Best of Our Blogs: Top Ten Toy Trends

This is a fave of Designing Mom Mari (Small for Big)...  And coming from a former toy designer, who wouldn't want to know what her top ten toy trend picks are?  Thanks for sharing Mari!  Click here for the full post.

Best of our Blogs: Small for Big

One of Designing Mom Mari's (of Small for Big) favorite posts from her blog:

This is, for me, the epitome of what I want my posts to be about - and why I want readers to come to Small for Big There is a stellar product being highlighted that fits my mottos of good design, imaginative open-ended play, and a reasonable price point. Meanwhile the content is meatier than just where to buy and how much. Plus, writing it was super easy - somehow everything clicked that night and it flowed right out of me.

It’s our 5 year wedding anniversary today and it’s got me jonesing for a vacation. That perfect kind of vacation that I think we all dream about. Where we see amazing places (preferably from multiple countries), eat mouthwatering meals, stroll leisurely through small towns until we get lost, sleep in until ten, and wake to the sounds of birds outside our window. Our precocious but sweet little girl would be charming, fascinated by everything, and with an endless attention span and a weightless body. It’s a vacation that we return from to find no workload waiting for us, no cleaning, no to-do lists, and a house that has been scrubbed clean and perfectly organized from top to bottom.
I swear I got all of that the moment I saw these block sets from Haba. They’re simplicity allows for that kind of imagination – even from a grown up like me. Or, maybe, it’s simply the quiet monotony of my life on a slow day like today that lets my brain loose in impossible directions. Either way, just writing this has improved my mood by a couple of  hairs. I wonder how I’d feel if I had these blocks to build with as well?

Shop: Toddler Glasses

Another favorite post from Designing Mom Mari's blog Small for Big is this one featuring her daughter Wren's uber-fashionable London specs.  I remember wearing very un-fashionable glasses growing up so I can definitely appreciate her quest:

Designing Mom Mari: 

4000 words? Because a mother can never choose just one photo. These are Birdies second pair of glasses direct from London (it was buy one get one half off day! How could we refuse to get two? Plus, there’s the inevitable maintenance and repairs). And oh my, did you notice the rhinestones (carefully sealed under a clear layer of plastic)?! And the backsides of these are lime green – swoon. You can read more about our glasses saga in this earlier post. These glasses are by Zoobug.

Best of Our Blogs: Small for Big

Why do you blog?  Thought I'd start out the week with a "Best of Our Blog" series.  One of Designing Mom Mari's favorite posts from her blog Small for Big happens to be this one. 

I don't usually post about my own life, the majority of my blog is first about the things I find and their connection to my life at that moment. But this post came after a weekend where I'd actually had a little mental vacation (Birdie was with her dad for several hours at a time!) and I think it made me more prolific. I love the pictures of the rain at the end.

Make: Valentine Poppy the Paper Doll

by Designing Mom Mari of Small for Big


I've always loved free downloads from illustrators and designers, it's a fun way to "collect" a little bit of gorgeousness from someone else's creative abilities. So I thought it was time to try one on my own! If all goes well, I'm hoping to add more to Poppy's wardrobe throughout the year, or maybe some friends? What do you think? What would you like to see - and what kinds of free downloads are your favorites?

Friday Fotos: Iphone Portraits

from Designing Mom Mari:
I suppose I partially love this photo because I'm amazed I caught it with my iPhone! But the mood is so accurate to my mornings with Wren: peering at things from new angles so I can see things from her point of view. And always with that gorgeous fresh morning light, which I never get tired of after too many years stuck in an office building all day.

Our Holiday Decor: Mari's Angel

Here is some current holiday decor from Designing Mom Mari's home with one very adorable angel in the background...

Make: Salt Dough Ornaments

by Designing Mom Mari


We all know what salt dough is, but I think Katy Elliott's take on the traditional stuff is very inspirational! I love these red doodle snowflakes. What an easy finish for all kinds of Xmas crafts - a red pen!

Make: Hot Chocolate Stencil

by Designing Mom Mari


This simple craft from How About Orange could make your kids' drinks even more special. I can't see myself doing this every time the chocolate is hot, but on Christmas morning? Extra nice. First, I just have to improve my Xacto knife skills a wee bit!

Shop: The Want Lists

We're lucky to have a resident "toy" expert here, and just in time as we kick off our holiday wish lists. As former senior designer for Manhattan Toy, Designing Mom Mari shares her personal favorite picks (aka "the want lists") for the little ones this season!

By Designing Mom Mari

Like most parents, I want the best things for my daughter-at the best price. But unlike most parents, I’ve got over twelve years industry experience designing toys and children’s gifts. My design background gives me a unique perspective, and it’s a point of view I want to share. My blog, Small for Big, is the place to “commiserate” on that great thing called Parenthood, while bonding over our love for all that is hip and modern.

I wanted to share my most recent project: the best holiday gift ideas for all the kids in your life! I’ve scoured my favorite resources, while keeping price. design, and the coolness-factor at the forefront of each choice. And now, theWANTlists 2009 are ready for you. My goal? To show other parents all the amazing options that have nothing to do with the hottest toys we see screaming from every ad and media outlet.

