Do You See What I See?

The cherries are starting to ripen.

Both Ben Blair and I grew up with cherry trees in our yard. And we both have parallel memories of cherry pit spitting contests. Cherries feel like summer. What are your summer foods?

A New Trowel

Last night's main course was a vast salad which included greens and sugar snap pees from our own backyard. It reminded me that I never regret time and effort spent attempting to grow food. So after dinner, we gathered the kids and used the rest of the evening to weed the garden spot. Then we ate Grandma Jenny's famous slush for a treat (which tastes a lot like someone froze a carton of pine-orange-banana juice).

Thing I learned: my trowel is a piece of junk and must be replaced. Possibly with the beauties pictured above from Labour & Wait.

The End

My kids have been watching Michael Jackson music videos all weekend while we've tried to explain the (pop) cultural significance of Thriller. Anyone else? It feels like the end of an era.

Speaking of "the end," Laurie just sent me the link to a fantastic flickr set put together by Dill Pixel.




The typography on this one is so delicious.

Clever Birthdays

I loved getting emails about both of these darling parties. A Yoga Party featured at Honeyflake, with adorable invitations rolled up like yoga mats and cheerful mandala tees.



And a Mr. Man Party for a set of triplets featured at Full House, with mustache lollies and a banner of neckties.

For moms who need a creative outlet, sometimes hosting clever birthday parties is just the thing.

Cookie Posts

A couple of my recent posts you won't want to miss at Cookie's Nesting blog.

1) A roundup of ginormous summer totes.
2) And these really beautiful fire extinguishers you won't mind having on the kitchen counter.

S. Stein Workbags

I'm coveting an S. Stein Workbag. The line of bags and accessories is gorgeous. And the product photos make me happy. Also. This is fun: Sherry Stein, the designer behind the line, is a Colorado girl. Nice.

Tip Junkie

I was so delighted with Laurie at Tip Junkie's request to interview me for her Talk To Me Tuesday series. You can see my answers here. Thanks, Laurie! I had a great time.

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String — by Guest Mom Stacy

My heart is both heavy & racing. Heavy because it is Friday, my last day as guest mom. I was soooo scared (read: intimidated) to do this, feeling in the presence of greatness each time I read Design Mom. But once I started, it felt like a window was opened, with the best cool wind breezing through. My mind flooded with all sorts of things I wanted to share. But would anyone care to read them? Can’t stop — it felt so great to write, and post, and rush home from “regular” work to see my post on a real live blog. With real live comments. From real live wonderful people. I might just have to keep writing. Funny how you can fit things in when they truly feed your soul.

So for my last post, I’ve collected a sort of “favorite things” list (I love reading lists!) Things that are essential in my world. Things that in common, share a sort of beauty, comfort, & simplicity.

1. Gap boyfriend jeans. Please believe, after 17 years, I have amassed quite a collection of jeans. And I have donated many of those. My definition of a great pair of jeans are any pair I can wear on my day off — because I WANT to. And these are the best pair Gap has ever ever made. I actually have 2 pairs, as does my friend Jen. We nearly sold out of them before they hit the sales floor because so many associates bought them. They are that good!



2. Waldorf mobiles. My best friend from college first discovered these at a Waldorf school in new york. She hung one in her daughter’s room, and I have been smitten ever since. Wool roving is such an amazing material. Paired with stars — unmatched in its beauty.



3. Ruth Krauss & Maurice Sendak. I first discovered the book A Hole Is to Dig at an Anthropologie store a few years ago. I was captivated by the tiny drawings & brilliant definitions of everyday things. A couple years later, I happened upon Charlotte and The White Horse and I'll Be You and You Be Me. Again, the sweet line drawings coupled with moving words written by an adult yet echoing the true sentiment of childhood proved that the collaboration of these two was nothing short of magical. Whether you have children or not, little or grown, I promise you will love these books. They’ll make you smile, they’ll bring a tear to your eye, because that special optimism & innocence of childhood never ever leaves you. Thank goodness.




4. Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips. When I was little, I thought it was so special to have chocolate chips in the house (my mom did not care to bake, so when chips were around, it was something!) I vowed that “when I grow up…” I will always have chocolate chips on hand. And I do. And these are the best. I truly eat them every day. We (I) go through a bag a week. At least. They are good mixed with cereal (no milk). They are good on ice cream. And they are good alone. Go buy some now. You won’t be sorry. (Oh—they are good for baking, too. But I don’t very often because as a grown-up I am responsible enough to know that I will eat the lion’s share of the cookies. And my kids will get mad.)



5. Robert Ryan. In a way, Rob Ryan is not about simplicity. Or comfort. But beauty — for days! I recently discovered his work and cannot stop looking at it. Rob is an artist in London who creates exquisite works with scissors & paper — which I guess at its heart is simple, but oh, the detail! I gave his book This Is for You to my husband for father’s day, and pray that someday we can own one of Rob’s breathtaking works of art.

I know I could go on, but I will stop here. 5 is a tidy list.

Thank you Gabrielle. For blindly believing that I could be a guest mom in the footsteps of so many other great ones before me. For your kind readers and their kind comments. For the joy I have felt writing and sharing this week I wish I could wrap it all up in a bow and send it to you. You’re the best!

Watch

Did I tell you what Ben Blair gave me for my birthday? This rad watch.

When the hip girls from Brooklyn would move to my neighborhood in New York, I would study them for the latest in cool. Amy Palmer, who is effortlessly stylish, would wear a Casio. Or sometimes a calculator watch (remember those?).

