Designing Moms

Designing Moms has Moved!

2010-10-26T03:12:00.000-07:00

Well the day is finally here...
Designing Moms is moving to a new space and a new name! We are now Mom Inc Daily and you've just got to hop on over to see the new look and features that we've added. We'll have daily doses of design, motherhood, biz and creative life and sooo much more. Bookmark our new location and follow us on over.
If this page does not redirect you please click here or go to www.momincdaily.com.
See you there!

Make: Kimmel Kids

2010-10-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

I think all of you will love this... Los Angeles based Installation artist Karen Kimmel has a line of educational tools and kits called Kimmel Kids that offer fresh, fun exploration for a kid's imagination. I love her stencil kit with its organic cut-out shapes!

Story: Lemonade Stands

2010-10-25T08:17:00.000-07:00

I know we're deep into Fall but there is something about the rainy, overcast summer we had that still makes me want to cling to memories of summer. So one more post, this one by Designing Ryan on the joys of lemonade stands (and summer days!)...

by Designing Mom Ryan of Tin Parade

Ah Lemonade stands. An icon of childhood….a good childhood.

At least in my mind that makes sense. When I see children having lemonade stands it makes me feel happy and peaceful and sort of washes away all the crazyness of the day. I realize that’s a big expectation of a little ol lemonade stand. But truthfully what it represents is all good. It started because my son said he wanted to earn money so he could buy something he wanted. …hard work= money…not a bad concept to learn at a young age…saving to buy something you want…again…only a good concept to learn…especially in this day and age. Add in my Tin Parade partner Kristen Gara’s kids and it becomes a neighborhood entrepreneurial project of the best kind. The kids excitedly worked together to set up the stand…sell the lemonade (yelling out to passersby “LEMONADE FOR SALE!”.…and even serve the lemonade. The kids came together for a common purpose. At the same time, the neighborhood converged on this tree lined street to share in the happiness that a lemonade stand creates…and share a glass of sweetness….visitors stayed and played…and their craziness too was swept away …on a late summers day in these modern times.

The sign was made from a old piece of wood from a fence a neighbor tore down.

Shop: Etsy Halloween Costumes

2010-10-22T08:17:00.000-07:00

More Halloween ideas...this time from etsy. This weekend we have a few Halloween events to go to and I am STILL trying to squeeze in a minute or two here and there to try and make the costume. If you're in the same boat, etsy might be able to come to the rescue!

Speaking of costumes...hopefully Designing Mom Shinmin will share her costume with us next week. I just saw a preview of it and expletives almost came out it was so incredibly amazing. Happy Friday and weekend everyone!

1. otter hat
2. clip-on dragon tail
3. dino hoodie
4. baby giraffe hat
5. bee pillowcase dress
6. halloween leggings

Coming Soon...new Designing Moms

2010-10-21T04:00:00.000-07:00

I can hardly wait to reveal to you the new changes for Designing Moms...we are going to be moving to a new URL with a new look, updated features and more creative goodness to share with you. If you are patient with me I hope to reveal it to you in a week or so!

Hope you will take the "leap" with us when we do the official move...Please stay tuned!
xoxo, Cat

Shop: Anthropologie Halloween

2010-10-21T03:50:00.000-07:00

Leave it to Anthropologie for some super stylin' Halloween options for the kids. They are a little on the pricey side for a one-time costume but they're so versatile to wear throughout fall and winter that you'll get your money's worth.

Story: Ok...I Can Live Here

2010-10-20T07:42:00.000-07:00

Moving isn't just tough on the kiddies... I love that Designing Mom Tori got her feet wet in their new town through a well-designed cafe. What were some of you and your family's first places of solace when you moved?

by Designing Mom Tori of Tori Higa

...because we found the coolest coffee shop. It's called the Little Building Cafe. Not only do they have wonderful coffee (roasted locally in Alabama), a creative (and yummy) menu, great service, fair prices, an eco-conscience commitment, friendly customers (we made friends with almost everyone in the joint - having a flirtacious baby and outgoing husband always helps with meeting new people), and fantastic design. I really love the design. It's full of work by Annie Coggan - you can read more about her impressive background here. The building definitely draws you in and the design coupled with the aroma of fresh baked goods make you want to order your coffee "for here" instead of "to go." We are definitely going to be regulars.

(photo above by Annie Coggan via the Little Building Cafe Blog - be sure to browse the blog if you get a chance; it's full of beautiful photography and I love their tag line: "handmade building, handmade food...a thoughtful life.)

Shop: Maptote

2010-10-19T03:22:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, it's 3 am over here and guess who's trying to get some design work done (with some online window shopping breaks in between)?!
I posted a Paris onesie yesterday, but here's the full line from Maptot e that I've been ogling...

Paris, Baby!

2010-10-18T05:50:00.000-07:00

Hope all of you had a great weekend. Thought I'd start your Monday off with these goodies. Yes, you can Francophile your children with style!

above:
oeuf plushie
a park in paris burp cloth
paris onesie
paris map onesie

Decorate: Tweener Wallpaper

2010-10-15T07:50:00.000-07:00

Rounding out this week, some sophisticated but girly wallpaper... Some of you have been asking about "tweener" designs and I think these are playful and young but devoid of anything "baby'ish."

Stay tuned in the next few weeks for some really exciting changes here. I hope to be able to show them to you very soon!
In the meantime, have a happy Friday and weekend everyone!

above: Pink forest wallpaper

above: Mauve and girly wallpaper

Halloween: Oeuf

2010-10-14T07:29:00.000-07:00

Don't these costumes look soooo soft and comfy for the little ones? Available at Oeuf and Reform School

Shop: Owly Shadow Puppets

2010-10-13T05:38:00.000-07:00

I'm rather enchanted by the magical beast and beauty stomping over the slumbering village. I can only imagine the stories they'd invite for little ones This set is by Owly Shadow Puppets and available at Reform School.

Make: Loving Lowes

2010-10-13T04:27:00.000-07:00

by Designing Mom Tori of Tori Higa

Last Saturday my three old and I met up with some friends at Lowe's for their Build and Grow Clinic. We had such a great time that I just had to share the information so that other designing moms out there can have fun encouraging their designing kids to build and create. Each clinic offers a different wood project that the kids can build themselves. The kids also get to wear an apron and goggles, use a real hammer (my son talked about that for days), and earn a badge when they complete their project. The best part of the whole thing (including all of the materials) is that it's FREE! Each Lowe's is different, but our local store offers their free clinics one to two times a month. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a fun (and free) Saturday morning activity.

Make: Halloween Wreath

2010-10-12T04:21:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth over at To Be Charmed has a great DIY wreath for Halloween. LOVE the black!
Click here to view the full tutorial.

Shop: Family Sweaters

2010-10-11T04:10:00.000-07:00

One of the fall/winter trends this year? Fair Isle/Intarsia sweaters for mommy and family. And guess which ones below are the splurges and the steals?

above Row 1: Burberry cable sweater ($170), Gap cable sweater ($29)
Row 2: Isabel Garreton coat ($207), Gymboree wool swing coat ($72)
Row 3: See by Chloe $795 Intarsia Poncho, Ecote intarsia cardigan ($58)

Friday Fotos: All in a Day's Work

2010-10-08T05:06:00.000-07:00

TGIF always brings back something important if you're a working mom: Make sure you love what you do. For inspiration, look at what Designing Mom Aya at Chronicle Books got to do along with her crew the other day... A "fashion sewing book" that will be published in a year was in need of some creative styling and who to best model the dresses but some of the Chronicle team? The first photo below is Aya striking a pose (go Aya!). Click here for the full post.

Have a happy Friday and weekend everyone!

