Happy Owl Glassworks

Fabulous Stephanie sent me a link to this site. What delicate beautiful pieces! Stephanie particulary pointed out the nightlights. And I agree — so beautiful. Oscar's room would definitely improve by the addition of the owl.

I also love the tiny dishes. I want to put my earrings in one every night.

Cool Beans

Saw these amazing beans on Upside Up yesterday. (Upside Up = very cool blog by a fellow designer/mom). They have messages lasered into the bean that you discover when the bean grows.

Add this to the teacher gift ideas list. And to the Grandma gift ideas list. In fact, just buy one for everyone you know.

Sketch Swap

Have your kids do this instead of their homework.

What it is: you go to the site and make a sketch. (It doesn't have to be a good sketch. Mine was a profile of an elephant.) Then you click "submit sketch" and you get someone else's sketch in return. The two best parts are 1) you can't erase and 2) you get to watch the sketch you receive being drawn. So genius.

Someone compared it to fortune cookies, and for me it's true. I wonder who will receive the elephant?

Fall Cookie Party

Missing my friend Rebecca today (tear). She would throw cookie decorating parties for the neighborhood kids. In the spring, in the summer, but especially at Halloween.

A cookie party can get quite messy, so Rebecca would hold it in the back yard. She'd provide trays and trays of just-baked, thick and yummy sugar cookies. Then the kids would all go to town with individual bowls of frosting and lots of sprinkles, candy corn, and other embellishments. Everyone went home with a plate of cookies. Such a great party. (Rebecca, if you're reading, I hope you'll post your amazing sugar cookie recipe.)

You can find the mini-halloween cookie cutters pictured above here.

Book of the Week: Pumpkin Moonshine

My stylish friend Anna first introduced me to Tasha Tudor books and I love them. The stories are so simple and gentle and sweet. I could read this particular story every night of October and be fine with that.

Especially good for the preschool set. Just in time for October, find it here.

Halloween Costumes

What to be for Halloween is a year-round topic of conversation at our house. The ideas change week by week. Sometimes hour by hour. I have to enforce a drop dead decision date of October 10th, after which no costume changes are allowed, so that I have time to get everything together.

When they were younger I loved coordinating their costumes. When it was just Ralph and Maude they were Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. When it was Ralph, Maude & Olive it was The 3 Bears (Papa, Mama and Baby). Now that's a no go. We're all a little too opinionated around here. Last year it was Frankenstein, A Pumpkin, Belle (as in Beauty & the Beast) and A Lion.

This year Ralph wants to be a candy bar. He's thinking Butterfinger, but he wants to make it spooky by changing it to Blooderfinger. That, or he wants to be a mad scientist. Maude wants to be a warrior from Mulan. Olive wants to be Ariel (as in the Little Mermaid). Thankfully, Oscar and Betty don't care yet.

My Sister-in-Law's Husband

My brother Jared is guest blogging on his wife's super-cool blog. Awesome with a captial A.

Check it out at Say Yes to Hoboken.

Architect Potential

I came across this architecture set in a catalog and thought it would make a great gift for Ralph. He's a Lego/Builder kind of kid.

When I looked closer I thought it would make a great gift for me. Or for anyone who likes to mess around with floorplans and furniture placement. It wouldn't be the first time I've usurped my kid's toys. Find it here.

Creepy Cupcakes

Erin made creepy cupcakes like these last year and they turned out amazing. These would be way fun to make at a Halloween Party. I can't believe how much I get a kick out of these. Who thinks up stuff like this?

Find directions at Kids.

Graffiti Chic

Remember in the first issue of Blueprint, there was an article on vinyl lettering? They were using the vinyl to make house numbers. . .

Anyway, apparently there are companies popping up that make interesting vinyl lettering for the walls of your home. Lovely Laura sent me a link to this company. They offer lots of existing ideas and templates or you can contact them about custom work.

I really love the monogram on the front door and liked the idea of the message next to the piano. Maybe I'll add a "You look fabulous!" on the full-length mirror or a "Did you remember the pacifier?" by the front door.

Ask Design Mom: Teacher Gifts

DM reader Erin writes:

"I have a question for you, Design Mom. My sister-in-law is in charge of giving the teachers at her son's school a teacher appreciation something each month. She's a terrific cook and has given many wonderful food gifts, but asked me if I had any ideas of non-edible, inexpensive things she could give the teachers. Any ideas?"

Great question. Here's a few ideas off the top of my head. I'll interpret "inexpensive" as something in the $10 range. And I'll try to keep the ideas unisex.

1) Magazine Subscription.
Many, many magazines are really reasonable to subscribe to. Travel and Leisure for the Geography teacher? Cottage Living for the teacher with a weekend home? The americana-in-the-making Reader's Digest? Or for a stylish teacher, maybe give Domino or Lucky. (My cool sister Jordan gets great magazine deals at Ebay.)

