Baby Lifestyles October/November 2011 Magazine Issue

Baby Lifestyles

October/ November 2011 Magazine

Baby Lifestyles LAUREN HALPERIN

Publisher, Creative Director

TARA STEINLE Managing Editor

ELLEN FELDMAN, BETH MERAN, KIMBERLY MISH Contributing Editors

LOLA STEEVENS Sales Director

AUSTIN “Mr. Z” RAPPAPORT Website Architect

MICHAEL GUSTMAN S.E.O. Management

Visit Baby Lifestyles online at www.BabyLifestyles.com for inspiration, real baby showers, birthday parties, nursery reveals, hot products, news, updats, contests, giveaways, and more

Would you like to contribute to Baby Lifestyles? Email our editorial staff at Editor@BabyLifestyles.com Submit your baby shower, birthday party or nursery to Baby Lifestyles at www.BabyLifestyles.com For information about advertising in Baby Lifestyles Magazine and online, contact Lola Steevens at advertise@babylifestyles.com Follow us on Twitter: @BabyLifestyles1

Baby Lifestyles is published bi-monthly by Baby Lifestyles, LLC. All contents ©2011 Baby Lifestyles, LLC. All rights reserved.

On the Cover

The amazing and talented Jennifer Bishop created this rustic elegance baby shower for a little pumpkin’s arrival.

As an expert on event planning, she shows off this party and a vintage picnic shower she hosted for her best friend. Read about this rustic elegance shower on page 77

Can you feel the winter chill in the air?

The Baby Lifestyles holiday issue is coming!

Contact us for details!

CONTENTS October/ November 2011

PAGE 11

PAGE 30

PAGE 58

PAGE 106

PAGE 120

PAGE 112

IN EVERY ISSUE

7 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 8 HOT PRODUCTS 132 LAST CRY

STUFF WE LOVE

10 BREAST CANCER PRODUCTS 17 DIY HALLOWEEN CAKE BUNTING 18 DIY HALLOWEEN WREATH 20 TISSUE PAPER POMS

PHOTOGRAPHY

56 SLEEPY NEWBORN 67 ROAD TRIP MATERNITY

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

11 PINK-O-WEEN BREAST CANCER HALLOWEEN PARTY 24 NATIONAL ADOPTION DAY 25 TOP 20 CELEBRTING ADOPTIONS

NURSERY REVEALS

30 CHLOE’S PINK PALACE 34 BROOKLYN’S BOUTIQUE

TRENDSETTER

20 LEANNE SHARES AUSTRALIA’S HOT PARTY TRENDS

BEHIND THE DESIGN

40 BRATT DECOR’S MARY BAUER

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CELEBRATIONS

48 HELLOW SUNSHINE 58 BABY’S 1ST HALLOWEEN 70 LITTLE MERMAID PARTY 77 RUSTIC ELEGANCE SHOWER 82 FOUNTAINBLEAU BRIS 94 PINK PRINCESS SHOWER 100 VINTAGE PICNIC SHOWER 106 THANKSGIVING KIDS TABLE 112 SWEET TART SHOWER

POWER PLAYER

120 CELEBRATIONS AT HOME

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In my neighborhood, Halloween is taken very seriously. All of the children from the area come around to my sub-

division of the community to trick-or-treat… during the daytime… in golf carts. Yes, golf carts. Some of the houses

decorate their lawns minimally, with skulls in the grass, witches dangling from the trees, and spooky figurines that require either a hefty set of lungs or an air machine to blow up. Others take the occasion quite seriously. They remove the cars from their garages and create full-effect haunted houses for kids to make their way through if they dare.

Sure, it’s not exactly a ‘holiday’, but it is a great day in the year when parents can get a little silly and kids can get dressed

up. It’s also an amazing excuse to celebrate with friends, and in costume! Whether you decorate your houses in creepy fashion or in frightening cuteness, admit it, it’s a fun day.

For baby’s first Halloween, it’s the opportunity to leave onesies behind for an evening and dress your baby up in

creative costume couture. You can play on parents’ profession and dress them up as a future doctor/golfer/business person, etc. or get funny and have them in a car air freshener costume. Baby and toddler costumes can be distinctive by personality or by favorite Star Wars character. The hot trend this year is parents who dress in theme with their

children. If you decide to be a wicked witch, there’s a Dorothy costume for your baby complete with shiny ruby heeled slippers. Get into the comic book universe and dress as Iron Man while your little one goes as Captain America.

Halloween is a time to have fun, enjoy yourself and not take yourself to seriously when you get dressed up.

This year, I will either be Rainbow Brite or Wonder Woman, I have not decided yet.

Lauren Halperin Publisher & Creative Director

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Beth Beattie If you’re wondering what to do for baby’s first Halloween, it is easy to find some too-cute spooky inspiration from Beth’s friendly ghost party on page 58.

Jennifer Bishop

This event planner knows how to throw a baby shower! Whether its for a client expecting a little girl (77), or going above and beyond for her best friend (page 100), she’s got every amazing trick in her bag.

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Joriann Maye Keegan

Paula Biggs

This party printables princess Primarily a photojournalist, this hates when the adults have all photographer has picked up the fun. Check out what she did some party tips along her to make her daughter’s picture-taking journey. Follow Thanksgiving kids table be her under the sea to page 70 fun and decorative on page 106. for this mermaid party.

Courtney Dial

The mind behind Pizzazzerie worked together with team at Anders Ruff to find away to celebrate Halloween and raise money for breast cancer charities at the same time.

Sneak a peek at her Pink-o-ween bash on page 11.

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Marie Dannettelle

Marie knows how to tickle your sweet tooth. For the autumn season, she createed a sweet tart baby shower full of all things delicious and fall for when you’re expecting a little pumpkin or pecan on page 112.

Melissa Musgrove

With an eye for detail, its no wonder this photographer gets calls from the fabulous and the famous. She shot this pink princess baby shower to celebrate the arrival of baby Gracie on page 94

Maureen Anders and Adria Ruff

It takes a team like Maureen and Adria of Anders Ruff to come up with some truly amazing printables. Teamed up with Pizzazzerie’s Courtney Dial, they created the recipe to get glamorous for Halloween and raise money for breast cancer charities at the same time with their Pink-o-ween designs. On page 11, you can see how they updated their 2010 designs for Halloween 2011.

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TRICK OR TREAT Hot 2011 Baby Costumes

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Your Invitation to the Monster Mash

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Shopping for Breast Cancer Something to Chew On We all know how much babies love to grab and chew. For that reason, most moms don’t wear jewelry when their children are young. Teething Bling is changing that. Teething jewelry made from the same FDA-approved material as most teething toys, these pretty pendants and bangles look great on the adult wearer but are safe for curious babies to handle and chew. Every October they donate 20% of every Think Pink line sale to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. They also encourage their fans to take care of themselves with regular checkups and mammograms.-Price: $19.10 Visit www.smartmomjewelry.com

Breast Cancer Stinks Whether breast milk or homemade baby food, Poo-Pourri is always up for a dirty diaper challenge. They are donating 20% of proceeds of No. 2 4oz Before-You-Go Bathroom Spray to help raise awareness and support for breast cancer. No. 2 is a sweet smelling air freshener with a combination of Mandarin, Bergamot, and orange with hints of peaches and berries leaves a fresh and fruity scent after every flush. The discreetly sized two ounce bottle fits easily in purses, helping users add a dash of class to your bathroom business. Price: $9.95 www.poopourri.com Pink at Play Pink is in! The Pretty in Pink™ Collection puts a fresh spin on being girly. Sweet characters and colors make these adorable toys and gear a must have! Inspired by current trends, the Pretty in Pink™ collection of products is a fun approach for baby girl! Plus a portion of the proceeds from this collection support breast cancer research and awareness, providing the little girls of today a brighter tomorrow. www.pinkpowermom.com.

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The big trend in party themes is that they are going glam. Why should Halloween be any different? While most partiers view October as

the month to get their scary on, graphic goddesses Maureen Anders and Adria Ruff of design firm Anders Ruff teamed up with party

princess Courtney Dial of Pizzazzerie for a Halloween party with a

cause. October marks National Breast Cancer Awareness month and the trio put together a pink-o-ween party for an original,

sassy and charitable take on a usually dark and gloomy holiday. www.BabyLifestyles.com

While traditional Halloween colors are the always popular orange and black, it’s common to see parties spiced up with purple, green and pink. “So many stores are including multi-colored glittered skulls, candles, pumpkins, and other Halloween decor in funky colors so it's easy to throw a sassy soiree for Halloween this year,” Dial said. Plus pink is such a popular party color that it’s the perfect complement to black to make a pink Halloween party.

Halloween is typically seen as a darker holiday, full of spooky masks and kids hyped up on excess sugar. However, Breast Cancer fundraisers are much more light, pink occasions to celebrate life.

There is no reason not to blend the two by adding a dash of glitter and sparkle. “I think any time you can raise money for breast cancer charities and make it fun, it has the possibility of being a success,” said Anders. “I think more and more adults are having Halloween parties of their own for themselves and their children

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and so what better way to combine a holiday with a great cause.”

A pink-o-ween part does not have to be overdone to set the tone of a Halloween party. By adding some simply spooky items like spider webs, sparkling pumpkins and feather trees, you can convey the theme of Halloween without crossing the line. “I added in black glitter spiders onto all the decorations from candy bowls to candles,” Dial said. “The main fabric for the tablecloth really set the stage for a Halloween theme with the pink glittered spiders on black velvet.”

It took the Anders Ruff team about 15 hours to create the printable set for the Pizzazzerie styled pink-o-ween party. They continue to donate $2 from every purchase of this set to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation. They’ve also updated the set for 2011 with fresh twists on their fundraising design.

Click Here to purchase the Pinkoween set!

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The updated 2011 Printable Pinkoween Design Collection Includes 19 Formatted Pages. After purchase it is sent to you via email in PDF format.

