fawn&forest

Just in time for Easter, an organic Rabbit Rattle by Dress Me Up! Gentle shakey sound + floppy ears, perfect for chewing on. Dress Me Up's signature free hand stitching is just so beautiful and spring-ish.

Hippity-hop.

I think if you have room in your home for a vanity, you've got a bit of sass. The Cabana Vanity by Ducduc in red hand limed oak (shown in image above) is way sassy. It even has a pop up mirror.

This is like every 10 year old girl's dream station. 

Fresh from the woodshop is the new Kalon Ioline Dresser. It's sexy. It's modern. It's sustainable. It's made in the usa. The bamboo is hot and I am totally loving it. 

Three drawers and guess what? The Kalon Changing Trunk fits snugly on top if you'd like it that way.

Is it weird to have a crush on a dresser? 

If you have 2 boys like I do, Periwainklebloom will make you want to have a girl ...because, check out those dresses! They're simple, beautiful and thoughtful designed using sustainable and organic fabrics. Transitional pieces that are perfect for spring.

Okay, okay. Periwinklebloom does have 2 pieces that my sweet boys would adore: the Organic Sherpa Hoodie and the Organic Trunks.

The Amenity Nursery sale has been a lot of fun this month -- 20% off all their amazing organic blankets, crib sets, wall art and floor pillows. You can tell Kristina de Corpo of Amenity (pictured above, left) loves what she does. Read on for a few of her top 3's! Thanks Kristina!

When you were a kid, what were your top 3 favorite things?
1. reading
2. playing in the woods
3. my mom's yellow toyota wagon - it was such a happy car!

 
What are your top 3 favorite sites? (Besides amenityhome.com!)
1. www.weather.com
2. www.stewartbrown.com
3. www.designspongeonline.com

What are 3 of your favorite words?
i love you

What are 3 things you want to do in the future?
1. build a treehouse
2. start composting
3. travel with my son

What are your favorite 3 Amenity Nursery pieces?
1. the turtle stretched print
2. woods blanket
3. the wool bumper
.....all things I used with my son and just adore.

The Amenity Nursery sale continues until March 31st.

You can only make + eat so much banana bread with all those over-ripe bananas sitting on the counter. When I found this recipe on 101cookbooks.com (called Nikki's Healthy Cookies) i was thrilled. Finally another use for all those bananas.  Eliot + I made them, which was fun and they're quite tasty.....and healthy. Bonus!

Here's the recipe:

3 large, ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut oil, barely warm - so it isn't solid (or alternately, olive oil)
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup almond meal
1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded & unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 - 7 ounces chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks in the top third.

In a large bowl combine the bananas, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Set aside. In another bowl whisk together the oats, almond meal, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks/chips.The dough is a bit looser than a standard cookie dough, don't worry about it. Drop dollops of the dough, each about 2 teaspoons in size, an inch apart, onto a parchment (or Silpat) lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes. I baked these as long as possible without burning the bottoms and they were perfect - just shy of 15 minutes seems to be about right in my oven.

Makes about 3 dozen bite-sized cookies.

Recipe from: 101cookbooks.com
Images are mine. 

New from Adrift Mobiles is the most beautiful Mora. Mora is 3 abstract leaves made of wood veneer, delicately balanced and suspended. The veneer is cut so that the grain mimics the veins of a leaf. 

I imagine the open spaces in the falling, drifting leaves of Mora would make the most beautiful shapes and shadows on the ceiling. 

I've been a big fan of Filzfelt, so I was crazy excited when Chris picked it as a February Forest Finds. Wool felt is simply, fantastic. Equally fantastic? Kelly + Traci of Filzfelt. Thank you ladies!

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Traci:  I honestly don’t know, it was so long ago!
Kelly:  It was constantly changing. At one point a lawyer, later an art teacher, professional gymnast/soccer player, traveler...I did go through a bout of making clothing for my cabbage patch kids in elementary school and then later in high school making dresses and bags for myself out of old clothing, so that designer/maker part of me has always been there.

You ladies are the felt queens! Why felt? How does this 1 material inspire you?
Kelly: I've been working with since 2005 with my other company (Etcetera Media) and can't get enough of it! It's a monolithic material that is quite structural on it's own, it's edges can be left raw without finishing, it's 100% wool (recycled from sheep!) which means its eco-friendly, recyclable and renewable. It's also conveniently water resistant, and just gorgeous on it's own.
Traci: For me, the inherent beauty of materials has always been appealing. Too much embellishment or froofrooness (is that a word?!) is not for me. And wool felt is beautiful and surprisingly textural and saturated in color. Its also a material that's been around forever and there’s something wonderful about taking an ancient art and putting a modern spin on it.

What does 2009 hold for you?
Hopefully profit and fame. No really, besides just selling felt on a regular basis, we hope to spread the love of felt in this country. We are currently working on a permanent felt installation in a retail space in Boston and collaborating with other designers and architects on their own products and projects. We’re also totally excited to be an exhibitor at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in NYC this spring.

New from Cariboo is the Kiwi Cot Collection! Nursery pieces that do double duty is terribly exciting, I have to say.

Cariboo, who makes fantastic bassinets, is introducing the new Kiwi Cot crib (above middle) that not only transforms into a toddler bed (above right) but also a daybed/couch (not pictured).

Also part of the Cariboo Kiwi Cot collection is the dresser, which has 4 spacious drawers and a spot on top to hold a changing pad. Both pieces are available in 2 non-toxic finishes -- espresso and teak.

The Cariboo Kiwi Cot Collection will be available at fawn&forest soon  -- early April!

Part .03 Organic Butternut Squash

1. Wash, peel + chop 1 small organic butternut squash.
2. Follow the directions on how to steam + puree using the Beaba, here. Super simple.
3. Feed fresh butternut puree to baby or freeze in Fresh Baby Food Trays (shown above, right).

I was always a bit nervous when making my 1st son baby food. Back then, these were some of my questions + concerns:

What foods do I start with + how often?
A few good resources: 
Dr. Greene (scroll down a bit)
Dr. Sears
Kellymom
Fresh Baby -- make of the Fresh Baby Food Trays (shown above, right)

I have been mixing the fresh purees with oats + grains that baby O is ready for. For a pre-made baby version, I like Happy Baby.

Read more of...... My life with the Beaba Babycook.

New! The Kalon Toddler Bed. I love toddler beds. They're like a cozy little world for your munchkin. 

Kalon's cozy little world is made of bamboo and available in 3 options: sloped sides (above right), squared sides (above left) or no sides at all.

And those little slats? Wouldn't kids have fun putting little toys + cards through those spaces?  yes.

We are thrilled to now carry the HiLo highchair by AGE Design. 

My favorite features:
1. The whole chair flips. It's a 2 in 1. HI for the highchair and LO for the toddler booster seat.
2. Fantastic colors. Who can argue with Asparagus green?
3. Thoughtful design and the whole thing is wipe-able.... because we all know how grody highchairs can get.

For all you dark wood fans, good news. The Q Collection Jr. Cielo crib and changer & the Solara crib now come in "nighttime"!

Really, so lovely. And dig it: Q Collection Jr. is super green: non-toxic finishes, made of hard wood, made in the usa + happy. Quite happy.

Also check out that great new pink-ish bedding: Roxy! and........ the new toddler bed conversion rail!

A long winter sure does make everyone antsy to get outside. Breath fresh air and play. New from notNeutral, the BBO2 table + chairs, a collaboration with Loll, made of recycled high density plastic. So fresh, so eco!

Loll is an outdoor furniture producer of contemporary, durable all-weather furniture. Loll sustainable furniture is fashioned with superior grade recycled high density polyethylene (HDPE). The HDPE Loll uses has an attractive aesthetic and does not have the look of more common recycled material. High grade stainless steel fasteners hold everything together, forever.

The BBO2 table + chairs would also make an excellent indoor play option. And would surely stand up to all the abuse. Markers, glitter, glue and tap-dancing.

NEW for 2009: the AJ Collection by DucDuc! The AJ collection offers even more options for your nursery. 

The AJ crib features built-in storage with open shelving or closed storage with doors.  The AJ dresser/changing table comes in 2 heights and offers closed storage with doors or drawers as an option, as well as easily accessible open storage.  The AJ armoire features the convenience of open shelves with closed storage as well.  

True, you can never get enough storage. 

40% off. Sweet words.

My friend at 10 Grain recently wrote and said: "Are we having fun yet? With the financial markets tanking, 401K's imploding, foreclosures rising and the general economic outlook bleak, 10 Grain is taking the initiative to raise the spirits of the masses. How, you say? The 10 Grain Lounge Desk and Play Pad Promo, of course."

Of course. 40% off 10 Grain Play Pads and Lounge Desks. Sweet. 

I am absolutely fascinated by they way I am transported into the art of Matthew Carden. I love when art is not only interesting to look at, but draws you in.... to marshmallows, peas, chocolate and cheese. Amazing.  

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As a kid I did not think much about the long term. No "I wanna be a fireman or an astronaut" memories that I can recall. The family business was there, but not an option, and my folks pretty much left it up to me to decide what to do. Art, creativity, and play have always been a part of my life. So, it seems natural that being a creative professional/artist as a Photographer would be the result. I really love what I do, and can't imagine doing anything else.

Get this: 20% off all Amenity for the month of March.  Amenity has super fantastic organic nursery crib sets, blankets, floor pillows and a whole menagerie of wallart. Double thumbs up: it's all organic. Organic is happy.

Like a fresh bunch of spring tulips, Suann of simplesong has given us a fresh selection of guest gift picks. So fresh.

simplesong is spreading the love! Her amazing letterpress is also a Forest Finds this month, check all the loveliness out here.

Also take a look at the excellent new design on the Gifts + Ideas page!

....and it's a downpour of goodness. Amazing stationary bits from simplesong, knit goodies from Oeuf, quilted bibs by rikrak and natural rubber and teethers by Natursutten. It's made + designed by mom month for March!

The deer + moose cardboard trophy heads are one of those products that make you say, Whoah, that is really cool. Because they are. Cardboard Safari is the brainchild of 2 guys, Chris and Luis who are inspired by nature and enjoy making products out of sustainable materials. Not only do the trophies make a great conversation piece, but are a lot of fun to assemble too. 

 
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Chris: I wanted to make neat stuff.
Luis: A rocket pilot like Han Solo.  As a teenager, a rock star and now I am still thinking about what to be when I grow up.

ABC’s by Amy of Little Alouette

A is for Autobio:
I grew up an only child in Southeastern Ohio’s woods. I believe the freedom and encouragement of my parents to explore and create daily gave me a highly creative mind. My journals from my childhood are awesome relics of a girl unafraid to dream. My favorite spot was the creek bed and I did have a motorbike. Like clockwork I rebelled against the country life and lived all over the world before settling in a city. I still miss the stillness and quiet of the country. I still long for my creek bed.

B is for Balance:
I am daily seeking balance of work and family. It is really hard to find all the time in the day for it all. I have come to realize that one must be able to live with a messy house sometimes. There must be time when you put everything away and focus on the family. It is getting harder to do this as technology captures us more and more- but one must disconnect from everything each day to connect and find that peace. Artists must also be willing to not be selfish. I want to lock myself up and write and create for hours on end, but it really cannot be that was anymore with a two boys aged 4 & 2. I must find balance. I must carve out time to make out with my husband and laugh until I cry.

C is for Creative Places:
I seek inspiration. I think most people do. I find that going outside and touching the world as I call it makes me a better person. Touch a tree, hug a friend, scrape yr feet against the sidewalk, kick a rock, breathe the sun, arch yr back to the wind. All of the outside can bring us so much happiness. I also love libraries. And pubs. And parks.

But I will not lie. I love the world that lives inside my computer. I find amazing inspiring things each and every day!

Here are some favorite place:

dooce.com
flickr.com
designmom.com
maryruffle.tumblr.com
jordanferney.blogspot.com
kirtsy.com
apartmenttherapy.com
vimeo.com
alphamom.com
kaylovesvintage.blogspot.com
simplelovely.com
designformankind.com
chookooloonks.com/blog

..........And I could go on and on and on. Just check my blogroll at my blog, doobleh-vay.

I think it is important to ask yrself a few questions sometimes:
Have you kissed anyone today?
Have you forgiven lately?
Are you happy?

Follow yr bliss! Thanks so much! Xo Amy