I simply love Fin + Roe's new spin on birth announcements! Your baby's photo can be made into a magnet with the name, birth date, time and weight printed on the side -- a brilliant momento to give as a gift (better than a smelly cigar)! When I see things like this, I have fleeting moments of wanting one more baby but thankfully the Magnet Momento Cards can be made for other occasions like birthdays, graduation and weddings -- nice diversion (whew!).
Hello! In case you may have wondered where I've been for the last several days, I was spending it with my husband's lovely family in snowy & beautiful Tahoe -- I even managed to get a day of snowboarding in, which has only happened a mere 3 times since Bean was born seven years ago. There was no internet access, which was ultimately a good thing as it meant that we were back to basics: reading, playing card games, eating (a lot!), playing, talking and just being! As difficult as it was to not fret about emails and my blog, it was a great sabbatical.
So, now that I'm back, I've been meaning to tell you about Unverblümt & Zugenäht for several weeks -- it's actually my cousin's wife's shop (confused?). Bettina lives in Germany and, unfortunately, I've never had the pleasure to meet her but have heard so many things about her hand-embroidered tee shirts via my mom. Our daughters' also share the same name, coincedentally, so I'm beginning to think I really need to make my way over to Germany and meet her. My mom recently sent me a link to Bettina's shop and I was so impressed with her designs and not only because we're "family" but because they're all genuinely adorable! Sadly, I'm not as fluent in German as I should be (with an Austrian mother and all) so I can't quite translate what she has written in her shop but, fortunately, the pictures speak for themselves.
Mr. Kaliski is the designer of this marvelous, customizable, cardboard rocking horse called Billy Rocker. Your child can transform it into a horse, dragon, unicorn or most certainly anything their little imagination can dream of. It can be painted, scribbled upon, wallpapered, collaged...in fact, there are no rules. Once you've finished designing it, you can turn it inside out (because it's cardboard after all) and create something new on the other side -- so you have 2-in-1! I should also mention that when the day comes that your Billy Rocker has run it's course of fun -- it's fully recycleable, so there's no (or very little) guilt about the footprint it leaves behind!
I've always admired Charlie and Sarah's screen printed tees (particularly their Wellies British Flashard Tee) but I've got to say that there's something about the use of letters for their Superhero Monogram/ Applique Tee that I absolutely love! I have a thing, shall we say, for typography and a beautiful or bold use of letters can really get my juices flowing. Each Superhero tee is screen printed and each letter sewn on. They are custom made to order, all letters from A-Z available, so you'll need to allow two weeks for delivery. These would make a great gift...
Erika from Mikodesign mentioned that she had been at Kleine Fabriek in Amsterdam and saw Kidsonroof's newest cardboard creations. I'm such a fan of Kidsonroof's designs already and it's so great to see them really stretching their imagination. To explain the Totem Tree is a little tricky but it's essentially like building your own tree out of cardboard birds, birdhouses, leaves, mushrooms, apples and other pieces of printed plant and wood textures. It stands a bit over 2' high and seems like such a fun, creative way to spend an afternoon. Afterward, it becomes a work of art to display...
Every kid loves a bean bag. I know this because it's a huge source of entertainment in our house. My husband and I bought a fancy bean bag before we ever had kids and, over the years, it's become one of their favorite places to sit while watching movies but it's frequently used as a crash pad when running across the room or jumping off the couch (yes, I allow it to some degree). French Bull, the same company that has given us the vibrant melamine plates, has come up with this series of really fun Mini Bean Bags sized just right for the little ones. What's not to love?
A cross between a cardboard box and Fred Flinstone's house, the Villa Julia by Estudio Mariscal is my new favorite -- I could almost live in it if it had running water. I'm not sure where it would fit it in our house but the concept and design is extraordinary. It's somewhat of a game as it takes place in five phases: assembly, personalization, decoration, occupation and disassembly. The Villa Julia comes with a plan detailing the easy instructions for assembly; children set it up themselves (assisted by an adult) and make it their own by coloring the drawings found on the sides. I'm still trying to find out if it's available to purchase anywhere and will let you know what I find...
Update: The Villa Julia will be available in April, so I'll keep you posted and let you know when and where it will be available.
