droolicious : Droolworthy

CES 2009: Panasonic HDC-HS300 HD Video Camera Is Truly Droolworthy

Chris Ford — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:00:00 GMT

On Tuesday I showed you a HD video camera for the family on a budget, but what about the family that is looking to upgrade and get a top of the line consumer camcorder? For that, the Panasonic HDC-HS300 should fit the bill nicely.

The HDC-HS300 has all the bells and whistles of the best of the Panasonic video cameras - like face detection, full HD 1920x1080 resolution and a 12x optical zoom. The HS300 also has a built in 120 GB hard drive which should record more video than a parent would ever need before he or she could get back to their computer to download it (around 50 hours). But if that isn't enough, it will also take an SD/SDHC memory card too.

Panasonic HDC-HS300 will retail for $1399 and will be available in the end of March / beginning of April 2009.

Droolworthy: No More Slimed Backs with the BurpCatcher

Mir — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:01:00 GMT

There's a certain irony in declaring a burp cloth to be droolworthy, I know. Nevertheless, having lived through an infanthood with a child nicknamed The Geyser leaves me with a soft spot for a burp cloth that might actually save your clothes -- and I think I've found it in the BurpCatcher. It's so simple you'll be doing the I-coulda-had-a-V8 forehead smack, too: It's a burp cloth with a self-opening pocket to catch spew. Yes.

Buy yours online; choose from the basic flannels (trimmed in pink, blue or green) for $12 for a pair, or go for one of the fancy design ones at $16 apiece. Either way, say goodbye to soggy backs!

Droolworthy: RoomMate KidCars for a Vroom Vroom Romper Room

Mir — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 19:01:00 GMT

If I were designating a large room just for the kids' delight and had a bottomless budget, the first thing I'd do would be to fill it with a dozen or so of these KidCar cushions by RoomMate. Each one is a bold color, shaped like a vehicle, and ready for lounging or "riding" into mischief. The bottomless budget part is key, though -- each of the five designs ranges from $200 to $300 apiece at Zwello.

Droolworthy: Nogin Sox Helmet Covers

Mir — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:01:00 GMT

Got a kid who doesn't want to wear his bike helmet? Get a load of Nogin Sox, the soft foam helmet covers designed to make safety a fashion statement! They start at $19.95 for "plain" models, and for $24.95 you can get one that lights up. Each is more hilarious than the last -- check out more after the jump.

Mmmmm... brains!

Lovely Ladybug:

The Screamin' Frog:

Spikes!:

Droolworthy: Build it with Toobeez

Mir — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 12:00:00 GMT

They look like giant Tinker Toys, and that's essentially what they are -- with one important difference: Toobeez interconnects with a twist-and-lock mechanism, so your structures stay put together. Combine that with the giant size and you've got the ingredients for endless forts and fun! Visit their store to check out the various kits; you can buy a sample kit for just $5, and 57-piece sets start at $149.99 (shipping included).

Droolworthy: Oh là là Bespoke Baby Shoes

chrisjordan — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 23:01:00 GMT

Georgina Goodman has designed these sumptious 100% Italian leather baby shoes. Made from a single piece of the softest vegetable tanned leather, these luxuriouos shoes will swaddle your baby's feet in comfort.

Hand stitched with yellow thread with natural leather laces.

I know, they are gorgeous. They make you drool. You want a pair for your baby. Well, here's hoping your baby was born with a silver spoon in his/her mouth. These shoes, for babies who are not even walking yet and therefore technically do not even need shoes, will set you back $237 at enfant terrible.

Here you can see the stitching and slightly squared off toe to accomodate chubby feet.

This is the Mary Jane style of shoe. Another couture classic. These are hand painted with black spots. And also will cost you $237.

Droolworthy: No More Lost Pieces with Ceaco's Pieceless Puzzles

Mir — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 12:30:00 GMT

You have to see this to believe it: Ceaco has developed a "pieceless puzzle" which is actually all one piece. Pieces cannot get lost, and every puzzle is double-sided. I was skeptical (this cannot possibly be fun! they must be very easy!), but now that I've watched the video, I'm a believer. Different age levels available, so you can buy for everyone in the family. Puzzles start at $11.99; watch the clip after the jump to see what it's all about.

Droolworthy: Contemporary Christmas Figurines from Alessi

Chris Ford — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 18:09:00 GMT

If you celebrate Christmas and you've got a young family like I do, then I'm betting your tree is looking pretty good right now but you probably don't have a lot of other decorations around the house. We've already told you about the modern nativity set, but I also can't help mentioning the other figurines in the "Figure Project" by Italian design company Alessi.

The "Figure Project" is a collection of porcelain figures that (according to their web site) are supposed to "compare the intriguing world of porcelain figures, particularly the refined production tradition of European manufacturers from the 18th century onwards, with our methods and contemporary designers." The result is a whole collection of light-hearted, modern Christmas figures that, quite frankly, rule me. I'm particularly partial to the "Christmas Cow Boy" [sic] (pictured) and the "Pinocchino," but the angels, the snowman, and all the rest are great too. At around $35 per figure it might be too expensive to buy up the whole set, but one or two might be something that has to happen this Christmas.

