Ask Design Mom Week: Baby Books

Question:
Do you have any baby books to recommend? Thank you! — Aiilie




Answer:
Sure do. There are many great ones out there. In lots of styles and price ranges. Take a peek at these books by Nikki McClure, Binth, Tracey Clark, the Metropolitan Museum (pictured) and Kistner Supply. All are gorgeous!

What about you Dear Friends? What are your favorite Baby Journal Books?

What's Ask-Design-Mom-Week? See here. Win big. $300 big.

Ask Design Mom Week: Sticker Chart for Kids

Question:
I was wondering if you know of any places where I could buy a chart for my three year old — one of those sticker charts that keeps track of her stickers. I thought you may have some ideas. Thanks! — Brooke



Answer:
Is there anything that motivates a toddler like a sticker chart? They're brilliant! We've used several varieties and loved them all. The simplest thing to do is make your own. I like this hand drawn example featured at kidhaus — easy to mimic and customize to your needs. I also noticed personalized charts at Purple Hug's etsy shop. Very nice.

Dear Readers, do you use sticker/chore/responsibility charts? If yes, what do they look like or what is your source?

What's Ask-Design-Mom-Week? See here. Win big.

Ask Design Mom Week: Looking for an Antiqued Mirror

Question:
I have been searching high and low for an antiqued mirror (I don't care if it's framed or not) to hang above my mantel. I'm having a really hard time finding just the right one. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks! — Debbie



Answer:
Ooooh. Sounds so pretty, Debbie! Whenever I'm looking for anything antique, I like to start with ebay. Sometimes I find the perfect thing. Sometimes I just get a sense for what's out there. I don't know what style you have in mind, but I did a quick ebay search and can see that there are a ton of different options available. Two picks: this round mirror looks like it has potential — and is a great deal. And this golden tulip mirror is amazing.

Kind Readers, have you spotted the perfect antique mirror lately?

Ask Design Mom Week: Displaying Cherished Bits of Nature

Question:
I'm a 23-year old graduate student who is being confronted with some items from her past...mainly some branches from the cottonwood trees planted by Laura Ingalls Wilder's father way back in the day (the Little House on the Prairie books). Do you have any ideas on how to display these in a non-cheesy way that somehow references that they mean something special? My copies of the books were well-loved and dog-eared, and I'd like to have some sort of memento for my future daughter that goes beyond some sticks in a vase. Any ideas? Thanks so much - love the site! — Bridget



Answer:
Bridget, what a great idea to preserve those branches! The first idea that comes to mind is to use a framed, shallow shadow box to display the branches and include some text about the history — similar to the family history displays that use real branches (like the one pictured above). I'd also look for inspiration in the work of Janet Beck Clark. She does an amazing job framing pressed bits of nature. Her work is gorgeous.

What about you, Dear Readers? How would you preserve branches from a cottonwood tree?

What's Ask-Design-Mom-Week? See here. Win big.

Martha Stewart Show

Fun thing: Watch the Martha Stewart Show today.

Martha's gigantic Encyclopedia of Crafts hits stores today and the show is all about crafts, crafts, crafts. Plus I think Rosie is coming. I get to be an audience member and I'm super excited. In fact, I'm heading to the show in a few minutes. Wave at the TV for me! I'll be back with more blogs later today.

Ask Design Mom Week: Wallpaper Sources

Question:
I have recently moved to Rochester, New York from Texas, and my husband and I bought a home built in 1928. It is a great house with tons of character, and much of it has been renovated. However, there is a small nook going into the basement that still has what I consider "bad" wallpaper, and I think it could look great with some new paper. Could you direct me to any great ideas, options, or websites for wallpaper? Thanks — Laurie.



Answer:
What a perfect time to be searching out wallpaper, Laurie! There's a full on wallpaper renaissance going on right this minute. There are easily 50 different sites that have great options. But that can be overwhelming, so I'll start you out at super-current Design Public and in the easy-to-peel-off section at Sherwin Williams (my fave easy peel patterns here). For more of my top wallpaper sources, click here.

Design Mom Readers, where do you buy your wallpaper?

Wallpaper pictured is from Graham & Brown. What's Ask-Design-Mom-Week? See here. Win big.

Ask Design Mom Week: Closet Organization on a Budget

Question:
We have too much stuff and a small ranch with closet space that doesn't meet our (hanging) clothing needs. I have no ideas for storage solutions and no budget to buy anything. Do you have any suggestions? — Kymberlie



Answer:
I've been there, Kymberlie. Ready to tackle a project, but without the ideas, or the funds, to make it happen. If I were you, I would head straight to your local freecycle site. Let the group know you're looking for closet organization help — hanging rods and hardware, or stacking bins. I'll bet you'll get a positive response right away. As I've been preparing for my move, I've been freecycling like crazy. Clearing out closets. And asking for spare boxes. It's the handiest thing ever.

What about you, Dear Readers? Do any of you have some solid MacGuyver skills? Can you recommend a budget closet hanging solution made from simple household materials?

image from Container Store

Ask Design Mom Week: Looking for the Perfect Quote

Question:
I am finishing our attic to make a play-room for my two daughters (ages 6 and 7), and I love the idea of writing a phrase or quote on the wall, possibly from a children's book. I have some favorites, but I am having some difficulty finding exactly what I want and need some ideas. I could think of no better source for ideas that you and/or your readers. Would it be possible to pass along my question? Thanks much — Laurie



Answer:
I love this idea, Laurie. Now I want to dig into my children's library and find the perfect one. It's probably too lengthy, but I love the comfort at the end of Where the Wild Things Are:

Max stepped into his private boat and waved good-bye
and sailed back over a year
and in and out of weeks
and through a day
and into the night of his very own room
where he found his supper waiting for him
and it was still hot.

Dear Readers, if you could put up a quote or phrase in your playroom, what would it be?

Wall quote image from Marta Writes. What's Ask-Design-Mom-Week? See here. Win big.

Ask Design Mom Week: Cabinets — Price vs. Style

Question:
I'm looking into new kitchen cabinets (good construction, good looks, and good price!) and want some input. {Especially on Ikea cabinets. What do people think about them?} What have people chosen to use in remodeling while they were dancing between price, function, and style... Thanks much — Allysha



Answer:
Such a great question, Allysha. Dear Readers, have you bought cabinets lately? Do you have any advice for Allysha?

image from Ikea

Ask Design Mom Week

Giveaway! $300 shopping spree at Peek...Aren't You Curious. Leave a comment on this post with the name of your favorite item of Peek Clothing and you're entered to win. Yay! (Why the change/edit? I've been getting emails from readers who don't have blogs or aren't on twitter, but they want to win this awesome prize. So I'm reposting the contest with this 3rd way to enter.) The winner will be announced Monday.

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There's nothing like blogging to help me stay positive. And distracted. : ) So I'm hosting another Ask-Design-Mom-Week starting today. Whenever the seasons change, I get a slew of emails from readers looking for all sorts of advice on all sorts of topics. Instead of answering the questions bit by bit, I like to get a whole bunch of them answered at once.

This is how it works. I'll post several questions each day of this week in separate posts. I'll answer some and leave others for your brilliant responses. And hopefully, we'll all learn a little something new. Lovely.

But this time, I have one fun twist. Help me get the word out about Ask-Design-Mom-Week and you could win a $300 shopping spree to Peek, Aren't You Curious. That's correct. $300!!! You'll be able to outfit your kids for Easter. For Spring and Summer. Or even stock up on sale items and be ready for next Fall and Winter.

My kids love wearing anything I've ever picked up from Peek. Great style. Great quality. It's hard to beat their offerings.




How to enter? Just link to this post on your blog or on twitter and you're eligible to win. You can let me know you helped spread the word by leaving a comment here on this post. Or, I'll look for your link on twitter/technorati. Extra-bonus: to up your odds, you can enter a second time by helping answer any of the questions that get posted this week. [New way to enter — leave a comment with the name of your favorite Peek item of clothing!!] The winner will be announced next Monday.

Ask-Design-Mom-Week is always so much fun!

Some News

We are moving. Across the country. The wide, vast country. And I can barely wrap my head around that fact.

When. Where. Why:
We're moving on April 30th. Give or take a couple of days. We're moving to Colorado. To the Denver/Boulder metro area. We're moving because... Well frankly, it's because New York is an expensive place to live and we need to buckle down and save some money.

