when i say playroom i mean a collection of small vintage spaces where toys, books, knickknacks and kids accumulate. while my boys love legos and playmobil (particularly anything to do with an egypt theme) they do wonder in and settle down with some other classic items. things i have collected for them, along with family members, from around the world. i do love something artistically made, something that even a child can appreciate. the bright colors, the wooden materials,  something educational and something child size.

there is something so touching about walking by the playroom and hearing your children make believe, read aloud to one another, explore their surroundings and story tell. my children are so different from one another. one loves to act and sing songs (loudly), while the other likes logistics, facts and “setting up the scene” to make it as realistic as possible.

then their minds collide. and the playroom becomes alive.

it is magical.

because the other half of the time i walk by, i am breaking up a wrestling match.

what i love…

a set of elephant & camel coin banks made in india i picked up on my last trip.

m. sasek books, so wonderfully illustrated and so many details.. it’s like taking a holiday in a book

vintage iron vehicles i picked up at a flea market

a globe for imaginary world travel and learning

a large puzzle of the map of india that their grandfather hand carried back

a wooden space shuttle that their aunt bought them from the u.k.

paddington bear! he looks like he is soaking in some playroom sunshine

montessori style puzzle about a flower

wooden alphabet cards

a child size guitar gifted by their guitar-playing uncle

their artwork that they hung up just where they wanted

books and more books and an elliebelliekids messenger bag

dk eyewitness books series

storytelling

loud, made up songs

reading

playroom magic

mommy and baby, 2006

every once in a while mommy (or daddy) needs to hand the camera to someone else. i was reminded of this recently after i sorted through holiday photos and i (cameraholic) was not in a single photo, anywhere. then i came across this lovely photo of me with my youngest (a few years back) and remembered that my husband took this photo. the babies and i were piled in my bed and we were lounging. i remember getting up to grab the camera to take a few photos of the boys when my husband came in and took the camera from me.  my husband captured this moment perfectly.

do you hand the camera over enough to allow yourself to be part of the moment in time?

ps. this photograph shows my poor babe with his chapped, red face from food allergies. we have come a long way since then.

i was a sleepless mom of two young boys under the age of three. i was starting to sew baby items at my kitchen table for family and friends. and i had just launched a simple website showcasing my collection. i *thought* about the idea of sending samples to press. i even went as far as typing out the letters to the editors on letterhead. but i decided that maybe it wasn’t the right time. so the letters took up a permanent spot on my dining room table.

a few weeks after that, i was awakened by my husband looking frantic and saying “SOMETHING is going on with your website! it’s so slow … you have like several thousand hits this morning and it’s only 7:30am. right now there are like 200 people looking at your website!!”

huh? i thought to myself, i didn’t send any letters out. they are still on the dining room table. i remember thinking maybe my husband did not look at the stats right. i went to my laptop… and as i was logging on to check the stats myself, my new emails popped up. i clicked on my weekly daily candy email, which i so loved and read as the bible of weekly fashion must haves (at the time there was only one kids version, once a week).  in shock and with my heart racing, this is what i read with my husband standing next to me and my children playing at my feet:

here is link on the daily candy website

one of the letters on the dining room table was addressed to the daily candy editor, never sent. it has been three years this month and i still think about that day: the irony, the connection, the excitement. i kept that letter to the editor and still look at it often. it is a great reminder to me of  what you ask for or tell yourself you want, often time finds you before you pursue it.

and yes, i am currently telling the universe what i would like to happen next! stay tuned.

i am not a fancy painter at all. i first fell in love with painting as a young girl watching my grandfather paint in his dimly lit basement. there were easels, oil paint tubes, linseed oil, paint brushes and tools in every shape. i would watch him for hours. then came the day he said i could paint my own small canvas. i decided on nature (one of his specialties) and painted a log cabin, woods and trees. remember bob ross? well you may laugh, but my grandfather had that same calmness as he painted, describing how to get those tree limbs to look real and how to add snow. my mother noticed my love of painting and bought me a bob ross “how to paint set” a few years later. i never used it much, but she could see that a love of painting and watching someone paint was unfolding.

i gave my mom a painting as a gift in grade school, which hung in her bathroom framed for years. then in college i started painting again, this time mostly cards for family and friends. one i sent to my boyfriend’s parents (now in laws)  read “love is all you need” -for valentines day- with swirls of paint around it. it’s framed in their house today.

