droolicious : nursery

These Walls CAN Talk

JeanneSager — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:01:00 GMT

Ever wondered what the walls of your kids' bedroom would have to say if they could talk?

Let your kids scribble out any thought that pops into their head on the wallpaper thought bubble chalkboards from Scribble on Everything.

Putting them up takes some work (kudos for the detailed instructions), but once up, the thoughts can flow. A set sports five bubbles in varying sizes, so you can let their dresser talk, leave a mini bubble floating over the bed and put the big one near the door for family doodles. They are removable, but not repositionable, so make sure you're in serious like before you commit to putting them on their walls.

Get all five for $33.15 from Scribble on Everything.

Retrolicious: Vintage-Looking Changing Dresser

Cathy Hale — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:30:00 GMT

It might not be vintage, but this Celine Changer Dresser certainly embraces a vintage vibe. (I'm pretty sure someone in my family had furniture just like this because I remember liking these types of drawer pulls as a child.) The dresser features lots of storage space for diaper station items and as baby gets older, you can remove the changing tray and use it as a dresser. It also comes in a bunch of great color options, from bold primary colors to softer pastels. Retails for $1,329 at BabyEarth.

Can't See the ABCs for All the Trees

JeanneSager — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:01:00 GMT

What do you do will those alphabet charts when your kids are already reading? With the Trees and ABCs posters from Blue Sky Rocket, you leave 'em up.

After all - you have to look hard to see the ABCs for all the trees. The animal antics of all the critters make these prints fun for tots who love to play I Spy. And for parents, there's the added bonus that the animals make this art last beyond the toddler years (they'd make a funky office print).

Get them from Blue Sky Rocket - an 8x10 is $20.

Get The Poster of Their Favorite Flick

JeanneSager — Tue, 12 May 2009 13:57:00 GMT

So you say your kid is obsessed with their favorite movie? Obsessed? Really? We can help.

Or at least, we can aid their obsession.

Just Movie Posters sells the poster from, well, their favorite movies. So you don't need to flex your Martha muscles to paint a picture of Mulan on their walls. You can just buy the real thing.

Not every movies on there, but they've got a variety, including a fair share of kiddie flicks. Prices vary, but most sit around $15 (with mini posters at $7) and if they're that obsessed, that's a small price to pay.

Get them from Just Movie Posters.

Hippo's Hungry for a Routine

JeanneSager — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:30:00 GMT

If trying to get your kids off to beddie bye is a nightmare in itself, how about putting them in charge? At least in charge of checking off the routine.

This Hippo Gets Ready for Bedtime chart sports pictures of cute purple hippos doing all the getting ready for bed chores that need to be done. Attached across the bottom of the board by Velcro, they easily come off for little hands and just as easily reattach across the top to let kids "check off" chores that are complete.

With twenty choices of chores and seven slots for "what needs to be done," you can pick your kids' biggest hang-ups and let them take control of checking each of them off. For older kids, the chart gives them a little independence, and let's you check to see everything's getting done.

Get one from Excited 2 Learn for $27.95.

It's Beddie Bye for Your Little Sports Star

JeanneSager — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:24:00 GMT

Leave it to the Canadians to come up with the best jerseys ever for little hockey players. And soccer players. And basketball players . . .

These fleece jersey blankets take your little sports star off to dreams of bright lights and baseball diamonds.

From My Kidsquarters, a Canadian company that sells products made in Canada exclusively on its Website to their cousins down here in the states, the blankets are super soft and can be personalized with their name and favorite number or that of their favorite sports superstar (yes, I was tempted to put a number 2 under my daughter's name, but I figured a three-year-old sleeping under Mom's Jeter dreams was a bit too much. Sigh).

The max. is nine characters for the name, two digits for the number, for either the small blanket or the large (and at 60 x 85, we're talking big enough for Mom or Dad when you're called in to cuddle), and colors vary - but if you have a color combo you don't see on their site, let them know - they're willing to work with parents to meet athlete aspirations!

