By Gabrielle.

Be prepared. This house is cute. Filled with sweet collections, cheery fabric inspiration, kid-crafty happiness in every corner, and a soft place to land on no matter where you may fall. I’d say it’s the perfect spot for two little girls to grow up. And I sure hope you agree! Friends, I’m pleased to introduce the Damiecki family to you. You’re going to love what Kendra has to share!

Q: Please tell us who makes this colorful house a home!

A: I live in Darnestown, Maryland with my husband Scott and our daughters Layla (4) and Hadley (2). We moved into this house just after Layla turned two and Hadley was a month old, so it’s the only home they have ever known. When I began the process of decorating I wanted to make sure it was a place they would always look forward to coming home to whether it was from preschool, college, or with their own children someday. I still have that feeling when we visit my parents.

Scott is a deal-oriented CPA and I am a stay at home Mom dabbling in interior design and blogging who is a bit more of a free spirit. So where he tends to be a planner and thinker, I’m more of a spur-of-the-moment doer. We balance each other out well, and I think our daughters get the best of both worlds.

Q: How did the home come to be yours?

A: When we bought this house two years ago, it was a really crazy time for us. I was eight months pregnant and our condo had sold faster than we anticipated. We had been searching for the perfect house for months and kept coming up empty. It started to feel like were running out of time! Being so close to giving birth, my hormones and anxiety levels were rising. I was in full-blown nesting mode, but instead of putting together a nursery for my new baby girl, I was packing to move into a short term lease. It was a nightmare. I had just about given up on finding our forever home. Then we went to see what would soon be our new home the very day it was listed, and something just clicked for us. We made an offer that night, which was accepted the following day.

The house needed a lot of updating, especially the kitchen and bathrooms, but we saw that it had the potential to be the house of our dreams…with some reconfiguring and a lot of paint! Ultimately, it was the backyard that sold us. We live on almost an acre and a half of land with a natural tree line fence surrounding the backyard. My husband I both grew up with big grassy yards to run around in, so it was really important to us that Layla and Hadley had that as well.

We also live in an area where families of deer munch on our grass, rabbits chase each other, and neighbors own chickens that sometimes visit our yard looking for food. On most days (especially the ones waking up to a rooster crowing!) it feels like we live out in the country when we are actually only 30 minutes outside of DC.

Q: How would you describe your aesthetic? In what ways did it change when you added kids to the mix?

A: I love anything vintage. Owning something with a history that you don’t see everyday and everywhere makes me giddy. But I also love simple, clean lines when it comes to furniture and fixtures. Those details, blended with something unexpected like a crazy colorful piece of art or a boldly patterned curtain or rug, is what makes our house ours. So I guess my aesthetic is quirky cozy vintage modern – wow, that’s a mouthful!

I think the only change I’ve made since having kids is the fabrics and colors I picked for our couches. I would love to have gorgeous crisp white couches, but it’s just not practical for us. I want to snuggle with my girls and not worry about dirty hands or a rogue crayon. So sticking with darker, more forgiving colors and fabrics for the furniture we use on a daily basis makes life easier. And having darker fabrics that need brightening gives me an excuse to indulge in my pillow addiction!

Q: Do you consciously decorate a room with your kids in mind?

A: My biggest goal when decorating our home is to make it comfortable and welcoming, which means that nothing is off limits to the girls. If they can reach it, they can play with it. Nothing within their reach is too precious or delicate. Anything that is breakable or not made for curious little hands is put up on a higher shelf. I want Layla and Hadley to be able to discover and enjoy everything in our house, and telling them not to touch something just doesn’t seem right.

Whenever I begin decorating a room, I do think about how the girls will use it. With the family room, I added storage baskets for their toys so they could be easily taken out and just as easily hidden away. I keep a pair of binoculars and bird books by the sliding doors, and piles of fabric in the corner so they can have picnics or make forts. I know they won’t be little girls forever so I want to embrace their curiosity and creativity whenever and wherever I can.

I have also made an effort to keep the decor in our house bright, happy, and handmade as much as possible. I love to make things and am constantly inspired by sites like Pinterest and so many talented bloggers out there. I want to surround us all with touches of whimsy and silliness ,and think there is nothing weird about having a vintage fire truck in the kitchen or a funny face paper lantern hanging in our entryway. Designing and decorating is a passion of mine and I have so much fun doing it. I think that definitely comes though when you walk around our house.

Q: You seem to be a collector! How do you edit what is on your shelves and walls?

A: I began collecting milk glass and white pottery a few years ago. My collection started with a few pieces handed down from my mom, and in a short time it has grown to about 30 pieces. I love to hunt for items at yard sales and thrift shops. Only vintage finds make it into my collection, which is helping it not get too out of control! I’m excited that I’ll have a collection to hand down to the girls – should they want it – because they have participated in creating it with me.

The items I hang on our walls or display on shelves are things that I truly love or have a special meaning to our family – usually both! I don’t ever decorate with things just to fill space; I’d rather have a blank wall or an empty shelf than fill it was something generic. I also have learned to take my time and think about things before I pull the trigger and buy something. More often than not, I change my mind and it saves me a lot of time and effort.

Q: Speaking of collecting, how do you handle clean-up and chores?

A: Since Layla and Hadley have free reign in the house, it makes for lots of stuff being out all over, all at once. So together, we have decided that they can’t start a new craft or play in basement playroom until crayons, toys, or tutus are all put away. This system works well for us because they know they won’t get to play kitchen unless all of the puzzle pieces are in the box. I try making a game out of it too, by starting a countdown or timing them; they love that, and it also gets things picked up a bit faster!

As far as chores, Layla is a big helper. She’ll put her clothes on hangers or set the table for dinner. And Hadley loves to put the utensils away when I’m unloading the dishwasher. I think anything can sound like fun if you say it with enthusiasm, so when I ask “Who wants to see how many weeds we can pull before Daddy gets home!” in my best game show host voice, I have a weed-free walkway within minutes.

Q: What do you hope your decor choices and the items that surround your family are teaching them about you and their someday ideas about family?

A: I think a part of making our home homier is filling it with things we love. I am slightly obsessed with the girls’ artwork, and I don’t think there is a room in our house that doesn’t have a picture they painted or a craft they made. I try to keep the rooms they spend the most of time in stocked with art, crafts, or pretend play supplies so that they can be as creative as they like if the mood strikes them.

And it’s fine with me if they draw on the windows with crayons or rip up paper and throw it like confetti…because the look of joy on my Layla’s face when she draws a whale or makes her sister giggle with a sock puppet is worth every second it takes me to vacuum the floor or wipe down the glass. Sometimes the messes make the best memories.

Q: What is your favorite room in the house to spend time with your kids?

A: This is hard one, but I would have to say that Layla’s bedroom is where I feel the most at peace and happiest. Her room is painted a warm pink color that is very different from the cool tones throughout the rest of our house. When we’re all in there after baths, just as the sun is just going down, it almost glows.

Once pajamas are on and teeth are brushed, we’ll either play dress up, practice magic tricks, or take turns reading books. But my favorite thing to do in her room is to make a big fluffy pillow pile on the floor, turn off all the lights, and lie down. Layla received a rainbow machine for her birthday, and we’ll turn that on and watch the bands of color take over the ceiling. It’s nice after the chaos of a busy day to just enjoy silence with them.

Q: What has been your favorite part about living with your own kids?

A: I am constantly amazed and delighted by how well my girls play together. My little Hadley wants to do everything her big sister does, and I’ve been really impressed seeing how patient and gentle Layla has been with her. I watch them being kind, considerate, giggly sisters, and it makes my heart happy.

I’m surprised at how much I love watching them grow into little independent people. A part of me mourns their babyhood and misses those gummy baby smiles and chest to chest naps. But another part of me is really proud of the girls they are growing into, and I can’t wait to see what the next few years bring.

Q: Please finish the sentence: I wish I had known…

A:  …that comparison is the thief of joy. I remember hearing this and thinking how true this was for me – not just with my kids but with other parts of my life as well.

I spent a good part of those first two years with Layla comparing her milestones to my friends’ children. Instead of enjoying what she was doing, I worried about what she wasn’t doing. My attitude completely changed when Hadley was born, and I no longer allowed myself to have expectations on when she would start talking, walking, or potty training. I feel more comfortable and am much more confident now as a mother that I can just sit back and enjoy each little moment as they come.

