National Wear Red Day — Wear Red Tomorrow!

A few weeks ago I was invited to attend the Red Dress Collection 2008 Fashion Show. The show is tomorrow and I can't freaking wait!

Red Dress Collection Fashion Show? That's right. As part of NY Fashion Week, The Heart Truth sponsors a big show where celebrities walk the runway in the latest and greatest red dresses. Why? To raise awareness for National Wear Red Day and remind women to take better care of their hearts.

Very few people seem to know it (I didn't), but heart disease is the number one health threat for American women. Yikes. So the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services created The Heart Truth. It's a national awareness campaign designed to warn women about the seriousness of keeping their hearts healthy. You can learn all about it here.



So now you know. It's pink for breast cancer and red for heart health. And tomorrow, February 1st is National Wear Red Day. (Fitting don't you think — February and Valentine's Day and Red and Hearts and all that?) Want to get involved? Here are some ideas:

1. The easiest and best — wear red tomorrow! February 1st is National Wear Red Day!!

2. Take a photo of yourself wearing red and send it to the National Wear Red Day Flickr group.

3. Check out The Heart Truth delicious page for information about the campaign.

4. Are you a Facebook-er? Then you can show your support by joining the The Heart Truth Fan page.

I love wearing red. Red pants. Red sweaters. Red shoes. And love it even more if it's for a good cause. Now. Off to my closet to choose my red outfit for tomorrow. . .

Passage to India — by Guest Mom Michelle/Scribbit

My sister spent Christmas in India visiting my parents and she sent me a huge box of goodies from the other side of the world. Purses, peacock feather fans, mahogany boxes, cinnamon wood picture frames, sea shells, silk shawls, statues of elephants, coins, bangles — some of the things even came wrapped in pages from the Bangalore newspaper. If only I could read Hindi.



The box still smelled faintly tropical, warm and spicy. I love textiles and was especially thrilled at the hand-embroidered silks she sent — this little elephant from Rajahmundry made me want to quote some Kipling, "O Best Beloved" — but when I pulled out this piece of hand-woven sari silk I was speechless.



Eight yards of the most deep and resonant red which also happens to be the accent color in my kitchen and living room. But with so much beautiful fabric I need ideas for using it to its best advantage.

I wish I could pull off wearing a sari but I'm afraid not only would I be cold I'd look ridiculous. Have you ever seen a viking in a sari? That would be me, though not quite as hairy I'm much too tall and pale to make a the outfit work but maybe as a skirt? A Dress? Pillows for the couch? A duvet? A tablecloth? Lamp shades? What I'd especially love is a way to use it above my new fireplace as an accent piece in the living room.

Help! I need your ideas! Here's what I've been able to come up with so far:

Making a Roman shade from a sari
A sari scarf
Making a canopy from a sari
A patchwork sari purse
A sari-bound journal

Sk*rt Call for Editors Contest!

Just a quick reminder: today's the last day to nominate someone, or someones, or yourself, to be one of the new sk*rt editors. We've had well over 200 nominations so far and we can't wait to go through them and find your favorite candidates.

Remember, anyone who sends in a nomination is entered to win an HP Printer and a Sensio Coffee Maker — that's almost $275 worth of prizes just for telling us who you think would make a great editor. The more nominations you send, the more times you're entered to win. You can get the full contest details here.

Also. Look what I found on sk*rt today:



Free paper toys! I had blogged about these gorgeous toys last summer and then promptly forgot all about them. I was so glad to see them on sk*rt. Making paper toys would be a perfect winter day activity.

Apiary Design

Oh man! Have you seen the beautiful paper goods at Apiary Design? Notecards, birth announcements, invitations, custom work. I know I'm usually a sucker for white space, but these all-over patterns in unexpected colors have me itching to hold them in my hands and take a closer look.

Ask Design Mom: Tips for Being Artsy/Craftsy with Your Kids

Ask-Design-Mom Question:
I want to be more tactile with my kids, meaning I want to be literally more hands-on with them in the day as well as figuratively, I want them to spend more time creating with their hands and feeling the joy of a project conceived and completed. I'm ready to bump it up a notch, and you have ideas and materials that never cross my mind. Your young daughter knits? Your little boy paints onto shirts? Sign me up! I know you're crazy busy, but if you get a chance, I'd welcome advice. — Amanda

Design Mom Answer:
Hi Amanda. What a great question. Thanks for submitting it. Last Saturday I taught a small class about this very topic. I'm going to include my handout notes here because I think they will answer your question fairly well.

