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
"Smart & practical" just about sums it up for the Sam & Bellie Lolly Chalkmats. The idea of a travel placemat that has a fun design on one side and a chalkboard on the other sends fleeting thoughts of "why didn't I think of that?" and "I wish I had known about this sooner" as I count the numerous times we've sat in a restaurant drawing on napkins and crumpled receipts from my purse. It's a brilliant idea and the designs are lovely! And you want to know the best thing? They're PVC-free, BPA-free and free of harmful metals. Sam & Bellie manufacture their products in an environmentally friendly way and choose materials that are good for our children and the eco-system. Sam & Bellie is also hosting a giveaway on their blog so you can try to win one yourself...
I hope you all had a great weekend. We had fantastic autumn weather and I had the girls on a crafting binge all weekend. We also received our custom stamp and I'll upload pictures as soon as I recharge my camera. I wish you could have seen Bean's face when I gave it to her. She was so enamored with the idea of taking one of her drawings and turning into a stamp and actually asked if we could sell it to our friends, J & H, because I think she sees me selling my artwork and it's something she wants to do too. Very cute.
Anyhow, can we talk about Crayon Rocks? They could almost be the "perfect" gift. The rainbow of colors first grab your attention but the rounded pebble shape is what makes them truly unique and tempting to pick up and play with. Created by a special needs teacher to aid with proper gripping techniques, crayon rocks are designed to strengthen the tripod grip muscles which makes them perfect for children with motor disabilities, as well as for every day, fun activities. They're eco-friendly, made of soy wax and tinted with natural mineral powders, so like me, you may want to buy a few for stocking stuffers and birthday presents.
How many of you have a sleeping bag with a cartoon character on it? I see a lot of hands raised. These wonderful, waffle fabric sleeping bags by Koeka are just the opposite and are exactly what the doctor ordered. They can be folded up and snapped into a soft pillow when it's not being used as a sleeping bag. The colors are perfect...
Choosing a diaper bag these days is not a simple process. Women are multi-tasking, working and playing and need something that can easily convert to any scenario. Petunia Pickle Bottom is a neat company that is breaking out of the traditional diaper bag mold and creating very functional, hip and pretty diaper bags disguised as beautiful backpacks, satchels and clutches. I'm stunned that they were able to design a tiny clutch that fits a changing pad, baby wipes, diapers, wipes and has a fantastic variety of prints to choose from.
We're in the midst of a car seat conflict with Ms. Bean. She's 6 and has a standard booster seat with a back. She detests how the seat belt hits her across the chest. The only solution is to get a booster seat without the back. Fine. The brilliant company, Clek, who designed the Cleck Olli seat has also come up with the Cleck Oto. A booster seat that doesn't look like it's "for babies" -- it's a bit more incognito and the best part, in my opinion, is it's ability to click into the LATCH system (lower anchors
and tethers for children). All cars built after 2002 were required to have a LATCH system. This means that the Olli and Oto booster seats can be securely attached (click) to the car seat so it's much safer and stable in case of an accident. I'm sold!
When I first laid my eyes on these handmade litter bags by Allyson Hill, I was thrilled! Of course there should be a pretty litter bag in my car since it seems that there is always a bottle cap, a cracker, a wrapper or chewing gum that needs to be discarded. I usually stuff it in the cup holder or a temporarily convenient spot until I get home. The patterns are all fabulous and you can buy a roll of biodegradable replacement baggies from Bitsy Blossoms as well, otherwise they fit a standard produce or pet bag. These would make a great gift as well.
For some reason, this Patagonia Great Divider bag made such a huge impression on me months ago that I still think about getting one for myself. Mind you, this bag is intended to be used for anglers (fishermen) on a boat so that crucial supplies won't get wet but our friends used it on a day trip to Portland fully stocked with baby's essentials. A bigger and more functional diaper bag of sorts. This bag is completely water-proof! Inside, it has adjustable foam dividers that can be configured to any formation and removable end pockets to keep track of small things. It's perfect for keeping those crucial items neatly organized in the car for those frequent emergencies.
Speaking of convertible design, the Delta Baby Travel 2in1 is absolute genius! A diaper/accessory bag that unfolds to reveal a baby bed for traveling?! I'm speechless...
I've been meaning to write about the Woobee all weather blanket for about a month now. It deserves a little limelight! Woobee is a Seattle-based business that was inspired by Heather Correa after the birth of her first daughter.
So, allow me to break this very practical blanket down: one side is made of a unique, velvety-soft material and the other side is made of a durable water-resistant nylon fabric that acts as a protective barrier from the elements (hello, rain!). The other detail that makes these more than just a blanket are the ties that allow you to tie it to your baby carrier, stroller, or car seat. I got to see the Woobee in action while on a trip to Portland with our friends and their newborn on a particularly rainy day. Baby M's momma tied the Woobee to her Baby Bjorn, flipped the blanket over Baby M's tiny head and kept him perfectly protected from the rain -- that was the moment I was sold! Woobee also just introduced the Super Woobee (30”x 36”) that would be ideal for picnics -- no more wet bottoms!
We just got back from a fantastic holiday in Kauai, Hawaii and were fortunate enough to experience stellar weather and catch up on lost sleep. Now I've got the energy I need to survive the winter. Speaking of survival and especially since we're entering a major travel season, I thought I would share a few key items that we brought along with us that made traveling with the Mini so much easier...
If you've got any great travel ideas, please share...