Kids Haus

Goodbyn Lunchboxes

I'm not quite ready to think about "back to school" yet and I'm certainly not ready to drop C off at her first day of pre-school either. I know it will probably be much like pulling the Band-Aid off but, still, I'm not ready. I know she's ready though - desperate to keep up with her big sister! My friend, Robin, sent me this link to these Goodbyn lunchboxes yesterday. They're new to me and I'm so, so thrilled to have found the perfect lunch box! They come with sheets of stickers so your kids can decorate them however their creative streak takes them. The best part though, is that they are BPA and phthalate-free. I'm getting two!

Risom Rocker

Just yesterday, I was reading my newest Dwell magazine and read the most inspiring story about mid-century furniture designer Jens Risom. Out of the big names such as Knolls, Eames, Nelson, Bertoia and a few others, Jens is the only surviving designer. At the age of 93, Risom continues to design furniture for DWR and Pucci and hasn't skipped a beat in designing his classicly beautiful pieces. In fact, I think his newest works are possibly my favorite of his designs. All of this led me to find the gorgeous Risom Rocker designed exclusively for DWR. Now if I were to have a third child, I wouldn't hesitate to find the excuse to buy one for myself (not that I ever felt the need to own a rocker with my two girls) - it would undoubtedly wind up being a classic piece, don't you think?

Mibo Wise Guys

I found these little guys patiently waiting in my inbox this morning and had to share! From the company that brought us their bold and beautiful lamp shades, Mibo has just come up with this darling little family of Wise Guys as a downloadable/print-at-home-able kit for your very own. A fun DYI project when you have a little free time: simply print, cut and fold. You can bet that I'm putting these fellas in the "rainy day" category when my 7 year old experiences one of her "so bored" moments - this ought to perk things up a bit!

New House Project Aprons

Now that I've been missing in action for so long, you're wondering why I've written three posts in less than 12 hours? Well, this one is for good reason. I've been following New House Project's blog for several months because I love Kristin's simple approach to home, motherhood and the project's that she creates to make a creative and inspiring environment for her daughter, Saya. It's really sweet. A couple of weeks ago, Kristin mentioned that she was going to open an Etsy shop selling handmade aprons for children and I've been waiting...and waiting...for her to announce the opening. Well, they're here! All made from vintage and found scraps of fabric, they're all adorable. She also mentioned that her husband will be selling pottery eventually - can't wait for that!

Cookie Mag mention

It's not that Roar Growl is one of my newest prints but it's always very, very flattering to have one of my pieces featured. I was surprised to find that Roar Growl was amongst Cookie Mag's collection of nursery art - there is some fantastic art in the mix. Thank you!

Hungry Monkey

"Hi".

Well, yes, that's the only word I thought appropriate after being gone from my blog for so long. It's summer and it's also been a time of vast change for our family. For me. I've been taking a little breather from writing since the wave of the restaurant washed over our heads (it's all been very positive and good, by the way). I've also been trying to figure out where my blogging about inspiring kids design will take me. I still get inspired about art & design -- especially if it involves kids, yet it's simply been a time of transition and reflection in recent weeks and I've basically realized that I've truly, madly, deeply missed illustrating and need to get back to the part of my soul that makes me excited. So there will be fewer posts while I nurture that piece of me but when something truly strikes a chord, I won't resist the urge to write about it - and it will be written from the heart. 

Which brings me to my book club this evening. Robin, one of our fearless book club leaders, asked Matthew Amster-Burton, the author of Hungry Monkey, to make an appearance at our book club this evening and talk about his new book. He actually didn't talk about it but rather read excerpts from the book that were so down-to-earth and heart-warmingly funny that we didn't want him to stop reading from the various chapters and telling us stories about his five year old daughter, Iris, who sounds like a little fire cracker! I sadly didn't get the chance to read the book beforehand but from the bits and pieces that Matthew read and after meeting him in person, I'm going to read it as soon as I can get my hands on a copy. It was a unanimous crowd pleaser. This is how Matthew describes his book: "...a memoir on the wild joys of food and parenting and the marvelous mélange of the two, Hungry Monkey takes food enthusiasts on a new adventure in eating (with dozens of delicious recipes!).