Full disclosure:
I'm certain I'll be excited at some point — Colorado is amazing and I know my family will thrive there. But right now, I'm still in the mourning/grieving stage. Despairing to leave our New York home of 8 years. We've had 3 babies here. Made dear friends. Grown a few businesses. Earned a PhD. Attempted to take advantage of every good thing the city has to offer...

Moving is hard. Physically. Emotionally. Even when it's the right move, the right thing to do, it's still hard. If you have a minute, I could use a little encouragement. A little bravery in my corner. A reminder that I'll make new friends. That at some point, I'll be unpacked in a pretty house. That there will be wonderful not-New-York adventures for our little family still to come.

If you have a favorite thing about Colorado, please share — because as soon as I can get past these moving blues, I'm going to want to be totally psyched to make our new home.

photo credit

Giveaway — Flor Tiles

Today's giveaway sponsor is Flor — the maker of simple-to-install, generously-sized carpet tiles. The same Flor of which I am quite a little bit obsessed.

Of the dozen or so different styles available, this month, the hottest ones are Shiny Happy Stripe, You Only Live Twice and Power Nap. So the winner of this giveaway gets to pick out a 5x7 rug from any of these 3 styles. My work stool is sitting on Flor tiled floor as I type and I can tell you, they are incredibly easy to maintain and look good in every space I've ever seen them used. To enter, just leave a comment below. I'll announce a winner on Monday.

Have a great weekend! Also. What room will you put your 5 x 7 rug in?

Update: the winner is Chloe. Yay! Thanks for participating.

Play Tents

The etsy shop Mignon sells adorable play tents. And they'll even make a custom one for you from the fabric of your choice.

Dinner For Two — by Guest Mom Jora

One of the most important things to do when you have a family, and one of the easiest to forget, is to really make time to spend alone with your significant other. I think one of the best ways to do this is, you guessed it, to have a lovely meal together.

Now, restaurant dining is nice.There’s no mess to clean up and the duties of home life are out of sight and out of mind. But it can get expensive, there is the issue of finding a sitter, and frankly, to me, nothing says romance more than a home-cooked meal. Don’t worry just yet. I’m not talking about driving yourself crazy making some fancy meal that takes hours to prepare. Working on a complicated recipe while your kids are tugging at your legs is no way to get in the mood for romance. I am talking about something simple and elegant and perhaps a little indulgent. Something that doesn’t make it into your normal meal planning routine. Be sure to turn on some music, light candles, pull out some cloth napkins, whatever makes you feel special.

Here are some special meals for two that come to mind:

A couple of grilled steaks, baked potatoes and a wedge salad. I would go to the special butcher and buy really great steaks, because this is a very worthy occasion after all.

Spaghetti with Clams (or Mussels). Nothing says celebrate to me more than some sort of really good shellfish. All you have to do for this is steam some clams in a few yummy ingredients that you probably already have on hand, and toss with hot spaghetti. Again, feels festive, but is a 20 minute meal.

French Onion Soup. If you have never had homemade, I highly recommend you try it. It is really quite simple, it just takes the better part of an hour to simmer away. You know, just enough time to bathe the kids, put them in their pajamas, read stories, tuck in, etc. Serve with a green salad and a homemade dressing and you’re set. Perfect for keeping cozy on a cold night.

Another very simple yet decadent option is to get some fancy cheeses, salami, olives, and bread and have your very own indoor picnic for two. There is something that feels so European about eating this way to me…and I guess that’s why I consider it romantic.

What about you? Do you have special dinners that you prepare for your significant other?

Wire Hangers. Now with Names.

Just saw these personalized wire hangers on Say Yes to Hoboken. Completely unnecessary. Which makes them a perfect gift. (By the way, if you click on the link and it says "sold out" don't stress. Each hanger is a custom order, so just let the shop owner know what you're looking for.)

Book of the Week — All In A Day

The newest picture book at our house is Cynthia Rylant's All in a Day. With illustrations by Nikki McClure.

I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but sometimes I can't help it. Based on the pretty cover (observe the gorgeous title lettering) and my knowledge of Ms. Rylant's previous work, I knew my kids would love this. And they do.

Because We All Need More Dinner Ideas — by Guest Mom Jora

A few months back, there was an article in Cookie Magazine about a mom who was frustrated with cooking the same few meals for her family to accommodate her rather picky children. She missed eating a variety of interesting foods (as did her husband) and she was worried her kids were getting stuck in a rut. What, you say this all sounds familiar do you?

Well, this brave mother set out to try 30 new dinners in 30 days…all meals within reason of course. This inspired me to come up with my own list of dinners to try that would, in theory, be pleasing to all members of my family and would push their culinary boundaries a bit, if you will. Every family’s list would look different, obviously. But I thought I might share some of the sources I frequent when I am in a dinner rut and want to try something new, yet still involve approachable foods and techniques.

One such list came from the Cookie article itself. It is a great list of 30 very family-friendly yet sophisticated meals, most of which can be prepared on a weeknight. Check it out here.

I would have to say one of my favorite sources for dinner ideas will always be the magazine Everyday Food. True, it is a Martha publication, but the food is not intimidating, I promise. Plus you get all that Martha eye candy (photos for each recipe don’t hurt one bit!). You can get year’s subscription for like $12. I can’t think of money better spent, frankly. Get a subscription here.

I’m also a huge fan of online sources. Epicurious, MyRecipes, and Dinner Tonight (by the editors of Everyday Food) are my personal favorites. You can just type in ingredients and it will come up with recipes to try.

Of course food blogs are some of the most fun to read. There are so many good ones out there, but Smitten Kitchen and Simply Recipes have huge archives that are easy to search, and both of those girls are always cooking up something tasty. Also, if you’ve never come across it before, there is a Food Blog Search Site that many of the food blogs are linked up to, so that is a great place to start if you don’t have any food blog favorites yet.

Do you have any tips for coming up with ideas for dinner for the family?

Photo courtesy Cookie Magazine

Spring Purse

Isn't this the perfect little Easter gift? A soft handmade purse in upcycled wool. Which one do you like better, the wool-ly sheep or the bunny?

Winner — Chick Chair from Mahar Drygoods

Good morning! And congratulations to Melifera who said, "Ooohhh... my bird-obsessed self would love this chair. My daughter would like it, too! I'm going to repost info about the giveaway on my blog!"

You are the winner of the Chick Chair from Mahar Drygoods! Yay you. Please email me with your shipping address and I'll get your info to the sponsor asap. Thanks to Mahar Drygoods.

Her Morning Elegance

Remember when you first saw the OK GO video and you couldn't stop smiling because it was so smart and amazing and different than anything you'd ever seen before? Me too. And I feel the same way when I watch this Oren Lavie video my sister Rachel posted. Smart, amazing, different — plus beautiful.

The Truth About Kids and Vegetables — by Guest Mom Jora

It seems that every mother I know is trying to find ways to get her kids to eat more vegetables, whether she has a “picky eater” or not. I certainly make no claims about conquering the vegetable battle in our home, but there is something that my husband and I have noticed really helps. We grow many of our own vegetables and get our kids involved to the extent they can. They are too young to truly help, but they love being out in the garden area when we (really, just my husband) are working and picking vegetables. Our three year old watches as the plants grow, asks what everything is, and (can you believe it?) samples vegetables straight from the garden that he wouldn’t dream of touching if I presented him his dinner plate and said, “Here, try some wild arugula and lacinato kale.”


You don’t need a huge yard to grow your own vegetables. I have a friend who grows lettuces in pots on her back patio with her kids. During the summer, you can definitely grow tomatoes in a pot in a sunny corner of your yard or patio. And if you are lucky enough to have a backyard, putting in an 8 foot by 4 foot garden box will produce a surprising amount of vegetables and herbs.

The other thing I want to mention is that you don’t have to be intimidated if you don’t feel you have experience growing things. My husband and I were urbanites through and through until a little over a year ago. Neither of us had green thumbs at all. (To the contrary.) My husband is pretty much responsible for the garden work at our house, and he’s learned most everything he knows just from this past year. (He even learned how to take care of chickens! The kids love to play with the chickens and our son actually does help with them by collecting the eggs each morning.)


Do you have any tips on getting your kids to eat vegetables or new foods?

Reminder: Chick Chair Giveaway

I put lots of new content up today and I'm afraid you'll miss the fantastic Giveaway that went live yesterday. So here's a quick reminder. You could win a Chick Chair worth $220 from Mahar Drygoods. Scroll down to find the Giveaway, or click here.

