Phthalate free luxury ducks and whatnot

I don't know about you, but I wouldn't mind being seen at the pool hanging out with these guys. These are the most fashionable, trendy ducks I have ever laid eyes on and there are more where they came from.

At Designroom, you will find a slew of BUD luxury ducks like Moroccan, Punk and Peace duck pictured above. They are phthalate free and US and CE approved. You're crazy if you think these are just fun for the kids...surprise someone with a luxury duck for their birthday or give one as a house-warming gift. Luxury ducks are $8.99 a pop.

I'm also digging this sweet swim ring in Daydream by BUD($12). I'll be rockin' this baby in the north woods in a few weeks.

I may have to splurge and get the matching BUD beach ball ($12). It would be fun hitting this 36" inflatable around in the lake!

I could talk and talk about the BUD products by Designroom but I really don't want to delay you from heading over to their website and browsing around the rest of the cool products there. Check out all of the fab new summertime products while you're there!

A is for Art

I do not own any fancy-schmancy wall art. As a matter of fact, it took my husband and I a little over three years after moving into our home to finally settle on some framed art for above our couch. We're a slight bit picky in the art department.

Now that I'm fortunate enough to be put in touch with some companies who make and sell unique art, it's nice to have the ability to browse around their websites and take my pick without leaving my house. I'm talking about the company, "A is for art". They have some cute and whimsical artwork available from cats with gumball machines on their heads (my favorite!) to ostrich's with a slice of cantaloupe, an olive and cherries on their heads. These are images that are fun and can boost your child's imagination.

Next time you're in the market for some funky and colorful art, head over to A is for Art and take a look around.

Olive Kids: Bedding for the Big and Little Kids

Slowly but surely, we have transformed my toddler's crib into her "big girl bed". We went from lowering the mattress, to taking down one rail, to transitioning to a full-on bed with no rails (up against a wall). Sure, it's a tad bit smaller than a twin size but all thirty-four inches of her (including at least 10 stuffed animals) fits onto it just swimmingly.

Speaking of swimming, for the entire month of March, the Mermaids kid's bedding is on sale at Olive Kids. The Mermaids' designs are so colorful and cuddly. Along with the bedding, you will find other matching room decor, such as; the Mermaids clock, wall border and framed prints to name a few. Some items can also be personalized. Click HERE to view all of the Mermaids' items at OK. This is one of the things that I love most about Olive Kids, they give you the ability to coordinate your child's room decor and accessories.

Now, I opted for OK's brand new Tea Party design for our bedding, since we have more of a "pretty in pink" kind of theme going on. Nothing says "big girl room" like tea cups and muffins! I love the light-weight, cotton comforter and sheet set. There have been some peaceful nights in our house now that she's all cuddled up in her Tea Party toddler bedding.

Olive Kids has a great selection of colorful, fun designs for both boys and girls alike. Whenever I am in search of some new decor and accessories, I always turn to Olive Kids because I know their selections will not disappoint.

News of interest:
-OK is offering free shipping on orders over $175 within the continental U.S. until May 31, 2008.
-Sign up for the OK catalog and email list and you're automatically entered to win a $25 gift certificate (offered on a monthly basis)
-OK has an Outlet sales store
-OK also has sales!
-It's easy for you to hear about what's current at OK by reading and subscribing to the OK blog!

Check out the big girl Tea Party bed!

Decorating is Easy

Although I have grand ideas, they don't always become realities, and I am sure a lot of parents out there can agree. There are great plans, then there is a little thing we call life and raising children that can keep even the simplest of tasks from happening. That is where Fun To See can help! Fun To See is a simple way to make your children's rooms go from a boring, indistinct paint job, into something unique and cool!

I received the Outer Space pack, and it has really jazzed up Noel's room! I had painted his room before he was born, and I love the design, but this has added a whole new element of interesting things for him to discover-the "noom" and "stahs" are his favorites! It also fits in well with the night-time theme I had already created. Unfortunately, my computer is acting squirrelly, and the pictures won't load, so you can't see exactly how great Fun to See looks.