You will receive:

- 1 Pages of 2" Party Logos (4 designs) - 1 Page of Favor Tags - 1 Pages of Bottle Wraps - 1 Page of Blank Party Labels - 1 Page of Personalized Party Labels - 1 Page of Folding Party Bag Toppers - 1 Square Party Sign - 5 Coordinating Patterned Papers - 1 Page of Party Flags (2 designs) - 1 Wine Wrap - 5 Pages Circle Party Pennants/Signs CUPCAKES: Got What It Cakes 2010 PHOTOGRAPHY:

By Kristen Steele Photography 2010 STYLING: Pizzazzerie 2011 PHOTOGRAHPY: Anders Ruff 2010-2011 PRINTABLES: Anders Ruff www.BabyLifestyles.com

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Do It Yourself Halloween Cake Bunting Banner

If you’re in love with cake bunting, you’ll love when it gets creative! This fun Halloween cake bunting banner comes courtesy of To Be Charmed. It’s such a cute way to add a little scary to your Halloween party cake and takes very little time to make guest scream with delight.

MATERIALS: 1. Bamboo skewers 2. Halloween stickers 3. Decorative paper 4. String 5. Ribbon 6. Glue gun

DIRECTIONS: 1. Using the Halloween stickers, trace the shapes onto the decorative paper and cut out the shapes.

2. Cut the ribbon and embellish the bamboo skewers.

3. With your glue gun, attach the Halloween shapes to the string and attach to the bamboo skewers.

4. Enjoy!

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Do It Yourself Happy Halloween Ribbon Wreath

If you are like Cara of The Picky Apple, then you watch your neighbors go all out with their Halloween lawn decorations at their homes. She was inspired to decorate her door for Halloween in a happy, cute, fun way with this brightly colored Happy Halloween Ribbon Wreath.

MATERIALS:

1. A wreath form (size depends on you) 2. Black ribbon – to wrap around your wreath form, about 15 feet should do it 3. Colored ribbons – about 5 feet of each color 4. One inch blocks or beads 20

5. Styrofoam letters or numbers 6. Glitter 7. Hot glue gun 8. Gorilla glue 9. Decoupage Glue (Mod Podge)

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DIRECTIONS:

1. Wrap a 12” foam wreath form in wide ribbon. Cara used black, pinning it at first and gluing it down with Gorilla Glue as she went.

2. Now, let the ribbon cutting begin! “You’re going to need lots and lots of ribbon,” cautions Cara.

“How much will depend on how thick you bunch the ribbons together and whether you completely cover the inside and outside of the wreath instead of just the front.”

Step 3: cut your ribbons

6. Once all of your ribbons have dried, it’s time to start gluing your ribbon loops to the wreath form. Separate the part of the ribbon below the “seam” you created.

Step 6: glue ribbons to wreath

3. Cut ribbons of your pattern and color choice into lengths about four to five inches in length.

Helpful Tip: use varying widths of ribbon. “I wish I had used more wide ribbon.”

Helpful Tip: avoid sheer ribbon. “Unless you enjoy getting hot glue all over your fingers.”

7. Keep adding more loops to your wreath, placing them at random angles. By placing them close together your wreath will look nice and full.

Optional Add On: Add letters with pizzazz!

8. Use a coat of mod podge to Styrofoam letters and cover in glitter.

Step 10: glue letters to blocks

4. Create loops with the ribbons by folding in half and hot gluing each one closed.

9. Combine letters to spell out word of your choice.

For Halloween try, spooky, boo, or treat.

10. Take your one inch blocks or beads and hot glue them to the wreath.

This will give your letters dimension off of the wreath and ribbon. Glue the glittery letters to the blocks to spell out your word.

5. Fold each ribbon in half and sew each one closed.

If you don't have a sewing machine, you can hot glue each one closed.

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Celebrating baby takes place around the world. Whether different cultural customs or religious ceremonies, babies are taking center stage when it comes to partying. To see how the hottest trends in the United States are translating elsewhere in the world, we hopped around the globe to the land down under. Leanne Ambrogio is the mind behind online party store Sweet Style and creative party blog Mrs. A in the Cove. She gave us the skinny on how party trends are being modernized and how Australian moms are celebrating with baby showers and birthday parties with themes.

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What are the hot trends emerging in baby showers and in children’s parties in Australia?

The gender reveal party seems to be popular in the US right now so I am sure that trend will follow here in Australia. I am also seeing a trend to non traditional themes – themes that revolve around the birthday boy/girls favourite things – while the traditional princess and pirate parties will always be popular it is great to see some really quirky themes. We are also seeing a big move to themeing of the entire party so from the moment you enter the party zone you really are transported into party wonderland.

Dessert buffet tables are the hottest thing in the United States. When did dessert tables become popular in Australia?

The trend hit Australia at the beginning of 2010 but it really has become the thing to do in 2011. Lots of mums love getting creative for their kids parties and this has added another element. I love how a dessert table has created an amazing centerpiece for a party.

How do you incorporate dessert tables into parties with themes?

A dessert table can be incorporated into a theme on all levels. Colour is a big one as it ties everything together and decorations and props are a fabulous was to extend on the theme. Types of food comes in second as you can almost have anything on the table and give it a name that fits with the theme – for example at the Wild Animal Party I put together we gave a number of the food items on the table cute names like possum tails.

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Desserts themselves are also trendy.

What is the hottest dessert to have on your table in Australia?

The cake pop is still popular in Australia—although I am a big fan of the cookie version which I find simpler to make. Desserts on sticks or in jars are the big thing now. Cute packaging is also really popular.

How much should an invitation direct a party in theme and color?

An invitation is a huge influence on a party – it sets the scene for what is to come and allows you to really extend the theme from beginning to end. I really encourage people to decide on their theme and then pick the invitation that best goes with it.

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What are some of your favorite ways to add spice to party décor?

Backdrops and props are a great way to add something extra to your party – they don’t have to be things that stand out but they really help to tie things together.

DIY projects in parties make everything so much more personal. What DIY projects are popular in Australia?

I have become a little obsessed with stamping words on cutlery or labels to add a personalized touch. A little spoon with the birthday person’s name on it looks just fabulous and every child loves to see their name in lights. Other great DIY projects involve scouting around for great backdrops – whether it be a fabric/ribbon backdrop or making bunting.

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What are some of your favorite parties you have thrown and why? What did you love about each?

One of my favourite parties was the Bubblegum party held earlier this year. The colours made the party bright and happy and the bubblegum machine cake as a centerpiece was just amazing. The wild animal party from earlier this year was lots of fun as well. Having the animals in the backyard also made this party lots of fun. My two year old daughter’s party this year was a kite party which was just a wonderful theme for the age range.

The parties you throw for your girls have a similar feeling of fun, girlish, delight. How do you capture smiles in party details?

My kids love parties! They just enjoy having their friends around and having that one day of the year that is all about

them. Involving them in the planning and lead up means that on the day they are so absorbed in the excitement of it all that smiles just come naturally.

What’s the best party planning advice you ever got?

Don’t leave everything to the last minute.

Forward planning makes for a smooth party day.

What tips can you give others looking to plan parties for their children or for baby showers?

Keep details simple but add special touches. You don’t need to go overboard and provide lots of options in the food department – 4-5 options are plenty to have on a dessert table, but make sure your platter or cake stand is full and inviting. And don’t have too big a guest list – smaller parties are always better for the birthday person and their guests.

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November 19, 2011 is National Adoption Day

In recent years, many Americans have been discovering adoption and all its blessings, but for many it remains an untapped opportunity. Thanks to the efforts of devoted citizens, much progress has taken place in finding permanent homes for thousands of children, wonderful children have a great deal of love to offer their adoptive families.

Giving a child a strong foundation — a home, a family to love, and a safe place to grow — is one of life’s greatest and most generous gifts. Through adoption, both domestic and international, Americans from across our country have provided secure environments for children who need them, and these families have benefited from the joy an adopted child can bring. Thanks to their nurturing and care, more young people have been able to realize their potential and lead full, happy lives.

This year, we celebrate National Adoption Month to recognize adoption as a positive and powerful force in countless American lives, and to encourage the adoption of children from foster care.

This year on November 19, families, adoption advocates, policymakers, judges and volunteers will come together and celebrate adoption in communities large and small all across the nation.

National Adoption Day is a national day of celebration of adoptive families and an opportunity for courts to open their doors and finalize the adoptions of children from foster care. Since 2000, more than 35,000 children have had their adoptions finalized on National Adoption Day.

As we observe National Adoption Month, we honor the loving embrace of adoptive families and the affirming role of adoption in the lives of American families and our country. Let us all commit to supporting our children in any way that we are able — whether opening our hearts and homes through adoption, becoming foster parents to provide quality temporary care to children in crisis, supporting foster and adoptive families in our communities and places of worship, mentoring young people in need of guidance, or donating time to helping children in need. Working together, we can shape a future of hope and promise for all of our Nation’s children.

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In honor of November being National Adoption Month, we’re listing the top 20 adoptions in Hollywood. The top spot goes to a woman, and it’s not who you think it is!

Celebrity Adoption # 20 A Hall of Fame Family For his entire 17 year NFL career, Dan Marino burst into national prominence football records along the way, but it was also during that time that he started his own family. Marino and his wife Claire were married in 1985, and together they have had four children: Daniel Jr., Michael, Joseph and Alexandra. The couple also adopted a Chinese girl, Niki Lin, in 1998. The adoption took almost a year to finalize, with Claire spending 10 days in China before returning to the family's Florida home with the child. They more recently adopted a 2nd child from China named Lia. Celebrity Adoption # 19 A Sister Inspired Adoption Always outspoken and honest, Katherine Heigl adopted her daughter, Naleigh, with husband Josh Kelley. As her sister Meg had been adopted from Korea, adoption had been a part of her life and a part of her family, so it was how she wanted to start her family. She named her daughter after her mother Nancy and her sister Margaret Leigh.

Celebrity Adoption # 18 If it Makes Her Happy...

After a series of failed relationships with famous men - Eric Clapton, Kid Rock and Lance Armstrong - and having her world rocked with the news that she had breast cancer, rocker Sheryl Crow decided

not wait any longer to see if she could find someone strong enough to be her man before she became a mom. In May 2007, she announced that she adopted a two-week old baby boy she named Wyatt Steven Crow after her father and her brother .

Celebrity Adoption # 17 Momma Don't Preach Many people thought the Queen of Pop went a dance step too far when she swept into the African nation of Malawi to adopt a child. In this nation where there are no set adoption laws, Madonna and husband at the time Guy Ritchie came home with 13-month-old David Banda, who was living in an orphanage after his mother died of age giving birth and because his father was too poor to care for the child. The world cried foul when the boy's father, Yohane, claimed not to have understood what he had agreed to when he said ok to the adoption, and Madge was accused of using her celebrity status to circumvent any and all adoption laws. Only when Madonna faced the cameras of Oprah did the media storm die down.

