Image from Barking Bird Art, find their shop here.

So…I’m going to get a little deep on you this week, but fear not…there’s a reason to my deepness:)

I just finished Wally Lamb’s The Hour I First Believed. Some of you have probably already read it a few years ago when it came out. I couldn't read it when it first came out. For some reason reading a book that had a link to Columbine...well, I just couldn't do. Maybe it was because I felt it was still too fresh. Anyway…flash forward to a few months ago…picked it up and put it down. Then, finally…picked it and couldn't put it down. Read it...it goes beyond Columbine...way beyond and with such class:)

In reading this book I kept thinking about the parents of these kids. Bottom line…they were somebody’s babies. The Hubster and I constantly daydream of what the boy wonder will be. Architect? Musician? Artist? Chef? Space Cowboy???? As I’m sure every mama and papa does…you think…as long as they’re happy and making an honest living.

Being the great stumbler that I am starting to become, I stumbled upon a website, literally, the day after I closed the book. I’m not a crazy nut job thinking…”oooh this was destined to happen…the gods are reaching out to me and I have been the chosen one to deliver the message to the masses!” No…that’s not me. I just happen to think it’s incredibly interesting and would love it if my boy wonder got to do this when he starts school (I have a few years…but the thought of him going to school just made me take an extra breath).

The David Lynch Foundation. Yes…the Twin Peaks guy. The David Lynch Foundation is geared for getting all schools into transcendental meditation. A meditation that he has practiced for over 30 years, along with millions of other people from all races, religions and walks of life. Basically…every student who wants to participate gets one period a day of “diving within” ones self….a nice ohm period of relaxing, de-stressing, and personal quiet time so they can re-group. If you go to the foundation’s website…you can hear testimonies from tons of kids where these meditation classes take place and you can see how excited they are to talk about it and how proud they are of how their test scores have improved, their social skills, their confidence (who doesn't need more of that when you’re young…remember??) and how the school & surrounding communities have benefited from the integration of the meditation.

I can not help but flash forward to a time when my babe goes to school. The Hubster and I have countless conversations on how we are going to handle certain “situations” when they arise (I get social skills and manners…he gets puberty:). Believe me…I am by no means a new ager (no patchouli oil here!)…but will do and try anything if it will make for a happier, healthier, better adjusted being that will give back to the world and make his mark.

“Individual peace is the unit of world peace”-David Lynch.

This from the guy who made Blue Velvet?

Now the real question is…which came first…meditation or Eraserhead??

Find more information on David Lynch's Foundation here.

New Design!: Your Own Name Brand

Introducing our newest design! We're so excited about this simple, yet chic design. Layer two different sizes, or wear one on its own, either way its a great way to show your pride in your own creation (those little beans of yours).

Name Brand

A necklace made solely for you? Oh…that’s couture dahling!

Talk about a name brand that is tres chic. Create your Name Brand necklace with names, dates, birthplaces (as shown) stones, and/or any wish you desire.

For pricing and ordering, contact us through our site here.

Check Check Check Check it Out

If you've looked at our site recently, you may have noticed our Collections section has been under construction. Well friends it is finally up in all its glory, so go check it out! Now you can check out all of our awesome designs. We're working on adding a shopping cart so you can shop to your little heart's content, but till then please feel free to email us for any information on pricing or ordering. We'd love to hear from you!

Go to our site here!

From the Desk of A.J. - Great American Dine Out Reminder

*Don't let this otter be disappointed in you too. (via)

OK…pop quiz time.

What is this week?
First week of fall? Yes.
First week to start looking at this season’s fab new boots? Well…yes.
First week to start picturing yourself running through fallen leaves of gold, amber, and orange? Yes again…but that’s not what this pop quiz is about.

It’s the Great American Dine Out week!!!! Remember…a few weeks ago I blogged about feeding yourselves and hungry kids all across the U S of A? Well…this is the week (Sept. 20-26th) and we at Pinky Swear are not about to go hungry…and neither should all of you…or any children out there if we all can help it.

Go to the website…
Punch in your zip…
Take that list of participating restaurants (hey…there’s fast food too…Rubio’s…who doesn’t want a burrito at anytime of the day??).
Get in your car…and go EAT!!!!

This reminder is brought to you by Pinky Swear Designs…a couple of mamas who love to eat, drink, and be merry…and think everyone else should be able to as well :)

Go here immediately and plan your next meal. You didn't want to make dinner anyways ;)

My Punch Bowl Evites

Though I will always have a special spot in my heart for real live invites, the thought of making, printing, posting and mailing just seemed too much for me to handle for my oldest fifth birthday coming up. I wasn't totally crazy about Evites (too many ads, a little difficult to customize) so I searched around and found mypunchbowl.com. Its the same idea as evites, you create an invitation and email it to your guest list. But the designs look like real invitations, and they show up in your guest's emails looking like that (instead of a link they click on). I used it and totally love all the options, its made figuring out my guest list SO much easier, and I'm actually getting RSVP's, which I'm sure you know, is almost unheard of these days (I'm guilty of it myself!). They also have options to add a potluck list, attach wish lists, automatic reminders to your guests who've rsvp'ed (umm, how does one spell that??), even links to party supplies. What I really love about it though, is that designing and customizing was super easy and I was able to create an invite that was perfect for my soon to be five year old's Matterhorn party (not too many pre-made party invites for that theme, let me tell ya!).

