Due to the timing of the party being so close to Valentine’s Day, pink candy was easy to find.

Signage including banners, table cards and favor tags gave it a more professional coherent feeling.

My favorite piece was homemade heart shaped cupcake with personalized cupcake toppers.

The table was the centerpiece for the decor.  Witih pink damask tableware from Party City, Whirly pops and giant marshmallows I didn’t need to be Martha Stewart to get a fun creative look.

Her fabulous cupcake toppers, banners, invitations, and signage like favor tags add a professional touch to any gathering.

Kim has fabulously creative ideas, so let her help you plan your next bash, so you can be, well a little Martha, with just a tiny bit of help. Pics from Stella’s party to come soon… A pretty in pink pajama party!

If you have great party tips, share them with us!

Here’s how it works.  You can choose between two  art forms: mosaic or applique.  If you choose applique all you need to do is collect some old pieces of clothing that hold some sentimental value to you (Lisa notes, not to be overwhelmed with the selection process as any items will do, large amounts or very small).  Once you place your order TGR will send you a prepaid bag for you to send them the items.  You choose from one of her pre designed templates (or you can customize).  From there she will create an original piece of artwork that will be sent directly to you.

If you choose mosaic you must collect some of your child’s most precious artwork (again don’t make yourself crazy with the selection process).  She will send a photographer to your home to shoot the pieces so they will not be ruined.  Once you select your design from her templates they will create a piece of artwork that can be framed or can come on a stretch canvas. (Timing on both varies somewhere between 3-8 weeks).

Both are original pieces of art that are not only beautiful but sentimental as well. Here’s one of my favorite designs in the Applique, The Silhouette.  Send Lisa a picture of your child and she will create a piece of art in his/her likeness using his/her clothes.

And my vote for most creative piece is her Phrases collection.  Lisa dug through her journal and found some of her favorite phrases that her son used as a child and she embroidered those on a piece of artwork using the Applique technique.

The Great Remember pieces work great for a unique and meaningful Mother’s Day or Holiday Gift.  Gift cards are available so parents can choose their own designs, clothing and art work pieces, collaborating with Lisa to make something beautiful and special to display in their home.  Prices vary (and are not cheap), however this is a one of kind keepsake that any parent or grandparent will cherish for a lifetime.  I know what my mother in law is getting next mother’s day

In this post I have put a collection together of a few of my very favorite baby products in a random assortment of categories.  I have personally used all of these and have found them to be outstanding. Here’s what I found…

*Best Secret Weapon Against Cradle Cap: Mustela Foam Shampoo

A mommy friend shared this secret with me in the park, after I had been dousing my poor son in baby oil and within days his cradle cap was gone.

*Favorite Gear Splurge- Uppa Vista $679.99

What I love about the Vista is that it’s the one and only stroller you need.  It works with a baby carrier (with purchase of attachement), it comes with a bassinet and adjustable seat. The wheels make for a smooth ride, the basket is perfect for lots of bags, books, toys and snacks.

*Must Have Crib Accessories-Tiny Love Mobiles & Gentle Giraffe

I’ll be the first to admit I was on the search for the perfectly accessorized mobile, but when I saw how entertaining these mobiles were I gave in. The Tiny Love mobiles are the best, period. They stimulate your baby and with remote control access make it easy to turn it on and off. The Gentle Giraffe Southing Sounds works.  If you have a baby that’s having trouble falling back to sleep, step away from the crib.  Refrain from night bouncing and simply turn on your giraffe.  Let the white noise, sounds of the ocean or jungle lull your little fuss pot back to sweet dreams.

*Items You Can Really Live Without-In my humble opinion

On every baby checklist the following items will appear, but after two kids, here are some items that maybe, just maybe you can live without…

-The Diaper Dekor.  I say use a garbage can and throw it out with frequency.  These Diaper Genie/Diaper Dekor products end up stinking and become more trouble than they are worth.