–-

See? This is the part about these tours that I love. Had we only seen the photos of Kendra’s home without her words, we might have thought “Well. She has it all together.” And maybe the tour caught us at an off moment where our confidence levels were low and when we were thinking “Well. I do not have it all together.” But with just one thought from another mom, we’re built back up again, right? We are all in this together, Friends. Thank you, Kendra, for reminding us about that nasty little thief named comparison!

Have you ever fallen into that comparison trap? What pulled you out? And how do you keep track of – and happy about! – your family’s milestones without measuring them with others?

P.S. — Take a peek at all the homes in my Living With Kids series here. And if you’d like to share your own home with us, just send me a note! It’s a lot of fun…I promise!

By Koseli. Image and pouch by ANN-YA.

Anybody else get a little giddy about impeccably folded winter sweaters, coordinating shoe boxes, or super-organized purses with the perfect spot for each and every thing? Me too.

My latest organization obsession in the organization arena are beautiful pouches for carrying miscellaneous items in my purse, tote, or desk drawers. I use one pouch for snacks, a baby spoon, and a folded bib; another for my out-and-about comfort: chapstick, hand sanitizer, and tissue. And I think I need one more to round out my obsession: cash, a few quarters, and my MetroCard. In a pinch, I could just grab it and go.

Collecting like-items in my bag limits the craziness of trying to pull out the one thing I’m looking for among the dozens of floating (and often sticky) objects in my bags.

There are so many beautiful options across the internet but click through for a few of my favorites.

Roxy Marj polka dot soft envelope.

Geometric zippered pouches. (I don’t think I’ll ever tire of geometric textiles and design.)

And for the gals who like flare, a gold leather pouch. There’s also the basic Baggu pouches, too.

Do you have any bag/purse/luggage organization tips and tricks? Do you love pouches, too?

P.S. — Tiny Treasures are inexpensive, accessible items that really up the quality quotient in your life. You can find all the posts in this series here.

Text and images by Amy Christie for Design Mom.

There is a reason tablecloths come in every color for every season — they add so much to a festive table setting! Have you seen this pin? I loved the idea of using something as utilitarian as bubble wrap to print with. And I thought a tablecloth — something I can use all summer long — was the perfect surface to try it out. Isn’t it fun to make art you can use?

Printing with bubble wrap takes some patience and attention to detail. But don’t worry, I have tips below. And your fingers are sure to get a little painted as well, but the outcome is well worth the effort.

It’s a perfectly imperfect print. You can coordinate colors to your needs and you can use the same technique on a whole list of items — napkins, wrapping paper, the wall, clothing, pillows or lampshades, to name a few.

I think the hardest part of this particular project is saving an unpopped sheet from the happy bubble-popping feet of my little ones. : )

Let’s get to printing!

Supplies:

- tablecloth (I washed mine before hand because it was so wrinkly!)
- paint (I used between 7-8 craft paint bottles to do my tablecloth)
- brayer
- smooth, wipeable surface like plexi-glass or counter top or a disposable smooth surface like wax or parchment paper
- bubble wrap
- rag towel to wipe fingers

Decide how wide of a print you would like and cut the wrap accordingly. You can use and print with any length of bubble wrap strip, but a shorter piece is better. It’s rather unwieldy covered in paint!

Take time to cut away any deflated or halved bubbles because they can still hold paint and will make a messy print. Note: If you prep a strip of bubble wrap and then accidentally pop one like I did, the misprint can be fixed as I’ll explain below.

On your chosen smooth surface, add the paint. Use the brayer to smooth the paint onto a surface area large enough for your piece of bubble wrap.

A paint-loaded brayer or brush can be used to apply paint right to the bubble wrap, but, when printing on cloth, the paint color isn’t dense. The paint-on method does seem to work on paper.

Press the piece of bubble wrap into the paint, making sure all bubbles are adequately painted.

Carefully transfer the paint ladened bubble wrap to the tablecloth and press it down. When all parts of the bubble wrap have been pressed onto the tablecloth, gently pull it off.

Repeat the print around the tablecloth, making note to line up the edges for each new print.

I found that the bubbles lined up differently depending on the angle so if you turn a corner, the outer edge might be different from one side to the next.

If there is a misprint or missing bubble, simply cut out one bubble and use it to correct the missing print.

One last note: I highly recommend you practice on paper first, just to get a feel for the printing process before you print the actual tablecloth.

Allow to completely dry. Then get the tablewares, prep the meal, and enjoy!

P.S. — We love making things! Find lots more fun tutorials here.

This post is brought to you by stylish UK-based children’s shop, Alex and Alexa. Get up to 50% off during their Summer Sale, going on now!

By Gabrielle. Photo of Maude by my brother Jared.

I’m on my way to New York today for Alt Summit NYC. It was fun to pack up sandals and decidedly summer clothing. I even gave myself my first pedicure of the season! Yes, my kids are still in school, but packing for this trip really made me switch gears and think about what our summer will be like.

Our kids are probably most excited for Cousins Week. Every July, all of the cousins age 8 and older gather at my sister Sara’s house in Southern Utah for 4 days of summer fun. It’s very laid-back with traditions like anything-you-want-for-breakfast, a freezer stocked with nothing but popsicles, and adventures with the aunts and uncles like cliff-diving and rock climbing. This will be Oscar’s first year at cousin’s week, and it is pretty much all he’s talked about for several months now. He literally could not be more excited.

So I thought it would be fun to dream up everything Oscar might need for the Best Cousin’s Week Ever.

1) Did I mention Aunt Sara has a pool? We know from last summer that in the U.S., Oscar’s speedo/euro swim trunks work better for toddlers than big kids, so the first thing he’ll need is a new swim suit. And nothing says “Hey, we’re back!” like a flag-themed suit. Am I right?

2) A low-tech View Master. When I know there will be lots of access to screens (Cousins Week does tend to involve lots of movie watching), I like to have old-school toys out and about as an alternate temptation. For View Masters, I favor the National Park slides because they remind me of home.

3) A water toy. I know my sister’s house is stocked with the standard pool toys and water noodles, so I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled for something unusual. This koi toy lights up as it touches the water! I thought it would be fun to introduce a dozen or two to the pool for some night time water games.

4) Something to read. The Wimpy Kid series is a good fit because the older kids can pick it up too. They’re the kind of books that work for all ages, and can be enjoyed in fits and spurts, or in a cover-to-cover reading.

5) A sleeping bag. This one opens up flat to function as a blanket, too. And it’s lightweight for the hot summers of St. George. I’m imagining this as a cozy spot that he can find easily amongst the sure to be large pile of blankets and bedding hanging around.

6) Backpack. I like this one because it’s not too big — enough space for a water bottle, sunscreen and a hat. And it comes in a million colors. Plus, the quality of these Swedish backpacks is legendary. He’ll be able to use it on adventures for years and years.

7) Travel chess set. Oscar is way into chess, and I’m glad, because he’ll be the youngest one there, and playing chess is a good way for him to relate to and interact with the older kids.

I confess, I don’t think I’m brave enough to host such a group! But I’m so grateful to my sister for establishing this tradition. Tell me, will your kids get to see their cousins this summer? Would your family ever do something like a cousin’s week?

P.S. — The photo at top features Maude roasting giant marshmellows at Cousins Week 2010.

By Amy Hackworth. Image here.

When I happened upon Marie Watt’s Blanket Tower at the museum recently, I marveled at the 12-foot stack she’d created (how?!) of wool blankets. Blankets are universally functional, and I love that Watts created a piece of art celebrating such a meaningful staple of our homes.

I was struck with this homey feeling of comfort, which seems appropriate since blankets offer physical and emotional warmth. They’re utilitarian, but often develop a strong emotional component. More than just practical household items, blankets can be family treasures, too, and sometimes carry a sort of provenance the whole family knows and a nostalgia the whole family feels.

The tower is more than twice my height, and that’s a striking number of blankets, many of them contributed by families for the project. I felt a strong sense of community, thinking that each blanket represented a different family—their picnics, guest beds, sofa snuggles. Though each family is different, we all need and use many of the same practical items to create our individual lives and homes. They’re woven into our separate family histories, but also have meaning across our shared experiences.

