Restoration Hardware Baby is Here...

Restoration Hardware announced earlier this year that they'd be adding a baby line this summer, and it is now here. The verdict? I'm not as impressed as I could have been. Their cribs and furniture are basically the same as the Pottery Barn Kids selection but instead of ranging from $499- $999 they range from $799- $999.

Their color palette is rather narrow- if you look at their selection it appears that everything is pastel pink or pastel blue with brown or white accents. Bedding, window treatments, lamps- all the same few colors! Occasionally you see pastel green and khaki thrown into the mix, but overall not very creative. Dwell's baby bedding is much more colorful and interesting- even IKEA has interesting colorful bedding- and it's nowhere near as pricey.

Celebabies

Keri Russell has got to be one of the cutest Hollywood moms. Here she walking from the farmer's market with her reusable bag and her son River in a sling.





Style note: favorite sling found here, favorite reusable bag found here.

BabyGap Home Line!

First DwellBaby opens at Target, then Restoration Hardware adds a line, now... BabyGap is adding a home line. What will it be?

"...a premium collection of our favorite bedding, car seats, strollers and more. We're working with the world's most trusted brands to give you the best in quality, safety and style"



Well that's interesting, they aren't coming out with their own stuff? If they already do clothing, you would think at least that bedding wouldn't be a far leap for them. It sounds as if they are just going to retail other brands though. You may have to wait to see what's in store though because it also appears that they are only adding this line to stores in the California, New York/Jersey, Texas and Chicago areas. We'll keep you updated if we hear anything else!

Restoration Hardware Adds Baby Line

Restoration Hardware, self-defined as classic and authentic American, is adding a new line called Baby & Child. Their stuff is very JCrew-meets-furniture, and their new line is sure to be worth checking out. Their official announcement,

"Our new Baby & Child collection arrives this summer. The same quality craftsmanship and iconic aesthetic that makes us who we are. All in a smaller, sweeter package."

Isla Fisher's Baby Style

Isla Fisher is all over the place with her new movies, Definitely, Maybe and Confessions of a Shopaholic. When I saw this picture of her today with her little Olive, I had to find out where she got that adorable bunting.



After much searching I am pretty sure I found it at Bloomies from Ugg Australia- at $280 it's not cheap!


However, for a cute cheaper alternative, you can get this similar one for $57 Canadian

Dwell Baby Coming to Target

The NYTimes Home and Garden section had some great news this morning. Dwell Studio is coming out with two lower priced lines for Target. Yes, one of those line is Dwell Baby! The nursery collection will be available at the end of the month. The crib sets will include a sheet, blanket and bumper in for about $80. Furniture will be available online only. Cribs from $290 to $300 and changing table-dressers from $280 to $290 will be available. Also keep an eye out for night lights, curtain panels and their famous wall decals.

(click for larger)

Showing In Style: Winter

Do you have a fancy Thanksgiving, Holiday or New Years gig around the corner? Fear not. There is plenty of formal maternity wear for winter available. Check out some cute options:

Emerald Silk Dress from Mimi Maternity $99


For elegance from Isabella Oliver, the Twist Dress $155


For a splurge from A Pea in the Pod
Beaded Chiffon Dress $425


And a bit more casual, but still festive option:
Red snowflake sweater from Motherhood $20

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Yes, Halloween is over and Thanksgiving is a mere fortnight away and things are getting cold out! So what's the cute way to bundle up your bundle of joy? Here are a few options:

BearHands for Baby $15

Adorable LLBean Fleece Toddler hat $12

Nordic Fleece Baby Bunting by Hanna Anderson $54

Infant/Toddler Puffer Jacket $18

Nursery Decor + Trend: Birds

If you browse the style blogs like I do, you have probably notice a lot of retro bird prints and textiles. They certainly are cute and apparently hip too. Here are some great items that you can decorate a unisex nursery in.

Start with a Flights of Fancy mobile from Orange Button

Bird Crib Bedding in pink/orange



Get a personalized name banner. These birds come in all kinds of colors and patterned fabrics.


This adorable poster counts from 1-20 in colorful birds.


You can add some plush toys around the room


For a more sosphisticated look, you can use Birds in Flight wall graphic
Pick from 32 colors. 25 decals ranging in size from 5" by 4.5" to 22.5" by 7.5"

Stroller, Stroller Made of Gold

When you think of a limited production of a classy mode of transportation- you probably think of luxury sport cars. But now there are also luxery strollers in limited production as well.

The Mamas & Papas of the U.K. made a limited edition Ziko Gold stroller- there were only ten ever made. Want to see one? Gwen Stephani has one of those 10.



Another British company, Maclaren had to come out with one too. There were only 20 Maclaren GB Type Au: The Luxury of Leather with the Bling of Gold strollers made. The black leather, the gold tinted carbon fiber stroller even has a detachable solid 9k gold Maclaren diamond logo on the cellphone pocket.

Halloween Seal of Approval

There are tons of Halloween costumes out there- generally I am a fan of home made ones, but I did find some that were both adorable and affordable. So I present the top 3:

Peanut Infant costume:


Lil Dino Triceratops

Baby Clown Fish

A Future in Finger Painting

Mia Fineman of Slate magazine reported recently on young Marla Olmstead who sold more than $300,000 worth of paintings before the age of 5. It all started when a family friend hung one of Marla's paintings in a local coffee shop, next thing we knew she had a solo gallery show. 60 Minutes then aired a piece about Marla suggesting that her father, a night-shift manager and an amateur painter, had a hand in her success... and sales came to a halt. Now the whirlwind journey is documented in My Kid Could Paint That by Amir Bar-Lev. It all brings interesting questions to the table, as Mia Fineman asks better than I can,

"Does it matter that she has no knowledge of these artistic precedents, and most likely, no clear concept of "art" itself? Is Marla a prodigy or a primitive? Can a work of art transcend the intentions of its maker? If a child can make great abstract paintings, does this mean that modern art is itself a hoax, a high-culture con game?"

Do you think children can be true artists? Must art be derived from years of life experiences, love, heartache, disappointment, success, failure, or can it just be what it is? Pretty colors and swirls...

Cutest Baby Shower Invites

Throwing a baby shower for a sister, cousin, friend- whoever can be both fun and stressful. If you are like me, part of the fun part is picking out the cute invitations. Here are some chic ones I have seen recently:

From TinyPrints:


From SweetBabyDesigns (also in pink/brown):



From PaperStyle.com:



From BabyCachet.com:

Trend: Robots

I know boys are into robots (I have some adult male friends who still very much are) and so I found these items rather cute and refreshing.


$24 at elsewhere.com


$15 at Etsy


$24 at ALittleLark

Nursery Idea: Elephants

Elephants are pregnant for 22 months, longer than any other animal, and then they deliver a 200 to 250 lb calf. Talk about a big baby! Elephants are also big in decor, and their style can be both majestic and elegant, or fun and playful. Elephants work as a good unisex nursery idea as well.

Elihu the Elephant Clock


Cute Elephant Crib Bedding by Sumersault




Jeeto! Elephant Canvas Wall Art


Elephant Mobile

Hanna Adorable!

I came across Hanna Anderson just this year, and I have to admit that when the fall catalog came in the mail yesterday, I had to restrain myself from going on a shopping spree. Their stuff is just too cute- especially the halloween pajamas.

Stars Can Be Reasonable

While it seems like everyone in Hollywood has decided to release their own perfume, hand bag line or clothing line, at least some are doing a decent job at it. Mary-Kate and Ashley may dress a little out there in their daily lives, but their original fashion line for girls aged 4 to 13 is rather reasonable and cute. Nothing too flashy and nothing to short or adult- and since you can find it at Walmart- it is also reasonably priced.