Green photo scavenger hunt

Katie Schultz had a great idea. She took her kids on a photo scavenger hunt. They walked around their neighborhood and took pictures of anything green they could find. So smart!

The same concept would work with any color. You could do it with letters as well. Or pick another sort of theme — smiles, toys, cars, things that make noise, animals, etc. Toddlers and preschoolers would be all over this.

Ismodern

I've got some good news. Ismodern's Spring Summer 09 line is live on their site.

I"ve got some better news. Everything else is on bargain basement clearance. Fall stuff is on sale. And last year's (still super hip) Spring Summer stuff is way marked down. Get it while it's hot.

The Dish That Keeps On Giving — by Guest Mom Jora

If you don’t already have one, I highly recommend you find a recipe that your family loves and that also happens to give you lots of leftovers. This is ironic coming from The Girl Who Hates to Eat Leftovers. But I have to admit there are some dishes that are as good, if not better, the second or third day as they were the first. Soup, in my mind, is one such dish.

The beauty of finding the “dish that keeps on giving” as I like to call it, is that it is usually a one dish meal (think casserole, soup, stew, etc.) and can be served from at lunch, on a planned “leftovers night,” or on one of those nights that you intend to cook something fresh and fabulous, but alas, the day has gotten away from you. Generally speaking, these dishes are just as much work if you make four servings or twelve. Make it on Sunday afternoon, eat it for dinner that night, and then partake as needed during the week. (Again, if you’re very oriented toward planning, which I am not, freeze some portions and then pull it out in a month when everyone has forgotten about it!)

Some of my family’s favorite soups (which provide lots of leftovers) include the following:

Homemade Chicken Noodle
Turkey Chipotle Chile
Lentil Soup
Cream of Asparagus
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Broccoli, Red Pepper and Cheddar Chowder

And last but not least, Orangette’s “Fretwell (Italian Vegetable) Soup,” which I made recently with Baby J (literally) underfoot. I am always surprised that my kids (specifically my son) will eat this soup which has about 7 or 8 types of vegetables in plain view. Oh, and it happens to be the most delicious version of minestrone I have ever tasted. Be sure to serve it over the slices of day-old bread and with plenty of good olive oil drizzled over the top.

See how happy Baby J is to sit down at eat this soup?

And here’s C-Man giving the soup a (too-rare) thumbs up!

What are your favorite “dishes that keep on giving”?

Vote for Picture Hope

There are certain companies, certain organizations, that seek to positively support women in this blogging, social media world. One of those organizations is Shutter Sisters. The women behind Shutter Sisters observed early on what powerful creative work women were making with their cameras and organized a site where women could share those images and inspire each other. If you're not visiting Shutter Sisters regularly, I encourage you to start.

Beyond that, the Shutter Sisters have come up with an amazing project. They saw a contest, sponsored by Lenovo and Microsoft, where photographers could submit proposals for their "dream photo assignment." So they submitted their idea. It's called Picture Hope. And it's beautiful. I'd really like their idea to win, but they need help to get it voted to the top. Here's what you can do:

Go to the Shutter Sisters' Picture Hope contest entry. Vote for them by clicking the yellow "pic this" button. (You will be prompted to register, which I did, and it literally took less than 60 seconds.) Vote right away, because the contest ends April 3rd.

If you want to see more of a vision of what the Shutter Sisters' Picture Hope project is all about, watch this short video. It will make your day beautiful.

Picture Hope Video

Giveaway — Chick Chair from Mahar Drygoods

Is it true? Am I really hosting back to back Giveaways? One ends yesterday, another starts today?

Yes. It's completely true. I've got another great Giveaway today. And I've even got another one to tell you about this Thursday. So keep coming back. Keep entering. Because you know I only host the best sorts of Giveaways. Period.

Today's Giveaway sponsor is one of my favorite little shops in the world. Mahar Drygoods. You've seen them featured here before, but just in case you've forgotten, let's recap what they're all about. Mahar offers vintage and artisan crafted items for children. Often handmade, always beautiful. And the prize they're sponsoring today is quite incredible. Take a peek:




It's the Chick Chair. By Roebuck Studio. It's both adorable and functional. It's completely covetable and comes in six different colors (the prize chair is the black one pictured). It was even featured in Cookie Magazine this month. And it retails for $220.00. Isn't it charming pictured in that delightful bedroom? Isn't the scale just right?

Roebuck Studio is the brilliant collaboration of husband and wife team Kate and Barret Roebuck. Their furniture is beautiful, functional, durable, and created in an environmentally responsible way. Based in historic Chelsea, Michigan, the Roebucks manufacture locally, buy materials from local sources and have complete control over the fabrication process, to ensure that only the best and safest products will reach your doorstep.

Roebuck Studio is exactly the kind of quality artisan that Mahar Drygoods makes a point to feature and stock. Which is one of the reasons I'm such a Mahar fan. Take a minute and check out all the Spring goodies that Mahar is stocking right now — from a tie-dye egg kit to this bunny scooter — your heart is sure to melt from all the sweetness.

Let's all give a big thank you to Mahar Drygoods!

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Guidelines:
-You have until Midnight PST on Wednesday, March 25th to enter this giveaway.
-Just make a comment ON THIS POST to enter — any comment. One entry per person, please.
-The winners will be randomly picked and announced Thursday, March 26th.
-What are Random Giveaways? Read about them here.

The Virtues of (Meal) Planning Ahead — by Guest Mom Jora

If you have a family to feed, I cannot extol the virtues of planning meals ahead enough. I know this is easy for some of you….you are planners by nature. This sort of thing maybe even excites you a little. You can make dinners on a weekend, freeze portions ahead of time and pull little packages out during the week: Turkey Chili, anyone? Cheese Enchiladas? Beef Stew? I personally don’t have the foresight or the freezer space to take meal-planning that far.

But getting a list of dinner ideas together on Sunday night is a very, very good thing indeed (to quote Martha). I find it is the only way to feed your family a variety of interesting meals while not driving yourself crazy with the 5 o’clock panic. You don’t have to plan anything fancy and don’t feel pressure to come up with new things all the time (unless that is what makes you happy). Plenty of moms I know do the “Taco Tuesday” and “Friday Pizza Night” thing. The point is, think ahead, shop ahead, and meals will be more enjoyable to prepare and to eat. On my blog, I try to post "Meal Planning Monday" each week. I find this keeps me on track.

I’ll admit I was reluctant to switch over to this sort of cooking. Before kids, I prided myself on living (what I thought was, anyway) a very European lifestyle: shopping almost each day for fresh foods and cooking spontaneously. And that, my friends, is a fine way to live, should you have all sorts of time on your hands and no dependents to take care of. I am guessing that is not your situation if you are reading Design Mom, however.

I’m not going to give you a list of menu items and recipes (even though I am tempted!), because each family is different in their tastes. You know what you like and what your family will eat. But I will share one idea with you. We could eat salads almost every night in our house, and I know that’s true for many of my friends and their families. The trick is to, again, plan ahead so that you have the makings of a fresh and interesting salad at your fingertips. So, I recommend buying the lettuces you like and washing and drying them for the week. Just wrap the clean leaves in paper towels and store in plastic bags. Then (and this is the important part), make a good homemade dressing or two (it really makes a big difference!), and maybe even some croutons.

Herbed Buttermilk Dressing
from The Gourmet Cookbook

1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
½ c. mayonnaise
2 T. olive oil
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
2 T. chopped fresh chives
1 T. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. It will keep, covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. But it will be gone before then. Trust me.


Parmesan Balsamic Vinaigrette
from The Gourmet Cookbook

This is my son’s favorite dressing. He calls it “the brown dressing.” Not very appetizing-sounding, I realize…. He will dip just about anything in it, which is handy for getting him to eat his veggies.

1 garlic clove
½ t. salt
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 t. fresh lemon juice
3 T. minced fresh basil (optional)
¼ c. finely grated parmesan cheese
¼ t. freshly-ground black pepper
½ c. olive oil

Using a large heavy knife, mince and mash garlic to a paste with salt. Whisk garlic paste with vinegar, lemon juice, basil, cheese and pepper in a bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until well blended. Add more salt and pepper to taste. This will keep for a week or more covered in the refrigerator.


Croutons
Homemade croutons are super easy and much tastier and cheaper that buying them at the store.

Cube or tear day-old bread into small pieces. You can use a nice crusty European-style loaf, but honestly, if you use the Honey Wheat Sandwich Bread from Trader Joe’s (or something similar), that will taste great too.

Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. (You can get fancy with herbs or parmesan cheese or such, but it really isn’t necessary.) Bake in a 400 degree pre-heated oven for about 10 or 15 minutes (or until slightly crisp and golden). Give the croutons a stir or two while they are baking.

Let cool completely before tossing with your salad. Store the cooled leftovers in a zip-top bag.

Bloch Shoes

If you grew up taking dance classes (like I did) you'll recognize the Bloch name from the dance shoe catalogs. And in fact, Bloch still makes dance shoes. But they've expanded their offerings beyond dance shoes as well. They now have a line for ladies, a line for girls, a line for babies. And this year, they're introducing shoes for toddlers.

Everything is dance inspired, but made for everyday wear. How irresistible are those little ruffled baby shoes on the right?

Food Is Life — by Guest Mom Jora

When I first found out I would be a Guest Mom here, I was thrilled! Design Mom was one of the first blogs I regularly followed. At the time, I had a brand new baby girl and a toddler boy and was feeling a wee bit overwhelmed. When I found Gabby’s blog, I admit, I developed a bit of a mom crush. Five kids? Interesting career? Loving relationship with Ben Blair? And she seems like a totally cool chick to just hang out with? I figured I could get through my situation.

So, like I said, I am thrilled to be guest blogging here this week. But. And you knew there was a “but” didn’t you? Panic set in a few days ago. What on earth would I have to add to this site? There are crafts, products, clothes, tons of inspiration and ideas wherever you look. (Just hit the archives if you haven’t already.) And so I told myself to take a few deep breaths, and the following came to mind: just write about what you know. And what I do know is food.

I’m one of those food and cooking obsessed people that you might know or have maybe heard about. One of my first memories is being 3 or 4 years old, sitting in front of my mom’s pantry, studying and organizing and re-organizing the ingredients (OK, I am a bit of a geek too). I was reading cookbooks at the age of 5, and by 10 I talked my mom into letting me make dinner for the family. Pre-kids, I would entertain one or two times a week, sometimes more. But none of this is to say I am a fancy cook or an expert in any way, or that I have any special training. I just enjoy it, have learned from lots of mistakes through the years, and have a couple of tricks and ideas up my sleeve. So this week, I hope to give you some ideas for both feeding your family and (hopefully, hopefully) enhancing your life just a bit. Because everybody, most especially the self-neglected mom, needs that.

I leave you with one of my favorite quotes by the food-is-life and life-is-food writer M.F.K. Fisher (that’s my description of her, I hope she wouldn’t mind):

“It seems to me that our three basic needs, for food and security and love, are so mixed and mingled and entwined that we cannot straightly think of one without the others. So it happens that when I write of hunger, I am really writing about love and the hunger for it, and warmth and the love of it and the hunger for it...and then the warmth and richness and fine reality of hunger satisfied...and it is all one.”

Find more of Jora at Domestic Reflections.

photo credit: Ben Blair took this photo of me making a pie crust on New Year's Eve. I think I may have already shared it here on Design Mom, but it's such a nice shot, it's worth a second look.

Welcome Jora.

We've got another lovely Guest Mom with us this week. Yay! Her name is Jora and she sent me an email last fall and I sent her an email back and she sent me an email back and we went back and forth a few more times until I get to introduce her to you today. And she's terrific. You can read more from her at her beautiful blog, Domestic Reflections, where she writes about design, health, fashion, family life and travel. I'm so delighted that we all have this opportunity to get to know her better.

Here's a bit from Jora in her own words:

I’m Jora. I’m a thirty-something stay-at-home mom living in San Diego with my husband B (who happens to be the funniest and most organized person I have ever met), my very independent 3 and a half year old son C-Man, and the snuggliest little 16 month old girl, Baby J. I love being a mom more than anything in the world, as cliché as that sounds, and I take it very seriously. But I find it to be very, very, very (did I mention “very”?) difficult as well. In my other life, I was a lawyer, and now that I look back on it, that was pretty easy (not to mention unimportant!) compared to what I do now. I have a feeling you moms out there just might be able to relate.

Winners — Baby Baby Baby Giveaway

Alright ladies. Announcement time. Two winners of the Baby Baby Baby Giveaway.

They Joyababy Giveaway Winner:
Lizzi who said, "Joy Joy Joy! Thanks!"

The Hushabye Baby CDs Winner:
Elaina who said, "You are so right that there are babies everywhere! I had one nine months ago, and I think I started a trend. Two of my friends had babies right after I did. Two more of my friends just gave birth a day apart, another is due in two weeks, and another is due in two months. And at work, I can think of three pregnant coworkers right off the bat. BABIES!"

Hooray for the winners! Please send me an email and I'll put you in touch with the sponsors right away.

Card Sharks

If you have a minute, go check out the stationery designs at Card Sharks. You can buy cards individually or in boxed sets. Me likey. Also. It could be fun to frame and display one of their series.

Know what else could be fun? Entering the Baby Baby Baby Giveaway. Lots of great prizes! Two winners! Scroll down or click here to enter. You can enter through Sunday night.

Book Day for the Ladies

I came home from SXSW to a stack of books that had arrived in the mail. It's been great this week to check them out. Here are the favorites from the stack. All of them happen to be quite girly. So I'm calling this a Book Day for the Ladies.





First, let me introduce you to Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts. If you are a crafter, a maker, a creator, an artist — this is your new bible. It is big. It is hefty. I took a photo of the spine to show you the textbook thickness of this volume. And it is full of every tip, trick and idea it is possible to have as a human being. There are templates. Photos. Diagrams. It's from Martha, so you know it's perfect. It will be available for sale starting March 31st, but you can pre-order a copy here.




Next up: The Double-Daring Book for Girls. A follow-up volume to the endlessly charming and informative Daring Book for Girls. This double daring book has kept Maude busy all week folding secret messages, making teeny-tiny worry dolls and learning the art of furoshiki. I love these books and was so pleased when I heard there was a second one. They are the ideal cure for rainy day or summertime boredom.

Double Daring will be released next week. You can pre-order your copy here. Oh. Also, in case you hadn't heard, the two girl volumes were actually a followup to The Dangerous Book for Boys. You'll want them all. I promise.




Now. Let's talk about The Farm Chicks. The Farm Chicks have a great little shop full of great little items. They sponsored a giveaway here on Design Mom awhile back and everybody ooohed and aaahed over their pretty wares. And now, they've written a book: The Farm Chicks in the Kitchen. Recipes. Ideas. And some of the prettiest food photography you're likely to see. It's snowy and rainy here today. To make up for that fact, we intend to try out one of their delicious-looking recipes.



Last up. The Mom's Guide to Growing Your Family Green. A very useable guide, with practical ideas and smart information. Perfect if you're getting overwhelmed by all the green-speak out there.

What about you. What are you reading that you love? Any book recommendations?

PS — Another girl book that I haven't seen in person yet, but I want to get my hands on: True Mom Confessions: Real Moms Get Real — whenever I read the True Mom Confessions website, I find it heartbreaking, fascinating, endearing and addictive all at the same time. I'm betting the book creates the same drama.

Freezer Paper Stencils

Liz and Camie and Jill saw this freezer paper stencil tutorial on Angry Chicken and made Obama tees for their little ones. I'm dying to try this method! Looks like the perfect solution when you just want to make one or two tees. I'm bookmarking this and adding it to my list of gifts-my-kids-can-make-for-each-other for next Christmas.

Girl Guy Party at SXSW

I've been getting requests for a report on the Girl/Guy Party at SXSW. The very short version: it was yee-haw-riffic. Think cowboy hats, chuckwagon, bandana invitations, vintage boots filled with wildflowers... If you're looking for more, you can find a recap and pics here.

Did you go to SXSW? What was your favorite panel or party? Will you go next year?

Giveaway — Baby Baby Baby!

It's all about the babies today. Because everyone is pregnant. And having babies. And we need to give those babies pretty things. Correct? So let's do it. Here's what you can win:





One lucky winner will get a collection of stylish, eco Joyababy goodies. A bgreen plush blanket. A bgreen diaper clutch. And an adorable bgreen bib. All 3 items come in six different coordinating designs — in case you're all about matchy-matchy — and the winner gets to pick her favorites. The whole 3-piece set retails for $142 and would make a generous and very useful baby gift.




