FOUND on Etsy: Dolls

Recently we received an email from a gentleman with a genius Mother's Day gift Idea- on the off chance his lovely wife read this humble blog, we felt it was important to keep quiet.  The for mentioned gentleman was seeking guidance in locating dolls or more specifically dolls which could be designed after his family. So we went on a little doll seeking mission over at Etsy and here is a taste of what we found.

Urastarhouse makes our favorite! Fun, silly, ridiculous, a great conversation piece, easy to clean, the children will love them, and  handmade in the United States, what's not to love! If you know anyone getting married this summer, these cake toppers are fantastic!

Bonni Young Fall Collection

Summer has yet to arrive but Fall Fashions are appearing.  Check out the latest from Bonnie Young.  Dreaming of Holiday parties and heading somewhere cold!

Photos by Luca Babini

The Still Face Experiment

Last Friday was Infant Mental Health Awareness Day and we came across this informative video on a number of child development sites.  Infant specialists have for years been trying expose the myth that infants cannot become depressed- a whopping % of parents believe that children cannot become depressed until elementary school. Research done over the last thirty years clearly has proven otherwise. Studies have shown that infants of depressed mothers show signs of depression from very early in life. This video features Dr. Edward Tieney, the Director of the Zero to Three Organization. 


What we find so fascinating is how quickly the infant is aware that her mother has changed. While this infant is lucky enough to have a warm responsive mother most of the time, we wonder about all the infants who experience this disconnect on a daily or perhaps hourly basis. Experiments like these are at the center of policy makers calls for increased support for at risk parents and their children. When a child endures this disconnect continuously she is at an increased risk for attachment difficulties, depression,  and other mental health issues in the future. 
For those of us who are not at risk for these problems, it makes it so understandable how we all instinctively want to smile and respond to a baby when we see them! There is fascinating research being done on the reciprocal benefits of empathy and compassion- more of that to come.

Une Sardine a Rio

Love this little French shop on big cartel: Une Sardine a Rio delights with their magical images and woo worthy finery. Found through the exquisite Paper Mache Magazine's blog. BTW- did you know that you can they published a paper version of their mag this month?!

Dalla Nonna

Dalla Nonna's Calendar bracelets and necklaces are a perfect pick for Mother's Day.  Even if it's late she'll be thrilled you ordered it!  We know it's retro but matching ones for Mom and child would be uber cool.  

Brinca Dada

We had the honor of meeting on of the owners of Brinca Dada at Toy Fair this year and got a sneak peek at one of their prototypes for this year. If you don't know them yet, you will soon, this new line of modern dollhouses is taking the industry by storm.

These dollhouses are for those of us who grew up loving a dollhouse but have moved past our pastel stage. The structures are designed by architects and the furniture is designed by a team of interior designers. We adore toys that can live in the living room without looking out of place with the more adult fare.

Royal Playground

We were not among the group of West Coasters setting the alarm for the wee hours of the morning, to watch the Royal Wedding in real time- we prefer not ever getting up in the middle of the night unless it is for a wee one.  We do enjoy a fairy tale or two occasionally.While we are not fans of the simplistic yarn of boy meets girl, rescues girl, and they live happily ever after, we are more inspired by these tales offering the possibility of wonder and whimsy in our worlds. That brings us to the Princess Diana Memorial Playground.

 Built in 2000, this playground's most famous piece is this pirate ship! Inspired by J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan, the large playground is within Kensington Gardens and is visited by over 750, 000 children a year.

This playground has everything one can ask for in an environment designed for play: the ability for mixed use during play: gross motor play, fine motor play, dramatic play and mixture of skill levels: there are simple structures and there are more complex structures- children can decide their skill level.

Children don't just pretend they are pirates. They are pirates. They jump, sword fight, leap off couches... Conversely when they are engaged in gross motor play: climbing, swinging, running amok, researchers have found that they play longer if they are also involved in dramatic play. This playground really exemplifies the ideal play environment for children according to researchers. Studies have also shown that children actually play safer on equipment such as this: when children precieve equipment as not quite safe they play better attention to how they move. Educators refer to this as the "safe enough" principle. Equipment needs to be just safe enough for children to pay attention.

Additionally, there are a mixture of textures: sand, water, wood, fabric, etc. Early education teachers note that variety of textures provide a more sensory enriching experience for children.

Since young children learn through their sensory experiences, varying textures helps children with remembering what was learned within that environment- besides doing so is usually more aesthetically pleasing for all of us!  This playground does what any great story, art, or playground should do- it inspires!

Glam Robe

Everyone loves Little Giraffe and their luxury baby line but we adore their gorgeous robes for adults.
Little Giraffe's adult cover-up is the go-to favorite of many Celeb Moms(we're not naming names).  The pics really don't  do the robes justice.  Chenille on the inside and satin on the outside.  If you want to make the Mom in your life feel ridiculously amazing then send her one of these this Mother's Day.

P.S.- They are full length and we promise you'll never want to take it off!  

Custom Children's Art Collage

We took a long Spring Break but we're back and looking forward to celebrating all the wonderful Mothers out there this weekend.   If you're looking for something personalized and lovely to give as a gift, Jan Eleni Interiors has you covered.  Send her your children's artwork and she will create a custom collage featuring the art.  A fabulous present and great way to display those masterpieces.