Have Files Will Travel

I cannot believe it is almost September!! My first two months back to work are coming to a close. It has been such a help to have my mother watching Benji for me while I was able to get back to work, get creative and earn some income of course!;) We are getting ready to take a trip abroad next week to visit my husbands family and when I come back, we start using our nanny full time. I found a great nanny on Sittercity.com who has come by twice so far to get to know Benji before we leave for vacation.

So now that I have some help at home I can work from here more conveniently on a day to day basis, right? So how can I set up my home office space in a 2 bedroom apartment with a nanny and a baby? Currently my desk and computer are set up in my living room, but with the nanny and Benji taking over, it will be a bit distracting to work that way. Normally I'm a staunch opponent of working in your bedroom, however fortunately we have a nice size room with lots of space to set up a desk and lap top. The trick will be to make sure this workspace can "disappear" at the end of the day for relaxation time.

I have decided to use a simple desk from The Container Store. Since this is a temporary solution until Benji starts daycare in January, it was not worth it to invest in anything more luxurious. I began searching for some cute file tote bags that can easily be taken to and from the room depending on where I work from, as well as easily be taken to our office or meetings. I LOVE this one I found on Paperstyle.com It looks great and will be easy for me to carry around.



A couple of these cute letter trays and a pencil cup and I'm in business! I am really looking forward to having the help at home and I would be lying if I said I didn't love having the luxury of taking a 10 minute break here and there to hang out with Benji during the day! Looking forward to a great Fall with lots of friends, family and business!

GIFT SHOW!!!!

I went to the Gift Show at the Javits Center in NYC today and was glad to see it was pretty busy. For those who don't know what the Gift Show is, it is a trade show for retail store buyers and designers where they can check out new and exciting products of all sorts and purchase them in quantity for a wholesale price. I visited some of the usual booths as well as checked out some new ones. Here are a few of the great things I found...

An entire new section opened up called "Baby and Child". Of course I needed to see this since I not only design rooms for kids, but also am a new mom to a soon to be 5 month old. The theme was organic and non-toxic products for babies and kids. One of the companies that caught my eye was Apple Park out of San Francisco Bay. They have created a plush line of eco-friendly toys for babies inspired by nature. In addition to the toys they have some incredibly plush and soft organic blankets as well. Yum!


Another interesting product in this section was these magnetic wooden building blocks from Tegu. They are stored in either a unique felt pocket pouch or a handy travel tote. The blocks caught my eye immediately since they looked like something I would want to play with as well! Created from responsibly-harvested hardwoods and safe waterbased finishes, the blocks are great for inspiring creative minds in a safe and non-toxic way.


In the textiles and bedding area I fell in love with John Robshaws lines as usual. Rich and exotic patterns adorn luxurious fabrics used for bedding, pillows, ottomans and more!


Chakla Patched Flowers Pillow - 20" x 20" Retail Price $300.00

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the new Glam Naturale line from Triple C Designs coming out in Fall 2010. (Not up on their website yet, but coming soon). These great products made here in Brooklyn are absolutely adorable! I love the owls on their wallets, bags and even jewelry. The products have a great tactile quality to them and are just plain fun!

All in all the Gift Show this year was a success! For more about the Gift Show and a list of the exhibitors and where to purchase from, check out http://www.nyigf.com/

The Gift Show Is Here!

Twice a year the Gift Show comes to the Javit's Center in NYC. It is coming up again starting this weekend, August 14th - 19th 2010. There is a lot to see and learn from the Gift Show and if you have never gone it is worth the trip. You don't have to be a designer to appreciate all the great products the show has to offer. From tableware and jewelry to furniture and clothing, there are a lot of new products to be found at the Gift Show.

DIGS -
MARIN BATH ACCESSORIES



SCREECH OWL DESIGNS - 'Dearest' Blank Notecard

This year, there is a new category for Baby and Child which I am of course excited to check out as well. For those unable to make it to the show or curious to check out the vendors beforehand, there is a pretty comprehensive website which lists all of the exhibitors. Most of them list their websites that you can shop from, and if you can't purchase directly through their websites, they will help you find a retailer that sells their products either in a store or online.
Here are some of my favorite sources to check out online if you don't make it to the show:
John Robshaw - Booth 8004 'At Home' section of the show.

Daphne Olive - Booth 9127 'Handmade Designer Maker'

Judy Jackson Stoneware - Booth 9314 'Handmade Designer Maker'

Seedling Kids - Booth 9577 - 'Handmade Designer Maker'

Digs - Booth 3743 'Accent on Design'

Screech Owl Design - Booth 3935 'Accent on Design'

Happy Shopping!! :)