Hey Little Birdie | Shopping Blog

If you were a fly on the wall of my house, you’d see that for 8 years the days at my house consisted of trucks, trains, and bugs and the moved to Legos, Star Wars and many pretend battles.  In other words, you’d witness a boy’s life.  You’d also be an amazingly old fly. Gross.

When my husband and I found that our third child was a girl, well, I didn’t believe it.  We were such a boy family, I just couldn’t even imagine what life would look like with a girl in the mix.  Then my stomach jumped a little and I realized that in addition to having awesome lightsaber battles, I could sit down and have a tea party.  No way.  The best of both worlds.  Score!

And once my mind got racing, I got thinking of other possibilities that I thought would never be in my house:  American Girl, Dress up, Strawberry Shortcake, Princesses, Pretty Nails. It’s like a whole other world out there for this boy mom!

Violet is now 9 months old and I realized I have yet to paint her nails.  I thought I’d look for something that would be natural since she will definitely be putting her hands (and feet, if you can believe it) into her mouth.  That’s when I found Piggie Paint!  Ta da!

I feel much better putting this on my little girl’s toes!  Piggie Paint is a natural, water-based non-toxic nail polish.  Awesome colors, cute gift sets or buy them individually.  Read the About Us page to read how they got started – fascinating stuff!

So I think I’ve fallen in love with the store Paper Source, and since they aren’t in Arizona (fingers crossed that maybe someday they will be), I have to explore their options strictly online. But don’t worry, I have already started shopping. Some of my favs are…

…These 2 calendars…

The first one can be re-used as a file folder or pillow box. Thanks to the templates printed on the back. The second has quotes, which I am always a sucker for.

Sticker Frames

Floral Garland Kit

…And some of the best wrapping paper I’ve ever seen… which could totally be used in traditional or non-traditional ways, including lining simple white frames or a tray you picked up at your last thrift store excursion.

Happy Shopping!

In the midst of the hell known as summer here in Phoenix, visions of picnics, lush greenery and comfy casual Midwest style are dancing in my head. It may be an uncommon choice but I am determined to spruce up my backyard with an old school picnic table.

I also love the look of retro cafe string lights.

And lounging under the misters (because otherwise I would not be outside) on a classic wooden chaise. Survival tip: only purchase wood or padded patio furniture, and just say no to scorching metal.

Love party planning and DIY? Then why aren’t we best friends? Those rank extremely high on my Nicky’s favorites list (slightly behind espresso and cupcakes but you know how it is with priorities!) Anyway, now that we have that established, get ready to jump up and shout for a new website, Hip Hip Hooray!

I got the scoop from a blogger I admire, Jordan Ferney (she is a contributor to the new site) and I have already bookmarked it as a must read. I like that they are focusing on creativity and style when it comes to childrens’ parties because lets be honest… there is a lot of cheeseballness (new word) out there. Plus, they keep affordability in mind which is always welcome! There are only a few posts since they are just starting out, but trust me- you will already like what you see. I cannot wait for more party planning inspiration to drop in the coming months!

I don’t feel very creative today. Do you ever have days like that? I feel totally unmotivated and slightly incoherent. So, that should make for a fun blog post, right? Anyway, when I do feel inventive again, I intend to purchase this.

I mean, I love typography and graphic elements in any form, i.e. decorating, gift wrapping, anything. (See, I could come up with more than two examples if today held any more imagination for me.) Maybe you could help me out, what would you do with such an amazing collection? Inspire me… please.

Oh, and totally check out everything at Three Potato Four. They are incredible!

I love baking more than many things on this earth. It is my ultimate stress reliever, my favorite creative outlet and my most treasured way to show others that I care. I’m also a sucker for cute displays. And in my book, nothing is sweeter than a cake stand.

I am drooling over the gorgeous cake stands from Fishs Eddy. After spotting them in a recent issue of Martha Stewart Living, I am fixated on their vintage, classic quality. I especially adore this jadeite version, it’s not a material you see commonly any longer. They also carry milk glass stands, another timeless material from days gone by. Fishs Eddy is overflowing with must have housewares that are unique, nostalgic and totally current all at the same time. It’s my new go-to shop!

So, you probably don’t know this, but out of nowhere I’ve found myself on an embroidery kick.  I’ve been looking for non-cheesy modern designs.  I thought for sure there would be hundreds of sellers out there who would be stitching to their heart’s content, creating vintage-inspired, modern pieces.  Not so much.  Surprisingly, I found them a little hard to find!

Thank goodness for a.e. wilder’s little shop of embroidery goodness. (I added that last part to the name. )

I was about to lose all hope!

Absolutely love the breath of fresh air she brings that I was hoping to find!  Check out her shop for more sweet designs.

There are so many things I hate about summertime. You might be thinking, “Wow, I didn’t expect this today… such negativity, especially aimed at something so many people love.” Well, welcome to my world. I have what old women and make-up artists call “beautiful porcelain skin”… and other people just call “pale” or “Casper-like” (you know, like the friendly ghost).

