My friend (and fellow Dallas mama) Pam Stroffolino turned me on to Holly Hester’s line Freckled Chicken. I’m loving her one-of-a-kind skirts featuring pops of fruit print fabric above. They’re like a child version of the Prada and Stella McCartney fruit action that ruled this spring.
Très chic.
(Stella McCartney and Prada skirts in action via The Man Repeller.)
There’s something about the combination of a kid and a photo booth that nets pretty spectacular results. Otherwise camera-shy littles just seem to blossom in the privacy of a booth… They don props, make funny faces, vamp it up. It’s seemingly addictive to the pint-sized set, this photo booth situation.
The above shot is a prime example of this phenomenon. It features my friend and hairdresser extraordinaire Kristin Miller’s two girlies at a party, participating in their (according to Kristin) umpteenth photo booth shot of the evening.
It’s also one of the coolest, cutest kiddo snaps I’ve seen in a while. Just saying’.
There is no shortage of cool, artful “family-friendly” happenings this weekend. I’m planning to hit up both the Ernesto Neto exhibit at the Nasher and Diorama-O-Rama with the girlies, and if things don’t veer into total meltdown mode, I might also try and pop over to Knox Fest and let them get the crazies out.
Here’s the full low-down on all the various goings on:
Ernesto Neto at the Nasher Sculpture Center. The Brazilan artist has created a giant experiential crocheted work of art in one of the center’s galleries. The piece entitled Cuddle on the Tightrope is designed to dramatically alter our surroundings, engage the senses, and invite interaction… I got a little peek yesterday (snapped through the window with my iPhone above) and it looks amazing.
Dirorama-O-Rama. Think of this as an elevated take on everyone’s favorite grade school art project. Super creative dioramas crafted by local artists and just generally cool peeps will be up for auction with proceeds benefitting Café Momentum. There will also be yummy eats for purchase on site, tunes from DJ Chikki G and DJ Hammertimez, and a life-size diorama where you can have your photo snapped. The action’s going down from 4-8 on Saturday at Bolt Studios/2408 Converse. There’s a $5 mandatory donation fee for adults (kiddos get in free entrance, but the kiddos can attend for free. Be sure to bring cash, as you can purchase dioramas or merchandise with a check, but the door fee and refreshments will be cash only!
KnoxFest. A family-friendly block party between Knox Street and Armstrong Avenue from 1 to 4 p .m. on Saturday. The event features area restaurant tastings, a rock-climbing wall, face painters, balloon artists, and caricature artists among other goodness. Admission is $5, and 100 percent of the proceeds benefit Children’s Medical Center.
White Rock Local Market. Local produce, baked goods, crafts + a full roster of music with Lee Harvey’s favorite DJ Tim will be playing a fun mix of music at the market from 8:00 am to 10:00 am followed by live tunes from Country Acoustic Duo Country Fringe from 10:30 to noon.
Chihuly at the Dallas Arboretum. And if you’re still looking for something to do, you could always pack a picnic and brave the crowds to marvel at Dale Chihuly’s glass awesomeness making the already beautiful gardens even more resplendent. Admission is $9-$20.
(images via Kristin Eldridge)
News of Maurice Sendak’s death this morning merits a couple of “Where The Wild Things Are” birthday parties, yes?
I’ve long loved Laura’s simple chic take (above) on the theme…
And then there’s this sweet detail from the lovely Beth’s rendition for her son Max’s first b-day…
Thanks Maurice for all the magic and whimsy!
This world is made of sugar…it can crumble so easily, but don’t be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it.”
If poet Sarah Kay should ever have a daughter, that’s just one of the beautiful, arresting, true things she wants to tell her…
There’s this one too:
“I want her to look at the world through the underside of a glass bottom boat, to look through a microscope at the galaxies that exist on the pinpoint of a human mind because that’s the way my mom taught me…”
I. Love. This. TED. Talk.
Thanks C.
Land of Nod is killing it lately with their styling…all artfully messy vignettes and unique toys and objects. It’s shelter mag worthy stuff I tell ya.
Especially fun though are the giant butterfly decals by local design darlings Bee Things spotted scattered throughout the pages of the catalog. I’ve long loved husband and wife team Shay Ometz and Jeff Barfoot’s art prints, posters, apparel, and products for kiddos and home…so it’s v. cool to see them mixing it up at Land of Nod.
I’m digging the new Preston Royal Central Market in a big way… It’s mellow, easy to navigate, the employees are insanely friendly, and they mix & match cookie bar is a thing of beauty. It’s goodness all around. And in a stroke of pure genius, they’ve teamed up with Abrakadoodle to offer “foodie art classes” on May 19th and June 16th from 10:00-11:00.
The one-hour class is designed for kids between the ages of 4 and 9 and will run you $15…a small price for letting the littles get their art on while you embark on a leisurely roam through the produce aisles, yes?
For more information, or to register for classes, call 972-422-9150 or enroll online.
(Our collective girlies taking in one of last year’s Patio Sessions.)
Patio Sessions at the AT&T PAC kicks-off tonight, and, I have to say, I’m pretty jazzed. We took the girlies last year for the Destry/Orbans show, and it could not have been a more blissful evening.
The sessions happen every Thursday evening through May 31st, and it is a perfect, perfect event for kiddos… “Why”, you ask? Well let me break it down for you…
It’s foolproof I tell you. Go. You’ll be happy that you did.
Audrey and I have started taking classes together here and there…We learned how to make Polish chandeliers at Bows and Arrows last summer (hard, I’m not going to lie, but fun), and a few weeks ago we tried our hands at making terrariums at We Are 1976 (easy…we’re hooked on terrariums). It’s good mother/daughter bonding, and we both get our craft on. Everyone’s happy.
For our next co-creative endeavor, I’m eyeing the lovely and talented designer Allison Vieger’s upcoming relief printing class at Oil and Cotton on May 1st. On the agenda: creating stationery designs out of pencil erasers and potatoes + learning to make your own unique stamp by carving rubber blocks.
Audrey would totally dig this action (and truth be told, I would too…I’m a sucker for a good rubber stamp). The class includes creating 3 piece stationery sets, calling cards, custom gift tags, wrapping paper, and art to take home and frame.
Now if only I could find washable rubber stamp ink. Hmm…
(Millie’s handiwork above)
Friends, we’ve had quite the radio silence over here. Things they are a changing’ — life’s been nutty, two of the four of us started new jobs this year, schedules have been insane…
So we paused and assessed and pondered. And now we’re back. We’ll I’m back. (Hang with me here.)
Since we last spoke, I quit my job of 13 years to become the style editor for D Home magazine and to help launch a new publication, D Moms. As part of the latter, tinyDallas is now joining the D family as the official blog of D Moms. Over the next months, I’ll still be posting here, and you’ll be able to see those posts over on the new D Moms site. And when D Moms magazine launches in October of this year, there will be a fully integrated web presence. Exciting stuff, yes?
Ok so now that we’ve gotten business out of the way, onto some fun with photos, otherwise known as ways to avoid an epic kiddo meltdown when they’ve reached their limit after accompanying you on a (long) shopping trip. Ready?
Hand them the camera.
This is foolproof, I promise. It’s gotten me out of many a jam. I go all out and hand one of the girlies the good camera, ensure the strap is snugly positioned around their neck, and let them go nuts. They feel empowered, emboldened (and most important) entertained. And not only are meltdowns avoided, but we sometimes get some pretty great (read: blogworthy) snaps out of the whole enterprise. Like, say, that snap above shot by Millie during our vacation last week. All those pretty Claus Porto soaps…sigh.