Check out My Punch Bowl here.

Happy Weekend!

The foggy morning makes me want to bust out the thick tights and sweaters. And then I really really need these shoes to make the look complete. ;) I love all the oxford shoes that are popping up, especially the heels, but Mama doesn't wear heels all that often anymore.

Miss A.J. and I have big plans this weekend, we're going on a field trip for inspiration and materials for some new designs we're really excited about! We'll keep you posted as it develops! I'm sure you'll love them...

In the meantime enjoy your weekend!

Cavallini Wrapping Paper - Maps

The first thing my kids do when we go somewhere new is demand a map. Being frequent visitors to amusement parks, museums and national parks, they assume everywhere we enter will have a map. My son is especially adept at reading them now, and automatically assumes the role of tour guide (a job he takes very seriously). They love their map puzzles and the vintage globe we have. Knowing this is a common fascination for kids, I was thrilled to find these maps after Ohdeedoh mentioned Cavallini wrapping paper the other day. They have a great vintage look and hello! They are $4.50! You can not beat that with a stick, my friends. Use as wrapping paper, frame it, or pin to the wall and mark the places you've been or want to go to. Check out the city maps, and the awesome science prints as well.

Find Cavallini wrapping paper here.

*My little tour guides

I am an addict. I am standing up right now and confessing to the blog world…I am an addict…and I am not proud of it. I’ve been off and on the wagon for years…right now…with little dude’s energy and ‘tude just starting to kick in…I’m off the wagon in a big way.

Like a lot of mamas out there…I’m a caffeine junkie…coffee lovin’-Diet Coke head (seriously people…what were you thinking…I am a MAMA!!). So…since I am a foodie and Top Chef fanatic…I was pleased as punch when the lovely king of palettes Tom Colicchio became the new spokesperson for my favorite D.C.

I don’t know why I decided to cruise the Diet Coke website (maybe it was late one night and I was salivating at the thought of having one…but I knew it was too late and would have been up all night wired or something), but anyway…I did it. Went to the website of my drug of choice…and I am oh so happy I did.

I was wondering how Tommy (um...sure he lets me call him that:) tied in with D.C….besides it being a great tasting caffeinated beverage and him knowing a thing or two about taste. Anyway…Diet Coke has this amazing new website that has all of these amazing recipes provided by The Culinary Institute of America. They have them all categorized by lunches, apps, entertaining and sub-categories like modern finger foods and simple yet sophisticated meals, just to name a few.The newly vamped website also has tips and each recipe has a shopping list you can just print out from your ‘puter…super simple and can I add…they look soooooo yums. You are supposed to pair them with your tall glass of D.C. bubblies…but I’m thinking a lot of them would be nicely paired with bubblies of the grape kind:)

See…now that I’ve shared all of this useful information with you…I can go about my addiction and feel less guilty when my 3:00 shakes start...and am in need of my fix:)But I can quit anytime...really...I can.

Find recipes here.

Tiny Block Greetings

In my next life I want to open a store filled to the brim with only Japanese cuteness. I love Japanese paper, Japanese toys, Japanese candy. Till then I'll keep going back to this site, japanistic.com. I seriously love at least one thing in every category. But I am especially enamored with these sets. They include a greeting card and a tiny set of tiny blocks. Such a sweet little gift to send in the mail to a little one, and such great sets to take while on the go! I imagine these to be perfect for restaurants or trips where you don't want to take bulky toys. And I know my little ones would get a kick out of the tiny size.

Find the sets and more cuteness here.

Happy Weekend!

I've got my weekend get-away on the brain, so I can't think of much else (celebrating my anniversary!). So I'm just gonna share these little gems which make me giggle and the kiddos love. And really, I think these videos speak for themselves. Thanks to Auntie Jessie for sharing these with us!

From the Desk of A.J. - Iglooplay Toy Chaise

So…I’m nesting. No, no, no…I’m not “PG”, just getting into the groove of my now one year old switching things up on me. With his naps changing, his eating habits (does every other morsel of food have to be chucked completely across the room before the next one can be put into the mouth? A rule not explained to me in the parenting 101 book). Anyway…yes…we are starting to think about bambino numero 2…but in the mean time…I’m packing up bottles, toys, and tons of clothes and making room for shoes, trains and trucks.

Searching online for toy chests…and I happen to find the coolest line of children’s furniture. I absolutely love that there are so many newer lines that are eco-friendly and not the usual big plastic baseball/football/whatever toy chest I am used to seeing. I wanted to find something that would hold up over time and that would grow with the boy wonder. Something that will not only go with his current bedroom (which I love and will be whimpering big time when I have to take down) but that will go with his toddler room of the future.

