As joyous an occasion as baby showers are, the novelty of opening layette basics and other necessities wears off quickly. For a gift that undoubtedly will boost any baby shower with a heartfelt round of “aww’s!” check out the fashionable and functional layette bouquets by BabyBlooms. These gorgeous, artfully assembled pink, blue, and neutral toned bundles include flower buds rolled from an assortment of baby socks, hats, bibs, and onesies, interspersed with silk flowers and foliage. We especially love that the garments in their Natural Cream Bouquet are made from 100% organic cotton.
Want to win a BabyBlooms Natural Cream Bouquet? Email us by midnight EST tonight (with “BabyBlooms” in the subject) and name another type of gift product available at BabyBlooms. Worldwide entrants welcome!
As joyous an occasion as baby showers are, the novelty of opening layette basics and other necessities wears off quickly. For a gift that undoubtedly will boost any baby shower with a heartfelt round of “aww’s!” check out the fashionable and functional layette bouquets by BabyBlooms. These gorgeous, artfully assembled pink, blue, and neutral toned bundles include flower buds rolled from an assortment of baby socks, hats, bibs, and onesies, interspersed with silk flowers and foliage. We especially love that the garments in their Natural Cream Bouquet are made from 100% organic cotton.
Want to win a BabyBlooms Natural Cream Bouquet? Email us by midnight EST tonight (with “BabyBlooms” in the subject) and name another type of gift product available at BabyBlooms. Worldwide entrants welcome!
If you’re like me, a lover of beauty products who has found frustration in highly touted, highly priced beauty goods that do squat, then you’ll likely find relief in Nadine Haobsh’s Beauty Confidential
. Written by a former New York City beauty editor, this book cuts the concealer, as it were, to bring you the straight scoop on beauty (including recommendations for products worth their weight in gold, and those just as well procured at the drugstore). I’m reviewing this book today in conjunction with The Parent Bloggers Network.
I almost thought the toy recalls couldn’t get worse; now there’s the Aqua Dots recall. Aqua Dots allow kids to create multicolor, multidimensional designs with small beads that fuse together when sprayed with water. The CPSC reports: “The coating on the beads that causes the beads to stick to each other when water is added contains a chemical that can turn toxic when many are ingested. Children who swallow the beads can become comatose, develop respiratory depression, or have seizures.” The CPSC has received two reports of children who fell into a coma following ingestion. Aqua Dots are known as Bindeez in Australia, where it’s been reported that the chemical in the beads metabolizes into gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB; also known as Liquid Ecstasy) when swallowed.
PLEASE share this information with all the parents you know!
Need a stroller for multiples? Heather has done your research for you!
"Shopping for a stroller when I was pregnant with my first child was fun. There were so many options in a variety of colors and styles. Purchasing a stroller for our triplets was a completely different experience. The very first challenge we faced was that triplet strollers are not sold in most stores. They must be ordered online; touching, feeling, and testing were not an option. I soon found that there is no such thing as a 'chic' triple stroller and focused on finding one that was safe, easy to push, comfortable, easily collapsible, and fit in the back of our minivan and through standard doors. After much research, I acquiesced that no such triple stroller exists and now find myself the proud owner of 3 triple strollers.
Given the real estate market, I have yet to figure out who is filling all of the luxe condo complexes that have sprouted up along Mass. Ave. in North Cambridge over the last year, but the Good Food Café is good news for these residents (and locals in striking distance).
Okay, I’ll admit it. When Laurel was a baby, all those hours of nursing while perusing celeb fashion mags inspired my obsession with handbags. Luxe and low budget bag features are forthcoming; meanwhile, for lovers of fashion, history, and fabulous photo spreads, there’s The Handbag: An Illustrated History
. Starting with the handbag’s modest pouch origins, ending with celebrity arm candy and man-bags, and hitting all the iconic bags in between, Handbag traces the sociohistorical context of the handbag within a stylish spread of illustrations, product stills, and model/celebrity shots.
Want to win a copy of The Handbag? Email us by midnight EST tonight (with “Handbag” in the subject) and name one of author Caroline Cox’s two previous books. US entrants welcome.
Today our Parent Bloggers Network pals are running a blog blast in conjunction with Harper Collins’s release of Nadine Haobsh’s Beauty Confidential (check back next week for my review). If you’re a blogger willing to post today about your biggest beauty blunder, you’ll be eligible to win Haobsh’s list of 12 beauty editor must haves! Click here for details on how to participate. And read on to learn about my biggest beauty blunder, Operation Asian Cover Up:
Mamahood has exacerbated my negligence about tidying up clothes at the end of each season; when I broke out my fall sweaters, they were laundered but teeming will pills. After some hunting around, I was thrilled to find the Evercare D-Fuzz-It Sweater & Fabric Comb
I’ve found black to be a crucial color in the mama wardrobe, what with its slimming, toddler food blob camouflaging properties. And if you need inspiration beyond your basic black sheath, The Black Dress
is replete with evidence that black is nowhere near boring. Black Dress offers an accessible historical essay on the evolution of the classic, embedded within a chic spread of black dress fine art, illustrations, and photographs. The origins of each image are detailed in a terrific pictorial annotated bibliography of sorts at the conclusion of the book.
