I will be taking some time off from blogging. Time to reflect  after all that has happened in Newtown, CT. We are not so far away from Newtown. It could have been our town.

Owner of Armonk Wines has a kindergartener at Sandy Hook Elementary school. People have been asking how to help. In partnership with the  PTSA, Sandy Hook Elementary School a fund has been established to help defray the enormous cost of moving a community to a new school.

Have a safe and peaceful holiday..

Christina

I was able  to see the Beatrix Potter Exhibit at the Morgan Library last weekend. A very nice respite from all the chaotic crowds of the city.

Beatrix Potter’s childhood seemed isolated. Her parents were wealthy and quite stern. Her happiest moments were spent at the family’s country home, where she would spend hours observing animal behavior. Lucky for her, she was allowed to have a menagerie of pets- cats, dogs, rabbits, snakes and mice, oh my…

Most of her book ideas came  from stories that she wrote to the  children of her governess. Her gentle and delicate drawings were full of imagination.

The exhibit is so worthwhile- there is also a spattering of toys and other items related to Beatrix Potter.

Too bad Peter wasn’t around to make a muck of things…

See you…

Christina

Armonk is home to Frosty the Snowman! Writer, Steve Nelson was a long time resident. It is believed that the traffic policeman in the song is based on a local cop, John Hergenhan.  Frosty is a classic that has been around for years. Love these vintage pics…

Join us Saturday December 8th as we celebrate Frosty the Snowman!!

See You…

Christina

We kick off our holiday season on December 1st with a special fundraiser for little ones. Over the years, I have noticed children coming in to Cici Crib carrying their  favorite toy.  Their most treasured possession is at times stained, torn, shredded, and completely loved. During the month of December, come visit Cici Crib with lovee in hand and we will give you a framed photo  of it. All for a $10 donation to a very important local charity, The Pinwheel Project. The Pinwheel Project assists  hospitalized children and their families during their grueling  stays in local hospitals.

Please support The Pinwheel Project. Hope to see you!

Christina

Winding down work at the shop as Thanksgiving approaches. So love this holiday!

Heading to Pittsburgh to see family. A great town this time of year. The shop will be open on Saturday.  We would love to see you, your business is so important to us. Shop small!

Have a safe and warm Thanksgiving!

See you…

Christina

It can be really hard to buy a meaningful baby gift for someone you don’t really know. My customers come to my shop looking for a special gift.  The first thing I always ask a customer buying a baby gift- Do you know what the nursery looks like? Most do not know what the nursery looks like.  Where do we go from there?  Although my customers do not want to buy from the standard online baby registries from the big box baby stores, I suggest we take a look at what the mom registered for. These baby registries give many clues in terms of simplicity, colors, and style  of the nursery. Do they like shabby chic? Are they more modern or traditional? Lots can be learned from looking at their list of essentials  on big box registries.

Sometimes there  are no baby registries, the only item the customer has is a baby’s announcement.  Baby announcements say a lot about the aesthetic of the new parents.

Almost 19 years ago, my sweet boy Justin was born. Wow!  My baby announcement was very simple. White and gray and meaningful words from a Springsteen song.

What can you tell from this announcement?  Well keep it simple for sure.  But also maybe a bit funky.

I would have loved this stroller blanket from Cici Crib’s online shop.

Or maybe this elephant bookend..

Or this cool clock made from bicycle parts…

Or go out on a limb and get this vintage aluminum diver helmet container, that could be used to great store little toys…

So don’t be afraid or nervous about buying the perfect baby gift if you have never seen the nursery, there are lots of clues to help you pick a fantastic gift!

See you..

Christina

Hurricane Sandy has literally taken the ground  out from under us. It can be a scary time.  Sometimes we all wish we had a lovee. A sweet something that makes us feel safe and warm. I started taking pictures of children’s lovees that visited  the shop. The smudges, the bandaid,  the tattered edges reflect the complete love the owners give them.

When I ask to take a picture of the lovee, some little owners are very protective.

I took this pic right before the hurricane. I am sure the bear lovee offered alot of warmth and comfort to this very  little owner.

Stay safe and be well..

See you…

Christina

Lots of decorating ideas for boys and girls rooms down in Highpoint. Most of my vendors aren’t necessarily focused on children. It doesn’t really matter as long as the design is cool and the furniture is relatively sturdy.

For a very little boy who is a little gentleman, this dresser is lacqured and lined with linen. The knobs are a play on the US coat of arms.

Simple, modern bookshelf that is actually well made and not Ikea. Great kids storage.

Always interesting art for kids rooms. Love these vintage photos for a boy’s bedroom..

Hand painted animals done on book covers. Nice art for baby’s nursery.

Great fashion photos for an Audrey Hepburn inspired tween bedroom. They come in  really large sizes as well.

Accessories that would fit with the art. Love this reasonably priced mirror for a girl’s bedroom

Industrial looking mirror..

Lots of lamps..

This lamp is just right for a little girl’s room that I am working on now.

Cool vintage baseball lamp.

This lamp will go into a transitional boy’s bedroom inspired by everything nautical.

We ended our day at a children’s furniture vendor that carried little beds for dolls as well. They made special doll bedding  as part of the display for market. Oh so cute and inviting.

A perfect spot for American Girl to lay her head…

See you…

Christina

Just got back from Highpoint with loads of ideas. What I noticed most about the vignettes created by vendors was the use of color. Whether it is a traditional room, casual room, kids room or adult- all I saw was ORANGE!

We started out our day at a seminar on trends. One interesting concept was proportion and scale. By the end of next year we will see more oddly, but interesting plays on the sizing of furniture and accessories. I just love this look.  We started seeing it at market this fall.

Notice the huge urn on the small sidetable.

The floor lamp with the jolly green giant’s shade and skinny base sits next to a standard size sofa.

The paisley print is enormous on this 6′x9′ rug.

The tassle on steriods hanging from light fixture.

Check out the pulls!

This market wicker and natural fibers are making a comeback in furniture.

What great fun! If you are interested in purchasing any of these great new items, shoot me an email!

See you…

Christina

It’s always exciting to bring in new products into the shop. I love vintage. I love modern.  So bringing in some new items that will make a baby’s nursery special  gives us a nice little boost of joy.  We recently brought in Dwell Studio for their clean modern sense of design and quality construction.

I love this little orange bus bookshelf. Click on item- to purchase  in Cici Crib’s  online shop.

Picture frames can make great baby gifts!

Another great selling toy from Dwell Studio is their soft blocks.

From flowers to city skylines, I love their baby blankets and bibs.

I will be heading out this weekend to check out all that’s new in the design world down in Highpoint, NC. So look forward to seeing more decor in the shop as well..

See you..

Christina