So many things pass through our homes over the years. Which are the items that share both function and meaning in your family? Which are the keepers? And what other household items gathered en masse would make an interesting art exhibit?

Images and text by Carter.

That wondrous time when spring slips into summer ripples through If You Want to See a Whale. Julie Fogliano and Caldecott-winning Erin Stead are a stunning duo. Do you remember And Then It’s Spring? This one is just as magical.

Because if you want to see a whale, you’ll need an ocean, a cozy chair, and some time for waiting and watching and wishing. And you have to be careful to not notice the little green things inching nibble scoot among the leaves.

You’ll love this one. The art is sublime and the words are a whisper. It’s a little early for me to pick Caldecott favorites, but this is one to watch. And while you’re waiting, you might even see a whale if you wish hard enough!

Image and text by Gabrielle.

Hello, Friends. How are you doing? Was it a good week? It’s been a landmark one for us. As you may have seen, on Monday we finalized the purchase of our little cottage in France. We can still hardly believe it. And our friend Caroline has been setting up appointments with roofers, plumbers, electricians and gardeners like you wouldn’t believe. We even hit our first bump in the renovation road: looks like we won’t get electricity at the cottage for 3 months. Hah! But we have good news too. Caroline met the neighbor, said he’s friendly as can be, and he’s willing to let us borrow his electricity until ours is installed. So we don’t have to wait 3 months to move forward. This is going to be quite the adventure.

While we make our weekend plans, here are a few things I’ve wanted to share with you:

- This Benki project looks like the future.

- I’m nuts for this braided basket DIY. Gorgeous. And made from old t-shirts.

- Why there’s no French Harry Potter. Thanks, Annie.

- A Finnish Toddler’s Room.

- And did you see this article about the Finnish Baby Box? Thanks, Sara.

- Dispelling 10 myths about child sexual abuse.

- Man oh man we are lucky to be alive right now. Check this out.

- The most incredible memorial in the Sahara Desert. Seriously stunning.

- These beautiful women! This project made me emotional. (Lots of beautiful bare real-life mothers’ bodies. Just want you to be aware of what you’ll see if you click play.) Thanks, Sara.

- War through womens eyes.

- Last week, I featured DIY gift ideas for Father’s Day. This week, it’s Breakfast in Bed recipes!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. And I hope you have the chance to show love for the fathers in your life. I’ve been missing my dad like crazy these last couple of weeks! I think he would get a real kick of the projects his kids are working on. I think he would like his grandkids too. : )

I’ll meet you back here on Monday. I miss you already.

kisses,
Gabrielle

P.S. — I snapped the image at top last Saturday in a tiny town called Rouvrou. There was no front gate, the yard was way overgrown, the shutters needed attention — made me wonder if it was abandoned. Looks like a fairytale, right? Feel free to follow me on Instagram for this weekend’s adventures.

@designmom: It’s my birthday! Which sugary treat should I indulge in? Strawberry shortcake, mint brownies, a lemon tart, or glazed donuts? (These are 4 of my favorites!)

By Gabrielle.

It’s my birthday today! Ben Blair and I were discussing potential birthday desserts to celebrate with, and I narrowed it down to strawberry shortcake, mint brownies, a lemon tart, or glazed donuts. Do you have an opinion on the matter? You can click a checkmark above to add your vote.

Then tell me: Do you have a favorite dessert you eat for your birthday? Classic chocolate cake? Red velvet? Carrot? I’d love to hear!

P.S. — Since France really shines in the Tarte Citron department, I may or may not be favoring the lemon. : )

By Koseli. Photos by Bartosz Rajewski.

I recently discovered the most charming, cheerful, and unique children’s shop called Miszkomaszko — and it’s based in Poland! Have you heard of it? I instantly fell in love with their quirky little flip dolls and brightly colored kid’s clothes and wanted to know more about the face behind the brand. Lucky for us, Agate is a sweetheart and answered a few of my questions about Miszkomaszko!

What was your inspiration behind the Flip Dolls? I love the bright colors and geometric textiles.

When I was a little girl I had a similar doll and already back when I studied fashion at the Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, I started making a prototype. The idea was to create a modern version of a classic idea. The characters are all designed and drawn by me. The combinations often unexpected and funny (we have godzilla and a japanese girl, a thief and a super hero etc.)and the customers have a chance to create their own flip dolls by using a special application on my website.

Can you tell us a little about the creators of Miszkomaszko brand?

The brand is my own creation. I am an educated fashion designer, worked for few years at H&M in Sweden as a graphic designer for children clothing. One of my biggest dreams was always to open my own brand with clothes for children and after I moved back to my home town I started miszkomaszko :) The name was made up by my son, it was his imaginary friend called “miszkomaszko”.

Do you have a favorite shop item?

I love my flip dolls and the mermaid print pants are the biggest hit, I love mermaids, it’s my signature print.

You’re based in Poland. How cool! Are there other Polish children’s shops that have inspired you along the way? What other children’s brands do you love? How do you think your products are unique from American handmade goods?

It’s a really good time for Polish children fashion, we didn’t have many brands and now there is more and more and I love being part of this new thing :) I met some lovely people who own other small brands such as Kids on the Moon and Dream Nation. I would rather think of what we have in common with American handmade goods, it’s love for what we do and a great passion, lots of hard work too:) Personally I live to use some motifs in the graphics which are inspired with my childhood but not only, I look for inspiration everywhere and all the time:)

Thank you so much, Agate! It’s so wonderful to learn a little more about your brilliant children’s brand and get a behind-the-scenes picture. You can check out Miszkomaszko kids and mama clothes here and Agate’s blog here. They ship internationally.

This post is sponsored by Best Buy. Find all the tools to capture, save and share life’s moments.
Our kids aren’t even out of school yet, but we’re already mapping out the summer schedule. And the topic of road trips keeps coming up. Do you have any road trips on your summer calendar? I know I’ve mentioned it before, but we find road trips more relaxed and easier to manage than plane trips.

The whole idea of being able to jump in the car and go feels so romantic and adventurous. And even if I do a crummy job of packing, on a road trip, I know I can stop for forgotten essentials on the way. In fact, we’re already talking about what sorts of road trips we might make after we move back to the U.S.!

For those of you hitting the road this summer, when I imagine my idealized family road trip, this is what I would pack:

1) Binoculars.
The thing about binoculars is, if you have them with you, and they’re easily accessible, you’ll use them! You’ll explore your surroundings as you drive, and you’ll give in to the temptation to stop at every scenic lookout on the way. Which will end up meaning a better trip! Plus, they double as entertainment for the kids. This cheery yellow pair floats.

2) A weekend travel bag.
We love our luggage, but for a spontaneous road trip I like the idea of a stylish soft-side bag — something that’s not too big, so that you don’t overpack. This one by Rail & Wharf caught my eye.

3) A summery blanket.
Your kids will use it when they’re napping in the car. And it will be just the thing for an impromptu picnic on the roadside or at your destination. This turkish towel folds down simply without a lot of bulk, perfect for keeping in the car all summer without taking up lots of space.

4) A sun hat.
Yes, it will protect you from the sun. And yes, when your hair looks awful after a day jumping in-and-out of the pool, this will hide the mess. Wear a chic sunhat and a pair of shades, and you’ll be set for pretty much every summer situation. I love this stripe-y one.

5) A cooler or basket for snacks.
One of our favorite things about road trips is having easy access to food right there in the car, so we don’t have to depend on a drive thru. We like to keep a cooler stocked with goodies where the kids can reach it. This red one looks vintage and will make you feel nostalgic.

6) A Go Pro camera.
Do you know the Go Pro? It’s made specifically to film things like skiing, skateboarding, mountain biking, skydiving, etc. It can be strapped to your forehead like a headlamp so you can film what you’re seeing while you adventure. Ralph has one and loves it! Like the binoculars, if you have one, you’ll look for excuses to use it. You’ll sign up for wind-surfing, or go zip-lining at the ropes course, just so you can film it. And hey, whatever it takes to get you out there and adventuring is a winner in my book!