Decorate: Infidel's Pantry

2010-10-07T07:47:00.000-07:00

I finally found an awesome Julia Rothman design for the studio at Rare Device. While on the hunt, I came across this print which completely intrigued me...it looks like a sweet little nursery pattern but on closer glance it's more a dark fairy tale (a red spotted cow and a microwave appear in it)!
Anyone have their eye on wallpaper? Let us know!
Infidel's Pantry

Shop: Sweet Pea Toad

2010-10-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

by Designing Mom Guissell of Earthy Beginnings

Adorable handmade hats by SweetPeaToad. Just looking at the lion hat you can see how much attention to detail is given to each product, ah but the beauty of handmade! My favorite is a toss up between The Little Lion and the Dr. Who? hat... Available at my favorite indie marketplace, Cargoh! Check out Cathy's shop for more goodness.

Shop: Fall Diaper Bags

2010-10-05T08:12:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my favorite Fall diaper bags. I just love Orla Kiely's prints and think her giant stem patterns might just do the trick in making us think we aren't lugging around three thousand diapers and sippy cups. She's always on my drool-list for wallets and changing bags!

Orla Kiely One Shoulder

Marc Jacobs eliz-a-baby

Mia Bossi Maria

Orla Kiely changing bag

Re-run recycled can bag

Monster bag

Storksak

Babble.com's Top 50 : Designing Moms

2010-10-04T07:05:00.000-07:00

We are so delighted to be chosen as one of Babble.com's top 50 design blogs (and one of their top ten in the "All Things Beautiful" category). And a congrats to fellow Designing Mom Mari of Small for Big for her mention as well (yay Mari!). Thank you again for all of your support...there are lots of exciting things in store here and we hope you continue to tune in!

Click here to read the post and here for for the list of other great blogs and sites.

Friday Fotos: Enjoying the Small Things

2010-10-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

Every now and then I visit Kelle Hamptons's blog Enjoying the Small Things to see what her adorable baby is up to and to ogle her precious photography. My Friday has a little zip to it thanks to Kelle and her family.
Have a happy Friday and weekend everyone!

Shop: Sewn Natural

2010-09-30T05:03:00.000-07:00

I set out to do a post on baby blankets but ended up ogling most of the quilts and blankets by Sewn Natural. Love the mod baby sheep blanket!

Best of our Blogs: Lori's Floors

2010-09-29T07:33:00.000-07:00

Designing Mom Lori (of Fin + Roe) has the best wood floor redo I've seen. Talk about sunshine chic...I bet any guest can't help but smile when they walk into that room! Another big perk is it's an affordable project as well. Click here to to go to Lori's blog and read about the full redo.

Shop: Lala Shoes

2010-09-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

It's back to school time...so baby's gotta get new shoes right? Lovely little pairs by Lala Shoes!
They're made of felt and linen and felt in the most pleasant, rainbow of colors. I am head over heels (pardon pun) for those ballet flats!

Shop: Tiny Frock Shop

2010-09-27T07:34:00.000-07:00

Pamela Thompson of Tiny Frock Shop wrote to me about her darling vintage shop for dolls and I just had to share with ya'll! With a fashion background (working for Betsey Johnson and Anna Sui) she decided to start an online "frock" shop for your little one's best friends... Barbie never looked better if you ask me and what a wonderful and affordable way to introduce a love for vintage fashion to your daughter. Click here to visit her shop!

from Pamela:
I am a new Mom and fashion designer who worked in NYC for over 18 years. Once my daughter was born, my husband and I decided to move to Chicago so my daughter could grow up near family.

Since I can't get fashion out of my system, I decided to open an online shop that marries all my loves and experiences (vintage clothing, kids, play, dollies and editorial fashion) into a business that will benefit moms and children alike.

Giveaway at To be Charmed

2010-09-24T07:49:00.000-07:00

Love this book...Happy Gloves. It's about knit gloves transformed into the cutest creatures. Elizabeth over at To Be Charmed is doing a giveaway for this so click here to enter.
Happy Friday and weekend everyone...I think it's Indian Summer here in the city so we're gonna take full advantage of it!

Best of our Blogs: Emily Part 2

2010-09-23T07:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a followup to one of Designing Mom Guissell's favorite posts from her blog Earthy Beginnings...
If you recall, her little man had a certain crush on Angelina but things quickly changed...

from Designing Mom Guissell:

While riding on the elevator w/a neighbor and my 3yr old this morning:
Me: "E do you have a girlfriend?"
E: "Yes!"
Neighbor: "You do?!!"
E: "Yeah!"
Looking at my neighbor perplexed points at himself and tells him, "I'm a boy!"
Neighbor: (laughs)..."This is best thing I've heard today!!"

Me: "WOW! So what's her name?"
E: "Emily!"

It's official the Angelina craze is over! In the meantime here's the heart he gave me when he asked me to be his valentine last week. I'm so last weekend!... sigh.

Shop: Eco Mattress

2010-09-22T04:13:00.000-07:00

This is very timely. Yesterday we discovered a large rip in our dd's mattress due to some slightly "exuberant" jumping as of late. That poor mattress has been peed on, drooled on, chewed and pounded on with little fists...I think it just finally gave up.
Goodnight Green has a new mattress by Nook called Pebble. It sounds like sleeping on a bed of fresh air...with eucalyptus fibers and textures and inner layers promoting oxygen flow. It's pricey but completely eco-friendly and if it soothes the savage I'll be first in line for it!

Shop: Fall Maternity Clothes

2010-09-21T03:38:00.000-07:00

I basically shopped for anything empire and loose at my own boutique when I was expecting...but if you're pressed for time here are some stylish fall options for moms-to-be. How cute is that striped shirt? I've just barely scratched the surface here so if anyone has any to add please do!

above:
a. ann taylor loft
b. isabella oliver
c. unbuttoned maternity

Story: What's for Lunch?

2010-09-20T05:06:00.000-07:00

by Designing Mom Jenn of 13 Creative

As the countdown to the 1st day of preschool begun, the first thing on my list was to find a cool lunchbox for Grace. Grace has never used a lunchbox before (her old daycare made lunch for the kids everyday, so I never needed to worry about packing up a healthy lunch and sending it with her).

But now we needed to do things like "label clothes" and "pack lunches" and bring things to "share" everyday! Geez, preschool is a ton of work for mommy!

I did a lot of research and found myself contemplating bento lunch boxes versus cloth lunch bags. I took almost an entire day and scoured the internet for solutions that were not only good looking, but eco-friendly and most importantly HARD TO LOSE!! My worry wasn't that Grace was going to "lose her lunch" (!) but that I was going to lose all the lunch box components in the dishwasher, or in the dish drainer at night - and then be stuck the next day.

I thought finding a great, designy and eco-friendly lunchbox was impossible, until I found Goodbyn!

Here are a few pics of our 2 Goodbyns. Notice, they're both pink! And with nearly identical stickers! While they come in an awesome range of colors, I didn't want to have any fights in the morning about "I want the green" or "I want the pink one" so we just got two in pink and are sort of pretending like there is actually only one of them!! Very similar to her best friend doll BlaBla (who, unbeknownst to Grace, we actually have five of!)

Anyway, it is only two pieces of plastic - the bottom half holds all the lunchtime goodies, and the top half seals all of the little compartments on the bottom. Plus, it comes with a bunch of neat stickers to decorate the front of the box! My OCD kicked in pretty good and I couldn't resist decorating the lunchbox myself, because I didn't think my control-freak 'designerness' could handle the stickers applied unevenly and out of order by the 2 year old!! I know, bad mommy!! But I'll encourage her to add a few more stickers as the days and weeks go by and really fill it out! I promise.

Friday Fotos: Kite Day

2010-09-17T06:55:00.000-07:00

above: Designing Mom Jackie's cutie, Simon, takes advantage of some kite flying in the city.
Have a happy Friday and weekend everyone!