Get them straight from My Kidsquarters for $59.99 or $119 (prices are in Canadian dollars).

Check Out More Toddler to Teen Bedroom Goodies:

Bedding That Will Take You From Toddler to Teen

Moses Basket for the Picky, by Picci

Cathy Hale — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Parents who use Moses baskets, swear by them! Days with a newborn are much easier if you can move a sleeping baby around safely from room-to-room. You might even get a few things done! This Peter Baby Carry Basket by Picci offers a contemporary twist on the traditional Moses basket.

The bedding features a green dasiy print and the matching comforter is trimmed in red. The handles are wrapped in plastic so moving baby is a snap! Check it out on Overstock.com for $180. If you want to compare prices, just click on the "Online Best Price Match" button.

Decor for Your Little Count (Ah Ah Ah!)

Heather Kuldell — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:04:00 GMT

Letters get a lot love on Droolicious, but my little boy loves numbers. If your kids prefer the 123s to the ABCs, check out the Sycamore Street Press Letterpress Number Poster. This clean, modern poster features chocolate brown san-serif numbers with corresponding amounts of apple-green animals. And it's not your average computer print-out: Each piece of renewable cotton paper is fed individually through a vintage letterpress. The raised types and shapes of the press cut into the paper leaving both color and texture.

The 11-by-14-inch print is $30, and available in a few other color combinations. And, if you really love letters, a coordinating alphabet version is available too. Either one — or both — makes a sweet baby-shower gift for any graphic-design loving parents out there.

A Little Cloud for Your Little Sunshine

JeanneSager — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:30:00 GMT

What's better than a friend to cuddle with in bed? A friend that lets you rest your head on him at the end of the day.

Jaya Loves Tekeko organic pillows are sized just right for little arms to wrap around, and soft enough for little heads to lean on and drift off into dream land.

Hand printed, sewed and stuffed, every little pillow sports a sweet and original character, and every little buddy comes with his or her own story. My pick is Leafgirl (redubbed by my daughter as Goldilocks for some unknown reason, but I'll allow that it's because this pillow was just right), but Professor Acorn can offer up an education in why it's important to get to bed early (so you can cuddle with your new friend!), and Eggboy looks so sad there's no way a toddler can resist giving him a squeeze.

Soft as a cloud, the covers are removable so you can wash the Kumo Friends after they've been dragged around the world with your tot. Jaya Loves Tekeko uses all organic material, with PVC-free and phthalate-free water based inks and recyled packaging, so their dreams are painted in green.

Get a pillow from their site for $62.

Blocks that Rock: LEGO Boombox

JeanneSager — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:01:00 GMT

Who knew you could make LEGO any more rockin'? Digital Blue is trying - this summer they're set to unveil a boombox and MP3 player - with the real LEGO name.

Ten times the size of the real thing, the boombox will be one mega LEGO brick, with the little bumps traditionally used for inter-locking your blocks doing double duty as volume and tuning controls. And true to LEGO life, even the little dials sport the LEGO name.

And since everything is portable these days - even the big block sound - the MP3 player boasts two gigs of space for some one thousand kid tunes and look like a tower of blocks already pieced together for their listening pleasure.

Both retailing for $39.99, they'll hit stores this summer, at which point we'll all be teaching our kids to rock around the block.

More LEGO goodies:

LEGO My Dinner

Roll Out the Royalty With This Toybox

JeanneSager — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:27:00 GMT

We have entered the realm of the Disney Princess obsession, and I'm afraid there is no escaping it. But as we work on our daughter's room makeover, I've been looking to incorporate her favorites in small ways rather than let a character take over.

Her favorite new addition? Her Princess toybox that rolls out of its organizer and around the room for easy clean-up and fun play around the room.

From Delta products, the three-tiered organizer is surprisingly easy to put together (alas, I can't lie and say I did it - thank you honey!) with each piece well-labled, holes pre-drilled and dowels already in place. It's also sturdier than most of the particleboard toyboxes I've found (the one downfall to this box, it is particleboard rather than real wood), able to withstand a preschooler packing it full of EVERYTHING she owns.