Flower & Herb Ice Cubes

C and I just returned from an incredible bike ride from our house into Old Ballard. It was a bike ride that always seemed daunting to me over the years - the hills that seemed so steep at one time were mere 5º inclines. What I had once thought would take me hours to ride into town and back home only took me 20 minutes each way. It was a great lesson in breaking down fears and now I can't wait to do it more often. I think we'll venture down to ride into the farmer's market this Sunday and have brunch at our new restaurant.

For a little refresher, we made some homemade lemonade with our flower & herb ice cubes that we made a couple of days ago. Our back yard has got several pots of deliciously scented herbs and plants that were perfect for our ice cube experiment. We plucked lemon verbena (if you don't have one in your yard, get one! It's a most amazing smell when you brush against it), rose geranium flowers & leaves and rosemary. We embedded our little bits of nature into our IKEA ice cube trays with a little water and, voila! we have beautiful ice cubes to drop into our fresh lemonade...hello summer!!

Kidishes

Valerie from Zoë b Organics has recently introduced these Duralex glasses, bowls, and plates to the U.S. as Kidishes. They don't look fancy on the exterior but they are exactly what I'm looking for! BPA and chemical-free, they are made of tempered glass which is 4 to 5 times stronger than standard glass and doesn’t break into sharp shards when it falls to the ground. They're 100% recycleable, dishwasher-safe and microwave-safe. Don't miss the video demonstrating how Kidishes are "tough as nails" - it's adorable!

Violet Coccoon Sleeping Bag

Hi again...oh, where do I begin? Perhaps you've noticed a lapse in my blog posts and honestly, I haven't been reading any of my favorite blogs either - haven't had a stitch of time. My Google Reader is almost foreign to me. For some who know, we've been opening a restaurant here in Seattle called Bastille Cafe & Bar that just opened this evening. My part in the restaurant conception was almost null except for the fact that I've been trying to stabilize the home while my husband spends nearly every waking (and sleeping) minute consumed by designing and opening his dream restaurant on schedule. Our normal routine has been shaken up in recent weeks, so that is my reason for pausing briefly - sometime it's just necessary.

I received a nice email from Cécile at Smallable who introduced me to a new-to-me French shop that is loaded with beautiful, beautiful things for children. I actually thought this cozy goose down Violet Coccoon Sleeping Bag by Swedish designer, Margot Barolo, was so appropriate after a whirlwind week. I would love nothing more than to curl up in a cozy little nest, surrounded by warmth and comfort tonight...sounds perfectly wonderfu, doesn't it? (or is it just me?)

 

Knoll Kids

One of my all-time favorite chairs is the Womb chair by Eero Saarinen which was designed for Knoll in 1948. If you've never had the fortune to sit in one, it would be impossible to understand just how comfortable it really is and why it was so appropriately named. I got an email from the marketing folks at Knoll today introducing their recently launched line of Knoll Kids furniture that includes reduced versions of the Womb chair, the Barcelona chair, Cyclone side table, the Diamond chair and several others - and they're all made of the same quality as their bigger counterparts. 

Rag & Bone Bindery

A few weeks back, I was in our local toy store (Clover) and saw Rag & Bone Bindery's beautiful baby books on display. It's refreshing to see handmade and uniquely designed baby books in contrast to the typical ones that are predominantly found in the marketplace. Sometimes I've wondered if it's too late to start another baby book even though my babies are well beyond those years but then I discovered Rag & Bone's "Twelve Wishes for Baby" books.They come with twelve fill-in-the-blank pages that read “I promise I will always keep…,” “A special place I hope you'll visit someday…,” “My wish for you…,.” among others. It also features photo pages and a “five simple rules” section to write down basic rules for any child as they begin their lifelong journey (perfect!). Rag & Bone bindery is a collective group of artisans out of Rhode Island who make their books all by hand - a true art!

