moo knew?

A few weeks ago a cute little cow creamer started showing up everywhere! I saw it at Pier 1, at Wegman's grocery store, at my sisters in-laws home...all over town! It looks like Chuck Williams, aka the brains behind the successful Williams Sonoma, knew he had something fantastically timeless when he first saw the cow creamer. It originally came in a print, and Williams asked the manufacturer if it could be produced without all the hoopla. That was in the mid 50's. (We can thank him for convincing Kitchen Aid to make their mixers in all those great hues, too!)



Made of porcelain, dishwasher and microwave safe, Williams Sonoma's Cow Creamer retails for $28. So elegant and goes in just about any style kitchen with it's clean, white, sculpture-esque feel. williamssonoma.com




Like the look but not the $$? Check out this one above, from target.com. Also Porcelain and only $10 and maybe slightly underfed?

personalized gifts

here's a way to give a gift with a little more thought....personalize it! Check out these great soaps at potterybarn.com:

On sale now for $29 with free shipping. So pretty!

Adorable online store worth checking out: threehipchicks.com! Check out their Personalized Wooden Oval Pendant and Necklace. So great for summer. Retails for $45.50. Choose from nice variety of shapes, fonts and necklace colors - you can also purchase just the pendant.

Love the Monogrammed Large Oval Shell Pendant too! Retails for $21 - check out their gorgeous silk string too!

very pretty lips for a very good cause

I was recently introduced to Jessi Howell cosmetics. Her products look great, but I was especially drawn to her P.U.D. (Proud, Unique, and Determined) line. She carries deliciously rich shades of lipstick and perfectly plumping lip glosses. Here's the best part of all - 100% of the proceeds from her P.U.D. line go to Childhelp, and Abused Child Trust, nonprofit organizations that help victims of child abuse and neglect.

P.U.D. Pure Lips retails for $28. Free of synthetic dyes and colourants. I adore her "Determined" color! Five other great colors to choose from.

P.U.D Plumping Pout Gloss retails for $40 - comes in six gorgeous colors. Check out "Prosper" - it's simple and fresh for the summer! And best of all, it's for a great cause! www.jessihowellcosmetics.com

who knew cleaning up could be this adorable?!

I optimistically thought that the throwing-food-on-the-floor stage would have happily ended by the time my husband turned 28 - joking, by the time my daughter turned one. But boy oh boy was I wrong. My floor looks like a disaster almost every night. And there I am, left picking up pieces of macaroni - and washing the tiled, every-lil-spot-of-dirt-shows floor, over and over again!

I started to search for some durable floor mats and was so excited when I came across this one:


"Strawberry Fields Retro Splat Mat" by online boutique store Divas and Drooligans, is so cute and retails for approximately $25. 44" x 44", heavy duty, and available in eight more adorable, retro patterns! check out divasanddrooligans.com.

pure and simple

It's interesting that with all the new trendy toys frequently on the market, wooden toys have a way of always being in style.


Belonging to her own kids at one time, my mother-in-law saved this classic toy car. My daughter loves to play with it! It's 100% wood, no dyes, chemicals, or worries added!

I know I've expressed my love for Oompa in the past and I couldn't resist mentioning their adorable Cheekeys Wooden African Animal Set!



The set of five retails for about $30 and is simply too cute! Makes a great gift. With the clean, modern curves it would also make adorable baby room decor! Check out www.oompa.com.

*Save 10% when you spend $50 or more on your first order - coupon code PN2009.

books never looked so good

I know I've expressed my love for Etsy in the past - and here's another great shop I am so excited about - Pillowhappy! Her work is fabulous and so unique. I have my eye on her "Modern Poppy Bookends."


Retails for $22 for a set of two. Would make a great gift! I love that they don't look like your average serious bookends - they really are so chic: etsy.com. Her blue pairs and purple eggplant bookends are worth taking a look at as well. At first I thought they would look fantastic on a clear acrylic shelf - and I'm sure they still would, but then I saw this:

I fully understand that not everyone will appreciate the color coordination in the same way I do, but this "Viktor/Stodis" wall shelf from Ikea (ikea.com) really does work. It retails for about $6 and is the perfect size; length - 29.5" and depth - 11". While the mere thought of going to Ikea with a 16 month old really frightens me, it's worth it for items like this (I'll have to bring lots of snacks). You'll have to bring your bookends with you to mix and match.

Quick Tip: If you go with both colorful bookends and a colorful bookshelf, keep the book-cover colors as neutral as possible - it's much more pleasant on the eye and will enhance the richness of your shelf and bookends. Go with more colorful books if you choose a more neutral shelf.

gaga for oompa

I recently stumbled upon oompa.com while researching rocking horses for a gift. I am hooked on oompa - and trust me, you have to check out their website to understand why. The prices are actually decent (and in this economy they should be!) but the quality is really there. They carry some of my favorite baby brands like BlaBla and OFFI. I was melting for this adorable blocks set by Haba:


"Sakrada Building Blocks" from Haba would brighten up any toy box! The unique shapes are so creative. Retails for about $26. Paint is non-toxic and kid friendly. Check them out at oompa.com.
*Free shipping with purchases over $65.
*Use code HM and receive 5% off entire order
*no tax!