2.13.2012

did you know that tomorrow is Valentines Day!?



9pm cram gluing photos to handcrafted paper and then writing the names on them... not highly creative but we got it done...


Somehow I had in my mind that Valentines Day was Wednesday, I thought I had another whole DAY to make cards with my kids and take our time and have some fun... but NO, there we were at 9pm cramming to get our cards done, Franny who is just start to write was powering through her cards at the speed of... glue drying, molasses dripping... or something like that, I pictured us at MIDNIGHT writing down the names of each kid in her class, but somehow we made it... the clock struck 9:30 and we were done! YAY! another year.. another sort-of-uncreative but looks good valentine card!


We managed this project over the weekend, I thought it looked great but all that the kids are really able to help with is shaving the crayons! I had to do pretty much everything else... but we LOVED how it came out and it kept the house very festive all weekend! We added the letters VALENTINE inside the wax paper bags. The tutorial is amazing and it's from a very cute blog called 'Hellobee' where a guest blogger Jenny of Hank + Hunt came up with the delightful DIY project, step by step instructions will help you make this beautiful garland!

Jenny's gorgeous mess, ours was a bit messier!

don't they look beautiful!

ours is not such a good photo but I like the way it turned out!
Whatever your project it's such a great day to do anything PINK or RED and just have a great time with it!!

visit Hellobee and the step by step DIY project here!

2.12.2012

Bobo Choses - Les Vacances de Monsieur Leon


Here is the inspiration behind the Bobo Choses Spring 2012 collection, it is a delightful tale of fun and secrets and camping and ice cream...

Monsieur Leon cycles around the campsite.
It’s part of the summer, just like the heat, the mosquitoes, and the afternoon siesta.
Monsieur Leon also has the habit of whistling contentedly. Indeed, he is so good at it
that the larks prefer to listen to him, and the roosters refuse to
greet the break of day because they cannot compete
with Monsieur Leon’s dawn whistling. He starts on a low note, like a timid violin
seeping in with the first sunbeams among the tents and the caravans,
among the pine branches and the dew that the night drops before retiring…
Bit by bit, Monsieur Leon’s whistling warms up and changes colour,
enhanced by new notes of the voices of children just awakened from slumber.
So begin the long happy summer days at the campsite,
and so they go on, with no clocks to mark the hours passing by.




When night falls once more, and Monsieur Leon thinks
that everybody has gone to bed,
he takes out his ukulele and there, on the steps of his caravan,
plays songs that he learned from his grandmother, songs that are
as old as this old world of ours. Or even older.
And then all around him, in time with his beat,
the crickets crick and the owls owl, and together they play
the lullaby that sends us off to sleep
and into a land of dreams as sweet
as the salt of the sea in summertime,
as the tickling of the grass under our bare feet…

Tale by Felipe Cano





These are the images that Bobo Choses made for their Spring 2012 campaign! They were so beautiful that I wanted you to see them too!! (and not always my boring straight forward photos...)

visit the collection at Nonchalantmom here

2.10.2012

Lucky Fish just marked down...



 Get a jump on the Lucky Fish SALE this weekend! I won't announce it until my Monday emailer so get your good deals fast!! Both kids and adult collections are marked down to make room for the new collection (which should be here very SOON!) So get your t-shirt fix now!!

 



shop lucky fish and NONCHALANTMOM!!

highlights of our recent photo shoot!


Bobo Choses is a new collection to nonchalantmom this season but they are in no way new to incredible fun and exciting kids clothing! They are from Spain and you can tell, because they in NO WAY fit into the box of tranditional kids clothing.. fun colorful and unique! All hand printed, Designed and Made in Spain! Many of you have been begging me to have this collection for a long time, but it's hard... importing from Europe and it's not always feasible for YOU and ME! But we MADE it work! (in the words of Tim Gunn!)






The new Makié collection arrived - well a FEW items.. I went CRAZY on Makié this season, she got very creative and did some hand dying... WONDERFUL.. and to dye for! (ha!). Our first shot of Spring is classics that I love and usually don't go for from Makié but this year I love them, I loved the fabrics and the easy shapes! (below)




I went to visit Monica of two collection a week ago and was able to talk her into parting with more than usual! I got some amazing caftans, tops and dresses (although I think they may be gone ALREADY.. ) these pieces go so fast. Her set up is like a dream for any designer! She selects the most amazing fabrics, saree's to work with, she said it's like finding a needle in a haystack to find the perfect ones for her aesthetic, cotton, ease of movement and fantastic color (or not... she is very good at selecting blacks, creams, and such which I love too!). She washes them, sometimes many times to get the starches out so that they flow and move with your body, no easy work but the result!! I love them!! and completely addicted, if you are choosing between two I suggest get BOTH... you will NOT be sorry!
 






More of Spring to come... sooner rather than later... RIGHT!!??

CLICK HERE TO SHOP!

2.09.2012

how to be an explorer of the world!

via notesondesign.tumblr. (my favorite!!)