A second winner will receive a gift wrapped set of four CDs — Lullaby Renditions of Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline, George Straight and Johnny Cash — from Hushabye Baby Music. The albums feature softened, instrumental versions of the artists' most famous songs. I don't usually count myself a country music girl, but we have both the Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash versions, and I think they're both excellent. Maybe it's my western upbringing, or all the recent time I've spent in Texas... The 4 CD set retails for $68.

So. Two big prizes. For two big winners. And just to mix things up, how about two ways to enter:

(1) Leave a comment on this post. You can leave any comment you like.
(2) TWITTER! Follow @designmom and tweet your favorite Joyababy pattern with #joyababy in the tweet. Or your favorite Hushabye CD with #hushabyebaby in the tweet!

A big thanks to Joyababy and Hushabye Baby!

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

Guidelines:
-You have until Midnight PST on Sunday, March 22nd to enter this giveaway.
-The winners will be randomly picked and announced Monday, March 23rd.
-What are Random Giveaways? Read about them here.

Rikshaw Design

My fascination with Indian block-printing (done by hand) continues. Look at this pretty line of baby bedding and baby accessories from Rikshaw Design. Aren't the patterns delicious? A little birdie told me the line will be available in twin sizes shortly.

The Belly Pictures Series

Joanna sent me an email about this photo series. A photographer husband is composing weekly shots of his wife's pregnancy. It is amazing. The photo compositions are gorgeous. The personal notes are sweet. And the wife is smoking hot. For reals. I'm betting this couple is endlessly interesting to know in real life.

You can see all the photos on the husband's Pacing the Panic Room blog.

UP! Game Launch Party

Have you seen the preview for the latest Pixar movie, UP? Well. At our house, we've watched the preview like maybe 5000 times. Because seriously, I have never met a kid as film obsessed generally, and Pixar obsessed specifically, as Ralph Blair.

So last week, when we were invited to attend the launch party for the UP video game, the whole family was beyond excited. The party was fantastic — held in a perfect kid space called Kidville on the Upper West Side. There was a great place space with gym equipment. Balloon animals and face painting. Lots of food. Helium balloons everywhere — brilliant. And 3 screens setup where you could play the UP video game on either Wii or DS.




Right before dinner, the party attendees gathered in a screening room and Ronnie Del Carmen of Pixar, took us through 4 extended, unreleased clips from the movie. (It is so good. I can't wait to see the whole thing. The kids in the room — and adults as well — were all mesmerized as the balloons appeared and the house rose over the city.)

Once we were familiar with the characters from the movie, we were introduced to the video game by two developers from Heavy Iron. There are different versions for Wii and DS and we were able to learn about both. My favorite part of either version of the game is how carefully the makers kept violence out of them. I also appreciated how the characters' behavior in the movie was reflected in the games. Very cool. You can check them out and even download a game demo here.


Ralph with Ronnie Del Carmen from Pixar. Ralph is a bit embarrassed of his bulging lower lip — he just had a "lip bumper" installed as part of his orthodontia. He's such a good sport.

Felt and Wire

So I'm digging Felt & Wire. It's the brand spanking new corporate blog for Strathmore Paper and it's one of the best examples of a corporate blog I've seen. If you're paper obsessed at all, I think you'll like the content as much as I do. I'm crossing my fingers that the clever editor, Alyson Kuhn, will keep adding good stuff regularly.

Go to their about page to find helpful links on learning about paper and printing. Oh. And check out their letterpress print shop directory as well.

One more thing. Notice the blog format — one big post at the top, and then snippets of posts following. I like it. Maybe I'll copy them as I rework my own blog design.

Ami Suma

I believe this is the first time I've ever seen Japanese-style illustration done as a mural for a child's room. I can't believe how much I like it. All of these spaces were done by Ami Suma. She is clearly a rock star. And if you visit her about page, you can see her standing below a rainbow. Which is awesome.

30 Days. 30 Mothers & Daughters.

Justin Hackworth is doing it again.

Last April, he took 30 portraits of 30 strangers in 30 days. A super cool project that you can see here. This year, he's repeating his 30 Days of Strangers project — with a twist. He's calling it "Generations" and each portrait will be of a mother and daughter. Or grandmother, mother and daughter. Or even great-grandmother, grandmother, mother and daughter.




If you've never met Justin Hackworth (really, you have to be a stranger to him), and you can get to his studio in April, then you're eligible to participate. And if you're interested, sign up quick. Because last year, all 30 spots filled up in 48 hours. Why'd the spots fill up so fast? Because Justin's photography is really dang good.

Atsuyo et Akiko

The Team Sara cushions from Atsuyo et Akiko make me smile. Also. Lots of very pretty photo styling on their site. Another of my favorite finds at the Bubble show.

Sixth Sense

My brother Josh sent me the TED video of Pattie Maes demonstrating the "sixth sense" technology. I watched it right before I went to SXSW and I think I was more respectful to all the 22-year-old-techy-geeks in attendance because the demonstration is so freaking cool. It makes me want to wear a tshirt that says: The Future Is Now. If you ever have spare minutes, you can always feel good about filling them with TED talks.

Sisters Gulassa

Just heard from Sisters Gulassa. Lise and Cyrille are two sisters that collaborate from two different continents to make beautiful textiles. They just launched their first line of fabrics — it's called Lulu and it's available through Camelot Cottons.

On their brand new blog, you can also get lots of peeks at their workspace, upcoming designs and all sorts of beautiful photos. It might be my new favorite blog.



Sigh. I love looking at beautiful textiles. It makes me want to make something. What shall I make?

San Jose Hotel in Austin

I'm back from Austin. SXSW was everything it should be. The Girl/Guy party was a hit. The kirtsy girls rented a ginormous house — with pool, hot tub and gorgeous views of the city. It was beautiful and more than comfortable. That said, I think that next year I want to stay at the Hotel San Jose.



Laura took me by the hotel on Sunday after we stopped in for lunch at Jo's. She knew I would love it and I did. We walked through the courtyard, peeked into the simple rooms, and I was hesitant to leave (Can't we just skip the party we're hosting tonight and sit here in a sunny room with a cheese plate and read all day long? Please?).

photo credits here, here, here and here.

Dagmar Daley

This is a glimpse of the current Spring/Summer line from Dagmar Daley. As you can see, it's delightful in every way. Every piece seems timeless and comfortable and very wearable.

I was lucky enough to see the coming Fall/Winter line at the Bubble show. And if it's possible, I might like it even more. The holiday dresses were sort of delicate and ballet-like. Really beautiful.

Girl Guy Party at SXSW

Morning! I'm in Austin, Texas at SXSW (pronounced South by Southwest). I flew in yesterday and I have to say, it's the biggest, baddest conference that happens. Ever. Period. I feel super lucky to be a part of it.

I'm here with kirtsy. We are throwing a crazy Texas party with Guy Kawasaki's company, Alltop. And it all goes down tonight. Because kirtsy is for girls, and Guy is a guy, we're calling it the Girl/Guy party. And it's going to be amazing.

Allens Boots, the classic Texas footwear store, is the venue. (You may have noticed Allens Boots mentioned in the April issue of Domino (that's right. the final issue. sad.). There will be hay. And a chuckwagon. And boots. There will be music. And Guy. And Girls.

Guy Kawasaki is the keynote speaker (the headliner, basically) of the whole, huge, ginormous conference, so you can imagine how everyone wants to get into this shindig. But the guest list is kind of full. As in overflowing. If you're at SXSW and you want in, there's only one way to do it. Find one of the kirtsy girls and ask us for a Girl/Guy bandana. If we have any left, you'll get one. And the bandana will grant you entrance to the party.

The coolest party of the conference. I hope to see you there!

If you can't make the party, don't be sad. You can still win an HP Printer, some high-end headphones and $100 off a pair of boots by leaving a comment on the kirtsy blog.

Tamar Mogendorff

Dear Interwebs,

I found these photos of Tamar Mogendorff's creations and I want you to have them (click to make them bigger, and see many more on the tmogy site). I think we'll all sleep better knowing there is someone out there making the world so beautiful. Not sure where or how to buy them, but you could certainly send fan mail from this link.

kisses,
Gabrielle

Potatoes and Printing — by Guest Aunt Kelly Wilkinson

Image courtesy of my talented pal Lisa Coris. This is the Healy Pass, just up the road from my in-laws.

I’m jumping the gun on St. Patrick’s Day here, but this is my first year as a new Irish citizen (courtesy of my husband), so next week has special significance.