Fun To See offers lots of different designs, including the ever-popular "Cars" and "Disney Princesses", along with groovy flowers, and jungles. Fun To See is also incredibly easy to use. We had the whole shebang done in about an hour. It also comes with plenty of big, easily adhered stickers, so the room promises to not look one bit sparse.

Parents and kids alike are digging the ease and function of Fun To See. If you've got good ideas, but no time to put them into action, consider an easy and cool decorating solution...check out Fun to See!

Watch & Win: Olive Kids Teams Up with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

Tonight, January 27th, at 7 PM CST, Olive Kids will be featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition! We're so proud of OK! In celebration of this amazing opportunity, Olive Kids wants you to win!

How to win:

Watch Extreme Makeover: Home Edition TONIGHT and send email to contests[at]olivekids[dot]com. Let us know which room we help to decorate and for a bonus entry tell us what Olive Kids Product they saw in the the room.

Winner will be selected by random selector.

Prize: Olive Kids will be selecting 2 winners. Each will win a $150 gift certificate to Olive Kids.

Contest ends on Tuesday January 29th – winner will be chosen on Wednesday January 30th

Good Luck, and be sure to congratulate Kim when you enter-Horray for Olive Kids!

GO TO BED!

Your kids will be delighted to crawl in to bed if you get their bedding at Warm Biscuit! Warm Biscuit takes creative children's decor to a whole new level. You are sure to find originality here. Just take a look at their baby, boy and girl room bedding and proceed to wipe the drool from your keyboard. Don't see something already there that suits you? Order fabric from their completely awesome selection of fabrics (they even have ric rac, people!!!), and do it yourself!

Warm Biscuit doesn't only sell bedding-they've got a great gift shop full of things like vintage toys, holiday and seasonal items, as well as personalized items, among other things!

But wait, there's more! One of you lucky folks will

WIN IT!

Here's your chance to win a $50 gift certificate to Warm Biscuit! Send an email to mumsthewurd[at]gmail.com with the subject line "Warm Biscuit" and answer this question: Where did the name "Warm Biscuit" originate?

The contest ends next Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008 at 9 PM CST. Good luck!

Small Concept!

Small Concept has the best of everything...baby & children's clothes for boys and girls, all sorts of room decor, and much, much more! Take a look at all they have to offer, and you'll have to wipe the drool from your keyboard. Childish, Small Paul, Bugaboo, Ducduc...I could go on and on with all of their groovy offerings! Instead, I'll tell you about the giant sale they're having...and more!

The Small Concept Thanksgiving Day Sale runs Monday, 11/19 thru Sun 11/25. Use promo code GOBBLE on the last page of checkout to take 20% off all clothing (including an additional 20% off clothing already on sale). They also offer free ground shipping on orders over $100.

Want a gift certificate to spend during this sale???

WIN IT!!

Small Concept is offering one reader a $150 gift certificate to spend on the most rad things around!

It's easy to win: Email your answer to this question: Who are the owners of Small Concept? to mumsthewurd[at]gmail[dot]com. Title your email "Small Concept". The contest will end Friday, November 23rd, at 3 PM. Good luck!

Olive Kids!

Before my son was born, I knew how I wanted to decorate his room. One of my priorities was that it not be like every other kids room that I had seen. Looking at bedding and decor, I was overwhelmed with the cheesiness of it all. I had to do my own thing, and it would NOT be ordinary!

If I had known about Olive Kids then, it would have come in handy. Their room decor designs are childish and whimsical, yet different from what you might find when looking at a big box kids store and other retailers. Olive Kids uses bright colors and fun designs, without turning to popular characters, television shows, and movies for their inspiration. Their design ideas range from campfire friends to mermaids, and everything in between. They even have several pages of decorating ideas-very inspiring! It almost makes me want to take up my paint brush and get to redecorating...almost. ;)

Amy and I received personalized floor pillows for Hailey and Noel that incorporate just two of Olive Kids design inspirations: Out of This World and Flowerland. Both just happened to match our kids rooms beautifully! Both Hailey and Noel are CRAZY about their personalized floor pillows, and we are too! The embroidery work is lovely, the outer shell of the pillow is removable and washable (and since these are getting so much love from the little ones, that's a must!), and they're just the right size for a little tyke!

