etsy find--Retro Classy Cufflinks

What do you get for the bespoke dad who dreads the thought of another crayon covered coffee mug or a "World's Best Dad" t-shirt? Try one of the whimsical designs from Retro Classy Cufflinks. I am partial to the more subtle designs, like the Monopoly cars or the wooden typewriter keys. They add just the right amount of personality to the standard suit and tie without being crass. Three cheers for playful elegance!

pica pica picaboo

My first photo album from Picaboo arrived yesterday and I couldn't be more pleased with the book. The paper is high quality and the pictures and wonderfully crisp and colorful. Picaboo has hundreds of page layouts and background designs to create a perfectly customized album. It is so nice to skip the photo corners and annoying plastic sleeves and get the perfect layout without taking up the dining table for days at a time.

Right now Picaboo is offering a buy one, get one free special. Use the code JUNEGF at checkout.

etsy find: PCwoodcraftandPens

Need the perfect gift for the Dad who has everything? Check out PCwoodcraftandPens and their fantastic selection of hand-turned badger shaving brushes. The razor handles are stunning as well and far less expensive than the designs at specialty shaving stores.

etsy find--MamaDama Designs

I love my Diva case from MamaDama Designs. It is slightly oversized to fit those dramatic shades so in right now. The construction is solid yet elegant and every piece is finished beautifully. I am looking at getting a clutch to store diapers and wipes as Little Man grows out of the need for a giant diaper bag. Right now MamaDama is offering specials on her gadget cases and small zip pouches--3 or 4 for $25, respectively.

etsy find--LoveLeeSoaps

Featured on Martha Stewart and interviewed by etsy's The Storque, Leeana makes adorable pint-sized soaps. Many of her molds are handmade (meaning you won't find these designs just anywhere) and they are small enough to fit in little hands. Great for showers or gift bags, the fun scents and kooky shapes are a fantastic way to get kids excited about washing their hands. Who doesn't want to lather up with popcorn or a doughnut?

etsy find--Little Sapling Toys

It can be so difficult to find beautiful wooden toys that don't cost an arm and a leg. But the heirloom quality goods from Little Sapling Toys fit the bill. The toys are unfinished or waxed (no worries about the chemicals in paints or polyurethanes with these beauties) and the packing material is 100% recycled.

etsy find--bittychouchou

I cannot get over how absolutely adorable everything in bittychouchou's is. Right now the items are all failry feminine but she does custom work. I would love to see those boots with some cowboys and felt cacti decorations.

one potato, two potato...

I usually try to avoid plastic toys for Little Man but even I cannot deny the appeal of a true classic. Removable goofy body parts, a giant grin and endless possibilities for imaginative play. I am talking, of course, about the beloved Mr. Potato Head. He has come a long way since my childhood and now has scads of additional costumes. I am particularly keen on the Safari and Alien Spud kits.

stuff my stocking

One of my greatest Christmas joys has always been discovering all the little goodies in my stocking. I know Little Man will be showered by friends and family with big gifts but I want to pass on the simple magic of the sock full of tiny delights. I am kicking off my Christmas season with a stocking hunt.


For the Mad Men devotee


For the Space Invader


For the Classicist

the little things

As Little Man's first birthday fast approaches I find myself getting a bit wistful. I have been pouring over his baby book and early pictures and packing away his tiny clothes. But I find myself returning to one object over and over--a simple wooden block engraved with all the details of his birth. There is something so solid and reassuring about the little cube,as if its clean,woody scent and heft allude to both the purity and promise of a new baby.