Celebrity Adoption # 16 When Meg Met Baby After an epiphany in India, Meg Ryan deemed herself 'destined to adopt a baby.' Ten years and a trip across the globe later, it finally happened. Like so

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many adopting parents, Ryan headed to China when domestic proceedings lagged. Ryan, who also has a teenage son, Jack, with former husband Dennis Quaid, said she originally named the baby girl Charlotte, but later changed her name to Daisy True.

Harrison Ford, with whom she still plays happy family with.

Celebrity Adoption # 12 Fame Fortune and Family After landing pivotal parts in The Witches of Eastwick, Dangerous Liasons and Batman Returns, Michelle Pfeiffer decided to take on the role of a Celebrity Adoption # 15 Suri's Siblings lifetime - mother. Publicly declaring her private life Once upon the time, Tom Cruise was on posters empty, she arranged to adopt the fifth child of a for Top Gun and he was married to his gorgeous New York nurse who couldn't afford to care for anco-star in Days of Thunder, Nicole Kidman. The other. Weeks later, she met and fell in love with pair married in 1990 and adopted two children, Is- writer David E. Kelley. The adoption continued as abella and Connor, both who had come from im- planned but the christening of Claudia Rose turned poverished backgrounds on America's East into a wedding. Brother John Kelley was born a Coast. The pair of movie stars became parents to year later. these dual-citizenship tots, jet setting them back and forth between Hollywood, movie sets, and Celebrity Adoption # 11 Mature Mom Nicole's home country of Australia. Now it seems At 50, actress Diane Keaton had roles of a lifethe only press these older Suri siblings get is time in the Godfather movie trilogy, but she had when Tomkat gets photographed at one of Is- secretly longed for the role of mother. At the age abella's soccer team. Funny, Izzy doesn't seem to of 50, Keaton realized that she had missed the be in any of the shots? Though the famous couple boat on marriage and motherhood and turned to split, both Connor and Isabella attending the wed- adoption to rectify the situation. "I had wanted to dings of Tom to Katie Holmes and Nicole Kidman be in a good relationship," Keaton had told Ladies' to Keith Urban.

Home Journal. "Those good relationships that are strong and substantive never happened for me, Celebrity Adoption # 14 Prince Charming Who? and that prolonged my indecisiveness. As she If you're tired of waiting around for Mr. Right, it's spurred a widespread debate over the maximum time to make your role model Sharon Stone. This age for adoptive parents, Keaton adopted a actress and AIDS activist is the live versions of daughter, Dexter, in 1996 and a son, Duke, in Samantha Jones, living proof that a woman can 2001. "I was not ready before," Keaton said. "One have it all without a man. The mother of three of my former lovers said to me: 'You are a very adopted sons Roan (born in 200), Laird (born in late developer.' I think the same applied to moth2005) and Quinn (born in 2006) has been quoted erhood."[My children] have given me the most as calling adoption "God's other birth canal." humbling, shocking, amazing and defining relationship of my life. I always spent too much time Celebrity Adoption # 13 No Longer Flying Solo worrying whether a man loves me but I've found Brothers and Sisters star Calista Flockhart wit- raising a child the most demanding and humaniznessed the New Year's Day 2001 birth of her son ing of all loves."

Liam and got to hold him for the first time only minutes later. The child's natural mother, who had four Celebrity Adoption # 10 A Late in Life Refuge previous children met the actress on several occa- Emma Thompson's 'adoption' of a Rwandan sions prior to giving up her son. At 36, Flockhart refugee has been an inspirational, yet barely pubwas single at the time of the adoption and said it licized, success story. Oscar-winning actress was the best thing she had ever done. "It really Emma Thompson debuted her 20-year-old changes who you are. It changes your heart," she adopted son Tindyebwa Agaba , a former child solsaid in an interview with Hello! A year later, she dier from Rwanda, at Nelson Mandela's 90th birthfound a father figure for Liam in eternal heartthrob day dinner in London. The British actress first met 28

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Tindy when he was 16, at a Refugee Council party in London. He had managed to escape a very difficult life, thanks to Care International. Tindy, who lives with Thompson and is in his second year at Exeter University, is studying politics and wants to be a human rights lawyer.

Celebrity Adoption # 9 Rosie's Kids After exiting her daytime talk show in 2002, Rosie O'Donnell decided to publicly announce that she was gay in order to properly advocate for samesex adoption rights. O'Donnell adopted her son Parker in 1995, daughter Chelsea in 1997 and another son Blake in 1999. Always a fighter, she took on the plight of a gay couple in Florida who weren't allowed to adopt the foster children they were raising. Rosie and her wife, Kelli, also have a daughter named Vivienne. Kelli gave birth to "Viv" in November 2002.

Celebrity Adoption # 8 Greenlight for Family Steven Spielberg is almost as prolific a father as he is a moviemaker. Two of his children are adopted, two come from Spielberg and and wife Kate Capshaw's first marriages, and a further three are the product of the couple's union, often described as one of the most enduring in showbusiness. Their adopted son, Theo, is an African-American born in 1988. . "We fell in love with the child. We didn't fall in love with the face or the skin color," Spielberg told CNN's Larry King.

Daughter Mikaela George was discovered through the public adoption agencies in 1996, and born shortly after that year's Oscars. At that time, Capshaw issued a statement saying: "We are so thrilled to welcome Mikaela into our lives, the sixth and final addition to our family." Nine months later, she was eating her words, though: Steven and Kate's seventh child, Destry, was born to the couple in December that year.

n't until more than 30 years later, Walters and daughter Jackie went live with their story on national TV - the ultimate Barbara Walters special.

Celebrity Adoption # 6 The Brangelina Brood Today when you think of celebrity adoption, there's a good chance that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt come to mind. Jolie became a mother when she adopted her mohawked son Maddox from Cambodia in 2002 shortly after Tomb Raider finished filming there. Brad Pitt signed on to play father to him and the couple added daughter Zahara from Ethiopia. The couple gave birth to daughter Shiloh in 2006 and shortly after added three-year-old Pax from Vietnam. Even though the duo recently gave birth to twins Vivienne and Knox, their plans still include expanding their brood through adoption.

Brad has been quoted as wanting enough children to "form his own country and dominate in World Cup soccer."

Celebrity Adoption # 5 Say You, Say Me, Baby If you've ever wondered why reality TV star Nicole Ritchie looks nothing like her famous father, here's why. Lionel first met Nicole as a child playing tambourine onstage at a Prince concert. In 1984, Lionel and his then wife Brenda informally adopted the three year-old daughter of one of their backstage assistants, who'd previously had a brief fling with one of his session drummers. Although they raised her as their own, the adoption was formalized in 1990, when Nicole was nine. Today, Nicole is a successful socialite, television star, and mother to Harlowe Winter Kate Madden.

Celebrity Adoption # 4 The Force is Strong with This Baby A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. . . writer/director/producer George Lucas decided it was time to start a family. He adopted Amanda in Celebrity Adoption # 7 A Made for TV Special 1981, with wife Marcia only to become a single faLong before adoption was all the rage, news anchor ther two years later, when she left him. Lucas deBarbara Walters brought home a 4-day-old baby girl cided to put his mega-hot post-Star Wars career and went back to work the next day. There was no on hold in order to add Katie and Jett to his brood press about it. There were no magazine covers. in the late 1980s. "I really stopped making movies There were no paparazzi pictures. Walters had been so I could raise my kids, and that took 15 years," he desperate to be a mom, but after three miscar- says. Lucas is often introduced at Star Wars conriages, she was told she couldn't bear a child. It was- ventions by one or more of his children, who have www.BabyLifestyles.com

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also made cameos appearances in his films. As the father of three adopted children, Lucas is the founder and chairman of the board of the George Lucas Educational Foundation, which focuses on project-based learning that stimulates children's passions and emphasizes well-prepared teachers to improve student learning.

Celebrity Adoption # 3 One for the Gipper Future President of the United States Ronald Reagan married actress Jane Wyman in 1940. They had a daughter, Maureen in 1941 and adopted a son, Michael in 1945.

They divorced in 1948 and Reagan remarried in 1952 to actress Nancy Davis. Michael is now a talk show host, with a show syndicated in almost 200 radio stations coast to coast, Mike feels God wants him to use his own experiences with adoption, divorce, and broken homes as a springboard to help others. He has also published a book, 'Twice Adopted' on the subject. At his father's funeral he said "Ronald Reagan adopted me into his family 1945. I was a chosen one. I was the lucky one. And all of his years, he never mentioned that I was adopted either behind my back or in front of me. I was his son, Michael Edward Reagan."

Celebrity Adoption # 2 Wished Upon a Star In 1933, after two miscarriages, Lilly Disney gave birth to Walt Disney's first daughter, Diane. Walt and Lilly wanted more children, but after Diane's birth Lilly suffered a third miscarriage. So they decided to adopt. In January 1937, two-week-old Sharon Mae Disney came home. Walt and Lilly were delighted. Diane was a bit disappointed that this much-anticipated event culminated in the arrival of a very uninteresting pile of baby. Walt's role as father was one of the most important in his life.

He treated his daughters with a loving patience, kindness.

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Celebrity Adoption # 1 The Original Adoption Activist You can't talk about celebrity adopters without talking about Mia Farrow, a mother of 15, 11 of whom are adopted from all corners of the globe. She was an adoption pioneer, rescuing children from poverty stricken countries long before it was cool to do so.

The war in Vietnam led the actress to her first adoption, her daughter Lark. In shaping her family, Farrow came to an awareness of all the needs, globally.

Amongst her adopted children are a Vietnamese war orphan with asthma, a crack-addicted baby, who was blind, a paraplegic, and a polio victim who had been abandoned at a Calcutta railway station. Farrow has been a high profile advocate of adoption since the 1970s, adopting children from poverty stricken regions, many of whom were deemed 'difficult to place' due to biological handicaps. She adopted three children and has three biological children with Andre Previn. She also adopted two children and has one biological child with Woody Allen.

Farrow is estranged from her adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn since Soon-Yi's marriage to Woody Allen. Farrow has said of Soon-Yi: 'She was on the streets in Korea when she was captured and brought to the state orphanage. And in a way I can see from her perspective - a very limited perspective - that she's improved her situation. For a little orphan kid from Korea ... Perhaps she's not to be blamed.' Despite the turmoil adopted daughter Soon-Yi put her through, Farrow went on to adopt five additional children as a sole parent thereafter. Her last adoption was in 1995. She is active in agencies that encourage adoption, as evidenced by her involvement with UNICEF. Farrow's adopted daughter Tam Farrow died in March 2000 at 21.

