By Elyse Major

Growing up, I shared a bedroom with my older sister. I still think of those nights when we stayed up past bedtime to share “secret talks” among my most cherished memories. When my husband and I began house hunting for our family of four, a third bedroom never made my wish list. I wanted our boys to share a room holding onto the belief that a small space would provide them with some serious bonding time. Okay, so most nights it sounds like a slumber party going on across the hall, but it’s all for a good cause, right? Bonding.

My boys are just two years apart and while they share many interests they naturally differ on issues and being my offspring they are both inherently passionate about color. My oldest is crazy about blue while my youngest favors green. I wanted the boys included in the creative process of their room re-do but we talked in circles about wall color choices for months. Blue or green? Orange? Tan? One day the idea of dividing the room in half by color was suggested and it stuck.

Choosing the right shades of blue and green became overwhelming as the boys would exit the paint department with shopping bags full of paint chips. Taking a cue from furnishings my oldest had liked at Ikea, I covertly selected the paint colors myself. I also bought white paint for trim and the ceiling, and plenty of painter’s tape.

I am a messy painter so needing to be precise for lines where the two colors meet was difficult for me. In other rooms I favor pale (read: forgiving) colors and tend to accept imperfections as elements of shabby-cottage style. This wasn’t the case painting the boys’ room using bolder choices, which required multiple coats of paint over primer. I also had the brainstorm to repaint their furniture the color of each side of the room, outlined and dotted with hardware, a darker tone from the same paint chip panel.

After a few days of prep, priming and painting, the room was uniquely two colors, balanced by white. Slowly we have been adding decorative elements (see below). It makes me very happy that the boys are excited to show friends their room. Wouldn’t it be nice if having “a cool room” also motivated them to keep it neat? Well, one dream at a time.

Target is terrific but don’t ignore Ikea

Ikea was a great resource for fun, uncommon, and yet still affordable things for the room. At just $24.99, it was easy to agree to new nightstands. Other favorite purchases: mounted lamps, L-shaped shelves, poster frames and fabric. Did I mention the cinnamon buns? So worth any drive.

Don’t sew? Don’t sweat it.

I can barely sew but when I saw blue and green striped fabric at Ikea, I had to buy it. I also purchased Ikea’s Dignitet cable and clips set which meant all I had to do was hem edges, which I did using fusible tape and an iron, mount the cable system to the wall, and we were covered.

Wall art

For wall décor we framed posters the boys already had, saved from packages of trading cards and boxes of themed valentines. We used vibrant construction paper (a perennial Ikea fave) to fill the extra space, like a mat.

Spotlight on collections

My boys probably have more collections that I can list. By providing some display space, these groups of beloved plastic can have their moment in the spotlight instead of underneath the bed or scattered in bins and boxes.

Bedding

Because I wanted this room to be personal for each child, I gave up control of the bedding choice. One bed has robots and the other has Wolverine, and that’s okay.

Prep is key

To save time and minimize frustration, read about how to paint a room before you even buy a brush. The prep work is so important and involves spackling holes, washing walls and painting on primer before any real painting should begin. I like Brian Santos, The Wall Wizard.

Elyse’s Décor Do’s

• Look at everything around you as possible décor. Even crayons look cool when displayed in jars by color.
• Make throw pillows out of favorite but outgrown T-shirts and jammy tops: buy pillow inserts from a fabric store, stuff and sew (or fuse)
• Add embellishments from the scrapbooking aisle to curtains and lampshades
• Replace or paint furniture hardware – a super easy update
• Back the inside of a bookcase with paper that can be seen from behind shelves. Use color copies of favorite illustrations, even comic book pages
• Use tension rods to hang anything with a spool
• Keep things unfussy, kid-friendly, washable and comfortable
• Display art projects, Lego and other constructs, small action figure scenes

Take it from me …

• Don’t begin painting without first learning about how to prep and prepare
• For safety and your own sanity, have someone available to watch your children while you do any work that requires all of your focus
• Don’t underestimate how much time a project may take. I once believed I could tape and paint a small bathroom while my son was at preschool. Not quite
• “Cotton tarps” are an oxymoron; they will not protect work surfaces from paint
• Always sand any glossy surface before priming if you want the paint to properly adhere (despite what “advice” you might get from any well-meaning home supply store staff)
• For tightening and loosening screws, always remember what Luke from Gilmore Girls advised, “Tighty Righty and Lefty Loosey”

The process of choosing colors and materials can be lengthy but it’s part of the fun. When a room is “finished” I am always surprised that I took it on, trusted my design instincts, and completed the job. Sure, there are mistakes and drips but they’re all part of the story: your story.

