make me

There are so many great paper toys out there right now, all of them beautifully designed, and with the words MAKE ME written all over them. Well, not literally of course. This trend is one of the many things that I wish had been there for me when I was a kid, I would've loved them. Of course, that's not to say I couldn't make one now. These particular paper creations are very unique - each Piperoid is made completely from "pipes" of paper. Plus, they require no glue - an added kiddo bonus. Each design, by toy designer Takashi Tsunoda, is packaged as a long tube of rolled up paper goodness, ready for your kiddo - or you - to create. Order them here for a mere twelve buckaroos.
Thanks to Inhabitots for the heads up.

Happy = fidgin-fain

Are you a closet Anglo-phile? Do you think men with accents are more handsome but refuse to admit that it's because of their verbal inflections? Do you find shows on BBC-America better but can't explain why? Do you ever find yourself using a very bad combined British/Australian/Irish/Scottish accent when speaking as your children's stuffed animals? Do you ever run away and get married in Scotland? (Oh wait, that's me)
Anorak Magazine is the cool British kid's mag that I wish we could get around here. But, now, we can get a snippet of it - and with an adorable little kid's British acccent as well. Meet the Happy App from Anorak Mag. Best for older kids, it includes word finds, a bunch of "books" to read, games, drawing, and coloring. The graphics are absolutely wonderful, and though I'm seeing a similarity to my own blog's logo, I promise you, it's just a reflection of my sheer genius and not a copy.

Gluten Free Pumpkin "oatmeal" cookes

I've posted my new most-favorite-est dairy, egg, and gluten free recipe over at Designing Moms today. Try one for yourself!

blindsided by blocks

I had other plans for today's post, but they'll just have to wait. Because I've fallen in love. Which is the whole problem with me, the internet, and shopping in general. These reclaimed wood robots have stolen my heart, so much so that I can't pick just one to highlight, I have to show you two. I think they remind me of the toys my dad and I made when I was a kid - particularly an ostrich marionette I still have - rope and all. Plus, there's the great theoretical juxtaposition of natural wood versus high tech gadgetry. And the personalities.
Regardless. Please. Please pick your own from William Dohman's selection (including several punk rocker choices!) and love one for me. I think you need one sitting along the top of your computer screen at work. Or on your mantel, or your window ledge over the kitchen sink, or your car's dashboard, or in the middle of your bed when you wake up at 3 am. Wherever.

for the alpha-phile

An entire alphabet in the palm of your hands? And it's soft and cushie and cute too? What a perfect hands-on (hand-made!) approach to learning your abc's. This alphabet set from MiChiMa arrives in a lovely drawstring bag, with little birds all over it (my personal obsession). Don't forget, the size of each letter is small enough that they are recommnended for children 3 and up. MiChiMa has lots of great felt sets - lower case, numbers, and my other favorite, this little friendly lion.

pop alots

My daughter has a recent fascination with grabbing anything and everything and trying to pull it apart. It works well with the Sunday paper, but the ears on her little Bernice Bunny really don't do much. Maybe it's time for another toy that would provide a reaction. These First Pops by Alex Jr. Baby Toys look perfect. Though they function like the older pop beads, these fatty shapes are perfect for littler hands, and safer too. 14 pieces of great colors, and lots of popping fun. Though for now I'll be the one putting them together repeatedly, that could be soothing too.

Octopus for us

Octopi are such a thing right now, and I love it - it was high time they got some love from the design world. This little puzzle from ImagiPLAY is "ethically made of earth-friendly basswood". I'm impressed they didn't feel the need to muddy it up with a thousand colors, it has such a beautifully minimal quality to it. As if it could happily stay on the coffee table long after bedtime. They didn't even feel the need to stick with a normal total - ten little octie friends? twenty? Nope, fifteen. That sweet age your child has yet to reach, thank heavens.

yummy fun is yummy

Have you heard of Yummy Fun? Clare is a crazy kooking (that's not a typo) queen with a crazy sense of Yummy Fun. With several cooking books (kids and non kids alike) under her belt she's got lots of experience to bring to your kitchen. I just like the website, honestly, it's the kind of interactive silliness that I wish was on most websites - with a delicious dash of surreal. Click on the rainbows! She now offers a kids kooky kooking club (click in the lower left corner of the main page). Each month an envelope of goodness arrives in the mail, heck, I'd love that too. If it's as wonderful as her website, I'm sure your kids will be in heaven. You'll love it because it's amazingly inexpensive for a year-long subscription, including several kooking accessories. Plus, all of you can upload pictures of your creations to the Yummy Fun clubhouse.

Designing Moms: Make

Easy peasy modern sillhouettes project over at Designing Moms today.

low on creative juices

Feeling a little depleted in the creative area? I think I am today, can't think of a thing to write about - though it could be my daughter's inability to nap that's affecting things. Or perhaps your slightly older little one needs a creative kick in the rear. The facebox kit from Fred Flare could be the perfect starting point. It reminds me of these mirror decals. With the facebox kit, combo any face you'd like using stencils for faces, head shapes, hats, hairstyles and accessories. Hmm, I think right now I'd choose happy faces that don't keep grabbing my notebook and paper and laptop and cell phone. Yep, happy faces with no grabby hands!