What a morning. It’s Olive’s 9th birthday today (and Ralph’s 13th birthday tomorrow). We have a tradition of breakfast in bed on birthdays, so I got up extra early to cook some bacon at Olive’s request. The house still smells bacon-y wonderful. Then it was time to get cupcakes ready for Olive’s class. Once the big kids were off to school, the little ones helped me wrap Olive’s presents. She’s obsessed with lime green right now, so we picked out lots of green things and wrapped them like this:
After the presents were wrapped, I started on a project for Ralph’s birthday. (It turned out super cool. I’ll share photos and DIY after Ralph opens the present.) Around 11:15 this morning, I stopped at my computer to check in and the first thing I saw was an email with some very fun news:
Design Mom made Time Magazine’s 50 Best Websites of 2010. (!!!)
Holy moly. I can’t even believe it. I’m completely honored to be listed with sites like Etsy and Babble (who I write for). Of course, Oscar and Betty are impressed that I was listed with Sesame Street. And frankly, I’m not-a-little-stunned to be on any list with sites and services I love and frequent, like The Onion, LinkedIn, Tumblr and TED.
Three big thank yous: 1) thank you to Leap Design for working so hard to make my site awesome, 2) thank you to Time Magazine for the acknowledgment, and 3) thank YOU for reading — your comments and emails always make my day.
kisses,
Gabrielle
P.S. — I shared the news with Ben Blair and he immediately wanted to celebrate. Happily, cake and ice cream are already on the schedule today.
{ 164 comments… read them below or add one }
Next Comments →
Happy Birthday Ralph! My son, Kyle, turned 13 yesterday and everytime your birthday rolls around I remember how great it is that there is another boy out there who has a birthday at the very beginning (or sometimes prior to) the school year. We get a lot of flack about why Kyle isn’t a grade higher and it always makes me feel better to know there is another newly 13 year old eighth grader out there. Too bad we all don’t live closer!
Happy Birthday to Kyle!
Wow! Congratulations. A well-deserved recognition. Keep up the good work.
And Happy Birthday to your kids!
Thanks, Lizzie! I’m excited to share the news with my big kids when they get home from school.
Congratulations! Well-deserved. Yours is a site I visit almost daily, for good reason. It’s a happy place to visit! Enjoy your happy day!
Wow, Mary. What a kind thing to say. Thank you!
Good on you! I happen to agree with TIME!
Congratulations! What a tremendous validation of your work. And also a confirmation of what we, your readers, already knew :-)
Enjoy your many celebrations today!
hi gabielle – first i wanted to say congratulations on the Time nod, but also, belatedly to say that it was nice to meet you at Martha’s Circle party! I can’t believe you have 6 kids! That’s amazing!
It was nice to meet you too, Olga. The Martha folks were such great hostesses. They even found me a quiet place where I could feed Baby June. So nice!
Congrats! You deserve it!
TIME magazine! That is AWESOME Gabrielle! And just like Olive, lime green was my favorite color… through middle school AND high school. Happy birthday to Olive and Ralph!
Congrats, I love reading your site!
Congratulations!! Happy Birthday Olive and Ralph! So much to celebrate!
Congratulations! What a big honor for you and your work! And happy birthday to Olive adn Ralph. :)
Congratulations on this fantastic honor. It is so, so well-deserved. I’m single and childless and not particularly crafty but I still find your posts to be charming, edifying, and endlessly informative. You are such an inspiration!
Congratulations, Gabrielle! Very cool! I love your idea of choosing gifts for your daughter all in the same color palette. What a good idea! I will have to remember that for my own kids birthdays.
Congrats! What an exciting acknowledgment, well deserved for sure. Happy Birthday to Olive and Ralph!!
Congratulations!!! I’m so happy for you – I LOVE your site and you and your lovely family. So sorry I missed your blogher presentation this year, but this nursing momma had to hide in my room and pump. Hope your kids birthdays are awesome – and I just love the idea of color themed presents and wrapping paper! Ingenious, yet again!