Design Mom's Tips for Doing Crafts or Art Projects with Your Kids

1) Admit to yourself it’s going to be messy. If that stresses you out, cover surfaces with newsprint or butcher paper to catch bits of paper and glitter and drops of glue. Use materials (adhesive, markers, etc.) that are washable. Then relax. If you get paint on your hands, it’s okay. If your child gets marker on her shirt, it will wash. When you’re finished, roll up the newsprint and discard the mess easily.

2) Don’t present one firm example of how the craft should turn out. Either don’t present an example at all, or present several options, so your child knows he can use his imagination. If he glues the eyes where the ears should be, good for him — think of it as an opportunity to introduce cubism (wink). Their idea is more important than how they execute it.

3) Look for crafts that are age appropriate and play to your child’s strengths. If the craft is complicated, break it into steps and figure out which ones your child can do. For a Harry Potter Celebration we made wands out of paper, hot glue and paint. My 6 year old could choose the paper, tape the rolled paper, plug in the glue gun, and paint it with craft paint. I did the hot-glueing, the rolling of the paper that required more dexterity than her little hands could muster and handled the metallic highlights we added with permanent marker. My older kids could do more. My younger kids were napping — this wasn’t a craft appropriate for 2 and under.

4) If you really enjoy crafting yourself, set aside a portion of the craft that is just for you to make. I find when I don’t do this, I hover and am tempted to control what my kids are making. If I know there are some craft materials reserved for me then it’s easier to allow the kids to do their thing. (For example, every year at Easter, I set aside a dozen eggs that are just for me to decorate.)

5) If you’re crafting on the kitchen table and the craft isn’t finished, but it’s time to use the table for dinner, it can be frustrating to clean it all up and start again later. If you don’t have a dedicated craft space, plan your craft to be done in an allotted time.

6) You don’t have to keep it forever. Crafts are often 3-D and can quickly accumulate and take up lots of space. Not everything your child makes is a masterpiece. Say goodbye to some old crafts when new crafts come into your life — before you start resenting crafts in general. Much of the value of crafts is in the making.

7) Remember Tim Gunn and “Make it Work.” It’s not worth running to the store to get the perfect paper/trim/detail. The enthusiasm for the project will evaporate if you have to break for errands. Use materials you have at home.

8) Not every child likes glue and glitter and cutting paper. Don’t force it.



If you're looking for specific ideas, following is a list of crafts my kids have done in the last year or so and loved (including links to my sources or instructions). If you've been reading for awhile, you'll recognize these from earlier posts.

Note: I especially love crafts that are practical. That can be used or worn or played with. If you're looking for decorative crafts, this list won't be helpful.

Also, the ages are just meant as a loose guide — if it says 4+, it means there are lots of steps in the project that a typical 4-year-old could do. It doesn't mean you should leave your 4-year-old alone with a glue gun and sewing machine and sharp pair of scissors while you run to the grocery store.

painted shirt, age 4+
potholders, age 6+
recycled crayons, all ages
artwork calendar, all ages
sculpey beads, age 4+
bubblebath, age 4+
jello or kool-aid playdough, all ages
romper stompers, age 4+
round loom hats & scarves, age 7/8+
bean bags, age 4+
knot a quilt*, age 6+
magic wands, age 5+
barrettes, age 4+
ipod cover, age 7/8+
garlands, age 4+
decoupage eggs, all ages

*I don't think I've posted on Knot-A-Quilt before but it's a kit filled with fringed squares that your child can tie together to make a blanket. Great concept and a good quiet project — my daughter loved making it. But. The fabric it comes with is not the best. I've been experimenting with alternative fabrics that are better looking and higher-quality to see if we can make our own squares. I'll let you know how it goes. . .

ABC Posters

Custom posters at Made By Girl. Highlighting your child's name. Smart. Clever. Good in a family room with your family name as well.