I’ll be adding more to each category as the holiday season continues, and I’m also taking requests. Do you have a particularly difficult little one in mind, or a parent with specific requests? Bring it on, I’ll find you something, I promise.

Make: Pumpkin "Oatmeal" Gluten-free Cookies

by Designing Mom Mari

Holiday traditions

This is my daughter’s first year, and sidling alongside all of her normal milestones are my own brand new challenges. Like, how the heck to celebrate the holidays? What traditions do we bring from our families, and what new ones would we like to add? Obviously we’ve got a couple years to sort things out before she accuses us of being Scrooges, but I like to be prepared.

The first order of business: the food. It’s such a big part of family traditions. Most celebrations in my family included cake and cookie decorating. In the fall we always hand-sculpted pumpkin shaped pumpkin-oatmeal-chocolate chip cookies. They only tasted right when coated liberally with frosting and chocolate chips, lots of little candies, and licorice.

However, this is a bit of a hurdle for me. I became allergic to dairy, eggs, and gluten about 8 years ago. I’ve only recently been able to add in some gluten-free alternatives without getting sick. So I decided this was the time to solve that very important ritual. The goal? A cookie that is safe for me, but one my family would eat without turning up their noses.

After years and years without these particular flavors (there really is no other substitute), I still knew from my first bite that I had found the right combination.

These cookies taste like childhood.

Pumpkin “Oatmeal” Gluten-free cookies

This recipe borrows from the “oatmeal” cookies recipe in Cooking Free by Carol Fenster, Ph.D. (It’s a great book if you have multiple allergies.)

My (very picky) husband said you wouldn’t know they’re GF/EF/DF. Enjoy!

2 cups brown rice flour

½ cup potato flour (not potato starch)

¼ cup tapioca flour

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp xantham gum

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

½ cup butter or margarine

½ can pumpkin puree

1 cup applesauce

1/4 cup molasses

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cups GF/DF chocolate chips

1 cup rolled rice flakes (found in natural food stores with the oatmeal)

Preheat oven to 325°.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper (or grease).

Combine dry ingredients (flour through cinnamon).

Combine wet ingredients in food processor (butter through vanilla).

Add dry ingredients and rolled rice flakes to the wet ones. Pulse until mixed.

Dough will be fairly stiff.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop in large tablespoons onto cookie sheet, flatten with non-stick spatula to 1/2 inch thick.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until edges begin to brown.

Makes around 2 dozen cookies.

Frost with vanilla frosting when cool.

I highly recommend adding chocolate chips or shavings on top as well. (or go full-on in the decoration department!)

Here’s a basic frosting recipe, feel free to use your favorite!

A glaze works well too. You just need the added sweetness.

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar

• 3/4 cup margarine

• 1/8 cup vanilla soy milk

Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, blend until creamy. The consistency of the frosting may vary. Add more sugar, margarine or soy milk as needed.

Friday Fotos: Catching Zzzz's

Designing Mom Mari and her photos of daughter Wren always have me bent over laughing... Don't we all wish we could nap like that? What a perfect image to end the week--happy Friday and weekend everyone. We'll see you Monday!

above: From Designing Mom Mari, "Silly girl
slept this way for 2 hours."

Make: Paper Silhouettes

by Designing Mom Mari

What a classy way to jazz up some of those random action photos that aren’t always as frameable on their own (mine are always blurry!) If you’re computer savvy, you could do a lot of this on the computer too, though an afternoon with scissors and paper sounds rather soothing if you ask me.

This would be a great project for older kids too. Send them out with the camera first to pose for all of the shots - you’d be sure to get poses like the silhouette hanging out of the frame (my favorite!) Or, they could act out a favorite book!

*For the "Make" please click here (via Timeout New York).

Make: Bird Cape Costume

*Note from Cat: More post-Halloween fun! Little Wren must have looked absolutely sweet and chic in this bird cape ensemble.

by Designing Mom Mari

The bird cape costume is done.

Though Wren has tried the individual pieces on, I'm waiting to do the big tada on Halloween proper! It is her first Halloween after all, so we have to have a little fanfare.

I chose blue in honor of the Blue Fairy Wren (image thanks to the blog www.fedbybirds.com).

Shop: Momma Style

by Designing Mom Mari

As a newish mom, I’m determined to maintain my sense of style. It’s become an important part of my designer/artist identity – especially at my former day-job where it seemed to reinforce my design abilities, it’s like you become a walking billboard!

I’m sure we’re all aware of things that are just no longer possible: wearing my very long hair loose on a random Tuesday morning (or ever), wearing my favorite big floppy necklaces, or wearing some of my more revealing shirts (grabby hands make them indecent!). So I’m becoming more innovative.

My newest obsession? Leather cuffs. They’re not going to break, and it’s easy to move your arm out of harm’s way!