Want to win a copy of The Black Dress? Email us by midnight EST tonight (with “Black Dress” in the subject) and name author Valerie Steele’s day job. US entrants welcome.
Perfect for cool weather, here’s a recipe from Jules that will satisfy your sweet tooth while keeping the calories in check:
"In my house, the onset of fall means comfort food; autumn and winter are our prime time for cooking heady, comforting meals with hearty desserts. But cool weather weight gain happens for a reason; hearty meals and treats are often rich, laden with calories. These reduced fat peanut butter chunk cookies are perfect served warm with a tall glass of milk. Or if you’re looking to add some richness, top them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Having grown up with 4 sisters and 2 brothers, it’s long been clear that girls are just as well suited to adventure as boys. And lest moms of girls were feeling left out with the publication of The Dangerous Book for Boys, there’s now the equally fabulous Daring Book for Girls
. Similar to Boys in coverage of survival, literacy, sport, and history, Girls also explains topics and rules vaguely understood during my days in the schoolyard (e.g., palm reading, hopscotch, jump rope, friendship bracelets), and ones I’m keen to learn about now (e.g., how to tie a sari, putting your hair up with a pencil, fabulous women in history). This book no doubt will come in handy as we raise an inquisitive daughter who’s raring for adventure each and every day.
Want to win a copy of The Daring Book for Girls? Email us by midnight EST tonight (with “Daring” in the subject) and name co-author Andrea Buchanan's profession prior to becoming a writer. US entrants welcome.
Ever since I stopped nursing and gained back 10 unshakeable pounds, I’ve sporadically toyed with different fitness options. The gym proved too expensive and time consuming (transit time, waiting for equipment, etc.), and as much as I love walking, it doesn’t impact the same way a targeted workout does. So when the folks at PUSH offered me an opportunity to test their customized personal training DVDs, I was both intrigued and intimidated. The intimidation passed quickly though; PUSH’s concise yet comprehensive workouts will make novices to gurus alike feel the burn in a friendly, efficient, and economical manner.
Take this lead from Kate, and enjoy a shopping trip outside of the mall:
“Let's face it: malls offer reliability and convenience, but isn't it nice to try something new and different? Or, as in the case of the latest and greatest addition to Boston's increasingly interesting universe of vintage fashion, old and different? The Velvet Fly, a small, elegant, and inviting boutique located in Boston's North End, offers a range of designs both vintage and new, for anyone interested in going slightly off the beaten path for clothing, jewelry, lingerie, and handbags. Featuring items most appropriate for days at work and evenings out, The Velvet Fly caters to customers who enjoy fashion but don't enjoy pretension. In this era of the mega-mall, check out The Velvet Fly and appreciate the intimacy of a small-scale shopping experience.”
Want to win a $25 in-store gift certificate to The Velvet Fly? Email us by midnight EST tonight (with “Velvet Fly” in the subject) and name one of the fabulous designers TVF carries.
Today is a day of activism to help garner support for The MOTHERS Act for postpartum depression. This call to action is sponsored by BlogHer, Postpartum Support International, and Postpartum Progress. To join the cause, blog about this initiative today. Or if you aren’t a blogger, call or email your senator and simply ask them to co-sponsor The MOTHERS Act bill number S. 1375, which will provide funding for postpartum depression research, education, screening, and treatment. Thanks everyone!
You can’t go wrong gifting new parents with diapers. Reader Sharon from Henderson, NV wrote in with this tip on gifting diapers with style: “I just got [a Diaper Cakewalk diaper cake] for my friend's baby shower and it was just too cute! Everyone at the baby shower raved about what a cute idea it was, and most had never seen one before. I got the pink and brown one with the Burt’s Bees products. It smelled great, and my pregnant friend loved it; she got everyone's picture taken with the cake. This is my new go-to baby gift for pregnant friends and family!”
This may sound odd, but this weekend our Scrabble set
– dusty from years of dormancy – served not only to connect letters into words, but also to reconnect Jon and me.
Over the last six weeks, the stress of negotiating several transitions (Jon and my new work commitments and Laurel’s preschool room) was taking its toll. Initial school separation anxiety aside, Laurel seemed happy, but Jon and I were distracted, edgy, and not well connected. And conversations with several mama friends made it clear that I was not alone in feeling depressed that our lives seemed mired in logistics management.
Whether you have a passion for vintage clothing, want to learn more about design trends, or just love fabric, color, and pretty pictures, you will adore Vintage Fashion
. Vintage Fashion traces the evolution of designer trends from 1900-1990, culturally framing the key looks, details, and designers of the decades within lavish photo spreads that will make you want to reach in and touch each and every creation. An amazing resource, this book is positively making me itch to learn to sew clothing.
Want to win a copy of Vintage Fashion? Email us by midnight EST tonight (with “Vintage Fashion” in the subject) and tell us where author Emma Baxter Wright studied fashion. US entrants welcome.
One of the joys of kids growing more dexterous is that it enables them to engage in countless hours of imaginative play via toy sets such as Playmobil, beloved by Tracy’s family:
“The recent spate of toy recalls has left me sort of amazed that we have not had to return a single toy. This is partially due to our families and friends understanding our desire for toys made of wood or other natural materials. Another reason though, is that we have encouraged Gabriel’s interest in Playmobil.