The roll out toybox uses the organizer as its "lid," so there's no need to worry about a lid getting beaten up with the constant up and down and no fear of fingers getting pinched. This gets bonus points for the three plastic organizing bins on the second shelf, each of which comes out separately so they can keep cars separate from little action figures and so on.

Better still, this is a small set, which easily fits into a corner of the room and at under $50 doesn't cost you an arm and a leg for something they'll soon grow out of. Get it at Target.

Bedding That Will Take You From Toddler to Teen

JeanneSager — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:27:00 GMT

The trick to transforming the nursery to a big kid room? Finding a style that will last longer than their baby teeth.

As we make the transition from toddler bed to big girl double, I've been scouring the marketplace and come up with the best bedding to take them from toddler to teen.

Little MissMatched's bed in a bag sets are packed with creativity - because, true to name, nothing matches. Coordinating colors bring the sets slathered in stripes and dotted in dots together, and make this bedding that will grow with them - because they can change things up whenever they feel like it simply by flipping over the reversible comforter or realigning the reversible bedskirt.

With nary a kiddie character in sight, the Little MissMatched bedding is available in twin, full and queen so you can get them for the toddler and keep them around for the teen or let siblings mix things up.

Want to match their growing with your pocketbook? Seven piece sets come with comforter, three pillowcases, two sheets and a bedskirt, and they're priced from $90 for twin to $110 for queen (get free shipping on them - all orders over $75 qualify). Get them at Little MissMatched.

A Clock that Talks Back at You

JeanneSager — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:23:00 GMT

The mark of a truly great toy for kids? Something that talks. The mark of a truly great toy for parents? Something that teaches . . . and doesn't talk too loudly.

The Tick Talk hits both marks, making it an all around hit for families.

From the folks at American Innovative, the clock does double duty as an alarm clock, night light and toy that helps them get out the door in the morning. Kids can record their own voices being goofy as their wake-up alarm, or you can record yourself nagging, er, gently reminding them it's up and at 'em. For kids who are always on the go, record messages so they can come home and check them at the touch of the clock's "toe."

Want a stress-free morning? The clock will start shipping next month, so pre-order from American Innovative for $29.95.

Make Those Fingerprints Unique

JeanneSager — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:05:00 GMT

Every fingerprint may be unique, but those handprints every kid brings home from nursery school all seem to be cut from the same drab mold.

How do you make your kid's handprint look different? Grab the paints and let them at it.

Child to Cherish replaces drab with fab with their Decorative Handprint Kit with Paint Set. The plaster mold is easy to mix up, and just as easy to cast their print. Set it aside to dry, and you've got another day's art project with the kids already planned in advance: because now it's time for them to get decorating.

The non-toxic watercolor paints included are easy wash when they get a little carried away, and the painted up prints are will get granny's water works a flowing on Mother's Day.

Get it for $12.99 from Child to Cherish.

Etsy Alert: Duck and Cover with Clips

JeanneSager — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Bye bye jumble of hair clips in the old diaper wipes container! Waddle on over to Little Bow Peep on Etsy, and she'll help you duck the mess of mothering a little girl.

Created by Emily McMinn, a mom who started making bows (also available at Little Bow Peep) for her twin girls, the hair clip holders sport a long ribbon for covering in clips. With an extra ribbon on top for hanging here, there and everywhere, and holders topped with monkeys, flip flops, flowers and more, get one to hang in your bathroom, one for her room and an extra to stash extra clippies in one place in your purse.

And did we mention the cute little duckies?

Get the holders ($7.99) and the clips to go with them at Little Bow Peep.

Hop to It: Hares for Her Hair

The New Way to Wear a Tutu

Paint By Number for the Nursery

JeanneSager — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:01:00 GMT

Looking for an art project for a rainy day inside with the kids? How about one that will make their bedroom look good and you look like the Martha mom you oh-so-aren't?