recently, i asked a close friend, who also happens to be an amazing art teacher, what the best medium is for letting little ones express themselves creatively. she said hands down- painting. free painting that is, where you give full creative control to the small eager hands and the paint brush. so no paint by numbers.

my four year old created these valentines to share with his class and teachers. i have to admit i want to keep them all! i also have to admit that i wanted to grab a brush and paint with him. he said he painted: love hearts, love bugs, love lizards and one of “mommy with me in her belly, like a long time ago”…

a blank canvas, color and a brush. what will your child paint? what techniques will they develop on their own to create eyes or mouths? which brush will they choose, which colors? how will they describe it to you after it dries?

ALL IMAGES ARE COPYRIGHT OF JOYABABY c.2010

i enjoy baking sugar cookie cut-outs, even though it is a messy process and i never have enough counter space. (i dream of having marble counters for baking.) i have been the official sugar cookie baker for the family since high school.  so much that if i skip an occasion, i may hear about it from my uncle.

my favorite recipe is from the joy of cooking, rich rolled sugar cookies and i basically stick to it for every occasion. this past week however, i made some alterations for a special treat. my youngest son has severe food allergies since birth (another post and then some). with the new addition of egg to his diet, i altered the traditional sugar cookie recipe for him.  i substituted in rice flour, rice milk and olive oil. so no dairy, no wheat, barley, oats, corn or rye. i also used india tree sugars for decorating, great if you are concerned about allergies. they contain no corn syrup or any other fillers. you can also download each product’s information online to check. and the cookies- they turned out! (as good as rice cookies can)

for his homemade cookie session i found an adorable basic baking set from ikea, that is perfectly sized for small hands. as a montessori child myself and with my children in montessori, i really try and have them participate in as many  practical life activities as possible. how did they taste out of the oven? he was so excited that he ate all the cookies in one afternoon. and if you are wondering why there is a gingerbread man cutout for valentine’s day baking… my four year old is in love with the gingerbread shape after reading the jan brett book, gingerbread baby, over and over in the months prior. plus he said “mommy he has a heart… see?”

ALL IMAGES ARE COPYRIGHT OF JOYABABY 2010.

my inspiration: the rich colors of magenta pink & peacock blue, a beautiful shawl from my last trip to india, a fashion inspired font and a lotus flower symbolizing our openness to beauty and love.

get creative: the valentine postcard i designed is essentially a blank canvas. ideas that i include here are a photo of yourself to your special someone, a photo of the new baby or the children, a picture drawn for grandma from the little ones, trimmed edges with pinking shears or printed on a color card stock like gray.

hope you enjoy. xo

valentine by joyababy (magenta) free download

valentine by joyababy  (peacock) free download

i once took a photography class in my summer abroad program in college. it was in the “film” days, where you had to actually develop the photographs in the dark room to see them. i still think it may be best to learn in that fashion. the class was for photojournalism while traveling through Europe…and there was definitely a lot of “content” to work with. we had a little photo gallery at the end of the course in a flat and i was given a B. it is definitely more skill than one likes to think with all the talk of aperture and shutter speed. what i learned most (other than the need to clean my dad’s vintage SLR prior to the class) was how enjoyable it was capturing a memory or something beautiful.

fast forward to the present. i am, like many of you, a busy parent. shuffling my children to and fro all the while running a new company. and like many of you, i am not always inspired by my surroundings (although i am more inspired recently with the move to a new city). so in a sense we need to rethink the content that inspires us. when i say “inspire” i simply mean “something that brings us joy, something that catches our eye, something that inspires us to think or feel in a certain way.” what inspires me? my children first and foremost- their faces as they grow and change, their silliness, their creativity. also inspiring: nature, old buildings and vintage details, cooking, new surroundings, emotions and people in general.

