Pre Fab Homes

Pre fab/kit homes are on my mind. At least the gorgeous ones are. So I wrote about them at Cookie's Nesting blog.

Have a great weekend. And please feel free to enter the Poloppo T-Shirt Kit Giveaway through Sunday night. Five winners. Five!

The Modern Baby Co.

A year or so ago I posted about some colorful and really cozy-looking baby supplies from Quilt Baby. Since then I've learned two things about these items:

1) I've now seen them in person and can promise you are they even more gorgeous and soft and well-made then they appear online. Blankets, bibs, changing mats, bedding — all in prints and patterns that are sure to please.

2) The company name is no longer Quilt Baby. Instead, I'm pleased to introduce you to The Modern Baby Co. New name. Same pretty products.

Make Someone's Day — by Guest Mom Stephanie Brubaker

Recently we've been recipients of a few random acts of kindness, and we are enjoying them so much that it seems only right to pass along the good vibes. I thought it would be fun to share some ideas about simple yet meaningful ways to make someone's day, whether it be anonymous or not. A little thoughtfulness goes a long way...especially during a time when many are feeling down about life. Here are a few ideas to spark your imagination:

1. Make a batch of cookies and package a few of them up for others to enjoy. Save a few for your own kids too...you'll want them to have warm memories of Mom making cookies :)

2. Prepare a nice lunch (something you'd be thrilled to eat yourself) and then give it to a homeless person. Perhaps include a napkin with an uplifting note written across the top. Based on experience, having a surprise lunch delivered is about the best thing ever.



3. Gather up all the fixin's for a "tea-party-in-a-box" and pass it along to a friend who needs some extra TLC. Include a mug, a few tea bags, a homemade or store-bought scone, lemon curd, and whipped cream (if you can find Devonshire cream, use that instead).

4. Buy a large bouquet of flowers at Costco and then divvy them up to a few friends. Wrap a few stems in kraft brown paper and add ribbon. I've yet to meet anyone who doesn't love flowers as a gift.

* If it's a food-related item, you may want to let the recipient know it's from you...some people may not eat food that's given to them anonymously. Just a thought...



A simple, yet well-packaged treat is both fun to present and to receive. If you are taking the time to participate in a random act of kindness, why not package it up nicely? :) Here are some of my favorites:

Pie Shaped Packages...What a fantastic way to present a piece of homemade apple pie. Yum. I'll admit it's more time consuming than the other ideas but a project that must be done at least once. The cuteness factor is way too high to pass up! You can view the template here.

White Chinese Takeout Boxes...They cost less than a quarter each making them very cost effective and adorable. You'll find yourself using this idea over and over because you can change the look of the boxes so easily with different colors, ribbons & tags.

Gable Boxes...I absolutely love these boxes and find myself creating excuses to use them. Add an adhesive label and you're good to go. My favorite labels are those from Stuck, Paper Source, and Thomas Paul.

And speaking of sharing the love...thank you so much for all your lovely comments this week. You've all made my week and I'm feeling lots of warm fuzzies right now, thanks to you! Keep in touch...

Find more of Stephanie at Stephmodo

Family Pride

Three internet things made me proud of my family this month (I'm always proud of my family, but these things made me especially so). Jordan's blog has a gorgeous new look and a new title reflective of her url. Liz launched her vintage baby clothes shop on etsy — I love how Liz follows through on her good ideas. And Steve made some political history. As he has done more than once throughout his political career.

I may have mentioned this before, but it's pretty darn cool and definitely bears repeating: Steve has been blogging longer than any elected officeholder in the US. Upon learning about blogging, Steve immediately saw the impact it could have, the transparency it could offer and the feedback and discussion it could provide, and jumped right in.

This month he took advantage of the internet to try something new. Steve is sponsoring a bill this session, and as is the custom, he took it to the media so they could ask questions and have the chance to report about it to their readers. But. Instead of going straight to the traditional press, he went to the new media outlets instead. The Utah Senate invited all the political bloggers they could find in the state to call in, attend in person or join the discussion online. Which made the discussion far more accessible to far more people. From what I understand, this is the first time this has ever been done.

Steve and I don't always line up the same way politically, but I think he's a flat out genius (confirmed here and here). As such an enthusiastic social media fan myself, I love that Steve is making use of these tools for the benefit of his constituents. To me, it looks like progress.

Yay social media!

The photo at top is my family (at least parts of my family) in Tijuana.

Giveaway — Poloppo T-Me Kits

Remember the fab draw-your-own-tee kits I posted about a few weeks ago? Well the feedback on the tees was basically: Yes, please! So I said: Your wish is my command. And I set up a Giveaway immediately: Five T-me Kits from Poloppo for five lucky winners!



The kit comes with everything you need: paper, markers, clear instructions, and a pre-paid envelope. You put your little artist to work. Mail in their drawing. And a couple of weeks later you get back a t-shirt featuring their very own masterpiece.




Poloppo offers several t-shirt styles and colors in sizes for babies, kids and adults. So you could also use this kit to make a Father's Day gift or a surprise for Grandma — even multiple items with the same drawing. But I'd recommend getting at least one tee in child size, because you know your child is going to love-with-a-capital-L wearing a shirt featuring her own creation. The trick will be getting her to wear anything else.

Many thanks to Poloppo!

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Guidelines:
-You have until Midnight PST on Sunday, March 1st to enter this giveaway.
-Just make a comment ON THIS POST to enter — any comment. One entry per person, please.
-The 5 winners will be randomly picked and announced Monday, March 2nd.
-What are Random Giveaways? Read about them here.

Tooth Cushions

Find of the week: Letter M Design makes the most wonderful tooth (or treasure) cushions and sells them in her etsy shop. I love how she incorporates all sorts of patterns and textures and little details.

Affordable Art — by Guest Mom Stephanie Brubaker

I spent my college career mainly studying Art History; and while that was long ago, I still appreciate the visual power of a work of art. Over the past several years I've slowly discovered a few artists that not only speak to me in a creative way, but appear to be quite affordable as well. This aspect makes the art even easier to love! And with the idea of "affordable art" being more popular now than it's been in a long time, I couldn't help but present you with a few options for your viewing pleasure. Some you may be familiar with, and some may be new to you. Either way I hope you enjoy how lovely they are...



1. Chad Wys...a thrilling discovery last year on Etsy; his modern landscapes are what I like to look at every day. He is also really, really nice :)

2. Labokoff...Fabienne mixes photography and painting in a such a beautiful, dreamy way. After visiting France I wanted something to remind me of that unique part of the world, but didn't want it to be a touristy tchotchke. I imagined something I could display in my home, something that wouldn't look out-of-place. These prints fit the bill! And even if you haven't visited France, they are still beautiful prints to have on display.

3. Kelly Neidig...a Blurb bookstore discovery (you must check it out!); there is something about the boldness of those lines and that color combined that plays on my mind in just the right way.

4. Blancucha...I can't get enough of these whimsical child-like-yet-still-grownup prints from Spanish designer Blanca Gomez. They are perfect for a playroom but I've seen them in a living room space as well and both look equally as fabulous.




p.s. You can easily obtain a custom-framing look without the hefty price tag, by using the Wood Gallery Frames from Pottery Barn and then having a custom mat created by a professional framer. These frames of good quality and are often on sale! While you are at the framer, ask him/her to attach wire to the back of your store-bought frame. This will make hanging it 10 times easier and only costs about $2.

Find more of Stephanie at Stephmodo

Join Me For Breakfast

Miranda at Creative Construction posted an interview with me earlier this month and I was so pleased to be asked. Thanks for making me feel great, Miranda!

Baby Hank Vintage

Super cute finds at Baby Hank Vintage. And everything is very reasonable priced. It's like I have a new best friend that shops all the best tag sales and second-hand stores so that I don't have to. I want the frilly bloomers and the classic sailor jumper.

Favorite Desserts — by Guest Mom Stephanie Brubaker

A few readers recently requested a "top 10" list featuring my favorite desserts. It sounded like a yummy post to write so here it goes...for all to enjoy! Please note that most of these desserts can be made in one hour or less, some under 30 minutes, which I consider absolutely necessary :)

These recipes are my favorite "crowd-pleasers", in no particular order, with a few notes included. Bon appetit!

1. Lemon Cake...serve with Lemon Curd, whipped cream & fresh berries; the very similar but more low-fat Lemon Yogurt Cake is lovely too; make sure you sieve the lemon curd before chilling.

