Very Kule Outfits

I have always liked Kule clothing but it has reached love status after seeing these outfit combinations! I picked my favorite below, never has blue for a girl looked so good!  They are all fantastic though, click here to see all of them! 

Outfit 1: Vienna Sleeveless Tee $58, Kimmy skirt $95, Outfit 2: Penelope Navy Cardigan $78, Liza dress $126, Outfit 3: Anchor Necklace $45, Marcelle top $90, Gina White Denim Shorts $82. For shoes and bag, email info@kuleshop.com.

French Bull Monsters

I saw these plates in Whole Foods stacked together with their matching cups and bowls. They drew both my attention and my girls for as I stopped to take a look, I got a  "pllleeaase, can we get some." If it wasn't for the collection of Melamine plates we have from our annual ritual of making Makit plates with their name and year, I would have snatched these up! They have four other patterns: Robot, Superhero, Gamer and Princess so take your pick. 

French Bull Monster Kids Plate (Set of 4) $32. 

If you are not in the market for plates, these are just as great. Break up the set and use them for birthday party favors!

French Bull Monster Mini Notebook Set $3.95.

Pink Chicken Perfect for Summer!

My girls are always so comfortable in their Calypso dresses and Roberta Freymann tunics in summer that it was exciting to find even another great maker of such clothes: Pink Chicken. Their fabrics are colorful and prints so fun—with everything from dresses to even diaper covers! 

Pink Chicken dresses, $64 and up. Available at Arte Bebe.

Party Invitations—Green and On Sale!

Cool Moms Picks (a fantastic blog if you have not read it already) has just introduced me to a new stationary company, Paper Culture, that not only has unique designs, prints on 100% post-consumer printed paper, but also has the easiest ordering process! While they get their e-commerce site up, they are offering free proofs which I ordered mine last night for a baby shower and it was in my inbox this morning...looking adorable I have to say!!! So if you are looking for children's birthday party invitations or for actually any occasion, take a look and if you order by May 31st—you will save 25%!

Here are just a few of my kids' invitation favorites:

Penny Peacock

Monkey Business

Pirate Loot

Cat Face

Happy Memorial Day from Charlottesville, VA

I spent Memorial Day weekend in Charlottesville, Va. for a family reunion. I was excited to check out this home furnishing store, And George, that I had read about ages ago in Southern Accents that is down there. I was especially excited when I got there to find a little kids' section that reflected the incredible selection around the rest of the store. Here are some of the finds.  (Excuse the photo quality, I think one of my children got a hold of my phone and smudged the lens!)

Lemlem Dresses (hanging all together they look so cute!)

 

10 Grain Log Rocker.

Mohair and metallic-leather booties, $50. 

25% Off Oeuf's Spring Line

Daily Candy is offering 25% off  Oeuf, one of my favorite brands, now until May 31. Click here for the offer (or type in DCdeal at checkout). 

Because I can't contain myself, my top 5 picks from Oeuf!

More Girls' Spring Pajamas

The Garnet Hill catalog arrived yesterday after I had put up my post on Spring PJs. I had wanted to offer a lower price point alternative and found it and on sale! My pick is the Hydrangea Floral (front), but all are cute and read the reviews—if I haven't convinced you, they will. 

Tank Pajamas Set $24 (was $36). 

Girls' Spring Pajamas

Hands down, I think Mini Boden makes the best kids' pajamas. Their nightgowns and top/bottom combos are a staple in our house.  They are comfortable and not only does each child get at least two years wear out of them, after that they are still in hand-me-down condition. I know they are a little on the expensive side for pajamas but they really are worth it. 

Mini Boden Printed Nightie $38. 

Mini Boden Twin Pack Short Johns $48.

And if you are willing to spend on pajamas, runners up are...

Grana & Mau Blue Flowers Nightie $50-52. 

Berkley Girl's Skivvy Doodles Spring PJs $45. 

Thank You Notes

I always write thank you notes. I don't care if people write them to me, I just feel like if someone gives me or my children a gift, I write a note. There comes that time around six when the children are supposed to write them. I realized quickly it was going to take months for us to write all the notes from my oldest daughter's 6th birthday party and too much frustration to really be worth it. So I decided to take a different approach. Why don't I let her draw what she was given? I have found this so much more pleasant...recognizing the outcome is definitely messy and well, personalized stationary probably not necessary! 

If you do want to go the personalized stationary route, here are some of my favorites for kids: Fontaine Maury,  iomoi, and Dabney Lee. 

Go-To Birthday Present

Holly and I were lucky enough to spend the morning yesterday with Sarah Easley at Kirna Zabete. She told us about her favorite birthday gift for a boy or a girl, the Kidsonaroof Mobile Home. We agreed the price is a little higher than we all would spend, but she guaranteed us it would earn us "best birthday gift giver" status!

Kidsonaroof Mobile Home $35. Available at Kirna Zabete. 

French Lessons

It was my daughter Courtney's 5th birthday and this was one of our favorite gifts. The box alone is decoration on a bookshelf, but the puzzles inside are just as nice. The pieces are made of wood and there are three different puzzles included. My five and six year old were able to do it by themselves, which I loved because I got to get lunches packed while they were playing. 

Available at Pomme.

Ready for Summer—Belgian Style

Not sure which is cuter—the girl or the tunic! I will definitely be copying this hairstyle for my girls. I saw this dress on one of my favorite go-to sites, Nonchalant Mom. While I realize white is not practical for probably any child, this dress by Bellerose might be the exception. I want the whole collection for my girls and only wish this shirt in my size!

Bellerose Sequin Trim Tunic Tank $78. Available at Nonchalant Mom.

