Hey Little Birdie | Shopping Blog

Pretty little cupcake papers in a rainbow of colors.

All found at the irresistible Esty shop, Sweet Estelle’s. You’ll also find the most adorable baking supplies you never knew you needed- until now. I might have to devote a entire kitchen cabinet just to this shop. And I hope it inspires you to take a step towards developing your baking skills too! In the coming months, I’ll devote some of my posts to get you started on the basics of home baking, including my favorite foolproof recipes, essential tools and fun ideas. Pretty soon you’ll be whipping up cake pops for your child’s next birthday party and homemade brownies for a neighborhood potluck with ease!

I realize I just posted on tea towels recently, which may mean I am developing a new obsession. Like I don’t have enough of those already! But seriously, I cannot resist creative linens. Especially ones in my favorite shade of green, featuring lovely typography (hello Jina!) and a much needed reminder to relax, breathe and enjoy. And believe me, that is ultimately why I was so drawn to this pretty cloth. Life as a stay at home mom can be so hectic. It is way too easy to get sucked into the doing and going than simply being. Remembering that taking in those everyday moments, slowing down, and being present with my little girl and my husband are the most important things (as well as some alone time every now and then too!) Who would have thought a little towel could send such a big message?

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!

Father’s Day is fast approaching and that means spoiling the dads in your life. But why DIY? Well because if you are like most of us, spare money is a little tight currently (and now we have to save up for the new iphone. Again.) Plus, we all know that homemade presents mean so much more! Here’s a few ideas to get you started on your Father’s Day project:

1. Custom labeled snack box- treat dad to “hero supplies” by marking his favorite foods and drinks with these fun labels. Buy his favorite beer, make his treasured cookies, throw in his beloved beef jerky and display it all in a wooden box available at any craft store. Here’s the detailed instructions and free label templates.

concept and photo by Jordan Ferney

2. Beginner’s gardening kit- maybe your guy wants to cultivate his green thumb or perhaps he loves to cook? A starter herb garden would make a perfect gift! Purchase a container (this one is a metal caddy from Target. I spotted it at the store in four colors), add small planters holding an array of his favorite herbs, and customize it with a handmade gift tag (here are the instructions on how to make this version but get creative and make up your own!) I would also toss in some gardening gloves, an herb snip, as well as label the planters with a permanent felt tip marker and include care instructions.

concept and photo by Abbie Hendrickson

3. Memory flip book- honor a special time for Dad by ordering a custom flip book of any digital video clip under 30 seconds. From your little one’s first laughs and steps to the father/daughter dance at your wedding- the possibilities are endless! Flip books are available in many sizes and covers at FlipClips. And they are affordable too!

photos by Martha Stewart

I hope these ideas help inspire you or your children to make something unique and full of love for dear old dad! If you still need further inspiration, Martha has a fabulous DIY resource with many more options here like monogrammed ties and crafted cuff links. Enjoy!

I think you all know by now how much we at Hey Little Birdie salivate at the musings of Anthropologie. They have a keen ability to mix vintage and modern in an ethereal and feminine way. But what really gets my heart a-poundin’ is when they have sales. Thank God for that beautiful four-letter word: S-A-L-E!

Case in point, these…

Everybody has seen these. They show up in the background of many a TV or movie kitchen set. A set of blue ones reside on the kitchen counter at my house… if you’ve ever been there. And they are totally within your grasp as well. Because these latte bowls are $14.95 for a set of six! Come on… when do you ever find anything at Anthropologie for that price.

I’m even thinking of adding to my collection because they are just that good. A complimentary color might be… yellow or kelly green or maybe I should go with a “shades of blue” theme and get the indigo ones. But my heart instinctively goes to the plum set.

Tell me… which color would best suit your kitchen? No really, I want to know.

So, you know that I love lists, but believe it or not, that is just a peek into the neuroses that is my affection for organization. In the past (read: pre-baby-Lyla), this organizational obsession played out in my work environment. But now that I am home most of the week, my house has begun to receive what I lovingly call the “Jina Treatment”. Room by room, I analyze function, form and versatility for each object that resides there. And since the kitchen is the “heart of the home”, it just seems fitting that it would be the first stop on the journey to Ultimate . Organizational . Domination (dun dun dun).

Enter these.

They are functional (check – my flour has never been so well organized)… Their form is eye catching (check – my sugar hates its current home, also known as the paper wrapper it came to me in)… And they’re versatile (check – stackable for small kitchen spaces). Yay!

And if I snag these up before you do, check out other vintage gems at Every Eskimo. They’ve got tons of great stuff to rifle through.

This find comes to us from Melissa at Evelyn Fields, whom we spotlighted a couple of weeks ago when we gave away her Eco Snack Bag. And in shopping through her etsy site, these little beauties took my breath away. I love that with all of the new handmade goods out there we also have a unique opportunity for distinctive customizing… in this case, with napkin holders. How beautifully industrial and yet still personal these are.