I’m not at all surprised! Congrats to you and Happy Birthday to the kids…..
Congrats, I totally agree with Time. I “treat” myself to reading your blog usually mid point of every day after my kids have drifted off to naps and emails have been sent. It helps me feel like a good mom, and a great designer. Love it.
That is SO fabulous (the gifts, and your inclusion in Time- MUCH DESERVED.)
Many well wishes!!
Steph
Congratulations! What an honor! I am not at all surpsised though! You are fabulous!
A big CONGRATULATIONS to you!!!! And by the way, I don’t hate you for being so perfect. I love your site because it’s so upbeat despite all the chaos involved with being a wife and a mother. Plus you introduce us to things and ideas that make us happy. I get so tired of the media trying to tell women that something is missing. Nothing is missing- we can be very happy with what we have around us- namely our children. And fyi- when I am feeling blue- I watch the “Kiki and Coco in Paris” video you linked on your site. I absolutely love it!! Thank you! Gracias! Merci!
well of course you were on the list! checking your blog is one of my favorite treats of the day. part of my nap-time mama recharge. :)
happy birthday to your kiddos… sounds like there will be a lot of celebratin’ these next few days.
Congratulations! Enjoy the cake and birthday celebrations!
Congratulations, very well deserved. And in good company, indeed.
Congrats to you and Happy Bday to Olive and Ralph!
I am hardly surprised that you made the top 50 in Time magazine…I love reading you and all the joy that comes with your very busy life!
Take care
xox
Freida
Congratulations! Amazing job!
That is so very, very exciting… not surprising at ALL… but exciting indeed.
CONGRATULATIONS:).
Happy birthday to both of your children and I love the green themed gifts. Can’t wait to read about the project tomorrow.
Wow! Congratulations to you!!
I LOVE the lime gifts – what a fun idea. Can’t wait to see what’s in store for Ralph. I hope you have a lovely celebration.
Congratulations Gabrielle!!! Of course we all know you rock, btu I’m so happy for you to get this recognition! Enjoy dessert!! :-)
Happy Birthday to Ralph and Olive! Loving the lime green gifts and can’t wait to see Ralph’s gift too!
Holy cats! You are totally famous and I almost know you.
Congratulations! I’m sure there is some scientific/study/evidence/data that would say this, but one of the reasons I think your blog is so lovely and appealing to so many is rooted in your generosity. You are generous with your sources, your personal life, your weaknesses, etc. You are obviously secure enough with yourself to not hold back where you found the “perfect find”. I think that is remarkable and refreshing. (Of course there are MANY other reasons your blog is lovely and appealing–flawless taste and humor being just two.) Celebrate big!
Happy Birthday to your kiddos – my brother and I are one day apart as well, I love getting to celebrate with him.
And congratulations on the Time honor!
NO surprise here!! YOU ROCK GABBY! Happiest of birthdays to both of your dear children.
Happy Birthday to both kiddos! My Gabrielle just LOVES lime green right now too!! She is 11… it must be the “new” color! Congrats on Time, I just love your blog, you deserve it!!!
So much fun for you! I’ve read your sister’s blog every day for over a year, but I’ll have to start frequenting yours as well. Big time congrats!
You go girl! I am so excited for you.
Hip, hip hoooooooray! Yay Design Mom!
Happy Birthday Olive & Ralph and CONGRATULATIONS to you!!! How HUGE and AWESOME is that recognition?!! And very well deserved. Enjoy! :)
YES YES YES,, excellent, congratulations!!!
Congratulations! It is well-deserved. Although, I expect there will now be a whole lot more people that know about your fake boob. ;)
Yay for you! Congrats and happy celebrating a well deserved honor!
What exciting news, and completely deserved! Congrats!! Happy Birthday to your kiddos!
Wow! Congratulations. I can see why though – you’ve become one of my favorite daily reads. Keep up the good work!
