Honest To Nod

Harper's Toddler Room

I am so excited to finally share photos of Harper's big girl room! It's hard to believe this little lady no longer sleeps in a crib, but she loves her room & it suits her little personality just right! :) I wanted to keep a neutral palate with the wall color & furniture so that it can easily grow with her, then added some pops of color with all of the books & accessories.

It's safe to say her pig rocker is her favorite! Every night before bed she has to give it two kisses, one on each side of the nose! ;)

We purchased the Jenny Lind bed because we not only love the style, but know that it is a great bed that can grow with her. I had a twin bed until high school, so hopefully this will last her just as long! ;) The bookshelves are inexpensive photo ledges from Ikea, they are one of my favorite parts of the room because we can switch out her books for the holidays or as she grows. We moved her teepee upstairs so she could have her own little spot to play with her books & puzzles, so surprised she hasn't climbed out of bed to sleep in it yet. The dresser was a Craigslist find, for under $100 & in great condition, all we did was replace the knobs to give it a little makeover. A little basket next to the dresser is filled with all of her "dress-up" essentials, ruffled tutus & headbands, always her favorite thing to do in her room.

 

I know we will have fun updating this room as she grows, I am hoping to add some artwork on the wall across from her bed, but as you know, we like to take our time! ;)

And a huge thank you to my sweetest friend Ashley Scobey for taking these pictures during our maternity session, I love how they capture her personality in her own little space!

Sources:

Twin Bed \\ Tassel Garland \\ Bookshelves \\ White Faux Fur Rug (5x8) \\ Zinc Wall Letters
Bla Bla Fox Doll \\ White Fur Pillow \\ Star Pillow \\ Dipped Leg Stools \\ Nightlight
Pig Rocker \\ Teepee \\ Alphabet Puzzle \\ Dresser (antique) knobs here & here 

Grey Owl \\ Feather Headband \\ Pink Giraffe (discontinued, similar in blue here)
Baskets (Home Goods) \\ Black & White Heart Blanket c/o SpearmintLove 
Chalkboard Laptop (clearance at Anthropologie, similar here) 

Bedding is custom made with Alexander Henry Market Stalls Fabric (now discontinued)

Wall color is Toasted White by Glidden (tinted just a little bit darker after the first coat)

Post by Jessica Garvin : Little Baby Garvin

 

nate's milk and cookies party

 

When planning Nate’s birthday, I knew I wanted it to have a couple of handmade details and bright pops of color.  I opted for a palette of turquoise, green, yellow and gray (the names of these colors on the Paper Source site are peacock, clover, sunshine and gravel).  I crafted a couple of party elements—paper chains and flags with Nate’s first initial in washi tape.  Since Nate adores cookies, it was easy to decide on the theme: milk and cookies.  On the menu were a selection of delicious cookies and gorgeous “milk and cookie” fondant cupcakes made by the wonderful Candy Clay Cupcakes.  Happy birthday, Nate!  We are thankful for the blessing you are and your boundless energy and enthusiasm!

Sources: cupcakes by Candy Clay Cupcakes, paper from Paper Source, set of suitcases from The Land of Nod, straws from Sweet Estelle and Target.  Sources of inspiration included: Sara’s Party Perfect, Hello Hanna and You Are My Fave.

Post by Michelle Sterling of Avery and Augustine

You can see her work and read about her two young children and their first forays in cooking, art and everything in between at Avery and Augustine.

Attention

There is nothing more meaningful than to truly listen to your children.

XO,

Michelle

By Michelle Kohanzo

Aside from being the Managing Director of The Land of Nod, mother to four kids (yes I said FOUR!) and a gourmet cook, Michelle is a retail junky. From Zara to Marc Jacobs, Target to Nordstroms, she doesn’t discriminate, there’s room in her heart and closet for them all. And the addiction doesn’t stop at fashion, she’s painted her dining room at least 5 times, and changes rugs like most women change their sheets. Retail isn’t therapy for Michelle, it’s more like oxygen.

 

Oh Joy! for Nod Launch Event

We’re beyond excited about our partnership with Joy Cho of Oh Joy! So to celebrate, we decided to throw a party in sunny California. We held the party at the Fig House, a gorgeous new event space in LA. The Fig House was designed by our friend, interior designer, Emily Henderson, and was the perfect backdrop for Joy’s cheerful collection.

The best part of the event was that it was an all-ages affair. After all, is there anyone other than your kiddos that you’d rather craft with on a Saturday afternoon? Crafting Community was on hand creating some beautiful, family friendly crafts.