Beautiful Little Vanilla Vases — by Guest Mom Michelle/Scribbit

I love baking with real vanilla beans, they taste like nothing else — there is no substitute. And nearly as wonderful as the beans themselves are the beautiful little glass tubes the beans come in.

For a couple years I saved the tubes because I was sure I'd find something really perfect to do with them and wouldn't you know it — this was the year my creativity finally paid off.

I bought some eight gauge solid copper wire from a local hardware store (I got it for sixty-two cents a foot) and curled it in free-form shapes that clutch the tubes and make standing vases.

To make your own here are a couple tips:

1. Use pliers as little as possible to bend because not only will they nick the wire (even when you protect it with a couple layers of felt) they tend to make bends that aren't as smooth as those you can do with only your fingers.

2. Bend the wire as little as possible — don't unbend and rebend it--because the molecular properties of copper make it so that the more the metal moves the more rigid and difficult to bend it becomes.

3. To get the nice little spirals that hold the vials in place I gently bent the wire into a somewhat tight spiral then stretched it apart. The technique worked well and kept the tubes clutched tightly in place.

If you're not convinced how easy this is or are too busy to make your own, I've put the vase pictured above in my Etsy store for purchase. And if you liked this idea but are hungry for more I'm posting another idea for creating tiny vases from glass tubes at Scribbit. Enjoy!

100 Percent

So I'm back. Feeling good. Yesterday was maybe 80, 85%. Today I'm 100% healthy. And I love it. As soon as I was feeling better my appetite came back with a vengeance and happily, my friend Angela who is in tune with the entire Universe, sensed this increased hunger and brought an enormous pasta dinner for my whole family. Complete with homemade sauce from her Grandma's special recipe and a crusty loaf of bread. Yummy. And did I mention yummy? Thank you Angela!

(Side note: is there anything more wonderful than a good friend to bring you dinner when you're not feeling well? Seriously. You should probably move to New York so you can live near people like Angela.)



During the worst of the sickness, I comforted myself with sips of Glow Mama. Lucy Leahy developed a drink just for expectant/nursing Mamas (I'm not currently either, but anyway...) when she found herself a bit discouraged at her limited beverage options while she was pregnant. She sent me a couple of samples of her kiwi juice concoction and I found them light, not too sweet, subtle,and pretty darn lovely. Very gentle on my upset stomach.



And to cheer me up, Shannon from Rocks in My Dryer sent me an article her local Tulsa newspaper had written up about her great blog. It's a lovely article and was especially cheery to me because she mentioned my blog as one of her ten favorites. Thank you Shannon! You're a sweetheart.

And now here I am. Healthy, full of pasta and kiwi juice, and delighted by a newspaper mention. Life is good. I can't wait to read Michelle's guest post today. . .

fawn & forest

There's a new modern baby shop that's just opened its online doors. It's called fawn & forest — a beautiful website and a great collection of products. I'm especially drawn to the Fraizer & Wing recycled paper mobiles. So pretty. As delightful over the couch as they would be over the crib.

Ode to a Loaf of Bread — by Guest Mom Michelle/Scribbit

Whoever said man doesn't live by bread alone must not feel the way I do about those lovely little carbs. When I go to a restaurant and they have a bread basket at the table I'm usually filling up on crusty, soft slices of heaven before my meal ever arrives.

I'm sharing my basic, tried-and-true, absolutely fabulous bread recipe that I use in my bread machine. If you're one who swears on the old-fashioned knead-by-hand method I'm sure you can adapt this to fit your needs (kneads?) but if you love fresh bread and the ease of technology get yourself a bread machine and try this recipe — I promise you happiness. A few notes: While I also adapt it for whole wheat, I never make 100% whole wheat because I dislike the heavy, dense texture. Instead of 4 1/2 cups of white flour you can use 2 cups of whole wheat and 2 of all-purpose with excellent results and better health. Either way is good for dinner rolls and loaves. On the loaf you see pictured above after letting it rise for 30 minutes I sprayed the loaf with olive oil cooking spray, sprinkled sea salt and rosemary on top, then made light, cross cuts on the top with a serrated edge before baking — pretty, no?

Here's the recipe:

1 1/2 cup warm water
4 1/2 cups white all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons powdered milk
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon fast acting yeast (though this may need to be reduced if your machine has a very long rising time.)

