What makes a great children’s book? Well, for one thing, it should be equally fun for kids and for the parents who get to read it to them night after night. And bonus points if it has beautiful illustrations that make it visually appealing. For me, The Jungle Grapevine succeeds on both points.
I love reading this story of mixed signals that lead to humorous misunderstandings. It’s kind of like the telephone game, but set among the animals in the African Savannah.
And since the author is also a painter, the book is accompanied by charming illustrations that help tell the story in style. Alex Beard may be a relative newcomer to children’s books, but he’s a well-known and accomplished artist, and this is a great way for him to share his art on a broader scale. We’re glad he did, and hope to see more of him in the future!
Archive: Parenting
August 6, 2010
The Jungle Grapevine
May 13, 2010
An A-List Interview: Ellen Diamant
This week I’d like to introduce someone who’s both a smart businesswoman and a good friend, Ellen Diamant of Skip Hop. She and her husband, Michael, possess the unique ability to identify missed opportunities in the juvenile market and create products with spot-on function. She and I are kindred spirits, both living in New York, both the mom of one son, and both dedicating our lives to designing better solutions for parents!
Bali, one of Ellen's favorite destinations.
Ali Wing: What is your motto?
Ellen Diamant: Striving for excellence no matter what, following your dreams.
AW: What inspires you?
ED: I am a blog-oholic so I am always scanning design and baby blogs from all over the world – I don’t care if they are in Japanese! I love checking out new experimental artists too. I just went to a bunch of Spring art fairs in New York City – PULSE NYC, The Armory Show, etc. So inspiring!
AW: What color are you loving right now?
ED: Loving the color soft plum as an alternative to pink. Organic, fun, colorful prints are huge now.
AW: What are you currently reading?
ED: I am watching…! Right now, I am obsessed with Mad Men on DVD. They do an amazing job capturing that time period.
AW: What’s your favorite city/location/destination?
ED: My hometown, New York City, of course! I also love Bali and Hong Kong.
AW: Who is your favorite composer, or what is your favorite music genre?
ED: Love Radiohead. Just saw Vampire Weekend in concert – amazing show!
AW: What is the most favorite baby gift you received?
ED: An activity gym – our inspiration to make a great designer one!
AW: What’s the baby product you can’t/couldn’t live without?
ED: You can never have enough soft, cozy swaddling blankets. And of course, the Skip Hop Pronto is a must-have!
AW: What makes you laugh?
ED: My son’s 3rd grade humor – the delivery is priceless!
AW: What’s your proudest moment in parenting?
ED: Every day is a proud moment for me.
Colorful art by Sarah Morris - one of Ellen's inspirations.
April 29, 2010
An A-List Interview: Christiane Lemieux
New on the scene less than a decade ago, today DwellStudio is almost synonymous with “modern baby.” This week we’re talking to the woman behind the designs, Christiane Lemieux. I love the way she uses color, geometric shapes, and symmetry to create iconic designs that are simple and sophisticated, seamlessly blending vintage and modern design. And as someone who loves to travel and balances multiple roles of mom, designer, and company co-founder, Christiane is exactly the kind of modern mom her products are designed for!
Christiane in India.
Ali Wing: What inspires you?
Christiane Lemieux: I am really inspired when I travel – with the internet it’s possible to see what is going on all over the world but it’s not the same as actually being there. I just came back from a trip to London and Paris with my family – it was so inspiring. From the design of the hotels to the amazing architecture I was sketching like a mad person. I was also moved by how much my children absorbed. It’s amazing to see the Eiffel Tower again for the first time through your child’s eye.
AW: What color are you loving right now?
CL: I am loving gray – gray is the new chocolate.
AW: What’s your favorite city/location/destination?
CL: I am a gypsy at heart – give me a plane ticket and I will go. It turns out that my kids and husband are the same – so far as a family we are loving Paris for all the amazing family activities. The French are stupendous with kids. What could be better then trampolines in the middle of the Tuilleries gardens? Personally – I am in love with India – the colors, the people, the culture. It’s my favorite and hands down the most inspiring place I have been. I hope to take my kids soon but I am terrified by the 15 hour fight. We just conquered Europe!