Elyse Major divides her time between being a mostly stay-at-home mom, communications consultant, tinkerer, blogger and online seller. Elyse’s efforts are cheered on by her husband and two boys in northern RI. Elyse is featured in both the May and June issues of Romantic Homes magazine. Visit her blog at http://tinkeredtreasures.blogspot.com

Okay, hold on to your holiday hats!  This is the ultimate RI Handmade Holiday Shopping Guide with gift ideas, online shopping,  holiday show links, and more.  This season, it’s easier than ever to buy handmade products from local artisans and crafters!  Whether online or at an upcoming arts and crafts sale, you will find something for everyone at every price point.   These are just a few gift ideas (oh, yes, there are many more out there) for you to consider:

Chalkboard cubby with hooks by Sprouts in the House (Westerly)
Celia doll by Primroses (Providence)
Crayon cozy by Acormier77 (Johnston)
Girls sunflower tunic by Splash Apparel
Personalized sterling silver baby spoons by Mark Kaplan (Providence)

Sterling silver earrings by Katy Scudieri (Providence)
Personalized notecards by Anna Cote (Warren)
Boro lampwork flower pendant by Kim V Glass (Hope Valley)
Hand screeened birdhouse gourd print tote by Willywaw
Silk Grecian style skirt by Ikvot ha Mashiach
U.S. Pocket journal by Kristin Crane (Providence)
Beach stone key ring by Stepping Stones (Coventry)
Mosiac guitar by Crooked Moon Mosiacs (Warwick)
Two weevils t-shirt by Smiling Squid
Oil painting on wood block by Erin Spencer (Warren)

Teacup print by Rob Rey Art (Providence)
Flower photo by Diana Brennan
Clock by Karen Miller (Providence)
Cutting board by Taunton Green(Taunton & Providence)
Seat belt pillow by a la mode(Barrington)
Painting by Deb Hickey (Providence)

Ring by Ruby’s Upcycle Designs (Barrington)
Artist set by Pink Lemonade Boutique (Providence)
Recycled rainbow wristlet by Phriendlyk8 (Scituate)
Cheeseburger pillow by Felt Like It (Providence)
Flower belt buckle and leather belt by AWC Designs (East Greenwich)
T-shirt by Lucky Bunny Worldwide (Providence)

Mustard organic bowl by Gleena Shop(Pawtucket)
Cedar accessory organizer by Malcolm Studio Shop (Providence)
Fresh magnolia wreath by Seaside Cottage Naturals (Jamestown)
Handsculpted glass bottlestopper by Tanner Glass( Cranston)
Handsculpted leaf ornament by Elysian Fields (West Greenwich)

Flower brooch by Hanami Gallery (Providence)
Apple stationary by Paper in Style (Providence)
Porcelain bowls by New Moon Studios
Fabric covered magnets by Katie LeRoy (Newport)

Where is your favorite place to shop for handmade crafts?

Linda Cox Demers moved to Barrington, RI, from Chicago with her husband and two boys, ages 12 and 7.  She runs her handbag and accessories business, à la mode, from home and has recently discovered a passion for blogging.  As an independent designer , Linda enjoys promoting local artists and the “buy handmade” movement.

Visit Linda’s blog at http://alamodestuffblog.com.

Reviewed by Katy Killilea

Children really crank up the speed of the entropy machine, don’t they? In my former life,  I could make things orderly and they would stay that way very satisfactorily for days on end. It wasn’t that hard to be neat. Because there were no: globs of toothpaste on the toilet paper roll, Puffins squares crunching underfoot, used underpants draped along the banister, nor Pokemon cards, washed, shredded, and distributed evenly among the laundry in the dryer.

I’m not terribly interested in cleaning, but this new anthology, DIRT: The Quirks, Habits, and Passions of Keeping House had me utterly engrossed.  In this book, over thirty writers share their stories of keeping house. Whether they’re slobs, cleanliness overachievers, or something in between, each shares a story we can all relate to. It’s not just disorder–it’s life, and it’s interesting to get some perspective on how we each deal with it in our own ways. Scrubbing and drying the sink before going to sleep each night is not a requirement, and it indicates something more than a fondness for gleaming porcelain. Likewise, there’s more to a crusty sinkful of dishes than merely a relaxed outlook.