Best of Our Blogs: Top Ten Toy Trends

2010-09-16T07:43:00.000-07:00

This is a fave of Designing Mom Mari (Small for Big)... And coming from a former toy designer, who wouldn't want to know what her top ten toy trend picks are? Thanks for sharing Mari! Click here for the full post.

Shop: Habitat UK

2010-09-15T05:05:00.000-07:00

Lovely little things from UK's Habitat... I especially love the "mini hana" canopy bed!

Make: Bubble Wrap Prints

2010-09-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

by Designing Mom Sara of Creative Jewish Mom

The Jewish New Year is just around the corner, so we're busy making and sending New Year's greetings to our friends and family around the globe. Recently we tried bubble wrap printing with white paint on colored paper, and the results were so fantastic we just had to use the paper for some of our cards.

Bubble wrap printing is very simple with great results, and really quick to boot! I highly recommend it as an activity on it's own, or as the first step in an art project using patterned paper. For complete instructions please visit the original post here. Wishing you all a very happy and healthy New Year with good health and an abundance of creativity!

QA with Sabrina Soto of HGTV's "Get it Sold"

2010-09-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

I'm hoping this helps to make all of our Mondays kick-off to a productive start...
The adorable and talented Sabrina Soto of HGTV's Get it Sold was kind enough to take in some questions I had about making our places (even if it's down the line) with kids in tow. If you haven't watched the show, I am always amazed at how she is able to transform rooms with just a few simple (and most often affordable) adjustments.
Thank you again Sabrina!
*Just click below to play. And if an you have trouble viewing it you can also click on this link.

Friday Fotos: Candy Store Collective

2010-09-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

above: A quick but fun stop-in at Candy Store Collective to congratulate Meg and Joy on their Creative, Inc book. And bumped into cute new mom Heidi Yarger (of Spitfire Girl and website guru to Designing Mom Abby's Style Me Pretty site).

Happy Friday and weekend everyone!

In the News: Delphine and Martha

2010-09-09T05:35:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Designing Mom Erika of Delphine on having her invites featured in the latest Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine!

Party: Creative, Inc Book Signing

2010-09-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

Any of you moms in the bay area want to join me for Meg Ilasco and Joy Cho's book signing for Creative, Inc tonight? It's going to be at Candystore Collective and will be a great chance to meet other creatives! Click here for details.

Story: the Baby Hipster

2010-09-08T07:45:00.000-07:00

I had two simultaneous conversations with friends in the past week over the bane of hipsters. One refuses to date them and the other (that's you Designing Mom Shinmin!) showed me the most hilarious You Tube video (Hipster Olympics).

It got me thinking...what about the bane of "hipster babies?"
Lo and behold there was a little article in MSN over the weekend called Baby Fashionistas
listing "over the top baby trends." I pulled the photos from it (below). Some of their picks were skulls, leopard, tutus, skinny jeans and motorcyle jackets... I don't mind the novelty of denim printed diapers (kinda tired of Winnie the Pooh). But skinny jeans?! I LIVE for baby chub and can't imagine hiding any of it.

So what are some you seeing out there and are tired of? Any crazy baby fashion scenarios?

Best of our Blogs: Monster Surfboard

2010-09-07T09:02:00.000-07:00

This ultra creative post is a favorite of Designing Mom Aya. She along with other designers were asked to customize skate decks that were auctioned off for an AIGA fundraiser. I am not surprised at all to see how "Where the Wild Things Are" and her boy Hayden ended up inspiring the design (after all, take a look at the cute Halloween costume she was crafting).
Read on to see how she designed the board and to view the full post click here.

I “heart” brown. – Aya Akazawa (me!)
“I was very charmed by the simple and natural feel of the plain deck, and immediately drawn to the idea of creating something that will retain these qualities. Then I thought of production methods that might work with this material. I couldn’t start working on this until Halloween was over, because Halloween IS a serious business here at Chronicle (but that is a story for another day.) So I had about two days to produce and wanted to do it by my hands, which narrowed down my options quite a bit. I am a big fan of Rex Ray and I thought that was my primary inspiration for this particular piece, but as my friend pointed out, the Carol costume that I was making for my little Hayden must have been subliminally driving my path of thinking to a crafty direction.”

Make: Coffee Chocolate Cupcakes

2010-09-06T07:42:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone is having fun stretching out their long weekend today...
I might try a little baking and have my "Cupcake #24" recipe (Bailey's frosting!) by Ming Makes Cupcakes in the queue.
We'll be back to regular posting tomorrow--Happy Monday!

Friday Fotos: New Arrival...

2010-09-03T08:37:00.000-07:00

by Designing Mom Tori:
Here are a couple of pictures of our new little girl (born on 8-9-10). We are pretty happy around here and adjusting quite nicely to being a family of four. I used the "Newborn Hat" tutorial by Designing Mom Jenn - what a fun (and easy) project!

Make: Knit Yoga Mat

2010-09-02T05:10:00.000-07:00

Ok all of you knitters out there... Have any of you made a knit yoga mat (below)? I'm in love!
You can purchase the tutorial and also the yarn (like recycled silk sari yarn) from Darn Good Yarn.

Shop: Mini Eames Rockers

2010-09-02T05:08:00.000-07:00

Did you see the post on "Best of Play Rooms" on Design Sponge? Such great ideas! And in case you're wondering where you can get yourself one of those irresistable mini-Eames rockers, click here.

Shop: Paige Russell

2010-09-01T04:10:00.000-07:00

I'm piggy backing off of Jackie's post yesterday... While we're on the subject of back to school supplies, how about this nifty little trailer for all those stray markers and rulers by Canadian designer Paige Russell?

Story: Back to School Goodies

2010-08-31T05:05:00.000-07:00

by Designing Mom Jackie of Avocado and Papaya

The back-to-school vibe is definitely alive at our house. Both of my kids will be off to new schools this year, so it's a double dose of excitement and anxiety around here. The latter for me, not the littles, who probably won't shed a single tear while I soak up an entire box of Kleenex post-drop off. Okay, maybe they'll give me a sniffle or two.

Just like Christmas, there is a sense that you are supposed to flee to the stores and buy lots of stuff in honor of this momentous occasion. While I'm pretty minimal when it comes to the Santa Claus business, I'm koo koo for the whole back to school thing. It's my inner nerd coming out.

Something tells me Graham probably won't be needing a straight edge or scientific calculator on day one of kindergarten, but how about a cute backpack and some new sneaks?

Here's my collection of goodies for big G:

1. Mead composition book

2. 77 nautical striped hoodie

3. Skull beanie

4. Paul Frank backpack

5. Number two pencils

6. Puffy vest

7. Pink pearl eraser

8. Rocket T

9. Converse One Star Oxfords

(You might notice that pants are missing from this list. Graham only likes sweat pants these days. Nothing terribly cute or exciting about those, so I'm skipping a visual.)

What are your favorite back to school purchases???

Decorate: Baby Girl Room...for the Frill of It!

2010-08-30T04:00:00.000-07:00

by Designing Mom Ryan Larson of Tin Parade

I didn’t set out to make a Baby Girl Room for my baby girl.

I always thought I’d be the mommy who didn’t try to raise a frilly little puffy pink tutu’d little girl….and then…I started designing her room…granted I was pregnant and so I think I can blame it a little bit on hormones right? Regardless of how or why I went…there….I did. And I have to say…I love it! I love sitting in her room in the rocking chair and looking around at her little pink, soft, sweet, fluffy room. It makes me feel a little soft and fluffy myself…not a bad thing after a long day. It becomes comedy though as that little pink fluffy princess of a girl rips her bottle out of her mouth and yells “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” to the kitty cat who wants to jump up on her rocking chair.

