Came across this lovely book of poetry and fabulous shop.
Looks like such a beautiful baby gift and keepsake.
Her other work is gorgeous as well…check it out.

Fell in love with this little coloring book when we saw it ! When we found out the designer and her mom wrote the poems for each, we fell even further in love. The folks at Elle Decor loved it as much as we did, and featured it in the June issue along with our shop information.
The perfect gift for kids and fabulous to take on summer road trips or to a local restaurant.

Available in our stores or on her Etsy site.

We were all talking about our new house the other day ( we need to find a new rental for the expanding family! )
and the kids were listing all of the things they hoped it might have. Simple, adorable requests I might add, and nothing too extravagant. My favorite and one that I can imagine someday was a tree that could house a tree house. Which of course got me thinking and dreaming. The idea of all of us building a tree house seems like such fun..and we have the perfect grandpa to recruit for the plans or part of the task.

The other option, is to find a great kit..loved this book and thought it would be a great Father’s Day gift-so many tree houses and other projects for the summer months. Would be such fun for everyone in the late afternoons or evenings to build!

Until the trees are ours to actually build on, we can make forts with trees, twigs and rocks OR we can get or make a fabulous tepee that can be transported to our next home!

Scott and I were asked ( and had fun! ) picking out some gifts for the girls, and for Mother’s Day. Check out some of our favorites in the May Issue of Pregnancy Magazine.

For the twins:
A fabulous poster for the nursery
A collection of favorite books, some old and some new
Music to fall asleep to, and tunes we would all like to hear
Silhouttes from our favorite artist
Baby’s first words, a letterpress keepsake that can be framed

Will share picks for Mom on Monday!

Have always loved these mini diaries from Marta Designs.
The simple concept of pausing for a moment and being thankful for the moments in life. So easy ( as I have for years! ) to get caught in the constant mode of doing, aquiring and moving without even realizing it.
Love the spirit of these diaries ( and everything Marta does…) Take a moment to pause, and reflect. Whether you jot it down or not, trust me, it is transformative.

P.S. these are a GREAT and simple gift and Marta’s blog and musings as a new mom are a wonderful regular read.

P.P.S Isn’t her handwriting to die for?

Ok, I admit I am a bit obsessed with silhouettes. There is something so simple and elegant about this art form, and I think something fabulous about the idea of creating and giving these as a gift. A few months ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Karl Johnson who has been creating wonderful silhouettes for years. Initially at Opryland ( where he met his now wife ) and now, on the pages of Oprah magazine as one of her favorites and has been in InStyle Magazine, Martha Stewart Weddings and Parenting Magazine. Scott and I made him one of our Preganancy Magazine picks for Mother’s Day ( more on that to follow…)

Always on the look out for great and personal gifts for friends and family, I love the idea of giving these for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or truthfully any holiday. Check out his work and website here…So easy ( and inexpensive ! ) Seriously, he is so talented and incredibly nice.

We are hoping to do some in store events with him soon. Stay tuned!

As someone who loves photography, and having a house full of pictures of the kids and family. I am always attracted to simple, stylish photography books. This one is a treasure, as it is both fantastic to look at AND full of practical tips to make all of us better photographers.

Camera-Ready, How to Shoot Your Kids from Arthur Elgort ( a fabulous fashion photographer ) is a treasure for so many reasons.
Photos are fantastic and inspiring, the text is kept to a minimum and the tips are practical and easy to follow and the book is one of my all time favorite gifts to give…Perfect for a baby gift, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.
Sadly the book is no longer in print, but you can usually find copies on Amazon.

I think Spring Break may be my favorite School Vacation. With the gorgeous Spring weather, it is the perfect week to just enjoy the outdoors, the change in season and all of the fun that comes with Spring. Unlike other school breaks, which can sometimes seemed packed with expectations and commitments, there is something glorious about waking up to the sun, the sound of the birds and a day of outdoor fun.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve come across a ton of inspiration and ideas about gardening, introducing kids to the ideas of growing some of their own foods and a fabulous concept on how to share the abundance of a garden with those in need. This seems like the perfect week for such a project…Even in our small little back yard-there is room for planting and container gardening!

First off, love the book the Edible Schoolyard by Alice Waters and her whole approach to bringing gardening back into all communities. Her book is a treasure-full of fantastic inspiration, practical and realistic plans for gardening with kids and recipes for all that you might choose to grow. We have had the book in our stores since early spring, and can’t keep it in stock.
Her website is also a fantastic resource, and I am dying to attend one of her community classes with the kids.Take a look…

Once you do decide to take the plunge…why not grow a bit extra and join the Garden Writers Association as they Plant a Row for the Hungry. The concept is super simple, Plant an extra row, or container of vegetables for a local food bank or soup kitchen and drop off your edibles. To find out more about the program check out their website.