Summer!

Let me just announce that summer has made up for all of the whining that occurred during our tough winter months - she's been kind enough to give us a lovely dose of warmth and sun so that we can enjoy the greatness that summer has to offer. For starters, we planted a mini-garden (pictured below)! Our yard is fantastic but it doesn't have an ideal area for planting a garden at the moment. Next year, I hope to build a couple of big planter boxes so that we can have an abundance of fruits and veggies but I thought I'd start small and purchased a kiddie pool for a quick fix. A mere $7, I just drilled some holes in the bottom, filled it with dirt and transplanted our seedlings. We've got lettuce, kale, strawberries and a stalk of broccoli so far. The girls have been watering their little veggies but mostly have enjoyed digging around for pill bugs. I think this is the first year that I've begun to think that I could really get into this gardening stuff.

Here's C with her ice cream bar today - of course I made her take off her shirt to save it from a melted disaster. Summer! I hope you're enjoying yours...

mimishop rattles and musicbaby

This week has been a whirlwind of activity but I see the light at the end of the tunnel - which is encouraging when the days blur into the night and the to-do lists seem practically endless. We're in the midst of building out a restaurant (actually my husband and his partner) and I've been working on the website in the evenings after the girls' are fast asleep - so any hopes of writing a blog post, even a brief one, fell quickly to the wayside. I took a break tonight and decided I would check out Etsy since it's been almost a week since I said "hi". As I was perusing, I randomly decided to type the word "rattle" into the search field just to see what results would come back and to say that I was pleasantly surprised to bump into mimishop is an understatement. Her rattles and pacifier clips are so refreshing and fun! Adorable! Then, to top it all off, the Owl Musicbaby is a modern twist on the traditional musical toy with a mechanical music box sewn inside. No need to change batteries, it plays Brahms Lullaby for approximately 2.5 minutes each time you pull from the string. Fancy that!

La Plates

La Plates began following me on Twitter and I'd never heard nor seen their brilliant plates before (another point for Twitter). I'm definitely going to find any reason to order a custom plate. You can choose from a wide palette of colors, fantastic patterns and fonts - they're fully customizable. I'm thinking of C's 3rd birthday party in August - a custom plate would be a fun surprise for her...

Sovgunga

Within the first year of giving birth to C, I remember dreaming of a contraption like the Sovgunga. In my sleep-deprived state of mind, I recall telling my husband that it would be great to have a swinging baby hammock - something that would cradle her and sway her calmly. I love it when someone can take a concept and make a great design out of it and I think Sovgunga has done just that. Thanks to Terese at Minimalen

Fashonista?

Hi everyone...I'm making a slight departure from my normal blog-style this evening because I simply had to share this picture with you. For anyone who has had a 2 year old, you know how entertaining it can be to watch them set out to discover their own independence and personality. Yesterday morning was all that for C! I asked her a simple request, "Can you please go get dressed?". With a serious look in her eyes she nodded and tromped upstairs where she proceeded to make several trips until she had chosen five outfits to choose from. I hadn't paid much attention until I looked down and found that she had laid each ensemble on the floor with coordinating shoes. Really, I'm not one of those moms who lays their outfits out - because I've learned to choose my battles and they love to pick out their own outfits whether I find them embarrassingly mismatched or not, so it was funny to see her take this approach to her wardrobe choice and let her personal independence fly.

Wilkintie

We're wrapping up a three day weekend around here - the weather was phenomenal (I'm still feeling the Vitamin D coursing through my veins) and Bean had her very first friend sleep over this weekend. It was adorable to be a part of this momentous occasion since I recall the many sleepovers I had as a girl. We made ice cream sundaes, watched a movie and then they slipped into their sleeping bags eager to tell scary stories - which only lasted about 10 minutes before they fell fast asleep. Ah, girls! It was such a fun night.

Anyhow, I wanted to share with you this cool project: Wilkintie evolved from a love of letterpress printing and a desire to collaborate with amazing artists by Carly Hargreaves and Niels Oeltjen, a couple living in Melbourne, Australia. The project is simply: 12 prints over 12 months by 12 artists. Each month they will release a new print by a different artist - it's like getting a surprise in the mail each month...exciting! I'm head over heals with all of the prints - they're just gorgeous. Oh, and if you'd rather not pay for the full subscription, you can still by prints individually while they last, since there is a limited amount of each.

Lotta Bruhn FREE downloadable stickers

Lately, I've been trying to stick to a semi-strict budget (just trying not to be frivolous) and have been on a major path to find creative things to keep my girls' engaged - summer is approaching after all. Lotta Bruhn has some sweet downloadable Space stickers and...the best part...they're free! These are going to be fun and I can already predict that they will be stuck on ceilings, mirrors...everything...thanks Lotta!

And while we're on the subject of Lotta, she's got a rather new addition to her alphabet animals: N is for Næsehorn (Rhinocerous) - isn't he fantastic?

Molly-Meg

You want to know one of the ways to my heart? Oddly enough...chairs. Really, there's almost nothing better than a beautifully crafted vintage chair, in my humble opinion. Honestly, if I had the room, I would probably be collecting them on a regular basis. Molly sent me a note about her shop, Molly-Meg, that specializes in selling vintage chairs, objects and art for children but I chose to focus on the chairs since Molly has such a beautiful selection...though the art is pretty amazing too. Molly has put together a really fun and unique shop and I look forward to checking back regularly to see what she's collected...

Penguin & Fish Downloadable Embroidery Pattern

Well, if this isn't the best idea along with the cutest little creatures, I don't know what is! Perhaps you're feeling crafty and have a hankering for embroidery or maybe you'd like to make a special gift, then these darling embroidery patterns from Penguin & Fish are beckoning! Within a very short time of purchasing any one of her patterns, you will receive an email with a .pdf file which includes an image of the finished embroidered pattern, a stitch and color guide, simple embroidery instructions, an easy to trace black and white pattern, and a black and white pattern in reverse for printing on iron-on transfer paper. Marvelous!

Picnic Tote by FUNFAM

When I woke up this morning, I wasn't so sure I was going to have the Mother's Day that one dreams of experiencing. I don't really need to be pampered or doted on, I take after my own mother on that one, but I do find myself subtly nudging everyone to do something that I would like to do on this day -- like a coupon that I can redeem, no explanation necessary. So, what did I do? I managed to get my family sort of inspired to head to a nearby park, ride bikes and have a picnic. They humored me and, honestly, it wasn't easy loading everyone and everything in the car but once we arrived at our destination it was EXACTLY as I imagined. Fresh air, smiling faces and a lazy afternoon. We played chase, ate watermelon, chocolate and cheese and my husband and I ran along side our girls' as they rode their bikes, though we ended up carrying C's bike shortly thereafter since her tiny legs seemed to get worn out quickly. It was a fun "adventure" as Bean quoted and I think it will be somewhat of a tradition from now on...Happy Mother's Day!

Before I fall into utter laziness and since we were on the topic of picnics -- I thought I would share this mini-picnic tote by FUNFAM that I spied while browsing the new issue of Milk Magazine, though I'm nowhere near fluent in French but can only speak for what I see, it just looks like the perfect little tote to carry it's own bamboo table setting for a picnic in the backyard or those special "adventures" to the park. Sweet...

Decoylab Modern Baby Clock - Elephant

I love everything that Decoylab churns, in fact I purchased one of Maiko's clocks for our former nanny and it was even more darling in person. One quick glance at Decoylab's laser cut Elephant Modern Baby Clock and I was smitten. True, it may be many, many years before baby will actually be able to tell the time but it's such a sweet design that I don't think it really matters.