I wish I could have gotten better photographs of this awesome art tube that Donna from Petite Picasso graciously sent Bean for Christmas but the girls were too anxious to break into the paint tubes and markers without further ado. When I first received it, I had assumed that it was an empty art tube to store our larger masterpieces. Upon opening, I was thrilled to find an entire set of markers, colored pencils, paints, brushes, crayons, eraser, sharpener all rolled up inside the nicely compartmentalized plastic case. Needless to say, our art tube is already jammed with past & present works and it's sitting pretty in the corner of the girls' room. She even had the tube customized with Bean's name on the outside which made the whole surprise extra special. I wrote about Donna's business, Petite Picasso, back in December but if you missed it, you'll have to read about her beautifully customized books for your child's art. Thanks again, Donna!
Bean is turning 7 in a mere eleven days and she has a running countdown, reminding me every couple of hours (as if perhaps it slipped my mind). She has clearly stated that she wants a watch and is ready to learn how to read time...and so my hunt begins. Not too cute and certainly not pink (she prefers green). You would think that someone who has racked up as many hours on the internet, sifting through kids wares, I would know precisely where to find the perfect watch for my daughter's 7th birthday. Surprisingly, I was a bit stumped and with dozens of Google searches, came up with very little. Of course, one of the first places I looked was Swatch where they actually had the best selection, so I've got my eye on the Bau Bau watch. If anyone has any other brilliant ideas, please let me know...
The week got off to a slow start with only 3 out of 5 posts that I intended to write, though I'm sure you can all understand what it's like to bounce back from a holiday hangover. I have managed to clean out 2 garbage bags of toys and miscellany from the girls' room and playroom though (shhhh!). A wise tip: refrain from dumping bags off to your local Goodwill for a few weeks just in case something is discovered missing. Why do I know this? It happened tonight! Thankfully, the bag was sitting in my garage and I was able to recover it without blowing my cover.
So, since I fell short with my posts this week, here's a special one for a Saturday night since I'm hunkered down at home with a chest cold. I was delighted to discover a new-to-me blog, eensies, after Rebecca left a comment on my Organize post. Rebecca and Brett are elementary school teachers and decided to write a blog after so many parents have asked them over the years, “what should we be doing at home?” From what I've read so far, their blog has been very enjoyable and inspring at times. Their post on "Independent Reading" was timely for me since Bean is immersed in reading. It's hard to refrain from correcting her pronunciation or blurting out the word when she stumbles but I manage to bite my tongue.
I'm completely smitten with INQUISITIVEkid! They have described themselves so well, "Our toys are reduced to the essential, are pure in form and colour, and do not have a predetermined way to play." I was thrilled to see the variety of beautiful toys, thoughtfully categorized into areas such as "Cable Cars, Playing with Air and Playing with Water" -- doesn't that just capture the essence of child's play? It actually provokes such strong childhood memories as my brother and I played outdoors many a summer trying to make our own versions of these sorts of things, of course not nearly as fancy!
What's so fantastic about the beginning of a new year is it's psychological benefit of making us feel like we have a clean slate...a fresh beginning! With my clean slate, I'm pretty determined to organize and clean our house until there is no closet untouched. It sounds a bit daunting, doesn't it? My first project is the girls' bedroom. I don't believe I mentioned that C moved into Bean's room in December -- into their new bunk bed! With that, there is the conundrum of where to put both sets of clothes, added toys, shared artwork, etc. There's a lot to do but I'm starting with the basics. 1) I'm clearing every toy and object that is practically ignored (sadly, there are too many). 2) I'm making a better home for Bean's artwork, notes and awards. 3) I'm refining our storage situation by grouping like items together (like Legos!). I'm really fond of Little Pretty Studio's hoop.de.doo bulletin boards and saw these vibrant, Paisley Bins that come in different sizes while out shopping a couple weeks ago. I'll keep you up on my progress...whew!
Hello again! It feels like weeks since I've said "hi". I don't know about you but I'm feeling invigorated about kick-starting the New Year. I was mentally preparing myself to bound out the door Monday morning, excited to get to work, particularly since it seemed like an unusually long December with the addition of snow keeping us trapped inside but what do I see out my window? yes...more S-N-O-W-! I have a feeling it may be one more day of snow angels but that's hardly something to complain about, isn't it?