Trace it baby! Trace Designs' wall murals for the kids are easy peasy, and dumbed down for parents. Put up a piece of the kit's tracing paper on their wall, followed by one of Meg Marasigan's rockin' designs, and practice staying on top of the lines.

Then pull out your paints and get to work - it's all paint by numbers, so you and the kids can make it look like you called in a professional artist. The paints themselves aren't included, so you can pick and choose to make it all match.

With Trace Designs available at Home Depot.com (and slated for the stores soon), you can do a two-for-one buying trip online to get the paint, or you can order your mural right from Trace. The elephants above are $39.95; more complicated traceables are $49.95. The price on the face of their playdate's mom when you said you did that yourself? Priceless.

All-In-One Diaper and Bathing Station

Cathy Hale — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:00:00 GMT

This unique diaper/bathing station will really appeal to some parents. I saw it for the first time last summer at the big Baby Expo in Las Vegas. At first sight, I asked, "what is that thing?" It just looked so different from all of the other nursery items. The extremelly nice Sorelle rep explained it was the Aqua Changing Table, a combination diaper station and bathing area. It's safe and convenient, but the best part is little accidents can be cleaned up quickly. It's probably much more sturdy than it looks, weighing in at 50 pounds. Check it out at BabyEarth - retails for $230.

What's Hatching At This Furniture Shop?

JeanneSager — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 17:26:00 GMT

If being a dad changed Scott Anderson, it was for the good of the environment.

When daughter Georgia came along in 2004, Anderson quit his job at a telecommunications firm to become a stay-at-home dad, aware that soon the family would be moving cross country to settle in the Seattle area. Creating decorations for Georgia's room that Anderson realized would have to be portable, Hatched Egg'rs came cracking out of the egg.

"After working for a number of years in a corporate environment I wanted to create my own business, but I also wanted to be very connected to my kids," Anderson says. "And I thought at the time what better way to connect with your kids than to draw silly pictures for them. At the same point I never wanted to have to explain to my kids (when they are older and start asking questions) why I used a material or a finish that hurt the environment or had the (even if it was small) potential to hurt people. So everything I designed I tried to incorporate sustainable practices (local, non-toxic, low impact, and little packaging)."

Hence Melville chairs, toddler-sized wooden seats that flip over and become chairs again, fulfilling a toddler-style need to make every side of every structure into something useful. A sizeable seat for a toddler, they last up until at least age eight as seats for pulling up to the coffee table for an afternoon of coloring or the conductor's perch on a toddler train.

"They are made from FSC certified wood, finished with non-toxic, environmentally friendly finishes (recommended for people with Chemical Sensitivities), and packaged with recycled, minimal packaging," Anderson explains. "Not only are the chairs environmentally responsible and sustainably built (sourced, manufactured and finished here in the Northwest), but they are really unique with a whole line of customizable images to adorn them with (customers can pick what colors will work best in every picture I produce)."

The same images made for Georgia and little brother Jake now grace not only the chairs but exquisite toyboxes and wall stickers made to crack kids up without cracking the paint job in the nursery.

"When I am creating new characters, I get out pencils and blank paper, for me, my daughter, and my son and we all sit at the kitchen table together and draw," Anderson explains. "During that time my kids tell me stories, act silly and create worlds of their own, and sometimes they look over at what I am drawing and laugh - that is the favorite part of my work."

Our favorite part of his work? All of it - from the green start to the grin on our kids.

Image: Hatched Egg'rs

Eric Carle Wall Art – On the CHEAP!

SunnyChanel — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 16:13:00 GMT

It’s been forty years since Eric Carle’s first printing of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Since then this book along with The Very Busy Spider, The Grouchy Ladybug and The Greedy Python have become timeless classics that are adored and enjoyed by families pert near everywhere. If your kids are lovers of all things Carle, a fabulous way to celebrate his whimsical and colorful artwork is by hanging it on your wall so it can be enjoyed not just during storytime but all the time.