And trust me. They're way better snow babies.

Check out all of them for sale, from $16 to $35, at Unicahome.com

Hand Made: Cashmere Pants with Braces

Meredith Broussard — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:02:00 GMT

If there were any chance in hell that my kid could wear cashmere for more than five minutes without spilling something on himself, I would buy him these striped cashmere pants from oyoyo in a heartbeat. They're striped! And they come with braces! How cute is that?

When I was working in the Garment District years ago, I bought a couple of pairs of cashmere lounging pants on a whim at a sample sale. They were pretty much the most amazing clothing I've ever owned. On rainy days, or when I was home sick, I'd put on an old cashmere sweater, my cashmere pants, cashmere socks, and curl up on the couch with a blanket and a trashy mystery novel. It was heaven. The idea of cuddling an adorable kid who's all wrapped up in cashmere-- well, it gives me goosebumps in my uterus.

At $50, these French pants seem like an absolute steal. Additional colors available with suspenders; other trouser styles are also available, including some wool pants with a dog that may melt your heart. Check them out on Etsy.

Droolworthy: Skivvydoodles ArtWalk Blanket Sets

Mir — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 21:02:00 GMT

Just when I think I've found the ArtWalk pattern I love the best, I look at the next one and become smitten all over again. Where were these when my kids were babies?? This little division of Skivvydoodles makes hand-loomed, all-cotton blankets and coordinating sweater sets almost too pretty to use. Good luck trying to choose to just one; if you want to try, there's an impressive selection at Fitsyou. Dogs & Cats and Hey Little Diddle are shown above.

(Blankets are $100 and sweater sets -- many of which appear to be sold out, sadly -- are $80.)

Droolworthy: HaPe Quadrilla Marble Railways

Mir — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:03:00 GMT

If you're going to do the marble railway thing, go for the gold. HaPe International makes a variety of marble railways -- all wood construction, with water-based stains -- but this Quadrilla Twist and Rail set ($121.88 at Amazon) is my favorite. It includes nearly a hundred building pieces and fifty marbles. The possibilities are endless! The fact that it's stunning to behold and wood is a lot quieter than plastic when it comes to marble-rolling (trust me) are just the icing on the cake.

Droolworthy: Hand Made Castle Blocks

chrisjordan — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 15:14:00 GMT

These gorgeous hand crafted blocks are handcrafted in California, from kiln dried Ponderosa Pine. Castle Blocks will be delivered to you unfinished in their natural state, free of any harmful or toxic finishes.

Available at The Village Blocksmith on sale for a limited time for $99 for the 133 piece set

Droolworthy: Selecta Arcadia Crazy Arches

Mir — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 17:03:00 GMT

They come in a variety of shapes and colors, but they're all wacky and wonderful. The Arcadia Crazy Arches set from Selecta is all wood with child-safe colorants, and bound to be a building good time when mixed in with a more conventional block set or used on their own. $29.95 from Rosie Hippo.

Droolworthy: Plutoprodukter Dragon Hanger

Mir — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 22:04:00 GMT

Granted, you'll need to hang this high enough that Junior can't hurt himself on it while still very small, but these fearsome steel dragon hangers will make the growing-up transition from toddler knights and castles to teenage fearless skateboarders without a problem. $20.84 from Scandinavian Design Center.

Droolworthy: Ten Thousand Villages I Love You Puzzle

Mir — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 21:06:00 GMT

There's everything to love about this wooden heart from India: Hand-crafted by artisans in India, the shesham wood puzzle is a heart when assembled and spells out a stylized "I love you" when taken apart. Simple, yet striking, it'll be a lovely nursery decoration as well as a toy as baby grows. It's $18 from Ten Thousand Villages, a certified Fair Trade dealer.

Droolworthy: Beautiful Hand Made Dollhouse

chrisjordan — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 17:08:00 GMT

This dollhouse from Too Cute has been handpainted with great attention to detail. It includes 12 accessories.

2 tables
2 rugs
2 beds
4 bowls
1 fridge
1 oven

I love everything about this little house. The colors, the detail of the windows, the handpainted designs on the walls, the attention to detail will make this a well loved treasure for years to come.

Droolworthy: Rabbit Toes Personalized Plates

Mir — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 17:03:00 GMT

I love the idea of a personalized plate as a special gift for a child (particularly one with an unusual name), but so often the choices are so over-the-top cutesy I cannot imagine anyone over the age of five finding them attractive. These Rabbit Toes plates (from Jessica Rust Designs) have utterly charmed me -- choose from a large cake plate ($65) or four dessert plates ($75 for the set). The delicate fairies or fun construction vehicles patterns circle the rims along with a distinct but tasteful personalization, rendering these designs usable for years to come.