While other people mark the day with plastic hats and green beer, I’ve recently learned that many gardeners mark the holiday by planting potatoes. That's because in Ireland, the soil is finally warm enough to sow seed potatoes — a fancy name for small potatoes with a sprouting eye.

Potatoes are dead easy to grow, and no other crop delivers the same sense of mystery and satisfaction. When you dig into the soil and unearth a crop of potatoes, I promise that you’ll feel like you're five years old again and just found the prize at the end of a treasure hunt.



My dad grew potatoes when I was little, and my sisters and I can still summon up all the sentimentality and smells of that experience. Hopefully we'll pass that onto the next generation: My niece helped me tend our potato patch last year, and this fall, she dug up her very first crop.

If gardening isn't for you, consider that potatoes aren’t just food — they make a great craft material, especially in the hands of someone as talented as Lotta Jansdotter, who shows us how to print with a sweet potato right here.



Thanks, Gabrielle, for having me as a Guest Aunt this week. And thanks to everyone who took the time to write — you’ve been wonderful and encouraging, and it's been great to be in your company!

Seven Smooches Goodies

At the Bubble trade show, after I'd chatted with the Seven Smooches girls — Jennifer and Stacy — in their booth for a bit, they asked me to swing by on my way out because they had a little something for me — a little something to say thanks for some advice I had shared last fall. How sweet! thought I, and admired their thoughtfulness.

Well. The "little something" turned out to be gift boxes piled on gift boxes with something special for me and for each of my children. Here's a little show-and-tell of the generous gorgeousness. And in true Seven Smooches style, every item is handmade from upcycled materials and is completely one-of-a-kind.



A shrug for the girls. It looks like a cute stripey scarf coming out of the box, but has sleeves to really warm you.



A shrug for me too. In the softest grey cashmere. With oversize buttons and hand-stitching on the edges. Just because. I have worn this everyday since I opened the box. It looks great and is the perfect weight for a Spring layer.


Another cozy sweater for the girls. In a nubby green weave.



A red, embroidered pullover for Betty. She kept staring at her tummy in wonder when she put this on.


For Oscar, a hand-pieced cardigan, that Olive kindly modeled when Oscar wasn't available.


For Ralph, a hat and glove set in boyish stripes. He hasn't taken them off since I brought them home.


And two cashmere doves. Filled with fragrant lavender. To scent my drawer of unmentionables. (I suppose one could say the doves are a gift for Ben Blair.)

Jennifer and Stacy, these gifts are completely over-the-top wonderful. The whole family feels absolutely spoiled. Thank you.

At Cookie's Nesting Blog

My latest two posts at Nesting — featuring a new line of beautiful children's rugs by Momeni and charming (well priced) artwork by Schmooks.

Upcycled Photo Cube — by Guest Aunt Kelly Wilkinson

We have teetering piles of orphaned cds at home, which means we have an equal number of empty cd cases. Not very glamorous on their own, but with a no-sew makeover, the cases can be turned into chunky, modern photo displays that double as candleholders.



I printed images on vellum paper so the cube gives off a gauzy glow when lit from the inside. Some of my readers told me they made different versions as gifts, personalizing them with photos from friends and family members’ trips. Once the telltale edges of the cases are covered in ribbon, no one is the wiser that this wasn’t picked up in some in-the-know boutique. But I’m such a dork that I'll take any chance to blurt out, Isn’t this cool? I made it from CD cases!

You can follow along here.

Find more of Kelly at Make Grow Gather.

Bubble Wrap Up 2

In addition to the new-to-me companies I featured yesterday, while attending Bubble, I also saw fun new products and even line expansions of some of my favorite shops — shops that I've featured here on Design Mom more than once.



-Toby+Rei is offering their iconic robot graphic on all sorts of items, even an hip lunchbox. Watch for new colors and a ballet robot graphic this fall.

-Baby Bear Shop, maker of the yummiest lip balm around, has added beautiful candles to their line up. All eco-responsible of course.

-Kate Quinn Organics is a name you probably know well. They are the go-to shop for organic baby and toddler basics — and at Kate Quinn, "basics" go way beyond onesies and leggings. What's new? Kate will be adding prints to the fall lineup. And they are adorable.

-Oeuf, one of my very favorite baby/toddler lines is offering all sorts of pretty little gift items that I hadn't seen before. Take a look at their "goodies" category.

-Sarah Waldo is a company I discovered quite recently and it was wonderful to see these clothes in person. All sorts of great new prints in their fall line. I'm especially in love with their pajamas and nightgowns.

-Kice Kice — a clothing line designed and run by twin sisters, has a gorgeous spring line currently posted on their site, and a fall line that is going to knock your socks off this September. I wanted one of everything.

-Frazier and Wing makes beautiful cut-paper mobiles that I've posted about a few different times, but this was my first time actually seeing one in real life. They are amazing. And would do just as well in the living room as they would do over a crib. Watch for a new offering from this company — gorgeous garlands coming soon.

Jess Brown Design

I'm admiring these elegant dolls from Jess Brown Design. Even more chic examples on her blog.

Gwen & Joel's Wedding

It was beautiful and sweet. During the ceremony, Gwen wore a gorgeous white gown by J Crew. Joel wore Converse. And then it turned into a great big party. See more pics and more deets here.

In other kirtsy related news. A lucky someone is going to win an all-in-one HP Printer, some luxe headphones by V-Moda, and $100 off a pair of brand new boots — just by leaving a comment on the kirtsy blog. That's almost $400 of goodies. The Giveaway was just listed. Only four comments so far. Which makes for some good odds.

Fab photo of Gwen and her lovely Mother-in-law, Beth Longtine, by Aimee of Greeblemonkey.

Everyone Is Beautiful Video

Spotted on kirtsy.

A very pretty video featuring an excerpt from Katherine Center's new book, Everyone Is Beautiful. (Do you remember how much I love Katherine?) The fantastic photos in the video were taken by the talented Mary Swenson, of blog favorite Pretty Good.

[ Edit: Oh! There's a second video here featuring a different excerpt. Also gorgeous. ]

Fave Fabrics and Books — by Guest Aunt Kelly Wilkinson

Fabric stores are dangerous-magical places for me, along with libraries and bookstores. I could spent hours sort of sleepwalking through the stacks in a lovely daze. Sort of like what these designs do to me:

Top Fabric: Nani Iro Fredonner Linen in Rose





Row by row, from left to right:
Pine in Chocolate, Joel Dewberry
Sweet Jasmine in Natural, by Amy Butler
Pear Tree Border in Light Grey
Swirls and Spots in Earth
Brown Underwater Sisters, Heather Ross
Foliage, in Blue and Terracotta

As to what to do with these fabrics, I’ve made pillows, tea cozies, and baby blankets. Even more ideas abound in my current go-to sewing books: Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross, Midwest Modern by Amy Butler, Simple Sewing with a French Twist by Celine Dupuy, and Sew Everything Workshop by Diana Rupp.

As for where to buy fabric, nothing beats picking it up and feeling its heft and texture in person. But if you don’t have a great fabric store nearby, or you want more options, you can’t go wrong here:
Purl Soho
Reprotdepo Fabrics
Sew, Mama, Sew!
And for our Aussie friends, Duckcloth in Melbourne.

And then, of course, there is the revolutionary Spoonflower, where we can all pretend to be fabric designers. And it makes things like this possible, which is pretty much the sweetest gift I’ve ever seen.

Find more of Kelly at Make Grow Gather.

Bubble Wrap Up

Yesterday, I spent some time at Bubble. It's the children's clothing trade show that happens twice a year here in New York. If you are trying to stock the newest, coolest, independent clothing lines for kids, this is a don't miss show. And it's lots of fun to attend.

I was able to meet many of the creators behind companies I've featured here on Design Mom. It's like hanging out with a bunch of your most creative friends. Cherie from Poloppo. The girls from Seven Smooches. The people behind Small Magazine. I even had a wonderful conversation with the remarkable Ida Pearle.

For those of you wondering how trade shows are fairing in this changing economy, here's what I heard from the vendors. Big companies were shopping less, but indie shops — mom and pops — were out like crazy. Is it a new trend? Small businesses stronger than big businesses? It reminds me of the brilliant talk I heard Robert Kalin of Etsy give about micro economies...

Anyway. I'm going to write 2 wrap ups of the Bubble Show for you. This one will feature 8 new or new-to-me companies. And I'll write a second post about expansions at some of my already-favorite lines. Then. Throughout the next few weeks, I'll be showcasing in more detail some of my favorite finds from the show.