Once Upon A Time — by Guest Mom Stacy

Magazines became a part of my being at age 11 when I decided I wanted a haircut, a short one. My mom is a beautician, but trained in the 60’s, she was more comfortable with beehives & back-combs. So she bought me my first fashion magazine ever. Seventeen magazine. I was hooked. At eleven. So many things to see, to learn, to want to be. And I found a haircut.

I craved every new issue—I think I still have the one with Whitney Houston (as a model) on the cover, eating a giant ice cream cone & wearing a sweater dress whose pattern was in the magazine (did I mention this was like 1982? And no, even though I begged, my grandma would not knit me the dress, as I was only 12, not 17).

By high school, it was Seventeen, Teen, YM (sometimes, not a huge fan), & the queen of teen mags, Sassy. How unbelievably crushed was I when it disappeared. How could I go on without Sassy’s witty commentary & solid advice? But go on I did.



To college, where I had now enlisted the likes of Details, Elle, Vogue, Bazaar, Interview, & Mirabella. The occasional splurge of British or Italian Vogue might cause me to skip a meal or two, but it was so worth it. I lived through those pages, shaping my world, what I would someday surround myself with, after this collegiate journey. Then, no Mirabella. Gone. The way of Sassy. It’s existence as ethereal as the images by Paolo Roversi. I was sad.

Then came Martha. Martha Kids. Martha Baby. And Real Simple. And Country Living. And Domino. Blueprint. Cookie. Wondertime. I had a lot of reading to do! But each one brought something different, something essential. There were piles in the car, while I waited at preschool. The reason my purse is as big as I am—to carry mags, of course. Oh, I must mention here that I also keep many of these. Forever. Not in a weird, stepping over piles in my house way, but in a necessary, these magazines contain a world of important images, articles, and inspiration that I might well need someday way.

And thank goodness I did. Because so many of them are now gone. And I can honestly say that for a time, like after I realized there would be no more Blueprint, no more Domino — ever — I wondered how I would ever find that collection of visual inspiration in my life. It felt like something was dying.

Enter blogs. Without realizing it, they had slowly begun to take magazines’ place in my world. First, Design Mom. Then Oh Happy Day. Then A Cup of Jo. Black Eiffel. Bloesem. Inchmark. Katie did. Simple Lovely. Twig & thistle. Heather Ross. Simply Photo. The list grows every day. All of these amazing visionary women. To you I must say: thank you. You have given back a part of me.

T-shirt Dresses

Stephanie is such a smartie. While purging her wardrobe, she found herself feeling sentimental about a handful of old t-shirts. So she sent them to Prairie Mama and had them remade into sweet dresses for Ivy, her 9-month-old baby girl. Such a great idea. You can see the before t-shirts here.

Print*Pattern*Paper

Print*Pattern*Paper is offering 3 new posters that are worthy of note. A drenched-in-color world map. Plus friendly Number and Alphabet posters — both are successfully gender neutral. They are big, well-priced, and as always, made with 100% recycled heavyweight paper and soy ink — they'd look great in nurseries and playrooms everywhere.

18x24 for $42 or a bit smaller at 11x14 for $32.

Pick out your own poster at a discount. Use coupon code P3THANKS to get 20% off. (Code expires 7/15/09.)

Under A Blanket of Stars — by Guest Mom Stacy

I have always been fascinated by stars. The ones in the sky. We used to visit the planetarium all the time when we were little. I even recall wanting to be an astronomer for a brief moment, until I realized that there was more math involved than I was willing to commit to. I just wanted to look at the stars. All the milky, glittery shapes they swirl in the night sky. Under a blanket of stars.

Flash forward—2002. Jasper had just been born, & one of the books I had purchased for his room was H.A. Rey’s The Stars. The colors on the cover, not to mention the content, were a must-have. Plus anything by H.A. Rey is pure genius. I had been toying with the idea of starting a baby blanket business with a friend from college. I had another dream about turning the zodiac constellations into a blanket (I dream a lot! Not sleep, just dream). But how?

We tried a bunch of things. There were a few “for-sures”—muslin, gingham, & ric-rac, especially the giant ric-rac we got in New York. As for the stars, we settled on felt circles. The results were less than stellar. Not bad, but not exact.

2007—after sharing countless felting books & ideas, Jen & I were well on our way creating seven smooches. I wanted to incorporate the constellation blankets. Still wasn’t sure how to do the stars. Then, I discovered needlefelting. Perfect! Not only are there a zillion brilliant shades of wool out there, it’s fun! Pounding that roving into the muslin & batting can be cathartic.



The constellation blankets have now had three incarnations in 7 years. Don’t stop believin’.

Cannot See

Isn't this blind-embossed print neat?

What you need
but cannot see
is right in front of you.

18 x 24 inches. Available at Jen Khoshbin's shop.

Bloom Baby Alma Crib

I just received an email about the new Alma crib from Bloom Baby. It looks great. Smaller footprint than a standard crib and it stores super compactly. It would be a smart move for an apartment, or for a bedroom needs to make room for more than one sibling.

Until Betty was two she slept in a small hotel crib with a similar size to the Alma (but admittedly less style). I much preferred it to our standard size crib. It's so easy to store that I've kept it for guests.

What Once Was — by Guest Mom Stacy

Seven Smooches was founded on pieces made from repurpose fabrics. This was not our sole purpose. It just sort of happened. We felted sweaters, cut them up, made tiny new sweaters & hats. Then we brought in vintage buttons — so much prettier & more interesting than the standard new ones. We were being green without really trying. How au currant! Unintentional, but a great side effect.