Droolworthy: Retro Print Holiday Dress

chrisjordan — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 22:04:00 GMT

I love this dress. The bright bold colored and patterned fabric has a Eurpoean flair. 3/4 length sleeves and a co-ordinating underskirt in red gingham check with a frill along the hem. This dress would be great all winter long, not just for the holidays.

Hand made it is available at moochies mama for $45

Droolworthy: Heirloom Ark from Wild Apples

Mir — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 18:02:00 GMT

The Pièce de résistance at Wild Apples Workshop is this Heirloom Ark set. Wood artist Gunther Keil left Germany for the US, where he now creates his wooden masterpieces in upstate New York. The set costs $239.50, and includes the ark (which has three rooms and an attic), Noah and his wife, and twenty pairs of animals made from fourteen different types of wood. This beautiful set is sure to become the heirloom its name promises.

Droolworthy: Fortamajig

Meredith Broussard — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 20:02:00 GMT

You don't need the Fortamajig for building elaborate forts in the house-- a spare sheet will work just fine.

But you may want a Fortamajig for building elaborate forts in the house-- because it's pretty insanely cool.

The Fortamajig is an 8x8 foot square of nylon ripstop with built-in stretchy loops. It turns into a canopy, a tent, a tunnel, and anything else your kid can imagine. We like the stretchy loops for stability, since our usual fort-making strategy involves throwing a sheet over some chairs and securing it wtih rubber bands and phone books-- a sketchy proposition at best.

Kids can make a play space by attaching the Fortamajig to chair backs, stair rails, doorknobs, tree branches, or each other. $69.95 for a single color sheet, $89.95 for a reversible two-color sheet at http://www.thehappykidcompany.com.

Droolworthy: Custom Made Love Bird Dress

chrisjordan — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 16:03:00 GMT

Custom sizes available from 6 months to 6 years with the option of long, short, or three-quarter length sleeves.

Wear this as a dress or a long shirt over a pair of jeans or leggings. I love the unusual pairing of these two fabrics.

Available at Vintage Chic Boutique for $45

Droolworthy: Camper Ankle Boots High on Style

chrisjordan — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:01:00 GMT

I love shoes. And these fabulous girls ankle boots by Camper are no exception.

Ankle boot in dark brown leather with side zipper, the fun red snaps are purely decorative. Adorable wing tip toe. Red 360 degree ideal stitching for added durability. Rubber sole.

Available at Oliebollen for $95

Droolworthy: FLY Fusion Pentop Computer

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 16:03:00 GMT

Notebook and tablet PCs have long been de rigeur for college-age kids, and some of us are even sending our little ones to grade school armed with similar gear; but for those of us in alternate universes (or income brackets), the FLY Fusion Pentop Computer ($79.99) offers a nice solution to closing the homework-technology gap.

Designed for ages 8 and up, although it tends to produce better results as penmanship improves, this digital pen captures handwriting via a sensor and specially designed FLY notebook paper, and then connects to your PC to convert your notes into digital format for saving, editing, translating, blogging or emailing later. With the school year only halfway through, it'd make an excellent holiday gift to get kids back in the spirit of learning once breaktime ends.

The pen comes with 64MB of memory for storing notes, FLY Fusion software and MP3s, and you can buy additional memory ($29.99 for 64MB) as your storage needs increase. As with a PDA or tablet PC, there's a slight learning curve involved with figuring out the best way to hold the pen and render characters without garbling them, but even kids with rudimentary tech skills shouldn't have trouble adjusting, and the easy-to-use (and very cool) control panel built into the FLY notebook makes it even easier to get started.

The pen is just the beginning of what the system can do, too: You can play cerebrally challenging games, download and even design custom applications, and get help with everything from math to language translation with FLY's library of software titles. Just be sure to remember this is a kids' gadget, because once you've had a chance to explore everything it can do, you're likely to hijack it for work meetings.

Droolworthy: Sdi Fantasia New Bambini High Chair

Mir — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 21:58:00 GMT

I haven't been able to find somewhere to purchase these in the US, but let me know if you do: Japanese company Sdi Fantasia makes a variety of modern children's furniture sporting clean lines in simple wood, and this New Bambini chair is the cream of the crop. It's a Tripp Trapp-esque high chair in that it will adjust to fit even the smallest of babies (with an optional baby insert) on up through adults, but get this -- flip it on its side, and it's also a rocking horse! Retail is around $254 USD. (The cool factor, of course, is priceless.)

Droolworthy: MC Escher Foam Lizards Puzzles

Mir — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 17:02:00 GMT

You're never too young to learn about tessellation: These foam puzzles based upon MC Escher's lizards are available in 10-piece large ($34.99) or 15-piece small ($14.99) sets, in bright colors or in grayscale, and can be fit perfectly together in an endless number of designs. The only problem I foresee is settling for just one set. Choose yours at The Construction Site.