More Skip Hop Love

I am just loving these colorful products from Skip Hop...

Palette Plate

Mate Stay-put Placemat & Plate

Zoo Bibs

Jersey Shore Body Suit

This cracked me up!

via SkipHop

Spring and Happy Things

Around here there isn't much of a feeling of Spring in the air, but this beautiful image from Dana Made It reminds me that Spring really is just around the corner.

 

These super cute accessories from briarclaire 

(via Somewhat Simple)

made me smile :)

A fun jingle bracelet from Heather Bailey 

Flower stationery from Kates Papiere

 A perfect cupcake from Food Network
 

 

L'Occitane Pure Shea Butter

 

More fun stationery from Kates Papiere

Valentine's Day Cards & Printables

Some fun Valentine's Day cards and printables from around the web...

Click on the links to find even more fun cards from these stores:

1.  English Muffin Shop

2.  Scenerie

3.  Hello Lucky

4.  Up Up Creative

5.  Monkey Moo Moo

6.  Puppy Love

7.  Kates Papiere

8.  The Paper Peony

9.  Night Owl Paper Goods

10.  Pup and Pony

She sells seashells...

"She sells sea shells by the sea shore" - get a rundown on your personality type through your writing here.

One

Recently I came across the following quote from a book called 1 (How many people does it take to make a difference?) by Dan Zadra, Kobi Yamada via Deb_S Photographs on Flickr.

image via Amazon

"one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself or anyone else is inspiration. inspiration to get in touch with your dreams. inspiration to see out your deepest passions. inspiration to make a difference in the world, a difference that only you can make. this is not a book about success; it's a book about significance. it's not a book about making a living; it's a book about making a life. it's not about fame or acclaim; it's about contribution and service. instead of asking, 'what can i get from life?'. watch what happens when you ask, 'what can i give?'"

It sounds intriguing and a good one to start the year off with.  While others may have a few books under their belt by now, my grand total of books read this year is a big nada...need to get back to my Book Club - its the only way I make time to read these days, although last year my track record of actually reading the books was terrible.  So I shall add to my list of resolutions:  read more! And this book is on my list... as well as the first book, called 5 (Where will you be 5 years from now?)  by Dan Zadra, Kristel Will.

image via Amazon

Fun Kid Stuff

Fun stuff from around the web:

Mimi'lou Wall Stickers

Digital Stamps from Katie Pertiet

http://www.ferm-living.com/kids-wallstickers/

Making Lunch Fun!

These lunch products from Shinzi Katoh are too adorable for words...

all images from Shinzi Katoh

1. Ringo Sprinkle Case

2.  Ringo Plastic Cups

3. Ringo Five Faces Forks

4. Ringo Lunch Flags

5.  Ringo Sauce Case

6.  Ringo Five Faces Spoons

7.  Ringo Sauce Case

8.  Ringo Mayo Case

9.  Lunch Basket

10.  Lunch Basket

11.  Lunch Basket

How fun would it be to pack some of these in the kids' school lunch boxes each day.  Only problem would be that they might not make it home, they're so cute.

Chaos vs. Keeping Calm

Would love to get one of these for the kid's bedroom (since it is also their playroom) and this is the general theme in our household...

To purchase one (they are available in many colors), visit Peta Mazey's blog.

Then, I would absolutely have to get this for my home office (otherwise known as the dining room)...

From now until Feb14, 2010 a $5 donation from every sale will be made to the Red Cross Haitian Relief Fund - see here for details.

Mini Champagne Bistro Chair

I am loving miniature things right now, and so I loved this post from Design Sponge about how to make a mini champagne bistro chair.  Wish I had seen it right after New Year's Eve, but heres hoping that there are many more opportunities to crack open a bottle of bubbly in the new year. Click here for the tutorial.

Christmas Place Cards

A few years ago I made some Christmas Place Cards for the dinner table and we have used them ever since. Next year, I think I will change up shop and update my design...

Below are some fun ones:

1.  Ceramic Ornament Place Card Holder - Beau-Coup

2.  Twig Reindeer Place Card Holder - Pottery Barn

3.  Glass Rim Place Holder - Family Fun - these are for your drinks!!

4.  Tree Place Card Holder - Martha Stewart

5.  Snowglobe Place Card Holders - Crate & Barrel

Christmas Gift Tags

I have never really bothered much with Christmas gift tags - I usually buy them on sale after Christmas in big sheets for a couple of dollars.  But after reading a post about gift tags at Elle's Studio, about how each year, she decides on a gift tag theme and how each year her family and friends look forward to seeing what she has come up with, and what will be adorning their presents...I thought that was fun and I was inspired!  Not for this year, mind you...it's just before mid-night on December 23rd - but next year I might just have to get my ducks in a row and hand make my gift tags...

Here are some fun and inspiring Christmas Tags...

1.  Polar Bear Tag - Amuse News

2.  Snowball Fight Gift Tags - Crate & Barrel

3.  Joy Tag - I have no idea where I found this - but it is so completely adorable -

hopefully I will find the source and add it later.

4.  Christmas Mitten Tags - Elle's Studio

5.  Vintage Gift Tags - Paper Source

6.  Snowman Gift Tag - Kate's Papiere

7.  Save the Date Gift Tag - Better Homes & Gardens

8.  Santa Gift Tag - Kate's Papiere

9.  Reindeer Postcard Christmas Tag - Seasonal Delights (Etsy)

10.  Christmas Holiday Gift Tags - Just Smitten (via LMNOP)

11.  Photo Tag - I have no idea where I came across this one, also. 

But it is is such a cute idea - I will try to add the Source later.

12.  Paper Stocking Gift Envelope - Martha Stewart

13.  Holiday Jumbo Tag - Eat Drink Chic

14.  Frosty Gift Tag - Better Homes & Gardens

15.  Lump of Coal Gift Box - Martha Stewart  (I love the tiny stocking gift tags - totally cute. 

And also, I would certainly not mind a lump of coal this year if it contained a pair of jumbo diamond studs ;)

Christmas Crafts Fun Stuff

One of the things on our Family Advent Calendar this year was Family Movie Night.  The boys were very excited about it, probably because as a *very special treat*, we made Coke Floats for the occasion. So we had an early dinner, and then, with Coke Floats in hand, we all watched the Polar Express.

I came across these really cute printable trains from Family Fun a week or so ago and so printed out two copies for the boys.  Since they are still a bit young to assemble the trains themselves, I glued them together and gave them to the boys the next morning.  They were thrilled with them, and I got a good hour and a half worth of train play out of them until the Bubs woke up from his nap and started sabotaging the trains attempts to pick up children to take to the North Pole...

Here are some more fun crafts and printables to keep the kids busy (or to do yourself):

1. Buildable Bird from Family Fun

2. Jolly Elves from parents.com

3. Snowball Soap Surprise from Family Fun

4. Glittered Santa Treat Boxes from Martha Stewart

5. Felt Tree Bottle Covers from Martha Stewart

6. Jellybean Christmas Tree from Family Fun

7. Dipped Candy Sticks from Martha Stewart

8. Sparkling Snowman Treat Boxes from Martha Stewart

9. Christmas Papercrafts from Mibo Studio

I Heart Pearl

Today I came across these adorable Pearl Paper Doll Prints from Egg Press.  I don't know why, but I am a sucker for paper dolls and these totally cracked me up.