I didn’t really realize that I have often been drawn to repurposed things, not solely for their environmental friendliness, but for their beauty. Pure & simple.

My husband is from south Africa and we have had the privilege of traveling there a couple of times. So many amazing things to see — and take home! One of my favorite finds had a previous life. The plastic bag animals really came into being after plastic bags were banned in cape town. The bags were a litter nightmare, blowing all over & into the ocean. But with some wire & a crafty hand, they became these amazing little creatures we had to bring home! I still recall stopping on the side of a very slanty road, bartering with a man until we ended up acquiring nearly all of his animals for sale. They were the exact treats I wanted to bring back to my family and friends at home, not to mention keep in my house forever.

The chickens are available online here.

Rocking Chair Project

So this house we're renting comes with a pretty fantastic yard. There are mature fruit trees — cherry, apple and peach. Two strawberry patches and a raspberry bramble. An herb garden. Lots of good cutting flowers. A large garden spot (large for suburbia anyway) which we've planted with tomatoes, peppers, summer squash, melons, pumpkins, salad greens and beans. Plus a good sized patio/deck with an awning.

We left our outdoor furniture behind in New York and have yet to replace it. In lieu of the traditional table and benches, I'd like to fill our patio with an assortment of rocking chairs instead. I'm thinking 7 mis-matched rockers in bright colors. I've set a budget limit of $50 per chair and now I'm hunting them down.

On Saturday I found a great turquoise rocker in metal for $75 that I hope to barter down this week. And a squatty, bright yellow one in front of a costume store. It wasn't for sale, but if I show up with cash, maybe they'll change their minds?

I'm willing to add a coat of paint to a non-descript rocker, or embellish with colorful cushions, but I do want to challenge myself to keep to the $50 per chair budget. If you've seen any rad rockers around, please let me know.

Also: if you live in the Denver metro area and know of a trustworthy upholsterer, I'd love a recommendation. Please. Pretty please?

image from kitby

Hammock

How was your Father's Day? How was your weekend?

I loved ours. Here's a report. Saturday, Ben Blair took the kids swimming while I explored vintage furniture stores on Broadway. I'm searching for rocking chairs (more on that later).

On Sunday, Ben Blair received a stripey hammock. Which was promptly taken over by the kids. I helped serve pie to all the men at church — apparently it's a Father's Day tradition in our new congregation. I like it. (And I'm thinking a big stack of Krispy Kremes would have been even yummier and easier. Possibly I'll make the suggestion next year.) We made our favorite sandwiches (they're called 8 to 5's) for lunch and had peach pie for dessert. And made a big pitcher of homemade lemonade so that Ben Blair would have something to drink while he lounged in his new hammock.

Then, late last night we made a huge batch of granola that I'm betting won't last the week and settled the big kids down with a chapter of Harry Potter Six (we're trying to refresh our memories by getting it re-read before the movie comes out).

I was homesick for my Dad. Jordan posted great pictures of my siblings and parents in matching shirts in front of the house I grew up in — and they made me happy.

I Have A Dream — by Guest Mom Stacy

If you have never washed a wool sweater & shrunk it into nothing, I highly recommend you do. It wasn’t until my friend Jen did ( her brother’s xxl grey Shetland) & turned it into a tote bag that I was curious. Then I had the dream. The dream of the tiny wool kimono (greyish-ivory) with the stand-up collar & big buttons. It was one of those dreams that wakes you up & stays with you for days. This is what we need to do.

Not that we weren’t satisfyingly busy already. Jen has 5 children (10,7,7,6, & 3), & I have 2 (12 & 7) as well as a full time job as a visual merchandiser in a well-known retailer (rhymes with lap). We met one another as co-room parents in the preschool where 4 of the seven smooches were in class together. We had the extra-curricular portion of motherhood somewhat covered, but we had to do this. The felt. The kimono. The babies — all too delicious to ignore!

And before we knew it, we were sewing. And designing. A new hat. A cardigan. A poncho—or is it a skirt? We applied to a juried art show & held our breaths. Could we really do this? But as any mother knows, whether you have 1 or 2 or 5 or 10 children there is no time to ask that question. Could we really do this? Yes, you can do anything you believe you can.

Welcome Stacy!

I'm so delighted to introduce this week's Guest Mom. Her name is Stacy and and she's endlessly creative. You've seen her gorgeous work featured on this very blog here and here. I've had the opportunity to meet Stacy in person. Twice. And can tell you she's just as kind and lovely as you can imagine. I've really only had a few minutes with her, but she feels like an old friend. Plus, she spoiled my family with this generous gift. So I can't help but adore her. Here's a delightful introduction to Stacy written in her own words:

If you would have told me last year that I would be a guest mom on this very blog, I would have nervously laughed & said “o-k”, with a sarcastic lilt, secretly longing for you to be right. I was reading Design Mom religiously, not wanting to miss anything, when I saw that Gabrielle was going to Utah to speak at the Startup Princess retreat.

Knowing that it was next to crazy to think that Jen & I could up & leave for a long weekend across the country, I rushed to her house to tell her we haaaaaad to go! She wasn’t sure why, but she trusted my judgement, & off we went. The opportunity to meet Gabrielle was akin to meeting (insert rock star here). And she did not disappoint. Her kindness & talent shone like a star that still burns bright in my mind. Daily.

I grew up & live outside Chicago, with my lovely family (one husband, one girl, one boy, one dog). The incessant need to create started early (probably that tiny Barbie quilt we made in brownies—thanks, mom), & has never stopped. Even when there is no time. Which feels like always.

