Archive: Parenting

Ali Wing, giggle CEO and founder 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.

Ali Wing, giggle CEO and founder 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.

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.

Ali Wing, giggle CEO and founder January 11, 2010

Puj Sink Tub – Where Were You When…?!

puj_product

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!

puj_alt

Ali Wing, giggle CEO and founder 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?

Ali Wing, giggle CEO and founder 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…)

Ali Wing, giggle CEO and founder 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! 

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