7) An activity book.
Yes, kids get bored on car rides. So we like to bring along entertainment. We’re big fans of activity/sketch books. They work for a variety of ages, so the kids can share them. The younger ones might treat them like a coloring book, and they older ones might follow the challenges and activities. We like this option from illustrator and children’s poet, Calef Brown.

8) A deck of cards.
A deck of cards simply comes in handy on a road trip. The kids might use the deck to entertain themselves — with a card game, or by practicing their cards tricks. And when you get to your destination, the grownups will use it for late night card games as well. They take up so little space, that we like to keep a deck in the glove box all the time. This deck by Helveticards calls to the designer in me.

9) A hoodie.
Summer trips mean you can get way with packing light. Swimsuit, t-shirt, beach-y skirt, flip flops. Done. But I also like to include a hoodie for everyone in the family. They just come in handy, don’t they? For changes in the weather, or for a cooler, late night adventure at the sand dunes. It’s nice to have an extra layer at the ready. This one has polka dots with smiley faces. Cute!

10) A beach towel.
Lastly, don’t forget to pack your beach towels. They’re sure to end up multi-tasking along the way, and they’re made to get beat up and hide the dirt, so you can use them hard all summer long. A stack of cheery beach towels sitting in the trunk of the car is a sign of good things ahead.

Now your turn: Tell me what I missed. What is your essential-can’t-leave-home-without-it road trip item? And where will you be driving this summer? I’d love to hear!

P.S. — Numbers 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8 would make great Father’s Day gifts!

Image and text by Gabrielle.

The other day, we were wiring some money from one of our U.S. bank accounts to our French bank (funds for the cottage!), and I realized I’ve learned a few things about how to move money from place to place that might be helpful for anyone embarking on an international adventure. Here are 5 tips I wish I’d known before we moved.

1) XE.com is our favorite for international transfers.
It’s free to sign up. You can add multiple accounts to draw funds from (we have a personal account and a business account), and you can also add multiple accounts to send funds to. We use it to pay rent on La Cressonnière. And since we get paid in dollars, but run errands in euros, we also use it to transfer our monthly budget from our U.S. to our French account. XE seems to offer the best exchange rates we’ve seen and there are no added fees, so the exchange quote you see is what you pay. I love that.

There are two downsides. First, it takes time. The transfers don’t happen overnight. It usually takes about a week for the funds to make it from one account to another. This means you have to work ahead and think ahead. When we don’t think ahead, we end up using our U.S. debit card for groceries or gas, and there are added fees for international purchases. Which is a bummer. Second, the max transfer is $10,000. Normally that’s way more than fine, but when we were buying our car, the max limit didn’t work for us, so we had to figure out a different way to go. 

2) Make friends with your banker.
We sort-of did this with our personal account. And didn’t do it at all with our business account — which we opened a couple of days before we moved here. And it’s maybe the one thing we would do over if we were starting this move from scratch.

We’ve found it’s so important to be able to call a specific person at your bank, someone that knows your voice and face, and can help you find workarounds for standard bank rules. For example, the bank that holds our business account doesn’t allow for wiring money over the phone. They require the account holder to come into a branch. No exceptions. Obviously, we can’t come into a the branch. But we know from talking to fellow expats, that if you know someone personally at the bank, they can make an exception to that rule.

So we would recommend making a good friend at the bank. Bring in cookies or flowers. Take your banker to lunch. Tell them you’re moving abroad and make sure you have their direct line in case you run into any banking emergencies while you’re out of the country.

3) Small banks are easier to work with.
Similar to item #2, we’ve found our smaller credit union has been much more flexible and helpful than our larger bank. There have been several instances when we needed to get someone on the phone quickly — like when we’ve got a road trip with stops in multiple countries. We try to be good about calling our bank’s card security team and letting them know where we’ll be, but we’ve had many times where a security hold was put on our card anyway. We’re grateful that our banks take a tight approach to security, but it’s also nice if you have a direct number of an actual person you can call and quickly get the hold lifted when you’re waiting at a register.

At our bigger bank, we get stuck with a phone tree, and sometimes it can take a long time to get help. At the credit union, it’s been speedy. In this case, smaller is better.

4) You can still shop from U.S. stores.
The fourth tip is indirectly related to banking, but I still think of it as a financial thing. When living abroad, sometimes you want to buy things from American stores — maybe a Christmas present your son has been wishing for — but either the store doesn’t ship internationally, or the fees are so expensive it’s prohibitive. When this happens, you could have it shipped to your Mom’s house or a friend’s house in the U.S., and they can ship it on to you. But I always feel bad about asking that kind of favor. So instead, I recommend this service. They give you a U.S. address where you can send all your purchases, then they re-box things as efficiently as possible and send everything to you at a much lower rate.

And you don’t need to be a U.S. citizen to use this service! So if you are French, but want to buy stuff from Target, this would work perfectly.

5) Sign up for a VPN.
The last tip: Sometimes there are websites that redirect to a foreign url, even if you type in a U.S. address. For example, if I type in google.com right now, it will automatically redirect to google.fr. This can happen with stores or banks as well. It can be frustrating! If you need to access the U.S. site, you can use a VPN which stands for Virtual Private Network. We use a service called Strong VPN. We pay $50 a year and they issue clear instructions on how to use their service. Basically, when we need to access U.S. sites, we turn on VPN and then type in the URL we need, and the VPN makes it look like we are logging in from a U.S. city. It’s like magic!

And we don’t just use this for practical stuff. It’s also how we stream shows on Amazon or watch things on Hulu. Did you know you can’t access Hulu’s content outside of the U.S.? Or stream videos? But if you log-in with a VPN, the sites work seamlessly. We use our VPN service daily. But we didn’t know about it until we’d been here several months. I can still remember how frustrated we were without it!

So there they are. Five tips that will hopefully give you a smoother financial transition if you’re moving abroad — or even taking a long trip. And I’d love to hear your tips as well! Have you ever had to figure this sort of thing out? What tips would you add?

P.S. — The play euros pictured at top were originally featured in my post about 5 French Souvenirs under $5.

This summer inspiration is brought to you by Target. Find more fun and surprises all season long on Target’s #SummerUp Pinterest board.


Text and photos by Lindsey Johnson for Design Mom.

There is nothing that quenches my thirst on a hot summer day quite as well as an icy glass of fresh squeezed lemonade. I honestly cannot think of beverage I enjoy more. It’s tart and sweet and utterly refreshing. Whether it’s straight up lemonade or a fruity lemonade infused with herbs or flowers, I take mine with plenty of ice and by the quart. Read on to find out my secrets to Sweeten Up your summer and make the perfect pitcher of lemonade.

Get ready to get refreshed.

Let’s begin with talking about lemons.  The ones you’ll find in the grocery store are typically the Lisbon and Eureka varieties that are grown mostly in California and Arizona. In reality, there are a dozen or so different varieties, but 9 times out of 10 these are the ones you’ll see in stores.

Another lemon variety you’ve probably seen on store shelves during the winter and spring months is Meyer lemons, which are actually a hybrid of mandarins and lemons. They are sweeter and juicier than traditional lemon varieties. They make fantastic lemonade, and if you can find them on sale somewhere at the end of the season, stock up! The extra expense is worth it when you taste the superior lemonade.

Otherwise, Secret #1: a lemon is a lemon. Unless you are lucky enough to have your own lemon tree. And if you’ve been fortunate to try lemonade from homegrown lemons, you know what I mean. Superior in every way!  But for the rest of us, grocery store lemons are just fine. : )

One extra large lemon yields about 1/2 cup of juice (pictured on the left) and one regular-sized lemon yields about 3 Tablespoons of juice (pictured on the right). A lime is about 2 Tablespoons. This might vary a teeny bit depending on the size of the lemons you’re using. And even then, I’ve bought some lemons that were huge and ended up having thick rinds and very little juice. Secret #2: Buy a few more than you think you might need just to be safe. You’ll need about 5-6 regular lemons to yield 1 cup of lemon juice.

From left to right:  a perfect lemon, an under-ripe lemon (it’s hard to see but it’s still a little green), a mushy lemon.