2) A plant.
In the $10 range you should be able to find something really pretty and really tiny. If you're giving a plant as a gift I think small is better because then there's less guilt when it dies and is thrown away. Also, it won't take up much space on their desk. Trader Joe's carries these wonderful small pots with some plant-I-can't-identify blooming with tiny orange berries. So pretty. Perfect for Fall and I'll bet they'd make a special order for a large quantity purchase. Or a gardening center/greenhouse could help you put something together.

3) A book.
Watch the bargain book sections of Borders and Barnes and Noble or check their bargain book sections online (Borders online is the same as Amazon). Great art books and recipe books and general coffee table books are readily available in the $10 range. If you need more than a handful, ask the store and they can locate more at the bargain price and have them sent to their location.

4) Good-looking soap or hand lotion.
There are about 1 million options in soap and lotion in the $10 or less range. Even men like a good hand lotion in their briefcase in the winter. You could order a box of this Sappo Hill soap which is amazing and comes unpackaged. Stack a few and wrap with pretty tissue paper. Finish with a ribbon or embossed seal. Or try Burts Bees which is commonplace now but still good-looking and has the advantage of being unisex. This site carries a shea butter hand cream by Pre de Provence in lovely aluminum packaging for $10.

5) Chocolate.
I know you asked for non-edible, but I'm including chocolate anyway. Target carries pretty bars of chocolate for less than $2 (in store only) that look imported — maybe even are imported. Stack 3 different varieties and tie with a ribbon. Or pick something from their new Choxie line. No one's going to frown at that.

6) Office Supplies.
Attach a Staples gift card to a ream of paper or a box of good pens. The teacher can get a few new things for the classroom.

That's a start. I hope any readers that want to add more ideas will do so. . .

Elaborate Pumpkins

I'm a pretty traditional pumpkin carver. Triangle eyes. Toothy grin.

But I love, love when I see elaborately carved pumpkins. Maybe when my kids are old enough to wield some carving tools, fancy pumpkins will become a family tradition.

Find directions here and here.

Ask Design Mom: Cupcake Liners

DM reader Tania asked me where to find good-looking cupcake liners. And as usual the internet provides.

Confectionary House has some wonderful options at very reasonable prices (search "cupcake cups" on their site). They have great choices in solid, bright colors — much more opaque then the grocery store variety. They have foil in gold, silver, red and green. They also have a few interesting prints and lots of cheesy prints. I especially like their stripes and fall leaves. This is also a good source for an amazing variety of sprinkles.

I really want some of their brown cupcake liners. So sophisticated with pale pink or blue frosting.

Reynolds (as in aluminum foil) has a few good choices and you can probably find them at your local grocery store. I've used their floral print before and think it's way cute. Laura showed me their mini, green, "designer" liners and they're also darling. See the Reynolds line here.

Cake&Candy offers these cute nutcups that Tania said she's seen used successfully as cupcake liners. Nice alternative.


Don't have time to order online? Luckily, silver foil liners are widely available at most grocery stores and look pretty darn fabulous.

Apple Votives for the Porch

For pretty much every Halloween of our marriage — even pre-kids — I have made these apple votives for the front porch. Easy to make. Easy to throw away (meaning nothing to store). Very inexpensive. I usually make them the day of Halloween and set them in a battered old metal tub on the porch (mix regular apples with votive apples). Added to the carved pumpkins and potted mums, they are lovely.

Lots of ways for kids to participate: fill the tub with water, pick out the apples, put the apples in the water, etc.

Because there is nothing particulary Halloweeny about them, I like these for any fall evening gathering. They make a simple greeting for a dinner party or even Thanksgiving.

Just watch out for flammable costumes. Find directions here.

More New Features

More fun at Design Mom this week.

1) Check out the sidebar to see every book featured in a drop-down menu. It's all about access, baby.

2) Inspired by Lisa's wonderful post on early Christmas shopping, I'll be posting on the upcoming Holidays over the next few weeks as well. Then, I'll archive all the Holiday Posts in the sidebar so we can keep the conversations and suggestions going through Halloween, Thanksgiving, Channukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Years, etc.

9/26 EDIT: the drop down menus weren't working in some browsers. But my cool brother Josh fixed it. Thanks to Josh!

Supernal Industries

For any of you church goers out there, my super-cute friend Valecia sent me a link to these super-cute carry bags for scriptures. Clever little website as well.

Thank you Lisa

A huge thanks to Lisa for doing an amazing job as the first guest blogger here at Design Mom. Terrific posts full of great ideas and pretty things. What an inspiration!