2. Banana Pillows...double the amount of sauce; also, you can stretch the puff pastry to 6 pillows instead of 4.

3. Frozen Key Lime Pie...for recipe notes on this one click here. There are more than a few :)

4. Tapioca Passion-Fruit Parfaits...great with an Asian-inspired meal.

5. Bittersweet Molten Chocolate Cakes...use a high-quality chocolate for this one and serve with Haagen Dazs Vanilla Swiss Almond.

6. Glazed Chocolate Cake...garnish with whipped cream, toasted hazelnuts or fresh raspberries; use a high-quality chocolate with this one too.



7. Chocolate Pots de Cremes/Custards...before serving, cover the tops of the custards with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

8. Lemon Curd Marbled Cheesecake...a great way to use that delicious lemon curd that keeps for up to a week in your fridge! A few thoughts on other ways to use lemon curd here.

9. Croissant Bread Pudding...use half good quality croissants and half pain au chocolats; raisins can be omitted; serve with a warmed caramel, Bourbon or Rum sauce.

10. Peanut Butter Sandwiches...best a few hours after assembling; double the cookie recipe to put to use the extra filling you'll inevitably have on hand.

Find more of Stephanie at Stephmodo

Mini Suitcases

Don't you want some of these suitcases? Me too. They also come in orange and dark pink. For storage. For decoration. To hide my secret stash of candy in.

via Beth from Vermillion Rules

Unexpected Swag

One unexpected side effect of putting on a conference: several of the attendees gave me the loveliest thank you gifts. I was both surprised and honored. And especially touched at how beautiful everything was.



There were pretty baby bath products from Little Bug Botanicals. All natural. Earth friendly. And they smell super yummy. I love the little sack they came in.



Jennifer Samuelson, the same wonderful woman who runs Little Bug Botanicals, also gave me this gorgeous set of letterpress stationery. Printed by her talented husband and completely frame worthy.



The gals at Mabel's Labels brought a packet of custom labels for each of my kids. Even little dog tags!



Deb Averett of Deb's Design gave me these fab thank you notes — and included a stack of business cards made just for me.

And pictured at the top, a box of local Texas candies from the girls at Brand About Town. Of course, I felt absolutely spoiled and immediately shared all my goodies with the rest of the kirtsy girls. Except for the candy. The candy I'm keeping entirely to myself.

Wooden Mobiles — by Guest Mom Stephanie Brubaker

About six months ago my little family walked towards Paris' Luxembourg Gardens in search of some old-fashioned fun. En route we passed a toy store called Pentagram with a window full of gorgeously crafted wooden toys. The display was breathtaking and I ached to take a look. Thoughts of Christmas gifts danced in my head and I convinced my husband to move along without me (and take the kids!) while I perused the beautiful books and the German and French toys for a few minutes. It was heaven to be in a store full of toadstools, stacking blocks, and mobiles...and no plastic :) It took a great deal of self-control to only buy two little toys per child, especially since everything was very reasonably-priced.

Perhaps my favorite purchase was this wooden mobile I gifted my son. It depicts a mischievous little boy from Sweden named Nils, who spends his days riding on the back of a goose and discovering the world around him. I thought it perfect for my own little mischievous boy! As we discover more about Nils from the book I included with the mobile, I'd like to think my little guy will go to sleep dreaming of his own adventures. Upon further research I found other beautiful mobiles made by the same German company...Kinderkram, and was thrilled to find it possible to procure them in the US too. I think mobiles are a clever way to add visual interest to a child's room and also create a more finished look.




Here are a few other wooden mobiles I thought you might love:
Airplane Mobile
Goose Girl Mobile
Falling Stars Mobile
Flower Fairies Mobile

Find more of Stephanie at Stephmodo

Mom 2.0 Summit

I loved attending the Mom 2.0 Summit. I was so proud of kirtsy for putting it on. You can find links to tons of photos and more in depth reports of all things Mom 2.0 Summit here.

Also. Probably my favorite Mom 2.0 Summit report so far is by Holly Buchanan — one of the keynote speakers — and a total rockstar about everything she does (speak, write, consult, network, mentor). Don't miss the slideshow she put together.

Budget Bedroom Makeover — by Guest Mom Stephanie Brubaker

Over the course of the past year, I've attempted to completely revamp our bedroom, which over the years had become a dumping ground of sorts (am I the only person that falls into this trap?!) Somehow everything we didn't like ended up in this room. Finally, after almost 9 years, I decided I was over it all and ready for a grownup space. There was a catch though...I had to bring out my inner "recessionista" and style the entire space on a lean budget. I gave myself a budget of $1000 for the entire room — accessories, furniture, linens, everything plus whatever I made from selling the old furnishings.

As I found a few key pieces for great prices, the room started taking shape. I let it flow organically from there, based on what I liked, what I found, and what fell into my price range. I shopped my usual favorites — Craigslist, KSL (my local online classifieds), Target, IKEA, TJMaxx, Anthropologie, and a few other local spots. Also added were a couple of free items from a home decor swap and art from elsewhere in my house. I can't express enough how nice it is to have a little sanctuary to escape to at the end of the day. I believe every mother deserves that kind of respite.

While I forgot to take "before" shots (darn!), I do have a few "afters" to share.




Find more of Stephanie at Stephmodo

Welcome Stephanie!

Hey friends. I have someone wonderful to introduce you to today. Her name is Stephanie Brubaker. Many of you may already know her as Stephmodo from her wonderfully stylish blog of the same name. I'm so happy she's here with us this week because I'm a total fan. Welcome, Stephanie!

Here's a bit about Stephanie in her own words so you can get to know her:

Before embarking on the career of motherhood, I worked in the retail sector, first in store management and then ended up with a corporate retail job at Williams-Sonoma. This was the highlight of my short professional life. Everyday, upon arrival, I soaked in the San Francisco Bay view, the delicious smells from the test kitchen, and the pretty objects dotting offices everywhere (will they make it into the catalog or will they not? and if not, may I take it home? :) ). I felt inspired to nurture my love for food and for creating delicious things for my family and friends to enjoy. Much of my creativity is expressed in this way.

These days my professional life consists of carpools, lessons, trips to the park, yummy meals, and attempting to maintain a home we all can enjoy. I love the idea of organizing and de-cluttering (it's the implimentation I struggle with!) and also find a lot of fulfillment in decorating our living space slowly...and on a budget :)

I love blogs and blogging for two reasons: 1) It gives me a place to express my varied interests. I love talking about a little of this and a little of that. A few blogs label my blog as a "lifestyle" blog and while I'm not totally sure what that means, I'd venture to guess that it's a nice way of saying I don't really fit into any one category ("design", "cooking", "fashion", "organizing") but rather that I touch upon them all a little bit. I kinda like it like that. 2) I glean an incredible amount of inspiration from others thanks to blogs. My quality of life, in a way, has increased and for that I am thankful. Isn't it amazing how much talent is out there?

Design Mom was the first blog I ever read consistently, daily even, and I'm honored to be sharing a few things with you this week on this wonderful, inspiring blog.

photo by Rebecca Mudrick of Darling Art Photography

Young Einstein Party

Back from Houston and thinking about what's coming up.

We're having a birthday party for Maude next Saturday. Kiasa from Science Explorers NY is coming to teach the party guests some fun experiments — they'll be making fake snow, green slime, gooey worms and liquid nitrogen ice cream. Maude is super excited.

We were coming up with a name for the theme and Maude was hesitant to use anything that mentioned science. So I suggested the name Young Einstein Party and she thought that was awesome. Didn't the invitations turn out cute?

Winner — Olli and Lime Giveaway

Didn't you just love the Olli and Lime Giveaway? Time to announce the lucky winner:

Lauren who said, "LOVE it! Thanks, Design Mom!"

Congratulations, Lauren! Please email me at the address listed on my blog and I'll get your info to the sponsor straightaway. Thank you Olli and Lime!

Babes with Babies

I love the name of this company. Babes with Babies. Because it's true. Mom's are total babes.

Here's what they say: Being a mother is marvellous. However, it's not always glamorous. At Bb London we're here to help new mums feel fabulous - whatever the weather. Snuggle up with our wonderful Winter Warmers or rest up on the sofa in our lovely nightwear.

A pretty site with pretty pictures and pretty products. And a cute free gift: you can print out a lovely babysitting voucher to give to your friend.

Random Acts posters

I'm here in Houston, super happy to be sitting in a room of really interesting, smart people. Guy Kawasaki of Alltop and Karen Walrond of Chookooloonks are on stage right this minute. I wish you were here.

Here's something I like. Cheerful artwork by Heidi Burton.

