Ask Design Mom Week — Family Christmas Gift

Question:
My husband's family always draws names for gift giving. This year we are gifting to his sister's family; they have six kids and a total of eight people. (Which made me think of you ;)). I'm wondering if you know of any good gift ideas that the whole family could enjoy, or perhaps a something we could get for each family member that wouldn't break the bank. The kids range in age from 3-14. Thanks! — Lynnette



Answer:
Another great question. My family picks names as well. One of the favorite gifts we've ever received was a collection of Nativity Dress-ups my sister put together from thrift store finds. It's awesome. And really good for a wide range of ages. You can see my post about it here.

Dear Readers, I'm sure you have tons of good suggestions for Lynnette. What do you like to give for "family" gifts?

Ask Design Mom Week — Blogging Advice

Question:
I just started my own blog this month! It looks boring, I have no followers, and I feel left out of the "Blogging Circle." Can you give me some tips on how to make my blog better? — Tanya



Answer:
Thanks for the question, Tanya. I'll start by saying, you're not alone. I think I get questions along these lines more than any others. How do I grow my blog? How do I get sponsors? How do I change my header? How do I decide on a blog topic?

But I confess, I don't answer as often as I'd like. For a few reasons. One, the answers are long. Long enough that people teach multiple classes and hold multi-day conferences to try to cover the answers adequately. Two, because I try (I can't say I always succeed) to limit this blog to topics at the intersection of design and motherhood. Three, because bummer for me, in a given week, I'm only able to respond to about 20% of my email. If that.

But since it is Ask-Design-Mom-Week, I thought I'd at least take a minute to say: it's not too late. You can still get into the blogging and social media scene. You can still start a site. You can still participate. You can still build something new. You can still grow what you've created.

If you feel like you've missed the boat, you haven't. If you feel like you're not in the club, it's a false perception. Period. This whole scene is still new enough that people are reinventing it everyday. Starting from scratch. Coming up with new and brilliant interpretations of how this whole thing could work. Just yesterday, I received an email from two friends who have started a new blog. It's called the Sweeterie and it's different than anything I've seen before. A super smart, simple concept. And it's beautiful. And I have no doubt it will grow. What will it grow into? Who knows. We'll find out in a couple of years.

Can I promise that your audience will grow super fast? Nope. Most audiences don't. There are a few instant successes, but most people that are doing this for a living, built their audiences slowly over several years. Just like any small business. Are there techniques to help you jumpstart growing your community? For sure. And that's why people attend conferences (like Alt and Mom2Summit — two conferences that Kirtsy plans the programming and panels for). To find out the best ideas and most effective ways to work in this space.

But the advice you'll hear most often, every time the topic of growing your audience comes up, is: comment and participate. Get out there. Comment on the blogs you like, big and small. If there's a blog party or Mr. Linky, try it out. If you see people mentioning NaBloPoMo, click the link and find out what it is. If you see buttons for a conference, ask about it. The more you explore, the more likely you'll find the perfect social media fit for you.

Dear Readers, what advice would you add to this topic?

Ask Design Mom Week — Christmas Tree Decor

Question:
I'm in a new house, new life and looking ahead to the holidays, I realized that our decade plus years of marriage/college/med school/residency tree decor might be in need of a slight makeover this year. I'm just looking for ideas — new, old, swanky, homestyle, yadda, yadda. Any advice or pictures to find, etc.? Thanks! — Stacey



Answer:
Love this question, Stacey. People have strong opinions about Christmas Trees: They should have the same decorations each year — it's tradition! They should be filled with ornaments made by children! They should be flocked! Flocked trees should be outlawed! They should change themes every year! Only fresh trees count! If it's not pre-lit, I won't use it!

Feel free to have whatever opinions you prefer for your own tree. It seems to be such a personal, emotional thing. Depending on some mix of childhood memories, current marketing schemes and adult expectations. And there's no right answer. Just know this, when you put lots of twinkling lights and pretty baubles on a tree. In your living room. And turn the house lights low. It's bound to be beautiful.

But if you're really wanting a change this year, Stacey, this is what I'd recommend. Hit the holiday aisle at your favorite store (let's say Target) and find an ornament you love the best. Your very favorite one. And then build a tree around it.

If it's a white feathered bird, then you could do the whole tree in birds and nests and white accents. If your favorite ornament is a gold glittery ball. Why not go gold all the way. Gold ornaments. Gold snowflakes. Gold ribbon. If you're starting from scratch, focusing on one color will definitely give you the biggest impact for the least amount of money. (I love the ornament pictured from Crate & Barrel.)

Looking for more inspiration? Martha has dozens of Christmas Tree ideas here.

What about you, Dear Readers? Any opinions on Christmas Tree decor?

Ask Design Mom Week — Book Binding Service

Question:
I am looking for an inexpensive way to print and bind books. Is there a website you have used and would recommend? Or an easy do it yourself technique? All the best to you and your family. — Becca




Answer:
For sure, Becca. This is actually a great time for people like you and I, who might want to get one or two books bound — but not necessarily a thousand. There are several online sources that provide such a service. Most are designed for uploading and showcasing photographs. But there's no reason you can't use them for showcasing writing or drawings as well. And in my opinion, they're all surprisingly economical — not that long ago it was very expensive to get a single book bound.

The service I'm most familiar with is Blurb. (You can see their samples in the photos above.) And I know my sister-in-law, had good luck printing a book with Shutterfly. If you prefer the handmade route, I recommend looking up a local class. It is very satisfying (but not necessarily easy) to bind your own book.

Dear Readers, do you have a favorite book-printing service?

Ask Design Mom Week — Thanksgiving Invitations

Question:
I was hoping you might have some ideas on cute handmade Thanksgiving invitations. If you can point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it! Thanks for all the great ideas. — Christine B



Answer:
Oooh. Now that you mention it, I don't think I've ever sent out Thanksgiving invitations. But now I'm loving the idea. How much fun to receive an actual invitation — instead of text message confirming your attendance. : )

Having never sent Thanksgiving Invitations, I can't say that I have a ton of good sources at my finger tips. But I do remember seeing the cute invitations above, designed by Good On Paper, on Anh Mihn's blog last year. They're not handmade, but they are fantastic.

Dear Readers, how about you? What are the prettiest handmade Thanksgiving Invitations you've spotted?

Ask Design Mom Week — Journals

Question:
I'm looking for a journal that's appropriate for kids. Any good ideas? Thanks. — Kathryn



Answer:
Great question. The favorite kids journal at our house is called This Is Me. It's full of great prompter questions. Lots of space for drawings or pasting in ticket stubs. And it has a handy little pocket at the back for tucking away keepsakes.

Also, I haven't tried these myself, but I think the Between You & Me journals look good too. Inside each are fun, non-sappy, sometimes humorous questions. Give them to the people you love and they are returned with handwritten responses.

Want more ideas? One of my recent guest moms wrote a terrific round-up of all sorts of journals.

Dear Readers, do your kids have a favorite journal?

Ask Design Mom Week — Legwarmers

Question:
My daughter Rosie has just started kindergarten, and her school requires uniforms (white tops + navy or khaki bottoms or dresses). Of course she prefers skirts and dresses or jumpers, but all the ones we have are above the knee, and she complains her legs get chilly. In my school uniform days, cable-knit knee socks were the norm, but I've got my heart set on finding her some sweet scrunchy legwarmers, preferably in cream or navy — not sure wild colors would be uniform-approved. Have you seen any darling school-day legwarmers recently? Thanks!! — Amanda T.



Answer:
Legwarmers! Love the question, but I don't have a ready answer. For baby-size, there are several options (like the leggies pictured from Oeuf). And I remember my last 3 pairs of grown-up-size legwarmers were purchased at a dance supply store, H&M and Target. But I don't remember seeing kid-size legwarmers lately. So I'll turn this question over to my Dear Readers.

Dear Readers, have you seen any great sources for school-kid legwarmers?

Ask Design Mom Week — Family Pictures

Question:
What is your advice for taking a great family picture? (Note: I do not wish to have a statuesque portrait of my toddler and newborn in khaki and white on the beach — this is a real family picture. So lets keep it real.) Thanks. — Leslie



Answer:
Loving all these questions! And this is no exception, Leslie. We should probably turn to a photographer to answer this one, but I'll do my best.

1) Take the time to find a great photographer. Look through portfolios. Keep your eye open for someone who's style you like. I love my family photos by Candace Stringham. I love Jared & Liz's family photos by Jonathon Canlas. I love my portrait by Justin Hackworth. And I love Nie's family photos by Blue Lily. But all have very different styles.

2) Once you've scheduled a date with a photographer, take some time to think about what you want. Talk over your ideas and plans with the photographer. Or look to them for guidance. You may want to discuss whether or not you need a photo stylist. Here's a post I wrote about getting ready for our Central Park photo shoot.

3) As far as family photo trends go, this is what I've observed: 10 or 15 years ago it was all about matching denim shirts. (Awesome!) Then. DSLR cameras became more afforable and thus widespread. Suddenly, everyone was a photographer. And family photos trended to candid, up close shots — photographed by your best friend or neighbor. What's happening now? A more editorial style — as if the family photo is being shot for your favorite magazine.

My main advice for right this minute: feel free to pick a color scheme, but you don't need to wear matching shirts. Unless you're going for this look. Which is admittedly rad (I'm #7).

What about you, Dear Readers? What do you do to ensure great family photos?

Ask Design Mom Week — Online Fabric Sources

Question:
I'm looking for a fun print fabric to use to bolster some window boxes, but am disappointed in the choices at the chain fabric stores. Any suggestions for online fabric stores that are affordable? Thanks — Lauren



Answer:
Great question, Lauren. This is another popular topic that comes up frequently. From what I can tell, the online fabric sources that seem to have the most fans and best collections are:

1) Purl Fabrics. You can browse fabric by company, style or designer. Their collection of reproduction 1800's fabrics is excellent. The japanese fabrics are so tempting, you'll buy now and come up with the appropriate project later. They also stock knitting supplies, books, and notions. Plus, a really lovely goods and a smart crafting blog: The Purl Bee.

2) Repro Depot. It's my sister Jordan's favorite online fabric source. She's mentioned them multiple times. You can read her Repro Depot posts here.

3) Spoonflower. If you really can't find any fabric you love, Spoonflower will print your very own designs for very reasonable prices.

What about you, Dear Readers? Any other online fabric sources you know and love?

PS — Some of this answer was taken from one of my previous posts.

Ask Design Mom Week — Holiday Card Display

Question:
I have been looking online everywhere. Do you know the metal alligator clip stands with multiple clips that form a tree like shape when cards are hung on it? I remember seeing them in a catalog from last season but was too late to purchase and am hoping to get a jump on it this year. Thanks for any shopping help! — Amy



Answer:
Dear Readers, do you know exactly what Amy is looking for? Do you know a source? Please share. In the meantime, Amy, take a look at this aluminum multi-clip hanger from Muji. They offer 3 different versions and they're made to hang accessories in your closet. But wouldn't they work well for holiday cards?

Ask Design Mom Week — Salt & Pepper Shakers

Question:
I am in the market for salt and pepper shakers. I'm looking for something small and preferably not in the shape of a little person or animal (wink). I figured you would have a great recommendation for something stylish and chic. If they make "chic" for the salt and pepper crowd. Thanks. — Cari



Answer:
Ooooh. Salt & Pepper shakers. I haven't shopped for these in at least a decade. Fun to think about new ones! If you're looking for small and not-kitchy, my first instinct is to stop in at a place like DWR or the Conran Shop.

I like a classic diner shape, like the one pictured. But I just stopped by DWR and found these little silver ones. Chic, no?

What about you Dear Readers? Seen any great salt & pepper sets lately? Please leave a link in the comments.

Ask Design Mom Week — Stroller Advice

Question:
I am pregnant with my first and am doing a lot of stroller research. There are so many to choose from. Cost is an issue with me but I don't want a cheap one that will fall apart. I like the idea of having one for newborn to toddler that can be converted into a double stroller. Any advice? Many thanks! — Meghan



Answer:
So smart to be doing your research, Meghan. The first thought that comes to mind, is that it makes a big difference if you're a city dweller or living in suburbia. You'll use your stroller differently, and want different features, depending on your location. (My current stroller is the Micralite Toro, pictured. We love it, but it wouldn't have worked for us at all about a few years back — I had completely different needs.)

The second thought that comes to mind, is that you're not alone. I actually get a lot of stroller questions. And I see the topic discussed around the interwebs pretty regularly. In fact, a week or so ago I heard about a new site called Stroller Source. They don't actually sell strollers — so that they can remain non-biased. But they have tons of research and comparison information. They're like the Good Samaritans of the stroller world. Stroller Source would be a really good place to start.

What about you Dear Readers? What kind of stroller advice would you like to offer?

Ask Design Mom Week — Thanksgiving Prep

Question:
I'm hosting Thanksgiving this year. Any tips to make it less stressful? — Rebecca



Answer:
Great question! There are a few things I like to do in late October or early November to help my Thanksgiving prep.

1) Get my kitchen knives sharpened. Your guests will likely be helping you in the kitchen. You won't want them using crummy tools.

2) Take inventory of your dinnerware/china and utensils. Do you have enough place settings for all your guests? Have you lost a few random spoons over the last year? (Spoons are notorious for getting thrown out with yogurt cups or lost in the sandbox.) If you have any gaps to fill in, this is the time to place your orders. I'll be adding more silverware this year — my preferred pattern is Old Denmark by Yamazaki.

3) Ask guests if there are any particular foods or recipes that will make or break Thanksgiving for them and add those recipes to your menu. For example, personally, I have a particular veggie dip that I'm totally homesick for if I don't get a bite at Thanksgiving.

What about you Dear Readers? What are your best tips for preparing for Thanksgiving?

Ask Design Mom Week

Friends! My inbox is overflowing with brilliant questions. Time for another installment of Ask-Design-Mom-Week.

How does it work? I'll post several questions each day of this week in separate posts. I'll answer some and leave others for your clever responses. And hopefully, we'll all learn a little something new. Lovely.

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

Ask Design Mom — iPhone Apps for Kids

Ask Design Mom Question:
Design Mom, which apps do your youngest kids like playing with on the iphone? I've got a shiny new one in hand and I'm filling it up. Thanks. — Liz

Design Mom Answer:
Great question, Liz. I'll bet my readers will have great recommendations, too. A couple of my picks: 4-year-old Oscar loves Lightsaber, Bubbles, PacMan and Jirbo Match (although mostly he loves watching his favorite TV shows via the iPod app). And I just introduced 3-year-old Betty to Farm Friends — remember the See & Say toys? It's like that. For the iPhone.