Jen is an amazing friend & my business partner. Together we began seven smooches, a line of children’s clothing & accessories made from repurposed & natural fabrics. We share a love of sewing, kiddies, coffee, chocolate, books, felt, & the creativity that invades every corner of life if you let it.

After studying classical music in college, I decided I really wanted to be a fashion stylist. Having my own children now, I cannot believe that we request they know what they want to do for the rest of their lives at say, age 17. Preposterous! Since no one in the Midwest knew what a stylist was, I moved to London. Searched for my purpose, met my husband, started working in retail (close, right?). 17 years on, I realize that you search for your purpose daily, but come closest to finding it in your family, your friends, & your art. Whatever that may be.

Thank you, Stacy! We're so glad you're here. Please make yourself at home.

Books by Color

Last night, we organized the book shelves in the living room by color — they've been so drab every time I walked by, I'm hoping this will be the fix. You like?

Other than that, it feels like a funny day. I wonder what's up? We returned an air mattress at Target. Then bought a new lamp shade. And some light bulbs. I went grocery shopping. We made cinnamon rolls (the super easy Rhodes version).

Now all I want to do is watch movies until it's time for bed.

Feel free to join me. Happy weekend!

How To Build A Giant Table

Okay friends. Here it is. My attempt at instructions or at least an explanation of how to build the giant table. With lots of photos. And more notes than you probably want. If you're nervous to try it, remember that all I had to go from is some sketches I'd made on a legal pad and the picture of the table from Downtown Chic. So you're already way ahead of me. FYI: the finished table measures 33" high x 53" wide x 107" long.



First, we spent an afternoon assembling materials. We used:
2 two x eight boards, 8 feet long each
2 two x eight boards, 46 inches long each
2 pieces of 1/2 inch plywood, 48 inches x 53 inches
1 piece of 1/2 inch plywood, 11 inches x 53 inches
6 two x four boards, 46 inches long each
4 two x two boards, 8 feet long each, cut to assorted lengths
4 four x four fence posts, 32 inches long each

A full sheet (60" x 114") of metal from Denver Heating & Air Conditioning. Before we left, they used their industrial metal folding machines to make a 1/2 inch lip around each edge so that we didn't cut ourselves while handling the metal.



Costs:
-The lumber was just under $80 at Home Depot.
-The sheet metal was just over $50.
-My nephew already had some long screws (about 4 inches) and a box of black nails.
-We eventually decided we would want to attach the legs with bolts, so that we could easily remove the legs. Sixteen heavy-duty bolts and washers, etc, were about $50 at True Value.

Once we had the materials assembled, we built the table top base. (And I should note, whenever I say "we" I mostly mean my nephew Josh.)



We formed a rectangle using all four of the eight x two boards. The short pieces went inside the long pieces. We secured this box together at all 4 corners with 4 inch screws.



Once the outer rectangle was formed, we laid the six 46" two x fours across the bottom. We attached those with screws from the outside. Then we flipped it over.



Next, it was time to attach the top surface of the table — the wood we would eventually attach the metal to. We couldn't buy a single piece of plywood that was big enough, so we used 3 pieces. Two large pieces and one small one in the middle.



We attached the 3 plywood pieces to the table top base by screwing into the two x four boards through the plywood. Once attached, they formed a rectangle that measured 53 inches x 107 inches.



When the plywood sheets were securely attached, it was time to add a lip around the edge — something to wrap the sheet metal around. We used lengths of two x two board, held them in place with clamps, then screwed in through the plywood to attach them.




And tada! Phase one was complete. During phase two we added the metal top. During phase three we added legs. Here's phase two:

We laid the piece of metal on the ground, top side facing down. Then placed the upside-down table top base on top of the metal.



We marked and trimmed the corners of sheet metal. You can enlarge the images to see our technique. Then we hammered and hammered and hammered the metal until it would keep it's shape wrapping around the table base. We used nails to secure the metal to the bottom of the table top lip.



With the table top complete, we moved it into the room where it would eventually live. (It's incredibly heavy. Seriously.) And then we attached the legs.



The fence posts were nestled inside each corner and secured with clamps. Then we drilled four holes through the table base sides and completely through the fence posts. Two holes on each side. For each leg, four bolts went through four holes and were secured with nuts and washers. If/when we ever have to move the table through a doorway, it will be easy to remove the legs.



And that's it. We turned the table on its feet and it was ready to use.

Except. A few days later, we realized some air pockets had formed between the metal and the plywood beneath. So we did a pretty major fix. Josh's whole family came to help out. We took out every single nail and removed the metal top. We squirted three bottles of Gorilla Glue onto the backside of the metal, spread the glue evenly and placed the top back on the table.




We weighted the metal top down with every heavy thing in the house we could find. A couple of cinder blocks. Books. Boxes of files and papers. (Luckily, Ben Blair is a PhD and has oodles of boxes of paper and books.) We let the glue dry overnight, then removed all the weight and re-nailed the metal under the lip. Obviously, if we were building again, we would have done the glue part before we hammered and nailed the metal the first time.



Other Notes:
1) Our table is at a non-regular height. 30" is standard table height. 36" is standard counter height. Our table is 33" and works best with a 20" workstool. If you wanted a higher table, you could just use longer pieces of fence post. You could make the table shorter, but you might not be able to sit around it comfortably because the two x eight boards extend down quite far — making it hard to tuck knees under if you were sitting on a standard height chair. If you want a standard 30" table, you would be wise to use two x six boards instead of two x eight boards.

2) Since we didn't really know what we were doing, I intentionally picked a table style that would be rough and allow for building mistakes. Let this give you courage if you attempt a table as well. The more scratches, rough spots and gouges the better.

And that's it. Amazing! We still haven't aged the table and are considering our options. I'll definitely report back when I decide what to do. If you end up making a table too, please let me know. I'd love to hear how it turns out.

Josh, the main builder on this project (and the handsome guy in the blue polo shirt here) started a two-year proselyting mission yesterday. I know it's only been a day, but my whole family already misses him like crazy. Thank you, Josh!

Mish Mish Market Tees

Pick an image from the Inner Toddler collection at Mish Mish Market and it will be sent to you as an iron on transfer — one large image or three small ones. So cute! You could let your kids pick out the images they think look most like them.

I think this is such a great idea. It's like a super-bargain custom tee.

Design Your Life

I don't know where sisters Julia and Ellen Lupton live, but I wish they were my neighbors and that we had a standing lunch date on Fridays.

I think you should go buy their book, Design Your Life, right away. It is a fascinating work. Filled with all sorts of information you didn't realize you wanted to know. Like how to make odd stuffed animals and a basic tutorial on fonts and why you should probably be irritated by suitcases with wheels.

It does not need to be read from front to back — you can flip to pretty much any page and find something engaging — which makes it the perfect book to have near your sofa or nightstand or wherever you might want something interesting to distract you for a few minutes.

The writing is smart and the illustrations (all done by Ellen) will make you smile. $16 at Amazon — I promise you will not have buyer's remorse. I bought 3 copies as gifts last week.

Scarves

I pretty much hope the scarf trend never fades. They're so easy to add to an outfit. And they make everything look cooler. I like these summery offerings from Snoozer Loser.

Family Tree

Ben Blair's cousin, John Groberg, has come up with a cool new online service. Take the pile of ancestral photos you've been collecting, and use Geneartogy to turn them into an elegant family tree — printed, delivered to your door, ready to be framed. Wouldn't Martha be proud?

If you'd love to make such a display but don't know how to start, take a minute to read John's advice:

"You might feel intimidated at the prospect of collecting all the photos, names and dates. Don't be. You do not need to have everything assembled before you start. Just start with what you have — even if it is only your parents, then add more as you go. We store it all on our site and you can log in and work on your project whenever you want from wherever you are. If there are a few photos that just aren't available, don't let that stop you either. You can input the names and dates and use an attractive looking male or female silhouette (which we provide) in the photo place."

There are currently 3 templates to choose from and Geneartogy is looking to add more. If you're a graphic designer and would like to design additional options, contact John through his website — I know he's looking to hire.

I'm such a fan of any family photo displays. I totally think I'm going to try this.

Oahaca Windups

I posted my Father's Day Picks a couple of weeks ago. But when I saw these Oahaca pullstring windups, I thought I would add them to my list.

My own Dad was fond of "grown up" toys — the kind of things all ages like to fiddle with and enjoy — something cool-looking to sit on a desk or dresser. Throughout the year, my whole family would be on the watch for the hip new thing to give him for Father's Day or his birthday. These sophisticated wind up creatures would fit the bill perfectly.

Available at Kikkerland. Thanks for the tip, Anne!

Heath Bar Cake

For those of you emailing me requests, here is Becky's Heath Bar Cake Recipe:

1 chocolate cake mix
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 small jar butterscotch topping (if you're a whiz in the kitchen, you could make your own)
12 ounces whipped cream
4 chopped Heath Bars

-Prepare the cake according to directions on package and bake in a 9x13 pan.
-While still hot, use a wooden spoon handle to poke holes in the top of the cake.
-Pour condensed mile evenly over the top, then pour butterscotch topping evenly over that.
-Sprinkle half the the chopped bars over the top.
-Refrigerate at least 3 hours.

-After refrigeration, spread whipped cream over cake, then sprinkle with remaining Heath pieces.

Shelby, the talented babysitter that has been helping me this summer, whipped this up for us on Monday. Mmmmmm.

Small Magazine, Summer 09

Have you seen the latest issue of Small Magazine? It is a delight. You will love it.

Other things to love:

-Ben Blair surprising me with real (no carton of caramel syrup involved) breakfast in bed this morning because I was too sick on my actual birthday. Waffles with strawberries fresh from our garden and whipped cream. Plus sausage and eggs, of course. Isn't Ben Blair wonderful?

-A ginormous Whole Foods opened yesterday just down the street. This morning, after swim lessons, we stocked up on our favorite chocolate milk. We haven't been able to find it since we moved and we were going through withdrawals.

Casa Bonita

In the midst of the mini-family reunion last week, my lovely mother-in-law Julia took the whole clan to Casa Bonita for dinner. Casa Bonita is something of a Denver Institution. The food is not worth mentioning, but I can't think of a more fun place to bring your children. Oscar was entranced.

I think their menu design is charming.

Weekend Report

What a weekend! I had a great time meeting new friends and talking social media on Friday night and Saturday morning. Thank you to all those who came out for the Hands On classes. Woot! Thanks to The Cup and The Curtis Hotel for hosting.

There are 6 more FREE sessions happening this week in 3 different states.

-In Utah on Tuesday and Wednesday — with treats from Les Madeleines! Yum.
-In Texas on Wednesday and Thursday.
-In Arkansas on Saturday.

If you can attend, you'll be glad you did! Find out more info here.

Sunday was my birthday. I've had a dumb cold that I've been trying to work through for half a week, but on Sunday morning I gave up and decided to spend the day in bed. (That's really all I wanted for my birthday. It was nice to have a good excuse.) Oscar and Betty brought me breakfast in bed — a green apple, a nectarine, a vanilla yo-baby yogurt and a container of caramel syrup. Mmmmmm.

While lounging the entire day (so luxurious!), I started and finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It is so good. Stop what you're doing and go get a copy right now.

At the end of the day, wonderful Becky dropped by with all the ingredients for a Heath Bar Cake. (Thank you, Becky!) I'm feeling much better today and cake baking sounds like the perfect activity.

What about you? How was your weekend?

Orisinal Games

Kara sent me a link to Ferry Halim's collection of Orisinal games. They are beautiful, and dare I say soothing? I knew I would like them as soon as I saw the page — all those little icons are so pretty.

What Kara said about them is just right: "There are a ton of games here that are child-appropriate but the graphics are really sweet and sophisticated, so I appreciate them as well. Sometimes, when I'm completely overwhelmed at work and feel like my brain is starting to melt and I just need to clear my mind, I will go this site, play a game for 10 minutes and feel so much better."

Kara recommends Bumble Bees, Cranky Crabs and Wake-Up Call.

Wee See

Ladies. I think we've found the next Baby Einstein. But it's way cooler. Well designed. And completely fascinating to watch. It's called Wee See.

You can read about it here. "Part art installation, part pacifier, Wee See is a collection of black-and-white animations built from basic shapes to delight both child and parent. As vision develops slowly over the first months of life, Wee See provides surfaces of bold, well-defined artwork to engage your baby’s curious mind and bring the screen to vibrant life."

Or even better, you can watch examples here.

wee see - collection one from Rolyn Barthelman on Vimeo.

Tees for the Not-Urban Crowd

Charmed by the t-shirts (and onesies) at Southern Brand's Company Store. Lots more if you click through.

Some sentiments seem explicitly Southern. Others make me think of my Western upbringing. Kind of surprised there's so much overlap — I had no idea.

Giveaway — $150 Layette from Zutano

Another great Giveaway today — win a layette from Zutano! The winner will receive a $150 shopping spree toward any items in Zutano's Itsy Bitsy line. And when they say itsy bitsy, they mean it. This line is only available for newborns — two sizes to fit 4-8 pound and 9-13 pound babies.



The spring patterns are bright and sweet with flowers and snails and toys and tractors. I think Celery Dot is my favorite. Available in every sort of clothing you need for a new baby. Gowns, bodysuits, kimonos, leggings, dresses, blankets and on and on. So sweet!

Leave a comment to enter. Happy weekend, friends! I'll announce a winner on Tuesday morning.

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Congratulatons, Windhula! You are the winner. Happy shopping. Yay!

Design For the Other 90% & Other Links Big and Small

A few links I've been wanting to share = time for a Friday link list.

1) Design For the Other 90%. I'd really like to see this traveling exhibit. The basic premise: “The majority of the world’s designers focus all their efforts on developing products and services exclusively for the richest 10% of the world’s customers. Nothing less than a revolution in design is needed to reach the other 90%.” —Dr. Paul Polak, International Development Enterprises

2) Is it the cutest 12 second video ever? I think yes. Allison is SOOOOO close to winning the scholarship she deserves. Go vote for her here. It's super easy — no registration. Just click over, scroll down and click Me + Italy.

3) Make your own scratch-off Father's Day card. It's like a lotto ticket. But you can't lose.

4) I love this story of parents doing the best they are able for their child. Help spread the word about the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation. GSF seeks to raise awareness about and fund research for Spinal Muscular Atrophy and support those impacted by SMA and other life-altering diseases.

5) It's hard to stop staring at these pretty soda bottles.

6) Starting this Sunday, please take part in the 3-day silent auction on behalf of Carol Decker. Carol went to the hospital to deliver a baby, but came away blind and as a triple amputtee. Show your support for this young and beautiful family.

7) Look what's coming to Ikea in time for Christmas shopping.

8) Come see me at free Hands on Social Media sessions tonight and tomorrow in Denver and Boulder. More sessions in other cities next week.

9) I think I'm going to make this string sphere for Oscar and Betty's room. Maybe in yellow? Via Say Yes to Hoboken.

10) Photo class/Playdate? Sounds like my kind of get together.

Kimono Robe

The product presentation of these robes is quite fantastic. And the robes themselves look gorgeous. Yes, please. From Plum Pretty Sugar's etsy shop.

The Bloggess is Beautiful

I just paid a visit to The Queso. Girl con Queso was one of my very first internet friends. (Now we are even business partners.) The Queso fell almost silent for awhile there (such sadness!), but the post frequency is increasing again lately and I couldn't be happier about it. Look what I found there today:

The ever-talented Katherine Center (She writes books and has fantastic handwriting? I'm awestruck once again.), painting the last paragraph of her latest book, Everyone Is Beautiful, on the beautiful body (which encases the brilliant and hilarious mind) of Jenny the Bloggess. And the whole event was recorded through the unerring lens of Karen of Chookooloonks.

You can see the whole gorgeous set of photos here. I would have been thrilled to be in attendance at such an event. Maybe we can get them to do a re-enactment at BlogHer.

Leslie Lewis Jewelry

Part of the fun of exploring a new-to-me-city is finding the talented locals. I'm lovely the shiny, happy baubles at Leslie Lewis Designs. Based in Broomfield, a town just north of Denver.

Vintage Printable

Friends! Find of the year!!!

Vintage Printable has FREE high resolution images of botanicals, architectural prints, old travel posters, and all sorts of other lovely things (like the two examples above). There are dozens and dozens, maybe hundreds and hundreds are gorgeous options. The illustrations are curated by Swivelchair, an anonymous biopharma worker.