When you’re picking out lemons, pick out those that have a nice bright yellow color (not tinged with green), don’t look too dry or shriveled, are free from mold or bad spots, and are heavy for their size. You can give them a little squeeze. The juiciest ones, I find, aren’t mushy, and give a little when pressed. If you’re buying lemons in a big bag (they are a little less expensive when purchased this way), just be sure to turn the bag around and inspect them carefully.

Have you ever bought a bunch of lemons and one goes moldy and then the next day they’re all moldy?  Yeah, me too. Washing them really well when you get home will help with that, and be sure to store them on the counter.

There are a few tricks for getting the most lemon juice from lemons. Secret #3: Lemons should be kept at room temperature anyway, but if they are cold, let them come to room temperature, then place them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes or microwave for 20-30 seconds. This helps weaken the cell membranes and you’ll be able to extract more juice. To further break down the membranes, roll the lemon against the counter using your palm. (Just like when you peel hard boiled eggs.)

Now, there are several ways to physically juice or squeeze a lemon. Some impressive chefs with equally impressive, toned arms can squeeze a lemon with their bare hands. Me? I like to use either a fork, a wooden reamer, an electric citrus juicer (if I’m doing a lot at once), or a glass citrus juicer with a reservoir to catch the juice. There are some great citrus squeezers available too.

Another thing I’ve tried is to squeeze a lemon using a pair of tongs. You place the lemon close to the hinge and as you close the tongs, the juice is released. A fork is probably the method I use most because it’s so simple. You just cut the lemon in half crosswise, hold half in one hand, push the fork into the center and twist.

This kind of goes without saying, but you’ll also want to strain out the seeds. Secret #4: When you measure the juice, be sure to do it after you strain because you will lose some volume when the seeds and some pulp is removed. If you like pulp, remove the seeds from the collected juice with a fork.

I like my little strainer that I bought ages ago at Target. (There are some great ones available now in store and online.) You can also squeeze a lemon through your fingers to catch the seeds. I usually have a paper cut or two, so I don’t often use this method. ; )

You might be tempted to skip the fresh lemon juice in favor of bottled juice. Bottled juice is usually reconstituted and has other things added in. It tends to have some “off” flavors and definitely does not taste as good as fresh. It’s much better to use fresh.  Your lemonade will be so much better! (Stepping of my soapbox now…)

Lemons, of course, are very sour. They need some kind of sweetener to tame the tartness. There are all sorts of sweeteners out there that you can use from basic white, granulated sugar to honey to artificial or natural low-calories sweeteners. This is kind of up to you and your taste preference. Granulated sugar will give you the purest taste. A less refined sugar, like raw sugar, sucanat and others, will have more molasses flavor and make the color of the lemonade a little darker. It’s really up to you what you decide to use. For this post, I’ve used granulated sugar.

Sometimes it’s difficult to get the sugar to dissolve in the water, and you can purchase superfine sugar which will dissolve more readily. But if you remember back to chemistry class, for something to completely dissolve in water, you’ve got to add enough water, or a little bit of heat. Secret #5: What I’m talking about here is called a Simple Syrup. If you make cocktails and drinks at home, you already know how to make it. This is my preferred sweetener for lemonade for several reasons.

A simple syrup is nothing more than mixing sugar and water together, boiling it quickly for the sugar to dissolve, transferring it to a bottle and chilling it. It will keep almost indefinitely, but I tend to use mine within a few weeks of making it.

Why do I love using simple syrup for lemonade?  It can be infused with fruits, flowers, spices and herbs to make a flavored syrup. Right after the syrup comes to boil, I will add the flavor components and take the pan off of the heat. As the syrup cools, the latent heat helps release the flavors (essential oils) into the syrup. The solids (leaves or petals or woody bits) are strained from the syrup and you’ve got yourself a flavored syrup, perfect for mixing into lemonade and other drinks. I’ve included more specific directions below.

There are several recipes out there for simple syrup. One part sugar to one part water will provide a thick, concentrated syrup. It takes up less room in the fridge too. One part sugar to two parts water is another common recipe. It’s up to you which you choose. As I said, I mix the water and sugar in a saucepan, and bring it to a boil. The sugar dissolves pretty easily. The whole process takes less than 5 minutes to complete.

Now for the really fun part — making flavored lemonade. By adding fruit puree(s), herbs, floral components, and spices, the possibilities are truly endless. I like homemade fruit syrups to add to lemonade, but if you’re in a hurry you can use the same syrups you use when making Italian sodas.

Flavor variations we like at our house:
Peach Rosemary
Cherry
Blueberry Lavender
Coconut Rose (use Coconut Water for some of the water, add a little Rosewater)
Mango Mint (with a little Lime Juice added)
Pineapple Cilantro (good with some Jalapeno for a spicy kick)
Strawberry Basil
Raspberry
Cranberry
Cucumber-Melon with Mint

Secret #6: Adding fruit puree does change the amount of sugar you’ll need. Which means you might need to make a little experimentation on the basic lemonade recipe because the sweetness and tartness of fruit varies greatly upon the kind you use and how ripe it is. If you make lemonade using ripe melon juice for part of the water, you might not need to add any sugar at all!

Another variation we really love is made by using cold herbal tea (black, green or white tea is great too) in place of plain water. It’s incredibly refreshing. You can use loose tea or tea bags. Make it a twice as strong as you would if you were drinking it hot so the flavor doesn’t become too diluted.

While we’re on the subject, Secret #7: you can do several things to keep lemonade from becoming too diluted. The easiest thing to do is use less water and more ice. Then as the ice melts, it doesn’t dilute the lemonade too much — maybe just the right amount. Another is to a large ice ring which melts more slowly. Or you can plan ahead and make lemonade ice cubes. You can even freeze fruit to put into the lemonade in place of, or in addition to, ice cubes. And there are specific pitchers that have a tube in the middle of them that is filled with ice that doesn’t come into actual contact with the beverage so it doesn’t become diluted.

Secret #8: If you’re planning a party (or just at home by yourself), it’s fun to add garnishes to the bottles, carafes and beverage dispensers. Fresh mint, slices of lemons and limes, cucumbers, berries and even edible flowers all look really pretty. Use the same ones you used in the lemonade recipe to help people know which flavor is which. (By the way, have you seen these gorgeous floral ice cubes? Sigh. So pretty.)

Lemonade will keep in the fridge for a few days. If you plan on keeping it for longer, you might want to consider making a concentrate (recipe below) and freezing it.

Secret #9: To make lemonade for a crowd, plan on two to three 8-ounce servings per person — more if it’s really hot outside. (If I’m coming to your party, plan about one quart or more just for me. : ) For 50 people plan on making between 6-9 gallons of lemonade.

Now, to the recipes!

Basic Lemonade
yields six 8-ounce servings
1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 cups Simple Syrup I (recipe follows)
3 cups water
ice

Stir lemon juice, simple syrup, water and ice together in a pitcher and serve.

Simple Syrup I (one part sugar to two parts water)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups water

Stir together in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let cool and transfer to a bottle. Chill until ready to use.

Additions for flavored syrup: fresh mint, tarragon, basil, thyme, rosemary, lavender buds (make sure you buy culinary lavender or use homegrown without pesticides), organic edible flowers, slices of fresh ginger, whole spices, etc.

Add the herbs/flowers/spices when the syrup is still hot. Let steep for at least 30 minutes. The longer it steeps, the stronger the flavor will be. Strain to remove the solids and transfer the flavored syrup to a jar and refrigerate. Use within a week. (It will keep for a little longer, but is best when fresh.)

For Fruit Lemonade
Add 1/2 to 1 cup fresh fruit puree (strained to remove seeds if desired) to basic lemonade recipe. You can also add fresh or bottled fruit juice (like cranberry juice) for part of the simple syrup and water.

For Tea Lemonade
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup honey or simple syrup, to taste
3 cups brewed tea, chilled

Stir together and serve over ice.

Simple Syrup II
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Bring to a boil to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and transfer to a jar and refrigerate.

For Lemonade Concentrate
Mix 1 cup fresh lemon juice with the Simple Syrup II. Chill.

Make a glass of lemonade by using 1/3 cup concentrate and 2/3 cup cold water. (You might need more water — dilute it according to your personal preference.)

Martha’s Recipe for Fruit Lemonade
1 lb. fresh fruit (cherries, strawberries, peaches, etc.)
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
8-10 cups of water or more to dilute to desired strength

Puree fruit, sugar, and lemon juice. Let sit for sugar to dissolve. Add cold water. Taste and adjust sugar or lemon juice.

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Now, I’d love to know what your favorite lemonade flavors are, Design Mom Readers. Are you a purist? Or do you like to play around with different flavors like I do? Do tell!

P.S. — All the cute props for this post came from Target: striped paper straws, striped paper napkins, dishtowels, acrylic cups (in-store), carafes (from the dollar spot), measuring cup (in-store). And you can find all of my Secrets To Living Well here.

By Koseli. Image found here via Work. 

Like so many of you, my first time at Disneyland was a magical experience. I don’t remember long lines, sticky rides, or impatient  employees — I remember sprinting into the park at 7:30 AM, wearing matching Mickey Mouse overalls and purple JCPenny fanny packs with my little sister, and tirelessly riding ride after ride in a euphoric haze. We were not the family that ate the roasted turkey legs or overpriced icey pineapple drinks — our family of nine worked the heck out of Disneyland for seven solid hot days, from open until close everyday. We maintained our energy with only peanut butter sandwiches, granola bars, and Tang stuffed in our backpacks and pockets. And it was absolute, complete heaven. To this day, those seven days in Disneyland are some of my very happiest and most vivid from my childhood.

These gorgeous sketches of Tomorrowland from a1955 pencil layout for a newspaper capture that magic and childlike optimism that I think we all crave, and find in tiny pieces in places like Disneyland. This particular text in the sketch stuck out to me: 1955 becomes 1986 as you enter the new era — Tomorrowland where our hopes and dreams for the future become today’s realities. 

Let’s talk about Disneyland. What are your favorite memories? Or, have you never been? Any first-timers planning a trip this summer? I should note: I have friends who have a real distaste for theme parks. Perhaps you fall in that camp and Disneyland holds no appeal for you?

P.S. — Did you know Gabrielle was born in Southern California and is also a big Disneyland fan?

By Gabrielle.

There’s something sweet about a home shared by new parents and a toddler. So many wonderful changes are happening all at once, whether we’re talking about decor or personalities! A gorgeous glimpse into a young family’s hip LA home was just was I wanted to see this week. Adding to the cool Hollywood factor is Tricia‘s professional bio. (Not to forget a turquoise Mustang convertible from the 60s.) I guarantee you’ve seen her work. And you probably loved it. I hope you love the Benson home — and car! — just as much. Enjoy, Friends!

Q: Please tell us who makes this sweet house a home.

A: My husband Mike, a brilliant IT engineer, our one-and-a-half year old daughter Evie, our dog Jake, kitty Beatrix, and two goldfish to have the complete food chain. The fish are named either Jack and Sally, or Ike and Tina. I’m not sure an executive decision has been finalized on the goldfish naming process. I think we’re leaning toward Jack and Sally though. We live in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, CA.

Q: How did this home find you?

A: We originally rented this house before we purchased it. Trying to find a house rental that accepts dogs can be difficult in LA. I found the house listed in the paper and ran over to meet the landlord after work. She had another woman who wanted it but said if I got her a cashiers check right then it would go to us. I called Mike and he said to go for it sight unseen. He is one trusting man! A few years later we were able to purchase the home straight from the landlord. We didn’t have to put it on the open market, thank goodness, because I don’t think we could have afforded to counter offer someone else.

The house has the original kitchen from when it was built in 1947. When we rented it, it had an amazing original O’Keefe and Merritt vintage stove that was so charming and I was desperate to keep. Our landlady wanted an outrageous sum of cash for it that we did not have. She placed an ad for it in the paper and I sat in the living room with her and her real estate agent on a rainy Saturday while no one showed up. Instead of an open house we had an open stove! She ended up donating the stove to take the write-off for her taxes instead of accepting our lower cash offer. What can you do.

Q: What makes you love where you live? Also, what makes it hard to live with kids in LA?

A: The weather is really great here. The downside of growing up in Southern California is that it makes you completely unprepared to deal with real weather if you move elsewhere. My best friend from high school works for Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas where it occasionally snows. She called me after she had to drive through an unexpected snowstorm saying she didn’t know what to do. I thought it was kind of amusing considering that Las Vegas weather is still pretty minor in comparison to most places, like the East Coast for example.

It is nice to have family close by so that they can participate in Evie’s life as she grows up. My parents and sister live a bit more than an hour away, and both my parents grew up here so lots of aunts and uncles and cousins around. It’s funny because I never thought I would stay here, but when I decided I wanted to work in animation it didn’t make sense to move elsewhere.

The public school system is really not great in LA, so that’s a difficult issue that we haven’t had to deal with quite yet since Evie is young. Homes in the few school districts that are good are so very expensive. Private school is definitely in our future because of this. Our neighborhood is really great aside from that, though. Charming houses built in the 1940s with lots of big backyards and the ability to walk or ride a bike to a few places, which can be rare out here. We can even hop on the metro to go downtown if we want to or to the Getty museum by car only ten minutes away. People forget about all the culture and things there are to see here besides the beach.

Don’t get me wrong, the beach is great. But right now I have a toddler who, ironically, hates sand — so not the best option at the moment.

Q: You’re an artist! Please tell us about your career.

A: I have worked in the animation industry for about fifteen years now on things like “King of the Hill,” “The Simpsons,” “Futurama,” “Dilbert,” and “Napoleon Dynamite.” I have also done paintings for the Disney Fine Art program that sells them though galleries and Disneyland and Disney World. Currently I am working with Acme Animation Archives on a few things.

I started my blog following ollie because I thought it would be fun to work on my own characters for a change when I can find the time. When you work in this industry, you spend so much time drawing in every style that you can imagine since you are working from someone else’s designs. I just wanted a forum to play a little and develop a story over time that parents and kids can find entertaining.

Fortunately my work is pretty flexible. I can get things done while Evie is napping during the day or when Mike gets home from work at night. It’s hard to develop a real flow of work when my opportunities to draw can be sporadic with a few hours here and there. When Evie was really little I had to hold her with one arm and paint with the other sometimes. Now at least I can let her run around with me in the studio if I need and give her her own art supplies.

It can be really hard without childcare help. My family isn’t really close enough to watch her on a regular basis and we don’t have a nanny or daycare or anything. I mean, I know she’s only one child, but it can be a juggle if I have a lunch meeting to go to.

I never thought that I would be okay with giving up a regular 9 to 5 gig in order to work from home, but at the end of the day it’s what happened. When the time came for me to go back to work after having Evie, I realized that it didn’t make sense for us. Once you take out the cost of childcare from my salary, it just seemed to be worth giving it a shot from home.

Yes I miss having more money, and getting by on one regular salary is tough since freelance money can be inconsistent, but I’m so lucky to be able to do what I love — drawing and painting, hanging out with my daughter all day — and still get by.

Q: We have to know: What’s your funniest memory from your time working on The Simpson’s? Or any LA moment you’ve got to share!

A: Oh, so many good ones! There was the time one of the artists had the idea to have a group of us run around Ventura Boulevard in Studio City dressed as gorillas. About twenty of us did it. I think we rented every available gorilla suit in the city. We ran in a group unannounced through several businesses chasing one of the other artists dressed as a banana. I thought I was going to die. It was really hot in that thing!

Once I was working and I felt someone standing behind me watching me draw. I turned and it was the director John Waters. He just extended his hand to me saying, “Hello. I’m John.” I was pretty flabbergasted. He was a voice on the show on one of the classic episodes, and had come by to visit.

My friend Lynn was in Los Angeles at the time and asked me to go to a theatre benefit with her. I had never been to one before so I said sure. There were some celebrities there like Fran Drescher and Blythe Danner (Gwyneth Paltrow’s mom). I was sitting at a table with my friend not saying much since I didn’t really know anyone. She introduced me to some of the people sitting with us as having worked for “The Simpsons.” I thought they wouldn’t really care since it seemed like most of the people there were in film or television.