Add all of the ingredients into the bucket of the bread machine and set on the dough cycle. When finished, shape as you wish on a greased cookie sheet and allow the bread to rise for 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 28 minutes or until golden brown on top. All machines are not alike so you may have to tweak it to make it fit your particular machine. Just remember that less is more when it comes to the amount of flour. You want to add as little flour as you can otherwise the texture becomes too dense.



I've had four bread machines and I've worn each of them into the ground so I have to show off my latest model. A friend of mine had a brand new Cuisinart bread machine she didn't want so she gave it to me just as my fourth machine was on its deathbed. If you're in the market for a bread machine you should consider a couple criteria:

1. How large a loaf can it handle? (A two pound loaf is a must for me)
2. How deep is the bucket? (A deeper bucket will mean less sloppiness and a cleaner machine)
3. How long does it take to complete a cycle? Four hours? Two? Something in the middle is best.
4. Does it have enough settings? Can it handle whole wheat? French? Dough?
5. Does it have a window? Because you'll want to see your art baking.
6. Remember that more expensive doesn't mean better, I've tried high end and low end and the low end models work as well--or better--than the more expensive machines every time. I had excellent results with The Corner Bakery brand.

Happiness is a warm loaf of bread so if you want some of my other favorite bread recipes here click on these:

Cranberry Bread
Perfect Cinnamon Rolls
Smoked Gouda Rolls
Sticky Rolls
Baked Apple Donuts
Pesto Cheese Pizza

Labour & Wait

Annie of Basic Joy sent me the link to Labour & Wait. It is my new favorite stop on the internet. Holy Cow. I love every single item they stock. They sell a good-looking British version of pretty much everything you need to set up house. If I was getting married this week you could consider me registered for one of each.

I understand they have a brick and mortar shop in London as well. Has anyone been?

Preview: Swimsuits for Girls

It's January. I'm freezing cold. But the catalogs are arriving with kids' swimsuits and I can't help but notice. Garnet Hill has put an amazing collection together for the girls. My favorites are these ruffle, halter suits. So cute I wish they came in my size.

Bringing the Outside In (But Without the Antlers) — by Guest Mom Michelle/Scribbit

I have to say it's intimidating to write a post for Design Mom "where motherhood and design intersect" because I've read the blog for a while now and I know exactly the kinds of ideas Gabrielle posts — and they just ooze class and sophistication. I hate to admit it but when it comes to class and sophistication Alaskans are rather . . . um . . . "design-challenged" shall we say?

Partly because everything from the mountains to the economy to the cities is new, partly because the population is young, partly because it's rugged and partly because it's so predominantly male Alaskan style can be best summed up in the words "Shabby Chic" which isn't really chic at all — just shabby. And apparently proud of it.

Where else do you regularly see people at the opera wearing jeans? Or cars that haven't been washed for six months? Or homes sporting moose antlers over the garage door? Or aluminum foil decorating bedroom windows? (It's to block the sunlight in summer). Yes, as much as I love the land of my birth it's rather embarrassing when it comes to defining Alaskan style.

However. . . just because there are deficiencies in refinement here doesn't mean we don't have virtues as well. Alaskans are very aware of their environment and they respect nature (both its beauty and its danger). There's an abundance of natural resources and an excitement and optimism that translates into forward-thinking creativity.

What does this mean for every day life? Well take my previous examples. Moose antlers and taxidermy gone mad are common Alaskan decorating themes. Personally? I've sworn that there will never be anything with a head stuffed and mounted on my wall but the basic concept is worthwhile, it just needs a bit of tweaking. Bring those natural elements into your home, bring bits of the outside environment inside and you will add an important depth and comfort to your decorating.

For example:

Several years ago our family discovered a bird that had nested in the tall spring grasses on the southern side of our house. We blocked off the area from foot traffic and sat back to watch from an upper patio that looked down onto the nest. We were like Audobon paparazzi, stalking the nest to see when any big news was to be reported and when the day came that the eggs finally hatched it was an all-out Family Moment.