A few more. If your kids are pre-school age and really into letters, try ABC Animals Flashcards. And two I've wanted to try (but haven't yet) from Duck Duck Moose — Wheels On The Bus and Old MacDonald.

What about you, dear iPhone-using-readers? Any favorite young kid apps?

Ask Design Mom: Photo Storage

Ask Design Mom Question:
Dear Design Mom. I can see you take many, many photos. I'm wondering how you store them? I am pretty new to digital photography, but I'm already filling up my computer storage. Any favorite solutions? — Diane.

Design Mom Answer:
Great question, Diane. I'm right there with you. Ever since Ben Blair gave me the new camera last Christmas, my hard drive has overflowing with the ginormous photos it takes. (I'm not complaining. It's a rad camera and it takes rad pictures.) To keep my computer from getting too sluggish, I've started using external storage for all my photos. The best system I've tried so far is the FreeAgent Go by Seagate.

Seagate offers lots of products — the one I use is made especially for Macs, but they have even more solutions for PC users. I like it because it looks good and because it's super easy to use. No software to download or install. Just plug it in and go. I've never had to transport mine, but it comes with a handy little carrying case, and it will hold 320 GB. I wonder how long it will take me to fill it up? : )

What about you? Any favorite photo storage solutions?

Ask Design Mom: Baby's First Shoes

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

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

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

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

Ask Design Mom: Boy Clothes

A popular topic in Ask-Design-Mom emails is boy clothes. I get lots of questions along these lines: I have 2 sons. I see lots of great clothing for girls out there. But what about the boys?

And I totally feel their pain. It does seem that for every one line of boys clothing, there are a dozen boutiques focused on girls. Well. Never mind that. There are lots of fantastic lines out there with boys on the brain. Here are some great ones:



Wonderboy
All boy. All the time. Casual pieces that are always interesting. I've met the husband-wife team behind this line at two different trade shows. They are both delightful. They not only design the clothing, they also design the textiles they use. Which is extraordinary. You can find a list of retailers on their site or see some of their line at small concept.




babysusu
For boys through age 4. Beautifully constructed with a dressier, more modern feel. Find this line at places like petitluxe and citibabes.



Original Penguin
For toddlers and school-age boys. Original Penguin launched with golf shirts for men in the 1950's. They have very hip mens and womens lines and they've recently expanded with a selection for boys. This line is perfect for that leave-it-to-Beaver look.

Do you have any favorite boy clothing lines?

Ask Design Mom: Cool Man Blogs

So I've received several emails over the last few months asking if there are "Design Mom Blog Equivalents" for Dads/Men. And the answer is Yes. Absolutely. Here's a great one that Jordan sent to me recently:

A Continuous Lean. Very well done. And very male. A couple of days ago, the post was about a flickr pool featuring appliances that had been taken apart. (I snagged the picture above from that article.)

Another one that men seem to love — even though it isn't authored exclusively by males, is NotCot. The black background definitely keeps it from ever feeling frou-frou.

What are your favorite cool dude sites?

Ask Design Mom: White Dress for a Girl

Ask Design Mom Question:
Hi Gabrielle, I'm looking for a white dress for my school age daughter. Any suggestions? xoxox, Emily W.

Design Mom Answer:
Oh. I love this question! Summer is the perfect time to shop for a white dress. I found lots of pretty options. Some are splurges. Some are over the top expensive. And some are quite reasonable.



I love this drop-waist style by Jean Bourget. And this ruffle dress from crewcuts.



Olive Juice has three pretty styles in white — and on sale too! — try here, here and here. And check out this luxe silk organza affair at Flora and Henri (pictured at top).

Some many lovely choices. It makes me long to see my girls in white all summer long.

Ask Design Mom Week: Interesting Wallpaper

Ask Design Mom Question (actually it's two questions):
-Do you have any suggestions where I can find some funky wallpaper? — Thanks! Olivia
-I have wanted to do wallpaper in my bathroom and I cannot find a place that have cute/different wallpaper do you have any ideas? — Thanks, Erin Garner

Design Mom Answer:
Great questions. I love that wallpaper is making a comeback! Sometimes you just crave a certain look that only wallpaper can provide. I remember my mom taking me to wallpaper stores as a child and I would flip through those giant sample books for as long as she would let me. So inspiring. I should totally go do that. . .



Anyway. In addition to a fieldtrip to the wallpaper store, I'd recommend:
-Jill Malek, hand-printed wallpapers — too nice for the bathroom! — but perfect for a touch of luxury somewhere else.
-Funky, bold colors and clean lines at Pottock Prints.
-A wide selection of beautiful designs at Fabrics and Papers.
-Options that are both childlike and sophisticated at Mini Moderns. I think their tick-tock snow would be darling in a bathroom or family space.
-This green willow paper from Warm Biscuit Kids.
-And if you're not reading Design*Sponge, you should start. Grace does a fantastic job of featuring the latest and greatest in wallpapers — and all home related design. Design*Sponge is where I found the fantastic yellow floral wallpaper in the photo.

Dear Readers, what wallpaper have you been admiring lately?

Ask Design Mom Week: Toddler Dress Pattern

Ask Design Mom Question:
Hello Design Mom. I’m wondering if you might know where I can find a pattern to make a simple toddler’s a-line dress. Thanks, Kimi

Design Mom Answer:
Thanks for your question, Kimi. I've been told there are many experienced seamstresses that visit this blog now and again — I hope they'll chime in with their suggestions.



While they ponder the question, I'll send you to two places: you could pick up this vintage pattern on etsy. Or you could visit Oliver + S to see if any of their darling toddler patterns will work for you — like this swingset tunic.

ASk Design Mom Week: Headbands

Ask Design Mom Question:
Hi Gabrielle! I have a question for you. We will be going camping soon with some friends and while I don't mind being outdoors and getting down and dirty, I'd like something cute to hold my too-short-for-a-ponytail hair back, especially since I don't plan on bringing a hair dryer on a camping trip! Do you know of any cute hair scarves or cloth headbands?
— Thanks! Katerina

Design Mom Answer:
First of all, your camping trip sounds like the perfect summer adventure. I'm sure you'll have a great time! My preferred camping head gear is a classic red bandana. Good-looking. Easy to spot if I'm hiking with others. Absorbent for mopping up perspiration on a hot day. And it can work as a sling in a pinch. But if you're looking for something beyond a bandana, here are two suggestions.



I recently received an email about a just-launched hair product called Knot Heads that promises to work with all hair lengths in all sorts of interesting ways. You can check it out (including demo videos) here. And. I've heard rave reviews about Pinkbench head bands. Adjustable to fit your head with a vow to "stay on and not hurt". Sounds good to me!

How do you handle "camp hair" Design Mom Readers?

Ask Design Mom Week: Daddy-to-be Gift

Ask Design Mom Question:
Dear Gabrielle: I wanted to ask if you could post something that would make a unique/thoughtful/creative present for a daddy-to-be. My husband (like myself) is a graphic designer, and I'd love to find something to show him how thankful I am for all his support throughout my pregnancy. He's been amazing, super-caring and just wonderful all around! Any ideas? Love, Sabrina

Design Mom Answer:
Perfect timing on this question, Sabrina! Father's Day is just around the corner. I've got a couple of suggestions for a Daddy-to-Be, keeping in mind you're both super-cool graphic designers.



You could get him the Photographing Your Family book produced by National Geographic. Your husband may not know it, but taking photographs of his beautiful baby is about to become his new obsession. And this book goes a long way to taking the mystery out of capturing a great shot. If he already uses a good camera, you could also include a new lens with the book. Or. If he doesn't own a good camera, now would be a smart time to invest. Sometimes, when a new baby arrives and Mom is busy nursing on the sofa, Dad doesn't quite know how to get involved. A camera in his hand becomes very empowering.



For something more fun-loving, consider these very cool tin wind-up toys designed by Jesco von Puttkamer, hand-made in Nuremberg, Germany. Although not designed for children (watch for sharp edges) they are the sort of item that can make your workspace both sophisticated and welcoming-to-kids at the same time. A collection of these is sure to make you the coolest Dad in town. Available at Unica Home.



For an heirloom gift — something your husband can hand down to this forthcoming child of his — a vintage Rolex would be ideal. Thousands less than the price of a new one, and somehow much more young and cool than the latest editions. A few of my hippest friends sport refurbished originals from the 1970's with re-painted faces in orange and green — beautiful timepieces that I fully covet.

If you're in New York, you can find a selection at Bergdorf Mens. If you're not in New York, Travis, my friend and vintage Rolex connoisseur, recommended doing a search on ebay. The four watches pictured were found with a "Rolex California" search. Travis also mentioned that he'd found Samson328 to be reliable — and that Samson would probably be willing to locate a timepiece if I had something specific in mind.

How about you, Design Mom Readers? What are your best Daddy-To-Be Gift Ideas?

Ask Design Mom Week: Upholstery Fabric

Ask Design Mom Question:
I saw your post about Joel Dewberry fabrics, which made me think you might be a good person to ask this question of. I want to have a chair recovered and looked at a local fabric shop for fabric. Since then, I've seen much cuter stuff online, but I'm wondering how I know what type of fabric I'll need. For chairs, do I need to get something labeled "upholstery weight"? Thanks for your insight! — Kate M.

Design Mom Answer:
I love this question, Kate. Because I want to know the answer as well!



The fabrics I come into contact with are generally labeled "fashion weight," "quilting weight," or "home decor weight." So, whenever I've tackled an upholstery project, I've headed straight to the giant rolls of decorator fabric and looked for labels like "Home Decor Weight" or "Upholstery Weight".

But frankly, I don't know what technically qualifies fabric as good-for-upholstery. Is it Width? Thread count? Thickness? Materials? All of the above?

If anyone out there would like to take this opportunity to instruct Kate and myself, please do so. : )

Ask Design Mom Week: BPA-Free Bottles

Ask Design Mom Question:
Hey Gabrielle. I'm pregnant with baby #2, and am planning on buying BPA free bottles (glass or plastic) and sippy cups. Trouble is, they are so new that I have no one to ask recommendations about the best brands. Do you think you could ask your readers to share their favorite BPA free bottles and sippys? I've heard some complaints (online) about the nipples of these bottles. I hate to invest in these before I hear any personal recommendations. Thanks! — Carrie B.

Design Mom Answer:
Thanks for the question Carrie! I'm sure you can count on Design Mom Readers to give you lots of good PBA-free recommendations. (Design Mom Readers, thanks in advance for chiming in with your PBA wisdom.)



From a purely aesthetic standpoint — I'm design-focused after all — I love the Wee Go Bottles from Baby Life that I spotted in the March 08 issue of Parents Magazine. Aren't they pretty? I'll take one of each, please.

Ask Design Mom Week: Artwork Storage

Ask Design Mom Question:
Hello, My name is Karen and I live in NJ. I was searching for some ideas so I can save some of my 4 and 2 yr olds precious artwork and preschool projects without having to buy a boring tote? Any suggestions? Thanks! Karen

Design Mom Answer:
Another great question. Thank you Karen. The reality is, I get a version of this question maybe once a week. How-to-store-artwork is just another one of those dilemmas of modern-parenting, no less a topic of conversation then grocery bags.



It just so happens, that I wrote up a big, long post with lots of ideas for artwork storage and display for The Savvy Source — they posted my article on Saturday. Maybe some of the suggestions will spark your own ideas.

Ask Design Mom Week: Nursing Covers

Ask Design Mom Question:
Gabrielle, Hey. I just recently found your website through a friends blog and I love it! I was wondering if you know of any stylish, but affordable nursing covers. Thanks, Justina

Design Mom Answer:
Hmmm. Depends on what you mean by affordable. : ) A quick google search will give you lots of good-looking options in the $30 to $40 range — from shops like Modest Mums, Obuba and Peanut Shell.



But if you're looking for a real deal, here are two suggestions:

1) Pick up a yard of pretty fabric and ask a friend to whip one up for you. My sister in law, Megan, posted about a cute one she made here. It sounds like a very straightforward project.

2) Use this $7 clip to turn any baby blanket into an impromptu nursing cover.

What about you Design Mom Readers? Seen any especially good deals on nursing cover-ups?

Ask Design Mom Week: Pretty Binders

Ask Design Mom Question:
Have you ever run across any good looking binders? I really need to get organized but can't find any binders that work well AND look good. Any suggestions? Thanks! — Jenilyn

Design Mom Answer:
Great question, Jenilyn — and it's come up before. Clearly, many women are seeking out pretty binders. And it's no surprise. Good looking organization tools inspire us to put them to use. Happily, there are lots of great sources out there.

-Try Russell and Hazel. It's one of my favorite sources for great-looking office supplies — including binders.
-See Jane Work is another great source, also with a selection of good-looking binders.
-For a strictly modern look, try the sleek selection at Paolo Cardelli.
-Like color and pattern? Track down stores that carry the Vera Bradley line by Lifeguard Press.



-And last night, on an errand to Target, I noticed this great new Greenroom eco-line. Very nice-looking. With binders under $6.00. And yes. I stopped in the middle of Target, with four of my kids in tow, to take photos of the binders. Because that's how Design Mom rolls.

Hey Design Mom Readers! Seen any good-looking binders lately?

Ask Design Mom Week: Baby Memory Book

Ask Design Mom Question:
Hi Design Mom, I've just been blessed with my first child — a big beautiful boy called Spencer — and am at a loss as to where to find a great memory book/album to record all of his milestones. My husband and I were lucky enough to have wonderful mums who recorded all the little, and big, details of our youth and we would like to do the same for our son. Particularly those events that happen in the first few years. Any advice or suggestions you have on where I can find one will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance, new mum, Stephanie (Cairns, Australia).

Design Mom Answer:
Hi Stephanie. Congratulations on your new baby! And thank you for the question. Discovering the perfect baby book is a treat. And luckily, there are lots of interesting choices out there — and new ones created everyday. I've posted about some of my favorites here and here. Rachel, a previous Guest Mom showcased a couple of gorgeous custom books here.




Of the several I own, my favorite is a smallish one that is sold at the Metropolitan Museum (for less than $20). It's called simply Baby's Journal and it's written and illustrated by Marie Madeleine Franc-Nohain. It was adapted from Le Journal de Bébé, a book in the collection of the Museum that was first published in Paris in 1914.