-Patouche. Their site shop is on its way. In the meantime, you can buy bits and pieces from their etsy shop. Their peasant apron skirt, riding hood cape, and pirate hat are all fully functional and well-made, but feel like dressups. Amazing stuff.
-Ismodern. A well established, but new-to-me line. Fantastic colors.
-Clover. This is a newly launched line with an online shop in development. You can also find their clothes in several stores. Gorgeous Indian block-printed fabrics. And a jumpsuit for little boys that I'm dying to get my hands on.
-Dagmar Daley. Really lovely clothes. Can't say enough good about this line.



-Short Hat Company. If you (like me) think it's hard to find kids hats, turns out we were wrong. They were right here all along.
-Faubourg Saint Denis. Everything you want in a line of French children's clothing.
-Essentiel. From Belgium. Currently mostly in stores in Belgium. But expect this line to show up in the best boutiques here in the states as well.
-Hartford. You can't buy directly from them, but you can see their spring kids line. Very cool stuff. And in older kid sizes too. Which is nice.

Guest Tweeter at #GNO

Are you on Twitter? Or are you curious about Twitter? Then join me on Twitter tonight. I'll be the Guest Tweeter (I know. Tweeter is a ridiculous word.) for Girls Night Out.

This is how it works. On Tuesday nights, the ladies at Mom It Forward organize a Girls Night Out on Twitter. Anyone that would like to participate is welcome. Even non-girls. That means you're all invited.

Each week there's a theme and women all over the country have Twitter conversations about that theme. Or really, about whatever's on their mind. To keep track of the conversations, each tweet includes the tag #GNO — as in Girls Night Out — clever. If you go to http://search.twitter.com and type in #GNO, you'll be able to see every single tweet that is sent out by every single person participating in tonight's GNO.

In addition to a theme, each week there is also a Guest Tweeter that helps moderate the conversation. This week, that's my job. Yay! For the theme, I was assigned "Green Living" — a topic I'm not at all an expert in, but something I'm as curious about as the next person. So every half hour or so, I'll be putting out a green-living-related-question to help spark conversation. You can see the questions I'm planning to discuss here.

411 recap:
-Date and Time: Tuesday, March 10th. 9:00pm EST (That's 6:00 PST.)
-To find more information about #GNO, click here.
-To RSVP for tonight's #GNO, click here.
-To see what we'll be discussing tonight, click here.
-To follow along the conversation tonight, click here and type in #GNO.

I hope you'll join me tonight. It's lots of fun. And goes super fast. I've never been the Guest Tweeter before, but I'm told my fingers will be exhausted by the end of the night.

image credit

Buisjes En Beugels

Check out this amazing line of children's clothing from Dutch company Buisjes En Beugels. Completely cool and funky but still totally kid-like and wearable. If the Brooklyn hipster parents haven't already discovered this line, it's only a matter of minutes. The little boy in the cardigan at the top? He's my favorite.

A Story Box — by Guest Aunt Kelly Wilkinson

The realization that I am the first Guest Aunt here is making me sit up straight and take this newly-created role very seriously. I want to do good by all of us aunts out here, who – like me – probably don’t have the vocabulary to express the love for our little nieces or nephews.

This also makes me think back to when I was on the precipice of aunthood, before my older sister had her daughter. My sister Robyn is one of the most adorable, loving, bright-spirited people you will ever meet in your whole life – and she lavishes all kinds of love and attention on everyone in her life. But she gets kind of squirmy when the spotlight turns on her. She was pretty feisty about not wanting a baby shower, but eventually, a few of her closest friends and I insisted that we at least take her out to dinner. And we wanted to find something we could make or do that would represent our love for Robyn, and all of our relationships with her.

Enter the Story Box.

All this takes is a sturdy wooden box (a cigar box is ideal) covered with some dreamy illustrations, and digging into your shared memories to come up with a few stories that reveal something about the mom-to-be. We all wrote two or three story prompts that Robyn (or her daughter, when she gets old enough) can pull out and use as a starting point for a story. A card inside the box reads “Tell Ada A Story About…” and the handwritten cards take it from there.

The cards we wrote for Robyn included trips that she and her husband took before having kids…famous (and infamous) stories about our parents…and sweet sentiments about what Robyn imagined her son or daughter would be like.

One of the things I love about this project is that it’s a collective expression, and it manages to capture a wide range of feeling and love and history without being too treacley. Perfect for someone like Robyn, who won’t let you linger too long on why she’s a kickass sister, mom and friend.

Find more of Kelly at Make Grow Gather.

Andrea's Beau

Ooooh la la. Extravagantly detailed headbands at Andrea's Beau.

Magnet Makeover — by Guest Aunt Kelly Wilkinson

Every time we move, our collection of beloved photos, notes and postcards on the refrigerator goes into a file folder to be transported to our next kitchen. And every time I open that folder and transfer the old mementos to the new fridge, that new kitchen finally feels like home.

But like most people, we’re always trying to cram the corner of just one more birth announcement under an already maxed-out magnet. So I decided to replenish the stash with a pack of magnets from the craft store; some smooth, tactile stones; and my newest craft crush: rub-on transfers from this company.


The transfers add a nice hit of design without actually needing to know how to draw or tinker around in a design programs, and I really like the contrast of a bright graphic against natural stone.

Simply rub a transfer onto a found pebble or stone, and glue to the magnet with a dab of epoxy glue, like J-B Weld. Now the magnets are almost as cherished as what they hold.

Find more of Kelly at Make Grow Gather.

Welcome to Kelly Wilkinson!

It's a great new week at Design Mom. I'm back from the wedding in Boulder (more on that later) and I've got an incredibly talented Guest Mom that I get to introduce today. Actually, I think she might be our first official Guest Aunt. Which is equally fun. But maybe more fun, because it's new and exciting. Her name is Kelly Wilkinson of the tremendous Make Grow Gather blog. And she is absolutely over-flowing with creativity, talent and style. Here is a little bio in her own words:

I grew up in a renovated barn in Virginia, the middle of three sisters. Now I’m married and living in San Francisco, but I’m always trying to bring some elements of our creative, rural upbringing to our apartment lifestyle. It turns out that San Francisco is a great place to straddle these worlds: I can walk out our door and catch a train downtown, but I can also grow vegetables in the backyard, and (very soon, fingers crossed) keep bees. I just joined the San Francisco Beekeepers’ Association – it turns out there are a lot of hives stashed up on rooftops around this city!

During the day, I work at the local NPR affiliate as a reporter. On most evenings and weekends I usually take over the the dining room table with some combination of a sewing machine, fabric, paper, found objects, glue, scissors, pins, yarn, etc. My goal for projects I create is to take simple, readily-available materials and use them in fresh ways to create modern DIY accessories. I’ll share some of those projects this week, along with some of my favorite places for inspiration.

Thanks so much for having me – I’m thrilled to be here!

Kelly, welcome to Design Mom. We're thrilled to have you. Yay! Thrilling all around.

Winner — Serena & Lily Sheet Set

Well. Over 1400 of you want new sheets. And I'm right there with you. But only one person gets to be the lucky winner. Congratulations to:

heather{dot}com, who said, "Who doesn't love new sheets? Especially ones this cute! The worst part would be having to choose which pattern!"

Hooray for Heather! Hey Heather, send me an email and I'll put you in touch with the sponsor so you can pick out your gorgeous sheets. Thank you Serena & Lily!

Things I'm thinking of Today

1) How much I like lists.

2) What the weather is going to be like in Boulder, Colorado this weekend. I'm heading there on an early flight this morning. I'm all packed and ready to go.

3) How awesome Gwen Bell and Joel Longtine's wedding is going to be. That's the event calling me to Boulder.

4) Kirtsy's Party People contest. Three people will each win $200 from Minted. ($200!) Plus 150 cards designed with the winner as inspiration. How cool is that? Don't miss.

5) The funky house I'm renting in Boulder with the kirtsy girls and CosmoPolitician and Mags Mac n Cheese.

6) How much everyone wants a new set of sheets. Including me. You can enter to win a sheet set from Serena & Lily (any size, any style) through Sunday night. Enter here.

Have a great weekend!

Pingg Evites by Martha Stewart

Have you seen the latest designer series at Pingg? It's by Martha Stewart. The photos are gorgeous. Of course.

Don't know what Pingg is? It's a company making a prettier version of free email invites.

