also thrill at thrift store/tag sale finds.