 

Gizmoroo

I think putting a t-shirt on my kids with a slogan on it can run a fine line sometimes. I typically don't go for the sticky-sweet or sassy-bratty styles. Whether it's the designer in me ("less is more"), I like the simple slogans with a fun twist much like these tees from Gizmoroo, how about "DJ Nappy"? As a mother searching for something special for her baby, Dinorah wanted clothes made of organic cotton with trendy, funky and fashionable designs -- so she set out and came up with a collection of hip tees and body suits of her own...Gizmoroo!

WOOLI storage by Babies Breath

Funny thing, one of the most common questions I've received from Kids Haus readers in my nearly 2 years of writing this blog has been, "...where can I find a good toy box or toy storage?". I've written about several very cool toy storage options but maybe none as cool and beautiful as the WOOLI by Babies Breath (in my humble opinion). Designed and handmade by a mom, the entire toy storage box is made of wool felt so it's literally impossible for tiny fingers to get smashed. They also have full draping closure to hide everything inside and you could easily keep these (particularly the grey version) in your living room without being conspicuous. Custom orders are also available. Did I mention how much I love the WOOLI?

Summer Play, Welcome May!

It's officially true, time literally flies! We'll be welcoming the month of May tomorrow which means that summer is on it's heels, which means that we can kick off our boots and slip on the flip-flops! I've learned that I can't dive into summers in Seattle without zeal because it will be over as quickly as you can say "SPF 60". I'm already feeling it. You know what I can't wait for? The beach! Taking the kids and the dog to the beach, having picnics and feeling the warm sun on my back. Letting the kids explore different things, playing without (much of) a time limit and going to bed feeling that satisfying type of exhaustion -- the kind that makes you realize that you probably just created some great memories. So, I couldn't help but pick a few things to inspire those thoughts...

Top left: Teak Swing, Top Right: Noted Matchstick Garden, Bottom Right: Beach Ball Sprinkler, Bottom Left: Terra Kids Key Ring Magnifying Glass

Mother's Day Idea: SpoonerZ

Aren't these hand-stamped, hand-formed spoon pieces from SpoonerZ adorable? (Ahem, I only hint being that Mother's Day is on the horizon). A little personalized treasure for all those dedicated mothers out there...hint, hint...

Miller Goodman ShapeMaker

This has got to be one of the coolest toys around and I honestly don't think I could have understood how imaginative the ShapeMaker was, had it not been for their excellent video. My girls have watched it a half dozen times already and found it completely entertaining -- I don't think we could get tired of the fabulous, organ grinder inspired music that goes along with it either, it's so fun. The Miller Goodman Shapemaker is essentially a set of 25 colorful, hand printed, environmentally friendly, rubber wood blocks with thousands of geometric possibilities. Enjoy!

Sleep Safari

There's something about Spring that inspires the feeling of wanting to buy new bedding. Some crisp, bright colored bedding and fluffy new pillows. Well, in reality I don't buy new bedding, of course but it sounds nice, doesn't it? Instead, I'll just tear off everyone's sheets and duvets, give them a good cleaning and throw some colorful pillows on the bed to make it feel like new. I love practically all of the bedding that Anthropologie has to offer and thought this bright Sleep Safari bedding was so darling! Hello spring!

{GIVEAWAY} Couture Lab

Hello everyone! Kids Haus sponsor, Couture Lab, is having a very cool giveaway for this hand-embroidered teddy bear. The most admirable and awesome part about this teddy bear is that it's hand-crafted by women artisans in deprived, HIV-struck areas of Africa. These craftswomen are part of The "Forward" Group, an artistic community which spans across regions such as Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Congo. The Forward Group involves more than 60 artisans, who are now able to generate an income and gain confidence in moving ahead with their lives. Each one unique, the bears feature cotton thread embroidery and patchwork appliqué, depicting happy scenes in bright colors. Each one of these teddies is a one-off collectible piece. With that in mind, I think it makes these bears very special and it's very inspiring to hear that Couture Lab is supporting these women.

