Style Lush

IKEA Does It Again: LILLABO Cars

By Blythe

My three-year-old went to a birthday party over the weekend and was given this toy as a party favor:

LILLABO Cars

(More specifically, he got the blue one in the middle.)

At first, I thought this family had given him an Automoblox car which made me feel like a real cheapskate for handing out bendy straws, tootsie rolls and temporary tattoos at our last party.  But then I saw the IKEA stamp on the bottom and realized I wasn't a TOTAL cheapskate, I was just less creative and cool than the birthday boy's parents.

Lillabo cars come apart into three our four large mixable pieces and race around smoothly.  They come in packs of three, and for $9.99 a pack, that adds up to great Easter basket stuffers, cake toppers or (duh) party favors.

{Photo credit: ikea.com}

Joshua James: The Sun is Always Brighter

By Hillary

I was playing around with Itunes genius when The Sun is Always Brighter by Joshua James caught my attention.

His sound is almost Ray LaMontagne / Amos Lee / Rufus Wainwright-esque and is perfect for sitting on the porch on warm summer evenings, sipping lemonade. Or for sitting inside on rainy March days, dreaming of summertime and lemonade. Whatever.

{Photo credit: amazon.com} 

Etsy Easter hair bow roundup

by Emily

There are a little more than three weeks until Easter Sunday is upon us! This is good news for all of you who haven't ordered an extra-special Easter hair bow for your daughter. And even if you didn't feel the need to purchase an extra-special Easter hair bow, I think you will after I show you ALL OF THIS (insert grand sweeping arm gesture):

From Etsy seller bubbipop
L-R: yellow Easter chick; pink chick in egg; chocolate Easter bunny ($3.49 each)

From Etsy seller Pink Sugar Shoppe
L-R: Easter tuxedo bow ($3.95); Easter layered boutique bow ($7.95)

From Etsy seller Crafty Mama Designs
L-R: cottontail bunny clippies ($3); Easter egg boutique bow ($2.50); Easter clippies ($5.25)

From Etsy seller Blueberry Jam Boutique
L-R: chocolate bunny with bow ($3); bunny ears felt clips ($4.50)

From Etsy seller Clippie Collections
L-R: pink and white bunny ($3.95); purple Easter egg ($3.25); sweet peep ($4.25)

From Etsy seller Sweet & Sassy Accessories
L-R: Peep and Honey Bunny set ($6.50); milk chocolate felt bunny ($3.25); Bailey the Hoppy Bunny ($3.25) 

[photo credit: Etsy.com]

Summer Essentials

By Megan

Okay, I may be overstating the "essential" portion of this post, but since I had a baby in June last year, I wasn't exactly parading around the beach. Therefore, I have an extra year of shopping banked, so I'm entitled, right?

First I needed a new beach bag. I bought this one, which is out of stock online, but you might be able to track it down in a store.

This would be an adorable option. I love the nautical feel of the navy.

 

As much as I hate to say it, a summer at the beach means spending time in a swim suit. Old Navy has some great, affordable options. Many sizes are sold out online, but if you call them, they will help you track one down in a store.

    

I've always been happy with swim suits from J. Crew, but they're definitely more of an investment.

Next up, flip flops.

I'm a Havaianas girl through and through and think every summer deserves a new pair or two. I'm eyeing these Slim Naja in Dark Brown/Golden Sun.

Rounding out my beach bag will be the following: Sunscreen in stick, spray and lotion form, lip balm, resusable water bottles, and baby powder (perfect for de-sticking the sand from your body.)

What's on your summer wish list?

{Photo Credits: target.com, oldnavy.com, zappos.com}

Happy CD for kids

By Amy H.

My family's going through a lot of transition and my almost-4-year-old's taking it hard.  I started thinking about how music always cheers me up and about her love of dancing and I decided to make her a "happy CD." (Another one of her great joys besides dancing is operating the cd player independently.)  And you know what? It turns out that rocking out to fun music with my kids doesn't hurt my mood, either.

If you're thinking of making your own cd or playlist, check out the list of songs for kids/adults that Blythe posted back in December for more ideas. 

Here's what we ended up with:

I Really Love to Dance - Laurie Berkner
Three Little Birds - Bob Marley & The Wailers
One Love - Bob Marley & The Wailers
Don't Worry, Be Happy - Bobby McFerrin
Kokomo - The Beach Boys ("come on pretty mama" is her favorite line, ha)
You've Got a Friend in Me - Toy Story
Happy Together - The Turtles
Beautiful Day - U2
Happiness - You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Good Mornin' Life - Dean Martin
Hakuna Matata - Nathan Lane, etc. from The Lion King
Just Happy To Be Me - The Fugees
The Sharing Song - Jack Johnson
So Glad I'm Here - Elizabeth Mitchell (love her)
Wildflowers - Tom Petty (pretty much can't hear this without crying)
You Are My Sunshine - Elizabeth Mitchell

What music makes you and your kids smile?