Here are some pictures of what is now…well…the precious part of my house.

Palette: Creamy off-white, antiqued silver, tan linen and blush pink.

I made this mobile by taking apart a chandelier and using just the top ring of it and then hanging silver bird Christmas ornaments in a spherical fashion.

I painted an old armoire blush pink and took the top doors off and put the changing table right inside.

This is the crib bed skirt. I made it myself (with a little help from my mother. Thanks mom!) It’s layered ruffles. The top layer has scattered (sewn on) raw edged pieces of chiffon, the middle layer is classic linen and the bottom layer is ruffled chiffon.

These are the curtains. I made them from torn edge chiffon and tan linen that is also unfinished on the edge so it gets stringy. I LOVE that! Again, I made this myself…with a little help from my girlfriend Stacy (Stacy with the red hair as my son calls her) Thanks Stacy!

This pillow was started by me..but I can’t lie. My mom finished it. I just couldn’t deal with one more ruffle!

The paint on the walls is a creamy off-white as is the chair rail. I also did one wall in a paintable textured wallpaper that has a flocked vintage design in it. I’d add a photo but it doesn’t show up that well in photos.

Hope you enjoyed this sweet room or at least had a good laugh at my frilly expense.

Friday Fotos: Hoops!

2010-08-27T06:33:00.000-07:00

Little Mr. Hoopstah...
Have a Happy Friday and weekend everyone!

Best of our Blogs: Small for Big

2010-08-26T05:01:00.000-07:00

One of Designing Mom Mari's (of Small for Big) favorite posts from her blog:

This is, for me, the epitome of what I want my posts to be about - and why I want readers to come to Small for Big There is a stellar product being highlighted that fits my mottos of good design, imaginative open-ended play, and a reasonable price point. Meanwhile the content is meatier than just where to buy and how much. Plus, writing it was super easy - somehow everything clicked that night and it flowed right out of me.

It’s our 5 year wedding anniversary today and it’s got me jonesing for a vacation. That perfect kind of vacation that I think we all dream about. Where we see amazing places (preferably from multiple countries), eat mouthwatering meals, stroll leisurely through small towns until we get lost, sleep in until ten, and wake to the sounds of birds outside our window. Our precocious but sweet little girl would be charming, fascinated by everything, and with an endless attention span and a weightless body. It’s a vacation that we return from to find no workload waiting for us, no cleaning, no to-do lists, and a house that has been scrubbed clean and perfectly organized from top to bottom.
I swear I got all of that the moment I saw these block sets from Haba. They’re simplicity allows for that kind of imagination – even from a grown up like me. Or, maybe, it’s simply the quiet monotony of my life on a slow day like today that lets my brain loose in impossible directions. Either way, just writing this has improved my mood by a couple of hairs. I wonder how I’d feel if I had these blocks to build with as well?

Story: Behind the Scenes of Creative, Inc...

2010-08-25T05:02:00.000-07:00

I know a lot of you "Designing Moms" out there have struck up burgeoning freelance careers...photography, event planning, blogging... A wonderful new book, "Creative, Inc," by Meg Ilasco and Joy Deangdeelert Cho has come out and it contains all of the ins/outs of becoming a top notch freelancer. This follows on the heels of the crafter's bible, "Craft, Inc" and sure to be an essentials guide for all of us out there pounding the pavement for creative projects!

Their stop motion video to promote the book is the cutest thing ever and below is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of it via Poppytalk.

Story: Safe Eating

2010-08-24T05:06:00.000-07:00

I try my best at buying safe products and foods for my family. But more often than not, as soon as I'm standing in the aisles of the grocery store I go blank... Call it information overload or mommy brain but everything gets a little overwhelming. I love that Designing Mom Erin has condensed information down for us in this piece, listing safe plastics, foods, sippy cups et all in one place. Feel free to forward this on to your other mommy friends!
........................................................................
by Designing Mom "Green" contributor Erin

Last night, I was reading through news sites online and came across this article: Female Infants Growing Breasts: Another Disaster from Hormones in Milk Production. This piece discusses how there are babies between four and fifteen months in China that are growing breasts because they have such high levels of estrogen circulating in their bodies from the formula they are given. You can read the article for the details, but I think its a good reminder that eating and living organically is not a left- or right- wing thing, an urban vs. rural thing or an upper class vs working class thing: it needs to be how we all live. For those of us with little ones at home, it becomes even more important because since their bodies are smaller and their immune systems less mature, smaller amounts of hormones and chemicals effect them.

The hormones that they discuss in the article are a type of “endocrine disruptor.” Our endocrine system is, very briefly, the parts of our bodies that make the hormones that regulate everything from our growth, appetite, and mood to our fertility, sleep and metabolism. An “endocrine disruptor” is a hormone or chemical that comes from outside of the body that disrupts the way our endocrine systems function. Some of the most commonly discussed endocrine disruptors include BPA, PBDEs, DDT, PCBs, pthalates, growth hormone (rBST/BGH) and dioxins. Here are some of the things that you can easily do to limit your exposure to these and other chemicals:

1. Buy organic food whenever possible. The higher on the food chain that you eat (in other words, the further away from plants, ie meat) the more important it is to eat it organically. Many endocrine disruptors are fat-soluble which means that as an animal consumes food that is made with certain chemicals or is given growth hormones, the chemicals are stored in the animal’s fat and we then consume those chemicals in greater concentration. (Remember the term “bio-accumulation” from biology class?)

Here is a list of the most important produce to buy organically.

2. ~~Throw out all of your plastic Tupperware.~~ Be super careful with the plastics that come into contact with your food/mouth. BPA has been all over the news - the state of California passed a bill banning it from all food and drink containers. BPA is in hard #7 polycarbonate plastics and has been linked to obesity, cancer, infertility, etc. It crosses the placenta, which means that if you ingest it while pregnant, your developing fetus does too. Plastic is not stable, which means that its molecular composition changes - in the case of plastic, BPA and other plasticizers such as pthalates are released into your food. Extreme temperature changes such as freezing and microwaving increase the rate at which these chemicals leach into your food. Certain plastics are better than others, but the easiest thing is to switch to glass or silicone to store your food in. When microwaving, put a paper towel or wax paper over the dish rather than plastic wrap.

For more info on BPA, here is a recent article from Newsweek.

At my house, we use Pyrex and Mason jars to store food in the freezer/fridge. I froze my homemade baby food in silicone ice cube trays such as these from Tovolo. For my son’s lunches, I send him with Laptop Lunches, which is made of safe plastic. For baby bottles, I have used Born Free (just 3 years ago when my son was a baby this was one of the only non-glass BPA free bottles, now look) and Adiri. We use Earthlust and Thermos for sippy cups. For teethers and pacifiers, we have bought Born Free, Lifefactory and Green Sprouts. (Bottles shown from left to right: Born Free, Lifefactory, Green to Grow, Think Baby, Earthlust, Thermos)

3. Don’t Buy Teflon pans. Teflon, when heated to extremely high temperatures (over 600 degrees, a range that people don’t really cook at), can turn into a gas that can kill birds and make people sick. It has also been said that Teflon can be linked to infertility and cancer. I think the truth of the matter is that cooking with Teflon is probably not that bad for us since the PFOAs linked to cancer and infertility don’t escape the pan after the manufacturing phase is finished. Teflon becomes a health risk when it builds in the environment during manufacturing and enters our food and water sources. Just to be careful, never cook with Teflon pans that has scratches or dents. To be SUPER careful, use an alternative nonstick such as cast iron, Green Pan (one line of Green Pan can be found at Target), Scan Pan CTX or Cusinart’s GreenGourmet line. By buying pans without PFOAs, we are sending a message that we do not want these chemicals in our environments and our bodies.