In DIRT, Rhode Island’s own Ann Hood addresses how she came from the “uber clean” household of her childhood to a home of her own, where she washes the floor only when it leaves the bottoms of her bare feet black. Rebecca Walker writes about the effect the birth of her son has on her fastidiousness, and Patty Dann describes how her relationship to her son changes, and how each of them uses cleaning to express grief, after her husband dies. It’s moving stuff, collected from the repetitive drudgery of vacuuming and the fresh start of clean sheets.

This book will not help you keep house, but it will take your mind out of…whatever it is your mind turns to as you wipe a son’s spattered urine from the toilet seat. And it is a perfect vacation book–especially if you’re staying somewhere on your vacation that you don’t have to clean.

The details:

DIRT: The Quirks, Habits, and Passions of Keeping House
Edited by Mindy Lewis
2009 Seal Press $15.95

The publisher provided a review copy for this article. Neither the publisher nor Kidoinfo has received any monetary compensation for this review and we have no undisclosed relationship with the publisher.

Sad news that two of my favorite magazines are closing; Wondertime (a fabulous parenting resource) and Domino (a funky design magazine).  Although I am an online publisher I love spending time off-line curling up with a glossy, full-color magazine and a hot cup of tea. I tend to save my back issues to peruse again and before I recycle or craft with the others I clip my favorite articles for design ideas, parenting tips and fresh inspiration for my everyday life.

Home Work: Lessons from Work-at-Home Parents. This series of Kidoinfo interviews looks at how these parents manage to squeeze in work time at home (whether working for someone else or running their own business) along with juggling kids, home life, and childcare (or lack of it). Do you want to share your home work with us? We love to hear how other parents get through their day. Nominate yourself or a friend or someone you admire from afar and we may feature their work-at-home story.

Today Katy Killilea interviews Kim Falcone , the founder of Lily’s Garden Herbals, a company that creates all-natural and mostly organic herbal products for home and health in Wakefield, Rhode Island.

Kidoinfo: What inspired you to start your business?

Kim: My two daughters, when they were very young. They both inherited respiratory and skin allergies from me, and I grew up using steroids topically and orally as well as antihistamines.
I wanted a different, more natural health journey for them.

How did you start your business?

Kim: It was an evolutionary process. I began offering advice back in the late ‘90s to family and friends regarding natural health and how herbs complement each other. From there, word spread that I was the ‘village herbalist’ in our closely knit community, and folks started to seek me out. During that time I was learning about herbal essential oils. I decided that with the antimicrobial properties so many of them possess, combined with the wonderful aromatherapy they provide, why not use them to clean rather than using the toxic chemicals I had grown up surrounded by?

How do you balance work and family?

Kim: Well, it was certainly a challenge when the girls were younger; however, my hours have always coincided with their school schedules. At three o’clock, I close the office door and put on my mom hat. Now that my older daughter is off at college and my seventeen-year-old drives, I am freed up quite a bit. This is not to say that I am not present when needed. In fact, I find I need to check in frequently to see what she is up to! As far as marriage is concerned, that’s easy. My husband is my business mentor since he is also a small-business owner. We have a broad range of topics to discuss! It keeps our marriage from getting boring!

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By Elyse Major

Do you have a room that you look at and think: I would really like to change this? If a room doesn’t require any real structural work, changing it may be more possible and require less time than you think. I know because I’ve been there. Didn’t think I could find the time, didn’t know how to prep or paint a room, busy with my boys, the list goes on. Here are some ideas to help motivate you to tackle your project.

Look all around
• Look at home décor magazines; my favorite is anything published by Better Homes and Gardens. I love their special-interest publications, which include: Creative Home, do it Yourself, 100 decorating ideas under $100, and more. Another inspiring fave is Romantic Homes.
• Visit the paint aisle and take paint chips in any color you like—they’re free!
• Look for items to embellish: at crafts and fabrics stores, tag sales, even outside.
• Search for favorite things like stationery or nice packaging for unexpected inspiration in color schemes and pattern coordination.

Look at your room
• What is it used for?
• Will its use change?
• Does anything need to be relocated or brought in?
• Can existing items be repurposed? A single bed into a daybed? An old dining set into a kid’s art table? A door replaced with a curtain to add space?