The birds soon flew away but I carefully collected the nest and had it framed with a card displaying the name of the bird along with the date we discovered the nest. Hanging on our wall it not only brings in a lovely natural element but is a great conversation piece. Though oddly enough everyone wants to know if the fake eggs I put in the nest for display are the real eggs. Apparently they believe I'm capable of killing baby birds for the sake of their eggs, that I'm that heartless.



Incorporating natural elements into your rooms not only creates an inviting and relaxing atmosphere--particularly when you've got light, airy spaces with clean lines and minimal ornamentation--it's a perfect way to keep family connections alive. Experiencing nature together and creatively displaying your trophies is the equivalent of hanging pages from your family albums on the wall, children love to remember the circumstances of each find which sparks lovely conversations of "remember when?"



For ways to bring little bits of nature into your home here are some of my favorite ideas:

• Framed Flat Displays. Frame charcoal rubbings of maple leaves, pressed flowers or mushroom prints made from fungi spores (see Martha Stewart "How to Print Mushrooms"). If it's flat it can be put in a frame and hung on the wall--and who doesn't have wall space?

• Shadow Boxes. For things that are a little thicker shadow boxes are an elegant alternative. Mount sea shells, fossils from a family dig, shark teeth, pieces of coral, a snake skin shed in the garden or dried flowers for an interesting grouping. I found a good supplier for shadow boxes that I described in my post "Cookie Cutter Display Cases" and even animal bones like the one my son reconstructed for science class (see my post here) would be beautiful artfully framed. But maybe not this bone — I made Andrew take that one to the office.

• Swags and Garlands. Stalks of wheat, branches of cotton with the boles still clinging, wild turkey feathers — they all make dramatic displays arched over a doorway. Think of things that are native to your region, then bunch 'em and hang 'em. As an alternative, drill holes in things like acorns or pine cones, string them and hang them at the top of a door or around a window.

• Centerpieces. Likewise, anything that you can use in a swag would look distinctive in a vase as a centerpiece to your table. Forced branches are particularly lovely in winter (see Martha Stewart "Forcing Branches" for details).

• Placemats. In tropical climates, gather palm fronds to be used as placemats or as a runner down the middle of the table.

• Enclosed jars and bowls. Using vintage apothecary jars or milk glass bowls are perfect for displaying larger objects. Think acorns (oh how I wish we had oak trees here), pieces of empty honeycomb, pine cones or empty hand-blown eggs. We've collected sand from different beaches we've been to and put them in corked glass jars — but layering the sand in a large jar would also be pretty.

• Mobiles and Hangings. Hang sand dollars, driftwood and sea stars over a bed by white gauzy ribbon in random patterns or as a mobile. Hang things from the top of a window casing so that they catch the light and turn gently in the air.

• Weavings. Collect sea grasses or spring willow branches and weave them into a square with the ends still sticking out — the contrast between the rigidity of the square and the natural fibers would be attractive as a mat or framed.

• Photographs. Frame a grouping of pictures of a dewy spiderweb from the garden or a series of pictures of the same oak tree in the front yard as seen during different seasons.

• Houseplants. Line the top of the soil in your pots with sea shells, river rocks, coral — anything that will keep the soil from losing moisture and look decorative. Decoupage a wooden box with pressed flowers collected from the first blooms of spring in a new home.

• Decoupage and Mosaics. Use beach glass, shells or small pebbles to make stepping stones for the garden. or to cover a patio table. Press flowers collected from the first spring in your new home to use as decoupage on a box or frame.

Whatever your climate, wherever you live, make your rooms more comfortable by bring pieces of your outside inside. It's what memories are made of--and memories are the most natural thing in the world.

Petrie Point Designs

I received an email from Susan of Petrie Point Designs a couple of weeks ago and started oohing and aahing at her charming collection immediately. Susan takes actual antique/vintage items (teddy bears, baby shoes, and my favorite: bathing suits) and has them perfectly framed and preserved. What fantastic accents for a nursery! A great way to bring in some history — especially if you haven't inherited your own heirlooms to display.

These aren't budget items, but it's understandable considering their one-of-a-kind nature and fine framing.

Back In a Bit

Oh my. I have 3 more really good posts for today — one of them from our awesome Guest Mom, Michelle. Really. They are don't miss. But. I'm deathly ill with some sort of flue and am kidding myself if I think I can get them posted right now. This same sickness has cycled through my kids pretty quickly, so I'm crossing my fingers I'll be feeling healthy soon (oh please let it be soon). And then I'll be back at my computer.