4. Eat fresh food - avoid canned foods. Back to BPA: it is in the lining of food cans. The thing about BPA is that it it great at keeping the food, especially acidic foods like tomatoes, from corroding the can and many food companies say they haven’t found an adequate alternative. The best thing is to eat fresh foods, food stored in glass or food containers with labels that state “BPA free.”

For more information about a bill trying to end BPA in food cans, click here.

5. Think about how you clean your food and kitchen. Many of the things that we use to clean our food, our kitchen and the rest of our houses actually bring chemicals in that aren’t very good for us. Chlorine bleach, when it gets warm, releases dioxins which are carcinogenic. An easy alternative in hydrogen peroxide. Many of the fragrances and other ingredients put in cleaners can aggravate asthma, especially when sprayed. There are now plenty of companies that offer “green” alternatives, the most common being Seventh Generation, Biokleen, and Ecover. I am a big fan of Biokleen’s Produce Wash and Seventh Generation’s disinfecting line. Of course, there are many people that swear that the only things you need to clean your house are lemons, vinegar, baking soda, castile soap and borax. Here’s a link to an old Real Simple article about All-Natural Cleaning Solutions.

These are just some tips related to foods and eating. I know this is a design-related blog, but we are all moms first, and as parents, we want to take care of our families and ourselves. Luckily, there are many alternatives now, at all price points, that are attractive and healthy.

For more information:

Healthy Child Healthy World

Avoid These ‘Dirty Dozen’ Toxic Chemicals

NYTimes: Cancer From the Kitchen?

NYTimes: New Alarm Bells About Chemicals and Cancer

NYTimes: Chemicals in Our Food, Our Bodies

Pesticides, ADHD, and Personal Health: Why We Can't Always Control What Happens to Our Brains and Bodies

Dr.Greene.com

China Camp cont'd...

2010-08-23T00:03:00.000-07:00

...this is what happens when you go picnicking with designers who have "fantastical" eyes and perspectives. I could barely look up from chasing the little one around and making sure he didn't plunge into the waters (three attempts mind you) and was so glad Viola's husband Phillip (at Elephant LC) was able to take these beautiful pictures of China Camp.

Friday Fotos: China Camp

2010-08-20T05:03:00.000-07:00

Designing Mom Aya had the brilliant idea of escaping the San Fran fog with a picnic in Marin last weekend. Off we went across the Golden Gate bridge to China Camp for a picnic set amongst an antiquated shrimp processing building, dock and beach. I also got to hang with Chewing the Cud's Viola, hubby Phillip and adorable baby Maika. I'll post up Phillip's great BW shots Monday...

Hope everyone is still drinking in summer. Have a happy Friday and weekend everyone!

above: viola and maika (middle), aya and hayden (right)

Recipe: For the Love of Lemons

2010-08-19T08:27:00.000-07:00

Pucker up...
Thanks Elizabeth (at To Be Charmed) for sending this lemon pie recipe over! To read the full post click here.

Shop: Toddler Glasses

2010-08-18T08:15:00.000-07:00

Another favorite post from Designing Mom Mari's blog Small for Big is this one featuring her daughter Wren's uber-fashionable London specs. I remember wearing very un-fashionable glasses growing up so I can definitely appreciate her quest:

Designing Mom Mari:

4000 words? Because a mother can never choose just one photo. These are Birdies second pair of glasses direct from London (it was buy one get one half off day! How could we refuse to get two? Plus, there’s the inevitable maintenance and repairs). And oh my, did you notice the rhinestones (carefully sealed under a clear layer of plastic)?! And the backsides of these are lime green – swoon. You can read more about our glasses saga in this earlier post. These glasses are by Zoobug.

Decorate: Aimee Wilder

2010-08-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

I know how daunting wallpaper can be... But your little one's room might just be the perfect space to experiment with it for several reasons, the main one being that squirrel wallpaper can't go wrong in a kid's space. These modish designs by Aimee Wilder got me really excited...

Story: One Day at a Time...

2010-08-16T05:05:00.000-07:00

This is such a touching and courageous post by Designing Mom Guissell of her mom. What a battle it has been and I couldn't be more thrilled for her and her family to hear of the exciting news! And if I can just add...Guissell, this is your mom at 53?! A beautiful mom like you!

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Designing Mom Guissell (of Earthy Beginnings):

This post has been in the making for a couple of months now, mainly because it's painfully personal. About a year ago our lives turned upside down when my mother was diagnosed with Renal Cell Carcinoma, a form of kidney cancer, after a visit to the ER for abdominal pain. The long week wait for results to come back was excruciating to say the least and just when we thought things couldn't get worse, the doctors informed us that her cancer had already metastasized to her liver and both lungs putting her in stage 4 of the cancer. Words can't explain all the emotions that we were all experiencing, life literally stopped for me. I'm the oldest of three but my age gap with my siblings is so big I've always had the position of being mom's assistant rather than just another child. My mom and I are best friends, yes she's my mother but she's truly my confidant.

To say that the health insurance process was difficult is a complete understatement. After months of battling, I was able to start my mom in her treatment (almost 3 moths after she was diagnosed). The first month of treatment was bad but not as bad as we all thought it would be. The second cycle however was really tough. By the end of the third cycle I found myself at the ER with doctors telling me my mother's liver was failing. Her oncologist had explained that this treatment would be really aggressive and to expect things like this to take place. Once her body stabilized scans were done to check on her progress. What we realized was that the medication was making her really ill during the last two weeks of the 28-day cycle treatment. Once she came off the medication she was back to 100% in two weeks, crazy I know.

I will never forget the night her oncologist called me with the test results, it had been now about a month since the scans, something that felt more like a year. He started to explain each result one by one while I prepared my heart to hear the worse. The mass around her liver he explained was completely gone. The numerous nodules in her left lung were also all gone! In her right lung there is only now 5 tiny nodules all under 1cm in diameter left. He explained the treatment had done far more than what he had expected it to do, far more than what we all expected it to do that's for sure! Hearing this and being able to give that news to my family was beyond all happiness I have ever experienced really. Needless to say we remain hopeful, my mother since has finished her fourth cycle and is on her fifth cycle now. She has managed to figure a way to do her treatment so that she doesn't get too sick that requires bed rest (we haven't been back to the ER since early this year whoo hoo!). Once she finishes this cycle she will have scans again to check on her progress. We're all praying for the best of course!

My mother's strength is truly one to be admired. Her life story alone would fill up a book! I am grateful to have her as an example, as a friend, as my mother. Every day I give thanks for being able to hold her hand, see her smile, and for continuing to form memories. Although it is uncertain what tomorrow will hold, for now we're simply taking it one day at a time!

above: Mom at 16: One of my favorites because it really defines my mother's spirit to date, always very live and looking to have a good time.

above: Mom at 53. I took this picture a couple of weeks ago after a day out with the family, her spirit a bit worn but still wanting to take in the setting sun.

Mom I know you're reading this, I love you!

Helpful Links:

Action to Cure Kidney Cancer (ACKC)

National Cancer Institute

American Cancer Society

American Society of Clinical Oncology

Shop: Acorn Envy

2010-08-13T08:14:00.000-07:00

This has a very Autumnal mood to it but it might be due to the fact that it was another very, very cold Summer day in San Francisco... Think pea soup fog, mist, and 54 degrees on the dash (yes, 54 degrees)! Needless to say, we're hoping to escape some of this over the weekend.
Hope all of you have a Happy Friday and weekend!

above: Tea Towel, Handmade Acorns, Squirrel Booties, Acorn Stacker Toy, Placecard

Story: Angelina Who?

2010-08-12T05:08:00.000-07:00

This is one of Designing Mom Guissell's (of Earthy Beginnings) favorite posts on her blog and she's sharing with you here. To all of us with boys...uh oh...is this what's to come?!

Designing Mom Guissell:
Excuse me but what does a 3yr old know about beauty? A couple of weeks ago while giving thanks my 3yr old said, "thank you for Angelina!" Knowing there's a little Brazilian girl in his class named Angelina I followed by asking him if that's who he was referring to and he said yes. So I had to ask, "Do you like Angelina?" To my amazement something that was usually followed with a yes "he/she is my friend" was now followed by, "She's beautiful!"... He continued to mention her more often at home so like any curious mother would do I asked one of his teachers if he even spoke to Angelina during class. The teacher's response: "Who are you telling!! He has been like this since the first week of school. Angelina, Angelina... It's too much! Just today he was calling her not even 5min after waking up from nap time! I don't understand how he can know what he likes at such a young age!"... Perhaps that was more than I expected to hear. My baby in love?? No way! I'm not ready for this people! ha!!!

Needless to say the Angelina craze continues to date... I've lost my baby to Angelina!! Jen I now know how it feels!!!

Shop: Miss Natalie Lunch Bags

2010-08-11T05:20:00.000-07:00

When I saw this little lunch bag by Miss Natalie I thought it was so ridiculously cute and clever! And the apple makes a great little desk accessory too.

Make: Chalkboard Clips

2010-08-11T05:09:00.000-07:00

I'm really into chalkboard anything lately... Elizabeth at To Be Charmed sent over these adorable little chalkboard clips. To see the full tutorial, click here!

Shop: Rock Paper Scissor

2010-08-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

Lauren of Rock Paper Scissor is a beloved retailer of mine and someone I always look forward to seeing when we are in New York. Her blog captures her to a tee...full of spunk, wit, style and tons of paper and style finds. For a recent post, Lauren asked us to send her some photos of our studio and workspace which we were happy to oblige. Click here to read the full post!

Best of Our Blogs: Small for Big

2010-08-09T05:05:00.000-07:00

Why do you blog? Thought I'd start out the week with a "Best of Our Blog" series. One of Designing Mom Mari's favorite posts from her blog Small for Big happens to be this one.

I don't usually post about my own life, the majority of my blog is first about the things I find and their connection to my life at that moment. But this post came after a weekend where I'd actually had a little mental vacation (Birdie was with her dad for several hours at a time!) and I think it made me more prolific. I love the pictures of the rain at the end.

Rainbow Delights...

2010-08-06T05:05:00.000-07:00

We always try and have "Cupcake Fridays" at our studio and these technicolor versions by Coco Cake would probably make us all weak in the knees. What a great treat for a little one's birthday celebration!
Have a happy (cupcake) Friday and weekend everyone!

Make: Recycled File box and Gift Tags

2010-08-05T05:03:00.000-07:00

Itching to reuse your scraps and tattered road maps from a summer's worth of travel? Reader Carolyn sent over these great little "makes" from her blog Homework .
To go see the tutorial for the gift tags click here. And here for her file box.

San Francisco Renegade Craft Fair..,part 3

2010-08-04T05:03:00.000-07:00

I'm wrapping up the last of the finds from Renegade today... Maybe it was the sun filtering through into the warehouse, but it seemed everywhere I looked, there were so many happy, happy colors popping through on pillows, prints and plateware...

below: I was smitten with the San Fran print and happy, orange day-glo pillows from Lorena Siminovich of Petit Collage.

below: Hue Yang's ceramic mugs and plates had such sunny dispositions on the inside...

below: My favorite print of Hillary Bird's was a feathered girl with bear. Adorable!

below: First prize for Lulu Dee...

below: Pinecone and Chickadee onesies created a nice little rainbow backdrop.

below: an absolutely charming growth chart made by Ink Lore

Shop: San Francisco Renegade Craft Fair part 2

2010-08-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

We're continuing on with coverage from the Renegade Fair!
Today I thought I'd present some of the amazing "plushies" we saw there...

below: What an enchanted forest over at The Black Apple by Emily Martin. I could not get over the twin dolls...

below: One of my favorites of the fair was Hillery Sproatt. I think I stood there for ages oohing and ahhhing while foraging through her basket of amazing illustrations and embroidered dolls.

below: I could've kicked myself for not picking up a bear and fox plush at Bird Mafia.

below: Friends and mom crafting partners Ohma (of Oh Ma Felt) and Kata Golda displayed their felt creations in the same booth. I was always familiar with Kata's whimsical journals but was delighted to "meet" Ohma's line of dolls in person.

above: Oh Ma Felt

above: Kata Golda

Shop: San Francisco Renegade Craft Fair

2010-08-02T05:03:00.000-07:00

The Renegade Craft Fair this past weekend was so much fun! I'm posting up some of the great work (and designers) I saw there. With soooo much talent you really can't go wrong at the Renegade...so much so I'll be splitting up coverage into several posts this week. Enjoy!

Starting off below: We somehow thought the line for the Country Western show up the hill was for the fair... But hey, craft fairs can have headliners too right? Lisa Congdon was the belle of the ball!

Field Fancy (below): There were so many beautiful and delicate prints offered by Gina Pericini at Flock Home. Her delicate field animals and linen printed pillows were some of my favorites. And hooray for Gina who is expecting a little one!

below: Viola Sutanto of Chewing the Cud surrounded her booth with her beautiful, versatile fabric wraps. As a new mommy, her daughter surely must be the new muse for such inspired work!

below: "Converse-ational" Pieces: These hand painted shoes by Meryl Munches Macaroni made my day. From Vans to Converse to little ballet flats...my natural favorites were the peanut-sized versions.

Friday Fotos

2010-07-30T05:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to Designing Mom Jackie's boy, Graham who turned the big 5!
Have a happy Friday and weekend everyone!

Shop: Asher Jasper

2010-07-29T03:43:00.000-07:00

Oh the vast wonders of felt! I fell head over heels for these customizable "family portrait" felt creations by Vicky at Asher Jasper. Just send her a pic and she'll craft your family from wool felt and tuck your semblances into an egg carton (brilliant packaging!). Just too much cuteness...

Best of Our Blogs: Anatomy 101

2010-07-28T05:09:00.000-07:00

Designing Mom Lori is contributing today for our "Best of our Blogs" series. She has a great mid-week feature on her blog called "What He Said Wednesday..." and this is her all-time favorite. I laughed so hard...talk about teaching mom some anatomy 101!

from lori:

every friday the little dude brings home a folder full of worksheets and artwork that he’s worked on throughout the week. this past friday was no exception. as i glanced through the packet i came across the usual worksheets and artwork. as i examined one of the worksheets more closely, i noticed something that didn’t seem quite right….

i secretly hoped that what i saw was just another piece of food that was lower in the mouse’s belly. however, in my heart, i knew what it really was. the fact that it seemed scribbled over made it even more certain for me. i called the little dude in to look at the artwork with me. i started easy by asking what the artwork was about. he showed me all the different food that he had drawn in the mouse’s belly….and that was it. i had to step it up and address the obvious. “so, this red piece down here….is that another piece of food?” the little dude looked up at me with a guilty look that confirmed my suspicions and quietly and shyly admitted, “no, that’s his junk”.

Make: Origami Crafts

2010-07-27T05:03:00.000-07:00

by Designing Mom Aya of Chronicle Books

I occasionally contribute to Chronicle Books' blog. This one was my very first. I am not a big crafter but enjoy making a little something here and there. These are some of my instant craft projects, using origami papers that I designed.

Click here to read the full post!

Shop: Summer with Nonchalant Mom

2010-07-26T03:45:00.000-07:00

It's way too early to start reminiscing...but I think it's right about this time of year (when the San Fran fog rolls in and out of the city) that I start collecting my "hits" of summer. Below are a few of Designing Mom Carina's (Nonchalant Mom) favorites. I second the salmon pasta!

from Carina:
- summer clothing: Layla
- summer color: anything fluorescent and still in love with blue (cobalt blue)
- food: summer salmon pasta
- reading: Star - how Warren Beatty Seduced America
- my kids are crazy for putting on shows right now... one just about every day... come on over and see if you like!?

Shop: Crewcuts

2010-07-23T07:45:00.000-07:00

There's a sense of the Great Plains and great discovery in the new arrivals at J Crew's Crewcuts...

Happy Blogiversary

2010-07-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

Be on the lookout for a new series called "Best of our Blogs" to highlight favorite posts of the Designing Mom's personal blogs and sites. And I invite you to share your blogs as well by sending in a link to your favorite posts ever (send to designingmoms@gmail.com)!

Speaking of blogs...I wanted to wish Designing Mom Lori of Fin + Roe a very happy Blogiversary! Her blog is five years in the running and she's doing a GREAT giveaway of one of her photographic prints, 5 Marzipan greeting cards, and a set of alphabet magnets (below)! Click here to enter.

Shop: Rock On

2010-07-21T05:03:00.000-07:00

There are great choices for one a kind rockers that meet form and function for the nursery. I'm partial to some that I found on Ebay that were vintage or upcycled office furniture...

Above: Ron Arad rocking chair
Phillipe Starck Hudson rocking chair
Snooze Rock Chair

above: all Ebay finds

Decorate: Alice in Wonderland Party

2010-07-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

Talented Designing Mom Erika of Delphine and her work was recently featured on Wedding Chicks.
Her beautiful stationery was designed for an Alice in Wonderland themed wedding put on by Couture Events. From tick tock rehearsal invites to Welcome to Wonderland menus... I could easily see this theme being used for an all out whimsical baby shower or children's tea party!

photos by Joie Lala

Decorate: Chic Pink Baby Shower

2010-07-19T05:05:00.000-07:00

Designing Mom Carina of Nonchalant Mom had all the rumblings of pink in its color scheme, but I love how sophisticated it turned out. From rustic pies to deep plums...this was such a wonderful grown-up "pink" fete to celebrate the mom-to-be! Click here for the full post.

Friday Fotos: Summer Love

2010-07-16T08:08:00.000-07:00

I love having the chance to visit all of the fellow Designing Moms' blogs...
This lovely foto is from Designing Mom Rubyellen's blog (MyCakies) and her hubby in Sonoma.
Have a happy Friday and weekend everyone!

Balance: Workout = Working it Out

2010-07-15T03:42:00.000-07:00

Against doctor's orders, I decided to rehabilitate my joints (post-baby) by going back to my old kick box classes taught by my friend James. Returning from a year long hiatus, I was slower, in pain, almost hobbling in fact... I showed up each week and plugged on until I could start to feel my body not only respond but crave the challenges. It's been months, but I've happily returned to running, huffing up and down the San Francisco hills and other things I swore I would probably have to give up in motherhood.

Dare I say it but a sweaty gym has been my antidote for rehabilitation as well as being a sane mom. In exchange for an intense round of punching, kicking and sweating I receive a chance to press the reset button, be at one with my body, clear my head and basically map out a guaranteed crazy day..."working out" has certainly proven to be my modus operandi to "working things out."

Below are some pics from the other day when Designing Mom Shinmin joined me for one of James' classes. I can't tell you how excited I am to have a fellow endorphin junkie to kick around with!

Story: Being Preggy Never Looked So Good

2010-07-14T05:01:00.000-07:00

by Designing Mom Jackie of Avocado and Papaya

My good friend Lisa (of Picnic) is 32 weeks pregnant with twin boys. She recently asked me to do a photo shoot to document herself with two little buns in the oven. Here are a few highlights:

Decorate: Libby Langdon

2010-07-13T08:18:00.000-07:00

If you watch HGTV's Small Space Big Style or any of Rachael Ray's decorating segments, you probably see Libby Langdon giving her best tips and solutions for sprucing up interiors. So what happens if you have a small space, big style AND little ones?
We're so fortunate that Libby and home tech expert David Gregg were able to answer some questions I had for us about creating spaces for moms to create, work and live in...

Click on the video below for my questions and their answers for them!

Download: Summer Reading List

2010-07-12T05:03:00.000-07:00

Designing Mom Erika of Delphine Press has a wonderful download for all of us today! I hope all of your little ones are having a great summer catching up with their books. I think this list will definitely come in handy for the fridge or as a bookmark. Be sure to click here for the download!

Shop: Delphine Sale

2010-07-12T03:00:00.000-07:00

Friday Fotos: Kelle Hampton

2010-07-09T00:55:00.000-07:00

I've been following Kelle Hampton's blog, Enjoying the Small Things ever since the birth of her daughter Nella... You'll have to visit to experience it fully (and if you do, click on the "start here if you're new"). She is a true triumph and I'll never forget her first photos of having just given birth to her daughter. She knew almost instantly that her baby had down syndrome and the photos captured her joy, raw fear and confusion at their greatest heights.

Just last night I re-visited her blog and her latest post was a wonderful update, saying she floats happily now...still aware, but floating on happiness. And the most current photo (at bottom) of Nella says it all. What an inspiration.

Have a happy Friday and weekend everyone!

Shop: Mookah

2010-07-08T05:08:00.000-07:00

If you love color, print and pattern and as much as I do, then you'll love Aussie based Mookah.
The beanbag covers are adorable!

Make: Swing

2010-07-07T05:01:00.000-07:00

by Designing Mom Ryan of Tin Parade

When I was a kid so many people had a nice wooden swing in their yards. Maybe it’s because I live in Los Angeles, but I don’t see those anymore. I love the way they make you feel like life is so simple. My Tin Parade partner Kristen made this swing with the help of a skilled friend. Our kids loved it.

They cut the wood and drilled holes (and sanded and stained it). Then a nice rope was tied though one side’s hole and the rope thrown over the tree and then tied in the other side’s drilled hole. Voila!

Make: Cheap Thrills Railroad Tracks

2010-07-06T02:44:00.000-07:00

by Designing Mom Jackie of Avocado and Papaya

On Tuesday, I was welcoming summer with open arms. I was singing the praises of said warm season, dusting off my flip flops and prepping our leftover watermelon for homemade popsicles.

Today I wore a wool sweater, scarf and my faux-uggs around the house, trying to think of fun indoor activities to avoid a chilly afternoon outing to the playground. The blue painter's tape came out and a wonky train track was born.

Simple, fun and cheap.

Graham's eyes lit up when he watched an ordinary tape roll turn into an impromptu train track on our kitchen floor. We even made a little shed to hold their animals (not pictured). Unfortunately, I ran out of tape about a third of the way through finishing the railway ties. G was disappointed, but we compromised with some string, which he used to link the trains together. Simon was digging it too, along with his snack of cherry tomatoes which have officially been added to his A-list, just like his big bro.

Now, Mr. Sun, this does not mean you are off the hook. When are you coming back to these parts?

Shop: Roadtrip with Nonchalant Mom

2010-07-05T01:00:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a great July 4th weekend! I have a decent farmer's tan to show for a nice weekend of sun, wine country and bbq with the family... Since we're at the peak of summer, I thought this road trip post by Tada Shop of Designing Mom Carina and her ultimate "packing list" would be most appropriate for today!

Friday Fotos: Happy Baby Wiley Valentine!

2010-07-02T09:39:00.000-07:00

A big shout out to our friends at Wiley Valentine. Designing Mom Rachelle had a baby girl recently and I am sooo excited for them!! The talented Lauren at Rock Paper Scissors is a beloved retailer of mine and she has a beautiful blog... This inspiration board was created by her with Rachelle's baby as inspiration of course! Check out the full post here.