To be clear, the images have a high enough resolution, that you can print them up poster size and they'll still look great — not pixelated or fuzzy.

Print one out on the oversize printer at your local copy center, then frame it in a ready made option and you've got fantastic wall art on the cheap. See a great example here.

Sent in by Laurie who spotted it on I Suwannee.

What Are You Doing This Weekend?

So I'm secretly wishing this week will fly by because I'm crazy looking forward to this weekend's Hands On Social Media sessions. There's one in Boulder on Friday night and in Downtown Denver on Saturday morning. You should totally join me. It's the perfect opportunity to learn more about twitter, flickr, blogs, and other ways to publish things, promote things, and spy on high school boyfriends.

Friday, June 12th at 7:00 PM
-Location: The Cup
-1521 Pearl St., Boulder, CO 80302 (303) 449-5173
-Click here to save your spot.

Saturday, June 13th at 9:00 AM
-Location: The Curtis Hotel
-1405 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80202 (303) 571-0300
-Click here to save your spot.

Instead of listening to theories on and pontifications about social media, you'll just get practical, here's how you sign up, here's what you can do with it kind of stuff. Low key. All questions welcome. Bring a laptop for maximum awesomeness. Oh also, speaking of, because Microsoft Office Live is awesome, the whole thing is free. And fun.

Check it out. Tell a friend. Sign up to reserve your spot. Hope to see you there.

Tooby Doo

So great that the renaissance of children's clothing design is still going strong. Look how terrific this line called Tooby Doo is. Makes me grateful that at least two of my kids are small enough to wear this lovely stuff.

Paperless Post

Have 90% of the invitations and announcements you received lately come via email instead of the USPS? Me too. It's a fact of life. So I'm doing my best to embrace it. Here are the prettiest e-invitations I've come across. By Paperless Post (still in beta, I should add).

As a recipient, the first thing you see is a lovely envelope that looks like it's made of a nice cotton-heavy paper stock. When you click the envelope, the flap opens (often the envelope is lined) and the pretty invitation slips out. Kind of lovely all the way around.

For birth announcements, event invitations or moving announcements. They offer lots of papers, ink colors, accent graphics and fonts. A graphic designer could have a hey day messing around with the options — not that I would know.

Little Jules Giveaway

Oh goody! Today's Giveaway is something for you. And something for your sweetheart. Loot worth $200. A beautiful locket from Julian & Co. Plus a handsome pair of cuff links. Just think. If you win, Father's Day shopping will be done and done. Speaking of Father's Day shopping, you might want to use this prize as inspiration for a new tradition: a gift for him that happens to come with a little something for you as well (wink).



Both the locket and the cufflinks are handcrafted from sterling silver and completely customizable. A photo can be added to the locket through a little slot at the top. They are delicate and gorgeous — as are all the pretty offerings at Julian & Co. The cufflinks and locket each retail for $99.00.

Leave a comment to enter. I'll post the winner on Thursday. Yay!

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Congratulations to Randi! You are the lucky winner.

And for those of you who have been waiting, I finally managed to get the winners of last week's John Segal Book Giveaway posted here.

La Maisonette

Stephanie and her husband bought a 400 year old cottage in France. And now they're renovating. You can read updates and reports here. On a scale of 1 to 10, my happiness for them is a 10. This kind of project is absolutely dreamy. That said, my jealously is at a 9. I'm so coveting.

Dearest Stephanie, please keep your eyes open for other pieces of charming real estate in the area.

Letterpress Classes

Did you see these pretty cards Jordan made for Paul? I wish I lived in San Francisco and could take one of her letterpress classes. I noticed the June class isn't full yet — I'm tempted to fly out for it. I'd love to make me some new business cards.

Virtual Lemonade Stand

Yesterday, I had the chance to chat with Kelly Ripa over skype. I'm not even kidding. You can watch Kelly in the interview below or see the side-by-side interview here. (Sincere apologies for my tacky office location with pheasant wallpaper and also for sitting so close to the camera that my giant head is quite fearsome.)

Kelly was calling to get the word out about the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) — a cause she's supported for years and years and something that is near and dear to her heart. She had big news about a great fundraising opportunity going on: everytime someone opens a virtual lemonade stand, Electrolux will donate $1 to OCRF.

It's super easy to open the lemonade stand. I did it this morning and it took about 2 minutes. It didn't cost me anything and now I get to feel entitled for the rest of day due to my good works and contributions to society. : ) You can see my lemonade stand here.

Take a minute to go set up your own virtual lemonade stand. You'll be glad you did. The whole thing is about as charming as fundraising gets. And. Everyone who participates is entered to win a shiny new french door refridgerator from Electrolux.

Also, I want to point out that in addition to being lovely and a great conversationalist, Kelly's arms are cut like superwoman.

Curtis Hotel

As I mentioned earlier, kirtsy is holding a Hands On Social Media session at The Curtis Hotel this Saturday. The Curtis is in Downtown Denver and ever since I linked over there to check it out, I've become kind of obsessed. It looks like it might be the coolest place ever. (Is it me or did I just see a vintage robot on their website?)

I'm kind of psyched to explore the hotel this weekend — the meeting room looks super hip and I heard the restaurant is really good. I'm thinking Ben Blair and I need to schedule a kid-less overnighter to go check out the rooms. (Best idea ever.)

This is J

The girls at This Is J sent me their link and I think their sweatshirt blankets are super pretty. They're available in lots of colors, but I think the one in the photo is my favorite. I'd take one of their umbrellas as well.