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Photography by Nikki Ryan

Chloe’s Pink Nursery Palace

By Tara Steinle

Before this room was the nursery it was a guest room, which was hardly used! It was decorated with the full size four-poster bed from when mom, Dina, was a little girl. There were white curtains and the accents were all very vintage. It was a very pretty fresh guest room. Now the nursery is a palace of pink for her daughter Chloe.

When Dina came across Wendi Schoffstall’s room she did for her daughter Claire, she fell in love and knew she had to make it her own for her daughter.

She tracked down the perfect wallpaper for the room, Graham and Brown’s Exotic, which was her biggest indulgence

in creating this pink fantasy. “I loved the wallpaper because it had the greatest impact and made the greatest statement. I wouldn’t have compromised on the wallpaper. The first thing you see when you enter the room is the focus wall with the wallpaper and the crib in front of it and the soft chair with the curtains behind it and the accent mirror table.

Because the wallpaper makes such a strong impact and the pattern is so distinct, finding the perfect bedding proved to be challenging. “I do love my bedding but may have done something a little simpler like plain white with ac-

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cents of pink and silver. One thing I do love about the bedding in the skirt. It’s very regal and glamorous and now that we have dropped the mattress I have left the skirt and just fluffed it making it look more glamorous.”

The color combination of pinks, greys, and black came from the wallpaper. Since the paper is pink and white with a silver accent, she did the surrounding walls in a shimmery grey color.

“I knew I wanted white furniture and the black punches throughout the room. I also knew I wanted a pink and silver damask bedding, which was the most difficult part of the nursery because finding bedding to match was not easy!”

Making the project more personal to Dina was the help she received from

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her mom in designing the room. “She definitely helps me in everything I do. I get the vision in my head, share it with her, and together we make it come alive.

She was always searching for pieces that she thought would accent the room well. My husband did the painting and the putting together of the crib and helping set up and a friend of ours did the wallpaper.”

“I love the name above her bed and I painted those black and accented it with black stones. I also love the mirror table, which came from Target and was a great find. There is a black mirror that my mom found at Marshalls and it was white and I spray-painted it black. The bow holder was a gift made by my cousin and I love it. The tiebacks on the curtains are

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hard to see but they are beautiful. I had my seamstress make plain black wide tiebacks and then my mom and me found these awesome brooches from Black and White the clothing store. They are big black silk bows with a rhinestone bow in the center. Then I pinned the broche to the tieback that was made and it came out beautiful.”

Dina puts bling in everything she does and Chloe’s nursery was no exception, which is why she chose the chandelier with the cascading crystals. “I also added the crystals to the letters on her name. Most of the little picture frames have bling rhinestones on them.

The mirrored table I feel adds to the glitzy bling feel of the room and the lamp with the crystal base does too!”

There are now, but it wasn’t in the

nursery the time this picture was taken. I know have a beautiful Barbie dressed in a silver wedding gown. It was the Millennium Bride Barbie that I got when I graduated high school as a gift from my parents. I loved Barbies as a little girl and collected many Barbies. I didn’t think of putting it in the room until Christmas when we were going through our storage and we found it. It was perfect because she has on a silver dress that is full of beads. Most of my Barbie’s are in storage because of lack of space to place them. I’m happy that now they will be able to come out of storage and be displayed in my little girl’s room and hopefully she will love them as much as I did.

“I think it has a timeless quality. I feel that it can really grow with her. I would love to buy her a simple solid col-

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ored down comforter and accent it with a gorgeous full size bed skirt and wonderful pillows. Then instead of her name being on the wall get some Barbie silhouette pictures and place those above her bed. I’ve also thought about going in the direction of accenting with ballerinas because I danced for many years and loved it. When she is a teen I think the wallpaper could still work and accent it with more glamor photos like black and white canvases of Audrey Hepburn.

Dina chose the stencil quote because her daughter Chloe really is a miracle. Dina had tested positive in the blood screening test for Downs Syndrome. Her doctor assured her that

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there were many false positives and since she was young the chances were less, however she was still scared. “My doctor called me saying that he wanted to send me to Valley Children’s hospital so they could do a more extensive ultrasound. They explained our situation to us and our odds of a Down syndrome baby were 1 in 110. They then did an ultrasound and said everything looked good with the baby so we decided not to do the amniotic fluid test.

That was the day we found out she was a girl, which was a week before we had our scheduled ultrasound to find out her sex. She was born very healthy and we thank God for our blessings. She was a miracle and the stencil fit.”

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Brooklyn’s Boutique Nursery

By Tara Steinle

Before this space belonged to baby Brooklyn, this pretty nursery was a simple guest room with light yellow paint on the walls. Needless to say, this mom and interior designer, couldn’t wait to get her hands on it. With a colorful and very eclectic personal style, Miranda Jordan of Pathways Unlimited LLC tends to mix vintage modern, contemporary and transitional furniture pieces and accessories. “I love retro pieces, so the nursery was a little out of character for me. I knew I wanted something with delicate, soft curves and a clean, glossy finish to brighten the room.”

As a designer, Miranda found that her profession was her biggest obstacle to overcome. “We are our best friends

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and worst enemies when designing for ourselves. You fight yourself on every decision, and re-do and re-think everything, until your husband tells you to snap out of it and move onVbut their opinions do make a difference when you find yourself debating for hours on which picture to put where!”

Other than pops of mauve, the color scheme was kept gender-neutral. “We wanted to keep the room in soft and soothing tones that would work well for an infant, but would also grow along with her. I’d say the wall color is a sky blue, a little more feminine than a baby blue color, but still unexpected.”

“I am a very budget-conscious de-

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signer, which drove a lot of my decisions. I wanted to use as many items as I could that I already owned – such as the lighting, the rocker, and some artwork. I also wanted to use older furniture. I am a firm believer that older is better when it comes to furniture - they don’t make things like they used to. I know these pieces will last, not only because they are durable, but because the style is timeless and classic and works with really any décor or color. Children will inevitably outgrow their clothing, so why not save as much money as you can by using furniture that they won’t?”

Furniture placement was pretty much pre-determined by the locations of the

closets, windows and doors. We knew we wanted to see the crib – but more importantly our daughter in it – when we entered the room. So this left only one option for placement of the long dresser/changing table.

We started with the larger furniture – dressers, crib, rocker and bookcase, then moved to the larger accessories like the bedding and rug. These items created the base for the design. From these items we selected the paint and the accent colors of the accessories.

The last item to go in the room was the DIY mobile which is made of all of the colors found in the room to help reinforce the color scheme and tie everything together.

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“Children will inevitably outgrow their clothing, so why not save as much money as you can by using furniture that they won’t?”

Some of the smaller details are what gives this room some character.

Some of Miranda’s favorites include the monogram and green butterflies that hang on the floating shelf, the white ottoman that sits at the end of the crib where she sits and watches Brooklyn while she sleeps, and the green accent table, which packs a powerful color punch amongst all of the white furniture. The glass knobs on the dressers might be Miranda’s nursery highlight. “You wouldn’t know from looking at them, but these knobs were actually a brushed aluminum finish when we bought them. I used a bronze and copper spray paint to refinish them to match the existing hard38

ware on the dressers.”

Miranda loves the look of sideboards in dining rooms with lighting and mirrors and attempted to replicate the look with the mirror. “Next to the crib, this wall really is a feature with the bead board molding covering the entire wall. I wanted something that was going to make an impact, and combination of the green lamps and round mirror really helped to achieve this.”

Although the room looks bright and clean without the rug – I think it helps to add a little extra pattern, texture, and fun. Anytime you can add something visually engaging for babies, do it! I think it helps to fill the space a little better visually. I landed on this rug

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because it fit my budget, and it included most of the variations of green that are found in accent colors.

On the bookcase, there is an antique bronze framed painting of a woman with a baby. It was passed down to my mother from my Great-Grandmother and has been in her room since my brothers and I were born.

She gave it to me when I started decorating the nursery. Also, the small accent table next to the rocker was given to my husband from his Grandmother.

I think it fits the style of this room perfectly!

Ask Miranda what her favorite part of the nursery is and the designer’s answer might surprise you. In the corner of the room is a chair that was purchased for $25 at Goodwill. She’s had it for years and uses it to see everything in the room as well as to gaze outside. “With all of the expensive rockers out there, I was glad I was able to put this to use, and save some money.”

Designing any room can be overwhelming when you try to plan it all ahead of time – when in doubt, select one piece at a time and build your design. Start with a piece that really speaks to you - whether it is a piece of furniture, artwork, or accessory – and take it from there. Or if you like to plan – start with an inspiration image or two in mind, and try to replicate the parts of it that you like. www.BabyLifestyles.com

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Behind the Designs of Bratt Decor

By Lauren Halperin

Bratt Decor was born out of a love for design, excitement about the founders' first baby and a synergy of mind and spirit between husband and wife Stephen and Mary Bauer. Mary had always combined her love of art and design with her marketing background. Stephen was a commercial illustrator with his own successful business after training in South Africa. In 1995, the couple were expecting their first child and "were delirious with the anticipation and excitement that your first child brings."

As Mary began to decorate the nursery, she focused on finding the perfect crib -- the centerpiece of the nursery. However, Mary could not find anything that satisfied her vision for baby Bauer.

“In 1994 the landscape was all very different,” Mary reflected. “We saw lots of cherry and white melamine, in the most boring of designs. We spent a few days shopping around New York City and found nothing exciting happening in the realm of nursery design. None of it was working for us.”

Stephen took it upon himself to create the perfect crib. While not trained in design, Mary had nothing but faith in her husband. “Design runs through his blood,” Mary beamed. “Art is who he is and his brain can figure out how to put anything together.” After designing her wedding ring, wedding dress, their country house and a green heating system, figuring out the components of a crib seemed easy. After an outside consult regarding safety regulations, Stephen had created the perfect crib they named the Casablanca Plume, a fourposter, black wrought iron crib topped with a spray of ostrich feathers.

“I’ve always loved hand bent French wrought iron as a medium, so that’s what we chose, and of course, we had to throw some wilds of Africa in there,” Mary said of her baby’s nursery.

