Keepin it Neat...

The holidays typically bring in a lot of new stuff into your home.  For an organizing freak like me, this can be stressful.  Most of us barely have room in our homes for what we already have.  I spend a lot of time looking for new cute ways to store things in my home.  Most of my time is now spent looking for cute ways to store my son's toys.  Here are some of my favorite options:)

Sabrina Basket with chalkboard label

Galvanized Buckets

Pysslingar  Trunk

Kusiner Storage Baskets

Saved By The Cube

I Could've Bin a Container

Skip Hop Storage Bin

See organizing can be fun and cute:)  These are storage items that you will want leave on display!!

Love, Love, Love- Holiday Edition

I am in holiday decorating mode and wanted to share some cute things that I have found...

Personalized Ornament

1st Hanukkah Onesie

Reindeer T-shirt

Cloth Hanukkah Book for Kids

Personalized Kids Stockings

Nativity Playdough Playmat

"Click Take a Pic..."

If you guys are anything like me...then you take a ton of photos and then wonder what cute things you can do with them.  I am always looking for ways to display them around my house.  I hate leaving cute pictures in the package they get sent in, or in a photo box somewhere. (although digging through those boxes is fun on lazy nights)

Frames are always a fun option, but so many of them are boring.  They either have no distinguishing qualities, or too many.  I can't stand the overdecorated items that they have in most kids departments.  The photo should be main feature, not the frame.  The frame is there to be the fabulous supporting actor;)  I have been looking around for cute frames for the last month...and then leave it to another Little Orso reader to share a great frame with me!!  That is the best part about this blog not only do I share things that I love, but you guys take the time to share things that you love too.  Love it!!  Keep sharing:)

How sweet is that frame?  I love how it has a vintage feel, with a modern design.

This frame is from Picture This, a cute online store that sells personalized frames.  The store is owned and run by Jessika, who lives in Iowa and runs an at home daycare.  She said that she loves the children like her own, and is eager to start her own family.

When she isn't working, she is usually creating new items like these frames, jewelery, scrapbooks... Always something new and fun:)

Not only do I get to share these cute frames with you today, but one of you will get the chance to win a $15 gift certificate to Picture This !!  Which is fabulous to win right now, because they are running a two for $30 special.  Frames are usually $18, so this a great deal:)

To enter our Giveaway you must do 2 things:

1. Head over and like Picture This on Facebook.

2. Post a comment below letting us know what frame you would like to win. Remember you do not need to log in to post a comment.  Just make sure that you put your name in the comment (with the first letter of your last name...ie Buckley F.), so that we know who our winner is.

This Giveaway ends tonight (11/14/12) at midnight (pst).  A winner will be picked randomly using random.org.  The winner will be announced on our Facebook page tomorrow morning.  Make sure that you like us, so that you get our announcements:)

Good luck!!!

Love, Love, Love- Election Edition....

Teaching our children about campaigns and elections is always a tricky thing. Here are some items that make the discussion exciting, and cute ;)

Of course this item featured last week on our block post, would also make this list:)

Cupcake Toppers

Custom Name Political T-shirt or Onesie

Custom Presidential Print

Presidential Whittle Peg Doll

Presidential Whittle Peg Doll

...and an extra one for good luck & just because my first child was a furbaby

Presidential Election Doggy Bandanna

Happy Voting!!

Blocks:)

My son is obsessed with blocks.  We make towers all day long!!  I guess I am to blame for his love of blocks, because I gave him a set of wooden ABC blocks when he was about 4 months old.  I figured you are never too young for blocks.  He loved looking at the colors and pictures back then.  Now he builds towers taller than him, and sometimes feels the need to throw his blocks across the room ;)

There are so many cute blocks on the market these days.  When I was little we had a few wooden block choices, and a few plastic...

Here are some great alternatives to the typical wooden ABC blocks.