Next time you get the redecorating bug, or when you've had enough of The Incredibles decor, stop by Olive Kids...you won't be disappointed!

**Don't forget to check out this post for LOTS of chances to win BIG for the Holidays! Join us as we celebrate with our GIANT BLOG HUNT!*

Diaper Bag Heaven [or] Ready, Set, Decorate!

If you haven't yet visited Rosenberry Rooms, you best get on over there and check out their insanely large collection of, well, EVERYTHING! You want it, they've got it. Stylish nursery room themes, bedding, ADORABLE footstools and step stools (because I'm in the market for one), wall art and the list goes on and on. My eyes practically bugging out of my head there are so many things to look at. All right up my boutique-loving alley.

They also offer a gift registry. If you're tired of the boring, same-old-same old baby shower registry items, please consider registering at Rosenberry Rooms or tell your pregnant friends/family about this incredible boutique. What a fun and refreshing way for your attendees to shop for you! I kind of want to set one up, just because. :)

I don't think they're kidding when they say they have the largest selection of designer diaper bags. If only, IF ONLY, I had known about them during my pregnancy! They have a very fine collection of diaper bags that will have everyone drooling and asking where you bought that fabulous bag! It might only take something as simple as a fashionable diaper bag to get me thinking "baby" again. :)

This is the Baby Pink Corduroy Laminated Buckle Diaper Bag by Kalencom. Hmmm, what can I say about this bag...IT'S SWEET, ladies. What I love about it? It's easy to keep clean, there is a removable, insulated bottle bag, removable diaper pouch and a changing pad.

The inside of this bag is a gorgeous chocolate brown color. Perfect coordinating colors. Also, there is P-L-E-N-T-Y of room. The bag retails for about $70 and is available at Rosenberry Rooms for purchase.

But wait...we're giving ONE away! YUP! Who loves ya, baby? The Mums do! Let me hip you to the entry rules:

Send an email to mumsthewurd[at]gmail[dot]com with "DIAPER BAG" in the subject line. Since we're nosey, we'd like you to tell us about YOUR diaper bag, whether you had one years ago, you're using one right now or you plan on using one in the future. Even if you have a quite fashionable one, tell us about it and why you love it so much! Anything goes, ladies (and gents). I personally had an UGLY diaper bag! This would make a fab gift for a mom-to-be!

Winner will be chosen on Wednesday, October 24th at 10pm CST.

*Sorry out-of-United-Staters, this giveaway is limited to the U.S. only. I'm sorry! : (

Wrestling Midgets

When changing my son's diapers, I often liken it to wrestling midgets. Wrestling a midget couldn't be that hard, could it? Just ask anyone that has a squirmy baby or toddler, and their answer to this question would probably be "Ha! YOU try it then!" as they walk off in a huff. The more active my toddler gets, the less he wants to be confined for that 1 minute that it would take to change his diaper (that is, if he were cooperative-the ordeal usually takes about 5 minutes because he spends the whole time trying to get up. No, you can't explain the logic behind laying still for 1 1/2 minutes vs. the 5 minute battle with a 20-month old-trust me). This is why when I laid eyes on the Ubi, I got excited. Is their possibly an answer to my diaper changing nightmare? Yes!