So, my affection for the summer sun ended at about the age of 5 when on a family trip to Wet-n-Wild in Orlando, I was so badly sunburned that my still chubby lobster-colored body was blistered from head to toe. And still to this day I visibly cringe when I see someone sun-kissed with a fraction of the burn that I was smacked with that day.

Come to think of it, maybe it was earlier in life, when my mom crocheted me a bright green bikini. That’s right, out of yarn! Yarn doesn’t do well in water. It sags and retains water in non-swim-friendly ways and places.

So, summer and me… we didn’t really have a chance at a beautiful friendship. We were destined to be foes from the start.

Then it should come as no surprise that I loathe shopping for a swimsuit. If I’m completely honest, last year I purchased my first swimsuit in about 5 or 6 years time. It just wasn’t a necessity… because I didn’t use one (like I didn’t go swimming, not like I went in my birthday suit). But I’ve been looking for a new one online for the past couple of weeks. I haven’t been looking a ton, just a little bit here and there… as my heart can take it. Slow and steady is what they say, right?

But I found this one last week, and I actually thought, “Yes, I would like to own that.” It’s cute, right? A halter top is a good cut for me, and I like the playfulness of the polka dots. Check and check. But I’m not really a $90 swimsuit girl. I just won’t wear it enough. If I could justify it, I would. (It’s not a high price for a swimsuit, just for me it is.) But then I thought what if I could find something similar at a less expensive price point.

Then I found this one. Now they don’t have a navy blue one. Boo. But they have black. Close. And even more fun, red! And this version is one-piece, which I don’t currently own. And it has a halter strap, if you want one. So, I ordered mine (only available online).

When it gets here in 3-5 business days… don’t worry, I definitely will let you know how this whole “embracing summertime” thing is going.

With every post I write, I feel like you all get to know me a little bit more. But, I’m sure your insatiable need to know more is never quite quenched. I totally understand. And in response to you, today I am going to share with you several of my favorite blogs out there on the world wide web. This list will include a little bit of everything. But what better way to see what inspires me, moves me, and fills me on a regular basis.

So, in an effort towards full transparency, here you go…

1. Young House Love – This married duo started a blog for their friends and family who were interested in the remodeling/redecorating projects they undertook on their 50’s ranch house once moving from Manhattan to Virginia. Needless to say, they are a DIY-er’s inspiration. They learn all the tricks of the trade and share them in easy step by step instructions. And their decorating sense is seemingly effortless.

2. Creature Comforts – This site seeks to inspire in so many different ways each and every day. Whether it is her Chic for Cheap feature on Tuesdays or DIY crafty tutorials, the creativity is endless and affecting. If you can’t get enough of Ez, also check out her personal blog Carrying On or her etsy site Wren and Chickadee.

3. Pop Candy – Well, this is a little different, but equally cool. I’ve been reading this blog for years, and thus can personally account for Whitney Matheson’s unmainstream approach to pop-culture news. Being a part of the motholith that is USA Today has not censored her unique voice to shine light on what the major entertainment outlets often don’t see or at least don’t show us.

4. Pleated Poppy – This is Lindsey’s blog. We are on a first name basis… or at least I am with her. That’s the way I feel about her. As she shares, you connect and soon feel she could be a part of your circle of friends. This incredible mom is bursting with talent and craftiness (in a non-old-woman-sense), and yet she doesn’t intimidate you with it. She’s authetic and self-professed as imperfect. My kind of girl! To check out her goods (I mean products), go here.

5. Vol. 25 – I haven’t been following this blog for as long as the others, but it has quickly captured my heart. Jessica has a love of quotes (me too!) and is extremely gifted with graphics and overlays (me, not so much). Too bad, we were almost long-lost friends. Her love of family and life inspires me to grab on and hold tight all that I cherish. Oh, and her creativity is without limits. Check out her etsy site as well.

So there you have it. A small sampling of the blogs I can’t wait to read each and every day. And I am always looking for more… so what are some of yours? I can’t wait to add even more to my ever-growing Google Reader.

I may have an almost two year old, but I’ve never had to think much about baby proofing or toy storage. Until now. My little Claire Bear has learned to do multiple rolls across the floor (yippee!) and is amassing quite a collection of therapy toys. It makes me smile. And feel somewhat like a normal mom.

These welcome changes are creating a need for kid friendly, easily accessible bins that I can hide crap in (to be blunt). I hate clutter and I hate ugly plastic kid stuff almost as much. When it’s not in use, I want it out of sight and there is no way in h. e. double hockey sticks that I am storing it all in those primary color, plastic monstrosities you find in most stores. I know that Pottery Barn Kids has a few canvas options but they are all mostly in pastel shades and a little more than I would like to spend. My favorite solution so far is these stylish fabric bins from SewingMomma on etsy. With 58 fabric choices, I am bound to find a perfect fit for my living room. I think I just may have to get one for Lily’s dog toys too. And if you really think about it, you could use them everywhere around the house- to store TP, magazines, craft supplies, closet organization, you name it!