Shop: Baby Clothes

by Designing Mom Aya

Babies grow so fast, VERY fast. And they don’t (yet) care much about their appearance or garments. Naturally, I tend to believe the best kind of baby clothing is a hand-me-down that fits. However, I do find that those tiny articles of clothing are perfect gift items that people want to give and I, as a new mother, also find myself starting lists of my favorite baby clothing companies. Here are some people who make fabulously sophisticated little outfits that are big on design and often easy on environment (and on our wallets).


above: Petunia Pickle Bottom
Their set of three onesies are my very favorite outfit on my little boy. The onesies look as good and crisp as they were in the first place after a several washes.

above: Kate Quinn Organics
My mother, the little one’s grandma, bought a stylish brown jacket and turquoise pants for his two-month birthday. The outfit is so chic that made me wish they made those for grown-ups.

above: Baby Soy
Very simple yet modern and good looking clothing. Its quality is superb. We got a receiving blanket and an onesie as a gift and we seriously considered getting another set because we always got disappointed when they were in the laundry.

above: Lucky Jade
Perhaps babies don’t need cashmere outfits, but if they do, this is the place to get them. I bought a lovely pink newborn gown for my niece and my sister put her in it for all the photo taking occasions.



above: Dwell for Target
This line unites good design with affordability. My little boy received a onesie and a hoodie and they are very handsome and surprisingly well made. I am now a big fan of Target.

A Creative Life: Susan Najarian

Today's "A Creative Life" is Susan Najarian who wrote to me about her intricate work in miniature encaustic paintings. Susan is also offering 10% off any of her 5"x5" Encaustic Paintings. Just mention "Designing Moms" and click here to see her collection!



Tell us a little bit about your work

I use photography as the ground, the photos are digitally manipulated and the images are then transferred to a wood frame covered in encaustic wax. Layers of wax suspend the photograph, altering the appearance to produce the ethereal, sometimes romantic feeling. The intertwined imagery appears to float, as if in a dream.

Encaustic is from the ancient Greek word that means to heat. It is the oldest form of painting. The medium consists of beeswax melted with a small amount of resin to impart hardness. This mixture becomes paint when pigment is added to the molten wax. I use the hot wax like paint and fuse layers of wax to a stable surface using a blowtorch or heat gun. Because it cools, (dries), so quickly, it is a fantastic medium for an impatient artist. In my online shop, I offer a variety of 5x5 inch paintings, which provide an affordable way to obtain an original work of art. These paintings are fantastic grouped together or can be displayed individually as in a sweet addition to a little ones room.

How do your surroundings influence your artwork?

I live on Bainbridge Island in WA; a quaint, beautiful, forested island in the Puget Sound and a short ferry ride from Seattle. I am constantly inspired by the nature that surrounds me and I incorporate many of these images in my artwork. I’m blessed to be married to a supportive and wonderful man and have three creative and beautiful children. We also have a cat and 10 pets that make our breakfast! (chickens).

What is a day-in-your-life like?

A typical day for me is getting up at 6:00. I have a cup of coffee and check my email. My three children ages 15, 11 and 8, go to three different schools that start and end at different times. (So it feels like grand-central here in the morning between the lunch and breakfast making and getting them ready and to the school bus on time.) If I’m lucky after my littlest one has left, I take a run through the forest or along the waterfront. When I get home I work on my art and do other business related work. The kids start getting home around 3:00 and then we begin the carpool to sports, piano lessons, dance, and other activities. When schedules permit, we all get together for an evening meal then it’s homework time and off to bed for a read aloud chapter in a book. After my younger kids are in bed, I do a little more work and in bed around 11:00. I am so grateful for this hectic yet perfect life.

In the News...

Design Sponge featured Designing Mom Lori's floors in their recent Before/After series. I couldn't believe how beautiful the finished effect was...just GLORIOUS!

And Lori is celebrating her 4 year "blogiversary" by doing a giveaway of some of her awesome Fin + Roe products. Click here to enter!

Our Lists: Alphabet Animals

Here's one for our list of children's art! Chris Gregori wrote me about his whimsical illustrations. As an illustrator, he wanted to create something special for his niece which resulted in these fun alphabet animals. A print version is available through his Etsy shop here.

Giveaway: Toywrangler

I have a great giveaway today! This is for all of you moms out there who have little ones who love to play the "pick it up, drop it down, pick it up" game with you all day. When I saw this, I thought only a mom could come up with something so ingenuis like this! Kristy of Luvloo is giving away a Toywrangler set along with one of her kid tees (choice of dino or argyle bunnies) to 4 lucky readers.

All you have to do is respond in the comments window about why a Toywrangler might come in handy in your household. The giveaway is open to all Designing Moms and readers and will close on Friday so comment away--Goodluck!

What exactly is a Toywrangler?

