{olivia!}

oh, man. i ate so much baby face this weekend,

and i am still hungry for more!

I'm loving these simple linen dresses from 120% lino. Such a cute little girls dress. I wish they made them in my size too!

Baby, Oh Baby! part 2

Part 2 of the 'kid friendly' wall art discussion centers around Gig Posters.

Gig posters have been around since the 60's, and now, pretty much every indie band has a growing repertoire of gig art. Some, becoming collectors items for music fanatics.

I just love the idea of using gig posters to decorate a child's room.

Here is a small collection of amazing posters.

Baby, Oh Baby! part 1

I've been charged with finding 'kid friendly' art for my neice's room.

Well, let's see here...below are a few of my favorite things.

My first stop was at KinderGallery.

Lorena Siminovich - Animal Alphabet

Superoboturbo - Mindy Wants to Meet the Cats

Isak - 123 Counting Poster

Gav Barbey - Cement Mixer "puttsy puttsy"

Princess Pearl - Dreams of Earthly Delights 5

Graceful Fusion

My incredibly talented and caring friend, Nicole, is a trained Doula and was recently featured on MSNBC. It's great to see Doula's getting some press.

Click here to see the piece.

Click here to learn more about Nicole and her practice, Graceful Fusion.

And, Click here to learn more about DONA, Doula's of North America.

ooh baby, do you know what that's worth?

I love this idea.

Ryan over at Pacing the Panic Room has chronicled his beautiful wife's pregnancy.

He has done it in such a wonderful way.

Check out his blog here.

A couple weekends ago I attended my sister-in-law's baby shower. Her bestie made the place look great, but of course I wasn't a fan of the color scheme... pink.

I love this baby shower that Kim over at Head of the Table created for her friend.

You will remember from the Dwelling Do #1 post that I love these colors.

Baby Design

Oh god! What to do with the baby room.

I'm not a huge fan of gender based baby rooms. Pink for girls, blue for boys. It just doesn't make sense to me. I guess I always have been a blue girl my whole life. But! Instead, I'm a huge fan of color that stimulates imagination (especially for toddlers and beyond).

This is Beth Jansen's House. Redesigned and geared for a child, how could you not dream in this room? Here are some other things me likes in a baby room.

1. DIY Felt Mobiles :: So easy and they look so great.
2. Fun Animal Prints :: A great piece to frame plus a learning tool.
3. Wall Decals :: I can't think of an easier (or cheaper) way to redecorate a room.
4. Either/Or convertible Couch :: Great space saver.
5. Eames molded rocker :: Every baby needs a rocker and why not this one.
6. Bassinett :: Lust object of the moment. The legs become table legs when the baby grows.

ohhh Baby

Last night I received a Baby Shower invitation. My brother and his wife (T+R) are about to have their first baby and this has had me thinking for a while about what kind of baby products are out there. Are they safe? What are they made of? Are toys that are designed to be put in a child's mouth made out of harsh chemicals and plastics? How available are toys made from organic, chemical-free, sustainable or recycled products?

I realize that my philosophies and beliefs on life are on the far left of the spectrum from T+R (and most of my family), so with the expectancy of this child it got me to think about a few things: How would I want to raise my child? What kinds of products am I willing to expose my newborn to? Am I willing to expose my newborn to BPA just to save a few bucks? Are those few dollars worth it to me? Besides Big Box retailers, what products are actually available for a young couple expecting their first child?

Here is a reference list to sustainable sites, baby products, and toys.

On The Web

1. Eden Home: (Knitted Organic Cotton Teether) Offering natural, organic yet stylish products for your home, bath, bed and baby
2. Hazelnut Kids: (Sunshine Mobile) Natural, earth-friendly, wooden andorganic cotton toys for children and babies
3. Play Happy Toys: (Unfinished wooden rocker) Mission is to promote imaginative and intelligent play while setting a higher standard for children’s products.
4. Happy Green Baby: (Fair Trade Organic Cotton Monkey, BPA free glass bottle) Handpicked specialty organic baby and natural baby products from top quality brands, all with a commitment to lessening impact on the environment.
5. Green Grow: Bisphenol A-free. Phthalate-free. Worry Free. Baby Bottles.

In Chicago

A Cooler Planet

Be By Baby

Kustum Kribs

Little Green Baby

Grasshopper510

In the San Francisco Bay Area

Giggle

EarthSake
TheTreeHouse

This Little Piggy Wears Cotton

LullabyLane