Lisa, don't be surprised when you get invited back because I love to get your take on pretty much every subject. In the meantime, I'll be checking in at Oh Judy.

Calendars

Wendy posted on picking out her perfect 2007 calendar and I have been keeping my eyes open for pretty ones ever since. I love this one with images by Linnea Riley. Pretty in a kitchen.

Each page is sized to fit in a standard 11" x 14" frame so you can turn your favorite months in artwork. Find it here.

Mid-Century Modern — by Guest Mom Lisa V. Clark

Print and Pattern Blog


Design Sponge Blog

I always find something I love on these sites. I love minimalism, but find it difficult to live up to its ideals because I have four children and they all have "stuff." I'm really good at throwing things away, thanks in large part to a father who used to say "Just throw it away!" at least three times a day growing up. If I really need it, or wish I had an item back, I can always buy a new one (saying that makes the cheap miser in my cringe, but I say it like I mean it at any rate). To be honest, I've never had to do that.

Living without a lot of stuff makes life easier in a lot of ways. Less stuff to clean up, less stuff to worry about, take care of, or occupy your mind. A good rule of thumb: If you something new comes into your home, something else must exit. It makes you appreciate what you have. Clothes, toys, kitchen accessories, etc. This philosophy does NOT apply to books, lipstick, DVDs, music, or photos, however.

A new philosophy I'm exploring: only have things in your home that are beautiful and that you really, really love. It is worth it to spend a little more on a plate or cake pedestal, for example, that you are absolutely crazy about, then to have a couple you think are tolerable. If they are just taking up space, then get rid of them. This can be a slow process, but you'll never be able to spot a good deal or the perfect item until you know what you like.


I recently replaced all my mismatched plastic kids cups, bowls, and plates with matching ones with coordinating cups and its made me really happy. I had seen some I liked in Pottery Barn, and how excited was I to find perfectly comparable ones at the controversial (Wal-Mart) lower price!

The Craft/Blog World

Everytime I think I have a handle on what's out there in the blogging world, I discover a whole new group of bloggers doing their thing. My super-fab sister Jordan sent me a link to Wee Wonderfuls. It's an amazing site in itself but it also functioned as a portal for me to a whole crafting-blog-community that I am totally stalking.

I didn't think I was into crafting, but the stuff these guys are making is inspiringly cool. Try these sites if you'd like a taste:

Craft Log
The Small Object
Thimble

For Grandma

Lisa's excellent post on early Christmas shopping has me on the lookout for gifts. I have 3 Grandmothers that I like to send something to and I usually end up sending chocolates. But I saw this magnifier designed by Carl Fabergé and thought it was a lovely gift for an elegant someone with failing eyesight.

Or maybe it would be received more like "Ha, Ha. You can't see and have to wear a magnifier around your neck."

Anyway, if my eyes fail, please send me one of these.

Book Recommendation — by Guest Mom Lisa V. Clark

Tikki Tikki Tembo

This is a cute story about why the Chinese have such short names instead of grand, long names. I love this book mainly because I have such warm memories of my mother reading this book to my brothers and sisters and me. She was a "professional" story-teller and read with a lot of silliness and enthusiasm. I think most of the time we liked to look at her instead of the book. This book lends itself to great inflection and facial expression — one of the best in those regards. Now that I'm the reader, I have such an appreciation for the illustrations and their mother-color blue hues. (I'm also child #2 in our family, too, so I felt a little vindication when I read this story.)

Buy it here.

Playdough for Health

Play with the dough and inhale the aromas and you'll be on your way to a healthier and more peaceful you. So says Squidge Me.

The colors are gorgeous. I have no idea if they really work, but I would prefer this to most other stress gadgets/squeeze balls.

Thanks Tania, for the heads up.

Growing up Garnet Hill

If you're unfamiliar with Garnet Hill's kids clothes, they're worth checking out. Love these flannel jammies.

Gift Giving — by Guest Mom Lisa V. Clark

I gave birth to my daughter two days after Christmas. She was due over a week before, but she was my third, so I knew I'd be at home on Christmas because all my kids are at least a week overdue (feel sorry for me, pity me). That Christmas Season, four years ago, I made a plan to have all my Christmas shopping done by Halloween. That way, I reasoned, I could sit and enjoy Thanksgiving and the Christmas Holiday without walking around in a mad-rush, competing with every other holiday shoppers in a crazed blur of lights, traffic, and crowds.

It was the most peaceful, enjoyable holiday season I had every had, and I've tried to keep up the tradition ever since. So it's September, and I'm in the middle of planning what kind of Christmas we'll have this year. I have some rules for the gifts I give my kids. They have changed over the years somewhat, but they're pretty standard. I hate things with lots of little pieces, loud toys that require batteries, and ugly things. I also hate anything Bratz, or age-inappropriate, obnoxious, or trendy. I cringe at about 9 out of 10 things my kids ask for for Christmas, but usually give in on "something" in the name of holiday spirit.