It's lovely. Full of mostly blank pages with charming illustrations across the top, where you can record thoughts or attach photos. It's beautifully made and very well-loved by my kids. (As you can see, the silver ink on the book cover is wearing off from all the handling by little hands.) The current printing has a cover that's different than the one I own. If you'd prefer the cover I have, it looks like Amazon lists some vendors here.

Another favorite, although I don't own one, is the Binth Baby Book, which I've exclaimed over before. But I'll wait until the next post to tell you a bit more about it (wink).

What about you, Design Mom Readers? Do you have a favorite Baby Book to recommend?

Ask Design Mom Week: World Map Ideas

Ask Design Mom Question:
Gabrielle, I'm new to your site so I don't know if you've already posted about this or not... I'm looking for a cute idea to help my girls learn world geography. Ideally, I'd like something made out of recycled material (but somewhat interactive) that I could hang in their room. I don't want it too stuffy. I'm not running a school! Just something cute and fun (and funky!). Any suggestions? Thanks, Christina

Design Mom Answer:
Oh! I love maps. And I love decorating with maps. Great question, Christina.



My initial response is to send you to a post I wrote about using maps in my home (I favor the actual school maps), but after re-reading your question, I can see the solution I use isn't what you're looking for. Let me see what I can find something less formal out there and get back to you.

But before I head off on a map hunt, let me tell you what a friend of mine did: She gathered old National Geographic maps from a thrift store and covered an entire wall with them. She used wallpaper paste to attach them to the wall. They overlapped in lots of places and looked aged and creased and worn and really lovely. One was a big world map and the rest featured specific countries. She kept a pointer nearby to make the maps interactive.

Design Mom Readers, have you see any great maps out there?

Edit: talk about interactive! Check out this giant felt world map on etsy.

Ask Design Mom Week: Graduation Party

Ask Design Mom Question:
Gabrielle, I am attempting to throw my husband a graduation party. He is the first guy in his family to EVER graduate from college. Plus, during this time we got married, had two kids, moved to a different state and found a new job. In other words my man deserves a great party! I am stumped. I am trying to come up with some ways to make it all about him (we will be celebrating while visiting my in-laws the day before my sister-in-law's wedding.) Any ideas? Thanks! — Lyndsay

Design Mom Answer:
Congratulations to your husband, Lyndsay! I agree that a party is in order. Since you have two young children, you'll be houseguests at the time of the party, and won't have access to your own home or usual resources, I would recommend keeping the decor and refreshments simple. Your instinct to "make it all about him" seems exactly right and I would focus your energies there.



One way to make sure he gets attention that evening is to seek out anecdotes and tributes about him from friends and family. If they're submitted beforehand you could have them bound into a book and at some point during the party, everyone can gather around your husband as a few favorites are read aloud. Or, you could nix the book idea and instead, have guests prepare to share a short tribute at the party.

For simple decor, let your food do the work. You could take your husband's college colors, say brown and orange, and keep all the refreshments to those two colors (this seems to work best if you just serve desserts). Lots of different kinds of chocolates. Oranges or apricots. Colas or rootbeer or orange soda in bottles that show off their color.

Those are just a couple ideas to get your imagination going, Lyndsay. And I'll bet Design Mom Readers will chime in with lots of their own great graduation party ideas. I hope the party is fantastic!

image of Harvard gates found here

Ask Design Mom Week: Cradle Bedding

Ask Design Mom Question:
Gabrielle, in your travels online or in boutiques have you ever come across bedding for a cradle? I see anything and everything for cribs, but not a cradle or bassinet!! I'm on a desperate search for something beautiful and stylish, and if it could be organic, that would be fabulous. If anything comes to mind, please let me know! — Stephanie

Design Mom Answer:
You're absolutely right Stephanie! There are dozens of excellent options for crib bedding, but cradle bedding can be hard to find. I'm going to go search some of my best sources and see what I can find. In the meantime, I'll ask Design Mom Readers to chime in with their favorite sources.



And I should also mention, when I was faced with the same problem for our bassinet, I picked out some beautiful fabric and hired a friend to sew a few sheets. (Yes, although I'm not any sort of impressive seamstress, I could have probably sewn these myself. But let's be honest, it would have been procrastinated for. ev. er. Hiring it out got it done.)

Cradle pictured by Leander — I love how it can hang from the ceiling.

Ask Design Mom Week: Play Makeup

Ask Design Mom Question:
Hi Gabrielle, I have a question and I think you might be able to help me. When I was little, I loved doing face-painting with my mom and brothers and sisters, especially at Halloween, but at other times, too. We had a nice set of non-toxic face paints from Discovery Toys, and did tiger faces, clowns, mimes, etc.

Discovery Toys no longer carries this set. I'd love to find something similar for my kids, but I'm concerned about finding something safe for their skin. So far, the only "natural" kids' make-up I've found is body glitter and lip balm for little girls, which would not make my 5-year-old son, who wants to look like a pirate, happy. Do you know of any reasonably non-chemical-laced face-paint sets for kids? Thanks! Esther

Design Mom Answer:
Face painting is the best! Thanks for the reminder that it's a great year-round activity.




Snazaroo and Palmer are two good brands to try — and they're not very expensive. I haven't seen a list of ingredients, but they describe their products as cosmetic grade and non-toxic. If you want control of what exactly goes into the paint, here's a quick recipe to try.

Face painting would be the perfect solution to a boring summer day — and then you could send your child through the sprinklers for quick clean up. What about you Design Mom Readers? Any great face-painting tips we should know about?

Ask Design Mom Week: How to Spruce Up a Closet or Pantry

Ask Design Mom Question:
I have just added shelves to some old closets in the kitchen, hoping to make it a pantry. I have done the same with an upstairs closet that will house the upstairs laundry room. Sadly, I used a terrible handyman and the shelves look, well, like my three year old did them. I think I will redo them in the future when the budget allows for something better, but for now I have two questions: 1) any tips on how to spruce up an old-ish pantry? and 2) when it is time to re do it, where do I go to get the inside of a great closet or laundry room designed? Thanks! — Rebecca.

Design Mom Answer:
Great questions, Rebecca! This is a fun place to start the big Ask Design Mom week. I'm going begin with your second question about design services for closet interiors.



I've never actually used a service like this, but whenever I see ads for companies like Contemporary Closets or Closets by Design, I'm always tempted to schedule a free consultation. According to their websites, they focus on places like closets, garages, laundry rooms and utility rooms — and they'll tackle very big or very small jobs. If anyone reading this has used a closet design service and wants to share their experience, please do so — we're super curious.



As far as sprucing up a pantry goes, since it's a small space, it's the perfect opportunity to try out some bold color. Pick a shade that might be overwhelming in large quantities, but will provide a nice surprise whenever you open your cupboard.

You could add the color with a coat of paint, a layer of wallpaper — or even good old contact paper (is contact paper still around?). For a less permanent solution, you could try papering the back of the cupboard with the new adhesive wrapping paper from Hallmark. It's coated with post-it note stickiness across the whole roll — which would make it easy to reposition and easy to remove.

What about you, readers? How do you make your pantry a happy place?

images from the Container Store

Ask Design Mom Week Starts Monday!

Do you remember the last Ask Design Mom Week? Well it's awesome. And it's back. And it starts on Monday.

Here's the story: every so often I realize I have become a serious slacker about answering Ask-Design-Mom Questions. So. I take a week and post as many as I can. Then I answer some. And you, the clever reader, answer some as well.

A new twist for next week: I'm hosting 5 different excellent Giveaways — one a day, Monday through Friday — to thank you for your help in answering all those worthy questions. So meet me here on Monday for good questions, good ideas and good prizes. I can't wait!

Ask Design Mom: Bike Ideas for a 9-Year-Old

Ask Design Mom Question:
Dear Design Mom, I have a daughter turning 8 on Friday! She has outgrown her 16" wheel bike, and is ready for an upgrade. We took her to the local bike shop on Saturday, and they recommended either the 20" or 24" wheeled models. The brands were Specialized and Gary Fischer. We don't know much about bikes, but the 24" one looked massive. I'd love some input from you and your experienced readers on what size, model, brand we should buy for her. She has a younger brother and a boy-ish outlook, so nothing princess-y or pink. We were looking up kids' beach cruisers online, and we love the looks of them but wonder if she needs something with gears. Help! Thanks, Sara

Design Mom Answer:
Oh my. The image of an eight-year-old girl heading down the road on a summer day — riding a beach cruiser — is pretty fantastic. But I don't know a thing about gears and bike sizes. Brilliant readers, what advice do you have for Sara?

Also, I know she's not too girly, but one of these bike baskets by Design House Stockholm would make a great accessory. The color choices (black, green and white) and plastic-ness offset the femininity of the lacy.

Ask Design Mom: Easter Baskets

Ask Design Mom Question:
Dear Designmom, I've been looking for easter baskets for my three kids and have had a hard time finding something that will last through the years and that looks great. You are always posting such great finds and ideas for all the holidays and I am hoping that you might be able to help me find a few resources for fantastic easter baskets. Thanks! Becky

Design Mom Answer:
Great question Becky! And I hear you on the long-lasting aspect. The first Easter baskets I purchased for my kids were sweet, but they broke the second year and were a beast to store.

If you're super traditional, then you may not like my answer, but I'm a big fan of "alternative" Easter baskets. In fact, I look for baskets that are multi-purpose and highly functional — that I can use throughout the year for all sorts of things. I also prefer a small container, because it prevents us from getting out of control with the candy.



Our current Easter baskets are small galvanized metal buckets. The kids decoupaged them a few years ago with crepe paper, wrapping tissue and watered down glue. (Although, I think they're lovely unadorned as well.) After they've done their duty collecting eggs, they go back to the shelves in my girls' room, where they corral Polly Pocket pieces and Barbie shoes and dress-up jewelry. You can see them on my daughters' shelves here.

But if buckets aren't your thing. I recommend looking through home organization departments to scope out other alternative, long-lasting "baskets". Wire fruit baskets would be charming and would show off the colored eggs — no grass necessary. Or a small cloth bin that you could embellish with a ribbon handle so they can carry it during their egg hunt would be perfect. In fact, if you hunt around your house, you may find that you have just the thing on hand already.

I hope that helps, Becky. Happy Hunting!

Small rhombus totes from The Container Store. Metal buckets in galvanized silver and solid colors from The Bucket Outlet. Wire baskets from Organize.com. Natural sling bag by Eco Bags.

Ask Design Mom - Organic Cotton Bedding

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
Hi there — I have recently become addicted to your blog — thank you so much for the wonderful reading! Question: any recommendations for stylish organic sheets (crib and regular)? I can never find anything interesting that is made of organic cotton. Thanks in advance! Jora

Design Mom Answer:
Hi Jora! Great question. The organic textiles market is expanding by the minute and it seems like there are new options everyday. If you've been bored with what you've seen in the past, cheer up, there are quite a few new and beautiful choices out there, and you watch — within in the year, the offerings will double or triple.


Here are a few places to start your search. For grown-ups, The Company Store and Gaiam both carry several options that are subtle and sophisticated.



For crib/toddler size sheets, check out Kate Quinn for solids in beautiful shades. And you can find a couple of bright patterns at Nest, or mod patterns at Pixel Organics.

What about you Design Mom readers? Do you have a favorite source for organic bedding?

Ask Design Mom: Tips for Being Artsy/Craftsy with Your Kids

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
I want to be more tactile with my kids, meaning I want to be literally more hands-on with them in the day as well as figuratively, I want them to spend more time creating with their hands and feeling the joy of a project conceived and completed. I'm ready to bump it up a notch, and you have ideas and materials that never cross my mind. Your young daughter knits? Your little boy paints onto shirts? Sign me up! I know you're crazy busy, but if you get a chance, I'd welcome advice. — Amanda

Design Mom Answer:
Hi Amanda. What a great question. Thanks for submitting it. Last Saturday I taught a small class about this very topic. I'm going to include my handout notes here because I think they will answer your question fairly well.

Design Mom's Tips for Doing Crafts or Art Projects with Your Kids

1) Admit to yourself it’s going to be messy. If that stresses you out, cover surfaces with newsprint or butcher paper to catch bits of paper and glitter and drops of glue. Use materials (adhesive, markers, etc.) that are washable. Then relax. If you get paint on your hands, it’s okay. If your child gets marker on her shirt, it will wash. When you’re finished, roll up the newsprint and discard the mess easily.

2) Don’t present one firm example of how the craft should turn out. Either don’t present an example at all, or present several options, so your child knows he can use his imagination. If he glues the eyes where the ears should be, good for him — think of it as an opportunity to introduce cubism (wink). Their idea is more important than how they execute it.

3) Look for crafts that are age appropriate and play to your child’s strengths. If the craft is complicated, break it into steps and figure out which ones your child can do. For a Harry Potter Celebration we made wands out of paper, hot glue and paint. My 6 year old could choose the paper, tape the rolled paper, plug in the glue gun, and paint it with craft paint. I did the hot-glueing, the rolling of the paper that required more dexterity than her little hands could muster and handled the metallic highlights we added with permanent marker. My older kids could do more. My younger kids were napping — this wasn’t a craft appropriate for 2 and under.

4) If you really enjoy crafting yourself, set aside a portion of the craft that is just for you to make. I find when I don’t do this, I hover and am tempted to control what my kids are making. If I know there are some craft materials reserved for me then it’s easier to allow the kids to do their thing. (For example, every year at Easter, I set aside a dozen eggs that are just for me to decorate.)

5) If you’re crafting on the kitchen table and the craft isn’t finished, but it’s time to use the table for dinner, it can be frustrating to clean it all up and start again later. If you don’t have a dedicated craft space, plan your craft to be done in an allotted time.

6) You don’t have to keep it forever. Crafts are often 3-D and can quickly accumulate and take up lots of space. Not everything your child makes is a masterpiece. Say goodbye to some old crafts when new crafts come into your life — before you start resenting crafts in general. Much of the value of crafts is in the making.

7) Remember Tim Gunn and “Make it Work.” It’s not worth running to the store to get the perfect paper/trim/detail. The enthusiasm for the project will evaporate if you have to break for errands. Use materials you have at home.

8) Not every child likes glue and glitter and cutting paper. Don’t force it.



If you're looking for specific ideas, following is a list of crafts my kids have done in the last year or so and loved (including links to my sources or instructions). If you've been reading for awhile, you'll recognize these from earlier posts.