After two months of writing about holiday preparations, gifts, crafts, etc...I found myself a little puzzled as to what I would write about my first week of 2009. There are a couple of fun things I will show you this week but since I stumbled back upon Little Overcoat's shop, everything seemed so cheerful, whimsical and fun -- it seemed appropriate to share with you on a Monday and because I dearly miss the sunshine...
I'm also going to show you some of our favorite gifts this year...the tried and true and maybe even one that didn't perform as well as we had hoped. On my great gift list for our 6 year old, I loved The Giant Play and Learn Book. It is loaded with such wonderful activities that involved stickers, coloring, drawing, story telling, puzzles...and more. The book is vibrant and so FUN! Bean played with it for over an hour today with frequent interruptions from her 2 year old sister who was trying everything she could to peel the stickers off. It's great for traveling and keeping the brain busy. The pictures below aren't the best representation of the book but you get the idea. There's also a downloadable activity kit here for a little taste.
Today we are getting more snow in Seattle -- which is more than I can ever remember in my entire life living here. We're making the most out of being indoors and I've been able to see the relationship between the girls' grow and evolve in the last week as they've had to figure out how to play with each other (ah, siblings!) since Bean is usually in school all day.
Well, I didn't get to do a lot of things that I had on my list because of the snow but, you know, it's okay...this is the time of year when I'm reminded to abandon the typical worries of life to just be present and appreciate this life. A year clips along at lightening speed as I look at my girls as the benchmark. So, I hope you enjoy a peaceful holiday and "thank you" to everyone who has been a part of my blog, whether it's simply reading or writing comments -- it's your spirit that has given me the energy to write about the things that inspire me.
Below is a view of the snowy Evergreens outside our window, and the glittered PEACE banner in progress -- I needed a hole puncher but, alas, wasn't able to get to the store to get one, so it sits on newspaper (oh well)...
I'll be back in 2009...Peace!
Here in Seattle, we've had a LOT of snow for this little corner of the Northwest and when it snows, as a city, we become paralyzed and unprepared. The streets are not well sanded nor plowed, so many of us don't leave our homes. It's kind of funny in some ways but the humor starts to wear off after you've been trapped inside for several days. I pulled the girls a couple miles up the road in our sled yesterday and it was so beautiful to be in the snow -- very peaceful. My husband got the car out today and is coming back to pluck us out of the house in a bit -- I know it sounds kind of silly, doesn't it?
So, if you're still looking for some fun little gifts, there is always a downloadable option! Maria Lunate has some adorable and inexpensive downloadable gift tags, calendars and a fantastic pop-up Little Red Riding Hood house ($3). Red's house would be the perfect way to spend some creative time if you're stuck indoors. It would also make a cute little surprise under the tree...
I think this Jungle Friends Mobile may be one of my favorite mobiles of the year or perhaps of all time...and it's quite admirable that it's made of laser cut sustainable bamboo and assembled in San Francisco by a non-profit that employs adults with disabilities. You may have also figured out, by now, that I have a thing for vintage styled animal illustrations, which this is somewhat reminiscent of -- so this mobile has really won me over. Via Zoe B Organic Weekly
I have to type fast because our internet connection has been so intermittent that it makes it nearly impossible to write anything. Since Bean is 6 (almost 7!) you can imagine that she's grown up dramatically from those toddler days -- so toy choices need to be thought through to ensure that she'll be engaged for more than a week and it won't be something that's tossed to the side. These cameras would allow her the freedom to be creative and now we'll be able to take pictures together and I won't feel nervous every time I let her use my 5 pound digital SLR...
Top: The Pinhole Camera Kit by Yutaka Ohashi
Bottom Right: Lomographic Action Sampler 35mm Camera takes 4 photos in 1 frame (fun! fun!)
Bottom Left: Hello Kitty VGA Digital Camera
Well, if one thing is for sure, you can always stock up on an arsenal of cards, gift tags, wrapping paper and ribbons and feel secure in the fact that you are prepared for any occasion! This has proven itself very true now that I've got 2 kids and plenty of birthday parties to attend. My wrapping closet has even become a favorite destination for Bean when she suddenly feels the urge to wrap one of her creations. For months, I've admired Sweetbeets affordable, eco-friendly letterpress cards and gift tags and even her blog, ModEcoKids. The colors and illustrations are simple, classic and cheerful and would make fantastic artwork to hang in a child's room.