“Stephen’s dad drove all around the Karoo, in the Southern Cape of South Africa, visiting ostrich farms for us for feathers. Stephen designed and sewed the bedding, which featured a wave style

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bumper, and skirt, all in white, which was perfect against the black metal. The room itself, was very simple, and with a decidedly African theme. We had a beautiful bright yellow African hyena mask on the wall, which we picked up from a local artist when there, a zebra rub, a chest of drawers in white, and a book case, both vintage and handpainted/distressed white. Stephen painted a sky from night to day covering the entire space, and then, inserted twinkling Christmas lights. The glow was golden and subtle, a perfect night light.

Seventeen years later, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

While many would have been satisfied and stop after creating their own crib, the Bauers saw a business opportunity. Filled with strong entrepreneurial spirits, they recognized the need for the furniture they envisioned in the baby market and made up their minds to start a business. “As we designed that first crib, we did it with a business in mind. The plume was a bit out there for most people, so we changed the top from features to simple iron balls, and it went over very well.”

For a company name, they wanted something that was memorable, didn’t take itself too seriously, and was all encompassing. Being from South Africa, Stephen had an affinity for American slang terms and suggested brat, like a spoiled rotten kid. Mary added décor from the Elle Décor magazine she had on her nightstand and an extra “t” in brat to soften what might be seen as nega-

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tive. “We love the name, and most people receive it in the light hearted sense that it was intended.”

As Mary looks back on the early days of her business baby, she finds them magical in hindsight.

“We bought a house, got married, had a baby, and started a company all in one year. That was a lot of change to take in, but maybe it was the sweetness of all the love in my life, being a bride, having a little baby, that just sort of cast a glow of wonder and gratitude around everything.” Their reception to the industry was slow, similar to being the new girl in school, but their unique furniture products brought cautious curiosity.

On a trip to New York, almost a year after shopping there for her dream crib, Mary and Stephen had their first “we’ve made it” moment.

While window shopping on Madison Avenue, they came across a store featuring their crib and cradle in a winter wonderland display. “We stood there staring for a really long time. We felt if we could make it there, we could make it anywhere.”

The business has been refined since that first crib but Bratt Decor's spirit of design, innovation and functionality remains unchanged. In addition to their collections of couture cribs, the company also manufactures high-quality furnishing for older children such as trundle beds, bookcases, table and chair sets and desks. In an effort to make furniture that will grow with your child from infant to toddler, nearly all Bratt Decor wooden cribs can be

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Design by Infant Interiors

Design by Infant Interiors

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converted to a daybed with a conversion kit. Addi- Bratt Décor is known for their three quintessential tionally, all Bratt Decor products are stylish and collections. The Chelsea Collection, composed of functional so they will look at home in an older three cribs, The Heirloom Collection with two and child's room or anywhere else in the house. “Our the Manhattan Collection with two. Picking a faentire line is meant to mixed and matched vorite amongst them is like asking Mary to choose together.We don’t really design with baby detailing, which child is her favorite, although she does feel everything is very sophisticated, so in that sense, sentimentally close to the Casablanca Premiere, yes it transitions easily. We do consider the room which resembles their original crib design. Many as the child grows, always, because it is a big designs feature iron, which the Bauers love to use investment and it for its elegance, should have the quality longevity and ability to and the styling to last be worked The most and look great for popular crib is the Vemany years. We made netian Wrought Iron the decision early to three in one crib. “I think break out into nursery it’s the most popular befurniture other than cause it’s an amazing cribs. Because our value, and offers three designs are so unique, different looks for one people started asking price. The quality is unfor case goods to paralleled and the finmatch.” ishes are exquisite. The The original most popular collection Bratt Decor designs is the Chelsea, and I were all iron with timethink it’s because it’s so less lines. Versions of deep, with lots of offerthem still exist or are ings and the antique silechoed in the current ver finish is unlike collections. “We deanything in the market.”

The Plume crib that started it all sign with a timeless After several years in quality rather than a trendy one, so they never the market, Mary has learned several valuable lesreally go out of style. Some of our greatest inspi- sons in furniture design. “It is equal parts form and rations come from designs dating back hundreds function,” she said. “If it looks beautiful but doesn’t of years. Our style is elegant, timeless, and work, or works great, but doesn’t look spectacular, sophisticated. My style philosophy is simple: sur- all is lost. We spend a lot of time and money on round yourself with the highest ideal of yourself things unseen, like the quality of screws, and and the world. It should be beautiful, make you drawer slides, and curing processes for the wood, feel special, loved and pampered, and above all, as well as the wow factor of the piece.” like home.”

With several collections and many designs, Since their emergence in the marketplace, each year Bratt Décor reviews what’s happening the baby furniture market has been booming with both with their lines and the market. Sometimes new entries. Bratt Décor separates themselves they retire pieces; others get a makeover to update from the pack with a style that is uniquely theirs. the look of a product. And every now and then, they “When we design, we do it from a personal space. come up with something brand new. Their latest When I say names like Ralph Lauren, Valentino crib to hit the market is the J’adore, a smaller scale or Chanel, an image appears, and they are all oval crib which begins as a cradle and transitions very different. That’s authentic design. Every true into a crib. “It’s wrought iron, lovely, and elegant. designer should have that essence, to have their We’ve never done round before, and the idea of a work stand apart from others and announce their crib/cradle combination is brand new as well. It will unique vision to the world.” be available in gold, silver and white and come 44

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Extra’s Mario Lopez and girlfriend Courtney Mazza brought daughter Gia home to this stunning nursery designed by Bratt Decor’s Mary Bauer.

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complete with the mattresses. We will offer bed- room, which I designed after a glass, or three, of ding with j’adore, because it’s an unusual size, and wine and looking through her travel photographs. I will not fit standard bedding. Our new campaign is really felt like I could see inside of her, and make all ‘j’adore Bratt Décor’.” that beauty come to life in the room.”

With each design created, Bratt Décor Bratt Décor has become the go-to place for meets the enormous challenge of keeping up with celebrities to decorate their own nurseries. NursConsumer Product eries for the chilThe cribs in Jennifer Lopez’s twins Safety rules and regdren of Katie luxurious nursery is non other than the Bratt ulations as they are Holmes, Jennifer Decor Casablanca Iron in Venetian Gold. made and as they Lopez, Kourtney evolve. For the past Kardashian, 18 months, the CPSC Jewel, Spice Girl gave crib manufacturMel B, Mario ers a moving target of Lopez, Heidi standards to meet.

Klum, Halle Berry, “We’ve been able to Cake Boss Buddy continue to produce a Valastro and Tori safe product throughSpelling. Open the out because we pages of any began this company celebrity magafor our own baby, and zine announcing a the fact that these new baby arrival products hold priceon the cover and less treasure is never there’s a very far from our minds. good chance of We’ve always deseeing a Bratt signed beyond the Décor design inminimum standards. side. “It’s humWe constantly test, bling,” Mary said analyze, and keep current with what’s happening of being loved by Hollywood’s elite. “There are a with our line, other lines, and the standards. We lot of great designers out there, doing really fine saw years ago, that a lot of companies were hav- work, so when we are chosen, I am always thrilled, ing trouble with drop sides, so we made the deci- grateful, and a little star struck. These celebrities sion in 2008 to stop producing them, way before have access to the best of everything, and money the CPSC regulated that. And, we’re thrilled that is no object, so when they choose us, I know it’s even after 17 years of making cribs, we’ve never because they really love what we do and that feels had a recall.” fabulous.”

As a mom of two boys, Mary has had fun With no shortage of pregnant celebrities to designing boy rooms and boy furniture for her own dream about having as a celebrity client, Mary family. But one nursery she loved working on was would flip for Beyonce and Jay-Z to have a Bratt for a client named Eden who was expecting a Décor crib in their nursery. For this power couple, daughter. The room was both minimal and extrav- she sees the Chelsea crib in silver. “It is so exquiagant in the palest shade of pink, and included a site and sexy just like Ms. Knowles!” dripping, crystal chandelier, white flucatti rug, and “I’m seeing nurseries breaking all the rules Bratt Décor’s gold Venetian crib in the center of the right now, and I love it!” Mary exclaimed about the space. There was a fantastic piece of art, very latest nursery trends. “People are pairing stark modern and subtle in its coloring on the wall be- modern with dripping elegance, and incorporating hind the crib. “I think I loved it so much because I antiques with new pieces. There’s a sophistication really fell in love with the mom, who was kind and of style like never before and a fearlessness that is easy to work with. She gave me free reign in the fresh. My designs come from where I am spiritu46

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ally, emotionally, and aesthetically at any given moment. I believe all of those are affected by the world at large, so in some senses, trends affect me. Two years ago we brought out the Manhattan collection, which is decidedly free or ornamentation, very clean and crisp and minimal. I think everyone was feeling the desire to simplify! The latest crib, J’adore, is a gorgeous jewel of crib, designed for smaller spaces, and it says to the world, “Bigger doesn’t mean better”. You can have limitless luxury in a Manhattan studio!

The past few economic years have been rough, and as a high-end baby furniture design company, Bratt Décor was not immune. Mary took a hard look at every single thing, and leaned out.

She discontinued Bratt Décor products and finishes that weren’t great sellers, reduced their staff and cut back. They smartly introduced a more moderately priced line, Stephen Bauer Baby.The first collection, Joy, featured a simple iron crib in changer in white, at a fraction of the cost of iron cribs in the Bratt Decor line. “It’s a fantastic look that doesn’t disappoint, and it’s been great for us.”

Today, Mary still works with Stephen side by side every day, an experience she says has been “wonderful and terrible and exhilarating and exasperating.” Her sons Sebastian and Raiff were born into the business and have only known Mary as a working mom. But, there’s never any doubt about

the priority list in their home: kids come first. “A big factor in starting the company was to allow myself the flexibility to be available for my children.

This company has afforded me that. I can pick them up from school and then I work from home where I can be with them. When the boys were small, so was Bratt, and I worked from home with them constantly under feet. By the time Raiff went to full time school, Bratt was full time. They’ve sort of grown up together.”

