The boys came home from camp with piles of dirty, stinky laundry and stories. Oh boy  the stories. Justin, my oldest says camp was soul revealing.  There is always something so calm and zen about him. Fiery James, says no way.  He goes on to tell me he received a formal behavioral warning for climbing on the roof of the dorm and pouring a bucket of water on a counselor. It was an act of retaliation for a super soaker incident that happened 4 years ago when the counselor was a camper. My  2 boys are polar opposites.

The house was tidy and neat when they were gone . Now it is back to normal. The kitchen counter is full with ipods and books and hats and sunglasses. Sneakers and jackets all over. Messy again. All of sudden I was reminded of the few vintage items I found at the flea market recently. A sweet little doll,  from the 1940′s and a 1950′s picture created by Johnson and Johnson “dedicated to mothers and fathers of America.”

Ok so the poem is a bit corny, but how the house so changes when the children are around.

So there are no more diapers, but loads of t-shirts and shorts.  Baby cereal is replaced with Lucky Charms. Beautiful cribs are replaced with messy beds. The red faced cherub is now a teenager sleeping until noon. But the feeling of having them home is the same,  joy  and heartwarming. My oldest will begin his junior year of high school this fall.  Time at home is fleeting . Enjoy every moment…

See you…

Christina

After I came back from a short trip to Pittsburgh, I told Miles that we needed a birdhouse. My sister’s small city garden in Pittsburgh is a bird’s paradise. There is gourmet birdie food and fresh water daily. You hear chirping all day long. When I came home, I realized how silent our yard  was. So we went to the Wild Bird Center and picked up all the bird necessities. We set it up and waited. It took 3 days for the birdies to discover the new restaurant. Oh my goodness, it is out of control now. So many different kinds of birds. Cardinals, woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, gold finches…..

The yard is full of chirping and it is so peaceful. I see how we are inspired to decorate with birds.  We see birds in lots of nursery decor. So cute for  baby. At the same time as our birdhouse was set up, these charming clocks came into the shop. Handmade in the USA.

There will be more birdie decorating stories in the future.

See you.

Christina

Back from the Americasmart and happy to be home. I feel inspired and design rejuvenated. I can’t say there were many baby products that were new, but some of the showrooms were filled with solid  design ideas.
I arrived in Atlanta just in time to sit in  on a talk given by Suzanne Kasler. I love her interiors. It was nice to hear about what inspires her. Like most ” visual people”, she is not just inspired by an interesting spaces, but by unexpected color arrangements, fashion,and the fine arts.  Anything that may catch her eye, she ” files” for future references. Her own foyer is just beautiful.

After the lecture, I started to make my way around the showrooms. The interesting looks of industrial influences were apparent from the get go. It seemed like a celebration of the industrial revolution. Just great for  a boys bedroom or even nursery. Check out this funky dresser.

This little cube seat duals as a storage unit could  also be used as an ottoman.

I love these large wooden  letter plaques. The entire alphabet is available.

They can be made into side tables as well.

More interesting looks….

A kid who loves adventure could use some of these decorating ideas…

Love this ottoman..

What a nice lamp for a baby’s nursery…

This lamp will make it’s way into Cici Crib this Fall.

Next up it was all about color…

See you…

Christina

(more…)

We wanted to go out with the boys  before they left for their summer journeys. So last night we went to see the broadway show, Fela. Wow the music and dancing were so original. So cool. So much fun. It was a true story of a legendary man named Fela Kuti.  The Shrine was the name of Fela’s nightclub in Nigeria during the 1970′s. It was a wild time. The costumes were great and the set was interesting. I wasn’t allowed to take pictures of it. Too bad. It was so colorful. One corner was decorated in African masks.

It’s clear that tribal  masks can make a great design statement. Check out this room from Elle Decor.

A real feeling of Africa come out of these tin animals I have in the shop. They are made by artisans in Zimbabwe. They would be a great inspiration piece in a baby’s nursery. All lined up on a shelf. How neat is that.

It was a fun night out!

See you.

Christina

A new shipment from Blabla came into Cici Crib this week. The dolls are just adorable. They make great first birthday presents. Moms even put them on their baby registries. They are knitted from soft  cotton by Peruvian artisans. Blablas are more than just a stuffed animal. They have character. I think that’s why kids really do love them.

The new comers this Spring  are Hercule and Josaphine the Elephant.

They will join their friends Bandit the raccoon and Rosalie the pig

The original sock monkey was the inspiration for the Bla bla dolls.  An old fellow  gets a special place at the shop.

See you.

Christina

Wow is the sun so strong these days!   Sometimes the most practical design  is the best solution for protecting baby’s skin. Large brim, ties and treated fabric. Sun hats with a UPF +50 have arrived in the shop. From ages 0 to 4 years.

Sunscreen is as important as a good hat. We love the MDMoms products. Their sun block SPF +30 is even safe for newborns.  Nothing is easy about applying sunscreen on a squirmy toddler, but MD Mom’s make it a bit easier with their towelettes.

Enjoy the sun.

See you.

Christina