Some of my current favorites:

Clockwise from top left:

Leather cuff with hidden wallet, $24.50

Recycled Reversible Leather cuff, $32.00

Silver Circle and Leather cuff,$40.00

Simple Leather Snap Cuff, $4.00

I have to have the first leather cuff . Not only do they offer gorgeous print options from birds to patterns to skulls, but there really is a hidden zipper pouch on the inside!

And, of course, you’ll need one for baby too.

Baby Leather cuff, cool guy , $10.00

Friday Fotos: Does Your Baby Do This...

by Designing Mom Mari


This one just makes me giggle.
Does your baby love to explore what's under the couch, and then realize she's stuck and start bawling? Mine does. Repeatedly.

Make: Mod Bibs

by Designing Mom Mari Serendipity, my favorite word! It began with some plain cotton knit bibs at the craft store. After doodling through my first attempt, I thought I’d color larger areas with the second – I wanted something with more pow!
First, I soaked the bib in water, pressed out some of the excess, and laid it on a couple layers of newsprint (use the ads that won’t rub ink off onto the bib). I hoped coloring on the wet cloth would be easier and a little softer around the edges . With my fabric markers, I colored large pink puffy clouds all over the bib, with nice clean edges, and some swirly yellow scribbles behind them. Unfortunately, I don't have an image of this step. I walked away, letting it dry before adding anything else – honestly, I think the baby woke up!
Well, bowl me over. When I returned later there was not an original mark left, but instead these gorgeous watercolor blurs of color. Fabulous! The dye migrated so far it was in different locations from the original drawing! (Notice the 2 pink circles at the top of the bib did not bleed – those were drawn with a Sharpie. You have to use fabric markers!).
With these crazy clothes as inspiration, I used the watercolor effect as a background, and came back in with my trusty fine-tip Sharpie to add some wings.
Now I can’t wait to try again with more fabric markers and wet fabric – it’s like magic. One thing to note – the black sharpie drawings did fade a little after washing, make sure you make things nice and dark, and show me your results!

Meet Designing Mom: Mari

I am so very excited to welcome our newest Designing Mom, Mari. As a former senior designer for Manhattan Toy, her presence here would only be befitting! But not only that...I just love that she is inspired (both in work and play with her little one) by visual puzzles and the daily acts of being creative.

Please help me welcome Designing Mom Mari!


Vitals?
I have a 7 month old daughter, Wren, who I swear is the happiest baby I’ve ever met. Then there’s George, her 85 lb mutt, a.k.a. the partner-in-crime. And my husband, Aaron, the Information Security Guru (thank heavens one of us is practical). We live in St. Paul, Minnesota, and yes, I’m already dreading Winter.

What do you do?
I’m still trying to figure that out! For many years, I was a fairly satisfied Senior Toy Designer. When that became a little too expected, I finished my MFA and added Studio Artist and Professor to the list. After 10 odd years designing with Manhattan Toy, I could do my job in my sleep, I figured Wren’s birth would be good timing – sleep deprivation wouldn’t phase me! Then a month after maternity leave I was laid off …
It’s been almost 4 months now, and I’m loving every minute with my little girl. Though, finding out how to do that while building up my freelance design business, blog, art studio, and potential Etsy endeavors is a big pile of OMG.
I’m thrilled to be a part of Designing Moms. I’m craving the community and experience of other moms who blur the lines between work and family and creativity!


What inspires you?
Remembering my Grandmother – she was an artist, a hippy, and a free-thinker throughout several eras when that was not the most accepted choice.
Good design. Vintage illustrations are key as of late, as well as other illustrators and designers as well.
When I’m working on my studio art, I look to a topic I want to process, a problem to solve. Right now that’s based on my frustration with cultural norms and assumptions – the things I can’t get away from.
The best inspiration: an impending deadline.


Why do you do what you do?
I still believe I can do anything I put my mind to. But I’ve realized the only thing that is natural to me is creating. That can be any creative process – from preparing a college course syllabus, to designing a logo, to making things with my hands. My brain is soothed by solving visual puzzles. I just wish it was easier to remember that on those procrastination days!

A day in the life?
I wake up to my husband laying Wren beside me while he gets ready for work. I have a chronic disease that can make mornings rough – I’m so glad he helps! Then it’s varying combos of playtime and naptime.
A day may include favorite cardigans, silly songs, researching toddler toys, floor sessions , getting lost in etsy, sounding smart for toy companies, dates with the sewing machine, sketchbooks, diapers, laptop wrist syndrome, getting lost in blogs, my Wacom drawing tablet, and giggle fits.
Most evenings my husband is either working on his PhD dissertation or is prepping for teaching and I do more on the laptop – we’re laptop addicts. Our lives are much quieter than they used to be (I used to call us culture snobs for good reason), but I find I’m much calmer – and probably happier - than before.
A few favorite things?
Watching graffiti on train cars
Playing my grand piano with Wren on my lap
Summer nights with open windows
Experimenting with new materials and methods
The smell of water from a hot summer hose
Reading for so long it hurts to move
Spoonerisms and bad puns
Vintage flotsam and jetsam
Mid-century modern