Christiane and her son.
AW: What is the most favorite baby gift you received?
CL: I think I was a pretty difficult person to buy a baby gift for! Jennifer Chused, my partner, got me the Seimi Bassinet from Netto and I love it. I have since lent it to several friends and colleagues and they have all loved it too. I will keep it as an heirloom for my kids. It’s literally perfect.
AW: What is the baby product you can’t/couldn’t live without?
CL: Since I am still totally in this – three things – Born Free bottles, Aquaphor for diaper rash and Nuk pacifiers – In addition to my DwellStudio hooded towels and Owls nursery!
AW: What’s your proudest moment in parenting?
CL: I think it’s safe to say that there are amazing moments everyday – amazing can go both ways with parenting – you can be amazed how well something goes or inversely you can be amazed at how something can backfire…I think I am most proud at my ability to get a sleep schedule going and keeping it – thanks again Dr. Weissbluth. I think this has given my kids a framework and consistency and allowed them to thrive. When your kids are well-slept – the world is a better place.
Christiane and her daughter under the Eiffel Tower.
March 18, 2010
An A-List Interview: Lorena Siminovich
This week, I’m talking to Lorena Siminovich of Petit Collage, the artist behind our Safari Friends room décor and illustrator of one of our favorite lines of board books (among other things!). I love Lorena’s modern-meets-vintage style, and apparently lots of other people do, too, as evidenced by the wide array of products with her designs. Lorena’s work is definitely on my “A” List, so I’m excited to find out what’s on her mind.
Ali Wing: What is your motto?
Lorena Siminovich: Since becoming a mother, my motto is “Take one day at a time!”
Siminovich and her baby daughter.
AW: What inspires you?
LS: Mid-century design, children books, and blogs!
AW: What color are you loving right now?
LS: Yellow
AW: What are you currently reading?
LS: Milk magazine and The E-Myth
AW: What’s your favorite city/location/ destination?
LS: London and New York for inspiration, Spain and Mexico for relaxing, and Buenos Aires for friends and family!
AW: Who is your favorite composer, or what is your favorite music genre?
LS: Ella Fitzgerald
AW: Of the baby gifts you received, what was your favorite?
LS: A handmade doll and a handmade pillow two dear friends made.
AW: What is the baby product(s) you can’t/couldn’t live without?
LS: Kangaroo sling, Natursutten pacifier
AW: What makes you laugh?
LS: My 1-year-old daughter throwing kisses to random people in restaurants makes me laugh.
AW: What’s your proudest moment in parenting?
LS: Flying back from Buenos Aires for 20 hours alone with my then 10-month-old daughter — and no meltdowns!
Mom and daughter.
March 11, 2010
An A-List Interview: Alex Marshall
I love the balance of unique asymmetry and clean lines in every Alex Marshall piece – something refreshingly uncommon in the world of baby products. Maybe it’s her “New York City meets California” that translates to such beautiful practicality. I, for one, am an Alex Marshall fan, and am thrilled to share my A-List interview with you for a behind-the-scenes with the artist herself.
Ali Wing: What inspires you?
Alex Marshall: I’m inspired by everything. From living and working on an olive orchard in northern California to interacting with my 2-year-old daughter. From watching my 2-year-old play with others, to talking and working with my husband/business partner and talking with store owners, buyers, friends and family. If you listen, people will tell you what they need and my inspiration comes from trying to fill those needs with a functional item that literally fulfills a function, preferably multiple functions while adding an artistic element to people’s lives.
AW: What color are you loving right now?
AM: Orange. I’ve been trying to develop an orange glaze for our baby & kids’ line for awhile now and it’s proving more difficult than I had hoped so I notice orange in everything. Every orange I see I say, maybe I can create an orange glaze similar to that or maybe similar to that or I really like that orange, maybe that one! It’s become a preoccupation but I’m starting to feel I’m heading in the right direction.
AW: What’s your favorite city/location/destination?
