Obaibi...Oh baby!

I have been wanting to write about Obaibi for a long time. Unfortunately every time I went in there the last couple of months, they had low inventory because their merchandise was stopped at customs because of some paperwork glitch. Well that has certainly changed and we can now put that aside. I went today and they had great things and so many sales, some items were up to 50% off. Basically Obaibi is a french chain store that sells their own designed clothing. It is quite popular in France and their clothes definitely show their French origin. They are a mix between Jacadi and Cadet Rouselle. The designs and fabrics are wonderful. The prices are great too. In fact it pretty much costs the same as if you bought it personally in Paris! So save your money and skip the airline ticket and check it out at 1296 Madison Avenue and 92nd. Also I can't wait for them to open their older children's store, appropriately called Okaidi since Obaibi only goes up to size 5!

We have a great way to display our art!

The Lil Da Vinci frames are fabulous. They come in 2 sizes 8 1/2 x 11 and 12 x 18 and hold tons of art work. The new 'masterpiece' can be placed in the front of the frame for all to see, while the old ones are stored behind in the same hinged frame. Your 'chic one' will love participating in the framing process. Lil Da Vinci also comes in different frame colors (...great birthday gift).

Yummy custom made cupcakes

We are a little Sesame Street crazy in our house. And it goes without saying that since cupcakes are the new doughnuts, we happily oblige the cupcake trend and try to grab them where we can. So imagine our excitement when we happened upon Ruthy's at the Chelsea Markt. They had pretty much every cupcake character available...Big Bird, Zoe, Abby Cadabby, Bert, Ernie, Oscar the grouch and Elmo. We settled for a Cookie Monster cupcake. Ruthy's delivers anywhere in the US in special temperature controlled shipping, so give them a ring if you have cupcake Sesame Street addicts like we have at home or just pop on over to Chelsea Market yourself. Would be great for a 'chic ones' birthday too!

Fun crayons

I wanted to start highlighting some more eco/organic/ green items since I have been pretty environmentally conscience myself, after living in Europe for years. I am happy that this year, Earth Day and frankly, the whole month of April, received much more attention here in the States, then years past. I will probably be adding a weekly addition to the blog, maybe a 'green toy Tuesday, or an 'eco friendly Friday' to post about some ideas or items I have found....but it's Wednesday and I couldn't think of a catchy post title and since I have been remiss in my postings as of late, here goes....

Eco stars from the same company that brought you Miss Brittany's Fun Dough. These crayons come in fabulous star shapes, different colors, and write superbly ( I have tested these myself). They are made out of crayons collected from the National Crayon Recycling Program ( I didn't know there was such a clever program either). So basically they are 'upcycled' or recycled. Available directly from their website for $ 8.95. Makes a great add on or party favor gift.

I love these tshirts!

I am absolutely buying these as gifts for some friends who are about to have a baby! The 'production' version is too funny...you can personalize it with your the parents' first names or last names/ maiden name. My other favorite is the copyright version with the year printed right next to it. The copyright version is available till size 6T, so it would be a great photo opportunity for every child in a family to wear them simultaneously, with their respective birth years printed, of course. They cost $26 and are available in both long and short sleeves from Mitetees.

Alphabetizing their rooms.

I love these initial alphabet hooks from Anthropologie. They have that old time, classic feeling and are black and white so they can easily adapt into any bedroom's decor. We all need hooks whether in the closet, behind the door or on the wall. Something to consider for only $12.

Personalized baby Moses baskets makes sleeping that much warmer!

What a wonderful way to make your new 'chic baby' feel like a special new member of the family. You can personalize the baby's Moses basket with the baby's name or even your last name to make a true family heirloom. Available from Makaboo for $179.99 including the monogramming.

The go to travel toy...memory!

We love this toy both at home and on the road. It is the Memory Game from Melissa and Doug. It says it is from 5 years old and up but it works from pretty much 2 and up if you don't leave the 'chic one' alone. The game has 7 different topics, such as shapes, vehicle, animals, fruit, etc. These topics have 2 inserts each ( math geniuses like myself realize that means there are 14 different games to choose from). It is a really small and portable game, and unlike other memory games, there are no small pieces or cards to lose. So if you thinking what to pack for entertainment this holiday week...this is greatand suits a lot of ages. Available for $12.99 from Melissa and Doug.

Our favorite gift to give at birthday parties.

The 'go to gift' for us is something that has been a big hit in our own home...it is the Aquadoodle Draw N Doodle. You basically take the pen the drawing mat comes with and fill it with water and viola! You draw and within minutes it dries back up so you can start again and again and again, so you have a chunk of time with entertained 'chic tots'. I would also recommend getting the extra brush & pen set, which is sold seperately, for when a friend comes so your 'chic' playdate can go smoothly without the typical lesson of 'sharing' and you and your mommy friend can actually get a moment to have a cup of coffee. Available at Target, Amazon and is best priced at Walmart for $22.57.

Baby doll needs new wheels.

There is something old fashioned ( maybe the wood) yet at the same time airodynamic ( maybe the reversable handlebars) about this baby doll stroller. I like it even though it is pricey at $260. Available at Y Living, called the Troll Doll Stroller.