Also. I'm feeling heart-heavy today. A great man and leader passed away yesterday. His name is Gordon B. Hinckley and he's been the leader of my church for the last 12 years. So I'm also spending time today with the rest of my peeps mourning his death and pondering and celebrating the good life he lived .

Say Hello to Michelle Mitchell of Scribbit!

Note from Design Mom: I can't wait for you to meet our newest Guest Mom. You are going to love her. She's a great writer. She's funny. She's endlessly interesting and completely down to earth. Plus, her life is a full-fledged adventure — if for no other reason than she lives in the great state of Alaska. You may already know her blog Scribbit. It is one of the hands down best blogs that you could fit under the "parenting" topic umbrella — or pretty much any other topic umbrella. I asked her to write up an introduction so we could get to know her better, but before I get to it, I just want to say: Welcome Michelle! I'm happy to have you here!!

An Introduction to Scribbit

I'm so happy to be here at Design Mom, it's like a little vacation for me to come and post this week--only considerably cheaper and without so much sunblock. I'm Michelle Mitchell and my blog, Scribbit, is my online magazine where I post about everything related to motherhood in Alaska and I'm looking forward to sharing a little glimpse of my life in the land where global warming is a welcome thing. Back at Scribbit I publish my favorite recipes, household tips, crafts, contests and giveaways mixed with stories of being a mom in the Last Frontier.



I was born and raised in Anchorage but met my husband, Andrew, while we were at college out of state. He fell in love with Alaska from his very first fishing trip and we've been happily frozen here ever since. I come from a large family (I'm the oldest of six) and fifteen years of marriage have produce four children of our own: Grace, age 14, who's recently discovered dances, pierced ears and driving. Spencer, who's greatest ambition in life is to be an 11 year-old Macguyer-meets-Grizzly Adams. David, age 8, our future marine biologist who doesn't care what he's doing so long as he's with his big brother and Lillian, age 5, our resident kindergarten-sized Broadway star. We love living on the edge of the United States and plan to stay here until we die--or until we retire to life on Maui where I can fulfill my dream to have my own private beach complete with wi-fi where I can blog till the whales come home.

If you'd like a more academic biography, I received a B.A. in English with a minor in journalism just before my marriage and I followed my husband to North Dakota while he worked his way through law school. Though I've had some interesting jobs working as a researcher at the National Archives in Washington, D.C, working for Covey Leadership Center (of Stephen R. Covey and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People fame) and doing freelance editing and tech writing here and there motherhood had a way of restricting my creative time. Until blogging. I started Scribbit in 2005 but wasn't serious about it until a year later when I finally began venturing out of my hole to meet other bloggers and participate in the blogging community. I began posting every day and things took off until here I am, 750 posts later, enjoying a writing stint at Design Mom and loving it.



If you'd like a deeper (and less glamorous) introduction to our family I'd recommend the following posts:

Wherein Our Heroine Unknowlingly Aids and Abets
Oh Yea? So What is YOUR Child Wearing?

Winner — Virtual Baby Shower Giveaway

What a fantastic contest. And what a delight to read the 877 entries. Crazy. I just put all the numbers and secret codes into the super-computer at random.org and we've got our random winner of the Virtual Baby Shower Giveaway:

Congratulations to: nor lou who said, "wonderful!!!"

Congratulations, nor lou! Please email me from the link on my blog with your shipping address and product picks, and I'll get your info to the sponsors right away.

Speaking of the lovely sponsors, here's a big thank you to: Snug-a-Bug Baby, Blonde Designs, IsaBooties, Baby Bear Shop and Quilt Baby!

Valentine's on my Mind

Happy weekend! Tomorrow I'm teaching a class about doing art projects and crafts with kids. Fun stuff. I'm off to finish my preparations. I'll leave you with 3 Valentine-sy things that made me smile.


Gorgeous paper globe ornaments by Heather Bailey. Great link, Maya! Thanks.