Chronicle Books has put together a beautiful set of 12 full color decorative prints from a variety of his books that are oh so suitable for framing. Put a couple on your wall, frame the rest and you have gifts for oodles of upcoming showers and little kid birthday parties. They’ll think you are very generous indeed bestowing on them a gorgeous Carle print. They don’t need to know that the entire set of prints cost you just $24.95 and you know, that Target has some pretty cheap frames. You can pre-order the Decorative Prints set here for $24.95, which will be coming out on March 25th!

Hitch a Ride on This Flying Carpet

SunnyChanel — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 23:39:00 GMT

If your family has just happened to have watched Alladin over fifty time or perhaps you just don’t like your carpets to be right smack dab one the floor, then here is a rug for you. Yes, you can get a flying carpet for a wee bit of the old woven magic to delight, intrigue and captivate young and old would be flyers alike. The Magis Flying Carpet comes from Italy and the rug lays on a large wavy base. But this kind of magic doesn’t come cheap. The base itself goes for £318.67 ($450) and the rug for £176.56 ($251). For more details, or if that genie in the bottle gifted you with enough money to splurge on a floating rug, you can check it out here.

On Sale: PBK Truck Rug

Cathy Hale — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Vroom! Vroom! Your little guy will love this Shaped Truck Rug from Pottery Barn Kids. The raised white spokes and striped bed are just a few of the fun details on this wool rug. Measures 5 x 6.5' - a great addition to a nursery, child's room or playroom. On sale for $130 from original price of $250.

Big Deal: Amenity Offers 30% Off Their Site

Lisa Estall — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 19:03:00 GMT

Amenity's Nursery Collection sells organic blankets, crib accessories, prints and organic mattresses with a nature theme. Right now they are offering 30% off purchases on their site. They only use organic cotton and sustainable hemp in their nursery line and all dyes are GOTS certified.

Everything is printed and sewn in Los Angeles.

Enter code: sunshine for your discount.

Code is active until March 15, 2009

A Poofy Piece of Fun

Cathy Hale — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Add a touch of whimsy to your nursery, child's room or playroom with this playful Bird Poof from Zid Zid. Lightweight and durable, poofs are perfect for sitting, climbing and playing. And if you're really really lucky, a cute place for mom to rest those tired feet. Featuring a handmade embroidered Birdy on top in sky blue, surrounded by chestnut brown. The poof is stuffed with recycled cotton filling. Measures 11"d x 12"h. Shop Zid Zid products at Arte Bebe.

The Sam Collection From Muu Is Officially Released

Chris Ford — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:00:00 GMT

We've already told you about some of the nursery and kids furniture on the way from Muu (the storage unit and crib), but the full line of furniture has now been "officially" released. In addition to the other pieces, they also have a dresser, nightstand and twin bed to check out. And like the crib and storage unit, all of the pieces are customizable to your taste.

All of the pieces from Muu are made from sustainable wood with non-toxic finishes right here in the USA. There are a lot of different panels to choose from, and I think the graphics themselves look pretty cool. I'm not sure I'd be happy with having furniture with such graphic elements on it, but you can change out the panels if you get bored with what you've selected (or your kid's taste changes) which is nice too.

What I really love about Muu is the twin bed. There really aren't a lot of great modern twin bed options for kids out there, and if you've got a little extra cash the twin bed looks like something that your son or daughter will enjoy at least until they go to college. Wether or not you let them enjoy it after they're done with college is entirely up to you.

The Muu Sam Collection is available at MuuKids.com.

Haba Does Rugs?

SunnyChanel — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:00:00 GMT

First off, I had no idea that German based Haba, who are known for their well made and graphically pleasing toys, dabbled in the rug business. Did you? And not only do they flirt with creating what lies underfoot but they do it with some sweet sweet style. The cotton Paradiso Carpet for the kid's room has just enough whimsy and wonder without being overly cutesy or gag inducing. You can pick one of these 40” by 50” rugs up here from Oompa Toys for $129.99.