When she looks back on the journey of giving birth to Bratt Décor, Mary thinks about how much the company has defined her. “My faith, which has grown so strong, my marriage, my motherhood. I know one day this will all be a memory for me, but it has been the biggest and best part of my life. There’s no way to think about Bratt Decor and separate it from the time when we raised our kids and had our family all around us. For me success is being able to pay my bills, feel good about who I am and the work I do, to have the time to stop whatever I’m doing and watch The Annoying Orange with my kid, and to have lots and lots of people to love. The best part is knowing that we’ve had a small part in the joy of a new family. I love that. I sometimes think I’d love to see all the kids that have slept in our cribs in one room and give them all the biggest hug.”

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Hello

Sunshine Styled by Shana Mcgavock of Belva June

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Hello Sunshine was chosen as it reflected her cheerful glow and it’s the perfect time for it. Shana designed the printables with a pale yellow damask background and light teal bordering to feel soft and delicate and not "shout" the bright colors. www.BabyLifestyles.com

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To create the backdrop for the dessert buffet area, it was placed in front of a sliding door covered with sheer white curtains. The decorative trellis-type patterned drapes perfectly matched the teal used in the invitation and acted as a great accent.

Beautiful wrapping paper was a lucky find at Target and was wrapped around boxes to add depth and height to the table.

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“I definitely wanted to have a yellow feel without it being too loud,” Shana said. “I decided that a vertical accent runner would capture that effect very nicely and give it a unique touch.” Apothecary jars filled with yellow gumball, lemon drop and lemon candies gave a yellow pop and foods were limited to either white, tan or yellow shades. The lemon buffet included emon bars, coconut cake with lemons on top, lemon cupcakes, mini cheesecakes, powdered donuts, cheese and crackers, baguette with dips, mini cinnamon rolls, and even yellow brownie pops.

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Newborn Photography by Chi Pritchard Featuring Baby Stella

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Baby’s First Halloween Party

By Beth Beattie

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This baby Halloween party table featured chalkboards as placemats with gauze wrapped “mummy� sippy cups, pumpkins turned into monsters and bubbles with custom stickers to entertain the little ones.

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The centerpieces were glass cylinder vases decoupaged with patterned tissue paper and ghosts made out of tissue paper hanging on branches.

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The dessert table was the perfect place to pick some scary treats. Full of one-eyed monster cupcakes, ghost pretzel sticks, Oreo mummies, three-eyed monster marshmallows and apple sauce and goldfish for a healthier option.

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The drink station featured Mummy's sippy cup napkins, B-O-O spelled out with Anthropologie letters, a pumpkin punch bowl and stand from Pottery Barn, mason jars with chalkboard contact paper with mummy names of each child's mom, like Jack's Mummy and Elsa's Mummy.

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And of course, all the kids enjoyed their Halloween treats!

Styling Beth Beattie Branding, PR and Events Photography by Alana Harris Invite: Single Handed Studio Banners: Party Start Desserts: Southern Belles Cakery

Maternity Photography by Lydia Takeoka of Lydia Photography

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An Under the Sea Mermaid’s Birthday Party

Photography by Jorian Maye Keegan

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The birthday mermaid was dressed in a gorgeous costume designed by her Nanny Gayle and professionally sewn by friend and master seamstress Shabbena. It featured an ombre bodice of aqua, green and brown in a ‘mermaid’ cut with a skirt of bright blue that picked up the light like scales.

Her custom headband and necklace was fashioned out of ribbon and real hand painted seashells, as was her cute little purse. Once dressed, Kierra headed for Mermaids Cove, and made her way down the sandy lake shore, finding a starfish and conch shell along the way.

Weeks before this mythical event, tiny invitations were tied with raffia to little bags of sand made of brown sugar and candy pearls, filled with chocolate starfish, beckoning dozens of little mermaids and sea princes to be part of mermaid princess Kierra’s under sea world.

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The party was held at the end of the Pier at Evergrene in Palm Beach Gardens. Guests were welcomed by a giant hand painted sea horse.

The girls took their seats at King Triton’s royal under-the-sea table in a tent of aqua silk organza. Giant mylar sea creature balloons hung above the table as if they were swimming overhead. Table centerpieces featured shells scattered amongst bright seahorses and blue potted organzas with multi-colored tropical fish.

Royal blue chargers were placed at each setting topped with a seashell lunchbox. Inside, octopus and angel fish-shaped sandwiches along with a watermelon seahorse were served on a bed of colorful vegetables.

The tables center featured, shells scattered among bright plastic seahorses, and blue potted organza’s, with multi-colored tropical fish.

Deep blue chargers, were placed at each setting with a seashell Lunchbox.

After lunch the mermaids transformed into water babies and surfer girls and headed for the water park! The most popular activity of the day was the tropical hair braiding by Knot Head. Each girl selected their beads, hair decorations and was braided to perfection.

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The centerpiece of this little mermaid party was the incredible ocean treasure trove of homemade sea-themed yummies. Fish and seahorse gummy pops were displayed in tin buckets filled with brown sugar resembling sand. Aquarius petit fours, treasure cupcakes, and octopus mini cakes along with aqua-lollies were some of the kids favorites.

Sugar cookies were designed in seashells, seahorses, and swimming fish, along with marshmallow ‘scallops’ and sea critter topped cupcakes. Swedish fish gummies in a martini glass were the perfect spin on Dr. Seuss’ 1 fish 2 fish red fish.

The showstopper was the mermaid topped three tiered cake. Decorated with starfish, sea grass, beautiful swimming fish and sand made of graham cracker crumbs, it delighted princess Kierra and her fellow merpeople.

decor: cary mckain for camden gardens floral linens + chargers: atlas party rentals evergrene site coordinator: Michelle Woytcha cake: June for gGeenwise bakery by Publix, Palm Beach Gardens sugar sea creature layons and cookies: Country Kitchen Sweet Art hair braiding: Knot Head by Ali Kierra’s mermaid costume: hand sewn by Shabbena Kierra’s accessories: designs by Gayle seahorse + signage: handpainted by Nanny Gayle Special thanks: Cary McKain, and mermaid assistants Marisa and Madi food styling: Joriann for Chris Joriann Photography

When Rustic Meets Elegance: A Natural Baby Shower

By Lauren Halperin

Amber was expecting a little Pumpkin in autumn and event designer Jennifer Bishop created a “rustic elegance” baby shower to celebrate the arrival of her baby Addison. Beautiful fabric with a modern edge and original thinking allowed her to put a fresh spin on the traditional fall color spectrum by using peach paired with brown, white and a touch of red.

“I define ‘Rustic Elegance’ as a worn feel with a mix of weathered and sleek elements,” Bishop said. She gained elegance by using lace doilies, a modern doily printed fabric, feathers, and hanging crystals from tree branches. Mercury glass vases and mini foam pumpkins with pearl strands increased the sparkle factor. She brought out the rustic feel with a hint of nature. Using textured items like burlap for the flags, Manzanita branches, weathered bird houses, wrought iron pumpkins and dried flowers created an outdoor environment inside.

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The table setting is where Bishop allowed the mix of rustic and elegance to really shine. “I loved the earthiness of the dried wheat mixed with the shine of the mercury glass vases. I also needed some pumpkins for this fall shower so I mixed them in subtly using different variations. The white pumpkins were orange foam ones that I painted white and added pearls. I feel everything had a good balance. The doilies against the burlap, the crystals with the dried flower bunches, it was the perfect blend I was trying to accomplish.”

Bishop advises that planners think of height in table designs, especially when working with tall ceilings. “I love Manzanita branches primarily because they add height to a space,” Bishop explained. Smart thinking in using silk flowers allowed her the ability to make her floral arrangements ahead of time for this shower. “I’m really not a fan of silk flowers but in the case of the budget set, they worked. After mixing in some dried flowers, the silk ones didn’t bother me so much.” www.BabyLifestyles.com

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Each guest received a homemade Pecan pie tartlet shower favor baked by the guest of honor’s mother in law. The pies were placed in mini pie boxes with a peach paper lining at the bottom which read “thank you thank you thank you” across it. It is a simple detail that anyone can do using Word and printing them out at home. “I really like favors to be food. You can please anyone with a favor that they can eat!” They were the perfect ending to this autumn themed shower!

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Photography by Jennifer Skog

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In the Jewish religion, a brit milah or more commonly called a bris, is the religious circumcision of a baby boy performed on the eighth day of life. As Jewish moms generally do not have baby showers out of superstitions, the bris is often their first celebration.

This incredible bris for Baby Levi took place at the Fountainbleau Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida. It took the special events team of Forever Events 12 hours of set up time to complete this gorgeous celebration for 320 guests.

“We wanted to utilize flowers that were delicate, sophisticated, yet fresh for a baby event,” said Lisi Korn of Forever Events. for some tables we utilized, hydrangeas, phalenopsis orchids, and some we had a runner made out of hundreds of white roses finished with garlands of orchids.”

The design concept for Baby Levi’s bris was about Jerusalem. White flowers and sat atop lacquered tables with blue decorative touches to bring in the colors of the Israeli flag. To incorporate the capitol, Forever Events created a cityscape of the city into the arrangements, studying pictures and custom designing the structures to finish the look.

The team at Jose Graterol Designs created the cityscape of Jerusalem in clear frosted and white acrylic pieces that were inserted into the floral arrangements. White Roses, White Orchid Leis, White Phalaenopsis Orchids, White Hydrangeas, Blue Hydrangeas, and real sand were used in inventive ways on the rectangular and round tables to seat the 300 guests in a clean, modern and dramatic fashion.

They also designed all the custom floral trays to hold the 4,800 white roses and 2,800 hydrangeas, orchid leis and white phalaenopsis orchids.

The table for the yalmulkes features a dramatic centerpiece that Jose has designed to showcase the cascading White Orchids.

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The showstopper was the dessert buffet table composed of over 4,000 pieces of delicious sweets from Miami, New York, Panama and Mexico. It included marzipan, chocolate covered pretzels and almonds, tamarindo ball, meringues, truffles, chocolate covered oreo lollipops, rum balls, custom cookies, chocolates balls, polvorosas.

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The religious part of the bris was held in the same room, on a stage where a table and chair were set. Elijah’s chair is a traditional chair where myth suggests any woman who sits in it will become pregnant within a year.

The ceremony backdrop featured an oversized cityscape of the Old City of Jerusalem, giving guests the impression they were in one of the most holy place for the Jewish community, the Kotel.

