Now Starring....

...your baby! I ran across these adorable baby posters yesterday at 5starbaby.com. When I saw these, ideas for movie-themed birthday parties and showers for all my expectant friends danced through my head.

And they just don't restrict their posters to babies, you can order posters for engagements, weddings, and child-adult birthday parties. 5starbaby makes announcements and posters for just about any theme.

Prices are reasonable, a 7.5 x 12 poster will only set you back $25.oo and 5 x 8 announcements start at $3.50 per card.

Make your own cookbook

Know anyone who's ever wanted their own cookbook? My friend Paola sent me over this link from the New York Times about a new venture from Conde Nast and Kamran Mohsenin - Tastebook.com. Through this site, users can create their very own cookbooks, using up to 100 recipes from Bon Appetit, Gourmet, Epicurious, and other chefs. You can even add your own personal recipes - which is why I really like this concept. The book comes in a hardcover binder (you choose the front image and the title) and allows you to add chapters that are tabbed for easy access.

How much does all this cost? $34.95!

For gift-giving purposes, I suggest gathering up the family's favorite recipes and creating a cookbook using the family name (ie, The Smith Family Recipes) and gifting to all the chefs in your clan. This would also be great for showers, weddings, and office parties.

Thanks for the tip P!

Get a gift for . . . MOM

I decided to start off the gift giving extravaganza with the person who knows you best - Mom. Moms give so much of themselves, which is why we always stress out when we have to get her a gift. What do you get for a person who can do it all without even breaking a sweat?

How about...

Hearthside Slippers from L.L. Bean? I love the contrast in the stitching. These slippers come in a variety of colors, and for $29.95, they're great for gift givers on a budget. The best part? L.L. Bean offers free shipping through the holiday season!

If you have a little more to spend, you might pair the slippers with...

A chic set of flannel pajamas from Garnet Hill. Leopard print? 'Nuff said. ($68.00)

If your mom is more of an outdoor's type, you might want to try...

The Women's Fernvale Jacket from Woolrich. The sherpa lining is sure to keep her warm and it's machine washable! ($135.00)

To complete the look, pair it with the Women's Malila Hat ($15.00) and mittens ($15.00), also available at Woolrich.

If you want to give her a gift that reminds her you love her all year, get her...

A year of seeds from Red Envelope. For $70.00, your mom will grow petunias, marigolds, poppies, and impatiens, just to name a few.

And finally, if your mom would like something to put on display, she'll love...

These glass houses from Gardener's Supply. Order a set of three for $75.00, and maybe gift them as one from each grandchild?

or...
The "Wild Wings Literary Lodgings Field Guide Birdhouse" (whoo, that's a mouthful!) from Art Effect. The birdhouse is made from books that were discarded from libraries. ($150.00)

or...

This photo frame from Winterthur. Put in pics of the entire family. ($32.00)

Gift Debate: Milk Mumu: Appropriate or scary?

I think the Milk mumu ($27.99, found via IndieShopping) over at Etsy is a great concept - not only does it keep all of your bits from prying eyes, it eliminates any uncomfortableness that you or others might feel you while you are "taking care of business." I think this is an awesome idea and a lot of moms would be all over it...but do you think it would be appreciated as a gift (say, for a baby shower) or could it be interpreted by the giftee as the equivalent of you saying, "Keep your you know what's out of my face"? Also, how do you explain what it is to that person? Maybe it's the kind of gift that you should only give to yourself? I'm torn. Does anyone else have thoughts?

At any rate, Milk Mumu has lots of fabrics to choose from, and I think the idea is pure genius!