AM: New York City. I grew up 30 minutes outside NYC in New Jersey and lived in NYC for many years but have lived in California for 15 years so I’m considered a Californian by pretty much everyone. Every time I step into Manhattan though it feels like coming home. It’s a city that changes constantly but yet still manages to stay the same.
Marshall's daughter's nursery.
AW: Of the baby gifts you received, what was your favorite?
AM: Our crib, the Oeuf classic crib. My sister bought us our nursery furniture and we still absolutely love our crib. It was so easy to put together and adjust the height as our daughter grew. It is also really easy to put our daughter in because it is so low and easy to lean over the side. And not to mention it is really simple and beautiful.
AW: What makes you laugh?
AM: When my daughter makes her “mean face”. It takes her some time to put it together, she starts with getting her eyebrows furrowed just right then makes a funny smirk, and then says “mean face”.
AW: What’s your proudest moment in parenting?
AM: We enrolled our daughter in daycare/preschool when she was 17 months old and on her second day she walked into her classroom turned and said, “bye, bye, mommy” and sat on her teacher’s lap.
January 11, 2010
Puj Sink Tub – Where Were You When…?!
Infant tubs are great for cradling slippery babies during bath time, especially for nervous new parent hands! But for a lot of people, storing the sink tub that will only last you a few months is a pain. The new Puj Sink Tub for babies is a brilliant solution. It contours to the shape of any standard bathroom sink (pedestals included), but hangs and stores flat!
But the real reason I love this tub is for its warm, soft foam surface. Have you ever felt the standard sink tubs? Even with warm water, don’t they just seem uninviting for a bare naked body? Let alone a bare naked newborn body?! That’s why a lot of people put a foam pad on top of them. The problem with those is that they slip, and can become a source of bacteria given the frequent dampness.
At last enters the Puj. Warm and soft in a cuddly sort of way and anti-fungal, hypoallergenic and anti-bacterial – not to mention made of non-toxic PVC- and BPA-free foam. The bonus is that when it’s not in use, it also hangs flat – and hey, is really sort of cute!
January 1, 2010
Required Reading
Alphabet books and counting books are nothing new. And since they’re usually geared towards a baby’s taste (and attention span) they’ve never been much of a treat for the parents — until now.
Finally, someone has given those staples of the baby library an exciting new look using bold illustrations by beloved artist Charley Harper. Whether or not you recognize the name, you’ve likely seen his work. Charley Harper was an American Modernist who created stylized wildlife prints in a style he described as “minimal realism.”
These simple books full of beautiful colorful illustrations are a great way to help kids learn their ABCs and 123s. There’s even a classic game where your kids can match 36 pairs of cards graced with his beautiful birds, ladybugs, and nature scenes.
We love these classics that parents will enjoy looking at just as much as their baby does. Who knew basic building blocks could look so good?
November 17, 2009
High-Tech Balloon
Check out this super fun, lightweight MP3 “balloon speaker” – perfect for turning your iPod time into family time when you’re out for a jog or a stroll. Ear phones are great when you’re alone, but why not share your tunes with your little one when you’re out together? I ran across this awesome portable speaker in the market late last Summer and have been so excited to launch it among our giggle “holiday picks” this year. It’s on my holiday shopping list for sure! (My brothers are so lucky…)
October 11, 2009
Halloween Happy
My favorite time of year to “gift” is Halloween.
Now don’t get me wrong – at least for my 13 nieces and nephews I’m very good about Christmas gifts too. (Admittedly, I can no longer keep up with holiday gifting to my 8 brothers and sisters; particularly in a large family, survival dictates moving to the next generation at a certain point!) But what I love about Halloween is that any gift is unexpected and every gift is nothing but fun.
I also find Fall is just a great time for new kids’ books. Something about Halloween in particular brings out all kinds of great stories.
My pick this year is “I’m Not Scared” by Jonathan Allen. Baby Owl is absolutely, positively NOT afraid of the dark. Well, maybe just a little bit. This fun book is not only perfect for Halloween – it’s also a great bedtime story for reluctant little ones at lights-out.
With so many great stories to choose from, spreading the happy of Halloween – for me – is simply irresistible!