Friday Fotos: Teeny Tiny Teen

2010-07-02T05:20:00.000-07:00

from Designing Mom Aya at Chronicle Books: This is Hayden in his very first pair of jeans. His hair is growing natural mohawk and...a hair brush in his hand? A little preview of his future teenager days :).

This one of Aya's son, Hayden, was in my archives...and was soooo crazy cute I couldn't help but post up. Have a happy Friday and weekend everyone!

Reminder: Giveaway

2010-07-01T06:32:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder you've got until Friday to enter for a giveaway for Annette Tatum's "The Well-Dressed Home." Just click here and leave a comment!

One very lucky boy! via Annette's blog

Shop: Cardstore.com

2010-07-01T06:23:00.000-07:00

by Designing Mom Tori of Tori Higa

I just wanted to share a sampling of some of the new kids invitations and thank you notes that I have recently done for Cardstore.com. They just added them to the site...

Decorate: Tamara Kaye-Honey

2010-06-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

Looking for sophisticated and dreamy ideas for your kid's rooms? I absolutely love the eye of designer Tamara Kaye-Honey. Somehow she has perfected dreamscapes for teenagers to hang out in. For more of her interior design work click here.

Story: Muppet Pipes

2010-06-30T05:02:00.000-07:00

by Designing Mom Jenn of 13creative.com

As I was just working on my computer, designing some wedding invitations for a client and browsing websites (read: procrastinating on Facebook!) a friend of mine uploaded a photo that knocked my socks off. My friend works at 30 Rockefeller (NBC) in New York City and took a photo of what she called The Muppet Pipes.

I was blown away. I needed to know more.

Apparently, in 1964, Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Don Sahlin and Jerry Juhl were sitting around their dressing room at The Jack Paar Show, waiting to go on stage. Bored, they opened up a utility closet, saw this bunch of plain pipes and decided to go back to their nearby studio, get some art supplies and come back to decorate the pipes while they passed the time. This was pre-Muppets, pre-Sesame Street.

They finished their "Muppet Pipes", closed the closet door, and went on stage.

In the five decades since they were created, the pipes have been hidden in a closet -- which up until very recently was in Max Weinberg's dressing room! Earlier this week, though, NBC revealed that they knocked down the closet and put the Muppet Pipes on display as part of the NBC tour.

This unbelievable, imaginative, colorful and whimsical 'found art' is so inspiring and makes me want to look at all the mundane, everyday objects in my own home - and take them to the next level.

This would be such a fantastic project for any family - to turn the ordinary into extraordinary and push the limits of your imagination.

I hope this inspires all of you as much as it has me. Click HERE to see Frank Oz, the only surviving member of the foursome, talk about what he calls "affectional anarchy" and explain who did what, and how... nearly 50 years ago!

Make: Set Your Table with Giant Paper Roses

2010-06-29T05:01:00.000-07:00

by Designing Mom Sara at Creative Jewish Mom

Looking for a unique and inexpensive (very) table decor idea? This might be it! Giant paper roses combined with smaller ones too, are elegant and artsy, and look modern and vintage all at the same time, so they'll suit just about any style. The key is the right paper! I used some old dress making pattern paper that the art supply store actually gave me for free rather than tossing it in the garbage. It had yellowed with age — perfect! You'll need very large sheets or a roll of heavy weight tissue paper, preferably creme, though drafting vellum might work nicely as well. Experiment and create your own lovely versions!

For more info, click here.

Make: Popcorn Hat

2010-06-28T05:35:00.000-07:00

by Designing Mom April of Shibumi Gallery

My boy doesn't like baby blue. So being a discerning mom myself I decided to give them all away to someone who does. As the pile of clothes sat in my office I had this thought that I could dye some of the ones that I liked the cotton material of. So I did. I used good old Rit dye. I am sure there are more natural dyes but being a working mom with my three month old son. I opted for what I knew I could get quickly. My first batch was a blue that I like to call Indigo....and I dyed everything that I imagined would look good.

The hat and some of his onesies got special treatment. I used popping corn and small hair rubber bands to make small irregular circles.

Instructions:

1- Put popcorn under fabric and stretch tightly rubber band around each kernel

2- Make a pattern or just use a random pattern.

3- Bucket add hot boiling water to fill

4- Rit dye~ color of choice, Stir in dye

5- Let sit for a couple hours if dye is older might want to leave in overnight

6- Do a general rinsing by hose or sink

7- Wash in washing machine on hot, wash only the same color of clothing you just dyed

8- Remove rubber bands and corn

9- Dry in dryer

Below hat, t-shirt and overalls all dyed in the same bath. Then I sewed a patch over the overall logo!

Next is my chocolate brown batch......!

Shop: Diaper Bags

2010-06-24T17:37:00.000-07:00

I'm on the hunt for diaper bags again...
Funny how I thought my handbag obsession would be curbed after having a baby. I now get really excited at words like compartment, stain-resistant, insulated and loops...
So this weekend I'm on the lookout for something smaller than an official diaper bag to fit food and bottles... anyone have any stylin' suggestions?
above (and below): Anya Hindmarch

above: Marc by Marc Jacobs

above: le sport sac in houseboat patttern

Make: Rock Critters

2010-06-24T05:01:00.000-07:00

by Designing Mom Liberty

This summer I've got the kids at home... So we've taken to calling ourselves "Camp Mommakiddo" ... One of our crafts this week was a nature walk where we collected rocks and used our crafty bin extras to make these funny little friends.

**Note from Cat: I want to see all of the fun projects that you are doing with your kids this summer! Please send us photos of your favorites...

Guest Blogger: Annette Tatum on her Favorite Things

2010-06-23T05:03:00.000-07:00

by Annette Tatum

Thank you to the team at Designing Moms Blog for asking me to be a
guest on their site. I am the owner of both Annette Tatum and Little
House collections which are companies that specialize in custom
designed textiles and products for the home and the nursery. I have
been creating and building a business for the past 15 years and have
been often asked what inspires me when I create? What are my favorite
things?
I find that with a busy house like mine filled with four children (ages
7-19), what inspires me the most is my family. They encourage me to
keep discovering my creative inner spirit as well as keep me focused on
what is important.

Having a studio at home as well as a store just down the street keeps
me on my feet. Half of my days are filled with running a business,
working on product development and other day to day management tasks.
The other half is filled with mom stuff. Dentist visits, school lunches
and after school activities. I don’t get to linger too long on things,
which is why I like a little of everything. My life changes quickly so
I find that my style favorites change fast too.
In my studio I keep a lot of my inspiration. Journals filled with
ideas, trims and buttons and other small details. Fabrics I love and
more. Most special are the little works of art or small notes from my
family that remind me that what I do matters.

We travel a lot as a family and finding inspiration is never too hard

to find . I have also recently finished my first book "The Well Dressed
Home" for Clarkson Potter. Between the business and my family
adventures…. inspiration is something that I often just stumble upon.

One of my favorite go to for inspiration is fashion. I love the details
and the constant change of looks and ideas. This is a recent fashion collection I did for the release of the book. Visit our blog for more.

In my own home some of my favorite things come from my china
collection. I love to collect odd assortments of china. Plates that I
just love for no reason. Cups that might be used for some fantasy tea
party.

Vases and old oddities that I love just because. Color always inspires…
A detail from my favorite dining chair
An old tray that I found at a local antique house. I love anything with
birds… Some of my some of my collection of dishes. Old florals mixed
with mother of pearl flatware.
My children’s homework/ art room… I love any space in the house that
offers up room for creative time.
My journals.. they are my place where I keep all my ideas and
inspiration. I love referring to them for ideas or just to look at
beautiful things.