T is for Tantalizing, Tyrannosaurus, T-shirts!

by Kerri Anne

Once upon a time there was a girl who loved t-shirts. She was a fan of most t-shirts, but especially those covered with originally artistic designs and comprised of ridiculously comfortable fabric. She had a t-shirt budget which quickly morphed into a sizable drawer of t-shirts. Forced to put herself in a t-shirt purchasing time-out for the good of her checkbook and for all of mankind, she can now be found longingly staring at t-shirts from afar and/or enabling friends and family members to create and maintain their own sizable drawers of comforable, artistic tees.

Behold, the enabling:

Silver Feather by Seal Maiden {28 USD}

In Search of Beauty (Circa 1876) by Threadless {10 USD}

 

With Great Moustache by Snorg Tees {16.96 USD}

Cartographic Manitoba by Nonfiction Tees {18 USD}

La Boca by Circles and Squares {25 USD}

Rebuild Japan by Threadless {20 USD}

 

 I Love Love by Urban Outfitters {9.99 USD}

You Have Died Of Dysentery by Busted Tees {20 USD}

(I seriously don't know why or how I don't own this yet. Old school Oregon Trail lovers, UNITE.)

Crows Nest by Torso Clothing {20 USD}

Well Kerned by the Typography Shop {21.99 USD}

Get In Here by PalmerCash {25.97 USD}

 

 

I Want This Clock!

By Jennie

My decorating budget is .... a bit nonexistant. Not while that annoying bank keeps expecting the mortgage payment once a month. So, I'm thinking really small when it comes to decorating. For instance, I really want this (so cute, so vintagey) clock from Etsy:

I probably don't need it, not when I use my phone as an alarm clock, but how much of decorating is about what we need?

I'll try to tell that to the bank. Wonder if they'll buy it.

 

Print Of The Week: City Art

by Kerri Anne

This week's featured prints come from designer/artist Karen M. O'Leary, whose hand-cut map art and city prints are my new favorite things.

There was no way I could (unbiasedly) choose a singular favorite (though if you backed me into a corner and made me, I would probably say, "Paris, Paris!"), so I'm showcasing some of the cities I liked best, to provide added incentive for you to visit Karen's shop and choose your own city (or your favorite non-city) yourself.

Portland {35 USD}

London {35 USD}

Paris {35 USD}

Rome {35 USD}

San Francisco Diptych {40 USD}

{Image credits: Karen M. O'Leary via Etsy}

Stealth $4 bookshelf from IKEA

By A'Dell

I am the kind of person who enjoys design and decor websites, but rarely takes on the projects they highlight. Seeing something crafty in a post and then acting on it the following week is exceptionally rare for me.

I had been wanting to create a reading nook in my daughter's room, but figured it would involve an actual bookshelf at some point and that sounded like a really boring way to spend money so I'd been putting it off. When Ohdeedoh mentioned using $4 wooden spice racks from IKEA as bookshelves in a child's room I thought, "I might actually be able to pull that one off. And if I don't? ONLY FOUR BUCKS."

I trucked out to IKEA and was so disappointed that there were only two Bekvam spice racks left. (The post had resurfaced on Ohdeedoh just days before.) I bought the two in stock, had my husband put together and hang them (a ten-minute job) and they are PERFECT. Just the right size for children's books, just the right price, just the right look. My daughter thinks they're fantastic.

I'm going to buy four more, so we have a stacked look that goes all the way up the wall, and six shelves total. Of course, she won't be able to reach those but it will give me an opportunity to rotate books out and display others. I am also planning to spray paint them a color that contrasts with the wall, but that's an adventure I'll tackle some other day. One crafty project at a time is plenty for me.

Currently Coveting: Mini Boden for Little Girls

by Elizabeth

Seriously, every time the Mini Boden catalog comes in the mail, it KILLS ME DEAD. They are my absolute favorite kids clothes ever, but I almost never buy anything from them, mostly because my kids don't need clothes and when they do I shop sales and the Old Navy clearance section. I do like to supplement all the $5 navy polo shirts with a few really special things, however, and Mini Boden is perfect for that.  

I'm only allowing myself to get ONE thing though, and I'm having SUCH a hard time deciding.  

The Fruit Applique Pinafore? (Probably not, it gets terrible reviews.)

Or The Stripy Hoody

Maybe the Baseball Boots? (Although, they look really annoying to tie.)

I love the Printed Cardigan...

But Oh! The Daisy Dress!

However, we have a TON of dresses, whereas the Spotty Jersey Polo really jazzes up a normally boring wardrobe staple, and seems like it would get  ALOT of wear at our house. Plus I have a thing for polka dots, I really do. 

This Jersey Skort speaks to me for some reason. It reminds of the beach, I think.  

And here's another insanely adorable dress, the Funky Print Dress.  

Now do you see why this is such a hard decision? 

Or picture a little girl wearing this Stripy Boat Neck with a pair of rolled up denim capris.  I DIE. 

Obviously I need help with this decision! What do you guys think? The daisy dress? The dotted polo? The stripey boat neck? What's it gonna be?  

And are you getting anything for the well-dressed kids in your life?  

{Photo credits: bodenusa.com}