How lucky to live right around the corner from the NYIGF. Store owners, designers and bloggers descend  from all over the world, to check out all the new looks. Most of the vendors I had already seen at the Atlanta show. But New York always brings out a different feeling.

I go with a shopping list so not to forget customer requests. I got the new blablas for one customer. Leo Leoni books for another.  Organic doll is still outstanding.  Another asked for a moroccan pouf on steriods. Check, I  found  one. Wow, 36″x16h”!

Even though they had a whole new baby and children  gift and decor section, the vendors seemed to be the same ones I had seen before. Nothing really striking  sticks  in my mind.

But the home decor vendors showed some flair.

I just loved Pacific Connections lacquer ware.

Mondrian inspired tables…

The color of the inner section of this table can be changed out to any color requested….

And of course they are known for their boxes. So I asked if they could make a  chic little diaper caddy. Maybe, he said…

I noticed some really nice chairs for curling up and reading a book. Could work in a chic little girl’s bedroom..

A bit campy…

A Bit Bohemian…

Oh soo cool…

And then there was Jonathan Adler kids …..

Just as I was about to leave for the day,  I came across Tedde.  Tedde is made in NYC. Cici Crib is a little too populated right now with other stuffed animals. Maybe they will find a home at the shop next year. But I really felt like they did. It was a long day at market.

See you…

Christina

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

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

Keepsake boxes have different meanings for different ages.  Traditionally, for adults we like a nice box to keep our most treasured possessions. I like this box, handmade in Brooklyn. One can put a birth announcement inside the glass lid. It is lined in a chic gray velvet.

For children, a keepsake box can have a slightly different meaning. I remember having a tiny doll’s suitcase where I stored all my very important items. I don’t know what happened to my orange suitcase, but any day now I bet I will find it at an antique fair. My older son, Justin began collecting rocks from the garden when he was around 2. As he learned about dinosaurs the rocks became fossils and a collection was born. He needed a large keepsake box.  Really a mini display case was more in order. I found one at a flea market and was thrilled because it fit so perfectly on his dressser. He is a teenager now, but his box is still there. So I removed the cool sunglasses and the  ipod and his Beats  that lay on top so I could peer  inside.  Fossils,bones, rocks,shells and even the glass insect we purchased in Venice years ago. All the things that were special to him as a little boy.

My younger son, James still adds to his small keepsake boxes. I see some amber he purchased last year.  He is far more tidy than his brother. He even labeled his “My Display Case.”

In the shop there is a large jewelry box for a little girl. The ballerina twirls to the sound of “The Nutcracker”.  The top can be personalized.

Of coarse, there are some nice suitcases to store special cars and trains and dolls and all their accoutrements.

A vintage ballet case would work well.

Or  some new suitcases  that are even  large enough to hold sleepover essentials.

Everything to keep your child’s special items..

See you

Christina

We finally made it down to the Bakelite Exhibit at the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers.   From utilitarian objects  such as phones and pencil sharpeners to jewelry, bakelite was all the rage in the 1930s and 1940s. The show was interesting in it’s technical content.  The clock to teach time and the toy car made in Czechoslovakia were cool.

Bakelite can be so stylish. I wish they asked my brother for his napkin ring collection. Always a highlight at the Thanksgiving table along side his midcentury china.  Some of the pieces look like these:

I am definitely a casual collector of bakelite.  With the exception of the ridiculous number of  enormous bakelite beads that my sister and I purchased years ago out of  an elderly lady’s  garage, my collection is tiny. I used  4 of the beads in the past 12 years they have been in my attic. They were  sewn on the tips of a window valance in my son’s  little nursery.  One day I am sure I will find another use for them.  They are just so nice.

What about all that fantastic, fun bakelite jewelry that could have been displayed at the show.

My most recent purchase is a bellhop pin I found  at a flea market last fall.

One of the nicest pieces in my tiny collection is a feeding set. I waiver between selling it in the shop or donating it to the Museum of Modern Art for it’s tremendous design.  This baby spoon and fork is silver plated with bakelite handles. It is made in the US by Napier. I believe Napier is no longer in existence.They also made some very chic costume jewelry during the mid century.

Can’t wait until flea market season starts, for the hunt to begin again.

See you

Christina