Happy Birthday to your little ones…I guess they are not so little now :) Also congratulations on your Time Magazine debute. Your posts always make my day.
Congratulations! And thank YOU for all your hard work. I love my daily dose of Design Mom almost as much as my first cup of coffee. And that, my friend, is a lot.
Cheers and hip hip hooray for the birthdays!
Congratulations! I know I don’t really “know” you, but I’m proud of you anyway :)
Congratulations! That’s an amazing accomplishment. You so deserve it – Design Mom is always an inspiration.
Yay for you! Love love love the lime-green, what a great idea! Congratulations!
HOLY COW! But of course! Babble, Etsy, Sesame Street and Design Mom. You should be there. I’m addicted to this site the most. :-)
Happy birthday to Miss Olive and an early hat tip to Master Ralph. Your life is certainly rich.
Happy Bday to the kiddies, and also a huge Congrats on the Time Magazine accolades. You are so deserving of it!
What an amazingly fun day for your family!
Nice to see that Time has some style and now knows what we’ve all known for a while. ;) Congrats to you!
That is absolutely wonderful! What an honor! Of course you should be celebrated! You are a great example of a mother who is a giver and a nurturer to both her family and very importantly herself. Plus, you have this great creative outlet that many of us are still learning to balance. You’re good. And apparently so is your blog:)
Oops, and a very happy birthday to Olive and Ralph!!:)
So well deserved… seriously!
Happy Birthday Ralph & Olive!
Congrats on the Top 50! It’s such an awesome accomplishment to add to your other equally awesome accomplishments! As always I love your blog! Have fun celebrating =)
happy birthday to your kiddos!
I love the lime green theme. clever!
I thought you would enjoy this picture on my blog..
http://loveandtwentytoes.blogspot.com/2010/08/end-of-summer-love.html
That’s awesome!! Happy Birthday to Olive–one of my favorite nursery kids in NY. She and my Kate are getting so big!
Congrats! Seriously you rock! I want to shadow you for a day;) But only one day because more than that I would be worn out!!! How do you do it:)?!!!
I think this is absolutely a cause for celebration. Congratulations!!! You deserve it. I LOVE this site and always look forward to your posts. xoxoxo
Congratulations!
I really want to say that I love the color palette idea. What a great way to make a big impact no matter what size the gifts.
It’s useable ideas like this–bringing beauty into the small things–that make this one of my favorite websites, too.
Congratulations! You hardwork and heart show through day in and out! Happy birthday to Olive and Ralph!
Congrats! I too, love your site, and I think its a well-deserved thing! :)
Congratulations! I look forward to reading your blog and get so much yummy goodness. It’s delightful to see you recognized!
Congrats! It is well deserved. you are an inspiration to far more than you know.
What incredible news! That’s such a great compliment. You are definitely my first daily blog read. :) I love too how personal you make all of your kids celebrations, and what little individuals they seem to be. Inspires me to pay attention to the little things about my boys…thanks.
that’s GREAT!!! so glad you were recognized. you are still so grounded and….YOU JUST ROCKKKK!
happy bday to your little ones.
Wow! So many exciting things today. 1. I love all the lime green! Everything down to the wrapping paper. Adorable! 2. Happy Birthday to your little and 3. Congratulations! What a wonderful day!
You deserve every bit of that accolade! Congratulations and happy birthday to your darling kids.
WOW!!! Congrats on such a distinction!! And, happy birthday to your cute kids.
So happy for you! No one deserves it more! xoxo
Happy Birthday, Olive & Ralph!
Congratulations!!! You SO deserve it!! Hooray!!
Happy Birthday to Olive and Ralph, too!
Congrats on the top 50! I know you are human and all, but I’m still amazed at how much you do AND have the six kiddos. Go ahead, have two pieces of cake!
Wahoo, congratulations! I’m not surprised in the least, your blog is my favorite! Happy birthday to Olive and Ralph too, have a wonderful time celebrating. :)
Wonderful news, Gabrielle! Well-deserved recognition. :) So exciting.