Not only is the Ubi easy on the eye, it's design has covered every detail, from a strap that gives you a free hand, to a place RIGHT THERE to store diapers (it even has fastener strips to hold the diaper in place)! The upholstery is hypoallergenic and has an anti-microbial surface, so you can clean it easily and it won't collect any icky odors. You also don't have to bother with that piece of extra furniture that takes up a whole lot of space and that you'll never use again after you have children. Sue Wong took her engineering prowess to where it mattered most-the nursery-and came up with this beautifully designed and highly functional piece of baby equipment. I would show you a pic of us using the Ubi, but I figure Noel's a little old and I didn't want him to be embarrassed later, since he's a big toddler and all. When the new baby is born, I'll take some of it being utilized and show you how great it actually is. Until then, you'll just have to "Ohhh!" and "Ahhh!" over this picture here. Go here to see all the other designs they offer, and to purchase one for yourself. The Ubi is also available at several fine boutiques-real and cyber.

Take your keen eye for design, style, and space to the nursery. Get an Ubi for yourself or for a totally unique shower gift. Be the first to have or give the awesome UBI!

Simply Wonderful!

Amy & I are the proud recipients of beautiful works of art by Simply Silhouettes. Patrick and Angela started Simply Silhouettes for one simple reason: so they could spend more time together, and as a family. This great business will capture any likeness you want to send, and put it on almost anything. You can get something simple, or gifts such as tote bags or jewelry, even apparel! Amy & I got room decor, where you have your choice of classic, design, or custom.

These are works of art that will be treasured by our families for many years to come. I am so impressed by the quality of these canvases, especially for the cost! Don't have kids? You can also get silhouettes done of yourself, your spouse (perhaps the two of you together?), even the beloved family pet!

If you want a keepsake or family heirloom, I highly recommend Simply Silhouettes. Wouldn't this make a wonderful gift for the grandparents for the holidays?

Shake Your Rattles!

Although I am not the proud owner of a Rattle-N-Roll poster, I really, really, really wish I was!!! I have always been a big fan of the retro-style concert poster, and adding one of these to our wall art would be so awesome. I actually had a dream that the owners contacted me and wanted to send me one-and it was sort of pathetic how bummed I was when I woke up and realized it was only a dream. I think I'm a little obsessed, but how could you not be? These are so rad! All items from Rattle-N-Roll are custom made to your child's specifications-it's an artist rendering of his or her face and all their birth stats. Pictured here are the 5 templates you have to choose from, or they will do a customized job just for you. Seriously, I'm getting sad typing this because I want one of these for Noel & Baby ? so badly! As it says in the FAQs, there is nothing cooler in the whole world! If you've got impeccable style, which for us, means decorating your house in concert posters, and some spare cash, I better see a Rattle-N-Roll poster hanging in your house next time I'm over.

**Be sure to check our contests, and sign up to receive our weekly newsletter!**

Rock On

When we were shopping for baby furniture, everyone kept telling us, "Oh, you MUST have a glider!" Well, the selection at Babies R Us was awful. I couldn't bear the thought of gliding with my newborn in a gingham or ruffle covered chair, no matter how comfortable it might have been. If I had known about Modern Kid though, I might have revisited the whole glider idea.

If this was one of my options (and I had the money to spend), I would buy the Monte Luca Glider in a heartbeat! As it is, this cool chair is a *bit* out of my price range (retailing for about $850 USD). It comes in 5 different colors (none of which are pink or blue!) and looks sooo comfortable. I don't know about you, but I could definitely handle having this glider in a nursery. If you don't like this style, they've got several others that are equally groovy. Be sure and check out Modern Kid's other items too! They've got room decor, toys, bags, and lots of other modern goodies that will have you spending away in their online store.

Don't be fooled into thinking all gliders are lame ever again! Thank you, Modern Kid!

button-flies!

button-flies, that's what my toddler calls the new butterfly decorations that are hanging from the ceiling above her crib.


i found these adorable butterflies at an ebay store called thedecorland.com. they sell nylon wall hangings. i have to say, it is mostly catered toward girls, which works fine for me! although, if you have a garden, they would make great decorations out there too. the butterflies look super cute hanging from the ceiling and i bought a pack of five for under $15!

go ahead, pay a visit to their ebay store sometime!