Living With Kids: AB Chao
You may call Anna Beth Chao AB, ABC, or Anna Beth, but never Anna. Unless, according to AB, you are her mother. She is a witty writer, insanely talented decorator, and interior stylist with a refreshing editing prowess. Before I run out of effusive synonyms for amazing, I’ll tell you one of my favorite things about Anna Beth. If you saw her on the street, you would probably think that she looks like a super stylish teenager. You would be shocked to learn that she is not, but she has a daughter who is! Which is exactly why I reached out to her. We’ve seen how some of us are living with kids – what about those of us living with teenagers? I just know you’ll enjoy this tour!
Q: Who lives in this fabulous home?
A: Well, let’s see. There’s me, and my husband Vince, and our daughter Madeleine. We also have a dog, Hank, who is very, very bad, and a cat, Spike, who is not.
I am a former corporate communications writer (I’m sorry, I see that you just fell asleep) turned interior decorator, stylist, and blogger. In fact, my one-year anniversary of leaving that corporate job is in just a few days, so yay to that! It’s been quite an adventure. My husband Vince Chao is also self-employed. He does something something with some things in China. There is possibly manufacturing involved. (I like to tell people that he exports potato chips and imports fake mustaches.) And finally, there is Madeleine, our only child, who is sixteen and a junior in high school. I’ll say one more thing about that, and then you will understand why I have to be medicated some days: she drives. A car.
… DIY: Flower Seed Pockets
Now that it’s warming up, my kids want to be outside as much as possible. So when Helen of Curly Birds told me about her idea for mini seed pockets, I thought they were a perfect activity to get our whole family’s hands dirty in the best possible way. — Gabrielle
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Flower pockets are a fun spring project and provide plenty of blooms all summer long. The pockets look sweet, and get buried directly in the soil! Better yet, even the littlest of hands can help make them. And I know these same littlest of hands will love giving them to teachers, grandparents, neighbors and friends. They make a great little gift-for-no-reason.
Materials:
1/3 yard Burlap (coffee or rice bags will work too)
Gardening string
Organic potting soil
Seeds
Scissors
… Spa Themed Party Invitations
These are the invitations we made for Maude’s spa themed party. They would work equally well for a beauty-parlor themed party too! The bobby pins make a cute 3-D addition — and they’re a sweet little gift for the party attendees.
The invitations were super easy to make and I was pleased with how they turned out. I’ve included instructions below if you’d like to see.
… Beard Care
Last fall, I mentioned Ben Blair had grown his first beard. (He’s still wearing it now and I still LOVE it!) But I didn’t tell you why it was his first beard.
Once or twice over the years, I had asked him if he was interested in growing one, but he said that after a few days of beard growth, he was so itchy he just had to shave it. So what changed last fall? We finally asked for some good guidance on beard care. We inquired of our favorite French pharmacist, who happens to be bearded also, and got the skinny on itch prevention.
For those of you with men in your life dealing with itchy chins, here’s what Ben Blair learned about itch prevention and beard care.
1) As it’s growing out, comb your beard often with a fine tooth comb. This will help keep dead skin cells moving on their way.
2) Use conditioner on the beard, even when it’s just barely growing out. Leave on the conditioner for a couple of minutes before you rinse it off.
3) If your bearded skin develops some redness or bumps, use a soothing lotion. Our pharmacist gave us samples of this
and it worked great.
And that’s it! Ben Blair is now long past the itchiness. These days he’s figuring out his preferred beard length, favorite trimming tools, and wondering if he’ll ever shave it off.
How about you? Do you have a bearded man in your life? Do they have to do much to maintain it? How long is too long in your opinion?
P.S. — I love how red the beard is in the second picture. When I married Ben Blair his whole head was that red! Things We’ve Said to Our Kids
Nathan Ripperger says things to his kids, and then turns his words into posters. They’re so spot-on they make me giggle! Have you ever said something to your kids and then realized how ridiculous it sounds? Please share! I love hearing stuff like that.
Thanks to Design Taxi for introducing me to Nathan’s work.
Living With Kids: Melissa de la Fuente
I like to think of Melissa as my own personal Etsy curator. Almost daily, she gives me a reason to fall in love with accessible art. She has this gift of finding the most perfect gems in a vast sea of treasures, and seems to know exactly what my walls need, exactly what I should be carrying, and exactly what I should be wearing. It’s no surprise to me that such a thoughtful collector of beauty would have an equally thoughtful, art-laden home. Enjoy this one, Friends!
Q: Tell us about the family who lives here!
A: Our happy little family consists of me, my husband Joel, our two beautiful daughters, Elena (10) and Tallulah (6), our two pups, Maddie and Luna, and one tiny turtle named…wait for it…Turtle. My hubby and I were both trained as actors; he went to Brown and NYU grad acting, and I went to Juilliard. He is a working actor and though I still do voice-over work — maybe you remember this commercial featuring me and Elena and my voice almost ten years ago? — I am mostly a full time mom & blogger.
… Love the Place You Live: L’Indiscret Brocante & Tea Salon
Friends, it’s working. Love the Place You Live is working! Meaning: this column is encouraging me to do some really satisfying local exploring. Which is exactly what I hoped for!
This week, I’m sharing some photos from a nearby brocante/tea salon (brocante = antique shop) called L’Indiscret. I have been meaning to check out this particular brocante since the very first week we moved here. It’s been over a year and I still hadn’t stopped in. Then, last week, when I was thinking about what I should write about for today’s post, I remembered the brocante! So Ben Blair and I dropped in on Saturday.
I was so glad we did! It’s a lovely a place — a cute antique shop up front, with a warehouse full of furniture in the back. The shopkeeper on Saturday was the daughter of the owners. She lives in Paris but comes home on the weekends to help at the brocante. The shop is currently only open on Wednesdays and Saturdays, but the owners dream about retiring from their day jobs and running the shop full-time. I love stories like that!
…Love the Place You Live: L’Indiscret Brocante & Tea SalonRead More »
French Pharmacy Picks – Part 2
In January, I gave you a report on some of the items I’ve tried on Gwyneth Paltrow’s French Pharmacy List. Are you ready for installment number 2? First up, let’s talk about:
Biafine
I love how this feels on my face! It’s actually intended for minor burns and rashes, but those in the know use it as a beauty product too. In fact, look what I read here: Sylvie Tellier, a former Miss France who now runs the Miss France competition, uses Biafine as a face mask. “I love it,” she says. “It makes my skin glow and is really hydrating.” It’s a bargain for a big tube — about $10.
Note: The tube I purchased looks different than the one on Gwyneth’s list, but I was told it was the exact same formula; only the packaging had been updated.
… DIY: Clay Charms
Warmer weather is really on it’s way! That means short sleeves and bare wrists. So I asked Amy of This Heart of Mine to create something gorgeous to adorn our arms while we soak up the sunshine.
The little clay charms she came up with are stunning! I promise, when you see the tutorial, you are going to want to make some. — Gabrielle
… Living With Kids: ModFruGal
I can’t tell you ModFruGal’s real name, but I know you won’t mind missing that detail one bit as soon as I tell you something else pretty wondrous about her home. She has a tree-house. Even more magical, it glows at night! From indoor to outdoor, from paint colors to art-plastered walls, there’s honestly something for everyone in this tour. I so hope you enjoy it!
Q: Tell us about the family who lives in this home.
A: We are a shy little family of four who moved into this city and house three years ago. My husband and I have two boys, aged seven and 12, and a six-month old Vizsla puppy named Otto. My past involved years in advertising and graphic design, and now I peddle furniture that I refurbish. We have a joke that I am running a furniture rescue in our basement since I bring home some ugly ducklings, but the thrill of turning a piece around is a wonderful creative outlet that allows me to work with my hands. While my husband is in sales, I think his education in engineering has given him the ability and confidence to teach himself anything he sets his mind to. He’s extremely handy and capable in all aspects of renovating this home. Most of the things we have ever hired out were not because he couldn’t do it, but he just didn’t have the time!
… Prepping for a Family Photoshoot: 5 Tips!
Are you ready for a longish post? I get lots of questions about family photos, so today, I thought I’d share the process of getting ready for our Vintage Car Photo Shoot, with some tips for your own family photos. I also included a little guide to what we wore at the end. And I peppered the text with 21 photos from the shoot that I haven’t shared yet, including a whole bunch of behind the scenes shots.
I hope it will be helpful!
Tip #1: You don’t HAVE to do an elaborate photo shoot. It definitely takes time and effort. If it’s not your thing, don’t worry about it! (One of my favorite photos in the world is this one, and it was taken with no planning whatsoever.) At our house, a big photo shoot is the sort of event everyone gets into. We work together to figure out wardrobe options, make lists of items we’d like to shop for (like a red bowtie!), and scout out locations.
… Nuit Blanche
The other day, I was asked by a magazine about family-friendly travel, and the first thing I thought of was a very UN-family-friendly adventure we had in October. Jordan called us one Saturday morning and told us about Nuit Blanche. (It translates to White Night.) Once a year, Paris hosts an art event that goes all night long. Throughout the city there are art installations. Some are big. Others are massive! The fun starts as soon as the sun sets and all the exhibits are free. We jumped in the VW and headed to Paris because it sounded too good to miss.
When the sun set, we took all the kids out, with a plan to see a few exhibits, enjoy the city all lit up, and have the kids in bed by 9:00pm.
This did not happen.
… One of My Best Parenting Tricks
I was asked what it’s like to be a new mother. What is it like? It’s awesome! And also: really difficult! I remember a day shortly after my oldest child Ralph was born, I was feeling so good that day, so accomplished. I started thinking about WHY I was feeling so good and realized it was because I had managed to shower. When it hit me that my big accomplishment for the day was showering, I could not have been more shocked! I realized I needed to change the way I approached the day — that my pre-baby methods weren’t going to work any more.
One of the things that really helped me adjust to my new parenting life, and find some sort of work-life-balance, was figuring how to use smaller blocks of time. I might have an hour’s worth of laundry to wash and fold and put away, but I didn’t have a full hour to dedicate to it. Instead, I had to grab 15 minutes in the morning, 20 minutes during the baby’s nap, 5 after dinner and another 10 minutes when the baby was in bed. It’s not ideal, but for me, it has become second nature.
Taking advantage of small bits of time is actually one of my favorite parenting tricks. I’ve found that even a bit as small as 3 minutes can offer enough time to make me feel like I accomplished something practical and useful that day.
Five things I love to do when I find myself with 3 spare minutes:
1) Make an appointment. I always have an appointment that needs to be made — for the doctor or dentist, or for a haircut. And it doesn’t have to be an appointment. ANY practical (short) phone call is perfect. Today, I made a phonecall to order more firewood.
2) Read a book to June. Pat the Bunny
only takes about 60 seconds. I can read it 3 times and June feels loved and attended to.
3) Put in a load of laundry.
4) Sit still and put myself in a better mood by doing something centering like deep breathing or a little prayer.
5) Check on my family’s blogs. : )
How about you? Do you work with small increments of time? What would you do if you had 3 spare minutes? I’d love to know!
P.S. — I bought the watch at top for Ben Blair at Muji. I love that the face is so simple! What to Wear to Alt Summit
Alt Summit was over a month ago, but I’m still fielding questions about what I wore to the conference, so I thought I’d share a little wardrobe tour. But before I start I should tell you that these pictures were taken on a downer sort of day, and the simple act of putting on a real outfit (and lipstick!) turned things around in a jiffy. I need to remember that for future bummed-out days!
Outfit 1: I wore this on Thursday during the sessions and panels. It’s a really easy outfit to wear. Comfortable, and made in easy-to-clean fabrics. In fact, I wore it to the market this morning, and I’m wearing it right now as I type. Except I’ve switched out the heels for black flats. Heels are great for a conference, but not as fun on cobblestone streets.
Turtleneck from Uniqlo, skirt from H&M ($10!!), tights from the grocery store, booties from Zara, necklace from I can’t remember — I’ve had it for ages.
… Living With Kids: Sarah Sandidge
One of my favorite qualities in a friend is the ability to find happiness. No matter how much rain falls, she waits happily for the rainbow. No matter how much trash piles up around her, she spots the treasure. No matter how much chaos fills her life, she always seems to keep calm. I imagine Sarah would make the perfect friend.
When she asked if my readers might like to see what it’s honestly like living with kids during a major home renovation, I immediately said yes. And when she sent a photograph of her husband working on her home’s electrical while holding their daughter, I gulped. Twice! But she has reminded me of a few important parenting ideals, as well as a few unforgettable redecorating with kids warnings, all while making me smile throughout her entire interview. I’d like you to meet my new friend, Sarah. Enjoy the tour!
Q: Your sweet family, as seen on your blog header, is adorable!
A: Our family consists of 4.5 members; we only count the dog, Mollie, as a half-member since we’ve had kids! My husband Jay works for a specialized cable manufacturing company. Not TV cable, but cables that go on military aircraft. He is a regional sales manager, which means he travels a lot…making our renovations even more exciting!
I’m Sarah, a stay-at-home mom, the owner of an online children’s clothing store called Lula in London, blogger, and wife extraordinaire! I am not a photographer, but I sure wish I was!
The little people in our lives are Lula and Diesel. Lula is almost three and full of personality. Diesel is almost one and just about the sweetest, happiest little guy you’ll ever meet. They’re both the most flexible, adaptable kids, which makes our constant changes so much easier.
… What is Healthy Eating?
Friends! This topic has been on my mind since we moved to France and experienced some major shifts in our eating. I’m dying to hear what your thoughts are. I’ve had lots of conversations about healthy eating with dear friends — and dear relatives too. But the thing is, it seems like in every conversation, there is a point I realize we’re talking about completely different things.
In fact, I’ve made a little list, and for every item on the list, I can think of someone in my life who focuses on that type of eating. Some focus on a combination:
Vegan food.
Raw food.
Organic food.
Plant focused meals (not strictly vegetarian).
No snacking.
Locally produced food.
Sugar-free food.
Minimally processed food.
Michael Pollan
food. (eat food, not too much, mostly plants)
Robert Lustig food. (sugar is toxic)
Gary Taubes food. (don’t eat sugar, but eat lots of protein)
Fat-free food.
Gluten-free food.
Lactose-free food.
My own definition of healthy eating is definitely a moving target, so I’m not really interested in what’s right or best (I suppose it depends on the person). I’m just curious. I’d love to know: Right this minute, what is “healthy-eating” to you? Has your definition changed in say, the last 3 years? Have you read anything lately that has you excited about healthy eating? Please share!
Image by Ez, from this post about Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
Love the Place You Live: Mont Ormel
Okay you guys! You ready for my first Love the Place You Live report? Don’t laugh, but my explorations this weekend had a glitch: my camera was out of batteries. Hah! So instead, I decided to write about a local outing we made a couple of months ago to a place called Mont Ormel.
One unexpected side effect of moving to Normandy, is that we suddenly became very interested in World War II. There are signs of it everywhere, and there are plenty of local residents who were teenagers at the time and remember it well. So we’ve done our best to read up about it — at least, all the parts that have to do with this region.
Which brings me to Mont Ormel. Have you ever heard of it? I hadn’t. But if you’re a World War II buff, you probably have. A really decisive battle happened at Mont Ormel. Sometimes it’s called the Battle of Normandy, or the battle of the Argentan-Falaise Gap. It was the final battle before the Allied troops freed Paris. Kind of big deal! But it’s something only the locals really seem to know about, because the D-Day Beaches are the main destination for tourists who are interested in World War II. (And the D-Day Beaches are amazing too!)
Pretty much any drive through Normandy involves gorgeous views. In fact, one of the family jokes is that Ben Blair will say in a commanding voice: Behold: Normandy! whenever a particularly beautiful vista appears — and sometimes he says it like 15 different times on the same drive. It’s just really, really pretty here. But the views from Mont Ormel might be my favorite.
It was so hard to imagine a battle happening in such a serene place. It broke my heart thinking about it! If you ever get a chance to visit, there is a small visitor center with a well done movie — and it’s offered in both French and English. But even if the visitor center was closed, this is a great destination for a Sunday drive. Beautiful views and paths for taking a nice long walk.
I’ve got more images after the jump — and I’ve added a link-up widget at the bottom of the post. Feel free to add the url of your own Love the Place You Live report. I can’t wait to see what you found!
… Double DIY: Chalkboard Twist Ties + Lime Meltaways
Before I say goodbye to Winter this year, I was craving one last project that celebrates the season, so I asked Candice to come up with something cheery and warming. I think her idea is fantastic! — Gabrielle
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I must admit that I love winter. I love layers, mittens, and hot apple cider. I love the bite of cold that hits you when you open the door to head out into the day. I love the way we get to wear cute hats and no one ever thinks it’s just because you didn’t want to do your hair that day. I love the way the clouds hang heavy over mounds of sweeping white snow and how, in the cool light of dawn, you can almost believe in magic.
What I don’t love is that somehow that magic runs out by the end of February. It seems like glittery snow turns into tarnished muck. The winds no longer just nibble at your nose; they chase you to your car. Everything is brown and murky; it feels like the world is just waiting for spring and color. I find I’m not very good at waiting and the drag of a long winter brings me down from my happy self. So, this year, my boys and I decided to embrace the last few weeks of winter by spreading good cheer to all our friends who were waiting for spring and warmer days as well.
We called them boxes of “Winter Wishes.”
…Double DIY: Chalkboard Twist Ties + Lime MeltawaysRead More »
Love the Place You Live
Last week I formally introduced a travel column, but if you’ve been reading awhile, you know I’m equally interested in adventures closer to home. Every where we’ve lived, there have been beloved landmarks, beautiful views and hip shops — and I’m sure that’s true for you as well!
I get a kick out of exploring whatever community I’m living in, so a couple of years ago I asked your opinion about a column called Love the Place You Live. The idea is that we’ll all seek out something cool in our own towns. It could be anything — a great library or museum, a new café, a terrific hike or concert, a favorite building, a local vegetable stand. Whatever you like! Then, we’ll write up our discoveries. I’ll add a linking tool to my post, so that if you’d like to share your adventures, all the links will be in one place, ready to explore.
Two years later and I still really love the idea. So let’s do it! Make plans to explore some bit of the place you live. On Monday, I’ll write up a post about what I found and I’ll include a link widget — you can add your post’s link and we can all read about some of the things people love about their towns. Good? I think it will be fun. I can’t wait to see what you guys love about where you live!!
What do you think? Is Love The Place You Live appealing to you? Do you like the idea of participating and adding your link? Or maybe just the friendly reminder to do some local exploring?
P.S. — I think it’s so important to embrace the place where you are living. Even if you’ll only be there for a short time! Learn to love it. Discover its treasures! Speaking of which, these photos are of an old-chapel-turned-exhibit-space. It’s where we saw the cow exhibit and it’s off by itself on a country road. We’re so glad we know about it!
DIY: Seed Bead Necklace
I saw Andrea’s gorgeous seed bead necklace and asked her to come up with another seed bead creation especially for Design Mom Readers. I adore seed beads, and I love the color scheme she picked. Happy beading! — Gabrielle
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I’ve been playing with jewelry since I was a teenager; nothing too complicated or fancy. I mainly stick to pretty materials and simple designs, which is why seed beads are one of my favorite things to work with. They’re available in a huge assortment of colors, from the palest pinks to the brightest neons, and the finishes are just as diverse. Now, you can get fancy with seed beads and weave intricate patterns and designs, but I prefer to keep mine on the rather clean side and just string a lot of lovely coordinating colors together. Stringing seed beads is not complicated, it just requires a bit of patience, so let me show you. Happy creating!
Materials (available at any large craft store like Michaels): Assorted colors of Seed Beads, Jewelry Spacers, Monofilament Wire (looks like fishing line), 6 Jump Rings in 3 sizes – 4mm (qty 1), 6mm (qty 3) and 8mm (qty 2), Crimp Beads (1.8mm recommended), 1 Lobster Claw closure, Chain.
Scissors, Wire Cutters & Needle nose Pliers are also needed. *Take note, at Michaels they sell a package of jump rings in assorted sizes that will contain all 3 sizes that you need.
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