The Nod Tour Bus even stopped by for a visit. If you aren’t familiar with the bus checkout #nodtourbus to follow its adventures.

Be sure to visit www.landofnod.com/OhJoyForNod to learn all about our collaboration with Joy. Guarantee her collection will put a smile on your face.

Photos by Casey Brodley for Oh Joy. 

Get to Know Paloma's Nest

Caroline and Jose from Paloma's Nest

Hometown: Caroline- Mystic, Connecticut. Jose- Buenos Aires Argentina

Current city: East Lyme, Connecticut

Would you rather travel by plane, train, car or ship?

Jose- Bicycle! Nothing compares to being immersed in an environment- whether it's feeling the energy of the city, or spotting animals in the woods.

Caroline- Train! I love passing through towns and stretches of countryside, and being able to focus on the scenery, not on driving! Some of my fondest memories of living as an exchange student in Europe are of riding on the trains.

You can find us eating __for breakfast.

Scrambled eggs with diced ham and American cheese mixed in.  Or, maybe we should say: American cheese with a little bit of ham and egg mixed in.

On the weekends, you can find us__.

Insert some fantasy life kind of answer here- you know, like where we take the kids to a great New England museum in the morning, then take a family hike in the afternoon, then the two of us go for a romantic dinner later on. That kind of fantasy. Let's face it, those things happen only once in a while if we're lucky! We run our own business, and our kids are 2 and 7 years old. Most parents know what that means- sleep, house cleaning, cartoons, and leisurely coffee drinking when possible. But we wouldn't trade it for anything.

How many times do you usually hit the snooze button after your alarm goes off?

Jose sets his alarm to go off reallllllly early so that he can hit the snooze as many times as possible. Sometimes he pretends he doesn't hear the alarm at all. Caroline is an early riser and is up when Jose's first alarm goes off. By the third or forth snooze, she usually rolls over and bops Jose in the head with a pillow.

If you were a crayon, what color would you be?

Jose- black, because it works for everything.

Caroline- white, on colored paper. The best.

How long can food be on the ground and still be fair game for eating?

Depends on how good of a bite it is...

Tell us about your House Sitter Play Chair, how you made it or your inspiration behind it.

The idea for our House Sitter Play Chair originated when we started really noticing how our daughter was using toys and objects in multiple ways in her imaginative play.
We wanted to create furniture that is modern but timeless, pieces that could grow with her and inspire her for many years.  Our love of architecture (and the need for our children's furniture to function well in small spaces) blossomed into the idea of a child's chair that doubles as a doll house. (But its not just for girls, and certainly not just for dolls! Our little guy is equally in love with his for cars, animal figures, and other make believe!) We are thrilled to bring this concept to Land of Nod and can't wait for little ones all over to enjoy their own House Sitter Chair! 

A Bundle of Joy

Heart of Gold Shelf / Dumont Pendant Light / Plums Print / It Takes Two Print

Pink Lemonade Poster / Floral Doodle Print / Ice Cream Pillow / Sundae Sprinkles Crib Sheet

Sundae Best Crib Skirt / White Andersen Crib / Balloon Dog Bookend / Heart Pillow

Modern Cube Lamps / Hot Pink Dresser / Cherry Pillow / Multiplayer Wall Hooks

White Milo Glider / Bonjour Lucite Tray / Precious Metal Nighstand (Mint) 

Broad Stripe Rug (Pink) / Orange Stripe Bin / Get in Here Print

Post by Joni: Lay Baby Lay

kiki and coco in paris

 

Remember that time you took your favorite doll or stuffed animal with you on a trip to a faraway city?  The charming story of Kiki and Coco in Paris will remind you of those jovial times.  One of the protagonists in the story is a lovely handmade doll named Coco, made by artist Jess Brown, and the adventures (and misadventures) she and her girl Kiki have together on a trip to Paris.  Avery’s favorite part is when a dog takes Coco and breaks her arm, which is later fixed.  We loved seeing all the sights and sounds of Paris through Kiki’s eyes.  This story would be the perfect theme for a party or play date!  Fill a pretty plate with some brioche and macarons and call it an afternoon.  Extra points if you whip up a cup of Parisian chocolat chaud!

Kiki and Coco in Paris was authored by Nina Gruener, photographed by Stephanie Rausser and the doll in the story was made by Jess Brown.

Post by Michelle Sterling of Avery and Augustine

You can see her work and read about her two young children and their first forays in cooking, art and everything in between at Avery and Augustine.