i do own a fancy digital SLR with a few extras and know photoshop. i wish i was better with my SLR, but honestly if the lighting isn’t right, i usually am not satisfied with my outcome and rely on the professionals. i just can’t wrap my brain around all the settings that i could control. i also am a minimalist while toting my kids around the city and am not known to carry a large bag (hello joyababy clutch) to accommodate the big camera. so how do i capture all the simple moments in my day to day? the iphone. there are many creative apps that allow you to highlight your daily inspiration and essentially create art. i use and love the following apps: camera bag, old camera, toy camera, shake it photo, camera flash, camera zoom and crop n’ frame. here is a sample of my own images all taken with my iphone:

a new coffee cup, vintage bottles, birthday cake for my husband. apps used: toy camera, camera bag

portraits. apps used: old camera

rainy day walk. color. nature. apps used: camera bag, lolo

this old house. vintage, architecture. app used: old camera

color. emotion. new surroundings- little india. apps used: toy camera

you have your camera, you are inspired, now what? tips from a professional! i called on friend and photographer extraordinaire, Dave K Cooper, (also a father of two) and asked him to share some expert advise that would help amateur photographers like me, and you perhaps. Here is what he shared:

As a professional photographer, I get lots of questions from friends and family about camera gear. What I almost never get asked, is how to take better photos. If I had a nickel for every time someone saw one of my photos and commented “Wow, that’s a nice camera!” Let’s say I’d have enough nickels to retire. I promise you it’s not about the camera—or at least it’s not ONLY about the camera.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when taking photos of your kids and family.

PHOTOGRAPHING KIDS
Get low. When shooting kids, get down on their level. Go ahead and bend those legs! Most people take all their photos from the standing position. This not only doesn’t make for a particularly interesting photo, it also means that all your photos will look the same: boring. So get down on your knees and snap away!

Widen the angle. Using your camera’s widest angle (what you might call “zoomed out”) provides an interesting perspective. Make sure to capture some of the environment around the subject to tell a better story with your photo(s).

Stop the motion. Use faster shutter speeds to capture children that are running, playing sports, or just bouncing all over the place. 1/200 of a second and faster should do it. If you’re using a point-n-shoot camera there are usually settings for action.

PHOTOGRAPHING ADULTS
I have yet to meet someone who loves having their photo taken—OK, maybe my daughter. Adults, almost universally hate it. Here are two tips that upon seeing the photos of themselves, may have them feeling less anxious about it.

Zoom in, stand back. Wide-angle camera lenses really will add 10 lbs. Maybe more. The reason is basically that a wide-angle lens is distorting reality making the objects stretch horizontally in the frame. However, when you zoom in, it can have the opposite effect of making a person look thinner than they are. Almost no one is going to complain about that!

Don’t say cheese. Rather than give that same cheesy grin you’ve been using since you were a kid, try this. Don’t smile with your top and bottom teeth touching. Separate your teeth by just a bit. Maybe a 1/4″ or so, as if you were photographed mid-laugh. The result will be a much more natural look. Who knows? You may wind up having a new profile pic for Facebook.

And finally, you don’t need a professional level camera to take great photos. There are several sub $500 cameras out there capable of taking amazing photographs. What may need improvement, is you. With a little effort and practice, you can make vast improvements in your family album. Remember, it’s not the arrows, it’s the archer.

Happy Shooting!

to find out more about dave, and to view his work visit www.davekcooper.com

now go get creative and take some photographs! maybe even make time to print them and  put together a personal coffee table book? What inspires you in your day to day?

ALL IMAGES ARE COPYRIGHT OF JOYABABY c.2010

it has been a few years since i have been pregnant and the styles are always changing and evolving as everything else does in fashion. what i love most about these finds for the mama to be are how classic they are and at the same time very stylish. i think classic is good-it stands firm in waves of trends that come and go. it is easier to invest your money into something classic from brands that offer quality, especially in 2010. when you pair that with a fresh color for spring or a new print or design, that is the true indulgence.

what better way to share your pregnancy news than with a letterpress baby bump announcement! i found this from duet letterpress and if you visit their blog be prepared to drool.

i say smythson you say classic, smythson classic. smythson classic! smythson of bond street is the epitome of quality and classic style. a fuschia notebook with title “Yummy Mummy!”for taking notes or making lists… need i say more?

with pregnancy comes body changes, with body changes comes the need for better fitting apparel. this even goes for intimate apparel. this is as sexy as it gets while still being a classy mama. and its nursing compatible. available at isabella oliver.

i love everything about the babybearshop. i stumbled upon the dreamy online store while googling “allergic baby” a few years ago… and voila i landed at the organic apothecary of diana stewart.  she incidentally became a welcomed adviser, now a friend, on raising a child with allergies. this is how she started creating the babybearshop collection.  every mama to be needs the mama belly oil. actually they also need my other favorite product, all the to better to kiss you with.  talk about buttery, soft skin and glorious ingredients.