For example, I hate a lot of little pieces, but then came along Polly Pocket and the hours and hours of uninterrupted imaginative playtime she afforded. I hate video games, but then came the free Nintendo 64 my sister-in-law gave us with the affordable kid-appropriate games. I hate anything requiring batteries, but the Darth Vadar mask and metal-clanging sword my brother surprised the boys with, again, provided hours and hours of entertainment.

Aren't kids supposed to get toys their parents wouldn't choose for them because that's part of being a kid, and not an adult?

A couple of gifts I'm thinking about: Erector Set for the eight year-old. . .

Miles is moving into that difficult age where everything he wants is getting really expensive. For example, he wants his own laptop computer with Power-point Presentation. That, OR a trip to France. Yeah, so we hope he's distracted by all the moving parts and construction possibilities of the Erector set and that will be that.

Art Supplies for the six and a half year-old. . .

When Miles was this age I created an art box for him, and he still uses it. I got a flat, slides-under-your-bed plastic container and filled it with lots of art supplies: new markers, glitter, glue, tracing paper, art paper, stencils, pencils, pastels, pencil sharpener, stickers, etc. Because of my addiction to art supplies, this will be the most fun gift for me to buy.

Pop-up tent for the three year-old. . .

My older boys had one when they were really little, but it didn't quite make it. I'm sure it got lost somewhere in "that move across the pond." I loved it, though, and will probably purchase another one because it's easy for kids to set up themselves, it's easy to hide or store, and what kid doesn't want to play in a tent?

Pound A Ball for the 18 monther. . .

This is another toy that didn't make it through to baby #4. My older boys were crazy about this when they were Hugh's age, so I know it will be a huge success. That, and knowing how much Hugh likes to hit things violently.

Sensational Beads

Oriental Trading serves specific useful purposes but is mostly just a sorry load of junk that I find kind of disturbing. I only save OT catalogs from going straight to the trash when I know I have a birthday party or some other event coming up. So today, I was about to dispose of what I thought was another OT catalog when something on the back cover caught my eye: it was a beads only selection. What the. . .?

I searched it cover to cover and I am converted. I have so been wanting to experiment with jewelry making but keep being intimidated by where to start. I feel like I would need to sit in the bead/craft store for a long time to make comparisons and figure out exactly what I need. Enter Oriental Trading to the rescue. I can browse the catalog a thousand times and be as indecisive as I want.

The 60-page catalog has a pretty amazing selection — fresh water pearls, charms, spacers, glass, stone, wood — and all the hardware and tools you need to put everything together.

See more or request a catalog here.

Pressed Flowers

I was emailing my friend Emily about the latest creative endeavors in her life and she told me about her Mom's current show: amazing botanicals, dried and pressed. I have loved her Mom's work since I first met Emily and was so excited to get these pictures.

Emily noted that one very cool part of the show was the written material that went along with each piece. It might include folklore, history, scientific info, personal experience, etc. for each leaf or flower. (I love this idea! Wouldn't it be cool to make informational plaques for any of the significant artworks or prints in your house, so your kids could be super familiar with the work?)

The show ends this week and it's in Utah at Gallery One Ten, so I won't get to see it in person, but I was so glad she'd let me know about the show. Love, love this remarkable work.

Vintage Prints

Still thinking about the girls room. Kathryn C. knows I'm looking for vintage prints to put above the bed and found these. 5 kids in a hammock? I'm in love.

Fashion Consultant — by Guest Mom Lisa V. Clark

I am fortunate to have my good friend Josh as a fashion consultant and trend prediction expert. Did you know there are people whose job is predicting future fashionable colors for things from washing machines to sweaters? Josh taught me that. Everyone should have a friend like Josh.

When Gabby asked me to guest blog, I knew immediately that I needed to call in my reinforcement. I asked him what Moms, in particular, should look for this season. He told me that layering is really in right now. Now that does mean tights and short denim skirts, something we both agreed wasn't something we could get behind, but he advised to take the layering advice in a more classic way. Try shirts, jackets, and blazers, or shirts, sweaters and jackets. And remember to use thin materials so as to not get too bulky. (Josh is always throwing in practical advice when describing runway trends. He's down to earth like that.)

He also emphasized that last season we saw a lot of embellishment and accessorizing with brooches and necklaces and whatnot. This year is simple, with less jewelry. I'm going to have to think about that.

Here's a jacket built-in under a jacket. The layering done FOR YOU:


This is a fun "pick your kids up at school" navy jacket easy to layer with:


And here's your saucy little jacket for a night out on the town. I see this with some skinny jeans and ballet flats: