FabSugar

Simply Fab: The Gigi Blanki Co.

FabSugar — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 17:00:22 PDT

I say, if you want to raise a fashionista you gotta get 'em young. As we all know, fashion is a pretty cut throat biz and you have to have an extensive skill set to survive. One can teach the art of customization and fine fabrics as early as the newborn stage - contrary to popular belief. Here is a teaching tool: a plush, posh blankie from The Gigi Blanki Co.. Choose from an array of styles - a blanki, burpi, or toothi - and a selection of fabrics and colors; they cost $8-$25. Each one is handmade; one side is soft and fuzzy, the other is silky and comforting. And to prove my point: these have been tested and approved by fashionista-in-the-making katiesugar.

A Love Advice Columnist Has a Major Crush (on Her Home!)

Elka Karl — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:07:16 PST

Advice columnists are used to answering questions - though usually not about themselves. Today, love advice columnist Wendy Atterberry of Dear Wendy is revealing her crushes and love for all things home-related. Wendy lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband, Drew, their baby boy, Jackson, and their two cats, Simone and Miles (who make a cameo in the photos here). Keep reading to see what Wendy has to say about why she's majorly crushing on her home.

What she most loves about her home:

It's a tie for my favorite spot in my home between my bedroom (and specifically, my bed), and my "china cabinet" wall. My husband, Drew, and I painted all the walls in our place, inspired by the colors of the beach, so I love the shades of green in both spots. We have a king-size bed, which feels like a luxury, and I love Sunday mornings when all five of us - Drew, our new baby Jackson, our two cats, Miles and Simone, and I - all pile in the bed and read books, nap, and talk. Drew and I love to travel, so above our bed we framed postcards of all the places we've traveled together in the nearly six years we've known one another. The china cabinet in my other favorite spot of the apartment belonged to my great-great-grandparents and I just love it. It's filled with lots of glassware for entertaining, which is something we enjoy doing. Everything else in that spot is a second-hand buy, found at garage sales or thrift stores, with the exception of the gray wool blanket on the bench, which I found somewhere online.

What others love most about her home:

Probably our "bar," which is usually pretty well-stocked thanks to generous friends who bring bottles of stuff whenever we have get-togethers. People also comment that our place is "cozy," which could also be a euphemism for "small," but here in New York where most places are tiny, I like to think it's a genuine compliment.

What she'd love to add to her home:

Luckily, we already have most everything I'd want in a home - a walk-in closet, a big bathtub, a dishwasher, central air, and a washer and dryer. We even have a large balcony, which is pretty awesome in the warmer seasons. But if I could wave a magic wand and make this truly my dream home, I'd add one more bedroom (and maybe an elevator!); our second bedroom - now our baby's room - is awfully small and one day we'll outgrow this place, which will be sad. More realistically, I'd love to change the light fixture in the dining area, which is pretty ugly. We're renters, so it doesn't make sense to put any more money into the place, but if we owned, that would be the first - and maybe only thing - I'd change. Oh, and more original artwork. Oh, and a hammock! If only money were no object . . .

Need love advice? Head over to Dear Wendy for articles, advice, and much more!

Is This Breastfeeding Ad Cute or Creepy?

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:36:02 PST

Has Louisville, KY, stolen the E*Trade baby? In a new series of public service ads encouraging breastfeeding, a Louisville public health organization digitally enhanced a baby's mouth with a full set of teeth and a big-girl voice to tout nursing's benefits. The Mayor's Healthy Hometown Movement uses the talking tot to dismiss some of the reasons new moms often turn to the bottle, including statements like, "Some people think breastfeeding in public is nasty, but it’s not," and "with Hooter Hiders, slings, and the old baby blanket over the shoulder technique, Mom can feed me anywhere." The three videos are gaining the attention of the local community and beyond as viewers do double takes at the talking tot.

Take a look at one of the messages and tell us what you think!

5 Ways to Celebrate Baby’s Hometown

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:36:34 PDT

Be proud of your roots! Mom and dad picked their home for a reason. Now celebrate it! Today's talented designers are customizing blankets, clothes, and more to show off your tot's hometown. Perfect for baby gifts and and birthday presents, the kid-friendly designs will have lil ones learning their way around a map long before they ever have a driver's license! Check them out!

Long Live the Pink and Blue Striped Hospital Blanket

Rebecca M Gruber — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 07:16:26 PDT

What's with the standard-issue pink and blue striped baby blankets? Throughout much of the country, the large, white flannelized blankets featuring bright pink and blue stripes are the first thing a newborn is wrapped in. They're not the softest, most luxurious, or even organic, but whether babies are born in hospitals in New York, San Francisco, or cities in between, I've seen hundreds of photos of just-born babies all tightly swaddled in the ubiquitous wraps. They've even won a cult following among moms hard-pressed to find another large, soft, and lightweight blanket that conforms to a swaddle so easily.

Now baby's first blanket will be immortalized by none other than NPR. The network has launched a campaign seeking out photos of newborns wrapped in the pink and blue striped blankies, asking listeners to share their own photographs on its site for a salute to the requisite wrap.