Found on Fun Finds for Mom.

Some Notes

I'm on my way to Houston early tomorrow morning for the Mom 2.0 Summit. It's being held at the Houston Four Seasons. Today has been full of packing and unpacking and repacking — sweet Ben Blair has been asked to offer opinions on at least a dozen different outfits as I've attempted to finalize my packing list. Can't wait to be in sunny Texas with my kirtsy peeps.

Guess what else? My friend Kathryn and I are taking 3 of our girls to see The Little Mermaid tonight. This is Olive's first Broadway show and she can not stop bouncing around the house with 7 year old excitement. Time to go get ready for a girls night on the town...

One last thing: I just want to quickly remind you that the Olli and Lime Giveaway is open through Sunday night. You can find the Giveaway by scrolling down or clicking here. Great baby gear! Don't miss it.

P.S. — Okay. This is really the last thing. Is it just me or is the internet broken today? It's like it's moving in slow motion. Or something.

Yudu Screen Printing Machine

Another indoor activity for this week: screen printing t-shirts.

Here's the sitch. 1) We were sent a Yudu screen printing machine in December to test out. Here it is February and we hadn't tried it out yet. 2) Three and 1/2 years ago, I ordered 10 orange t-shirts to be decorated and given out as party favors at Ralph's 8th birthday celebration. Alas, they arrived as the party was ending. They have been sitting in my garage ever since. All of them are size youth small. 3) My brother Josh has been seeking out kid size t-shirts featuring the cool bands of his childhood. We love that idea. These 3 factors came together for a great day-off activity on Monday.



We took an early U2 album cover and used Photoshop to make it a black and white bitmap image, then printed it out on a transparency.



We burned it into our screen in the Yudu machine, and then printed it onto the t-shirts. We tried different inks and different placements on the tees. And, because it's hard to stop printing things once you get into the swing of it, we also tried the U2 print on different papers, one of Ben Blair's tees, and a clipboard that was sitting on the counter.




When Ralph came running down the stairs with every blank t-shirt he owns in his arms, I knew it was time to shut it down — before everything we owned was covered in the October album cover. By the way, the Yudu is still in development — the manufacturer is working out kinks and making sure the directions are clear, etc. So if you were hoping to buy one, so sorry, but you'll have to wait. [ Edit: turns out I'm totally wrong. Yudu is now available for sale. Great news! You can find more info here or here. Also. I couldn't find a link, but I here they are on sale at Jo Ann's. ] That said, we highly recommend this machine. We loved our experiment with it. Years ago, we actually tried to set up a screen printing space in our basement utility room, but dealing with the emulsion chemicals and figuring out a good light to make the exposure is tricky. The Yudu solves both of those problems.



Overall, lots of fun. And since we don't need a whole bunch of matching orange t-shirts, when we were finished, we dropped them off at some of our neighbors homes — neighbors with 8 year old fans of U2 in the house.

Sixx Design Interview

Remember all those wonderful questions you came up with for Sixx Design? Well, my friends. I've got answers. Here's the interview. For you. By you.

On Interior Design & Sources:

1) Tell us about your new book. How did it come together? What was your favorite part of the experience? Do you have a chapter that you love the most?

The book was an amazing experience which journals our first 10 years of designing and creating homes. All the chapters were fun because each photo and story brings back memories (good and bad!), but I think the home in Great Barrington, Mass. will be a lot of reader’s favorite project. Looking back, we have learned so much, yet we are inspired and learning constantly. It keeps us humble and sharp.


2) Lots of readers were inspired by the pictures filling the staircase wall in your Great Barrington Home. They want any practical picture hanging and picture arranging advice you might have. Like, what height should pictures be from the rising stairs? What about working with a variety of frames?

The photo wall is an on going process. We are not perfectionists; the frames are different sizes, high and low end, custom and store bought. A couple of tips are to lay the frames out on a floor area first, put the largest photos on top and toward the center, and play around with it. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. There is nothing a little spackling paste, paint or even another picture can’t hide! Have fun and let it grow.

We have only family on the wall from cousins to great grandparents. It is cool to see the family tree and resemblances. All our photos are black and white. With digital cameras, it is easy to convert your color photos.


3) Rumor has it that your family moves into a house, makes it fabulous, and sells it. If this is true (and we hope it is!), we'd love to know how you pick the area to move to and how you pick the house to buy — how do you spot the "diamond in the rough?" Stated another way: what do you look for in a house you're planning on renovating?

When looking for a “diamond in the ruff,” look to where the creative community is moving to in your area. They are always the first ones in.


4) Where do you go for inspiration? And what inspires you?

Big Cities inspire us.


5) Spill, please. Where are your favorite flea markets?

Good fleas are hard to find these days. The Paris Flea Market is a place everyone should go at least once in his/her life.


6) Will you please share the source on the amazing rug under those 2 turquoise chairs in your Great Barrington house? How about the source of the turquoise chairs themselves? And also, the source on that amazing Union Jack?

The turquoise chairs were 25 dollars at a tag sale that we refurbished for cheap. The Union Jack is by an amazing artist out of London named Anne Carrington.


7) We love the way you use natural light in your projects. Do you have any advice on bringing natural light into a space that's lacking in it?

Add high hats for more light.


8) What are your strategies for keeping a home both child and adult friendly?

Reducing clutter is the key to an adult and child friendly house. Be organized and ask yourself if certain things are essential. Keep valuables and art out of reach of the children. Relax, it’s just stuff. Home making should be fun. A well designed and functional house should be just that. Next time your child breaks something, remind yourself that “it’s just stuff.”


9) How about tips for decorating a nursery or child's room in particular?

Children’s rooms and nurseries don’t have to be decorated in a theme. Again, keep the clutter to a minimum: a desk, a bed and a place to play. Children, like adults, don’t need that much. Less is more.


10) Once you're moved in and settled in a home, how often do you change your decor?

We seem to move before we change our décor. Certain pieces will travel from home-to-home with us and it is fun to incorporate those pieces within a new space or a different aesthetic.



On Work/Life Balance & Parenting:

11) Obviously, you have a busy and full life. What is one thing that you do with your kids that you would not stop doing — no matter what?

Travel.


12) If the "moving often" rumors are true, how do you create continuity for your family amidst all the change?

We try to create a fun life and solid foundation for our children. Happy parents equal happy children.


13) How do you handle education? Public school? Home school? Tutor? Private school? A combo?

Great question. Our children are all very different; strong students, weak students, both confident and shy, great athletes and weak athletes. With seven, we truly see both ends of the spectrum in many regards. Our children attend private school. My feeling on private is it helps the weaker students or mediocre ones get over the hump. Good public schools work well for stronger students, but my experience has been some students can get lost in the pack at a public school and not receive the attention they deserve.

Robert and I are both liberal thinkers. We feel each child learns differently. The key is to keep your children humble and hungry. I would urge all of your readers to watch the Ted Talks on tedtalks.com (check out the one on education by Sir Ken Robinson).


14) We've read you're big on world travel. Neat! How many trips do you take a year and to where? Is every trip a family trip? Do you have a favorite vacation spot to take your kids?

We go to Brazil every year to our home. The kids love the beach and the outdoors which they don’t get as much of living in New York City.


15) We are amazed and inspired by you. How do you do it all?! More specifically, how do you manage/juggle the business and the kids?

By running our own company we are able to make our own schedule. It enables us the luxury to schedule our meetings around our children and our family time.


16) Which parts of the day to day (of both the business AND the kids) do you manage yourselves and which parts do you prefer to hire out? Nanny, housekeeper, bookkeeper? Chauffer, stylist, assistant?

We always have at least one baby sitter with us. When Robert and I do get a little time to just the two of us, we need two sitters. We have yet to find anyone to watch all seven. Even Mary Poppins and Nanny Mcphee would not take on that task! Besides that, we have coaches, tutors, sewing teachers, etc always helping. We are firm believers that it takes a village to raise a child.


17) Many moms seem to be born with "guilt" feelings. Is there any aspect of being a working mother that brings out the guilt for you?

Guilt is a wasted emotion. I have always tried to make and live with my choices. Also, it’s very important that all mothers treat themselves well, no matter how many children they have.

What great responses. Yay for Sixx Design!

Giveaway — Olli and Lime Baby Goodies

It's back-to-back Giveaways around here. Crazy! But so many great companies want to give you such pretty things. What can I do but oblige? The prizes for today's Giveaway are sponsored by and created by the fab England-based-company Olli and Lime. Take a look at what you can win:





It's the total Olli & Lime baby collection! The baby trifecta — including a $60 blanket, a sleeping bag that retails for $70 and a bib/burp set that sells for $30. In patterns and textiles that appeal to any style-seeking parent. The winner gets to pick the items from any of Olli and Lime's three collections — George, Billie and Egg. That's $160 worth of stylin' baby delights.

Olli and Lime is all about good-looking items for the small set. And like any fine, upstanding, modern-day company, they have a heavy focus on both great design and eco-responsibility. Are you loving their baby goods as much as I am? Then you'll also love this. When your baby has moved on to toddlerhood, you can continue your Olli and Lime obsession with their pint-size bedding:



Quilts, sheets, pillowcases, throw pillows. Everything you need to create a luxurious little modern toddler bed. Love it. And now that I've introduced you to Olli and Lime, I suggest you get your comment in right away so that you don't forget and miss out on this chance to win all these deluxe baby goodies. Even if you don't have a baby in need of new bib, you certainly know someone that does. Happy commenting.

Many thanks to Olli and Lime!

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Guidelines:
-You have until Midnight PST on Sunday, February 22nd 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 Monday, February 23rd.
-What are Random Giveaways? Read about them here.

Treehouse

As I've mentioned, my kids are out of school this week. It's still very cold outside, so we've been coming up with fun indoor projects to fill the time. This one is fantastic:


Calafant makes blank, sturdy, cardboard toys. They are easily constructed, and can be decorated with any art supplies you have on hand. Or even left plain. They are beautiful either way. The toys comes in small size, medium size, large size, and really-big-play-inside-size. We put together the Calafant Treehouse — a large size project that was ideal for several kids to work on at once.



First: they put the tree together. Second, they realized that their Playmobile people fit perfectly into the space.



Third, they pulled out the markers and went to work. (Feel free to click on any of these photos to enlarge them for more detail.)

A great collaborative toy to work on! They keep coming back to it to fill in another area with marker. And a great toy to interact and play with as well — Oscar has made the tree house a permanent home for at least 2 dozen of his favorite figures. Extra bonus: these toys are made to endure several months of active play and when it's time to retire them, they are completely recyclable.

You can find all sorts of Calafant cardboard toys at this Creative Toy Shop.

Girard Objects

House Industries carries a line of rad objects designed/influenced by Alexander Girard. Any of these would make fantastic, unique gifts. And they're the kind of thing that both adults and children love owning and and don't mind seeing strewn across the floor.

Thanks for the link, Hailey!

Red Dress Collection Fashion Show

Oh my! I loved getting to attend this show. Loved it. Loved it. You can see my report over at kirtsy. And you can learn more about having a healthy heart here.

Happy President's Day!

It's almost 7:00pm and I'm just now sitting at the computer. It was a fun day off for the whole family. We spent the morning on a silk-screening project (pics coming). And the afternoon was spent running errands — including a trip to the Apple store to replace Ben Blair's phone. His old one was stolen this weekend. Total bummer. But his new one is shiny and scratch free and we love it already.

Valentine's Day was just right. After our family breakfast (eggs and bacon on bagels plus raspberry milk), the kids each received one of these adorable pillows. They were a surprise gift from Kim and Kris at You Can Make This. The pattern for these personalized name pillows is their all-time best-selling item. And I can see why — who knew pillows would be like the greatest present ever? My kids were absolutely delighted. And I was especially touched by the thought and effort that went into each one — the craftsmanship is excellent and the fabrics were especially picked out with each child in mind. Thank you Kim and Kris!



Saturday night, Ben Blair and I had a last-minute opportunity to go out, so we stopped into a nearby bistro for steak frites and lots of gazing into each other's eyes, etc. Awwww. Tuesday is coming too fast!

Wombagully Wonders

Take a look at the colorful felt hair clips at Wombagully Wonders. The little China Girls are womba-licious.

Winners — Business Minded Ladies

I've got five winners to announce for the Business Minded Ladies Giveaway. How's that for a Happy President's Day?

1) Shauna who said, "You are absolutely right...Peek is brilliant and I WANT my own!"
2) Ellen who said, "oooooooooooooohhhhhhh!!!! I am excited about even the remotest possibility of owning a Peek!"
You both win a cherry red Peek email device!

3) Sarah R. who said, "I really am ready to win this time!"
4) Chocolate On My Cranium who said, "I would love to win the business cards to help promote my etsy shop!"
5) Kristen who said, "You have the best giveaways!"
You three each win 1000 custom business cards!

Hey all you lucky winners. I hope you use your new found networking powers for the good of all mankind. Send me an email and I'll put you in touch with the sponsors right away.

Didn't win? Awww man! Well here's good news: AllBusinessCards.com has a blowout offer for Design Mom Readers. Right now, you can get 1000 custom cards for $30 — that's 75% off(!) the standard price. To get the special pricing, just place your order from this link: www.allbusinesscards.com/designmom.

Peek, AllBusinessCards.com, thank you for sponsoring such great Giveaway.

Happy Valentines Day!

My kids are out of school today. And all next week as well. A nice mid-winter break. We will be baking heart-shaped cutout cookies this afternoon. And planning for our annual Valentine Breakfast tomorrow. And I have a cute gift for each of the kids from the ladies at You Can Make This — pics on Monday or Tuesday.



This morning, I was one of the super lucky attendees of the Red Dress Collection Show that kicked off Fashion Week here in New York. I'm working on my report. I'll just say here that it was delightful. And all about red and hearts. So very Valentine's Day Weekend appropriate.

Speaking of which, I hope your Valentine's Day is lovely. And that you give sweet things or kisses or kind words to everyone you love. My Valentine gift to you?: the Peek/Business Card Giveaway is open through Sunday night. Five winners!

Clever perforated Valentine stationery from delphine studio.

Keep Em Busy Activities — by Guest Mom Amy Stigler

As essential as planning the food is organizing a few activities to keep the kids engaged. Once again, we keep it pretty simple and try to involve our kids in the planning and preparations. In fact, it has become so routine, our oldest sets up 'activity stations' on any given weekend evening, regardless of whether guests are scheduled. A few insights:

Kid's-height table = Kid magnet.
I have found that by centrally locating a few small tables and covering them with 'curiosities' I ensure two things: the kids keep busy AND they congregate where we want them to. I strategically place a few engaging items on the tables — pipe cleaners, crayons, puzzles, etc. Inevitably its almost always the first place the kids explore when they arrive at our house. It also makes things a little easier for child that is shy or uncertain of who to interact with when they arrive. Before dinner we just clear the tables and use them for kid-height-dining. An affordable & easy- to-clean option is the IKEA Lack table. We have a few of them on hand and pull them out depending on the crowd.



Yin/Yang Activities.
Weather permitting, we always hope to be outside for some portion of the evening. In the winter, we may try to squeeze a pre-dinner sled in and our summer parties almost always end around the bonfire. Regardless of whether we are in or out, we always try to start with something something active and end with something quiet.

Favorite Active Activities.
-paper airplanes: launch and chase, launch & chase.
-bear hunt: into the 'woods' (or basement) .... sooo scary.
-dance party: great inside or out. remember the balloons. we also love "flashlight dancing" in the dark.
-obstacle course/relays/sack races: great energy expenders.
-'recess games': kickball, t-ball, four-square ... adults have a blast playing along!

Favorite Quiet Activities.
-coloring: we set out a few Ed Emberley books, crayons & a stack of paper and its magic.
-crafts: sculpting/collaging/anything semi-containable (no glitter & glue unless outside!)
-movies: we love anything by Miyazaki or we might Tivo 'Oswald' for the little ones
-story-time: librarian-style (up front, kids at feet) or mommy-style (in BIG bed, mash of kids)
-bonfire: after the initial s'mores & excitement, this is fall-asleep-mesmerizing (we even sometimes set up a tent for 'snoozers')



Interactive Desserts.
The meal may be the main course for the adults but for the kids its all about sweets. My kids anyway. When we entertain with kids we often indulge their sweet tooth just a little bit. Ok. Sometimes a lot. Our favorite trick is to make the dessert 'interactive' .... we figure that they are burning through some of the sugar-energy while they are creating. And I swear they eat less after they have 'played' with the goodies.

Our Favorites:
-Cupcake Bar: We pre-frost the cupcakes and let the kids decorate with colored sugars & little candies. Sunday bar works too (but we reserve this for summer).
-Cookie Sandwiches: We bake chocolate chip cookies and then put out 2 or 3 icecreams and let the kids make their own 'icecream sandwich.' To simplify, you could purchase Nabisco chocolate wafers. Roll sandwiches in sprinkles for added excitement.
-Marshmallow "Snow People": bamboo sticks (structure), marshmallows (body), a touch of frosting (glue), licorice (scarf) and some colorful candies (eyes, buttons, etc) make the cutest snow people! you can also make aliens or clowns .... just vary the candies.
-S'mores: the quintessential interactive dessert. Use chocolate graham crackers and white chocolate for a twist on tradition.

On that sweet note, its time to say "adieu.' I have really enjoyed posting this week ... its been such fun to share ..... and while I realize not all tips will be useful to all of you (ie. bonfires in the city???), I hope everyone gleaned some little tidbit of inspiration!

Giveaway — Business Minded Ladies

Goodness. There's a whole lot happening this month with women and social media. Women everywhere, who started blogging or twittering or podcasting on a whim (like myself) have seen a lot of potential for growth and opportunity in this emerging field. And we're getting together right and left to talk about things and get ideas and share our knowledge.

Sometimes these get togethers are simple meetups over drinks. Other times, the conversations turn into full-blown conferences. Last week, ladies all over the country attended Blissdom. Next week, ladies all over the country will be heading to Houston for Mom 2.0. (I'm one of the speakers and kirtsy is putting it on — so I'm super excited about it.)

Anyway. The point of all this is that I thought it would be great to celebrate the fact that women who didn't consider themselves business-y at all, are getting all entrepreneurial on us. Thanks to social media. So the prizes for the Design Mom Giveaway today are all about these women. Five winners in all!



TWO of you will win Peek email devices. (Cherry red ones, of course. Because it's Valentine's Day this weekend.)

You've probably heard about Peek already. It's brilliant. And it's getting written up like crazy by all the major media — receiving rave reviews right and left. Think of Peek as blackberry-lite. It provides email. Period. In a very less is more sort of way. Perfect for the mom who's running errands all day and wishes she could check her email from time to time. Peek is a great companion to her basic-cell-phone-that-works-just-fine-thank-you-very-much. And it's perfectly easy to use. You can explore the device in depth here.

This is where Peek is extra brilliant. The bells and whistles that a smartphone provide are cool, but you have to pay for them. The phones are expensive and the monthly plans that go with them are astronomical and often, binding for years. But the Peek offers unlimited email and texting for just $19.95 each month. No contracts. Ever. With coverage all over the country. Plus they're super sleek.

Honestly — unless you're a hard core tech person, Peek is all the email gadget you'll ever want or need.



THREE of you will win 1000 business cards, custom printed just for you by AllBusinessCards.com.

The thing to do at these meetups and conferences and Hands on Kirtsy sessions is exchange cards. Something that lists your blog url or twitter handle. So that people can find you after the conference. But I know as well as anybody, that when you're just starting up a business or a blog, and you're not even sure where you're going to go with it, that spending even a few dollars on supplies or marketing materials is painful.

Free business cards will ease your conference expenses in a real way. And AllBusinessCards.com will make it easy for you to get them. You can design your card online using their tools. Or upload a file your graphic designer brother made for you. Either way, they'll print and ship them to you pronto.

You've got your Peek. You've got you're business cards. Looks like you're ready to attend a social media conference. Go you! And a big thank you to Peek and AllBusinessCards.com.

By the way, if you're itching to exchange business cards right this minute and you're in Utah, there's an opportunity tonight. Startup Princess is holding a Twitter-pated event to teach women how to use this fun tool. Plus, my sister-in-law Liz Stanley will be there schooling women on how to make the most of kirtsy. Find out more here.

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

Guidelines:
-You have until Midnight PST on Sunday, February 15th 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 Monday, February 16th.
-What are Random Giveaways? Read about them here.

Miscellaneous

I've got a new post up at Cookie Magazine's Nesting blog. Featuring Nameflat custom posters. And I also have a report about my trip to Mexico on Cookie's Going Places blog. But my favorite thing at Cookie this month is an article about painting your kitchen chairs. Love it!

Oh. This is fun. Tomorrow, I get to attend the Red Dress Collection Show at fashion week. Can't wait! Last year's show was memorable in every way. I'm sure this year will be too.

The Foods. — by Guest Mom Amy Stigler

Rather than menus I thought I would talk about the specific foods we heavily rely on when guests are coming. The premise with all of our menus is that the kids dinner can be a variation of the adult dinner. Of course, the kids are always welcome to eat what the adults are eating but I can work the ingredients into a meal that appeals to even the pickiest eater.

Chicken: I generally purchase chicken breasts and cut them into 'tenderloin size pieces.' In the summer they get marinated with a little olive oil, S&P, garlic and lemon and go on the grill. In the winter we bread the chicken (dipped in egg & homemade bread crumbs) and bake it. The kids love these chicken 'fingers' and we serve them with veggies and dip. For the adults I may toss the chicken in a salad and serve it with crusty bread or I may make an easy chicken parmigiana like this one.



Pasta: Of course, the possibilities are endless. I love to make a tomato & cream sauce that is really simple and appeals to vegetarian friends and kids alike. Its basically a 'vodka sauce' minus the vodka. I just use a heavier hand when garnishing the adult portions with basil & good parmesan. This is also excellent served as a side to the chicken. Or with turkey meatballs.

Pizza: Most popular at our house. Our easiest 'time-crunch' menu is to order thin crust 'take & bake' pizza which we may then embellish with goat cheese, roasted tomatoes & fresh herbs. Even better is to pick up pizza dough (or make it yourself) and have guests make their own individual pizzas.

Salmon: (wild, preferably!). My kids love salmon. I just brush a filet with some olive oil and then cover it completely with thinly sliced lemon & dill. It is so quick and simple and crowd-pleasing. Couscous and a salad (or crudite for the kids) complete the meal.

I will end the week with a few of our favorite activities that keep the kids entertained ... stay tuned ....

Book of the Week: I Like You

I think both me and my sister Jordan post about this book every February. It is hard to imagine a better Valentine's Day book — and I don't think it even mentions Valentine's Day at all.

It's called I Like You. It's by Sandol Stoddard Warburg. And it's just the most charming book ever. Kids love it. Grown ups love it. The illustrations are adorable.




My friend Renae Chambers gave me a copy when we were roommates during my freshman year, and it's been a favorite every since. I tend to misplace my copy from time to time — loan it out, give it as a last minute gift, leave it somewhere — but a new copy always seems to find its way back to me. My current edition was a gift from my friend Audrey, who took perfect care of my kids while I was in Mexico. Thank you, Audrey!

Buy a copy for your friend. Or your crush. Or your own book collection. Or for anyone that needs some kindness. You will love it.

Maude's Valentine Friendship Bracelets

Have you reached Valentine's Day overload yet? I hope not. Because I've got more good stuff coming your way. Yesterday we finished up Maude's school Valentines. Maude is a maker. Last year, she gave origami hearts filled with treats. This year, she is way into friendship bracelets — and she wanted to make one for everyone in her class — so she did.




It took her about 3 hours total. An evening, a morning and an afternoon work session. She used an especially simple pattern so she could work quickly. Also, she kept a specific classmate in mind as she picked the colors for each bracelet — so, for a boy who's a big Yankee fan, Maude would choose white and blue. They turned out wonderfully and Maude felt great about them.



I was wishing I had a copywriter at my side while we came up with Valentine messages. Mostly we used the words "friend" and "knot." We printed the messages on cardstock, trimmed them out, punched two holes and threaded the bracelets through, ready to be tied on to wrists and ankles.

Here's a pdf of the 6 friendship bracelet messages.

More Valentine's Day Goodness

So many fun links today! Here's more:

1) Kirtsy has a great contest this week. It's called the Blend of Love Giveaway. Choffy is the sponsor. It's not coffee. It's chocolate that's brewed like coffee. Or something. I honestly don't really know. But the packaging is sure pretty.

2) I wrote a post about love letters (and included a Valentine's Day stationery roundup) over at the Mom It Forward blog. Do you write love letters to your one and only? Go take a look and tell me what you think.

Fierce Hugs Tees

Cute tees and onesies at Fierce Hugs. Don't miss the Confused Cloud.

Food & Drink — by Guest Mom Amy Stigler

Today I thought I would just chat about all things food …. and drink. In addition to suggesting a few of our favorite things to serve I thought I would start with a few of our food-and-drink-related rules of thumb.

Happy - Appy's.
Snacking is seemingly when my kids get 'their fill' especially in social situations. So I make sure I include a few healthy appetizers. The staples are veggie sticks (carrots, celery, cuc's, endive leaves) and some kind of chip & dip: pita chips & hummous, blue chips & guacamole, pretzels and sweet-cheese (mix roasted sweet peppers & cream cheese in the blender). The key is having a 'dippy' — my kids are dip-crazy!

Another direction I sometimes take is to do a bruschetta. The reason it works so well is that through slight modification it can appeal to both kids & adults. For example, in the kids version you might just omit the pesto. The other reason I like it is that is can be varied in so many ways and can be seasonally specific. It also just plain looks pretty!



Noshing Tray. What I generally do is put all the appetizers on a platter or "noshing tray" so that I can move the snacks from room to room or inside to outside as the party progresses. I also scatter around little bowls of (mildly) spiced almonds (up higher if little little ones are around). They keep beautifully in the freezer so I make a big batch and just toast them in the oven for a few minutes before guests arrive.



Pitchers, Pitchers, Pitchers. And glasses. Having a pitcher of water ready to go before the meal is served is a huge time-saver at our house. Otherwise, I am up and down up and down up and down. I always use one (or two) at parties. Allowing the kids to 'help themselves' really helps me. And for the adults, a pitcher of a signature cocktail is always festive, pretty & easy. A favorite is champagne, pomegranate juice and a splash of Grand Marnier. Perfect for Valentines Day.

I also suggest giving each child a unique or personalized glass. Anything that identifies the glass as their own alleviates extra dishes & waste. I have a set of vintage glasses with numbers on them (the kids love to pick their age) or you can personalize paper cups with cute name-tags.

Pot Luck. My friends are always more than happy to bring something and I am always more than happy to take them up on it. One thing I often suggest my guests bring is fresh fruit. The kids love to snack on it before, during and after the meal and fruit goes well with nearly everything. Dessert is another easy item to assimilate and seeing what friends bring often gives me sweet inspiration!

Skewer it. My kids will eat almost anything if it is on a skewer. We skewer fruit, veggies, meat, or a combo of veggies & meat. Skewer and serve with a dip and its almost fool proof! Skewering works well when grilling out but I also skewer food after it has been cooked, no matter how it has been prepared (ie. sauteed chicken & blanched broccoli). A variation on this theme is to give the kids toothpicks and a bowl of fruit or veggies and let them at it.

Tomorrow I will talk a bit about our 'go-to' menu items...

Ralph's MadLib Valentines

Last year, Ralph gave MadLibs for Valentine's Day. And this year he wanted to do the same. So we decided to spice things up with a new presentation. We did this project last night, which means the photos are a little dim, but I think they're still very use-able.



To make these, we trimmed out a stack of MadLib sheets with an exacto knife. (We buy our MadLibs at the local drug store. They come in 2-packs of 6x9 sheets.) Then we trimmed spare pieces of origami paper and craft paper to make 3" x 6" strips. Any text weight paper would work for this.



We rolled up a MadLib sheet, then rolled that roll in a strip of decorative paper.



We used craft floss to wrap the roll (10 times around is about right) and tied a shoe lace knot.



We printed out a sheet of messages that said "I'm mad about you," "I can't lib without you" and "You have mad skillz." (Here's the pdf of the 3 MabLib messages in case you'd like to use them as well.) Then we trimmed them out, hole punched them, and attached them to an open end of the shoe lace knot.



Ralph was very pleased. And I loved how all the patterns and colors looked piled on the table.

Olive's Valentine Bookmarks

Remember how excited I was to help Olive craft up a Valentine Mailbox? Well. On Saturday, we set out to do just that. But upon reading the mailbox instructions more thoroughly, we realized that Olive was supposed to bring in a plain box and that the class would do their box decorating together. This news was met with sadness across the board. So to cheer everyone up, we used our supplies to make Valentine Bookmarks instead. And Olive will give these out to classmates this year in lieu of traditional notes. Here's our report:



We cut some heavy cardstock (green/blue and red) to 2.25" x 6" strips. That's a good, comfortable bookmark size, with plenty of space for decoration. On the back, Olive wrote a to/from note.



Then she went to work glueing, glittering and stickering the fronts.



On some she made a decorative border.



Ribbons were attached when the glue was dry. Since our stickers were little word bubbles, on some of the bookmarks, we used the glue to make faces so that they could speak the little Valentine's messages. So cute!

Apple Pies for Your Sweetie Pies

Seriously. Valentine's Day is bringing out the best of the internet. Yesterday, Kathleen of Twig and Thistle sent me a link to a post she wrote on making mini apple pies. Complete with baking directions, recipe and a pdf template for the darling box. This project makes me so happy I might cry.

Baby Bean Vintage Daywear

The ladies at Baby Bean sent me an email about their Spring/Summer line. It is adorable and very much geared to warm weather. But I'm still craving the offerings in their Fall/Winter line. Most of the items look light-weight and very wearable through mid-June or so. (I guess that completely depends on where in the world you live.)



The thing of note about Baby Bean: Each item is made by hand from assorted vintage fabrics. No two are alike. But if you want to choose your fabric, you can contact them to view swatches before ordering. The other thing to note about Baby Bean: I want one of each.

Setting the Stage — by Guest Mom Amy Stigler

Today I thought I would talk a little bit about pre-party considerations. I've dubbed it "setting the stage"...

Everybody Helps:
We have learned that having the kids help with the preparations benefits us twofold — it keeps them busy before guests arrive and it heightens their anticipation. It also gives them a sense of 'party-ownership' which they really love. Of course, the preferred pre-party task is 'dessert making' and we indulge them on occasion. But we may also ask them to organize a fun 'kid' activity (staging an obstacle course) or to help with the decorations (making placemats for each guest). And tidying up rooms & play areas is a necessary pre-party task.

If the season permits we take the kids to the farmer's market in the morning and let them pick out one thing that we will incorporate into the evening — it can be a 'strange' veggie or a bouquet of wildflowers. Their choice.




Pick a Theme (any Theme):
I have found that if I chose a 'theme' everything falls into place a little more seamlessly. Note: I am using the word theme somewhat loosely (no elaborate disney-inspired affairs required). But any element — whether its color, season, holiday, cuisine — that pulls things together helps focus the evening. For me, it serves as a point of reference so that all aspects of the party — the food, the music, the decor, the activities — fall into place.

There is almost always a holiday to cull inspiration from. For instance, February parties most likely involve hearts and xoxo's. Or we might focus on the food — do a 'taco bar' which would inspire Mariachi music, lime-aid (or Pacifico for the adults) & a pinata. We also may invite the younger kids to 'dress up' — which for our family means princess and pirate rather than "sunday best."



Make it (a little bit) Special:
It may just be a Saturday evening in March but with fresh flowers, lit candles, linen napkins (admittedly, I like to iron) and bagged ice even the average evening is exalted. And my kids love anything that smacks of 'fanciness.' My husband and I think it may even improve their manners. Nothing needs to be fussy or overdone. Flowers or branches clipped from your yard and put in a jelly jar can be just the right touch. I really believe the old adage 'eating take-out on good china makes it taste better' rings true. If we are eating inside and the kids are a bit older I prefer to serve their food off of 'real' china and their drinks out of 'real' glass. Again, nothing too precious. Thrift stores have adorable/inexpensive options.

Another special touch is to send out a hand written invitation beforehand which, in turn, is a great way to have the children practice their penmanship or artistry. What kid doesn't love to receive an invitation in the mail? Or I may send the kids home with a favor bag. Again, nothing overwrought — it can be filled with their artwork or craft and a simple treat. And goodie bags also offer just the right amount of encouragement to get in the car when its time to say goodbye.

Rune Guneriussen

Gorgeous photos by Rune Guneriussen. This snowy globe one is outstanding. I haven't tried to find any deeper meaning in it, but I can't stop looking at it. So I'm pretty sure it's trying to tell me something.

Thanks for the link, Lauren.

Andi Monn

Elchupanibre sent me the link to this Berlin designer, Andi Monn. The work is gorgeous and crisp. I think any of these would make stunning wedding bands. I'm absolutely smitten with the stripey one.

Mini Valentine Boxes

Brooke at Inchmark has a pretty little Valentine project posted today. Check it. I've said this before, but if you're not regularly reading Inchmark, you should definitely add it to your blogroll. I especially love her library book feature.

Thanks for the tip, Katie

Bike Tags

Favorite find of the week. (It's only Monday, so maybe it's presumptuous to assume this is the favorite thing I'll find all week. But I'm going to to risk it anyway.) Bike Tags at Heros and Criminals.