A Wheat Heart for your Sweet Heart at the Scandinavian Design Center. Warm up this heart-shaped wheat-filled bag to comfort your child after a scraped knee or slip it into their pocket to heat their hands on a chilly day. The same idea as the heating pad my daughter made for Christmas in a sweeter, smaller application. A perfect valentine token. via Fun Finds for Mom.


Super-de-duper-sweet cards by Kit Allen. For boys. And girls. I heart the librarian. Thanks for the link, Lori!


Quick reminder: you can enter the amazing Virtual Baby Shower Giveaway through Sunday at midnight. Great prizes from great sponsors. You don't want to miss out.

Ask Design Mom: What to do with Children's Artwork

Ask-Design-Mom Question: Hi Gabrielle. As the mother of 5 creative children, I think you are the perfect person to ask this question... I was wondering if you have creative suggestions for what to do with the blizzard of artwork that my kids bring home each week from school (not to mention the work the generate at home)? I have a pre-schooler and a first grader and they generate a LOT of precious "art". I like having it around the house and proudly hang much of it, but would love some creative ideas for how to preserve, display and manage the volume. Thanks for your wonderful blog and Happy New Year! Regards, Brenda

Design Mom Answer:
Great question Brenda. This one is a non-stop challenge for all parents. I've detailed my own storing-artwork-philosophy before here. (In short the philosophy is: keep it moving. Post current artwork. Replace it when new items come home. Save a very few select items and only projects that are true originals or that your child is particularly proud of.) But today I've got 3 cute ideas I've seen recently that might help you out.

1) Lizzy had the brilliant idea to use her daughter's artwork to make her grocery lists and to-do lists. Child friendly and earth friendly. I'm sure her daughter feels so important when she sees mom carrying around her drawing as mom goes about doing errands.


2) In the most recent issue of Good Things for Kids (one of the Martha mini-magazines — this issue is titled "Get Crafty" and just came out last week), there are dozens of amazing ideas, some dealing with the exact question in mind. I loved their idea of putting a year's worth of artwork into mailing tubes. The tubes are especially good at accommodating oversize pieces of paper.


3) Another great idea from Good Things for Kids, is to turn your child's drawing into something practical by mounting a small paper calendar directly on the artwork (see the pic at the top of this post). We happened to get one of those mini calendars in the mail yesterday from our oil company and decided we should try this project immediately. Instead of mounting the whole calendar on one masterpiece, my kids collected 12 pieces of artwork, trimmed them down and mounted the artwork and one calendar month on 12 separate sheets of paper. Double-stick tape and glue sticks were the mounting adhesives of choice.


When we were finished, we bound the 12 pages together with an oversize paperclip and slipped them in a happy red envelope. We're sending this off to Grandma for a belated birthday present. If your utilities company/real estate agent/gardening catalog isn't as forthcoming with the mini calendars, you can also buy them from this site.

One last idea: if you find your child is particularly taken with drawing, introduce a sketchbook into their life. When they fill it up, introduce a new one. That way, their artwork is already bound and easy to store and they can see their progression easily.

What about you, clever readers? How do you handle the oceans of artwork that come into your homes?

Shutter Sisters

There's a new website called Shutter Sisters that I have spent some very satisfying time exploring. It's for photographers and wannabe photographers and admirers of photographers. Founded by some of the most creative and inspiring women out there. Eight sisters. Three of whom I consider trusted blog friends, Andrea Scher of Superhero Journal, Karen Walrond of Chookooloonks and Tracey Clark of Mother May I.

Check it out. Explore. Get involved in Love Thursday. Or try a Superhero Photo Challenge. Nominate a photo for One Sweet Shot. Or join their flickr group. Mostly just let the beautiful photography inspire your day.

I've heard bits and pieces about this project over the last year and was so excited to see the site had launched. Congratulations Ladies!!

This site is going to be huge. I'm sure of it. I recommend getting involved early so you can say, "I was a Shutter Sister from day one".

I found the announcement on sk*rt.

Hable Construction Spring/Summer '08 Sneak Peek

photos by rinne allen

The girls at Hable Construction are getting ready for the February NY Gift Show and sent around a sneak peek of their new lines. So fresh! They make me crave warm weather — especially the yellow prints. I so look forward to dropping by their booth and seeing all of this in person.