Note: I especially love crafts that are practical. That can be used or worn or played with. If you're looking for decorative crafts, this list won't be helpful.

Also, the ages are just meant as a loose guide — if it says 4+, it means there are lots of steps in the project that a typical 4-year-old could do. It doesn't mean you should leave your 4-year-old alone with a glue gun and sewing machine and sharp pair of scissors while you run to the grocery store.

painted shirt, age 4+
potholders, age 6+
recycled crayons, all ages
artwork calendar, all ages
sculpey beads, age 4+
bubblebath, age 4+
jello or kool-aid playdough, all ages
romper stompers, age 4+
round loom hats & scarves, age 7/8+
bean bags, age 4+
knot a quilt*, age 6+
magic wands, age 5+
barrettes, age 4+
ipod cover, age 7/8+
garlands, age 4+
decoupage eggs, all ages

*I don't think I've posted on Knot-A-Quilt before but it's a kit filled with fringed squares that your child can tie together to make a blanket. Great concept and a good quiet project — my daughter loved making it. But. The fabric it comes with is not the best. I've been experimenting with alternative fabrics that are better looking and higher-quality to see if we can make our own squares. I'll let you know how it goes. . .

Ask Design Mom: What to do with Children's Artwork

Ask-Design-Mom Question: Hi Gabrielle. As the mother of 5 creative children, I think you are the perfect person to ask this question... I was wondering if you have creative suggestions for what to do with the blizzard of artwork that my kids bring home each week from school (not to mention the work the generate at home)? I have a pre-schooler and a first grader and they generate a LOT of precious "art". I like having it around the house and proudly hang much of it, but would love some creative ideas for how to preserve, display and manage the volume. Thanks for your wonderful blog and Happy New Year! Regards, Brenda

Design Mom Answer:
Great question Brenda. This one is a non-stop challenge for all parents. I've detailed my own storing-artwork-philosophy before here. (In short the philosophy is: keep it moving. Post current artwork. Replace it when new items come home. Save a very few select items and only projects that are true originals or that your child is particularly proud of.) But today I've got 3 cute ideas I've seen recently that might help you out.

1) Lizzy had the brilliant idea to use her daughter's artwork to make her grocery lists and to-do lists. Child friendly and earth friendly. I'm sure her daughter feels so important when she sees mom carrying around her drawing as mom goes about doing errands.


2) In the most recent issue of Good Things for Kids (one of the Martha mini-magazines — this issue is titled "Get Crafty" and just came out last week), there are dozens of amazing ideas, some dealing with the exact question in mind. I loved their idea of putting a year's worth of artwork into mailing tubes. The tubes are especially good at accommodating oversize pieces of paper.


3) Another great idea from Good Things for Kids, is to turn your child's drawing into something practical by mounting a small paper calendar directly on the artwork (see the pic at the top of this post). We happened to get one of those mini calendars in the mail yesterday from our oil company and decided we should try this project immediately. Instead of mounting the whole calendar on one masterpiece, my kids collected 12 pieces of artwork, trimmed them down and mounted the artwork and one calendar month on 12 separate sheets of paper. Double-stick tape and glue sticks were the mounting adhesives of choice.


When we were finished, we bound the 12 pages together with an oversize paperclip and slipped them in a happy red envelope. We're sending this off to Grandma for a belated birthday present. If your utilities company/real estate agent/gardening catalog isn't as forthcoming with the mini calendars, you can also buy them from this site.

One last idea: if you find your child is particularly taken with drawing, introduce a sketchbook into their life. When they fill it up, introduce a new one. That way, their artwork is already bound and easy to store and they can see their progression easily.

What about you, clever readers? How do you handle the oceans of artwork that come into your homes?

Ask Design Mom: 3 year old gifts

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
Hi Gabrielle! Love your blog. I thought you would be the perfect person to ask. My nephew is turning three next week. He has *everything* an almost three year old could want or need. And not plastic stuff. Cool stuff — cause he lives in Brooklyn, and his parents are hip and all that. What is a good gift to get for him — got any ideas or websites or stores to visit? Andrea Birch

Design Mom Answer:
Great question, Andrea! And perfect timing what with my son's three year old birthday happening just last Saturday. Here are some of the things Oscar loved receiving.

Banana Monkey Car.
I have no idea where my friend picked this up, but I am in love with it. And Oscar was possessive about it from the moment it appeared. So great! I've left a message for my friend asking about the source — I'll update as soon as I hear anything. This just in: she picked this lovely item up at Wisteria. Apparently no longer available :(

Doctor Kit with Wooden Accessories.
The same friend also gave Oscar a little German doctor kit that Oscar has carried from room to room since his party.

A Colorful Clock.
From age 3 kids start learning more and more about the concept of time. Tomorrow. Yesterday. In a minute. We picked up this Monkey faced clock at the holiday fair in Grand Central. When the alarm goes off it makes monkey sounds. You can find 5 different animal sound clocks at Streamline.

Cariboo & Bloom Puzzle.
These are both made by the Cranium company and I am a fan of every thing I've seen this company produce. Smart thinking and good design. We own 4 of their boardgames and love them dearly. 3-year-olds can't get enough of Cariboo. Your nephew will want to play it 10 times every day.

Bloom is a new-to-me Cranium product line and sure enough, it's another hit. You put together a puzzle and then use the little flip books they provide to spot things on the puzzle and circle them with erasable marker. Oscar loves it!

Skateboard.
We picked this up at Target for $7. It's just the right size for a 3 year old to try out. And it's small enough that I don't mind him using it in the house (it's so cold outside!).

Wood Puzzles.
It's hard to own too many good wood puzzles. Your nephew probably already has some, but he's probably also tired of them. Oscar (and Betty) both love wood puzzles. Melissa & Doug is one good source. Their puzzles are sold all over the place.

Play Dough & Art Supplies.
Since the parents of the nephew are "hip and all that", they'll appreciate homemade jello playdough in lieu of the electric-colored commercial stuff. (Although kids love both kinds!). Put it in a good looking container and include a dino or doggie or car shaped cookie cutter and it will provide hours of fun. And the jello makes it smell really good too.

This is an appropriate time to mention art supplies as well. Kids go through markers, paper, glue and pipe cleaners faster than you might expect. They are always a welcome gift.

Sporting Equipment.
A few trips to the park and whatever sporting equipment your nephew has will be either thrashed or lost. My kids are always delighted to receive baseballs and bats, kickballs, bouncy balls, hockey sets, soccer balls, all of it. I love this beautiful leather basketball that Oscar received. (Couldn't find the link but I believe it's from Pottery Barn.)

What about you Design Mom Readers? What do you like to give for 3-year-old gifts?

Ask Design Mom: Looking for Gorgeous Chocolates

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
Hey Gabrielle. A friend just had a baby (#3) and she's a chocolate freak and I want to send her a great "chocolate" gift — but everything I find is . . . . how do I say, lacking in the "well packaged" department. Valentines is coming. Do you have any favorites? Know where to look? Best, Laurie

Design Mom Answer:
Very timely question, Laurie! And I've got the perfect answer. Look what arrived at my doorstep yesterday:



It was such a pleasure to open up this little package from Coco-luxe, that I put it back together and then took pictures while taking it apart. Just so I could show you.





The little icons tell you the flavor to expect — and some are very unexpected.

Ben's been out of town for a few days and I thought I would save these for his return. So I haven't tasted them yet. But I'm very much looking forward to it. A perfect little Valentine treat.

Ask Design Mom: Christmas Stockings

Question:
Hi Gabrielle. I was hoping that you could help me because you never fail to find the most beautiful things. I am looking for Christmas stockings that are beautiful and interesting, but I am having a hard time finding anything that works. Most of my searches come up with the handmade stockings with the kitschy snowman and elves on them. Do you have any suggestions where I can look? I would really appreciate it! — Alissa

Design Mom Answer:
Thanks for your question, Alissa. Goodness gracious, I do love stockings. And I was so happy to see two designs that are gorgeous — and that are priced at the very reasonable $20 each — at Crate & Barrel.


The Noel Stocking. I think the shape of these is great.


And the Clarendon Stocking. With the piping and ribbon and the stripes. I'm practically swooning.


And predictable as I am with the liking of the stripes, I'm also coveting the stripey design in the picture above by Hable Construction. (But man oh man I do not like the typeface used in the monogramming.)

Ask Design Mom: Where to Find Ric Rac

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
I am redoing my daughters room so she can share with her new baby brother. l wanted to sew rick rack trim onto a white crib bumper (like they used to carry at PB Kids). I need some specific colors to match the new quilt I'm making for my daughter's bed and can hardly find any ric-rac anywhere and no color selection. Any ideas? -CW

Design Mom Answer:
Hi CW. Congratulations on the new baby! I'm so glad you've got a project involving rick rack. In fact, what project isn't improved by rick rack? One online source for trimmings that was highly recommended to me is Farber Trimming Corp. But their website is not the easiest to use. You can find the basic ric rac link here. Then you have to download their rick rack color card to see the colors and varieties available. I can't tell if there are minimum yardage requirements.

Their vast selection is featured in the photo at top. The left shows all the different thicknesses. Apparently, each width is available in the colors in the right two columns. That's a lot of choices. And when it come to ric rac, choice is good.

Just looking for a little bit of rick rack? JKM sells prepackaged ric rac and quite a few colors here.

Ask Design Mom: Day Planners

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
I was wondering if you've ever featured fashionable daily planners on your website? My planner is an academic year one so I'm looking to purchase a new one and can't seem to find something that will contain my to-do lists and schedule without being huge and bulky. Any thoughts? Thanks, Liz

Design Mom Answer:
Great question, Liz. The search for the perfect planner system is a worthy quest. At different stages of my life, different planners have worked for me. So I'll suggest a few different choices.



I think a good next-stage-planner-after-an-academic-planner are these desk agendas from Hable Construction. First, they're gorgeous. Second, they're not too big or heavy — very portable. Third, they have the same basic features that make up an academic planner, just upgraded quite a bit.


If you're craving a full on planner system — including training and lots of accessories and refillable binders — FranklinCovey is my go to. Investing in this system is like buying a whole new type-A personality.



For a refillable planner system that's a little less intense and oh-so-chic, try Kate Spade. You can see her binders here and her refillable pages here.


Lately, a simple book full of lined pages is just right for me. I'm a fan of these notebooks by Cavellini.



On a super budget? When I was at Staples getting the kids' school supplies I picked up this little number for $1.99. Fits in your handbag. Calendar at front and lined pages. The paper is thin, but for under $2.00 it's totally doable. Spine comes in navy, brown or green.

Good luck in your planner search, Liz!

top image from getty

Ask Design Mom: Hip Laptop Bags

Ask Design Mom Question:
After spending hours googling decent looking laptop bags for hip, young, mom/businesswomen (I've decided those bag-makers don't think we exist) I'm turning to you! Any ideas? :) Thanks, Britney

Design Mom Answer:
Great question, Britney. It just so happens that sitting in front of me is a laptop bag (the one pictured above) that I've been very impressed with. I acquired it at the BlogHer conference from an AOL booth. It's made by Casauri. The colors are very now — especially the orange lining. And it's designed specifically for laptops, with a special padded pocket inside. There is also plenty of room and compartments for all the other gear that hip, young, mom/businesswomen carry. I can't find this particular bag on their website, but they have other good options.

It's not overly feminine, but the structure, size and placement of straps indicate female and make it carry like a shoulder bag and not like a briefcase. Enough so that my husband wouldn't carry it.




Another option would be to use the thick felt laptop sleeves made by Red Maloo. I saw these in the latest issue of Blueprint. They look super cool and would allow you to use a wide variety of bags. For example, I think a laptop in a laptop sleeve would look lovely emerging from one of these beauties by Aster+Sage.



Good luck Britney. I hope that helps.

Ask Design Mom: Spa Birthday Party

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Hello Gabrielle. I have a passion for throwing parties. I've been asked to plan a birthday party for my god-daughter who will be turning 8 this month. The theme is "spa". I've been online to find creative ways to decorate a backyard. Do have some suggestions or know of any links that I could go to to get ideas. Thanks, Party Diva



Answer:
A spa party sounds delightful! Martha Stewart Kids featured a Spa Slumber Party back in 2004. It was darling and I've had it mentally filed away in case one of my kids is interested at some point. Luckily, Martha has a description online here. Lots of cute ideas to spark your own!

Ask Design Mom: Good-Looking 3-Ring Binders

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Dear Design Mom. I just installed beautiful open shelving in my kitchen and they are fabulous except for one thing: My recipe and design binders. They are huge black 3 ring monstrosities and I have been trying to find really cute/modern/funky binders to switch to. I use paper protectors so when I am using a recipe or changing out a design idea I can just slip them out so 3 rings is a must. Can you help me? Cherilee




Answer:
Thanks for the great question, Cherilee. One of my favorite places to find good-looking office supplies (or in your case, kitchen supplies!) is See Jane Work. They offer patterned binders and solid binders that look great. And I love these little clips to use as labels.

One other tip: because it's back-to-school time, keep your eyes peeled at stores like Target and Staples for interesting binders in their seasonal school supply sections.

Ask Design Mom: European Toys

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Dear Design Mom. I have a question for you. My friend has all these darling hanging toys in her kids' toy room that she got in Europe. They are animals, clowns, an airplane, etc., made of wood and fabric, and hanging from a long, very springy spring, attached to the ceiling. When you pull gently down, they bounce in a darling, mesmerizing way! She has collected them over the years on her trips to Europe, but I've been trying to find this type of toy online, without any success. Do you know where I can find these? Thanks for your help! Adri Murdock



Answer:
They sound adorable, Adri! I don't believe I've seen the exact toys you're refering to, but I do have 3 European toy sources that I'll share and maybe they'll lead you to the right place.

1) Vilac
This is a great source for French toys. So many adorable things — like the yellow ride-on roadster above. I saw the actual roadster, but in red, at the gift show and immediately fell head over heals. The site is mostly in French.

2) Erzi
A terrific website for German wooden toys. The site is all in German.

3) Wooden Toys Shop
Some of my favorite European toys are from the Czech Republic. This is a good source.

What about you Design Mom Readers? Has anyone else seen the cute toys Adri is referring to?

Ask Design Mom: Twin-size Bedding for Kids

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Hi Gabrielle. I am getting my son Zane a kids bed (twin) and am having a really hard time finding a store with cool, non-cheesy selections for sheets/blanket. Any suggestions?

I am looking for some solid colors and no funky prints or characters (dots would be okay or stripes) and I don't want to pay a ton. I am striking out at Ikea, Target, Pottery Barn and all the traditional sources I thought would work. Wondered if you might know some secret places. Thanks, Liz






Answer:
Great question, Liz! Bedding can be tricky. There are tons of awesome prints out right now from great design firms. But they're generally pretty funky or very retro modern. If you're looking for basic solids or stripes or simple patterns, sometimes the best place to start is middle America. Check out Lands End, JcPenney, Kohls — the kind of stores that are trying to appeal to the widest audience. They often try to keep their offering pretty neutral. Tip: don't just search their "kids" section which is usually filled with character-themed kitsch. Search the general "sheets" section instead and watch for patterns available in twin.

The pictures above are all 100% cotton from JcPenney. Each option is available in lots of color choices.

Once you've got your sheets and bedspread squared away, you can always add pillows or a throw blanket in a funkier pattern from a specialty store like Modern Basics or Pixel Organics or Nurseryworks — or even make your own.

Ask Design Mom: School Supply Labels

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
My daughter is starting kindergarten this fall, and I am looking for a cool way to label her backpack, jacket, etc. I was thinking of maybe having some fabric tags/labels printed that I could iron or stick on. Do you have any good sources or any other great ideas? Thanks! Lindsey Rutter



Answer:
So fun, Lindsey — kindergarten preparations are the best! I have a great suggestion for labels. I recently received an email from Mabel's Labels and their product looks terrific. From what I hear, they withstand the dishwasher, microwave, laundry and hard-wearing children. They also offer durable labels just for shoes and clothes. You can get a combo pack of their labels here.

Ask Design Mom: Nursery Design Inspiration

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Hi Gabrielle. My name is Jill and I am also in New York. I have a 2 year old and am due with a second in October. I have decided to redo my nursery with a modern design. Do you know of any good sites that show completed modern nurseries or of someone in NY that can help me with it but not charge me a fortune. Thanks, Jill



Answer:
Smart question, Jill. And congratulations on your upcoming new addition. There are lots of place I go to find excellent Nursery Decor inspiration — modern, traditional or just plain cool. Hopefully some of them will inspire you as well.

1) Apartment Therapy Nursery regularly features nursery tours of readers' homes.

2) The Cookie Nesting blog also features nursery/home tours. Their two most recent tours of Elizabeth Dunker Gothenburgs's home (the photo above) and Esther Veereschild's home are both super-inspiring.

3) If you can get your hands on some now-out-of-print copies of Martha Stewart Baby or Kids, they consistently featured gorgeous nurseries. Some photos may be available on the Martha Stewart website. Or, my sister Jordan posted instructions on how to order back issues here.

4) Request catalogs or visit websites of companies that offer great home products for children. ModernSeed, Ikea and NurseryWorks have photos of fantastic nurseries.

5) Browse flickr for great ideas.

Ask Design Mom: Rocking Chair Fabric

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Hi Design Mom. I’m a new Mom & a photographer so your site is just wonderful for me to browse through. My baby is already a year old and I haven’t found the perfect fabric rocking chair for her room that’s worth the chunk of money. Any suggestions??? Cheers, Heather Walker



Answer:
Hi Heather! I don't know if you've attempted shopping for fabric online, but I highly recommend it. Try Repro Depot and Purl Soho which I posted about here. Or Warm Biscuit, which I posted about here. And of course, any excuse to get your hands on some Amy Butler textiles (like those in the above photo) is a good excuse.

Ask Design Mom: Painting the Bannister

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Hey Gabrielle. A quick question...I can't decide whether or not to have the builders paint the bannister on the stairs all white, or have them stain the wood on the hand rail to match our wood floors and only paint the spindles white. I've seen pictures of both and just can't decide which way I like better. So, I wanted to ask you what you think. What would you do if this were your house? Thanks for any advice!! Leslie



Answer:
Hi Leslie. Fun question! I'm with you. I've seen bannisters in two-tone and bannisters in all white and both can look fantastic. But if you're asking what I would do personally, here is my answer: if the rest of the woodwork in the house is white (the floor boards and window frames) I would go all white on the bannister — I'm craving visual simplicity these days.

But I'll be honest. I could really go either way. Consider the state of the wood, if it's beautiful then show it off. If it's not, cover it with a coat of paint. If the bannister itself is good-looking, it's hard to go wrong.

photo from Getty

Ask Design Mom: Couples Baby Shower Ideas

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Hi Gabrielle. I’m a new reader of your blog and look forward to visiting it each day. Im in a bit of a creative rut as it relates to a baby shower I’m planning and hosting at our house. At the honoree’s request, it will be a couples shower in the evening with no games. Do you have any suggestions for ways we can set it apart from a typical baby shower and make it stand out? Thanks! Cara

Answer:
Great question, Cara! I'll ponder some good ideas, and while I ponder, maybe some Design Mom Readers will chime in with their own good ideas.

Ask Design Mom: Sideboard

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Design Mom, I live in a large 1-bedroom Manhattan apartment with a huge (for New York—100 square feet) kitchen. Although I am not currently working in the field, I have been trained as a professional chef and I have quite a bit of kitchen “stuff.” My husband and I are going to be moving to a new apartment across town in a few weeks, and while the new apartment will be a bit larger and have two bedrooms, the kitchen in TINY (60 square feet). I have lived in tiny apartments with tiny kitchens, and I really should be able to handle this, but I can’t stand the idea of any kitchen “stuff” spilling out into our living room. I have been thinking about a nice buffet or sideboard to keep it hidden, the only problem is that I am on a budget, and don’t know where to begin to look for a sideboard that would look nice, but have a large amount of storage capacity. Thanks, Julia



Answer:
Thanks for the challenging question, Julia. When I'm looking for good-looking furniture on a budget I start as the usual suspects: Ikea. Pier One. Target online. CB2. Then move to the next pricing tier and check out places like Room and Board and Restoration Hardware. I'll try and see what I can find, and in the meantime, hopefully Design Mom Readers will chime in with some excellent sources.

Ask Design Mom: Alphabet Decorating

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Dear Design Mom, I am in the midst of finishing my basement, and want to decorate it with the letter T (our initial) and b&w pics of the fam. I want to find some cool letters and need to know where to look. I don't want to just buy all of them, as I would like this to sort of be a collection. What I need, are ideas of where to look. You have to know oh wise one! — R




Answer:
I love this question! The challenge of where to hunt is really at the heart of putting together any collection. As far as alphabet letters go, I have a few recommendations:

1) Seek out any flea markets or antique fairs within driving distance of your home. Make it a weekend hobby.

2) Troll ebay regularly.

3) Check the home sections of stores like TJ Maxx and Ross.

4) Let your friends and family know about your collection. When they spot the letter T for sale as they go about their business, they'll pick it up for you.

5) If opportunities for hunting are few and far between, some surefire sources to start your collection are Anthropologie and Gauge. Tip: Gauge is expanding their product line and will have a new website up in a couple weeks, so check back for even more options.

My last advice: be patient. Great collections often come together over years.

Ask Design Mom: Too Many Paint Colors?

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Hi Gabrielle. I have a design question. How many different colors can you paint a house? We may want to sell in the future, so i don't want a perspective buyer to think we live in a box of crayons. Here is the color scheme right now:
living room, dining nook, kitchen, hallways - khaki/beige
office - periwinkle blue
master bedroom - green
master bathroom - light brown (like cappuccino)
guest bathroom - off white

We are about to start painting the last bedroom (a guest room) and I was thinking a light yellow. But I don't know if that is too much. I am between light yellow which I think will look fabulous or the khaki/beige color we painted the rest of the house. Insights? Opinions? Many thanks! — Nicole



Answer:
Hi Nicole. Thanks for your great question. My answer is this: DESIGN YOUR HOUSE FOR YOUR FAMILY(!) and not for some imaginary future buyer. Especially when we're talking about cosmetic choices like paint that can be easily changed. Clearly you are loving the light yellow, so I say go for it! There's no hard and fast rule about how may colors you should have in your interior. Trends come and go. Do what will inspire and please your family. Your plan of having one paint color throughout all the family areas and personalized color in the bedrooms/bathrooms is terrific. Go with it. Life is short. Don't wait to make your house the happiest place you can make it.

Make your own very cool paint chip holder via design verb.

Ask Design Mom: Kitchen Light Fixture

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Hello! I'm hoping you can help me. We have a cape cod style home that has kind of a cottage/woodsey feel. Our kitchen cabinets are simple and painted Cotton Whisper white. We have butcher block countertops and use an old
dining room table for our kitchen table. I have been trying to find a light fixture that will go with our style and not exceed $200(ish) for over said table. Any thoughts of where to look? The light over our kitchen sink was bought for $9 on eBay (milk glass, aged brass... perfect.) Currently I troll eBay- keyword vintage ceiling light & Bellacor. Thanks much, Tracy Chrenka

Answer:
Aaah. Vintage lighting. What a fun thing to hunt for! Obviously, your ebay searches are a super-smart place to start. There are also online vendors who specialize in selling vintage lighting — not reproductions, but actual period lighting. Google is your fastest way to find them. VintageLighting.com and Eagle-Emporium.com are two that offer restored/refurbished fixtures. Let vendors know what you're looking for and they'll email you when something comes into their stock that you might like.

Ask Design Mom: Baby Sling

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Hi Design Mom. I am going to be a first time mom next month, and I have really enjoyed your blog. I wanted to know if you have any recommendations on baby slings. I currently have the Moby Wrap, but it's a bit cumbersome to put on. I would like something a little easier to take on and off especially at night and with a newborn. Do you have any recommendations? Thanks, Maryann

Answer:
Smart question, Maryann. At first glance, the uninitiated might assume that a sling is a sling is a sling. But it turns out there are dozens of different options that appeal to and work for all sorts of different people.


For example, check out the gorgeous fabric choices at Puj Baby.

I'll be at the annual Gift Fair all day today, but I'll leave this question for helpful Design Mom Readers to answer. Guaranteed they'll have some strong opinions about what works and what doesn't.

Ask Design Mom: Tea Pots

Ask-Design-Mom-Question: Dear Design Mom, I'm searching for a few good tea pots/sets... I think I might start a collection...but first need one to start my tea drinking. I'm in love with going to tea houses... love the herbal teas. Thought I'd bring that ambiance into my home. I've been browsing online and haven't found any I'm in love with. Plus...I'm not sure what I should look for in a tea pot... to find a really good quality one...that doesen't just look pretty...thought I want that too. Thank you much! Cheers, Stephanie



Answer:
A teapot collection sounds so charming, Stephanie! Thanks for your question. Currently, the tea pots I admire most when I spot them as I shop are the small cast iron Japanese pots. So pretty. And nicely weighted. They're not hard to find. This site has dozens or I even saw some at Filene's Basement the other day that were fantastic.



Not feeling the Japanesey vibe? This pale yellow Copco Teakettle by Micheal Graves is too charming for words.

Ask Design Mom: Round Rug

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Dear Design Mom, I love your site and your style. I have a question for you. I decorate in a minimalist style in my apartment. I have very hard lines in my furniture and shelving and décor, and want something circular to compliment these lines. Therefore I have been continuously in search of a large ROUND area rug. The only round rugs I’ve found that are similar to my decorating style have been at Ikea but they are of such poor quality and shed like a German shepherd. Do you have any suggestions? Oh, and P.S. I don’t have a huge budget either. Thanks for any help you can give! — Aubrey

Answer:
Fun question, Aubrey! I love your concept of the round rug complimenting the hard lines in your decor. One great source for rugs, that I first saw featured on Decor8 is Company C. They don't have too many choices in round, but I loved this one.

On the other hand, a search of Round Rugs at Home Decorators Collection produces 902 options. They have an extensive collection of wool rugs in every conceivable price range. I initially checked them out when their catalog showed up in my mailbox, but haven't as yet purchased anything from them. (If anyone reading this has bought from this company, I'd love to hear about your experience.) Here are some of my favorite patterns they offer available in round:


Sakura


Crete


Woodstock

Ask Design Mom: Maternity Gift Ideas

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
Dear Design Mom, a close friend is newly pregnant (5 weeks) after fertility problems. I want to do something special for her, but not being a mom myself I need some ideas. I don't really want to get her a gift for the baby yet (I'll do that at the shower), but rather I'm looking for a gift for her. Something more specific to pregnancy than a spa gift certificate. I read about lollipops that help with morning sickness or a belly cream. If it happens to be helpful and fabulous all the better. Any ideas as someone who has been there? Thank you. Abbie


Answer:
Hello Abbie. I love your question! What a thoughtful friend you are. There are dozens of things that make for good maternity gifts and I'm sure Design Mom Readers will have many terrific ideas. But I'll start us off with a gift that I loved receiving early in my pregnancy: baby name books. My personal favorite is Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Madison & Montana.

Ask Design Mom: Sleeper Chairs

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Hi Design-Mom. Let me first say that I am a huge convert of yours! I read your site every morning with a cup of coffee — once the kids are off to school. Many thanks. My question concerns sleeper chairs. You see, we really need another bedroom but with all the other things that need to be done on our beloved old Victorian the bedroom is not a remodel priority. However due to snoring, we need another sleeping option. I have tried to look for sleeper chairs or loveseats with great lines (not overstuffed with huge arms) but the chair has eluded me. Any suggestions of a furniture line to look at? — Sleepless in Portland, Maine

Answer:
Another great question! Sleeper chairs. Hmmm. I'll start looking. Anyone else have a favorite sleeper chair resource?

Edit: In the comments, someone suggested the Troy Twin Sleeper from Crate and Barrel. Here it is in fabric choice Daryl:Brick.

Ask Design Mom: Jewelry Storage

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
Dear Design Mom, I have a ton of fun and funky jewelry (lots from Darlybird, for example), but I have no where to put it! I bought a traditional, wooden jewelry box but it is now completely overflowing. I don't want to store my jewelry out of sight — I love to look at all the great colors, but the top of my dresser has become a disaster. Please help. With much thanks in advance, Lindy


Answer:
Great question, Lindy. And I guarantee you're not the only person out there trying to solve this dilemma. I think you've got the right idea about wanting to keep your pretty pieces out in the open. I love the idea of making a display on your dresser of pretty bowls, platters — even small cake stands — and arranging your jewelry like the yummy dessert that it is.

I could swear that I recently saw a picture of just this sort of display. I'll keep hunting and post the picture if/when I find it.


Edit: My sister pointed me to this photo from the first issue of Domino as a good example of a jewelry still-life.

Ask Design Mom Week #2

Oh my goodness. I think I have one bazillion unanswered Ask-Design-Mom questions waiting in my inbox. It's been a crazy summer like that. The questions are universally excellent — and each deserve an excellent response. So.

I feel another Ask Design Mom Week coming on. What's Ask Design Mom Week? You can read about the details here, but the summary is this:

Over the course of the week, I'm going to post every single unanswered Design Mom question I have. Some with answers, some without. And hopefully, all you clever and kind Design Mom readers will help give those questions the thoughtful answers they deserve by adding your own ideas and links in the comments. In addition to Ask-Design-Mom-Questions, you can also expect the usual Giveaways and various other lovely posts.

Thank you in advance for helping out. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Design Mom Readers have the best ideas!

Ask Design Mom: Waterproof Bibs

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
Hello Design Mom! I have just been introduced to your site and I am LOVING it! I have been reading through the archives so that I can get caught up and not miss a single post. I ran across the "Let's Make Some Bibs" post (such a cute idea and so simple) when a thought came to my mind. I have a 6 month old slobber/teether who soaks through about 3 or 4 bibs a day — I can't keep her dry! Any suggestions of how to keep bibs from soaking through to her cute clothes, in turn keeping her dry? I have seen some plastic/vinyl lined ones in the stores, but would prefer something more appealing. I guess I could line my own with some sort of waterproof material from the fabric store. Any ideas? — Carly Farnsworth

Design Mom Answer:
Smart question, Carly. Drooling babies are a fact of life, but luckily the drooling stage is pretty temporary. Personally, I think your idea of lining your own bibs with a waterproof material is genius — you don't need my help at all!



But if you're really not up for a project, I would recommend keeping watch for oilcloth bibs like these. Oilcloth often comes in really fun and funky retro prints that are really appealing. And oilcloth will do an excellent job of keeping your baby dry.

Design Mom Readers, how do you keep your babies dry?

Ask Design Mom: Planting Flowers

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
Dear Design Mom. I'm recently married (okay, perhaps 3 years isn't recent, but I'm still getting used to the whole married life), and I married into a house. My husband owns this great ranch house that has a huge yard and is just screaming for flowers to be planted. What are the basics for planting flowers. When and what kinds should I plant. I really am just looking at low maintenance flowers that will look pretty and that will come up year after year. Thanks! — Becky



Design Mom Answer:
Becky, this question is especially timely for me. In fact this is the first year I've made a true effort at working on adding flowers to our yard — I'm experimenting with only red varieties. Since I'm no expert, I'll leave it to Design Mom Readers to give both of us their best hints, helps, guidance and links about flower planting.

flower image from Jackson & Perkins

Ask Design Mom: Fabric Storage

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
Design Mom, I assume I am not the only person in this pickle. I'm looking for ideas of ways to store my fabric stash in as small a space as possible, yet also in a way that lets me easily keep track of (and remember to use) what I have. My current system of plastic totes under my bed is definitely not working! (see the picture below) — Emily



Design Mom Answer:
I love seeing fabric stashes, Emily! Organized or disorganized, the colors and textures are so pretty. I want to put some more thought into this, but in the meantime, maybe some clever Design Mom Readers will share their own fabric storage solutions with us.

Ask Design Mom: Funky Wallet

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
Hi Gabrielle. A friend of mine introduced me to your site and i am now a Design Mom addict! I just purchased a black Harveys Seatbeltbag (the exec. tote) as a funky diaper bag and am now on the search for the perfect funky wallet to go with it. I was thinking something bright orange or green. Any great ideas?? Thanks for being a genius! — Amy

Design Mom Answer:
Aww. A genius? That's my favorite compliment yet. Great question, Amy. A good wallet can do wonders for helping you feel put together and organized. They're definitely worth a thorough search. (Oh. And nice choice on the Seatbeltbag. My dear friend carries one and she can't say enough good about it. Plus it's so cute!)



I happened to see some wallets by Jill Bliss yesterday at the Stationery Show and I thought they might be perfect for you. She makes them from vintage bed sheets (not reproductions — actual vintage bed sheets), so the fabric is as functional as can be. You just throw it in the wash if it's getting dirty. And because of the nature of the source material, these wallets are inherently limited edition, making them even cooler.

But what I especially liked, is that Jill made about a bazillion proto types, which she used herself, until she found the right balance of features, like the perfect amount of card slots and a zippered portion for coins. Lots of fabric choices on her site.


If wallets-from-sheets have too much of a refurbished vibe for you, take a look at the colors in these beauties by Aster+Sage. They have tons of accessory choices (wallets, organizers, jewelry envelopes, ipod covers, etc.) on their site. I've posted about this company before. I'm a big fan.


And of course, you can't go wrong with something lively from Kate Spade. (I like the color selection at Plaza Too.)

What about you Design Mom Readers? What are your favorite funky wallets?

Ask Design Mom: NYC Don't Miss List

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
[ Just last week I received 2 NYC questions within minutes of each other, so I'm posting them both here. ]



1) Hi Gabrielle. I have a question for you. I am making my second-ever trip to NYC (a Texas gal in the Big Apple - Yee Haw!) in June to visit my best friend. It's a very short one: Friday afternoon, departing Monday morning. On my first trip to NY I was with veteran visitors. The only landmark we hit was Ground Zero. What is your must do? And shopping is also a priority. We hit lots of the popular shopping districts last time. This time I'd like something a little more unique. Thoughts? And then shows. I haven't seen any Broadway shows — recommendations? (I'm not overly sensitive but don't want anything too racy!). Hugs, Natalie

2) Gabrielle. Question: I am visiting NYC this summer with a dear friend. I am "hosting" the trip, as my friend has never visited NYC. Living and having family in NJ for years, I have visited NYC often, yet this trip will be different. I will be staying in the city and will not have children or a group of family in tow. With only 4-5 days to pack as much as possible into every day along with being mindful of a budget (I will end up paying for the bulk of this adventure). I would like advice from you and your savvy NYC area readers on the following:

- Where to stay (considering location and price)
- Where and what to eat, morning, noon, and night and every time in between
- Which Shows to see and any tips on getting tickets
- Transportation Tips
- Shopping Must See and Buy!

I love New York and look forward to any tips you and your readers provide. — Shauna


Design Mom Answer:
Shauna and Natalie, these are wonderful questions. I'm getting excited just thinking about potential itineraries! And I've never been more certain that lots of Design Mom Readers will have informed opinions of NYC. I'll leave you in their capable hands until I can back here. . .

I'm back. And absolutely delighted with all of the readers suggestions. I'll bet you're totally stoked for your trip! Here are a few of my own tips:




For window shopping, my favorite spots are Takashimaya, ABC Home, and the windows at Bergdorfs. (Takashimaya and Bergdorf's are near each other. They're both part of a lovely stretch of 5th Avenue that includes Tiffanys and Saks and Cathedrals and the Plaza and other lovelies. It makes a nice walk. But ABC isn't near them at all.) All 3 are places that appeal to a designer's soul.

For food, I don't need to add to the excellent suggestions that have already been made, but want to reiterate what one reader mentioned: Don't eat at a chain restaurant. You can go to Fridays/Sbarro/McDonalds anywhere. Why waste your precious NYC minutes somewhere un-New-Yorky? If you really must have fast food, grab a pretzel or sausage from a street vendor — you'll feel so authentic.

For entertainment/sightseeing, remember that just being in the city is pretty intense. Lots and lots of movement and sound and people and smells. Sitting on a park bench and taking it all in is pretty great — possibly better than any show you'll pay for.

For transportation, keep in mind that whether you take subways or taxis you'll still do lots of walking. Really. Lots and lots of walking. That's just how it is. And on short trips, even though it's more expensive, I recommend taxis. Because in a taxi, you're above ground and can see more of the city (Hey! There's the Flatiron Building! or Hey! Look at the lions in front of the Public Library!) while you're getting around.

Have a great trip!!

NYC image from getty

Ask Design Mom: Guest Room

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
Hello Design Mom. Your website was referred to me by a friend. I am so glad I visited. I need help with a guest room. I cannot find a design I like. I am the type of person who needs a picture of a room to inspire me nad give me some direction. The room is pretty small. About 10 x 13. I currently have a queen size bed for friends and family who visit. I would like the room to be for 2 people, plus room for a port-a-crib. I'm including photos of the room in its current condition. It needs some spicing up! Thanks, Rachel



Design Mom Answer:

Ask Design Mom: Jogging Strollers

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
Hello. I love your blog! I was wondering if you could help me with baby joggers. I'm trying to figure out which one I want. There are so many and a huge price range. Do I go with a very nice "investment" stroller or just hit Target for whatever they can offer? Any suggestions? Thanks! — Diana



Design Mom Answer:
Thanks for the question, Diana. What gear to get is always something to ponder. But personally, when I think about strollers I get a little crazy, because my family's stroller needs seem to change by the week. I'll tell you more about my jogger stroller thoughts later. . .

Design Mom Readers, what jogger stroller advice do you have for Diana?

image from getty

Ask Design Mom: Craft Room Paint Color

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Hi Design Mom, I have a design question. I have a large-ish craft room, with unfinished cabinets and white walls that I need to paint. I am having some serious issues with this project. Do I paint the cabinets white and the walls a color? Or do I paint the cabinets a color, and keep the walls white? Help? And do you have any color suggestions, 'cause I could soooo use some help with that too! I am looking for something "fresh & funky" and I really like the turquoise & robins egg blues, the chocolates, the mustard yellow, the basic white — I guess kind of like my blog colors. — Mandee



Design Mom Answer:
Great question Mandee. I'll defer to my talented Design Mom Readers while I'm at the Stationery Show. . .

image from Oh Happy Day

Ask Design Mom: Lunch for a 2-year-old

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Hi Design Mom. I'm not a mom, but love your blog. I have a question that doesn't involve cute baby or mom stuff, but I'm thinking you will have some answers anyway, given your five kids. My 20 month old nephew is coming for a visit for a couple of weeks along with his mom and I was wondering about lunch ideas for him. His mom says she's getting tired of feeding him just bread or other carbs. Any ideas? Thanks, Christine



Design Mom Answer:
Fun question, Christine. I just know clever Design Mom Readers will have lots of suggestions on this one!

image via getty

Ask Design Mom: Graduation Gifts

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
[ I received two graduation related questions — one for males, one for females — that I'll try to answer in the same post. ]

1) Design Mom, My sister (who I'm very close to) is graduating from high school next week. I'm a little late to thinking about it, but I wondered if you had any ideas for not too expensive gifts that would be nice and meaningful as she steps into another phase of her life. I was going to make her something that celebrated our relationship, but time is running out, so I'll have to find something that is meaningful that I can purchase and mail. Thanks! — Laura

2) Hi Design Mom, I guess my question is this: I'm looking for a graduation present for my husband who is graduating from medical school. I think presents for guys are hard in general, but congratulatory presents always seem to stump me. You want them to be something nice that he can remember he got for graduation, but he's not especially sentimental. We're moving soon, so I don't want something I have to work on or put time into creating, I just want to buy something nice that he can keep, not ridiculously expensive, but I'm willing to spend money if it's worth it. Got any ideas? Thanks a ton! — Jen



Design Mom Answer:
Oh! Graduation gifts. So fun! What do you say Design Mom Readers? Any brilliant ideas?

5/24 Edit:
Wow. The comments are in deed full of brilliant ideas. I have only 2 things to add.

1) For my high school graduation I was given a 1/2 gallon of my favorite ice cream (Snelgrove's Canadian Vanilla) and I didn't have to share a single bite with my siblings — which was luxurious. My point? Even a simple gift, if thoughtful, is memorable.


2) I was just introduced to a book called Get A Hobby. It's very well put together and well designed with a basic introduction, history and sources on 101 hobbies. Plus you can take a personality quiz to see which hobbies would be a good fit.

Probably it's a stretch, but there's something about graduating, going to the next phase, being a little unsure of what's coming, that brings to mind possibilities. Like, "I've finished what I committed to. Now. If I could do anything, how would I spend my time?" that seems like the perfect moment to introduce a hobby. Maybe this book, plus the materials to start a new hobby would make a good gift.

photo via Getty

Ask Design Mom: Making Computers Look Cool

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Hi Gabrielle, I have a question. How do you make computers look attractive? My husband has two computers that we "have to keep" and they're out in the open (not tucked in an office), so I just wonder how do you make computer stations look neat and clean and cool? Any ideas would be great. Thanks, Sarah



Design Mom Answer:
Work stations can be tricky, Sarah. Thanks for the question. I think part of your answer (neat and clean and cool) is actually in your question. Keeping the area around your computer neat and clean will have a huge impact about how you feel about the space.

As far as cool goes, you have a few options. High-tech hardware seems to look most at home in a very modern or industrial setting. If modern furniture appeals to you, take the computers as inspiration and consider making the entire room a Moma-looking-haven. Or maybe just make the computer area a bit more up-to-date with a clean white or silver desk. A fabulous desk chair with contemporary lines. A lamp with a modern shape.

If the computers really bug you, another option is to pretend for a moment that the computers aren't there. Make the space lovely — just the way you want it — and then reintroduce the computers. If you love the rest of the room, the computers probably won't bother you so much.

And if that still doesn't work. Consider an Office in an Armoire like this one from an old issue of Living.

How do you solve this dilemma in your homes, Dear Readers?

image via west elm

Ask Design Mom: Bathroom Lighting

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Gabrielle, I love your blog and read it often. I just have one quick question for you: I have recently been redone my kids' bathroom (they are a 6 year old boy and 1 year old girl). The only thing thing I have left that I am really struggling with is the lighting. Currently it has the boring, plain, vanity light with the 4 exposed bulbs. I want something youthful, fun, maybe even a little color. The only place available for lighting is the spot above the vanity — so I am limited. If you have any insight on good places to shop, let me know. Thanks!! — Mel

Design Mom Answer:
Fun question Mel. Bathroom lighting is on my mind as well, but like I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm having a bit of busy morning and won't be able to give you a great answer until later.

I'm posting this now in the hopes that in my absence, Design Mom Readers will start the ideas flowing. Then I'll be back later today to finish the post. . .

Okay. I'm back.

My deal with bathroom lighting is there needs to be a lot of it. Meaning, no matter how cool the light fixture, if it only allows for one bulb, it's no good. I like a lot of wattage — especially in a kids bathroom, where I tend to clean scraped knees and pull out slivers — these are not activities you want to engage in with dim light.

This "more light in bathrooms is better" theory of mine leads me to be drawn to really well-designed, but fairly traditional light fixtures. Sure some might feel more modern and clean and others feel more vintage or antique, but I still think of them as traditional in that they're probably not making the evening news or winning any lighting awards. (And there is some really gorgeous, award-winning, eye-popping stuff out there. But I might not put it over the sink in my bathroom.)



I like this one and this one from Restoration Hardware for example. To add some color, the second one is especially good, for it comes with textile shades available in a dozen or so subtle fabric choices. Or, I'm sure you could have some made (or make your own) in a brighter material of your choosing.

Also, I fully agree with the readers who have recommended Ikea. If you're looking for color and youth and fun, it's hard to beat Ikea.

Ask Design Mom: Summer School Lunchbox

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Dear Gabrielle, My eldest daughter is about to join the ranks of kindergarteners and I am looking for a cool schoolbox for her to take when her classes begin. The problem I'm having is that she's on a 'year round' school schedule and there aren't too many choices out there from which to pick right now — especially when her first day of school is in mid-July! I can't wait for a traditional September 'back to school' post and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this problem. Any ideas? I want to send her off in style. :) Thanks so much. I LOVE the blog. — Heidi

Design Mom Answer:
Oh man. It was 4 years ago when I was doing my own lunch box shopping for my first kindergartener. And I found it so much more fun than school clothes shopping. It was almost as if when picking out his lunchbox, I was picking out the kind of friends he was going to have that year. (I remember being in fourth grade and totally being BFF with a girl named Kristy, because we had matching pencil boxes. . .)

Anyway. Lunchboxes in the summer can be tricky. But don't despair. First of all, if you can stand to wait until the second week of July (I know that's cutting it close), all the stores will have removed their Independence Day products and moved straight to back-to-school products and you'll probably have tons of choices.

If you must have a lunchbox this minute, I have a couple of suggestions. For old school boxes, you can't beat ebay.


Check out this Lassie box. Rad.


Or this New With Tags Return of the Jedi box.


This one is too grown-up for Kindergarten, but I want it for myself.

A quick note on vintage lunchboxes: if you find one sans thermos, don't stress, just send your child with a little Nalgene bottle/water bottle/juice box/milk money instead.

For more current, insulated, soft-pack lunch boxes, Target has a section dedicated to these year-round in their sporting goods/outdoor gear department.


Like this one.


Or this neoprene one that comes in red, black, green, orange. . .


Target also has a more extensive online lunchbox collection than in stores. I like this orange crush lunch box.

For my son, Ralph, I remember finding a reproduction metal lunchbox featuring vintage BattleStar Gallactica at some discount store, I think it was OddJobs. It totally rocked.

Good luck in your hunt! I'm sure clever Design Mom Readers will chime in with their own ideas and sources.

Ask Design Mom: Redecorating Notebook

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Hi Gabrielle, I love your blog and I have a question for you. I want to create a notebook for all of my redecorating ideas. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks, Ashley

Design Mom Answer:
Oh. Ashley. I love decorating notebooks! But I find this kind of thing very personal. Not personal as in private, but personal as in what works for one may not work for another. So I'll tell you what I do, but I can offer no guarantees that you'll like my simple system as much as I do.

My favorite thing for this kind of project is a medium size notebook that I can fit in my handbag. It needs to have an elastic closure, so that when I tuck bits and pieces of paper in they don't fall out. In addition, if I'm really working intensely on a decorating/inspiration notebook, I like to keep a small container of paperclips and a roll of double-sided tape in my handbag as well. I like Clipiola clips, because they come in a cute, petite container, that closes securely.




Several companies make notebooks of the size and variety I prefer. In fact, See Jane Work carries a great selection of elastic closure notebooks, but my two current favorites are probably the Bella Journals and Cavallini Notebooks.

Best of luck putting together your decorating notebook. I'm certain Design Mom readers will add some brilliant ideas.

Ask Design Mom: First Father's Day Gift

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Hi Gabrielle, I have a question requiring your great taste and advice. With our first child due this summer, I'd like to get my husband a very special "first" Father's Day gift. Any ideas? Thanks! — Michelle

Design Mom Answer:
Great question, Michelle. How exciting to be expecting your first. A special Father's Day gift is a really lovely thought. I don't know if your husband is really sentimental, slightly sentimental of completely lacking in sentiment. So I'll just make a variety of suggestions.

1) The book I reviewed a few weeks ago The Dangerous Book for Boys would make a great gift for any father. Whether he is a father of sons or daughters. The book has the effect of helping men remember the best of their childhood and desiring a wonderful childhood for their own offspring. I highly recommend inscribing it of course. An alternative to this would be to give him books that he loved as a child — maybe the Chronicles of Narnia in hardcover. Someday, in the not too distant future, he'll be able to share his favorite stories with this new child.


2) I like this engraved keychain from Little Jules. Beautiful. Not too flashy. Potential to be handed down, but not so expensive that if it gets lost, you cry.


3) An engraved yoyo. A symbol of the fun that will come as the baby ages.


4) This Baby Owners Starter Kit (which I first noticed on Goody Blog) looks delightful. The packaging is great and I think the concept is clever. I have no idea if the contents are any good. . .

5) A really good camera or videocamera. New Dads often find themselves behind the lense as Mom holds/feeds/baths the baby. Plus, lots of men like new toys.


6) If he's confident, a World's Greatest Dad tee is going to get a lot of wear. Not so cool when he actually has some parenting under his belt. But down right charming when he's got a 2 week old newborn.

7) For an outdoorsy Dad, you could purchase a baby accessory that will encourage him to keep up his favorite outdoor activities — but with the new baby in tow. Like a baby trailer that connects to a bike. Or a baby carrier backpack for hiking.

Hopefully those ideas (and the fabulous Design Mom Reader ideas) will get your imagination going. . .

Congratulations! And Good Luck!!

Ask Design Mom: Crib Bedding

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Hi Gabrielle, This question should be an easy one for me to figure out but I'm stuck. When I bought my son's crib bedding, I stayed traditional with a Pottery Barn Kids toile pattern in green. I wanted something neutral for either a girl or a boy. Now, I'm realizing that it's a far cry from my style and not fun enough for my son's personality. I really like a mix of traditional and modern in my home and would love to bring this into the nursery.

We have a Pottery Barn armoire and matching dresser in white, and a custom Ragazzi crib also in white. Since these are pieces I probably won't be changing anytime soon, I'm hoping to allow some new crib bedding to transform the overall feel of the room. I keep returning to the obvious sources, like Dwell, ducduc, etc., but can't seem to find the perfect fit. (And I'm thinking I want a perfect fit when I'm spending $300 plus for the second time.)

Also, do you know of any options to buy just a bumper and quilt? I'm not wanting a bed skirt as it just keeps getting in the way with the drawer under the crib. I would love some help! Thanks, Kelli

Design Mom Answer:
What a fun question, Kelli! I think you're right. Bringing in some modern, funky crib bedding, and adding it to your traditional furniture is a great way to bring that of-the-moment traditional/modern mix to your nursery. You mention not needing a crib skirt this time around, and might I suggest, that although they are adorable, crib bumbers become pretty much useless as soon as your baby can pull up and use them for a step. So maybe you can forgo the bumper as well?

In addition to saving you some money, it would really open up your choices — because you'll only need a quilt/blanket and a crib sheet.



I love this gender-neutral alphabet blanket and cute stripey sheet from Modern Nursery.


And this womb-with-a-view bedding from Land of Nod.


Or pick up a twin-size duvet cover in a Marimekko print and have a seamstress size it for a crib — use the remaining fabric for throw pillows on a rocking chair.

Design Mom Readers, where would you suggest that Kelli could find modern crib bedding?

Ask Design Mom: Bookmark Storage

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Dear Designmom, I'm a fan of your site (who reading this isn't?) and I'm an aspiring Mom. I'm pretty good at keeping our stuff in line, but this one's got me stumped: My hubby and I are both voracious readers, and thus we accumulate lots of bookmarks; people make them for us, we get them for presents, neat ones show up in books we buy every once in awhile, and we create our own out of scraps of paper. I don't really like that last option, but I've realized that we do that because we can't find any of the cute bookmarks we already have.

It would be nice to have all the bookmarks in one place. Currently, they're all hidden away in boxes; ideally I'd like a box or a container that sits out in the open air and displays our cool-looking bookmarks as well. I can't think of any good solutions that would work. I think of a jar or a cup, but they're round and bookmarks are usually square. Do you have any good-looking ideas? Always, Kate

Design Mom Answer:
Interesting dilemma Kate. And I think you're right, the solution is all about finding a good-looking container. One you don't mind having out in the open — maybe on a side table next to your favorite reading chair, or on a bookshelf with your favorite novels, or even on the nightstand. Maybe you need several containers in several places.

Personally, this is the kind of thing that I would mentally put on my perpetual shopping list and just keep my eyes open for anything that might work:



-A good-looking low woven basket from the craft store.
-A little decoupaged box in a gift shop.
-A wirework basket at an antique store.
-A modern mesh container designed for office supplies from Target or the Container Store.
-An old refridgerator-ware butterdish from the Salvation Army.
-A vintage cigar box.
-A beautiful silver bowl.

Because bookmarks come in all shapes and sizes, big and small, I think you're correct to not use a jar or cup — tiny bookmarks would hide at the bottom.

I hope that helps! How do you store and display your bookmarks, Design Mom Readers?

Ask Design Mom: Name Display

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Hi Design Mom. What are some cool ways to display our name in our home? We move a great deal and to give my children some continuity I have a few things that I always display in our homes in some way or another. I hope this will give them a sense of “home” no matter where we live. One of those things is our initial. I started collecting R’s (our initial) a few years ago and have them here and there around the house. I am getting a little bored with these however, and I wondered if you had any fabulous ideas of how to display our name. Thanks, Rachel

Design Mom Answer:
What a cool idea Rachel. You're a smart mom! I have two solutions to suggest:


1) A company called Avalisa will produce an abstract pattern based on your name. From their website, "Choose a name and get a design custom made for your person of interest. they can be totally abstract as seen in existing designs, or less abstract so you can find the letters."

I love this. It would be custom art plus your family name all wrapped up in one. And the examples of work from their website are so pretty. As a side note, Avalisa doesn't focus solely on names, they have several excellent collections. Animals. Patterns. Things that go. Check it out.

2) Another solution would be to pick your favorite custom-wall-vinyl company (I've posted about a few of these companies already. Quote the Walls is another one.) and have them produce your family name in the size, color and font of your choice.

I'm imagining something really big and bold, like 5 feet across, off-centered and low on the wall, so that if your couch was against the wall, the bottom of the name would get cropped a bit. I wish I could find a good photo. . . Or maybe something really tiny and subtle on the interior of the front door. The options are endless.

What about you Design Mom Readers? How would you display your family name in your home?

Ask Design Mom: Children's Placemats

Ask-Design-Mom-Question:
Hi Design Mom. I’ve found your site in the last few months and think it’s great. I wanted to ask you if you’ve found any great children’s placemats anywhere? I’d love any ideas you might have. Thanks! — Melissa

Design Mom Answer:
Oh. Melissa. Great question! And what a fun thing to hunt for. I'm sure Design Mom Readers will have lots of suggestions, but I'll start off and send you to My Retro Baby to check out their vintage print placemats. I especially love the robots and the toys. They're made by Dolce Mia and you can see even more at the Dolce Mia store.

Ask Design Mom Week!

Dear Design Mom Readers,

Please get your thinking caps on. I'm dedicating this week to Ask-Design-Mom-Questions. And I need your help. Here's the dealio: I've been answering Reader Questions almost since the beginning of this blog last July. And I've made a real effort not to miss a single one. But. These days, they come in faster then I can answer them and I've got at least 20(!) waiting in line for a useful response.

So this week, I'm going to post every unanswered question that I've received to date, with the hope that you'll help me answer them. And no readers will be left hanging. Plus, no one has better ideas than Readers of Design Mom!

I think this is going to be fun. Expect lots of Ask-Design-Mom-Questions posted everyday, plus the usual Giveaways and assorted fun stuff as well. Thanks in advance for your brilliant ideas.

kisses, Gabrielle/Design Mom

Ask Design Mom: Dinnerware for Kids

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
I'm new to your site, so I'm not sure if you've covered this topic before, but I wondered if you've found any nice dinnerware for kids — not too cutesy, definitely not gender-specific. I found one shallow but largish bowl in an op shop which has funky jungle animals accosting each other signed by K. Motonobu but can't find anything to match it or even to rival its affections at our dinnertable! Do you have any suggestions? Thanks, Lauren (in Queensland, Australia)

Design Mom Answer:
Hi Lauren! Great question. I am also on a perpetual quest for good children's dinnerware. There are dozens of lovely choices in melamine these days, but I do have issues with melamine's non-microwave-ability. So I was delighted to see these rubber options.



Virtually unbreakable. A plate, a bowl and a cup in lots of mix-and-match bright choices (greens and blues too). And completely fine in a microwave.



If you don't share my melamine issue, Giggle also has several other cute options. I especially like the Groovy Dots Dishware and the Snack Sets (pictured at top).

What about you Design Mom Readers? What have you seen lately in great-looking dishware for kids?


I first spotted the rubber dishware on Tangled and True.

Ask Design Mom: Simple Doormats

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
We live in a New York apartment building. We've been living here for almost 2 years and still don't have a "welcome" mat at the front door because I haven't found anything I like. I don't want anything too cutesy, or to say welcome even. Just nice and clean. I don't like any of the ones at bed bath and beyond and I'm not sure where else to look. Help! Thanks, Sarah

Design Mom Answer:
We have so much mud being tracked through the house these days (April showers and all) that doormats are on my mind as well, Sarah. Thank you for the great question. Here are some of the doormats I'm looking at:


This simple rubber lattice doormat from Smith & Hawken.


This metal/bristle doormat from Conran Shop (which is sadly out of stock, but I'm crossing my fingers they'll get a new shipment soon).


The Garden Gate doormat from Crate & Barrel. Not necessarily "simple" but I love the pattern and contrast.


The Teak doormat from Gardener's Supply Company.


And my all-time favorite, the Mando Door Mat from Ikea. We have owned this mat at two different homes and I still find it highly appealing. So simple and so interesting at the same time. The red circle makes it feel Japanesey.

Design Mom Readers, where do you find great doormats?