Kristy: Toywrangler is what the products are called but the business name is Luvloo. That is how my son Owen pronounced "Love You" when he first learned to talk-- www.toywrangler.com and www.luvloo.com are both the same site.

Four years ago when my son Owen was Nine months old- we spent almost every meal retrieving toys from the floor, under our table & even other patron's tables. I grew so tired of playing pick-up in the restaurant, while shopping or even out for walks, that I came up with the Toywrangler and the Mini Toywrangler. I could attach and interchange my son's toys, bottles and pacifier without even reaching to the floor. I was excited to go out to eat and see that the ToyWrangler™ actually solved our problem. We wanted a product that was #1 Safe, #2 Easy for the child to retrieve toys, pacis, bottles/cups by themselves and #3 A product that was machine washable. Four years later I am still amazed and excited that my own children have become my sources of inspiration for the Toywrangler as well as shirts and other unique ideas.

What have been the rewards of starting your own business?

Being able to be with my children and getting inspiration from them. I also get excited every time I receive feedback from people using my product and thanking me for creating them.

What about the challenges?

I went into this with no real sense of how to run a business. I have a degree in Visual Communication with an advertising and marketing background. You can say I had the passion, the desire and the creativeness yet no idea what profit margins should be or what P&L were. I just jumped in head first and followed my heart. You can not be afraid to fail or you will never succeed. It is the risk I was willing to take. It has not been easy at all but you really have to trust your instincts and ask a lot of questions. This past year has been challenging because safety standards have hit small businesses like myself hard. However I was lucky enough to have already followed the ASTM standards and I already tested and used BPA FREE plastics.

Any advice to moms who want to start their own businesses?

Do not be afraid to email or call people that are already successful. I remember early in the process I emailed the sisters behind Fresh Baby and they actually called me back and gave me all kinds of information. Everyone needs to buy Tamara Monosoff's The Mom Inventors Handbook this book is jammed packed full of priceless info. Even if you are not a mom this is the book to get if you have an idea. I also must mention Laine Caspi from Parent's of Invention. I was able to call her and learn all kinds of info about the industry and manufacturing. Do not be afraid to call and email potential customers or people that can help sell your idea.

My family and their support and the fact that to this day I can still get excited about my Toywranglers and still think they are a good useful idea.

A Typical Day in My Life:

My day typically revolves around my boys Owen 5, Ari 3 and my husband Eric. They are my main priorities and the reason I do what I do. It has been hard to balance both but I am learning that I cannot do it alone. A few months back I hired a PR girl I never thought I could afford but she is well worth it. I just started working with a distribution company and I hope they can get me into some of the bigger stores and handle all of the orders eventually. I am lucky enough that I still work part time doing design work for an oil company so I can still be with my children daily. I am also lucky enough that my parents come to my home and take care of the boys so that I can get work done. I am on the computer a lot at night after the kids go to bed. You just have to find time when you can. I really believe you get out of it what you put into it.

Shop: Fortune Cookie Booties

These are the cutest little baby booties I've seen in a while... The "Fortune Cookie Baby Booties" by Sushi Booties are made of fleece and the "fortune" can be customized with your message to the new mommy.

Friday Foto: Oscar

Thought I'd kick start your weekend with these adorable photos of Designing Mom Kate's son, Oscar. Judging from his "first kiss" photo, this little guy is going to be one little heart breaker when he grows up!

Happy Friday and weekend everyone. We'll see you Monday!

Make: Hungry Caterpillar Cupcake Train

There's no hiding that I'm a sugar addict. At the studio, we celebrate this very addiction with what we call "Cupcake Friday" where we salute the end of the week by indulging in all things sugar. When I saw this wonderful rendition of the Hungry Caterpillar it was so darn cute I wondered if its lucky recipients could bear to take a bite out of it! For a detailed DIY of this perfect party cake from Coco Cake Cupcakes, click here.

In the News...

Have all of you mommies visited Make and Takes? What a great site for crafty fingers. And thank you for featuring Designing Mom Rubyellen's Fabric Necklace in the Fabric Scrap Project post!


And who goes without their daily fix of Oh Dee Doh? Many thanks for posting Designing Mom Aya's review of San Francisco's Lotus Bleu in the recent Slinks post.

Our Booklist: See Me on the Farm

by Designing Mom Tori

One of my son’s favorite Aunties gave him this book when he was about eight months old. Now, over a year later, it’s still one of his most prized possessions. It’s a great book to be able to interact with your little ones as you read. We loved the book so much that I tracked it down online to purchase one as a gift for a friend. Much to my delight, they had “See Me at the Circus” as well – which was the perfect gift for our little friend’s one year birthday bash with a circus theme.

Shop: Are you Still Using Plastic?

by Designing Mom Rubyellen

Now, I like plastic. There are some uses in which having plastic is very helpful. I can't think of any at the moment, but I am sure there are. Nevertheless, when it comes to my girls, I try to avoid plastic when possible. Therefore, I have switched to stainless steel cups. In my research for the best stainless steel cup for my girls, I decided between the Safe Sippy and the Klean Kanteen . I ordered both from The Soft Landing and they came in very quickly. Now, originally I loved the Safe Sippy's look. It looks like a baby bottle from the future, just plain cool, but then I grew to despise the cup because it kept leaking (at least for me). I immediately contacted The Soft Landing and they sent me another complimentary Klean Kanteen to replace my leaky Safe Sippy. We absolutely adore Klean Kanteen!!! We love it so much that we immediately ordered an extra set in a different color, one for milk and one for water.

So if you want to take a step towards green, I highly recommend Klean Kanteen! I am sure that others may have had a better experience with the Safe Sippy, but I think Klean Kanteen is the way to go! Plus, you match with your kids as they have sizes for adults.

Photography Tips for the Little Ones

By Designing Mom Erika

Like most women, I bought a new camera when I knew I was having a baby, but needed some help. I interviewed my friend Jessica Davis for some tips on capturing great photos at home, and also talked to her about maternity photography.

Erika: Why shoot a maternity session?
Jessica: Maternity Sessions for most woman are best between 30-36 weeks. There are few times in a womans life when her body will go through such amazing changes and so quickly. It is a documentation of a new life from the very beginning. The connection that a mother has prior to meeting her child is so precious. I cant think of another time when a woman just glows with happiness and beauty.


E: When is the best time to photograph a new baby for a birth announcement?
Jess: Newborns are ideally photographed in the first ten days after birth. They are still bendable, less likely to move alot and the baby acne has not set in yet.


E:What is your best trick for photographing babies?
Jess: Mornings! Babies are usually at their best right after a nap when they have a snack. They wake up refreshed and full of smiles.



E: Do you have some tips on capturing your toddler's personality in a photograph?
Jess: Kids are smart. They know when they are being photographed and would prefer to moving/playing rather than sitting still. Make it a game for them. If your daughter likes to dress up take pictures of her in her princess outfits. If your son loves playing in the backyard with his trucks, ask to play with him and take pictures at the same time. The idea is to not dress them in an outfit that doesn’t represent their personalities or that they don’t like. It will come across in the photos. Maybe your daughter loves dresses but you really want her in jeans.....photograph her in what makes her happy, she will be more likely to cooperate and her own unique personality will show in the photos. That is more important than her outfit.


E: Can you tell us a little more about how to style a photo? What backgrounds work best? What should we wear?
Jess: There is nothing cuter than a naked baby. When your baby first sits up is a great time for professional photos around 8-10 months. They can't crawl/walk away and they are so giggly and chubby.Keep it simple with clothing, you don’t want to look back at your photos 10 years from now and wonder, “what was I thinking”? Pay attention to lighting, you want even lighting. It will be more flattering on the skin. Go outside under a tree for shade so the family isnt squinting in the bright sunlight. Generally 1 hour after sunrise or an hour before sunset you can go almost anywhere for photos.

Friday Foto: Mad for Masha

Who could resist this smile? I am mad for Designing Mom Kira's daughter, Masha!

Have a happy Friday and weekend everyone.

Our Lists: Children's Art

By Designing Mom Tori

In honor of all of the designing moms and creative moms out there (wait – aren’t ALL moms creative?), I thought I would share these sweet prints featuring mother and child by Marisa Haedike of Creative Thursday . I absolutely love all of her work and think that her art is perfect for children and grown-ups alike. Not only is Marisa a talented artist, but she is also a very inspirational person. I highly recommend her Creative Thursday blog for whenever you need a little dose of encouragement with your own art or design endeavors. Or better yet, take one of her classes at the Squam Workshops or online .

Her original pieces are available through her website and her prints among other things she has created are offered through her etsy shop .

A Creative Life

By Designing Mom Lori

How to make long car trips more peaceful.

My husband and I lived in Minneapolis before moving back to small town Wisconsin to raise our family. we try to get back at least once a year to see old friends. With two small kids, a 5-6 hour drive can be painful. One of the things we’ve found that our 4 year old loves is having a map of his own so he knows where we are and how much longer it will take to get there. No more “are we there yet?” from him! Works like a charm. here’s what we do:


We print out a map (try google maps) showing both our starting and ending points. then, we label points along the way and mark them 1-5 (feel free to add more if your trip is longer). Then, we label the route home with letters a-e. He also gets a set of small circle stickers which we staple to the corner of the map so there’s no possibility of losing them. Whenever we reach a major marker on the map, he gets to take a sticker off and place it over the corresponding point on the map.

This could be done in a variety of ways. instead of labeling with letters and numbers you could mark with physical landmarks that the kids can try to find on the way. On our latest map to Minneapolis, my husband drew a picture of our house at the starting point and then drew a lego in Minneapolis (our 4 year old had been looking forward to visiting lego land for months).

Get creative. have fun. enjoy your trip!