Then someone asked me for a Homer drawing, and I happily obliged since it gave me something to do. Suddenly I was drawing for everybody at the benefit! When we were finally leaving  and waiting for the valet to get my car, I saw Matthew Lillard standing with a reporter from Entertainment Weekly. They were looking at me and whispering. They said hello and asked if I was the artist who worked for “The Simpsons.” I said yes and they got really excited. Matthew Lillard said that if I would do a drawing for his daughter, he would do the voice of Shaggy from Scooby Doo, who he played in the movie ages ago, for me. I drew Maggie for him and he did the voice and I was thrilled!

Then as all this was going on the valet pulls up in my 1965 Mustang. The reporter then looks at me and says “Is that your car?!”

I was just stunned that this was happening. You have to understand this whole scenario is really not normal. It was like I was the prom queen or something. Very odd.

I think my favorite, though, was when I was in the hardware store after just having finished working on “The Simpsons Movie” and it had just been released. One aisle over I heard a little boy quote from a scene I had worked on to his mom. Bart saying “It’s the treasure of Ima Wiener.” It was awesome!

Q: There are a lot of Moroccan influences scattered about your home, which I love. How would you describe your aesthetic? Do you feel a shift happening now that your daughter is more present in her surroundings?

A: The great thing about this house is that it doesn’t have a huge amount of interior architecture going on, so it’s easier to incorporate a number of eclectic things without having something else to compete with. Is artistic bohemian Francophile crazy person a style?

Most of the Moroccan things come from the Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena. Seeing twinkling lanterns at night makes me very happy. Every time Evie sees a lantern lit up, she gives a big “Oooh!”

Whenever we travel, Mike and I like to bring back a few souvenirs so our home is rather like a scrapbook. Things are pretty eclectic around here, but I find that works really well when trying to be child friendly. Lots of the things that we have on tables were found very inexpensively at places like thrift stores, and can handle being banged around. Much of the furniture is secondhand. I don’t like things to be too precious, and that was something I felt strongly about even before having a child.

We did replace our coffee table with an ottoman and we had to get a new couch. Our old one cost $100 and I had it slipcovered. It had this wooden frame that probably would have taken out Evie’s eye or something else horrible. We replaced it with a splurge on a Restoration Hardware slipcovered couch that we will probably have at least until she goes to college. It is so amazingly comfortable.

I Venetian plastered the walls myself a while ago, and the surface is very forgiving. I took the plaster and added a bit of artist’s pigment to get the more mottled effect that you see. It helps as well because with an older home there are non structural hairline cracks in a few places; it makes it all look a bit more intentional.

Q: As Evie gets older, do you find yourself editing your home to make it much more hers? Also, do you arrange a room and its contents to dictate how you spend your time in the room with her?

A: Our house is a bit on the small side so it would be a little tough to divide it into zones and have it stick. What you don’t see in the pictures I’ve taken is all of the books/toys/crayons that I pushed out of each shot! Usually things like drawing with crayons happens at the dining table on my lap. She’s thoroughly unimpressed with my drawing skills. If anyone sits in the leather chair by the fireplace, they’d better be prepared for Evie to thrust a book at them so they can read it to her.

In all honesty I really don’t mind having her things around. It’s her house too, and I don’t want her to think that things are more precious than her. We have some large baskets, and at the end of the day we clean up. She’s starting to get the whole cleaning up idea, but for now its mostly a mommy daddy cleaning crew.

Our floors are painted white wood that are pretty easy to keep clean. I have a spare can of paint under the kitchen sink that I can touch it up with if it gets scratched. The floors were in such poor shape that painting them seemed the best solution.

Q: What do you hope your daughter remembers from her childhood home? What do you think will stick to her memories?

A: I hope she remembers the happiness of being barefoot on a warm day with the patio doors thrown open and a breeze blowing in and out. How great it can feel to run the full length of the backyard and then cannonball into the pool. (Don’t worry we have a safety cover and a gate blocking her from it until she is old enough to do this!) When she’s a bit older we want to take her for ice cream in the back of my convertible on warm summer nights. Planting tomatoes in early spring. Making art with me in the studio. Mostly though, I hope that she remembers how much love was shared in this house.

Q: What has been your favorite part about living with your daughter?

A: Seeing the things that she likes and doesn’t like as she is starting to have her own personality. I love watching her figure things out and see how sometimes she is just like Mike or myself, and sometimes she is distinctly  herself.

I remember when I was sitting on the operating table right before my c-section thinking “I really don’t know if I’m up for this.” A little late, I know. It has been easier than I expected most of the time, but my expectations were pretty extreme because I have an active imagination and I wanted to be prepared for the worst! It turns out that Evie is pretty mellow, at least for the moment. I can’t claim any credit.

Q: Please finish the sentence: I wish someone had told me…

A: …that’s it’s going to be okay after the baby comes. It feels like people are more inclined  to complain about the difficulty and leave out the good stuff. Not that it isn’t hard! I know I only have one child and I don’t know how you do it, Gabrielle, and things can seem so impossible sometimes but it goes by quickly.

After a few years, children are so much more self-sufficient. Every day Mike and I are teaching Evie how to live without us and be her own independent person. It’s an incredible process to witness.

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Tricia, thank you for sharing your entertaining LA stories with us! Your celebrity sightings are priceless!

Friends, I love how honest Tricia was about not feeling ready for motherhood. I’m not sure any of us are truly ready for parenthood the first time around! It’s a wild ride, isn’t it? Because just when we get the lay of the land and figure out the way home without getting lost, all the roads change. (Not a bad time to be driving a cool car, right?)

P.S. — Take a peek at all the homes in my Living With Kids series here. And if you’d like to share your own home with us, just send me a note! It’s a lot of fun…I promise!

Images and text by Gabrielle (and some images by Ben Blair, too).

We’re in our last 5 weeks of living here, and though we have no big trips on our schedule (until the big trip home), we’ve been considering a couple of Saturday day-trips to local destinations. No matter how much we’ve seen, it seems like there is always another intriguing place to explore! For example, we haven’t been to the white elephant rock of Etratat yet, and we’ve heard Bagnoles de l’Orne is definitely worth a visit.

Anyway, we started talking about our favorite spots that are within a couple of hours of our town, and it reminded me that I never shared our photos from our field trip to Chartres — the world-famous cathedral that’s about an hour away from Paris.

So I thought today would be a perfect day for a little report.

We drove to Chartres on the last Saturday of February of last year (2012). We really didn’t know what to expect, but we brought our trusty Rick Steve’s Guide to France and read what he had to say as we drove. What we gathered is that Chartres is a huge draw for two reasons especially: 1) The birthing veil said to be worn by Mary when she gave birth to Jesus is on display there, and 2) The current cathedral was built relatively quickly — in less than a century — so it’s said to be Europe’s “best example of pure gothic architecture.”

By the time we visited, we had lived in France for over a year, and our kids were a little bit cathedral-ed out. So we spent more time walking around the charming town, and the grounds of the cathedral, than we did exploring the interior. We were there at the peak of off-season, so both the grounds and the town were virtually empty. We had a lovely time roaming around snapping photos, and stopping for a bite to eat at a bakery.

Man oh man is the cathedral enormous. I remembering thinking I’d never seen anything quite like it. It feels simply massive. And it’s just shocking to such a structure sitting there in the middle of the not-very-big town.

Speaking of the town, it’s a little jewel! You can walk along the river. Peak into the tiny shops. Stop for crepes or gelato. And see the variety of architecture that France has to offer. We loved our day there! It’s the sort of destination that’s not overwhelming. You see the cathedral, and then you wander. There’s nothing else specific you need to see or visit. And there’s no wrong way to do it. My kind of place!

Living in the countryside, we’ve had many chances to visit smallish French towns, but before we moved here, the only place in France I’d seen was Paris. Believe me, I know it’s hard (practically impossible!) to leave that magical city if you only have a few days in France. But if you do want to get out the city, and get a feel for life outside of Paris, Chartres makes such a great destination!

Using the train, you can easily come and go from Paris in one day. You get to visit one of the wonders of Europe, and you can also wander around the town in a way that you simply can’t in a big city.

For those of you who have visited France, I’m curious: Did you make any visits outside of Paris? Maybe to Chartres or Giverny or the Loire Valley? I’d love to hear about your favorite spots!

By Koseli. Photo by Milkmade.

For Mother’s Day last year, my husband surprised me with a three month subscription to Milkmade, a craft ice cream company that delivers homemade pints of ice cream directly to your door. It was something I never would have bought for myself but he got away with as a super sweet surprise gift.

Once a month, a cheerful “milkmade” hand-delivered the ice cream to me. Sometimes they rode a bike, drove, or just took the subway. The box of two pints always included the story behind that month’s flavors, a happy playlist, and colorful ice cream magnets. A couple of times we had to pass on the month’s flavors because of personal preferences, and they sent along a personal note with our special order pints.

Would you splurge on a little luxury like this? I have to admit that about half the flavors were a little too out there for me, but the other half were delicious — like s’more and chocolate peanut butter. And something about getting the perfect pint of ice cream delivered to your door on a weekday night was instantly relaxing. I looked forward to it all week! This would make a dreamy present for brand new parents or for Father’s Day.

Have you ever given or received a food subscription? Maybe a classic, like fruit of the month? Or something more unusual, like bacon? I’d love to hear about your experience.

P.S. — It looks like MilkMade doesn’t ship outside NYC yet, but is planning to soon. There are also plenty of other delicious options that ship near and far.

Image and text by Gabrielle.

Friends! I have some big news: We bought a house today. A little French cottage! We can hardly believe it!!

It might not feel like big news if you’ve been following along. Because we first saw this house last August (so long ago!), and we’ve been under contract since February. The house has been uninhabited for decades and has mostly been used as a barn, so there were some questions about whether or not the house could be legally inhabited again.

But — hooray! — the questions have been resolved. And we became the official property owners today.

Now the hard work begins. We start with a phone call to the electric company to visit the property and install a meter. And then we go from there! When we hatched this plan, we assumed we could quickly buy a house and spend our last year here renovating. Hah! Reality check: We leave in a month, and if we manage to get electricity installed and roof repaired before we move, we’ll consider that a triumph. : ) We keep thinking we’re crazy to take on a project like this, but we LOVE that it will keep us connected to the area in such a real way.

Today, during the closing, as we signed the official papers, the previous owners gave us the photo at top. It’s our house circa 1900 (compare it to this photo). And it’s actually a postcard, with an address label on the back. When I saw the little family, I started to cry. What a treasure to be able to picture the people who lived in this place oh so long ago. (And the collar and cut on the son’s jacket — it’s so French! It just does me in.)

Tell me: Does this project make you gasp with terror at the amount of work (and frustration) ahead for us? Or gasp with inspiration at what it might become? Maybe some of both? I’d love to hear your renovation stories!

P.S. — I detailed more about what it will take to redo this property here. And you can see more images here, here and here, if you’re curious.

Image and text by Amy Christie for Design Mom

Fresh flowers are a nice addition to any given day. But I’ve got a little trick that will take a simple arrangement up a notch — even that ordinary bundle of grocery store flowers! Instead of using an basic, nondescript vase, use a small dish with a pin-type flower frog and take the ordinary to extraordinary.

If you haven’t used, or even heard of, flower frogs before, no need to be intimidated. There are a variety of flower frogs (people actually collect them!) that all serve the same basic purpose — to help you arrange your flowers. For this project, I’ve incorporated the pin version or pin flower frog (called such because it looks like lots of pins sticking up).

With this type of frog, the flower stems are stuck into the pins to keep the flowers in place. Stems can be stuck and restuck, arranged and rearranged in the pins until it is just right.

I purposely chose simple, inexpensive flowers for this project because, really, it’s not about the flowers. Flower arranging prowess is not needed, and you don’t need to seek out a specialty floral shop. It’s the pin flower frog in the small bowl, decorative or otherwise, that is the big deal. It is the inside secret to a good looking arrangement in a small container.

It’s so easy you will flip!

Supplies:

- various small bowls or glasses
- flower pins — I found mine in the floral aisle at Michael’s
- strong adhesive
- decorative options — curable acrylic paints, porcelain or paints, gold leaf (plus adhesive and sealer), permanent markers, etc

The very simplest version of this DIY is to find an interesting little bowl in your cupboard or at the thrift store, add glue to the bottom side of the flower pin and stick it to the bottom of the bowl.

Follow the directions of the glue for dry times and then when it’s dried, it’s ready for flowers.

However, plain bowls allow the opportunity to add patterns and designs. This can be accomplished with permanent markers (like this Design Mom tutorial), gold leaf or porcelain or glass paints. In addition to being used as any other acrylic, Martha Stewart’s line of paint can be cured in the oven. I had so much fun adding patterns and designs to the bowls pictured here. The options are endless!

After your design is finished and has completely dried (at least an hour), place your item in a cool oven. (I like to put mine on a parchment-lined baking sheet.) Turn on the oven to 350F and bake for 30 minutes. It is done this way because glass must heat gradually. After 30 minutes, turn the oven off and allow the piece(s) to cool in the oven. Once cooled, remove from the oven and do not use for 72 hours. If you are not in the rush, the paint will cure after 21 days without the oven.

With both the 21-day method and the oven-method, pieces will be top-shelf dishwasher safe once they’re cured.

And now: How to use the pin flower frog.

After cutting the flowers to the appropriate height (flowers should be 1 1/2 times the height of the dish/cup/bowl), stick the stems in the flower pin.

Keep adding flowers until the bowl is full. Add a bit of water to the bottom to feed the flowers. Then ready yourself for the big smiles coming your way when you display this little beauty.

It doesn’t get simpler than that! Give it a try, and I predict: this process is so reliably successful, you’ll be adding fresh flowers to your shopping list every week.

I’d love to know: have you ever used a flower frog before? Do you have a favorite type? Any other tips you’d add?

P.S. — We love to make things! Find many more wonderful projects here. Also, find 10 Secrets to Extending the Life of Cut Flowers here.

By Amy Hackworth. Image by Justin Hackworth.

A few months ago I was in a local boutique, and held a skirt up to my waist in a sort of “can I pull this off?” gesture. The owner of the boutique noticed, looked at me, and, I think with the intention of being helpful, explained, “My store … is more for … juniors.”

Oh, boy. I was a little embarrassed, but mostly amused. Was I one of those people, in denial about my age? I don’t think I was quite as far off as the boutique owner suggested (I’m certainly biased, though), but it’s true that I have often thought of myself as younger than I am.

When I was a teenager, anyone over 35 was a varying degree of “old,” and that teenage feeling of perennial youth took a long time to wear off. Now I am 35, and I frequently refer to friends and stories from fifteen or twenty years ago. Twenty years? I do the math and marvel.

My perception of age is further complicated when I think about my role as a mother. I look at our 9-year-old son and often see my little baby, but I have to remind myself how independent and mature I felt as a 9-year-old. As a child, I saw my parents as the ultimate grown ups — the rule-makers who had everything figured out. Do my children think I have everything figured out?

I used to have an idea that traits I considered “grown up” would arrive when I reached a certain age, like a birthday gift I could unwrap and call my own. Maybe one year I’d receive wisdom, and another year understanding, and then I’d officially be grown up. That hasn’t happened yet, and instead I’m learning about the fluidity of age, of wisdom, understanding and life. One thing, though, is for sure: “old” has become a sliding scale, with its defining point being pushed ever a little further away.

What is your perception of your age? Have you ever felt younger or older than you actually are? Do you embrace the aging process, or fight it with every cream and lotion you can find?

Images and text by Carter.

It might not surprise you that I like to pepper my classic favorites with some all out kook and quirk. And this book by Remy Charlip, Fortunately, makes hilarity squeak out of my toenails. It’s that much fun. Remy Charlip was a tap dancer, and something about those syncopated beats must have been pulsing in his brain when he wrote this book. Its punchy crescendoes and dramatic page turns are a riot!

And is there anything more darling than a hapless little main character whose name is Ned?! When Fortunately was published in 1964, Ned was nowhere near the most popular of baby names, so I love that his identity is already a bit offbeat. The story opens just like this: Fortunately, one day, Ned got a letter that said “Please Come to a Surprise Party.” The spread is bright and colorful and full of promise. But turn the page, and it reads, But unfortunately the party was in Florida and he was in New York. And all of that vibrancy? Faded to black and white.

Ned’s story carries on in a frenzy of escalating chaos and the most satisfying of arcs. And where Ned ends up just might surprise you!