pregnancy in and of itself  is making a statement. this is the era of showing the form the belly takes. so why not treat yourself to a stylish statement necklace to go with? this artistic gaia necklace by jane michael was created with unakite stones that are said to promote the health of the unborn child.

the glow of pregnancy is framed best with a dress from designer, more of me maternity. their spring 2010 collection is full of fresh prints and color, perfect for a fashion forward mom.

starting to read up before the arrival of baby? some of my favorite books are listed here. a few new ones as well.  i think you cannot go wrong with advice on breastfeeding from the womanly art of breastfeeding, a la leche league classic or my other favorite your baby & child. my mother had the same book in the 70’s by penelope leach. i think while knowledge and advice changes and develops over time, the roots are the same. and if you have a good author who stays current and up to date, but true to her roots, you can trust her knowledge in 1976 as much as in 2010. today i would also pick up raising baby green, by dr. greene and you, having a baby by drs oz and roizen.

taking a photograph is classic. and with a new modern camera like the kodak slice, you can capture all of pregnancy changes through images and video. this sleek new design allows you to store thousands of photographs and HD movies. then, at the touch of a finger using the memory capability, you can even sort images by face,  or in your case by belly!

its a modern day, a new century. i loved this fresh take on a pregnancy journal. its simple pages and artistic cover illustration by modern printed matter will flow nicely with baby’s room decor.  sit back, relax in your rocker and write about your forty weeks of expecting joy. yes i said write -not type-the written form is classic.

as the months progress, you will be anticipating the packing up of all things baby for the hospital. i purchased two lancel travel bags while pregnant with my first. they were classic tan and i didn’t know the gender of our baby. what i later realized: they are the perfect travel bags for the baby, then child and now children. definitely worth the investment in a quality brand. this one by lancel paris is classic in style and shape, while fun, fresh and gender neutral in orange. if you are thinking what i am thinking- the joyababy collection in tangerine isle would look fantastic packed in there!

and at the end the day, or end of a pregnancy, a little pick me up is what a girl needs! a chic and cozy pair of ugg slippers and a nice lip shine are perfect to use during the pregnancy and after.

a holiday grey soiree: a simple invitation, a group of friends, a decorated home and a menu of savory appetizers.  i designed the invites to reflect the simple color scheme of the home and holiday decor, in shades of grey and off-white. the invite simply stated: eat, drink and be merry, which is how we celebrated!

an eclectic group of santas  served as the mantel focal point. they actually have never looked so good, with such a neutral backdrop as grey walls. for a small, vintage dining room, we wheeled out a kitchen cart for extra space for serving guests. its small enough to not be in the way of guests mingling and functional enough to serve drinks. i dressed this one up with a monogrammed towel, decorative bottle opener, wine bottles and a festive candle. the wine glasses for guests to serve themselves were stored on the lower shelf. oh and there was also champagne, plenty of champagne.

with saffron yellow being the other color in the home,  we used a few festive accents to incorporate into the table design. organza wine bags on a wine bottle, a mix of napkins in yellow damask print and a vintage grey holiday scene,  my own limoge porcelain cheese plates (an absolute favorite of mine)  and a perfect teacup candle with a lovely winter scent.

the menu included a variety of hot hors d’oeuvres like mushroom empanadas, chicken curry puffs and ham gruyere gougeres. i made a trio of cheese balls, a layered salmon cake, prosciutto and melon skewers, served alongside crackers, olives and fresh crudites. for dessert we had individual chocolate ganache gingerbread cakes.

i like incorporating a variety of foods and mostly small plate size. many of the recipes are found on marthastewart.com and the dessert from her baking handbook. the chicken curry puffs are my own recipe. the salmon layered cake above was a show stopper for presentation and divine in taste.

other must haves for any winter holiday party: fresh greenery, preferably a mix of pine, spruce, cedar and evergreen. this is rather inexpensive, provides a natural scent and you can use it with flowers as a centerpiece. I enjoy lots of candle light, a good mix of tunes on your ipod and special touches in the powder room. starting from the front door, i like the ambiance to be festive and the guests to feel warm, invited and celebrated.