Do you have one of these blankets in your stash?

Source: Flickr User juhansonin

10 Cozy Organic Baby Blanket Options

Heather Dale — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:02:29 PDT

My first go-to gift for any new mother is always a plush, organic, baby blanket. Regardless of how many blankets she's already been gifted, another baby blanket can never go amiss. When a blanket is organic, the cotton used to make it is free from pesticides, so it is nontoxic and safe for your little one. What's great about all of these luxurious blankets is that they can be used to swaddle your baby, to keep your him warm in his crib, and to cover your lil one while running errands. Here are a few of my favorite organic blankets!

Source: Thinkstock

Tired Traveler? 8 Tips to Get Your Baby Back to Sleeping

Kate Stahl — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 09:15:41 PST

It's prime vacation time! While your pre-baby trips probably involved stocking up on sleep, travel with a lil one can be anything but restful. Just ask me: my 9-month-old was sleeping 12 hours a night last week, but since we arrived in Florida a few days ago, I'm back to 3-4 hour stretches. Torture. Luckily, one of the fellow guests at our resort is a pediatrician, and she helped with a few tips to get my go-go baby - and yours, too - back on the right track.

Try to arrive before bedtime so your lil one has time to acclimate. Let her explore the new room, and explain where you are and where everyone will be sleeping.
Bring a white noise machine or fan to mask strange new noises.
Follow your at-home bedtime routine; give your baby a soothing warm bath, read books quietly, nurse in a darkened room . . . whatever usually works for you.
Try to re-create her sleeping location as best you can by bringing a crib sheet or blanket from home (even a worn shirt of mom's can help). Also make the new room's lighting as similar to home as possible. Keep clicking for four more tips.

10 Celeb Mamas Who Really Love Their Muslin Blankets

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:09:22 PDT

Wrap them up! The swaddling world was taken by storm when Raegan Moya-Jones brought her muslin blankets to the US in 2004. In a few short years, Aden and Anais's 100 percent cotton, stretchy, breathable wraps became the standard by which all blankets were compared. Their ability to maintain warmth without overheating a newborn (not to mention their large size) has made them a favorite of moms around the world - especially celebrity moms.

When Jessica Alba was spotted pushing baby Haven outside last week, she became the latest in a long line of Hollywood moms to use the versatile blankets to do everything from swaddle to protect their babies from the paparazzi's prying eyes. Take a look at 10 other celebs who have chosen the Australian brand to comfort their tots!

Cloth Diapers? Not For This Mama!

BabyCenter — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:42:22 PST

We're excited to share this post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we will be bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Stacie Lewis about her decision to use disposable diapers.

I use disposables. I believe they are easier, more convenient, faster and more hygienic than cloth. I like using them – at least, I like them as much as a parent can like a diaper. I have never considering changing. I have never tried cloth. Why would I?

My husband and I had one conversation about cloth vs disposable, three years ago before our daughter was born. It went as follows:

Me: (opening discussion by using the universal family signal: pressing mute on the TV remote) Honey, have you ever thought about cloth diapers?

Him: What?!? What are you talking about?

Me: You know, diapers that you wash after each use instead of throw out.

Him: (look of total confusion on his face) You wash them? Like in the washing machine? All that poo, in the washing machine?

Me: (nodding without enthusiasm) Yeah.

Him: Why would we do that?

Me: (puzzled) Um, I’m not sure.

Him: Well, there you have it. (grabs remote and unpresses mute)

A splinter of doubt needled me after I wrote my last post. In the post, I explained how it is possible to pull onesies down after poo explosions. Besides many parents declaring it a "life-changing" idea - and think of that what you will - quite a few others used the opportunity to praise cloth diapers:

Keep reading to see what cloth diaper advocates had to say.

What to Skip When Shopping For Baby

LearnVest — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:15:45 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

By the last few months of every woman’s third trimester, she’s inevitably faced with one of life’s most intimidating situations: baby shopping.

No matter whether you had your most recent child years ago or are currently expecting, I’m sure you’re familiar with the situation.

You walk into your local baby store brimming with excitement and confidence, ready to stock up for your little one. Ten minutes later, after seeing floor-to-ceiling walls of bottles, swaddling blankets, baby food containers and strollers of every variety, that confidence plummets. Or it morphs into apathy that has you reaching for the chocolate and telling yourself your baby would be fine sleeping in a box.

At least, that’s how it was with me.

Thankfully, you don’t need everything you see at the baby store-nor do you need to be drowning in debt to provide a happy home for your little one. As it turns out, a lot of the items listed on the “must buy for your baby” checklists given out by big box baby stores aren’t essential at all.

If you’re way past the baby stage, share your wisdom with other budding moms in LearnVest Discussions.

As for me, here’s what I’ve found you can skip:

Bottle Sterilizer

Keeping your baby’s bottles germ-free is the best way to prevent infection and upset tummies. But you don’t need to pay upwards of $80 for an electric sterilizer that will take up a lot of kitchen counter space. Instead, try this Munchkin one for $18. It fits all size bottles, takes up no space and sterilizes your feeding accessories in the microwave in three minutes.

Read on for more items to skip.