Ask Design Mom: Window Coverings

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
I need some ideas for stylish window treatments in my living room that are not super expensive (no Smith+Noble for me!) but are baby-proof! I have an "almost-walker" who is 10 months and my existing curtains are just another means to pull up these days! I am looking for nighttime privacy but don't need light control — I prefer bright rooms! thanks, Jen

Design Mom Answer:
Great question, Jen. I totally get you on the almost walker stage. I have very strong opinions on the whole window treatment subject. So, if our design styles don't mesh in this area, my apologies in advance for giving advice you won't use.

Basically, I prefer and am most drawn to simple, simple window coverings. If you have a substantial budget, I always recommend plantation shutters. They're made of beautiful materials. They add an architechural element to any room. And because they're mounted inside the window, they show off both the window itself and the moulding that surrounds it. Plantation shutters look good in pretty much any decor. Plus, there are no strings or weird hardware to present potential choking hazards — very baby friendly. I love the photo above from the West Elm summer catalog. I so crave a window like that.


If plantation shutters are a no go, my second recommendation is roman shades. Like plantation shutters, they can be mounted inside the window if you have a pretty window to show off. Alternately, they can be bought/ordered a bit oversize if you need to hide unattractive mouldings around the window. You can have them made — or make them yourself — from virtually any fabric, which is a great way to bring some color into a room. They look neat and clean and proper either opened or closed. Depending on fabric and construction, they can look either modern, formal or casual. Their installation is the simplest of any window covering I've discovered: just 2 brass hooks, no tools required.

I use roman shades throughout my house. A satisfying part of my morning routine is going from window to window, raising the shade to let the sun in, then winding the cord in a figure eight on a latch out of reach of the children. Ikea has a wide selection of inexpensive roman shades. I've even had excellent results dyeing their white ones (in my bathtub) to achieve a custom color.

I hope that helps, Jen! Design Mom Readers, what do you do for window coverings?

roman shade pic from pottery barn

Triple Ask Design Mom: Recycling Containers, Swimsuits, Rocking Chairs

Recently, my wonderful Guest Moms have been answering Ask-Design-Mom Questions without knowing it.

For example, I received this question:
Hello Design Mom. Do you have any ideas for some non-ugly recycling containers for the kitchen? My waste management company now picks up food waste along with regular recycling and garbage. I don't want three garbage cans in my kitchen. Thanks, Catherine

And Guest Mom Nie Nie showcased an excellent solution here. Her solution is perfect for a garage — and I have big plans to implement it this spring. But if you're looking for something to use in the kitchen, Williams-Sonoma carries two very sleek (and pricey) options here and here.


Then, I received another good question:
Hey Design Mom, I remember last year you had a post about swimsuits with better than average coverage. Did you find out about anymore brands? Please let me know. — Ashlynn

And Guest Mom Sara wrote this perfect response. In the comments, readers mentioned additional sources like Modbe and one especially great suit at Urban Outfitters. Also worth a peek: Layers Clothing, DownEast Basics, and Hapari Swimsuits (try to ignore the odd Hapari photo shoot).


Then, just last week, I received this lovely question:
Dear Design Mom, I am pregnant with my first child, and am excitedly looking into baby furniture and other fun baby things. I am having a particular dilemma with rocking chairs however. Is it important to have a glider rocker? Because I'm not a fan of how they look. I'm looking for a classic rocking chair and I am also on a budget — Dad would be happier with the least amount spent as possible. Any help is greatly appreciated! — Heather

And voilá! Sara writes another perfect response — without even knowing the question had been sent in. DM Readers gave lots of additional great ideas in the comments and I only have one thing to add. Check out the enormous selection of antique rockers from ebay.

Find one example here. I heart the simple side profile of this one. This primitive one is also amazing. If you don't like them as is, an additional scuffing, or a quick white-wash is all these rockers need to fit in traditional or eclectic decor.

If antiques/beat-up furniture don't fit well in your home, you can make pretty much anything feel super-modern and up-to-date with a thick coat of super-high-gloss paint. Find your perfect ebay rocker and then take it to your local auto-body shop and have them soup it up with an almost reflective coat of white, lime green, turquoise or orange. It'll fit right into any modern decor and be one-of-a-kind at the same time.

Ask Design Mom: Cool Pushpins

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
Hello Design Mom, I am a fan of your blog and I'm hoping you could help me out. I have a fabulous cork/chalkboard wall system for my family yet can not seem to find some great and original push pins. Any suggestions? — Jen

Design Mom Answer:
Thanks for the question Jen. It came at the perfect time, because I've been meaning to tell you about this smart new blog called How About Orange — which featured the coolest tutorial on how to make fabric covered pushpins (the ones featured above). They would be perfect for customizing a family corkboard.


If fabric isn't your style, I've posted before about some sculpey pins that are super cute. The sculpey pins featured are styled to look child-like, but imagine them in more sophisticated colors and they would fit well even in a non-kid environment.

Have fun! And please let us know what you come up with.

I first saw How About Orange at Oh Joy

Ask Design Mom: Antique Rattles

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
Hi Gabrielle, My name is Maria Marquez, and I'm from La Jolla, California. I'm emailing you in hopes that you might be able to help me find a silver baby rattle. The rattle I'm talking about was in the movie Nanny McPhee? Baby Agatha has it through out the movie? I've been searching the web like a mad woman, and have had no luck...do you think you can help me find it? Thanks! Maria Marquez

Design Mom Answer:
Hi Maria. Thank you for sending such a great question. The art direction in Nanny McPhee is so beautiful and that rattle is amazing — I can see why you'd want one.

I haven't been able to find a source on an exact replica, but if you search Ebay for "silver rattle" and go under Antiques you should find some similar. Also you can search "victorian rattle" on Ebay and you will find a bunch.

Try here and here. Good luck on your rattle quest. And Design Mom Readers, if you know any good sources, by all means, hook us up!

Ask Design Mom: Books for Toddler Boys (first posted 10/25/06)

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
Amy writes: I wanted to start my Christmas shopping and was thinking about which books I could purchase for my boys, age 1 and 2 1/2. I'm at a loss. They are into all things boy. . .trucks and animals and fire engines, etc. I saw your Caldecott winner list, and purchased The Ox-Cart Man, but was wondering if you could make a Top Ten Books for Toddler Boys list or something like that. Thanks for your help!

Design Mom Answer:
So many excellent questions have been coming in lately. I love it! Just for you, Amy, I went through my library then called on two friends, Juliane and Rebecca (both mothers of 4 boys), for more recommendations. And here it is, in no particular order:

Design Mom's List of Picture Books for Toddler Boys

1 Where the Wild Things Are
2 Curious George
3 Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
4 Little Bear
5 We're Going on a Bear Hunt
6 Big Red Barn
7 Make Way for Ducklings
8 Eric Carle's From Head to Toe
9 Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb
10 Joseph Had a Little Overcoat
11 Richard Scarry's Things that Go
12 Goodnight Gorilla
13 The Napping House
14 Kitten's First Full Moon
15 Are You My Mother?

Of course, there are others I've already recommended and dozens more that are awesome that didn't make my list, but I thought 15 was a good starting place. I know my readers will have many great ideas to add to these. Please do so!

Ask Design Mom: Tablecloths

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
Hi Design Mom, I'm hooked on you and your site. I have a kitchen table that I don't especally love and we're hoping to get a new one. But, in the meantime I'm looking for a table cloth or cool placemats that can distract the eye from the actual table. Do you have any ideas? Thanks! — Missy

Design Mom Answer:
Great question, Missy. Ever since you emailed me a few weeks ago, I've been keeping my eyes open for pretty table linens — mostly tablecloths — since you're looking to hide your current table. Here are a few that made my heart flutter a bit.

Because it's just plain gorgeous:

A graceful print from Atelier LZC (I sure do love everything I've seen from their studio):


Probably the most inspired option I've seen lately. By Lotta Jansdotter Tang. (Also featured above.):


Because I love navy and white when the weather warms:


Check out the subtle and gorgeous botanical patterning. I would love to feel this fabric in my hands:


And a 1950's daisy print available on etsy:


This is just a drop in the bucket, Missy — a person could dedicate a whole blog just to beautiful table linens — but I hope this inspires you to find something pretty. Design Mom Readers, please do chime in with info on any unusually pretty table linens you've seen lately.

Ask Design Mom: Retirement Gift

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
Dear Design Mom, as always, I am a huge fan of your site. My father-in-law just retired this month from a 40-year career as a lawyer. We would like to congratulate him with a retirement gift, but are not sure what to give. He's a very modest and sentimental man, so we are looking for something meaningful and unique. Do you (or your fab readers) have any ideas? Thanks so much, Allison

Design Mom Answer:
What a wonderful thing that I could ponder for a bit: honoring a person's career. Thanks for the question, Allison. I would suggest three different ways to approach thinking about this gift.

1) Commemorate his actual day-to-day job that he will probably miss (at least a little bit) when he retires.

For example, you could hire a photographer or painter to do a portrait of the building he worked in. Let the artist come up with a beautiful way to consider the architecture — maybe an interior view like the picture above. And keep it small. A framed, 8 x 10, original oil painting or photograph is just the right size for tucking in his home office without calling too much attention to itself.

2) Look ahead to what's next for your Father-in-law. What do you suppose he wants to do post retirement? Has he expressed interest in a second career? Spending time in the Peace Corps? Think of a gift that will help him make steps toward his next goal.

For example, when a former boss of mine retired, I gave him a few of my favorite children's books and a how-to-publish-children's-books handbook — based on discussions we'd had about children's lit.

3) Commemorate the fact that his career provided for his family — and in particular your husband as a child.

This is tricker. Let me give you an example. Pretend your husband loved bike riding as a teenager. You could find a pint-size model bike (think a 6-inch trinket for the bookshelf) to symbolize the idea that your father-in-law's 40 years of work enabled his son/your husband to own a bike, to live in an area where he could safely learn to ride a bike, and to be able to have the leisure time to have the hobby in the first place.

Again, my answer is more about how to approach the gift than actual gift ideas — mostly because I can see from your question that you want to give something really meaningful — and certainly, you and your husband are the best people to figure out what that is.

Design Mom Readers: What retirement gift would you give?

architecture photo via getty

Ask Design Mom: Felt Crafts & Paper Embroidery

The talented and creative Cindy from the really, really wonderful craft blog Skip To My Lou, is our 2nd Guest Expert! Take a look at what she has to say.



_______________

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
Hi Design Mom. I love working with felt and I love hand embroidery and want help thinking of some new projects. Do you have any good projects for home, gifts, or kids that involve either? Or good sites to go to? I'm also wondering about hand-embroidered cards — what materials work best? And would I need a backing for these? Thanks!! — Carrie

Guest Expert Answer:

FELT CRAFTS
I see a a lot of talk about felt these days. There are some really creative people out there making some amazing things. There are various kinds of felt. There are inexpensive felt squares sold in craft stores, usually made from acrylic fibers. Fabric stores will sell a heavier version of this on bolts and you can also find wool felt. I would use wool felt for anything you want to put a lot of time and effort into and that you want to last. You can also buy old wool sweaters from thrift stores and make your own felt. It is really simple to do — I have done it many times by accident.


-Betz White is making some beautiful things with felted wool sweaters. She has appeared on Martha Stewart making her teacup pin cushions. She has a darling bunny tutorial on her blog.

-Bella Dia makes beautiful felt pin cushions and a spectacular tea cozy out of felt.

-Here is a link for a cute felt bunny pin tutorial by Maize. Her site is full of great ideas using embroidery and felt.

-Anna Maria Horner has a fabulous felt garland and ornaments. Here is a tutorial for her cute felt owl ornament.


-I loved making felt food for my daughter to play with. It was simple and I used the inexpensive felt squares. You can see a picture here. In fact, I will post a tutorial here at Design Mom in a few weeks about making felt food. I receive tons of inspiration for felt food from Colorfool Blog and My Paper Crane.


PAPER EMBROIDERY
Here is a link on how to embroider on paper. This can be done by hand or on the sewing machine. I could imagine some beautiful cards made with bits of felt and embroidery embellishments. I have sewn a lot of paper on my sewing machine. I find if I use card-stock weight I usually have no problem and no need for backing. It does dull your needle so make sure you change it before sewing on fabric.

-Here are some free stitching patterns for cards. This could be a great way to get kids stitching.


-Lisa Solomon does some clever embroidery on paint chips.

I hope you are inspired!
Cindy from Skip to My Lou



Note from Design Mom:
Thank you Cindy! So many great ideas and useful links. I think I could spend a week browsing craft blogs and never tire of it. If you're a mom on the lookout for clever, kid-appropriate crafts, make sure to bookmark Skip To My Lou — you won't be disappointed.

Ask Design Mom: Decorating the Mantle

Ask-Design-Mom Question:

Dear Design Mom, My family just moved into a new apartment and it has a fireplace with a mantle in our main room. I'm wondering what ideas you have for decorating a mantle? The first thing (and only thing really) that pops into my head is picture frames and candles. Not a totally bad idea, but I'm wondering if that's my only option. In my case, there is also a very large mirror behind the mantle (not mine, it came with the apartment and I can't take it down). Anyway, I love all of your ideas so I was just wondering if you had any on mantle decor. Thanks so much for your advice & your blog. — Beth

Design Mom Answer:

Another excellent question! Thanks for sending it in Beth. And let me start by saying that I think anyone with a mantle is super-lucky. Think of your mantle as the perfect place for an ever-changing display of the seasons or even your moods. As usual, I'll give you a few suggestions, but I hope Design Mom Readers will add their own favorite tips on how-they-decorate-the-mantle.

One idea is to have your mantle function as a catch-all for any pretty little things in your home. If you're life is busy and full, own it, and fill your mantle up with the crazy: assorted picture frames in a variety of styles, and pretty cards you've received, and a tiny pitcher with flowers in it, and some interesting little jewelry box you set aside earlier in a closet, etc. Then lay a branch in the background of cherry blossoms your children spotted on a Spring walk. Make it as busy and interesting as your life. When you walk by it, if an item irritates or tires you, remove it. Add or subtract, or shift things, around as the mood strikes.


This photo is a good example of kind of an ordered crazy on a mantle. Lots and lots of little things that you could add too or subtract from or rearrange.

Or. If your life is too crazy, make the mantle a place of simplicity and order. Try a simple, seasonal, symmetrical display. Something like this: take 7 or 8 glass votive holders, the 2-inch ones you can pick up 4 for $1 at Mich