Category Archives: Guest post: TheFind.com

Oct. 8 Must-Have: Oilily Tights for Little Girls

oilily-girls-tights

There is a cool crisp breeze in the air, apple festival time has arrived and Halloween decorations fill the stores. Gone are cotton sundresses, it is time for dressing up my toddler in tights and warmer dresses and skirts. She has several pair of tights, but her favorites are the styles from Oilily. Oilily tights are thick, cozy and hold in the washer and dryer. They also come in charming colorful designs that look adorable on little girls’ legs. They look very pretty with fall dresses and corduroy skirts.
maryjanes

Shearling boots would be the perfect complement to these fun tights or how about a pair of sweet mary janes?

From our friends at TheFind.com.

No Training Wheels Required – Wooden Balance Bike for Kids

wooden-training-bikes

Walk along balance bikes seem to be popping up on playgrounds and parks across the country. I was first drawn to the Skuut bike because of its to the clean, modern design. My husband, an avid cyclist, has had his eye set on one of these for our daughter even before she could walk. The benefit of these bikes is that they help to boost a child’s self confidence as they learn to balance and ride a real bike on their own.

There are several models on the market and including the original design made in Germany, the “Like a Bike” (shown above, top) that has inspired similar wooden bikes. The Like a Bike features pneumatic wheels that are not supposed to scuff floors for indoor riding and are priced at around $300. It also features birch frame construction and a boatload of really cool accessories including saddlebags and a wooden wagon trailer.

The Wooden Balance Bike by Smart Gear (second from the top) priced at about $100 is the most eco-friendly of bunch. The company uses rubberwood harvested from a replenishible source, formaldehyde free glue, non-toxic paints and lacquer and the carton is made from recycled paper with water-based ink. The tires are inflatable and are PAC-free. This model also features a clean, modern design and sports a cut out handle for easy lifting.

The Skuut Wooden Balance Bike also features pneumatic tires and assembly is estimated at 10 minutes to simply attach the handlebars. Another beautifully designed bike this one comes in one style/color only. It is priced at approx $90.

I am leaning towards the Smart Gear model as it comes in a red model styled for girls and I try to buy eco-friendly toys made from renewable or recycled resources as a general rule. This one is also priced moderately. The holidays are coming up soon, so it’s best to stock up on your gifts now before they are sold out. Last year I was disappointed when the Green Toys recycled plastic tea set was sold out. This year, I vow to do my holiday toy shopping early.

Save with coupon codes for eToys from TheFind.com’s Coupon site.

Get Personalized with a Custom Address Stamp

personalized-stamps

Now that summer is over and the kids are back in school, I’m determined to be organized for the busiest time of year. Along with fall and winter come multiple holidays, social events, birthday parties and then as soon as you can catch your breath Christmas has come and gone. No more attaching return address labels on our family’s holiday cards until the wee hours. This year I plan to order a personalized return address stamp. I found these self-inking customized stamps that will be my new personal-izing assistant! Not only can these be used for return addresses, and look great on the back flap of an envelope I might add, but they can be used to personalize note cards as well. The personalized stamps from Three Designing Women (love the name!) are designed to personalize blank note cards, wine tags, gift tags, notepads and calling cards. You can also use these self-inking stamps with your own blank stationery or stickers. I love all of the unique designs and cute, modern note cards. They have something for classic tastes as well as modern design fans. The stamps are available at the Neiman Marcus website and you can also find coupon codes for Neiman’s here.

Products featured above:
Three Designing Women Square Stamp or Round Stamp, $48.00 at NeimanMarcus.com
Three Designing Women Retro Stamper Note (green and brown design), $13.25 for 10 at papersyoulove.com
Three Designing Women Blue Stripes + Brown Floral notes – 1 set of 10 $22.50 at Finestationery.com

From our friends at TheFind.com.

Cupcake Basics 101

cupcake-supplies

Along with back to school time comes birthday parties, school functions and holiday events calling for home baked cupcakes. I’ve already made one batch for the new families picnic at my daughter’s preschool. One thing I’ve learned from my first cupcake experience is that you need the right tools to make cupcake baking and decorating an efficient and fun experience. Of course you can pay $3 a pop for the bakery made cupcakes, but you can also buy the pre-made mixes from LA’s Sprinkles Bakery. They are famous for their red velvet cupcakes and the cupcake mix is sold at Williams Sonoma.

I’ve found that using the correct tip for icing and decorating can save time and frustration. For perfectly swirled frosting that is peaked at the top use a Wilton tip #1M. Wilton has instructions for everything you wanted to know about cupcake decorating here. Another essential for icing cupcakes is an offset spatula. It has a small bend that gives you the correct angle for applying the frosting. It has made my cupcake experiences so much more enjoyable. Once you’ve decorated your fabulous cupcakes you’ll want to transport them safely. A quality cupcake carrier will keep your cupcakes from getting smashed or falling over.

Get 15% off purchases at Williams Sonoma with coupon codes here.

From our friends at TheFind.com.

Milkdot PVC-free Lunch Tote

milkdot-lunchbox

As the new school year draws near my search for the perfect lunch box goes into full swing. I was looking for a PVC-free and lead-free bag that is insulated and can accommodate a Sigg bottle and bento box lunches. Of course it has to be modern, good looking and easy for my preschooler to carry. After a thorough online search I have found the perfect lunch tote. The Stoh lunch tote by Milkdot meets all of my wish list requirements and it comes in a sweet pink/brown color combo. The Stoh also comes in blue/brown. Not to mention the fact that the Stoh lunch tote is designed by a very chic New York mom named Janet Cho who is a graphic designer and founder of Milkdot. The Stoh lunch box has modern appeal for me and I’m sure that we’ll be taking the tote on outings as well. I’m impressed by the thoughtful functionality of the Stoh lunch tote. For one it can fold flat, a plus for storage. It has ID tag which will hopefully prevent it from going missing, inside pockets to hold ice packs, a water repellent finish, outside pocket for utensils and napkins, and there is a magnetic closure to keep the handles together when carrying the tote.

From our friends at TheFind.com.