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When our boys turned three, we replaced their convertible crib/toddler bed with an IKEA foam mattress and wood futon bed frame. We found the “surfer theme” cotton comforter and two pillow shams at Target and installed an IKEA star night light. Now that the boys are in first grade and reading to themselves at bedtime, we decided to make a few more “big-boy” adjustments to their room without too much effort.

• We re-arranged the boys’ beds so they each have their own “space”.
• Added a book shelf from Christmas Tree Shops to serve as a bedside table and as a place to store their stuff—favorite books, photo albums, recent library loans, current favorite CDs, and their beloved stuffed animals (the boys are not all grown up yet).
• Moved a table and chair we already owned near their bed for their “new” old Apple LCII computer (happy to say it does not connect to the internet but is loaded with writing and drawing software and math games).
• Hung up a square memo bulletin board to hold their favorite photos.
• Added a clip-on reading light from IKEA.
• Finally framed and hung print I bought last Christmas at Craftland.

By Martha Iachetta

The end of summer brings many college students back to Rhode Island, but it can be a time of moves and transitions for families as well. Shuffling to a new community for a school system that feels like a better match, taking advantage of dropping real estate prices, saying “see you” to a less than ideal living situation when your lease runs out…whatever the reasons, droves of people are on the go once summer winds down and shifts into fall. Packing up and moving were certainly the primary themes of my past few months. In fact, my husband, Bob, and I put our house on the market, sold it, packed it up, bought a new one, moved in, and made it livable all within eight weeks. If that doesn’t make me sound insane, perhaps the experience lends me credibility for sharing some tips I learned for making a move easier when children are involved.

Do:

Invest in A-rated movers, even if it costs a little more. Get referrals from friends, your realtor, or Angie’s list. If you have the money, hire packers, too. Trust me, I learned this one the hard way. And, yes, you’re too old to do-it-yourself.

Involve your children in packing a few boxes, particularly loading up some of the less used items from their room.

Have fun labeling and/or decorating some of their boxes with paints, markers, or stickers. For pre-writers, give them a thick marker to trace over your lightly penciled words.

Make sure your children are otherwise occupied outside the home on major packing and moving days—preferably with a familiar, kind, and fun friend/relative/child care provider.

Make a family outing to a paint store so your children can have input on the color of their new bedroom(s).

Visit your new house together while it is still empty to help children visualize where their toys will be kept and what rooms will be for playing, sleeping, watching television, etc.

Have friends over for a visit as soon as possible, both yours and your child’s. Being the new kid on the block is hard for everyone.

Budget lots of extra money for days and days of restaurants and take out. Even if your kitchen gets set up quickly, you will not feel like cooking.

During heavy packing days, this tip includes gentle nudges to your friends to feed your family (or, at least your child) at regular intervals.

Arrange for some private time with your partner to christen your new house ASAP. While total privacy may not be feasible, even some quality time together makes everything seem much more bearable afterward.

Keep your perspective and sense of humor. Murphy’s Law may reign supreme.

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After recently reading about real owls, I was reminded of one of my children’s favorite baby books, Owl Babies. I went online looking for more owls—here are some of my recent favorite finds—prints, toys and crafts:

Owl Babies board book (left) by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Patrick Benson and owl mobile (right) inspired by Japanese and Danish 60’s design available at weekend.

owl pillow – handmade with 100% wool felt from elsewares.

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Here is what I found recently while surfing the web…

• I read the Rag and Bone blog regularly—this week Jason introduced me to Jim Deneven and now I want to make beautiful patterns in the sand like this.
• MakeZine found this cool one-shot panorama camera, 360 gizmos, fun for kids (and adults) at the NYC Toy Fair.
• Find clever ways to display your kid’s collections in the last issue of Cookie.
• Read Parent Hacks on how you can still take your baby out in the snow without regular snow boots: Makeshift Ziploc bag “snow boots” for babies.
• Learn how to make your own finger-paint.
• The New York Times recently published a couple of interesting articles:
- How design conscious parents deal or don’t deal once kids join share their space—Parent Shock: Children Are Not Décor—Click on the comments to hear a variety of reader opinions.
- With the growing success of in vitro fertilization, the rate of triplets and higher-order multiples has steadily increased, doctors are now looking at Lowering Odds of Multiple Births.
• Nonchalantmom has moved down the street in Wakefield and is designing the fall nonchalant kid’s collection. Also thank you to Carina for introducing me to the lovely world of bloesem kids!