Bike tags? What are bike tags? Well. Let me just grab text directly from the product description:

Ever see a sweet bike on the street and wish there was a way to tell that person how much you love their bike? Well I do, so I made these tags, perfect for hanging on the handle bars of all my favorite bikes in town. Just carry a few in your pocket everywhere you go so you'll always be ready to leave a note to share some bike love.



Ummm. Okay. I'm in. I'll do it! I'll leave notes on bikes. Sign me up. I love it. It's my favorite thing ever.

Kid Friendly Dinner Parties — by Guest Mom Amy Stigler

Hello Everyone! It's so nice to have been invited to be a guest mom on one of my favorite blogs — thanks Gabrielle!

This week I thought I would do a series of posts about "entertaining with kids." The impetus is that my husband and I love to host parties, but because we have three young children we needed to figure out a way to entertain that was kid friendly. Formal late-night cocktail parties were no longer very practical.

Luckily, we have found that while we still enjoy the occasional larger scale soiree, one of our favorite things to do is to invite a handful of friends and their children over for dinner. Sometimes we keep it really simple (take out and a movie) and sometimes we go a little fancy (kid-appropriate gourmet & games). Either way, we've found it to be the perfect way to catch up with our friends and the kids always seem to delight in these evening 'playdates.'

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to share some of our tips for hosting a family style gathering that is fun and entertaining for the children which in turn makes it enjoyable and relaxing for the adults. Well, as relaxing as a house filled with up to a dozen kids can be!



Just a few immediate thoughts to start off the week:

-We have found that having 2 families (or anywhere from 10-14 people total) is a really good number. It's not too overwhelming but it still feels festive.
-Saturday evenings are perfect — more preparation time for us and the kids are a bit more rested. 5:30-9ish is the norm.
-Setting up a port-a-crib in a quiet place is always nice for friends with the under 2 set. I also encourage the kids to bring their PJs so everyone can just tuck in when they get home.
-Even on the 'fancier' evenings I usually take at least one shortcut — whether its buying a simple dessert (like ice cream sandwiches) or scheduling a post-dinner movie for the kids — it just makes things a wee bit more manageable.
-On the other hand, even on the simplest of evenings I incorporate a few special touches. I will elaborate on this a bit tomorrow.
-Music is key for us and we LOVE pandora. You just plug in a favorite artist and voila! it creates an instant playlist. Some of our favorite 'kid/dance friendly' channels are: Dan Zanes, Kool & the Gang, Ray Charles & Bob Marley. And then we switch gears during & after dinner — Edith Piaf, Astrud Gilberto, Billy Holiday, Tom Waits ...
-Scattering balloons around is easy and instant entertainment for the kids. Music + balloons = happy dancing kids.

Ok. That is it for now ... more to come in the days to follow. Also, I look forward to hearing your thoughts & ideas too.

Vintage Children's Books

Great new source! Former Guest Mom and collector of vintage children's books, Burgin, has opened an etsy shop to share her book addiction. Lots of great books at great prices.

Want even more vintage book inspiration? Check out my most recent contribution to Cookie's Nesting blog.

gorgeous image here

Boden Jackets

Did you receive the latest Boden catalog? I think I dog-eared every other page. My kids' wardrobes are spotted with Boden items here and there, but I don't own a single item for myself. And I can't remember why — everything looks so good and wearable. I was especially digging all the jackets.

Welcome Amy.

What a treat! We have a Guest Mom this week. (It's been awhile, hasn't it?) And I can't wait to introduce her.

Her name is Amy Graham Stigler. She's a stationery designer and a mother. I don't know here personally, but I became a fan of her work when I posted about the letterpress shop, Smock. Amy is their creative director and designer and as I read more about her my admiration grew. There's a mini bio of Amy on the Smock site, and I'm borrowing parts of it to share with you here:

Amy’s love for beautiful and beautifully made things, dates back to her childhood in Wisconsin, where she spent her time running from pillar to post (most often barefoot), exploring and sketching the minutiae of nature. Her childhood love of art and books eventually turned into a profession: she studied art history while working at the Art Institute of Chicago and The Museum of Contemporary Art.

During her decade in Chicago, Amy founded the internationally known stationery company Snow & Graham. Eventually, she and her growing family left the city for a quieter Wisconsin town, so her children could grow up in the same natural landscape of her childhood.

Some of Amy's inspirations: antique embroidered linens / monograms & family crests / vintage wallpapers / blockprinted fabrics / slightly overblown flowers / old envelopes with a mess of stamps & handwriting & postmarks / hand-lettering / the photographs of Julia Margaret Cameron / kindhearted people / the detailing on vintage clothes / slightly tattered architecture / slightly tattered anything.

Isn't she lovely? We're so glad you're here, Amy. Thank you for coming.

Winner — Valentine Crush Giveaway

Happy Monday Friends! Oh my goodness. It was so much fun to see all the love in the comments on the Valentine Crush Giveaway post. Love is in the air! Guess what else is in the air? The feet of the winner as she jumps up and down with joy. : ) And who is that lucky winner?

Rachel Z who said, "What a great way to share the love. <3"

Congratulations, Rachel! Please email me at the address listed on my blog and I'll get your info to the sponsor straightaway. Thank you in a big way to the seven sponsors of this Giveaway.

Reminder: Valentine Crush Giveaway

Just a quick reminder. Nearly a thousand of you have entered the Valentine's Crush Giveaway. (Thank you!) But there's always room for more. : ) You can enter through Sunday, February 8th at midnight. Just scroll down to find it or click here. The prize package is pretty amazing — over $250 of lovely. Don't miss out.

Happy Weekend!

Urubbu Fine Greeting Cards

Wow. I felt like I had happened upon some really cool person's secret stash when I clicked over to Urubbu. Check out their incredible greeting card designs. So handsome. I almost don't want to share.

Amoretti Spring Line

To help me shake my shivers (dang! it's cold), I'm focusing and warm images of Spring. Like these from Amoretti's new warm weather collection. There's also a lovely video full of cheerful footage on their site. If I can embed it here, I will.

Update: Just got the embed code:

Playdate

Maude had a friend over after school the other day. I loved watching them keep busy making beaded jewelry. Both girls had Klutz beading kits — but different versions. Maude's was this one. Her friend, a wonderful girl from Argentina, used a Spanish one that featured necklaces.

Japanese Lollipop Tags for Valentine's Day

Do you love all thing Japanese? Me too. And so does Danielle Thompson. She's designed a digital, printable package all kawaii-ed out with fruit. (Kawaii is Japanese for cute.) I want those lollipop tags! They would make the hippest valentines ever. Seriously. I am so in love with these.

Also. In case you're curious, the Japanese lettering says "cute" "japanese" and "colorful" in a repeated pattern. You can find lots more photos here.

Umi Shoes

Betty has had a total growth spurt — particularly in the feet department. It's so cold right now that we rarely go on outings — on most days she wears fancy dressup shoes alternated with snow boots — and I've been able to put off buying new shoes for quite awhile. But eventually, she's going to need sneakers again.

I picked out the Ithaca shoes from Umi. Because they're adorable and I want them for myself. Plus, they came with glowing recommendations like: great quality, long-lasting, flexible and carefully constructed. I like that they look like childrens' shoes — and not tiny versions of grown-up shoes.

(Betty's too big now for the version with the upturned toes, but I think they are the cutest things ever.)

P.S. — This is fun. I just heard from an Umi Rep. She said that for the entire month of February, anyone who signs up to receive the Umi newsletter will be automatically entered in a daily giveaway to win a free pair of UmiPram pre-walker shoes worth $40. That's 28 chances to win. Nice.

Grommets = Really Cool Indie Products

There is a killer of a contest happening at kirtsy this week. We're hosting it in conjunction with Daily Grommet. And if you've ever sent me an email letting me know about the rad new product you came up with, or the stylin' new thing your brother created, or the super hip item your bff is selling in her etsy shop, then this contest is for you. For reals. (By the way. I love those emails, keep them coming, please!)

Here's the deal: tell us your favorite new-on-the-scene or yet-to-go-big product and you could win a fantastic prize package worth over $230! It's super easy to enter. Just leave a comment over at the kirtsy blog — include the link/url of the product you want to promote and by all means, tell us why you like it. And that's it. You're done. One comment.

Or. Several comments if you want to promote several products. You can enter as many times as you'd like.

What a fantastic way to promote yourself, your friends or your favorite entrepreneur. We can't wait to see what you suggest!



