LilSugar

Honor Your Lovey With a Spot on the Wall

babysugar — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:00:41 PST

Put a frame on it! A lovey has a special place in both yours and your lil one's hearts. For your tot, it is a comfort to help him get through a rough night or a bad fall. For you, it is a transitional object that can be easily grabbed to calm an upset child.

If your wee one's lovey deserves a spot on the trophy shelf, but neither of you can bear the thought of parting with it, consider hanging it in a place of honor on the wall. We're not suggesting that you give it up quite yet (just remember – your child will not be carrying it down the aisle on his wedding day), but that you have a picture of the prized position painted for the nursery. Custom Toy Portraits uses photos of favorite toys and stuffed animals to create one-of-a-kind oil on canvas paintings that add a unique finishing touch to any child's room. In just two week's time, artist Jennifer Maher can convert photos of beloved objects into beautiful artwork. So even when your tyke is ready to retire his trusted friend, he can always turn to a hand-painted version to calm his middle of the night fears.

Is It Okay to Drug Kids for Airplane Rides?

LilSugar — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:40:17 PST

Holiday travel entails a lot of lugging when you've got kids and suitcases. Add long lines and late flights to the list, and the last thing you need is your child having a mid-air meltdown. To prevent this, some parents give their lil darling a dose of medication like Benadryl or Dimetapp. What's your opinion?

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Quick Tip: Add Privacy to a Balcony

Elka Karl — Thu, 12 May 2011 10:50:00 PDT

This apartment building near Munich, Germany, certainly defines high-density living. One smart way that its residents have made their balconies an extension of their private living space is by wrapping them in gridding, water-resistant fabric, or a mixture of both. This ensures that a little more of your private life stays private, even if you're nearly elbow to elbow with your next door neighbor.

In the Bay Area, I've seen friends use bamboo curtains, bright strips of fabric, or even woven saplings to create a privacy barrier on their decks, porches, or balconies. It's a great solution for making that space seem a little more personal and secure. Adding a table umbrella also helps to keep prying eyes from observing your business as well.

One of my favorite methods for adding a bit of privacy to a space like this is by using trellising plants. It requires a bit of patience, but if you live in a mild climate you can encourage morning glories, jasmine, passionflower, or other beautiful vines to slowly grow a privacy screen for you.

Have you added a privacy screen to your balcony? What did you make it from?

Bella Brand: Saffron James

BellaSugar — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:00:00 PDT

Former fashion magazine editor Katherine Growney grew up on the picturesque island of Hawaii, eventually landing writing jobs in New York City, roughly 5,000 miles east of her hometown. It wasn't until she began working as a beauty editor at Elle that a chat with a fellow staffer began the sparks that eventually would lead to the start of her own business. "I started talking about Tiare Gardenia, Plumeria, Pakalana, and she just gave me a blank stare. I realized the flowers that I had grown up with, that were commonplace to me, most people had never seen, smelled, or even heard of," said Growney.

Thus, the idea for Saffron James Parfums, a line of Hawaiian-inspired scents, was born. (Saffron, being Gowney's nom de plume from her magazine days, and James, her father's name). The current collection includes four tropical scents, with plans to add a candle and body oils in the near future. Interestingly, Gowney is also a trained chef, drawing inspiration for her newfound career in perfumery from her experience with the delicate balances of food flavors and aromas. Find out more about the notes in her perfumes after the break.