Happy birthday Olive! today is my birthday too. And congrats on making Time magazine!
Congrats.. way to go… you are such an inspiration to all women esp mom’s out there…..
xxx
CEO
Mazel Tov- I love your blog!-
And I LOVE that even though you are a BIG blogger you still pay attention and comment and send emails to your followers/readers like ME!
Thank YOU!
Congratulations – on all three exciting things! I think you thoroughly deserve your spot in the Top 50. You bring us such interesting and beautiful things every day but each post also has such a warmth that is often lacking from many of the other bloggy arbiters of style and design.
And I hope Olive and Ralph both have very Happy Birthdays. It’s all off to a great celebratory start – I mean, how could that much lime green fail to bring happiness?!
xx
Congratulations! That’s fantastic news….but I have to admit, as a longtime reader I’m not that surprised :)
Congratulations!
What an accomplishment!!
Congratulations! So well deserved. Enjoy celebrating with your beautiful family!
Congratulations!! That is an amazing accomplishment-well deserved, I never miss a day of your blog :)
Happy birthday to your babies. Love the lime green package.
Congrats again-what a great day!
Woot woot! That is wonderful news for you! Your site is stupendous, you hear? A daily must stop.
Aww, happy birthday guys, and congratulations Gabrielle – truly well deserved! Please pass some cake and ice cream my way! And how great do those gifts look?!
What a wonderful day for all of the Blairs! Wow!! Congratulations for all of you.
Congratulations indeed. I’m shocked that you’re writing about this so calmly :)
Horray for Gabby!
What a cool acknowledgement of your great blog. I think I felt a little of that same excited thrill when you mentioned me on Design Mom…YOU ARE the big time!
Enjoy that cake and ice cream. You work hard for it.
And happy happy happy to the kiddos. I can’t wait to see Ralph’s gift!
So wonderful, Gabby! Congratulations on well-deserved acknowledgement of your good work! I’ll be bragging about you to my friends!
Happy Birthday wishes to Olive and Ralph!
the happiest birthday wishes for olive and ralph!! : ) …
and a huge congratulations to you!! you absolutely deserve that recognition. you are such a strong and kind mother, wife, friend, blogger….thank you for sharing your greatness with the world.
p.s. feels pretty darn cool to be a follower of “the best” haha
Congrats Gabrielle! That is very, very cool!
Congrats! That is so neat to be honored in Time Magazine. Well deserved.
Happy Birthday to olive and Ralph. Can’t wait to see what project you did for Ralph!
Please…it’s obvious you are one of the top 50…I tell people, if you aren’t reading Design Mom, you are missing out. Happy Birthday to little Olive and Ralph. Congratulations to you.
Oh so well deserved & happy birthdays to boot!
Oh, Gabrielle, you definitely deserve it! Your site is so refreshing in the hodgepodge that is the internet. Thank you for all your hard work, your interesting topics, letting us see a bit of your life and family, and of course, being such a great inspiration for me! Keep up the great work!!
WOW, that’s awesome – congratulations!!
I love what you wrote in a previous post, about the joy you get from knowing there are beautiful things in this world. I get that same joy from your blog. Thanks for that!
Whoooohoooo! So awesome to be recognized! You deserve it. Congratulations. Happy birthday to Olive too. Love the lime theme and the wrappings…
wowzers! congratulations.
you totally deserve it.
and, i was so excited to open my “womens day” magazine today and see your beautiful face staring back at me! loved the fashion tips…i think my faves were the benetton dress and the riding boots.
Congratulations! Your site it so great! Good luck with the birthday celebrations.
#11, congratulations!!! :D
wow, i always thought you were a graphic designer!!!
enjoy your day!!! we love your site!!
Congrats! What an amazing accomplishment! I know that I have found your story rather inspirational and am striving to create something that would receive the “Design Mom” seal of approval!
Next Comments →