Event Coordination: Forever Events

Decor: Jose Graterol Designs

Photography: Carlos Chatta Photography Candy: Galies

Ceremony/Reception: Fontainebleau Miami www.BabyLifestyles.com

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Baby Shower: Anticipating a Princess

By Lauren Halperin and Tara Steinle

The inspiration behind this beautiful baby shower was classic, whimsical girl. Black and white with honeysuckle pink brought the femininity to a day where 17 women came together to welcome baby Grace Louise.

The anemone flower was used in the arrangements, on the cake as well as on the paper suite. The invitation suite set the tone for this girlish affair, branding the colors being used and adding in the polka dot theme.

The invitations were made to look like a child’s book would be.

The invitation, menu cards and name cards on the chair backs all had the polka dots and anemone flower with black centers. The cute anemone flowers on the cake made the whole theme come together. The cake was carrot cake as it was mom-to-be Isabelle’s favorite.

“I had the florist include white hydrangea, black centered anemone, and ivory coast Lilies. This little flower reminded me of the polka dots we used on the paper products,” said Colette Lopez of La Fete Weddings which styled the day. “I had the pleasure of helping Isabelle plan her beautiful wedding in 2007. When I found out she was having a baby, I was honored to again help make this family occasion a memorable one.”

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Photography Melissa Musgrove Photography

Event styling Colette Lopez of La Fete Weddings Florals and candles Camilla Svensson Burns

Invitations and paper goods Tracy Lazaro Anemone cake Claudia's Cakery

Linens by Wildflower Linens www.BabyLifestyles.com

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A Vintage Picnic Baby Shower

By Lauren Halperin

Each event designer Jennifer Bishop works on, she wants to be special for the honoree. But this baby shower wasn’t just for anyone; the guest of honor was her best friend, wedding photographer Jennifer Skog.

The road to motherhood was paved with speed bumps for Skog. The pair were actually pregnant at the same time, but Skog lost her baby.

“Though it was heart wrenching to watch me go one without her, she never showed it,” Bishop said. Skog stood by her friend through her pregnancy, shot the birth of her daughter, helped out when her daughter, Sydney was colicky, and captured her growing up with beautiful photo-

graphs. “This shower had to be amazing. I’d accept nothing less and Jen deserved it. It was time to celebrate that it was finally her turn.”

Skog has donated much of her time and energy to many of her friends in both life and their industries.

She has photographed their families, children, pregnant bellies, events, portfolio pieces and so much more.

She has helped many in capturing special moments in their lives as well as provided vendors with great images for their businesses. It wasn’t much of surprise that a few friends from the wedding industry wanted to help and donate their services for her baby shower. “Every detail was so

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“Every detail was so well thought out and there were so many personal touches, I'm just beside myself.�

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well thought out and there were so many personal touches, I'm just beside myself,” mother-to-be Skog said.

“I’ll admit, when I went on the site tour for Casa Real, I almost croaked,” Bishop recalled. “I felt a lot of pressure because I really wanted to make sure that it felt comfortable and intimate. My focus is always to make the shower something the Mom to be will enjoy and not a “baby” theme. This is really the last time it’s all about Mom.” For her best friend, Bishop came up with a vintage picnic theme for the day.

Picnics by definition take place outdoors. Bishop used Manzanita branches and beautiful succulents to

add height to the room and create an Earthy, outdoor feeling. Florist Nicole Ha also used rocks around some of the branch bases that added another natural element. “I just loved seeing little bud vases tucked in a cubbies and unexpected places all throughout the shower.” Bishop placed fans with rag tassels at each place setting, giving guests the feel they could fan themselves as if they were outdoors on a hot summer day. The Manzanita branches helped with the height of the room. “Without them, I think the room would have felt even bigger.”

“I like to take a typical idea and make it unexpected,” Bishop said.

She put a created a vintage wine

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tasting picnic feel. After meeting with PJ of Milk Glass Vintage Rentals, Bishop decided to set the tables in one long row down the center of the room, creating a dramatic setting. “I needed vintage items to fill up this room and not just any old stuff, beautiful vintage finds to support my vintage picnic theme. Her red armoire was the starting point for my color scheme. I then paired it with some turquoise, brown and cream which looked great with the red.”

Bishop wanted to kick the vintage vibe off with the invitation. “I had seen the invite prior to it arriving in my mailbox but I had not seen the envelopes. They were such a great surprise! Kraft paper envelopes lined with a beautiful patterned paper.

They were adorable.”

With an event designer as the planner, this shower was packed with attention to detail everywhere you looked. The entry table included a vintage scrapbook setup so guests could write their well wishes Jen. Bishop aged the pen by wrapping it in burlap and adding a feather. “It always feels more elegant to feel like you’re writing with a quill!”

An old vintage door was used as the tabletop for the beverage bar.

Iced tea, chilled water and old fashioned soda pop bottles were available but the big hit was lavender

champagne. “It’s a simple recipe and adds and unexpected twist to any champagne. When you tilt the glass back and you get a scent of the lavender sprig it’s heavenly. It definitely helped us again, in giving our guests the illusion they were outdoors.”

The food table was set up to look like it had just been taken out of a picnic basket. Served buffet style, the menu included chicken salad sliders, tomato basil and mozzarella, cucumber mint tea sandwiches, spinach frittata, green leaf salad, crudités, strawberries and homemade potato chips. “There was no way you could eat just one of those potato chips!” A vintage crate and suitcase allowed Bishop to layer the desserts and dress up the area. An assortment of flavored bundt cakes were set on a tower trimmed with crochet lace and chocolate cupcakes were topped with champagne frosting and adorned with candied buttons.

The gift opening station was set up like a living room, with a comfortable chair for Jen to sit in. Her presents spilled out of a turquoise vintage truck nearby. “We used some of Jen’s dresses from when she was a baby and hung them from vintage hangers to decorate the area. Her childhood doll also attended the shower and had front row view to the gift opening.”

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Bishop used the red armoire was used for the favor station. She filled wooden berry baskets with fresh baked scones, mini jam jars and fresh berries, tucked wooden spoons in and tied each off with an aqua barber pole twine and a cute little tag. The jar lids were wrapped with the same fabric from the fan tassels and tied off with barber pole twine.

“I truly have the most incredible family and set of friends a girl could ever ask for,” Skog said. “There are so many things that I looked forward to when daydreaming about being pregnant, and this baby shower was certainly above and beyond what I ever could have imagined.

Vintage baby shower created by:

EVENT DESIGN Jennifer Bishop Design PHOTOGRAPHY Jennifer Skog & Robert Andrew Jennifer Skog Photography FLORAL DESIGN Nicole Ha Nicole Ha Designs VINTAGE RENTALS PJ Rude Milk Glass Vintage Rentals EVENT VENUE Alyssia Jones Casa Real at Ruby Hill INVITES AND PAPER DETAILS Susanne Wong Cards de Luxe LIGHTING Kevin Dennis Fantasy Sound

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A Kid’s Table To Give Thanks For

By Paula Biggs 108

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When Paula Biggs of Frog Prince Paperie looks at all the fancy tables out there, she always marvels over the tiniest of details. It’s the hostess that goes that little extra mile to show their guests how special they are that leave the biggest impression. At Paula’s house growing up, Thanksgiving dinner always meant being banished to the dreaded “kid’s table.” We’ve all been there so we know that from a kid’s point of view, all the fun stuff went on at the decorated adults table.

Now a mom herself, Paula thought about her own little ones and how they would likely sit at their own kids table to eat their turkey and stuffing. After speaking with a few other moms in the same Turkey Day dilemma, she designed a crafty Thanksgiving Day table to occupy the children while she cooked and get them excited to have their own little place to eat.

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An old tablecloth was put on the table and covered with a length of brown craft paper. She fringed the ends of the craft paper ala Martha Stewart, then drew rectangles on for placemats.

The kids were later able to color the placemats themselves, a great activity to keep them busy. Each child had a special place card made with their name on it, personalizing their space and making them feel more important.

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Each place setting got a votive filled with crayons and a little matchbook-style pack of papers to draw on. She banded them with paper napkin rings topped with an Autumn leaf to make them pretty. The “Tree of Thanks� paper craft doubles as a kid-friendly centerpiece.

After cutting everything out and sliding the two tree pieces together, the entire family can write what they are thankful for on each leaf and hang it on the tree. Aside from the fun things to play with on the table, Paula also designed kid-size pies with 5-inch pie pans. Custom labels also made wrapping up the tiny pies to send home with little guests extra pretty.

It is really wonderful to see a Thanksgiving table that is warm and inviting for little guests on a day where we celebrate being thankful.

Creating this festive environment will make all your guests want to sit at the kids table.

Purchase your Thanksgiving Day kids table supplies at Frog Prince Paperie

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Sweet Tart

Baby Shower

By Marie Dannettelle of Sweets Indeed

Autumn is a fabulous time for family gatherings, comfort food, snuggles and earthy tones. With holiday decorating in full swing, this is the perfect opportunity to utilize the items in your home décor as inspiration for entertaining. This “sweet little tart” baby shower was inspired by harvest, leaves and all things related to baking. From egg cartons to tart pans, this dessert station can easily be re-created using items found in your own kitchen. It’s all about repurposing! This baby shower will have everyone rubbing their bellies after filling them with sweet little treats.

Utilize household items for display vessels. Baking pans are perfect to place cupcakes and mini desserts in. Bundt pans turned upside down add dimension and are the perfect place for little tart. To add height to your table, stack bread pans and cake molds. You can also place candy in mixing bowls or measuring cups. A tart pan turned upside down and placed on stacked mason jars quickly becomes a

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cake stand. Decor can also include items used for baking. Wooden spoons, and other kitchen utensils were incorporated throughout this tablescape and a fabric pennant banner hung happily behind it.

For paper goods, start by choosing your favorite color palette and collect some scrapbook paper sheets to match. Use a shaped die cut punch for easy tags and garland making. Garland can be made by lining up your shapes and sewing a line through each one so they are connected in a long strand. We printed the invitation in the shape of a pie and added tin foil as the “pan”. Little leaf cut outs add simple décor and a pop of color where needed.

For desserts, choose comfort foods in mini size. This will give your guests many options to choose from and won’t break the bank.

Whenever I see anything mini I think it’s cute and mini pies, tarts, and cookies are always loved. Tart shells and piecrust can be made from

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“This baby shower will have everyone rubbing their bellies after filling them with sweet little treats.�

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the same recipe and you can add variety in the fillings and toppings used. For drinks, nothing says cozy like apple cider. I love using mason jars because they are easy to drink out of and guests can take them home and repurpose them. Top your drink with whipped cream and garnish with a cinnamon stick for a more sophisticated look.

Your dessert station can also double as a party favor. Simply decorate half size egg cartons with Japanese washi tape, twine and a cute hangtag. The packaging is perfect for guests to take their own sweet tarts home with them.

Want to turn this Autumn baby shower table into a breakfast baby shower table? By offering scones, biscotti, bagels, cinnamon rolls and muffins, you’ve turned it into an Our Little Muffin Shower.

Sweet Tart Baby Shower Table Created by: Party concept, dessert table design/styling and edibles: Sweets Indeed

Pennant banner, paper garland and paper medallion by The Polkadot Pickle Photography by The Pixel Studio

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is the house

where party inspiration lives.

The queen of this castle is Christina Nease, combining inspiration and information on endless interesting

and memorable details for others to incorporate into their celebration.

By Lauren Halperin

Nease has always had an appreciation for entertaining with style and beauty. Growing up, she fell in love with how her grandmother always had a perfectly appointed holiday table with china, silver and cute serving pieces.

She knew she inherited the perfect party gene while she was a freshman in college, investing in her education and in good china 122

she could entertain properly as a grown up. Dubbed “The Party Girl” by her friends, she was the go-to gal in her social circle.

“I always went over and above what they would expect to see at a party. I would research recipes and decorating ideas for months before an event, and began the implementation several weeks leading up,” Nease said.

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“One of my favorite things is to be the hostess at my own parties. I love to work the room and talk to each guest; hopping from conversation to conversation. As a hostess I always try to think of all the possible things the guests will need, ahead of time and have it set out so they can help themselves. I don't want to be a waitress during the party so pre-planning is essential.”

Chris—as she’s known to her friends—graduated school with a degree in fashion merchandising.

After years and retail management, she became an assistant buyer for Belk Stores in Richmond, Virginia. She enjoyed the creative display aspect of fashion and retail, laying floor plans out and styling the visual merchandising. “I think the visual and creative aspect of any industry can create cross-over opportunities whether it's fashion, home decor, entertaining, graphic design, etc. It always comes back to

a basic understanding of color, pattern, composition, balance, and something unique or unexpected to add interest.” A blessing in disguise came when the Belk buying office closed, and Nease and her husband, Chuck, could focus on starting their family.

Nease stayed home and gave birth to daughter Jordan and son Tyler. When her youngest went off to kindergarten, eight years had gone by and she knew she wanted to get back to work. A true entrepreneur, the thought of working for someone else made her cringe, so she decided to do what she loved and what she was good at: celebrating at home.

In the beginning she worked smaller jobs for her friends and put together her party portfolio.

Her business was the culmination of years of experience brainstorming, researching, crafting, and creating total party experiences for friends. “I feel like I was starting a business that I wasn't

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ing books and magazines for inspiration. “I would get an idea for a party and start researching recipes and ideas for six months.

I always wanted to create a complete environment which included decor, food, and even music.”

She launched her blog three years ago, to support her local party design business. Since then, Celebrations at Home Blog has become a thriving inspiration site that is a business all its own.

Today, Celebrations at Home Blog is a combination of inspiration, and information. Nease fea-

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Photo by Julie Renee Photography

even sure if it had a market - especially in my location. Styling small events and parties was a new concept at that time and it was tough to know what to charge for the service.” Her a-ha moment came when she got her first client who was not a friend or a referral through a friend. “I realized people really do need and want help designing their special days.”

“I chose a name that was self descriptive and started my blog as a support site to share my style and point of view.” Long before there were blogs, Nease was buy-

A pink princess tea party

tures parties that offer endless ideas for readers to incorporate into their own celebration. A great resource for recipes, products and DIY projects, Nease also adds helpful tips to guide readers on things they might not have picked up on by casually glancing at pictures. “I'm a little more ‘entertaining’ focused in that I want to encourage people to celebrate with style for any casual weekend gathering as well as special occasions.”

While other blogs feature parties with outrageous budgets,

Nease prides herself in promoting parties with ‘real budget’ women in mind. “At the end of the day I am a real wife and mother on a real budget. I want to inspire women who love to entertain, who love to tap into their own creativity, and love to produce it themselves.”

Reaching out to these women has made Nease and Celebrations at Home Blog a great resource for party tips and advice. Lisa Theile who runs the site With Style and Grace found the Celebrations at Home Blog

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purely for the eye candy an dinspiration. “I could and still do spend hours browsing through all the creative details,” Theile said.

The pair was introduced via twitter, when Theile thought Nease was “a blogging celebrity. That didn't change much after I met her. She has an amazing eye for detail and is able to turn an empty table into a beautiful and inviting tablescape.”

One thing that sets the Celebrations at Home Blog apart from others is that it specifically highlights parties that take place at home, be it inside or outside. For this reason, each feature has an intimate feel. “I believe entertaining at home is one of the most generous things you can do, and is most comfortable for guests as well. I would much rather spend an evening sitting around the kitchen table with girlfriends and a bottle of wine, than drive to a crowded restaurant.

The acoustics are never good, the setting is usually uncomfortable and confining, and I find them just very impersonal.”

The site illustrates every aspect of parties from signature

cocktails to table settings. “I am so visually driven that I have to say the styling, especially table settings and little details are my favorite things. Even when it comes to food presentation I love to see it displayed or served in interesting ways.”

“I think Celebrations At Home focuses on the entertaining we all do on a very regular basis....the entertaining that makes the quality of life much sweeter,” said Kori Clark of Paper and Pigtails. “Her events have a homespun quality that makes you feel welcome just looking at them. I am always amazed by the clever projects and styling she does for parties.

She has a keen eye for detail that truly comes across in her events!”

In her local area of Metro Richmond, VA, Nease’s business, Celebrations at Home Events has taken off. Her event styling services for clients include creative design, coordination of dessert tables and baked goods, printed paper items and more for smaller celebrations. She defines her personal party style as eclectic, approachable and on trend with unexpected touches. “I create

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parties that are fun to look at but you aren't afraid to touch. I'm very influenced by interior decor. I love the brainstorming and conceptualizing. But when it's all put together and you see a happy hostess and or guest of honor, it is truly heart-warming.”

Her favorite artistic idea at the moment is using unexpected items in interesting ways. “I just featured a design that used small wood planks as a background for menu cards that were nailed right into it. These are the kinds of ideas that blow me away and that I hope to emulate.”

Her favorite trend at the moment is how parties are becoming less about the store-bought supplies and more about the DIY. “I am so happy about this! I've never been a fan of plastic table cloths or honeycomb paper decorations. To see this whole industry evolve is amazing. There are also so many easy DIY projects and printables you can use that don't require the "crafter gene" to complete so anyone can make their party more custom and personalized.”

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showers have become more sophisticated and less cutesy. “They are certainly a celebration of the baby, but the showers themselves are geared towards adults. With that in mind they are more focused on the mom, which is nice.

I like to make references to the baby in unexpected ways. For instance, you can use baby bottles as vases for flowers or even drink ware for the guests by slipping a straw through the top instead of the nipple. These subtle touches are far more interesting and stylish than a paper stork or honeycomb centerpiece. There are plenty of opportunities for "cute" parties once the baby has arrived and begins having birthdays.”

Nease also urges parents to remember that early birthday parties are driven by emotion, not logic. “Parents know that the little one won't remember a 50 person bash compared to a small family dinner, but they just ‘have’ to do it!

At the end of the day, my personal philosophy is to keep it simple until you get to milestone numbers or when the child has special friends. But for many parents, they want to go all out every

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year.” And heed Nease’s brilliant birthday party advice: “Do not schedule the party during typical nap times! Mornings are actually a great time to have these early birthday parties.”

As much as she inspires others with her unique ideas ranging from a fun party themes like her planes, trains and automobiles birthday party to original table ideas including crafting snowmen out of baby bottles for a candy coated Christmas party, Nease has inspired others to jump into the celebration business.

When Clark was starting her

An Operation Shower event table

custom illustration party products, she said it was Nease that gave her the drive to push forward.

“She gave me the feeling that someone thought I may have something to say. She had faith in me, which gave me more faith in myself. She has always encouraged me, complimented my work, and made me feel valuable as a part of the party world. I can not express enough gratitude for how much her initial support helped to build my confidence.... especially since she didn’t know me and never had to lend the support and kindness that she did. She is an amazing person, inside and out. She is a beautiful mom who seems to run her blog, business, and family seamlessly.”

It is with this ease of effort that Nease applies it to giving back. “I've always liked the idea of 'giving back' but like so many other people, I didn't really know how to. To find organizations that are specific to my niche and expertise is amazing. It never feels like work when you're doing what you love and working with friends.”

Recently, Nease styled a baby shower for the Richmond Dream Baby Shower contest winner. Nominees for this prize were expectant mothers nominated by readers and friends who then vote for a deserving recipient. The winner was a mom named Anne, who was expecting twin boys. As the winner, Anne chose a shower invitation with a lovely birds-in-atree motif, which Nease used to inspire her for the shower. Her final party creation included rustic bird houses, Manzanita branches, hand glued flowers on branches, and favors of tiny chocolate bird nests with Jordan almonds acting as eggs.

Another charity where Nease feels her talents are able to shine is Operation Shower. Nease calls herself fortunate to have met Amy Belle Isle, the Chief Event Planner through their respective party blogs a few years ago. When a unit-wide shower was planned for Portsmouth, VA and Amy couldn’t make it, she asked if Nease could fill in for her. “Of course I said yes and was so impressed with how special the organization was, that I've been showing support and

volunteering my time ever since.”

Nease now thinks of herself as the East Coast Ambassador and has just finished helping them with her fifth shower.

The most recent event Nease had the privilege of helping out with was in September 2011 in Norfolk, VA. This event was organized to "shower" expecting women whose husbands were deployed and serving on the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN77) and was given a coordinating nautical "Sea to Shining Sea" theme. Nautical elements were incorporated throughout, including the graphic designs, table centerpieces, and food and dessert tables.

Nease plans to continue volunteering to help out wonderful organizations as well as inspiring others with her creative perspective on fun parties. With the wide range of parties that she has planned and shared, she's a great source of inspiration for any event. And as Lisa Thiele says, “She's only taped into a small part of what she's capable of, just you wait, she's about to shine even brighter.”

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“The only thing better than chubby baby rolls is chubby baby rolls covered with suds.