Rocking Chair by Egg Designs

I get emails inquiring about good rockers maybe once a week. The topic has been covered a couple of times here and here, but I've always got my eyes peeled for new, beautiful options and I think this chair by Egg Designs is delightful.

I spotted it on the 2Modern blog.

Random Giveaway — Virtual Baby Shower

I am so psyched about today's giveaway that I'm typing standing up. It's that good. Seriously. It involves fantastic prizes from 5 different vendors that I love, totaling almost $250. And it's all about the baby. Which means it's all about you. Because as you've come to find out, that baby can't do a dang thing for itself. Your happiness = baby's happiness. And if you win this Giveaway you are going to be soooo happy! Take a look at the goods:


1) A Mini Minky and Bib & Burp Cloth set from Quilt Baby.

Quilt Baby is a fairly recent discovery for me and I'm still in that crush stage where I go and wander their website just to see the pretty colors and great photography. They're adding 4 total items to the prize package: 1 Mini Minky blanket, plus a Bib & Burp Cloth set that includes 1 bib & 2 burp cloths. Best part is: winner's choice! And what a choice it is. So many cute prints and patterns to choose from. It's a decision I would savor for hours. How fun to be able to wrap your baby in such coziness! The 4 items retail for $48.


2) Appreciate Gift Set from Baby Bear Shop.

Baby Bear Shop is a no brainer when you're looking for organic body products and gorgeous packaging. Their pretty little lip gloss tins are a staple in my handbag. This is what's included in their Appreciate Gift Set: Lavender Vanilla Lip Balm, Cheeky Baby Butter, and Mama Belly Oil. Completely organic. Completely effective. Completely yummy. And to top it off they're beautifully packaged: earthy, amber-hued bottles with vintage story-book illustrations, packaged in recycled kraft paper box with brown polka dot bow. Just reading the product descriptions makes my skin feel softer. The gift set retails for $48.


3) Two Pairs of Shoes from Isabooties.

What is it about seeing tiny little baby shoes that makes me so happy? I love the options at Isabooties! They look so well made, simple and clean. Little embellishments and details but no major animal or truck themed additions — sometimes you just crave a simple shoe. Isabooties are made in the USA of super-soft ultra-suede. They're machine-washable & dryable and they don't slip off little toesies. Lucky you — if you win you get to pick two pairs! Any size. Any style. One for you and one for a gift? Or one for you and another for you. Extra bonus: type in coupon code "designmom" for 15% off your order. Each pair of Isabooties retails for $29.


4) One set of Baby Stationery from Blonde-Designs.

Of course your baby needs his own stationery — he's that kind of baby — ready to send out thank you notes and thoughtful correspondence at a moment's notice. So you might as well set him up with something charming and appropriate. Like a set of 25 custom notecards from Blonde-Designs. 12 great choices with super-sweet illustrations. And the winner gets to pick her favorite(!) and have her darling baby's name printed right at the top of every card. The two artistic minds behind Blonde-Designs are former Martha Stewart art directors — and I bet they're missed. Because their clean designs and sophisticated color palette are so good. I'm a total fan. A box of 25 custom notecards retails for $50.


5) One Warmsie Set from Snug-a-Bug Baby.

The timing is simply perfect on this item — because it is so dang freezing cold outside it's ridiculous. At first glance you many think: ummm. That looks like a basic onesie and pants sets. Cute. But why the fuss? Well this is the fuss. Instead of being made from basic cotton, these Warmsie sets are made from super-hi-tech Temp-Rite fabric — which provides lots of warmth, without the bulk. So instead of wearing 15 pounds of layers, your baby can perch happily in her stroller and still move her arms. Available in lots of styles and colors — and the winner gets to pick size and pattern! Each warmsie set retails for $40.

What did I tell you? Great Giveaway today. So many treats it's like a Virtual Baby Shower. Happy commenting and a big thank you to our excellent sponsors!

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Random Giveaway Guidelines:
-You have until midnight PST on Sunday, January 27th to enter this giveaway.
-Just make a comment ON THIS POST to enter — any comment.
-Anonymous comments will be ignored/removed.
-One entry per person, please.
-The winner will be randomly picked and announced Monday morning.
-What are Random Giveaways? Read about them here.