More than any other year, this one's been particularly fun -- probably because both girls' are old enough to get involved in the fun traditions that add to the spirit. The other night, while my husband was still gallivanting in Paris (he assured me it was all business), I took the girls through a neighborhood up the street that decks their houses in Christmas lights galore. We blasted "Rockin' around the Christmas Tree" and admired the illuminated Rudolphs' and Frostys' on the various lawns. Afterward, we came home and made hot cocoa even though it was already 9pm!! (I probably should have skipped that one).
Anyhow, if you're trying to squeeze too many things in over the next several days and you've fallen behind with your annual holiday cards, fear not! Fin + Roe just launched their new line of 2009 New Years cards. Their Créme de la créme card is very cool in that it allows you to highlight a photo on the front and then a collage of shots for each month of the year on the back -- it's a "year in review" of sorts. The more pictures the better, I say...
Realizing that we only have 12 days left until we celebrate Christmas and being that it was freeeezing cold in Seattle today (we've got a few flakes right now), we stayed inside and Bean and I decided to make our own gift tags while C took her nap. Bean drew one of her cute owls (upon my request) and I carved it into a rubber stamp. We stamped them on some standard packaging tags that I bought from an office supply store.
I used a rubber block that I bought from an art supply store, my trusty Lino cutting tool, an X-acto knife and stamping ink (we used silver and black). Here's a nice how-to guide on making your own rubber stamps.
Amended 12/17: To answer Esther's question about how I transferred the owl image onto the rubber: I had Bean draw her owl on a piece of paper with a pencil. Then I took the paper, owl side down, onto the rubber and rubbed the back of it with my fingers. The carbon from the pencil transfers the image nicely onto the rubber block. Voila!
I think there may be just enough time to order things online and receive them by Christmas (depending on the merchant, of course). I'm starting to think about stocking stuffers and wanted to share a few goodies that would be so fun to fill those stockings with care.
Needle Felted Doll Ball by Asher Jasper - Order by Friday, December 12
Deer Pocket Mirror by Sparkle Paw
Mama & Baby Polar Bears by Little Love Blue
Let It Snow Wool Slippers by 4pippi
I used random.org to shuffle the comments for my "Proud Mama" Gocco print and Lotta Bruhn, the admirably talented illustrator from Sweden, won the print. Congratulations! So, while I'm in the midst of congratulating Lotta, I thought I'd share her free downloadable stickers that I found on her fun blog. After blowing a wad of my holiday savings, it's always nice to have a free perk to lighten the load...aren't they fun? I think they'd make great gift labels too.
Donna from Petite Picasso had such exuberance when she wrote to tell me about her business that began out of a pure desire to preserve her children's own artwork. She says that their masterpieces all face an inevitable fate. The lucky ones end up on the refrigerator, only to be later boxed up and filed away, never to be seen again for many years. Donna takes your child's artwork and compiles and prints it into a professionally printed and bound book. The art can be printed chronologically, grouped by themes, colors or the background can coordinate with the colors in the artwork. Each book is a masterpiece of it's own and what an amazing way to keep your child's artwork as a memento or a coffee table book -- something that they would be proud of too. Donna was also so sweet to custom make Ms. Bean an art tube and pencil case (thank you!) and...yes...Bean is a pseudonym for Sabine (the cat is out of the bag).
Seems like we're really good at starting craft projects around here but it takes us several attempts to finish them. Case in point is this Paper Ball Ornament that I spied on Design*Sponge last week. It seemed like an easy and fun way to entertain a certain 6 year old I know. As you can see, ours looks vastly different than the one on Design*Sponge but you can't rush an artist. I put my own little spin on our paper ornament by having Bean write and draw personal thoughts and sketches inside the folds. The idea is that we'll store this ornament away when Christmas is over but we'll be able to pull it out of the ornament box next year when she's a year older; hopefully it will be intact for the next 20 years. She loved this concept and is slowly filling the pages up. Here are detailed instructions for the Paper Ball Ornament.