So, all you need to do is click here and sign up for the Couture Lab newsletter to enter to win. Good luck!!

Pouch Pals

One of my favorite online toy stores is Romp. Their selection of amazing toys is endless and I always discover something new-to-me. So, I came across these fantastic Pouch Pals and would love to have a couple, though I'm not even quite sure I'd want to stuff things into their pouches yet. I'm simply drawn to the pelican & kangaroo silhouettes and I love heavy-duty wool felt -- I would just like to hang them on the playroom wall and let the girls' use their imagination.

Anne-Claire Petit Crocheted Clock

Once you become familiar with Anne-Claire Petit's things you can almost spot her beautiful designs a mile away. Her style is very distinct in that everything she does is cheerful and has a handmade quality to them, usually crocheted. I wrote about her hand-crocheted dachshunds about a year ago but now I've got to mention her hand-crocheted cuckoo clock made from mostly organic cotton -- which reminds me of a funny story that my mother likes to tell about my younger brother when he was about 4 years old: Apparently he woke up quite early and tugged on our wooden cuckoo clock's chain. My incredibly mellow brother (still is) quietly went back to bed after this early-morning mishap and didn't make a peep. The only evidence was the broken cuckoo clock on the floor and an egg-sized bump on Chris's forehead. At the time, it probably wasn't as funny as it seems today. I can't help but smile when I see this soft cuckoo clock...

Art Sale: Hadley Hutton

I fully intended on writing a blog post last night but, as luck would have it, I went to the dentist on Tuesday to find out that I had 2 cavities and one of them being dangerously close to the nerve -- so I had to make an immediate appointment to have that nasty problem fixed. So yesterday was that day and I had underestimated the pain involved with getting a filling so I took the rare opportunity to slip into bed and watch a lot of good, bad TV last night (it was sooo nice!). I'm feeling great today though, so the pain was at least short-lived.

Anyhow, I wanted to alert you all to a wonderful art sale going on today. Hadley Hutton is selling her beeeeautiful pieces right here. I wish I had budgeted a little cash for some art this month but, instead, I will have to live vicariously through you. I'm in love with the dreamy, ethereal style of her birds...so pretty! Amy Ruppel is also having an art sale that will kick-off at 11am this morning...on your marks, get set...GO!

Paper n Stitch

I got a really nice email from Brittni from Paper n Stitch, a relatively new shop that showcases work from artists and makers. She introduced me to one of their new designers, Stitchface, that has some ridiculously adorable, eco-friendly stuffies. Their disproportionate features make them even more endearing and loveable...

Personlized Appliqued Pillow

Hey there! I hope you all had a great Easter. As spring in Seattle would have it, it rained from the moment we woke up to the time we went to bed. The early morning egg hunt left us all wet and soggy, especially my husband and I as we tried to follow the girls around our sloping front yard, trying to keep up as they searched for their hidden eggs, which is when I unfortunately discovered that my favorite rain boots had a hole in them. This was the first year that both girls' understood the Easter egg hunt concept -- C was a little too young last year, so we had the fortune of experiencing the magic through their eyes. So fun!

I haven't posted anything about my friend Jana in while -- she always tends to have a craft project or two up her sleeve . Remember her chore chart and concentration game? Well, she's done it again with an appliqued pillow case that she made as a birthday gift for her daughter's friend, Avery. I think giving anything with the birthday girl's name on it will add that extra special, birthday touch and I'm sure Avery already covets her personalized pillow case...really, who wouldn't? It's such a simple idea and one that will be remembered and used for years.

Easter Eggs

This year, we repeated our Easter egg dying process from last year simply because we loved the marbled finish. Now, I must admit that last years eggs looked a little fancier somehow. The marbling was more fantastic. The only reason I can hypothesize for the difference is that it was because we used food coloring this year vs. the color tablets from last year OR the temperature of the water wasn't warm enough. Either way, the girls' didn't know the difference and they turned out pretty, nevertheless (those are our eggs pictured below). We got the idea from Martha, of course...