I found this via Pinterest... I don't know if you have gotten involved in pinning but it's a hard addiction to stop and I really love it! Of all of these social media tools it's wonderful, creative and puts and inspiring spin on your day. The only problem IS you will want to change your HOUSE, your Hair, your shoes, you may want to travel when you are done... lots of dreaming!!

But I really loved this list of HOW TO BE AN EXPLORER OF THE WORLD! and my kids loved it too... now they are making lists of their own! It sounds simple but I have been buying my kids notebooks for them to keep journals for years... to no avail... I find them stashed in their desk months later! BUT finally my nine year old (soon to be TEN) has taken to the notebooks and draws in them just about every day! I couldn't be more excited, and you know what... I didn't ask him to do it! -love that!

Have a GREAT day!

2.08.2012

kids who love to cook!



This program is a wonderful little show that takes on a recipe that kids make themselves... very cute idea and simply made this show may just give your kids that little push they need to get in the kitchen and help you out! (if you want that... that is.!) and you just might learn something along the way too!


making cheese!


Like when Kids Who Love to Cook showed us how they make cheese in Vermont! -very interesting! and since it's all done by kids, KIDS love it! and you know how much I love Branzino... there is also a recipe for Branzino al Cartoccio! yum!

yes, she is kissing her muscles, it takes a lot of muscle to make your own bread!

Any way you look at it your kids will have more interest in healthy good food if they learn how it's cooked and I tell you what... when it's cooked by kids, somehow they LISTEN!




visit Kids Who Love to Cook by clicking here

2.07.2012

Golden Bridge Yoga


Last year when Jann and I went to California we dropped in on a Kundalini yoga class which was taught by Gurmukh Khalsa at Golden Bridge in LA, it was a fantastic class and we both felt reinvigorated and amazing when we were done. So when Jann emailed to say that Gurumuk was going to be in NYC for a Martin Luther King day workshop on 'Kindness' in Janaury I knew I had to make the trek down to the city for the class. Again, it was fantastic! A three hour workshop that reminded me of who I am in the world and how I want to be in this world. And yes, we did a good amount of Kundalini yoga as well which gave me a completely refreshing outlook.

I think that from time to time in your life it's really nice to step out of regularity and the things we do day to day, especially when we have kids and things become more about them than they are for yourself. It's not a BIG thing, it's not a cruise or a vacation away from your family for days, but it's something meaningful to YOU. If you don't have that 'thing' in your life then put yourself out there to find your thing... Take the time by yourself or with a friend and may I suggest:

The Power of Love Valentines Day Celebration with Gurmukh Khalsa
In New York - Golden Bridge Yoga - Monday, February 13th - 7:30 - 10pm
In Los Angeles - Golden Bridge Yoga - Tuesday, February 14th - 7 - 9pm
(yes, Gurmukh is leading both classes!)

Here is the description:
The Heart center is the strongest of all centers. The heart center effects 108 trillion times more effectively than the head. Heart has the power of a 108 suns. Whenever you pray with your head, it will take a long time -- you have to go through intellect, thought, circumstances, environment, space, and time. Whenever you sing or pray from heart, it will be timeless, spaceless and absolutely effective. It works.

Let your heart become the Temple of Gold. Please join us for a bountiful, beautiful and blissful heart-felt Kundalini Yoga and Meditation evening. This incredible class will be dedicated to the Infinite Power of the heart. Yummy treats will be served after class.

Now doesn't that sound like an amazing class! And if you have not been to one of Gurmukh's classes before you will be amazed when out of this tiny, quiet, BEAUTIFUL woman, comes the loud sound of chanting that will stir your soul and it just may... make you weep! (I did!)

visit their website by clicking here

2.06.2012

little darlings! - sharon montrose


I was turned onto this beautiful website via a friend (actually that's her son's bedroom in the top photo!). I think these will make any room incredibly delightful. It's funny, if you told someone that you have a great website for animal photos they would probably say... yah, right, whatever... but THEN you go to Sharon's website and you really SEE something!


Sharon is no novice at this... Melding her passion for photography with her love of animals, Sharon Montrose's definitive photographic style has made her one of the most sought-after commercial photographers specializing in animals. In addition to ten published photography books to her credit, Sharon shoots for some of the world’s foremost pet industry brands.




The animals photographed for this series are real live animals, raised (and most rescued) by loving, experienced, and dedicated animal keepers and handlers who care for them as their own and ensured their welfare while being photographed (in studio or outside at the facilities where they live, then photo-shoppped into the backdrop). Through this series, she helps support organizations devoted to animal rescue, educational programs, and nurturing wildlife. The prints range in price from $25 for prints to $950 (for large numbered editions of a series).




Sharon has an amazing portfolio of dog photographs the likes of I have never seen! If you are a dog lover take a moment and run through her photos - and then call her to photograph YOUR dog! and while you are looking... don't forget to let the kids join in on the fun!!






Sharon Montrose photography
Little Darlings - Sharon Montrose