When I was little, I had a beautifully handmade Raggedy Ann Doll. She had embroidered facial features and perfectly looped yarn hair on her flat, round head. She was lovely and I wish I knew where she was now. Is she at my mother’s house? Did one of my sisters steal her? Hello? Jill? Cara?
Until I can track Raggedy Ann down, I may have to appease myself with one of these new-fangled rag dolls from some artists on Etsy. So fun. Such bright colors and vibrant fabrics. I may just have to start a doll collection - except not a creepy doll collection like Marie Osmond’s. Have you seen those dolls on QVC? Totally freaky.
These toddler daypacks from Oompa.com are leeeetle and cute. While they won’t be very useful for an overnight at grandma’s, they’re just the right size for your little one to pack with airplane activities or some Thomas trains to take to a friend’s or even a drink and a snack for the playground.
Do you like the turtle, the bee or the ladybug best? I think the bee is my choice.
I stumbled upon the Sweet Funky Vintage website today via Megan’s post at Velveteen Mind. And I absolutely adore the fabrics they use. Very unique. Very fun. And everything is made-to-order.
You definitely won’t see these little numbers coming and going this summer.
So, you might remember that I’m working on a design for my twins’ “big boy” room. Not “working” exactly. More like “thinking about a lot”.
I’m still strongly considering the iron beds I posted about last week. But then I saw a few wooden beds at Posh Tots that I really like too. Since I’ll need two, I’m not convinced that the size of their room can handle any of these but I wanted to share them.
The Turned Post Cottage Bed:
Comes in 16 different colors at PoshTots.com, $1,240.00
The Summer Camp Bed:
Comes in 15 colors at PoshTots.com, $1,240.00
I’m decorating for two little boys. But if you’ve got girls, you’re in luck. PoshTots.com has some of the most fantastic beds for your girly girls. Not exactly cheap - but fantastic nonetheless…
All beds above available at PoshTots.com, from $1,770 to $6,000+.
My six-year-old daughter is just now reaching the age where she wants “trendy” clothes. I usually resist - throwing her the occasional bone by purchasing a graphic T at Target. I just don’t want her to grow up too fast. And I don’t want to waste money on clothes that will be “out” by Christmas.
Target is usually a good spot to find reasonably priced, trendier clothes for little girls. Old Navy is also inexpensive and not too grown-up in style for the most part.
I used to disdain Limited Too because I thought they offered clothing to little girls that was just too old-looking. Limited Too is no more - having been rolled into the Justice brand. And, for the most part, I think Justice does a good job at offering reasonably priced “trendy” without being trampy (let’s call a spade a spade).
I like these bathing suits offered at Justice.com (bathing suits are usually a good bellwether for the trashiness of kids’ clothing, I think).
I saw these on Nigel Barker’s son though - and I LOVED them! (I also love Nigel Barker, but that’s a story for another day…) They’re Vans Old Skool V.
$35 at Vans.com. Cool but classic.
I saw my Vans-wearing fourth grade crush’s name on Facebook last week. Wonder if he’s still cute…
We’ve been starting to think about transitioning my two-year-old twin boys into a big boy room. (And when I say “we”, please understand that my husband has absolutely no idea that we need to re-decorate when we move the cribs out. “We” means me and my interior-design-superstah mother.) It won’t happen until much later this year probably - but the thought process has begun.
I was originally thinking a linen-upholstered padded headboard with nailhead trim for each twin bed. But then I thought - these are the two children who have destroyed more things in my home than I previously thought possible to destroy. Do I really want to give them linen? I’m now working on Plan B.
I didn’t have this problem when planning my daughter’s big girl room several years ago. I went with a delicate diamond-patchwork quilt from The Land of Nod. And this bed with a flat pewter finish from FineIronBeds.com:
I loved it so much that, when we moved to a new house about 18 months later, I bought another one - so she has two matching twins beds like in the photo. It is really darling. (The beds are shipped via freight carrier directly to your home. No problems at all - but you will have to arrange a time to be home to accept the shipment off the truck.)
Inspired a bit by the antique brass bed in Heather Armstrong’s new nursery - see it over at dooce.com - I’m starting to consider brass or iron beds for the boys’ room. Something strong and traditional though - not as girly as the Coventry.
Remember back in the ’80’s when sweet calico and floral Laura Ashley dresses were all the rage? For little girls and not-so-little girls? Full skirts, shoulder poufs, sashes, peter pan and sailor collars? Jessica McClintock and Gunne Sax got into it too but the style was a little different. Laura Ashley was always fresh, clean and very classic.
The Laura Ashley stores are gone. The name is still licensed for little girls’ dresses and home goods (and maybe even women’s clothes?) but they’re carried in department stores and discount chains - certainly not the same caché as its heyday. When I stalked the eponymous store for sales, so that I too could have a Laura Ashley dress. (Wore one to my high school graduation. Yes, I’m that old. Shut up.)
To make a long story longer, I thought immediately of the old Laura Ashley lines when I spied these charmers on the Papo d’Anjo website:
Now, they ain’t cheap by any stretch of the imagination. But if you’ve got a special event or a fabulous family portrait planned, these may be just the ticket. Available at Papo d’Anjo.
So, let’s review. It is clear that I like pinafores (or jumpers, whichever term you prefer), Mary Janes and Indian-inspired tunics and dresses. Today, we’ll add little girls’ jackets to the mix. Because I like them. Might even love them. Not “love” like I want to make out with them and stuff but “love” just the same.
And now, there’s the Caroline jacket by Benny & Moon. Linen and cotton, it’s the perfect little jacket for summer evenings. The style is perfect to top dresses, jeans, clamdiggers, shorts…well, just about anything.
Arden by Wesley Allen, 
Sena by Wesley Allen, 
Laredo by Wesley Allen, 