Animal Alphabet Tees

bioME5 not only makes organic kid's apparel but it is fun and colorful clothing that they will want to wear (and you will love to see them in). These t-shirts caught my eye. The color combinations and graphics are so appealing with an incredibly clever detail—the name of the animal on the tees is written upside down so when the child looks down, he or she can read it. I had a hard time picking but my favorites are "f", "i" and "s." Let your child pick their own as the selection process is actually fun—animal noises included! 

bioME5 Animal Alphabet Project short sleeve kids tee $28.

Eberjey on The Mini Social

Eberjey is one of those brands that when I am looking for a bathing suit for one of my girls, I always pick theirs out and note how cute it is and then look at the tag and think "of course it is eberjey!" They are pricey so I just haven't bought one yet, so how excited was I to find them on The Mini Social—but shop quickly the sale ends in 13 hours! Oh, and if you don't know what The Mini Social is, sign up! 

To Spend or Not to Spend

I had one of those moments today when you find a cute and inexpensive piece—actually pieces—of clothing and it makes you question why you ever spend a lot on children's clothing. It was in H&M and they have these peasant tops ($14) and colorful skirts ($14) that look great together or I could mix then up with the existing tees and shorts in my children's closet. 

H&M doesn't have an online store, but click here for their store locator. I got these at the one in NYC on 34th Street and 7th Avenue. 

An Idea for Someone Else's Mother's Day

I love art. I love that my kids love art. I do anything I can to promote art in our house even if it means marker and paint remnants all over the kitchen table.  So for Mother's Day this year I  told my husband that I really wanted to go to The Affordable Art Fair in NYC. Last year I had gone by myself and had so much fun perusing all of the different booths and talking to the artists. I saw that this year on Sunday they are having a children's art studio from 12-4 p.m. offering Line and Shape Design inspired by Ellsworth Kelly, Patrick Heron and Mondrian, Vertical Art: Collaborative Group Murals, Famous Artist Coloring Station and a Jim Dine Hammering Station as well as special Mother's Day programs which include sculptural roses for Mom and Me and Myself and I Pop Art Prints where children create a homage to their mothers. 

Well, two soccer games at that exact time have changed the plan but if you are in or around NYC and looking for an art-inspired Mother's Day, you should check it out and let me know how it is! 

The Affordable Art Fair, 7 West 34th Street New York, NY 10001, http://www.aafnyc.com/

First Communion Dress in a Flash

A friend of mine—who is always so good at shopping for events in advance, not to mention her kids are always impeccably dressed—was looking recently for a First Communion dress. She found one that she liked finally but had to order it and it took a couple weeks to come in. She in the meantime told me how she had found the most perfect dress at Jacadi and "so much for thinking ahead" as she couldn't cancel her first order. So, if you are still searching for your daughter's First Communion outfit, my friend is to thank for finding you this! And in case you need some shoes too, they have a nice pair of ballet flats (I got my daughter them in pink for Easter) that will be perfect!

Jacadi Cornaline dress $134. 

Jacadi Cerise ballet flat $70.

Summer Tops for Under $12

I know I wrote earlier about Peek, but I have to share my latest finds with you as they just arrived and my daughter and I are equally excited. Every top was a little different and I just couldn't decide but the price made up my mind, for all five plus the shorts, the total was $62. If these aren't for you, check out the sale as the quality of the clothes is great and it makes it a little easier to watch a shirt take the hit of an ice-cream cone when it cost $5!

Top row: Gidget top $10, Dahlia shirt $10, Pirate Seahorse tank $5; Bottom row: Fleur short $15, Goldie top $10, Addison Tee $12. 

Girls' Hair Accessories

I am always on the hunt for girls' hair accessories. I just don't love the big traditional bows...they look cute on other people's children but on mine they just don't quite look right. So I flipped when I saw Atsuyo et Akiko's booth at the Bubble Trade Show in NYC this past March. She uses pompoms and feathers and each piece is a work of art. Her online store is under construction, but click here for a full list of stores.

Spring 2009 Hair Accessories

And even though I don't advocate jewelry for children at my girls' age, these are the cutest most precious necklaces. Perfect for a birthday gift! 

New Crewcuts Catalog!

I always get annoyed at the amount of catalogs that arrive in the mail and go straight to recycling, J. Crew's being the exception.  Theirs always arrives and the merchandising and photography sucks me in, I end of folding down half the pages---wanting it all. I feel the same with the store actually, I go in there and want everything. I will admit I sometimes am disappointed as when I bring my purchases home, they don't quite look as good on me without being part of the full "look." This said, they have done it again with the new Crewcuts catalog. I have always gone to www.jcrew.com for some staples in my girls' wardrobes, but there is something about this new little booklet of incredible photography and smart merchandising, you just well...want it all. 

Displaying Artwork

I have been trying to figure out a way to put the girls' artwork up on in their bedroom. I just can't tape it up, it is not in my nature. I got this idea from an article in the New York Times' Sunday Styles section a few months ago which was a project that was done in one of the public schools. They hung a letter of the alphabet and then around it artwork that represented that letter. I thought I could copy the idea but do it with the first letter of each of my girls' names and then surround each with the artwork they did that started with those letters. But then I saw this in the back of Teen Vogue (May 2009)---why make it so complicated, just hang any of their artwork with their letter. So I have on my list of to-dos to go to IKEA get some Ribba frames and fill them with theirs and my favorite work which we can then rotate in and out as they bring home things they like better. And in the meantime, I will be on the lookout for an "A" and a "C" to hang with them---let me know if you see any as I have no idea where to look.

 Image: From Teen Vogue May 2009 (Photograph by Tina Tyrell).