I am a lover of all design. From fashion to photog to painting to sculpture to jewelry (hint, hint) to architecture and the furniture that goes in it. So when I found Iglooplay, my heart went pitty pat. Children's furniture that not only is functional…but looks super cool in any bedroom, playroom, living room..kitchen…anywhere! I have absolutely fallen in love with their toyChaise. It’s a toy box with drawers and a chest that also happens to have a backrest so the kidletts can take a seat on top and read a book:) Love, love, love that it’s made of sustainable wood and meets or exceeds the ASTM and Consumer Product Safety Commission standards for child safety.

A toy chest that is not only safe & effiecient ( of course…its’ designed by a mama:)…but that is designed for kids whose parents are looking for something other than the usual. Now if someone could design a self cleaning floor…hmmmmm.

Find Iglooplay furniture here.

Color Wheel

I'm fascinated by this little guy. Just like the "rainbow maker" I wrote about here, this little toy seems to me to be full of amazing potential for some quiet fun. It suctions to your window, and there are three layers to turn to create different shapes and colors. What an amazing way for your little ones to learn colors! And as they get older, a great way to demonstrate "mixing" colors and the subtle changes in shades. So groovy!

Find the Color Wheel here.

Happy (Three Day!) Weekend!

Friday! Isn't the Friday to a three day weekend that much sweeter? Thought I'd just make it a quick one today, since I didn't get any further on that chair re-do (just too dang hot to even think of going outside!). Here's one of the very few children's songs my kids love. I can't tell you how many times we've gone "all around" our kitchen! Push that table back and dance your selves silly! Have a great Labor Day!

Indie Rock Coloring Book

My kids have never listened to traditional "kid's" music. With my son I would try to put in kid's music when we were home together, but he always preferred to rock out to Mommy and Daddy's music and I just stopped trying to push it (who wants to listen to most of that music anyways!). In fact any efforts on my part to get them to listen to kid's music has been met with disdain. I kid you not, I put some Raffi in the other day and my son sighed and said, "Ugh. Can't we listen to something more rockin'??" And now they both know all the words to the Clash's London Calling album, but not the words to Polly Wolly Doodle All Day. He prefers "Dave N Bowie" (David Bowie), "Mommy's Mouse" (Modest Mouse), and the "Dinosaur Song" (Dinosaur Jr.). So when I saw this coloring book on Urban Outfitters site, I giggled because I know my little indie rocker would love to color pictures by some of his favorite bands. Now he can happily color pages by Bloc Party, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the like. And, all profits go to the Yellow Bird Project which partners indie bands with the charity of their choice.

Find the coloring book here and the Yellow Bird Project here.

From the Desk of A.J. - Share Our Strength

September? Really? ALREADY????

Now that summer is ending (sigh), schools are starting, and the costumes and fall décor is fast approaching our isles at our fav stores…time to gear up for the upcoming season. Before we head into that…I need to put a little bug in your ear about an upcoming event that you are all invited to…you will eat, drink, and be merry…and feed millions of babes while doing it:)

Share Our Strength’s The Great American Dine Out is happening September 20-26th. If you haven’t seen the ads on the Food Network, USA Today, Parents Mag and more…then here I am…spreading the word and reminding everyone to GO EAT!!!!

Super simple. Visit the website…type in your zip and you’ll get a list of restaurants that are participating. By participating I mean sharing their profits from the day, week, special menu items…it’s entirely up to them…but at the end of the day…these proceeds will be turned over to Share Our Strength and will help out with feeding our future generations all over the U.S.A. It’s a nation-wide dine out that will help end childhood hunger. Our kids just so happen to make up more than 1/3 of the individuals that receive food from our food banks. 13.4 million children receive food stamps. I can’t imagine not being able to feed my little dude (just me writing that made my heart tighten)…as I’m sure all of you can’t, but it makes me oh so happy to think that there is something we all can do to help…and they make it SOOOOOO EASY!

I plan on participating in the Great American Bake Sale (stay tuned in the future for that)…but I think I may put that off until the holidays (when, I’m hoping an 8th day will be added or something). Share Our Strength has come up with unique ideas that make it impossible not to participate in. Thousands of restaurants have registered…and a lot of major chains too, so choosing one will be a piece of cake…a piece of cake that something other than your thighs will benefit from:)

Find more information here.

Goobeetsa Pins

Tomorrow (or rather today for you guys!) will be the first day of school for my four year old. Its the first year he's needed a real backpack and we've searched high and low for a backpack that we all can like. I was really trying to stay away from the Power Ranger/Spiderman/Transformer monstrosities that seem to be ubiquitous this year, and wanted something that I can use for him for longer than this year. My little guy isn't passionately attached to any backpack we've seen, so when I suggested we get him a plain one and he could pick out pins to go on it, he was all about it. I like that we can add and subtract "pieces of flair" as needed. I got really excited about this plan when I found these adorable pins. He loves monsters and pirates, and these are sweet enough to (hopefully) pass muster with his somewhat conservative school. And at $1.25/each, he can pick quite a few without blowing my budget.

Find the pins here (also check out the cute prints!)