Crumbs

While in New York, I stayed at Megan and Ben's house (I would link to them, but I can't seem to talk them into starting a blog). That was easily the best part of the trip. Megan and I stayed up until the wee hours every night. Basically, I would walk through the door at the end of the day — 9:00 or so. Put my bag down. Sit on the couch. And five or six hours later we would finally stop talking and go to bed.



On my last evening there, Ben brought home cupcakes from Crumbs to feed our late night gab fest. Key-lime. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Strawberry. And Red Velvet. The cupcakes were both gorgeous and delicious. And the packaging made me happy.

For this thoughtful and yummy deed, I'm officially awarding Ben Sibbett the Husband of the Year award.

Information we should all be aware of: Crumbs delivers to 48 states.

House Guests

I arrived home from New York late Friday night to a house full of relatives here for a mini-family reunion. It has been non-stop adventure till right this minute when I've stolen some time to sit at my computer and catch my breath.

New York was wonderful. It did wonders for my homesickness. As I mentioned, I was at a photoshoot for a magazine article — I can't share any deets yet, but I promise to mid-August when the article comes out. Cross my heart and hope to die.

The weekend was lovely. My nephew David arrived home from his mission in Italy (with gorgeous Italian leather shoes on his feet, naturally). My nephew Josh (the table builder) gave his farewell report — he'll leave for his mission to Minneapolis next week.

Our house is packed with cousins and aunts and uncles here for the big hello and goodbye. It's wonderful. Happily, on Saturday we hosted a BBQ and finally had the chance to use those charming canning jar votive holders. Gorgeous, no?

June Hands On Sessions!

Have you heard? There are 10 Hands On Social Media sessions being held this month. Woot! I know the news has been flying around twitter, but my travel/work schedule hasn't allowed me to get the word out till now.

I'm super excited about the whole thing. Kirtsy held a handful of these sessions earlier in the year and the response was universally: we want more, please. So we've been working hard to find the right sponsor — and when Office Live heard about Hands On they jumped at the chance to host 10 big sessions this month. FYI: sponsor = free sessions for readers. Nice.

What are Hands On Social Media (HOSM) sessions? Women getting together to learn social media basics in a very cool, non-stressful way. Like how to Twitter. What to do with Digg/Kirtsy. And when Flickr might come in handy. HOSM is like the new tupperware party — but there's nothing to buy. And they're FREE!

June sessions will be held in Charlotte, Denver, Houston, Salt Lake City and Little Rock. You can find dates, times, registration info and more details at HandsOnKirtsy.com.

The first session is in Charlotte tomorrow. It's going to be taught by my kirtsy partner, Laurie, and it is going to be amazing. If you're in the area — and you're a social media newbie — make every effort to be there. Totally worth it, I promise.

This coming weekend, I'll be team-teaching two sessions with the always enthusiastic Gwen Bell:

Friday, June 12th at 7:00 PM
-Location: The Cup
-1521 Pearl St., Boulder, CO 80302 (303) 449-5173
-Click here to save your spot.

Saturday, June 13th at 9:00 AM
-Location: The Curtis Hotel
-1405 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80202 (303) 571-0300
-Click here to save your spot.

To any Colorado peeps who might be reading:
I've been jonesing for a get-together since I moved here — I'd love to meet all the wonderful friends that sent kind emails and cool suggestions of places to check out. If you can make it to the Denver or Boulder sessions, I hope you'll come! It's totally free, you'll learn fun stuff and you'll get to hang out in two of the coolest places in Colorado. And mostly, I'd love to meet you!

Creative People in New York

I'm in New York. Having a terrific time working with a dozen really creative people. We're on location at a photoshoot for a magazine article. The location is my friend's beautiful home in Scarsdale and I'm here as the designer of the bedroom being shot.

I love being around creative New Yorkers — everyone has an interesting story and strong opinions. Spending time with the photographer, stylist, editors and assistants reminded me of this story in the French version of Men Style magazine featuring creative New Yorkers photographed in their homes. The article was especially fun because I know Joanna Goddard and Kendra Smoot — two of the talented people featured.



I don't know this guy, but I sure love his New York advice: Don't be afraid of using snow goggles in the winter, you'll walk faster.

via Say Yes to Hoboken.

John Segal Giveaway

Well hello there! Today's Giveaway has 10 prizes. Which means 10 winners! Which is never a bad thing. John Segal, the first author/illustrator to contact me via this blog, and therefore an internet-friend-for-life, has written and illustrated another fantastic children's book. It's called Far Far Away. And there are 10 copies up for grabs today — all signed by John Segal himself.

My family owns at least 3 titles in the John Segal library and every single one is a hit with my kids. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of Far Far Away — I'm already loving the sneak peeks and blurbs I found on John's blog.




Whether you win or not, there's a pretty cool consolation prize. Email John at bookplates@me.com and tell him you'd like a custom book plate, then send him a self addressed stamped envelope (you can find his mailing address here), and he'll make one up special just for you and send it out.

Leave a comment to enter. I'll announce a winner on Wednesday (oops! I mean Thursday). Now — off to the airport. I've been working on a fun project and the photoshoot is this week in New York. I'll be posting from my old stomping grounds for the next few days.

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Congratulations! The 10 lucky winners are:

1) Chelise
2) Leta Joy
3) Sarah
4) Melanie
5) Michelle
6) Diane
7) Stacey
8) NancyH
9) Amy of Progressive Pioneer
10) Katie @ goodLife {eats}