That's right, the top left image says, "I love Christmas. I love Santa."
I'm happy to announce that I've just finished another print! Polar Bears! I still haven't titled it so I will call simply call it "Polar Bears" until something brilliant comes along. I've appropriately titled it "Proud Mama". I'm excited about this one because it's a slight departure from my past style. Originally, I was going to draw the polar bears like all of my other prints but it wasn't translating -- it didn't feel like it had any personality to me. I found myself really liking the pencil sketch and the loose lines for the fur -- so I decided to try something new. With that...I'd like to give one away in time for the holidays. It might make a good gift for someone or you may just want to keep it for yourself. Just leave a comment and we'll randomly choose a winner. It ends this Wedneday (so enter quickly)...
How this works: We'll randomly select 1 winner only. All you need to do is leave a comment, no anonymous comments please, from now until midnight PST on Wednesday, December 10, 2008 (Happy Halloween!). I will announce the winners on Monday morning, Thursday, December 11, 2008. One entry per person please!
Is anyone a bit shocked that the holiday season is in full swing already? Why do I get caught off guard like this? I saw Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer holiday special on TV last night and nearly panicked. It's funny to think that the "holiday season" is a 3 week stint this year -- there's seems to always be so much to do and so little time. I'd like to squash any bits of holiday stress right now and enjoy the next couple of weeks. I will continue to feature wonderful products, but you're eyeballs have probably seen so much that you're most likely feeling a tad overwhelmed ( I know I'm reaching that point). For the next couple of weeks, I'm going to introduce anecdotes and fun projects and ideas to enjoy the holiday season -- that's what it's all about anyhow! So, let's do it together and have fun with all of it. If anyone has any useful anecdotes, projects or crafts, send them along.
Here is a pipecleaner snowflake garland that the girls's and I started last weekend. We've got several more snowflakes to go but they petered out and were ready to move onto something else. We found sparkly pipecleaners at a local craft store but white ones would do just as well, then purchased a spool of clear string. I cut the pipecleaners into various lengths and criss-crossed them to make the asterisks symbol (like below), aka: the snowflake! Then I took a very small bit of pipecleaner and wrapped it around the middle of the snowflake to bind them all together. Voila! The plan was to make several garlands and hang them along the window to mimic snowflakes falling. We'll see how far we get :).
Up until last week, we've barely gotten by with a desk and a modest set of drawers that housed Bean's art supplies. The desk was never used for drawing -- it became an extension of her floor where things would pile up on a daily basis, getting shoved aside. Admittedly, we didn't have a chair for her to sit on -- no wonder! I started my search at IKEA for organizational ideas and discovered the "Alex" drawer system which was like a miniature flat file (below). It has changed everything! Paper, stamps, stickers, glue, pipe cleaners, tape, scissors and paints ALL fit in here! They're no longer scattered in 3 different drawers and closets. I might be considered a bit obsessive compulsive about organization but I felt like a lighter person when everything fit neatly together. Ahhh...I now have a home for all the little bits & pieces that were homeless. Next, I needed to find a chair but wanted something stable for our 2 year old climber. I found this neat little yellow chair at a vintage furniture store in our neighborhood -- it's quirky but it's YELLOW vinyl! Bean loved it and was thrilled to bring it home. Oh, and the little baskets house yarn, fabric and her beloved pot-holder kit.
This is a detail shot of the girls' bucket of overflowing jewels. Another little home to all things shiny and bawble-y.
A shot of the desk and detail of Bean's hand-painted mini-drawers. My prints are only hanging together because I wanted to photograph them as a group before I distribute them to the lovely friends and folks that purchased them.
I have such a soft spot for gorillas -- they may be my favorite animal next to the elephant. Hanno the Gorilla is the first of a series of wooden animals by David Weeks. He is similar to the pose-able wooden figures used for drawing but he's bigger, sturdy-er and much cuter (if you don't mind me saying). His powerful hardwood frame can hold many poses (look at him below!). He's made from sustainably harvested new-growth beech wood and his elastic-band muscles and durable wood limbs make him almost impervious to breakage.