Bummer for me — I can't enter. But if I could, I would link to the beautiful personalized jewelry at Bel Kai Designs. Take a look at my new necklace from Bel Kai. It's so pretty. And it has all 5 of my kids names. Neat!

Ask Design Mom: Baby's First Shoes

Ask Design Mom Question:
Gabrielle, I had my first baby a year and half ago and I have her first pair of shoes sitting in my closet because I don't know what to do with them. I wanted to silver or bronze them but I can't find anywhere they do that sort of thing anymore. The reason I ask is that I wanted to give them as a gift to her grandmother for Mother's day. I would really appreciate your creative help. Thanks, Ruth P

Design Mom Answer:
Hi Ruth! Thanks for your question. I agree that finding a service to bronze your baby's shoes is becoming harder and harder. I suppose it's because instead of sturdy little white leather booties, many babies first shoes these days are more of a slipper — and are worn practically from birth. Who knows.

This is what I'd suggest. Petrie Point Designs makes gorgeous framed pieces from antique baby items. Your baby's shoes would surely look just as lovely displayed so elegantly. You could inquire with Petrie Point Designs or any frame store to help you with this. Or you could even make a composition yourself with a shadow box frame from your local craft store.

If you're heart is really set on bronzing them, try this company or this company. Whatever you do, I'm sure Grandma will love the gift!

Thomas Filicia Book

Remember Queer Eye for the Straight Guy? My favorite of the fab five was always Thom Filicia. I liked them all. But for sure Thom had the biggest job. So he was most impressive.

Anyway. Thom has a book out called Thom Filicia Style. It's brand new. And I'm loving it. He's funny and practical and has great ideas. Lots of good tips. Like tip #9: Don't let your house boss you around:

"More times than I can count, I've visited prospective clients who never cook and never entertain yet have a fully decorated, pristine dining room. It's an incredible waste of space that would work so much better if it could be converted into a home office, library/den, or family/media room.... Just because an architect wrote "guest bedroom" on a blueprint back in the day doesn't mean that's how a space should be used."

Isn't that fantastic? What a smart guy.

Random Giveaway — Valentine Crush

I heart February. I heart hearts. I heart Valentines Day. I heart making things for people I love. I heart giving things to people I love. I heart you! You are my total Valentines Crush. And I have some treats for you. Treats to make your February 14th as sweet as possible. Observe the ultimate Valentines Day prize package — filled with gifts for you and the people you love:


1) A gorgeous necklace from the Great Heart collection at Sweet Tooth Jewelry. Made of recycled sterling silver and red wool felt. The heart is 47mm wide, the chain is 26in long. You'll want to wear it every single day. The necklace retails for $66.


2) Miss Oops Pucker Protector. A lip balm cleverly disguised as a gloss. You need to get your lips in shape for your big V-day makeout session. Miss Oops will do the trick. Each tube is $14.

3) Love to Love You fragrance set from Carol's Daughter — 4 different scents including Roses & Honey, which has been unavailable for a few years but is back by popular demand. They say that smell is our most powerful, primal sense. Use that fact to your advantage. Each set sells for $36.


4) Set the mood with two romantic albums in the From the Heart Series. You'll receive the Billie Holiday and the Frank Sinatra CDs. Valued at $24.



5) Fine stationery to send your messages of true love near and far. You'll get a set of 12 cards from Sarah Jane Studio. Folded cards printed on luxe white, slightly textured paper with matching pink envelopes. Four each of 3 brand-new designs. They are adorable. And so is this one. The set sells for $18.


6) For your sweet little babe. Or toddler. You'll get a limited edition 2009 Kiss Tee from Little Uni. A heart shape in pink heart petal fabric on an asphalt grey or heather grey tee. You pick the size and sleeve length. Tees from $28.


7) And here's the finale. For your daughter/niece/friend, the ultimate in Valentines Day accoutrements, a Vintage Hanky Skirt and Matching Purse with Lucite handle from Kayce Hughes — available for a limited time only. Your girly girl will go ga ga over this. And the same is true for pretty much everything in the Kayce Hughes line up. Retail value is $75 for the set.

Well hello! That's over $250 worth of heart-worthy goodies. Just for you.

Happy Valentines Day! (I know it's a little early, but I wanted to share these goodies in plenty of time for you to receive them.) And a big thank you to the sponsors for the wonderful prizes!

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Guidelines:
-You have until Midnight PST on Sunday, February 8th 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 Monday, February 9th.
-What are Random Giveaways? Read about them here.

Bailey Doesn't Bark

Favorite discovery of the week: the ceramics at Bailey Doesn't Bark. Intriguing. Sometimes sort of icky. Always beautiful. If you want to give me a gift (Ben Blair), this is the place to shop.

Valentine Craft Supplies

Guess who's ready to get her craft on?

Remember making Valentine Mailboxes as a kid? It was my favorite part of the Valentine holiday. I would ponder what I was going to make for days. I remember one year I crafted a sheep out of a round oatmeal container — I made curly wool by carefully rolling strips of paper around a pencil. It was awe-inspiring. Well. For whatever reason, the tradition of making your own mailbox has largely been abandoned at my children's school. We've never once been asked to make one.

Until today! Olive has a Valentine box due on Monday and I am stoked. We've gathered all sorts of Martha supplies at the ready. Ribbons. Glitter. Stickers. Punches. We are good to go. If we decide we need more stuff, expect to run into us at Michaels.

Darlybird Bag o' Goodies

Receive $45 worth of pretty surprises in one of Darlybird's Bag o' Goodies. What a brilliant way to clear out inventory. Way more fun than a basic sale. Sign me up, Darlybird!

Who wouldn't love to receive something unexpected and lovely in the mail? I should send these goody bags to my sisters...

Poloppo Tee Kits

Have you seen these Make Your Own Tee kits by Poloppo? They are fantastic. The kit comes with everything you need: paper, markers, clear instructions, and a pre-paid envelope. You put your little artist to work. Mail in their drawing. And a couple of weeks later you get back an American Apparel t-shirt featuring their masterpiece.




Another cool thing, Poloppo offers grown-up t-shirt sizes as well. So you could have your child design a tee for Dad or Grandpa — a brilliant Father's Day idea.

I put Oscar to the task the other day. Can't wait to see his custom tee!

Make Your Own Handwriting Font

Spotted on Kirtsy. A FREE service that will convert your handwriting to a font. Love this. Do it with your own handwriting. Or document how charming your kindergartener's script is.

via lifehacker

Green (the color) Birthday Party

Blog author and fabulously creative mom, Secret Agent Josephine, threw a green-themed party for her daughter. Green as in the actual color, not the eco-movement. Fabric banners. Mini Puppet Theaters. Green food bar. Lots of great ideas and darling photos! See posts here and here.

Thanks for the link, Katie!

Everyone Is Beautiful

Random House sent an advance reader's copy of Katherine Center's new book, Everyone is Beautiful. I was excited to receive it and I absolutely plowed through it.

At the beginning of the book, the main character is at the park with her three very young children, including a baby — a months-old baby. Another mother walks up and tries to start a friendly conversation by asking, "When are you due?" Our not-pregnant heroine is shocked and mortified. She knows she's not back to pre-baby weight. But she doesn't even want to imagine that she looks pregnant. She can't bare to tell the truth and just makes up a date.

From that point on you know you'd want her for a bff.



Know who else I want for a bff? Katherine Center. Katherine was a Guest Mom here awhile back and she was lovely. Plus. On my first trip to Houston, she brought me an unexpected gift. A beautiful glass cup with metallic markings. (I keep it on my bathroom counter and use it every day.) Katherine is that sort of really thoughtful person. Plus. She's smart. I'm hoping to gain some of her smartness when I hear her speak at the Mom 2.0 Summit. (Are you coming? It's going to be fantastic.)

Everyone Is Beautiful goes on sale February 17th. You can pre-order a copy here.

For Betty

Joanna of My Mom Shops, just sent me a link to these hoodies and tees. Perfect for anyone who thinks their daughter is a total Betty. Or. Perfect if your 2-year-old happens to be named Betty. In several colors from Peek...Aren't You Curious. And. They are marked way, way, down.

Winner — Seven Smooches Giveaway

Congratulations to Anne, who said, "I love it!"

You are the lucky winner of the Seven Smooches Giveaway. For reals! You win a gorgeous cashmere dove, plus a $150 gift certificate. Just send me an email from the link on my blog with your shipping address and I'll get you hooked up with the sponsor.

Happy Shopping! And a huge thank you to the talented ladies at Seven Smooches.