These would be a great gift for a wedding or housewarming, but I was thinking that they also would be a great gift for… oh, I don’t know… ME! Just an idea. File that in your mental file cabinet.

Ps… Did I mention that they come with 10 cloth napkins?! Bonus.

Pss… Question of the Day: What name/date/word would you choose to customize yours? (Other than Jina of course.)

If you’re like me, your pet’s eating area consists of two mis-matched bowls on top of a crummy placemat. Boring. And so void of any interior design aesthetic that I hold dear. It is my  mission to beautify that ignored corner of my kitchen pronto. I stumbled upon these handcrafted elevated pet feeders and think they would be a stylish solution. They come in a variety of sizes to suit your cat or dog and a variety of styles to suit your decor. For my Miss Hairy I am liking a classic black look like this one:

or a modern feeder like this:

or a sleek wall mounted version like this:

Feeders range in price from $25-$100 depending on size and number of bowls needed. And the metal bowls conveniently pop out for easy cleaning and food/water replenishing. I love these and am so determined to purchase one for my home ASAP!

Random question- what is your pet’s favorite food? Lily will eat ANYTHING but she is a popcorn fanatic. She knows when it is popping in the microwave and will not leave you alone until you toss her a piece. Awhile back, we filmed a video of her wildest dream come true- watch it here.

You may be sad because you didn’t win the ice cream pint cozy of our last giveaway. (except you, Melanie. *wink wink*) If I could I’d wipe your tears and give you a big hug. Then I’d tell you to pull yourself together. (weirdo)  We’re so excited to bring you another giveaway for week 2 of our relaunch!

Reusable Snack Bags- 2 Eco Twitter Sandwich Keepers from Evelyn Fields.

Product Description:

Two eco sandwich/snack bag appliquéd with a tweeting Blue Jay on a speckled tan background. No synthetic or plastic liner just natural unbleached cotton fabric next to your food with a secure velcro closure. Snack/sandwich size bag (7” wide x 6.5” high, similar to a Ziploc sandwich bag). Every bag is handmade & mama-made in the USA. Machine wash & dry or better yet line dry.

These are perfect for throwing in the diaper bag with some goodies for the kids, or throwing in your purse with a healthy snack of, say, almonds.  The Evelyn Fields shop has so many wonderful products, including a pair of reusable coffee filters. How smart is that?  I may have to revisit soon!

How to Enter:

1.  Click on Comments and leave one on this post.

then, earn 2 extra entries by:

2.  Sharing this Giveaway on Facebook!

3.  Tweeting about it on Twitter.

Let us know if you do the FB or Twitter entries so we can give you credit.

You will have by Midnight on Thursday to enter.  Friday we will reveal the winner!

Good luck!!!

My daughter, Claire, was born with rare special needs and because she has battled through so many unimaginable things in her little life, I plan on making her birthday a big deal every year. Plus, ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you that I LOVE planning parties. This year the theme of Claire’s party is “life handed her lemons- she made lemonade.”

I have been scouring the internets for all things lemony and have found tons of ideas! First off- invites. I’m not going to do a super huge party like last year but I still adore a cute paper product. These Gwen Citrus invitations from BitsyCreations are perfect:

and every little girl needs a special dress for her special day. how cute is this one?

Lucious Lemon halter dress from JMBthreedesigns

Of course there will be tons of food. And I have to find a way to incorporate lemon in every bit of it (I am nothing if not thorough!) A hint of lemon in mini chicken salad croissants and pasta salad cups, and outright lemon flavor in the desserts. I plan on making my favorite baked goods- mini cupcakes and lemon bars. But I also will have a hard time ignoring the call to make these precious little treats:

Lemon Blossoms from Paula Deen on Food Network

Onto the decor. Here’s a few images that are inspiring me:

from Silly Bee’s Chickadees

from Lorajean’s Magazine

from Imprintables blog

So adorable, right? I’m thinking lots of yellow tissue flowers hanging from the ceiling (I’m slightly tissue flower obsessed. They are so pretty and super easy to DIY.) Also, white serving dishes and cake stands to display the food, a big glass dispenser of fresh lemonade, glass vases filled with lemons and daisies around the room, framed signs of her lemons into lemonade phrase and a “Claire” banner like the one above.

I also think a little party favor of lemonheads wrapped up in pretty packaging is very necessary.

Oh and the ultimate lemon present?

The Lemon Wedge from Pinky Bleu: a small suitcase filled with a onesie that is too sweet for words.

Your heart just melted a little, didn’t it?

So there you have it, Claire’s perfect lemon yellow party. I can’t wait to see it become reality and to celebrate my little heroine turning two!