By the way. Does anyone else remember the Martha Stewart Living with the pinwheels on the cover? It was from one of the first years the magazine was published. I remember using the instructions to make pinwheels for Ralph's first birthday. I gave them out as invitations and used them to top the cake. They were so pretty.

Also. Do you know what else is pretty? Sheets from Serena & Lily. And you can win a set free. Just scroll down or click here to enter my current Giveaway.

Custom Party Banners

This is cute. You can get a custom banner from designstash. For your next event. Spelling anything you'd like. I like this one in neutral colors.

Clever Cakes

Since I posted about the brain cupcakes, my inbox has suddenly become the hotspot for party ideas. For example, an email with a link to this slideshow of 31 cake ideas — with full, step-by-step instructions no less. The dumptruck and fries are my favorites.

Speaking of truck cakes, did you see the truck party Maggie threw for 2-year-old Hank? Lots of wonderful photos.

Giveaway — Sheet Set from Serena & Lily

Friends. Dear friends. I've got another gorgeous Giveaway today.

You know Serena & Lily? I've partnered with them on 3 or 4 different contests. And the feedback I get over and over from you guys is: we heart Serena & Lily — more Serena & Lily please — keep the Serena & Lily products coming our way... My response: done and done.

Enter your comment now to win a sheet set from Serena & Lily. Any sheet set. Any style. Any size. Winner's choice. Woot! Woot!



Let's be honest. This couldn't come at a better time. Even with snow still on the ground, March is officially here and we can't help but think of Spring and warmer weather that is sure to come our way. No doubt, all of our homes could use a little freshening up. A little spring cleaning. It is certain that a brand new set of sheets (free sheets!) will do the trick.



You could pick sheets for your child's bed. Or (more fun) sheets for your own bed. Either way you can't go wrong. You may already know that I love the Serena & Lily concept of children's rooms. Nothing too cutesy-cheesy. No commercial characters. Somehow sophisticated and child-friendly at the same time. Plus super high quality.

But it's not just kid's bedding anymore. Serena & Lily have expanded their line. You can find many of their sheet sets in queen and king now. In fact they have a whole section on their website featuring their luxurious grownup offerings. Like the Tess and Fiona. Gorgeous right? I'm thinking they're my new Serena & Lily favorites. Very up-to-date. Great colors.




If you don't already subscribe to their catalog, I highly recommend it. It's full of dozens of inspiring shots — all sorts of interior design eye candy. You can ask for their free catalog here.

Thanks, Serena & Lily!

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

Aprons

I just received an email about the aprons at Practically Necessary. They are adorable. And there are 3 collections to choose from. I think aprons make great gifts for all sorts of occasions — housewarming, hostess, birthday...

Don't miss the pleats on the Jenny. So fab. Styled like a school girl's skirt.

Alvhem

While catching up at Black Eiffel this morning, I fell in love with these images and the whole idea of Alvhem.

According to darling Rachel: "Alvehm is a site where you can find Swedish homes for sale with lovely styled interiors like those pictured here. It is a truly unique brokerage concept where they convey housing as a entire lifestyle using photographers and an art director to help sell your space." Isn't that a wonderful idea? I want one.

I know they say homes sell/show better when they have furniture, and if homes looked like the Alvhem variety, than I can see why. (But in reality, since most homes are not professionally styled, when house hunting, I much prefer to see a space completely empty — so that I can project my visions on it like a blank canvas.)

via Purple Area

Hang Em Awl

Okay. The photo isn't glamorous. But. If you hang pictures very often (raising my hand) then I'm thinking this is the greatest new tool ever. Tiny. Reusable. And very clever. There's a real-time 2 minute video of how to use it on their site.

What's the saying? The simplest ideas are often the best ones.

Ruby Lu

I saw this handmade owl dishcloth today and I wanted one. You too? Lots of cute things at Ruby Lu. All handmade. But the dishcloths and potholders are definitely my favorites.

Multi-Color Search Lab

Want to have a whole bunch of visual fun? Go visit the Multicolr Search Lab. Click on a color at right and watch as it accesses creative commons photos on flickr that match the color. Playing with this makes me so happy. No really. So dang happy.

Thanks for the link, Laurie!

Winners — Poloppo T-Me Kits

Hey Ladies! Sorry that I'm getting this posted a day late. My bad. Here are the 5 winners of the Poloppo T-Me kits:

1) Mama DB who said, "love it! the crafty stuff goes fast in our household!"
2) S and E Frazier who said, "Such a genius idea...thanks for giving it away!"
3) Megan Russell who said, "me please. my kids would LOVE."
4) Lara who said, "oooh superfun! Thanks for the chance to win!"
5) joyfulnotes who said, "What an awesomely fun thing to do! My 8-year-old daughter would absolutely love this project!"

Hooray! Hey, all you lucky winners. Please email me your shipping address and I'll get you setup with the sponsor. Thank you Poloppo!

Young Einstein Party Food & Decorations

Maude's Young Einstein party was on Saturday. It was a hit! Maybe the favorite birthday party we've ever hosted. Decorations were simple — green balloons hung upside down and circles featuring portraits of Einstein that coordinated with the invitations we'd designed. (They matched the party favors as well.)

The first part of the party was filled with experiments showcased by Kiasa from Science Explorers of NY (they were wonderful — you can see my post about them by scrolling down or clicking here). And afterwards, it was time for lunch: pizza (delivered mid-party by our favorite local pizza shop) plus strawberries and bananas. But to keep it science-y, we started the meal with a blind-folded taste test between two different chocolate milks.




By the time the taste tests were done, Kiasa and her talented assistant Emily had already cleaned up all their equipment and were packed and ready to go. So efficient!

When lunch was finished, it was time for cupcakes and candles. Brain-y cupcakes of course. (I know. I know. The cupcakes are a little too gross/creepy/cheesy, but you can not believe how awesome they were with the 4th grade crowd.) Edit: for everyone that's loving the brain cupcakes, take a look at this full on brain cake I found at Cookie.




Hooray for Maude turning 10 years old! Hooray for successful parties!

Lots more Young Einstein party photos here.

Young Einstein Party Activities

Kiasa, from Science Explorers of New York came to our home with her trusty assistant Emily. We had the decorations and food ready to go and they did all the rest. They came 30 minutes before the party started and had things set up in a snap.

As soon as the guests arrived, everyone circled the table, put on their safety goggles and the experiments began.




First, all the kids made their own cup full of fake snow. Spongy and fascinating. I was too busy taking pictures to listen to Kiasa explain what it was made of and how it was formed, but the kids were all paying rapt attention.



Second, everyone made their own batch of green slime. Stretchy. Gooey. Everything green slime should be.



Third, it was time to make gooey worms in 3 different colors.



Fourth, on to the liquid nitrogen demonstrations. Kiasa showed what happened to a balloon placed in liquid nitrogen. Then, froze a bag of marshmellows — and let us sample their crunchiness. And that was followed by mixing and freezing a batch of ice cream almost instantly.


And the whole time, Kiasa was engaging the kids with interesting questions and just enough info that it didn't feel like a lecture. It was really fun, and really fast moving. Time just flew by. And I could concentrate on taking photos. Which is exactly as it should be.

The guests seemed to love it and my own kids did for sure. They've been talking about it nonstop since Saturday morning. An ideal party for any child in grade school. I would have this party again in a heartbeat.

More photos of the Young Einstein party here.

Young Einstein Party Favors

For party favors, the guests were able to take home samples of all the experiments they'd made (green slime, fake snow, etc.), so we didn't really need to come up with anything else. But because Maude is a maker, we decoupaged mini-clipboards as well, filled them with graph paper and tied on a green pen. [Edit: I heard about this cute idea from my friend Megan. Thanks for the inspiration, Megan!]





Kiasa brought white favor bags as part of the Science Explorers of NY party package. We added these green circles — attached with double-sided tape — to tie them into our party theme. They say: Thank you for coming to Maude's Young Einstein party. Yay for cool science!

Lots (lots!) more Young Einstein party photos here.

Snow Day

After a week or so of spring-like weather, we woke to piles and piles of snow. It's gorgeous. And since we were able to have a warmish break, I don't even mind the snow shoveling at all.

The kids are home. I've already had a mug of hot cocoa. And we'll probably spend the day working on a puzzle and taking advantage of this unexpected opportunity to go sledding.

I've got a couple of great posts coming your way — the main one being a report of Maude's Young Einstein Party — with lots of pics! I'm crossing my fingers I'll be able to squeeze in some computer time...

photo credit