Mussels in White Wine

I love mussels, I love the simplicity of them, the drips of broth on my fingers and that they come together easily – really without a recipe. Mussels are versatile – add to the pot what you like and you’ll end up with a wonderful light broth – nothing too heavy. This was the perfect dinner after having pizza the night before.

As in most recipes, wine is optional, but I do believe it gives the broth a deeper flavour – a few simple ingredients will shine in this recipe. 

Mussels in White Wine

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 bag of mussels
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 onion, slices thin
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 stalk of celery, cut in half lengthwise and chopped
• 1 cup of dry white wine
• 1 large can of diced tomatoes (28 oz)
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream
• salt and pepper
• Chopped parsley
• Chopped green onion

Instructions

1. Clean the mussels with lots of cold water. Pull out any beards or seaweed. Throw out any that have broken or cracked shells, or ones that don't close when lightly squeezed.
2. In a large pot melt the butter over medium heat, add onion, garlic and celery and cook until soft. Season with salt and pepper. Add wine and increase heat to high, after a couple of minutes add diced tomatoes. Stir well and add mussels. Cover the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes or until mussels open. Shake the pan a few times so they cook evenly.
3. At the end of the cooking time discard any mussels that didn't open. Add the heavy cream and stir well. Serve immediately with some crusty bread and a garnish of chopped parsley and green onion.

Notes

When buying mussels, make sure the bag they come in isn't sealed - mussels need to breathe until they are cooked.

Post by Giulia Doyle : Audrey's

Jump for Joy

 

Hangin' Around Light, Pink / La Pina Print / Multiplayer Wall Hooks 

That Bowtie I Like Print / The Moths Print / Car Love Print

Cali Love Print / Get in Here Print / Ice Cream Print

Sprinkle Pachyderm / Maple Andersen Crib / Dobby Dot Panels

Pattern Party Heart Sheets / Grey Stripe Crib Skirt / Heart Throw Pillow

I Love Lamps / Vintage Dresser (great inspiration for refinishing a vintage piece!)

Retro Rocker / Brass Giraffes / Hot Pink Neon Nightstand

Pinwheel Rug / Color Weave Toy Box

Post by Joni: Lay Baby Lay

We’re stopping at Papabubble LA in the Nod Tour Bus

When we found out about the amazing candy making process at Papabubble, we knew we had to make a stop during our first Nod Bus Tour at their location in Pasadena, CA. We were even more excited after we discussed partnering with them to create some exclusive custom candy to hand out on our #nodtourbus stops around California in April.

We sat down with Mike from Papabubble LA to find out a little more about their delicious and creative candy. 

What exactly is Papabubble?

We are a handmade candy shop that specializes in hard candy with images or words inside, the perfect candy for weddings, parties and special events. 

When did Papabubble begin?

Papabubble was founded in Barcelona in 2004 with the goal of bringing back the charm of hand crafted sweets. Since then, it has grown to more than 23 stores throughout the world. The stores are independently owned, and each store is free to create delicious flavors that suit their market.  

How is Papabubble candy made?

Our candy is made from 5 simple ingredients: water, sugar, glucose, flavor and color. We do not use corn syrup or preservatives in any of our products.

After boiling and melting all the ingredients, we pour the molten sugar onto our water cooled table. It is then cooled down and colors are "painted" into the candy.

After further cooling, we cut the candy into different pieces according to color. We then move to our heated table where we assemble all the pieces together and form a big roll of candy.

The big roll of candy is then stretched out by hand, and cut into arm’s length. After rolling and cooling down the smaller rods, we hand chop them into smaller, bite-sized candy. The entire process is done by hand, similar to making glass. Except that in our case, the finished product is edible.

Check out this video on how Papabubble candy is made: 

papabubble from Pilgrim on Vimeo.

How long has your shop been up in Pasadena? Where are the other locations?

The Pasadena shop opened May 11, 2013. There are Papabubble shops in New York, Tokyo, Taipei, Seoul, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Brussels, Kuwait, Qatar, Jakarta and Sao Paulo. 

P.S. There will be a store opening up in San Francisco this summer! 

What's your personal favorite Papabubble flavor?

My personal favorites are the mango and cinnamon apple.

Do you have any special events in your shop?

We have a candy making show every Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. It lasts between an hour to an hour and half depending on what design we are making that day. It's a family friendly event with lots of samples given out!

Be sure to follow us on Instagram @papabubblela to see what we'll be making that weekend.

Thanks, Mike for telling us more about Papabubble. Be sure to join us at the #nodtourbus stop on Tuesday, April 15 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at Papabubble LA Candy Shop in Pasadena. We will be bringing along tons of giveaways, a photo booth and of course, free exclusive Papabubble candy!