President Block Set

Periodic Table Blocks

Lowercase Blocks

Braille and Sign Language Blocks

Rainbow Sound Blocks

Boikido Wooden Blocks

...and if none of these excite you, you can make your own wooden blocks with this very cool kit:)

Make Your Own Blocks

Hope you enjoy, and start building your own towers today:)  If building is not your thing, it is ok because wooden blocks are great to decorate with.  They look cute in a jar, on a shelf, glued on a canvas....

Won't You Be My Neighbor??

Happy Halloween!!

In a round about way, this post has to do with Halloween (I will show you in a second).

I remember having the coolest airport playmat when I was little.  It had runways, a parking lot, the streets around the airport etc..  I got my son something similar at Ikea, and he really likes it.  However there is a new playmat on my radar.

Boardstiff, makes these fabulous neighborhood playmats.  They come in three sizes, and they personalize the playmat to your street address.  You can also specify important locations and intersections.

I would have loved this growing up!!  Actually I should probably still get one, considering I give directions by landmark (not street).  It is a great way to teach someone the names of the streets in their neighborhood, and just so fun!!  Who doesn't want to drive mini cars and trucks down there own street??

Which brings me back to my Halloween connection... think of the Trick or Treat "pre-gaming" that could go on with this mat??!!  You could sit around your mat and make a great plan of which direction covers the most homes.  You could even mark the spots with stickers, or figures:)

This would make a fantastic holiday gift, just tie some cars or trucks on with a big bow:)  Head over to Boardstiff and order yours today.  Since it is a personalized gift, you do not want to wait until the last second to order it.

Naptime Production!

I love when people share new places to shop with me, especially when the shops are theirs!!  There is nothing I love more than buying things from friends, and sharing these great things with all of you.

Recently my friend Beverly shared her new shop Naptime Production with me.  Cute name huh??!! The shop is run by two moms, that create these adorable items during "nap time".  With 14 nap times a week (if they are lucky), between their two homes, there is always something new!!  They have inspired me to be more productive during our own nap time;)

The stuff at their store is so cute!!  As you all know I am a sucker for personalized items, and they really hit a home run with theirs.  There are so many cute items to choose from!

Here are some of my favorites...

Personalized Canvas

Football Blanket (obviously this would be even cuter with Packers fabric;) )

Tie and Suspender Onesie

Rudolph Thermal

 

Sailboats and Red Polka Dot Flannel Blanket

Breast Cancer Ribbon Tie T-shirt

Personalized Mickey and Minnie Shirts

Birth Stats Art

And because I can't share anything this cute, without giving you a chance to win one, we are doing a Giveaway!!  Naptime Production has offered one special reader a personalized Birth Stats Art (the image directly above).  You just supply them with the info, and they will make you one for your very own wall:)

To enter this Giveaway:

1. "like" Naptime Production's Facebook Page

2. "like" Little Orso's Facebook Page

3. Leave your name below in the comments. You do not need to log in to leave a comment.

One winner will be chose using random.org tomorrow (10/23), at midnight pst.  The winner will be announced the following morning on our Facebook Page.

Good luck :)

Giveaway 2 :)

The last time we gave these away our blog crashed for a few hours:)  Today we are giving away three signs from Dishwasher Sign (there will also be one in the gift basket for the person that sends the most new fans to our Little Orso Facebook page).

The winners will get to pick the color of their sign and what sign they would like (dishwasher, bathroom, bedroom, pet...)  I personally have my eye on one for our dog, and one for our guest bathroom.

This giveaway ends at 11:59pm pst today 10/17/12.

The winners will be announced first thing tomorrow morning.

To enter you must like Dishwasher Sign on Facebook.

Then leave a comment below with which sign you would like.
You can leave the comment anonymously (meaning you do not log in), but if you do please put your first name and the first letter of your last name in the comment. (ie Carrie D)

The winners will be randomly picked used random.org.

Good luck!!

***This Giveaway is now closed the winners are 1. Jaime Hoyles MacKay, 2. Leslie Matteson, &
3. Bethany Rine ***

Looking Back at Year1...Day 3

We have featured so many cute things on Little Orso, that is has been hard to figure out which items to re-share with you.

Here are two of my favorites...


We featured Buds N Branches in one of our first posts, because they were one of the first Etsy stores to jump out at me for kids clothes.

The store is run by Sabrina, a stay at home mom, who realized that there was a need for unique, cute, classic, & reversible clothing for boys and girls. 

We agree:)  And she does them so well!!  Just picture these outfits in your holiday pictures, or for your holiday card.  She offers so many different fabrics, looks, personalization, etc.. you really can find something for every event.  Click here to read our original post on them, and learn more about Buds N Branches. 

Stay tuned to Little Orso today, because we have some surprises from Buds N Branches coming up:)



Another item that got readers talking, and that I personally have and love is the dishwasher sign featured  back in July.

As I shared in the original post about them (seen here), my husband and I were having an issue with unloading dirty dishes.  This sign has literally changed our lives.  No more emptying dirty dishes!! 

The Etsy store is called Dishwasher Sign, but they also make signs for pets, Nursery's, Bathrooms etc...

I definitely will be purchasing some more for our home, and these make a great housewarming gift as well.

If you are thinking about buying one, you are in luck:)  We have some special surprises from them coming up later today:)

Adventures in My Shopping Cart...

So we have been really busy lately, but it hasn't kept me from a little of my favorite late night activity...throwing items in my virtual carts.  Here are some of the items on the top of my "to buy" list!!

Eco Kids Personalized Letter Pillows

I love these!!  I am a big initial and monogram fan, so of course I would love these.  But there is something about the colors and font, that makes these extra exciting.  I can think of so many things to do with these...write your child's name on their wall with them (pillows look cute hung on the wall), put initials on the family couch, give these to newlyweds, put the first letter of a child's name on their new "big kid bed", party favors for a sleepover party, spell out a sports team, get the entire alphabet for your playroom.... I could go on for hours! 

Needless to say I will be getting a few of these!! ...and they are upcycled, so you can feel good about buying them:)

Soda Can Magnets

Anyone that knows me, knows that I love my Coke a Cola!!!  I also love crafts, especially those that make something new and cute out of something else.  These magnets are adorable, and I love that they are made out of an old Coke can. 

There are so many cute shapes and designs to choose from at this store, head over and check them all out.  They use all types of drinks too!!

Eco Friendly Fort Kit

I have featured a few forts on here...my brothers and I used to build forts every day.  There is nothing better than hiding out in your fort, and having fun.  I really like this kit, because it helps you build one yourself.  It reminds me of the ones that we used to make, with old sheets and pillows.

Not everyone has an extra set of sheets and pillows laying around for fort construction, so this kit is fabulous.  It comes with everything that you need to make a fort like this one, and a great tote to store it all in.

Fairy Tales for Hope ♥

About a month ago a friend of mine sent me an email asking me if I had seen Fairy Tales For Hope, they sell fairy tale prints for stillbirth awareness?"  I immediately went over to the site and fell in love!!  It combines so many things that I love; fairy tales, reading, art, infant loss awareness, charity...

I knew right away that I had to order a print, and contact them about featuring them.  I ordered a "Three Bears" print, and sent them an email.  I immediately heard back from Sally, who was thrilled to have us feature them. She also mentioned how busy they are, and that some prints were actually already selling out!!  I figured I better squeeze them in to my schedule in the next few weeks.

So here they are Fairy Tales For Hope.  The organization was started by Sally and Simon Heppleston, who lost their daughter Hope in August of 2008.  They decided to sell fairy tale prints, because reading fairy tales was something that they had looked forward to doing with their daughter.  They have 31 different images to choose from (although by the time this post goes live some will be sold out), and they were all done by the talented artist Tonia Composto.  The proceeds go to Stillbirth Awareness, and research.

You do not have to be a Baby Loss Parent to appreciate these prints, or even a parent.  The prints are absolutely stunning.  I would have loved to have decorated my apartment in them, back in my "single days".  They are great for kids' rooms, dens, schools, doctors' offices, bookstores, clothing stores...basically every where!!  They are also very affordable, and they ship worldwide:)

Head over to their site and check them out today, they will not last long!!