You know when you come across something so inspirational or so sweet that you feel like you just want to gush? Or have you ever read a children's book that touched your heart so deeply that you read it over and over? I can recall The Giving Tree was like that when I was a child. As a mama, there have been a few books that I covet and love to read to my girls because of the message that they deliver -- though the concept is usually too big for them to understand yet (someday!). Today I purchased one such book by Dallas Clayton entitled "An Awesome Book!". Dallas sent me a very brief email with a simple link to his book (I like brief emails these days) and when I clicked the link to read all of the pages, I nearly cried. It was the sort of book that has a profound message about big dreams, imagination, individuality, choices, life and love and it's beautifully illustrated. Dallas has a five year old son whom he wrote it for. I know this book will be a HUGE hit with Bean -- she'll LOVE staring at the intricate illustrations and will certainly inspire her to come up with a book of her own. You'll have to give it a read, I have a feeling "An Awesome Book" will be big when the world discovers it!
Did you know that the Monday following Thanksgiving is considered "Cyber Monday" for it's ceremonial kick-off of the holiday online shopping season? Why not kick things off with some great art since the undeniably talented artist, Amy Ruppel, is having one of her famous art sales Monday at 10am? If you're determined to buy a piece, you'd better be frosty because they sell out in minutes! Her guest artist, Bishop Lennon, will be joining her. I'm in love with Lennon's whimsical alphabet paintings (below)...wouldn't they make a wonderful set to spell out your child's name?
Also, I've applied FREE shipping to all of my Kids Haus Gocco prints thru December 20. I'm trying to whip up one more print this week and reprint a new batch of "Roar Growl", so keep your eyes peeled. Happy Cyber Monday!
I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. We were fortunate to spend it with family and I didn't have to host this year, which made it very easy and fun -- all I had to do was make cornbread stuffing! Today was one of those days that began like a horse out of the gate and didn't stop until just five minutes ago when the girls' finally petered out...nevermind...I take that back...they're still chatting back and forth.
Well, here is the post that I've been meaning to pull together for a couple days now but the holidays took priority. These are a few things that grabbed my attention as lovely holiday gift ideas...
To Wear (top row): Kinchi Kitten Skirt, Blue Sidekick Cape
To Play (middle row): Milwaukee Express, Sevi Push Bike
To Decorate (bottom row): Two Hoos On a Branch, Enchanted Tree Shelf Stand
I was down at our local book store the other day with the girls, perusing all the wonderful kids' books when I glanced over to notice this Eric Carle's Dream Snow Pop-up Advent Calendar. What child doesn't like a good Eric Carle book? What child doesn't love a good advent calendar? I think this is one of the cutest advent calendars I've seen and I'd purchase it if we didn't already have an advent calendar made of tiny knit stockings already.
I said I would upload pages from Ms. Bean's freshly written book from last week entitled, "It's True, Really". The school that she attends puts a heavy focus on reading books so she's engrossed in reading everyday -- which I love (who wouldn't?). The only homework she has every night is to read one book to us and, in return, we read her one. So, I think the combination of her love to draw and reading has spurred on the creation of her many, many homemade books. I'm going to start photographing and storing them digitally so I will have them forever and they won't get ruined. It's hard for me to pick a favorite page here but it's a close tie between the girl and kitty on the trampoline and the 3 girls' eating. You have to read the sentence for each page to get the full effect *smile*. Oh, and a Mommy Disclaimer: I helped draw the silhouette of the cat upon request but she made their faces.* Anyhow, without further ado...here is "It's True, Really"...
The beautifully produced and designed LMNOP Online Magazine has just come out with their 5th issue and it's overflowing with fabulous holiday gift finds. I am completely honored to have my "Aye, Matey!" print included amongst all of the beautiful things (hanging on the yellow fish clip below). You might find it interesting that they photograph over 90% of the products for each issue -- presentation is a huge factor, isn't it? Download it and enjoy!
And seconds after showing this brilliant Crazy Fort to my husband, he insisted we get it for Ms. Bean for Christmas. It's perfectly suited after we've built at least a dozen forts in the last 4 months out of every sheet, blanket, clothespin, rubberband and pillow in the house. There was one weekend where our couch had been transformed into a fort and I was given strict instructions not to take it down. The Crazy Fort allows children to construct their own structure with the balls and sticks and, even smarter, you can now purchase lights that shut off after 20 minutes of use.