Posts Tagged ‘Bamboo’
NEW! guavamitts make Mom *and* Baby look good! Photo Credit: http://www.guavakids.com
Infant fingernails: a seemingly impossible combination of soft and sharp. You can “trim” them in an instant with a gentle maternal nibble, yet they can slice a tender cheek in the blink of an eye.
Socks on the hands always elicit the sad trombone, no matter how sweet the cherub. Thanks to the brilliance and diligence of Lili and Linsey – the two Portland Oregon-area moms behind brand-new label guavakids – makeshift mitts are no longer a parent’s only preventative option. Beautifully tailored, graphically vivid and exuberantly intentional “guavamitts” are a major infant glove upgrade with more than just protective value – they’re playful, stimulating, eco-friendly and smartly designed so you’ll actually *use* them.
Lili and Linsey took special care in sourcing materials and designing-in special details. guavamitts boast a tailored look, snug closures, and mod patterns. Fabric is a knitted bamboo/organic cotton blend that’s breathable, naturally antimicrobial, and sustainably harvested. Each mitt reverses, sporting two visually stimulating patterns, and (like socks) they are wearable on either hand.
Neutral Pack: Cirque and Cobblestone | Photo Credit: guavakids.com
This is a product that holds up and even improves under closer scrutiny – we were duly impressed by the quality construction on this tiny scale, which clearly warrants the suggested retail price of $12/pair (or $20 for a two-pack). A little extra care during laundry will keep guavamitts looking their best. Fish them out after washing and air dry to help avoid shrinking or puckering. A mesh baby laundry bag like this one from Munchkin is always a great option for keeping track of tiny items.
Eminently giftable, guavamitts (in 9 different patterns…18 counting the reverses) are a promising debut! Launched in select stores just this month, interested readers can shop directly at guavakids.com starting September 21.
Photo Credit: oompatoys.com
It happens to so many families… The sky’s the limit for the first nursery, which could have been ripped directly from The Land of Nod, or the Lopez-Anthony baby boudoir… Then baby two comes along and *screeeeeech!* – the budget hits a wall, and everything is from IKEA, Craigslist, or grandma’s attic.
You can still dream big – just buy small with Hape’s Trendy Nursery dollhouse furniture. It’s everything you’ve ever wanted in a modern babyspace, just at 1/10th the size and pricetag.
A mere $39.99 at Oompa Toys, the Trendy Nursery is made mostly of bamboo and includes: 1 bunk bed with pillows/blankets, 4 cubby hole cylinder units, 1 rocking crib with pillow/blanket, 1 rocking horse, 1 lamp, 4 rugs, 1 road playmat with 3 cars, and 1 castle toy. And your child will play with it long after they’ve outgrown the life-sized versions. If you let them.
When new parents first feather the nest, window coverings don’t always flutter to the top of the list. Once baby starts sleeping in her own crib, though, it seems the room can never be dark enough. (Even the tiniest power lights will get a piece of electrical tape.)
Invest in superior window coverings and you may need nothing more than a lullaby to send baby off to Dreamland. Our top pick is no snooze – the OptiLight Blackout Honeycomb Shades from Smith+Noble.
Photo Credit: http://www.smithandnoble.com
OptiLight is a novel window blind that combines a solid light-blocking and insulating honeycomb shade with a pleated sheer shade deployed top-down for daytime privacy. Smith+Noble also offers basic blackout honeycombs in petite and grand sizes, but for <$100 more in most sizes we like the versatility added by the sheer, especially for first floor bedrooms or other rooms with a view. Best of all, you can order these blinds with the Cordless Lift System for built-in child safety.
Hard-working honeycombs don’t just block the light, they add insulation – Paul Fisette blogs on Fine Homebuilding.com that an average home may lose 30% of its heat or air-conditioning energy through its windows. Honeycomb (aka cellular) shades are particularly effective blocking both light and heat in summer months, especially in south or west-facing windows. To keep nursery temperatures more constant or boost the efficiency of a window air conditioner, keep shades fully deployed whenever the room is not in use.
For a near-total eclipse, layer on a light-blocking curtain or curtain liner. The Sailcloth Blackout Panel and Blackout Panel (to line an existing curtain) from Pottery Barn Kids are truly substantial and come in several sizes.
If all else fails, try working from the outside in. eHow contributor Gemma Argent has a bright idea for planting bamboo to block light outside a nursery window. Bamboo has a dense and vigorous growing habit and can be notoriously hard to control once established (eHow also provides good tips for keeping it from spreading). On the plus side, it grows quickly – up to 60cm a day in the right soil, which is certainly faster or at least on par with your little babe. Also, consider the zen factor – the verdant view from the window, and the calming sway-swish are a meditative boon to sleepy kids and parents alike.
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