Monday, November 5, 2012
vintage toys
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Lego guys are funny
Friday, February 18, 2011
Sophie
In case you have ever wondered, as I did, why this 40-year-old teething toy is so wildly popular (and pricey!) -I did a little research. According to Sophie's site, she is a longtime favorite because she is the first baby toy to stimulate all five senses. She is smooth and soft, with contrasting light and dark coloring from food paints- she squeaks and the distinctive smell of the rubber from the Hevea tree has proved to be pleasing to babies everywhere. In other words....this little giraffe is perfect.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
handmade doll house

Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Aline Smithson's "In Case of Rain"
I keep going back to Aline Smithson's photo series, "In Case of Rain" (discovered on kris atomic) with its beauty and brightness on this rainy and gloomy day. Hope you fall in love with it too....
"We live in a world of technical distractions. I see my children gathered around their computers as though it's a summer campfire, faces aglow, as they peer into a world of friends and fantasy, participating in a new form of entertainment that further remove them from the childhood that I experienced.
Today's generation has lost touch with the activities that previous generations have enjoyed—reading a good book in a comfortable chair, playing board games on a rainy day, flipping through Life magazines, or sprawling out on the living room rug while listening to records and reading the backs of album covers.
And it's because of this that I have been looking at book shelves and untouched childhood pursuits with a new eye. With great sadness, I realize that these objects will someday be obsolete, at least in their current incarnations. And like a curator of antiques, I see them now as beautiful objects to be admired and preserved, if only on film.
I can only hope for rain, a heavy rain and maybe a power outage."
— Aline Smithson on her photo series, "In Case of Rain"
Friday, February 26, 2010
Toys for the Taking

Here's a little something cheerful to send you on your way to the weekend: The Toy Society.
Have you heard about them?
The Toy Society was started by a small group of Australian crafters who began leaving handmade toys in public places to be adopted and loved by whomever found them. But the concept caught on, crafters from all over the world joined the project, and the Society just recorded toy drop #959.
Here's what you might find if you come across a Toy Society toy:
If you do find a toy, it is then your duty to visit the Toy Society blog and record your find. To me, the finders' responses are the best part. It brings me such satisfaction to read about a find and to know that a quirky, hand-stitched toy appeared in someone's life and made it happier.
Some of my favorite Toy Society drops:





For many more images of Toy Society drops, visit their Flickr group.
Friday, February 19, 2010
eeboo




Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Thursday, a Norman Rockwell toy chest, and Etsy
Yesterday would have been Norman Rockwell's 116th birthday. So in his honor I thought I'd try fill a toy chest inspired by his aesthetic. With bright and simple toys, classic games, and the smallest of finds - this treasure trove of mid-century nostalgia was such a pleasure to put together...
To begin, you'd need one beautiful box:
And then lots of toys (mostly in tin, wood, and one in marble):
A true toy box also needs to be readied for moments of reading and writing:
And, of course, there must be the makings for dress-up play:























