-Wipes Warmer/Bottle Warmer-Wipes are cold!  And sometimes even babies need to face the harsh truth.  If you start warming things like bottles and wipes babies expect them to ALWAYS be warm.  What happens when you are on an airplane or a in a mall and you don’t have your warming instruments on hand??? It’s not a pretty sight.  Go room temp.

*Best Highchair-Prima Papa by Peg Perego

I don’t feel like the selection of a highchair should be one to debate or stress over. They all get disgusting after one meal and they are impossible to keep clean ( I mean have you ever looked in the crevices of your highchair straps-yuck!).  But the Prima Papa just works.  It’s comfortable, adjustable and stable. Enough said.

O.k. that’s all for now…I will be back some more mommy opinions next week…stay tuned If you have a great product let me know, send me a comment!

]]> http://www.bellini.com/blog/favorite-products/mommy-michelle-favorite-finds/feed/ 0 http://www.bellini.com/blog/favorite-products/lifes-little-luxuries-for-baby/ http://www.bellini.com/blog/favorite-products/lifes-little-luxuries-for-baby/#comments Wed, 03 Nov 2010 19:21:25 +0000 Michelle http://www.bellini.com/blog/?p=2967 Continue reading →]]> As the holiday season approaches, I am always on the hunt for luxurious gift items for the little people in our lives.  Here are some of my favorite over the top finds…stay tuned for my favorite gifts under $20, coming soon!

1. Cashmere for him and her by Baby CZ

2. Some sweet rides…no license needed

3. A delicious playhouse by Dylan’s Candy Bar for a small fortune…just $15,000

4. Gorgeous jewels by Iceing on Top

5.  Tiffany Alphabet Box….adorable from A to Z

6.  Wrap them up in super soft lux by Little Giraffe

7.  Designer kicks by Gucci or Burberry

8.  If you can afford any of these gifts than this is my favorite gift…the gift of giving.  Sponsor a child or volunteer at a soup kitchen, but remind your fortunate child that not everyone is as lucky as him or her.

Enjoy!

]]> http://www.bellini.com/blog/favorite-products/lifes-little-luxuries-for-baby/feed/ 0 http://www.bellini.com/blog/decorating/the-neutral-nursery/ http://www.bellini.com/blog/decorating/the-neutral-nursery/#comments Wed, 20 Oct 2010 11:31:54 +0000 Michelle http://www.bellini.com/blog/?p=2656 Continue reading →]]> So many of my clients choose not to find out the sex of their baby.  While the surprise is fabulous many of them struggle with the decorating aspect. While green, yellow and even blue have been used as a neutral palette, I am becoming a huge fan of the beige, creme and white tones for their pure serenity with a hint of gold or silver for some pizazz.  Here are some inspiration shots, decor items and fabrics that work for this look.

Invest in what matters
Try to be smart about where you put your money. The furniture is the largest and most important purchase of the room, and if you shop smart, it will also have the most longevity. Buy pieces that will outlast the baby phase and can be used in a toddler’s room. Cribs that convert to beds, or changers that turn into functional pieces of furniture are some purchases that will help expand the life of your initial purchase. Buy quality items instead of the cheapest items so you are not buying twice because pieces have not held up. Also work with furniture manufacturers who are involved in certification programs (like the JPMA) so all safety requirements are ensured. You don’t want to skimp on safety in the nursery.

Do it yourself…when you can
Although being eight months pregnant is not always conducive to home improvement projects like painting or staining floors, you would be surprised how many family members would be thrilled at the opportunity to leave a personal fingerprint on the creation of the nursery. Enlist those that can help with the handy work so that extra costs of hiring a painter or contractor can be eliminated.

Get creative
If you have an artistic bone in your body, now is the time to use it. Take your creativity to the walls. Painting simple murals with shapes or even special quotations is a great way to personalize a room with your own special touch, and helps to save on artwork for the walls, or even wallpaper. If you have a relative who is good with the brush, enlist their help and commission them for a special painting, drawing or photograph. Find an inexpensive frame to give it a professional look. Creating a collage of special pictures of the family is a great way to add some color to the places in the room that need spicing up.

Make the old, new again

When thinking about the nursery, look outside the four walls of the room. Explore your house in every direction for pieces that could work in a nursery in a different capacity. For my daughter’s nursery, I took a wrought iron table I had used in a sun room and put it next to her glider to bring in a different texture. Find pieces that can be recovered in fresh new fabrics (old chairs or benches) to inspire an eclectic feel in the nursery. My favorite old finds are ones from mommy and daddy’s childhood. Vintage doll houses or an old set of oars can be classic touches that money cannot buy. Go through the attic at grandma and grandpa’s and you will be surprised at the hidden treasures that await. Keep those old cribs buried, for safety reasons it is not recommended to use cribs that do not meet today’s safety standards.

Keep it organized
Some of the most impressive nurseries are that way because of good organization and efficient design. Everything has a place, which makes operating in the room a snap. Find ways to organize your nursery so it makes sense to you, without spending a fortune on fancy closet systems. Make sure you have storage space for items like wipes, lotions, thermometers, diapers, etc. So many necessary items reside in the nursery that it can get messy and chaotic, which always overshadows even the best-decorated spaces. Straw baskets or decorative tins are great ways to hide the not so attractive baby necessities, while keeping your space clean and organized.

Second time spice up
If you are having a second or third child and are not thrilled about reusing the same nursery items for your new baby try and find ways to get excited about old purchases. Move things around, reframe pictures, buy a slipcover for a chair or repaint the walls. Don’t waste items that still have life in them but try and find second uses that you didn’t think of before.

Sell to buy
Are you eyeing that perfect bedding set or crib but the budget won’t have it? Find the extra bucks for the splurge by hosting a garage sale or posting things you no longer need or want on eBay. Motivate to make room for baby’s stuff while raising the funds for the special items you would feel guilty about otherwise purchasing.

1. Initial it….for $28 choose a letter like this one to accent a dead wall.

2.  Stick it…love wall decals for some fun that you don’t have to commit to.

3. Time to grow…add a cute growth chart on the outside of a boring closet for a little color and sentiment (not to mention a great keepsake).

4. Draw it…stencils are a fabulous find even for the artistically challenged like myself.

5. Paintable wallpaper…ok I said it.  But this wallpaper from Land of Nod is $30 and can be painted. Just a thought…

6.  Get a little Martha…I found these kits from Martha Stewart and am using them in my Fall Bellini window…the entire kit is $19.95 and they are so whimsical.

7. Get personal…take some of your favorite memories and create a poster size collage. An ofoto 20×30 collage is only $21.99.

8. Add a splash of bright color.  A new throw pillow is the perfect pow to bring new life to a bed or chair that seems a little boring.  I found this one at Target… shhhhh.

9. Paint it.  Get a can of paint, roll up your sleeves and paint one wall, the ceiling or even go crazy with some striping. You will be shocked what a coat of paint can do.

10. Rearrange what you’ve got.  This one is free and one of my most favorites.  I do this in the showroom to spice things up.  Move around furniture or artwork to give the room new life. 

Twelve timbers glitter shapes add a little fantasy to any room.  Perfect when you don’t want to commit to any theme for too long, because they are SO CHEAP!

My next sparkle find is more like a “glow” and a sparkle combo.  These amazing night lights are flying out of my store.  The perfect baby gift, these unique lights will be a fabulous and special piece in any nursery. Prices start around $50.

These bling frames by AB Designs are another great sparkle find.  Although on the more expensive side for a frame the quality, detail and sparkle make these frames a must have for displaying your most favorite baby pics.

All you need to do to win is comment on this post telling us the most family friendly vacation spot you have taken your babies to.  (Winner will be selected this week at random).

Good Luck!

Check out the Trailer
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuchxADmfdY