Favorites: Bitte Spring Collection

This sweet Spring collection by my friend Maia at Bitte is just the cutest--so many of my favorite kids designers.  Have a happy weekend!

1. ECO-EGGS, EGG COLORING KIT - $10
2. HOLZTIGER, EASTER BUNNIES SET OF 3 - $30
3. ELLIEFUNDAY, ORGANIC BABY BUNNY BONNET (pink) - $24
4. OEUF, CHERRIES PRINT KIMONO - $56
5. OUISTITINE, POLKA DOT BUNNY RATTLE - $29
6. PETIT COLLAGE, MODERN BUNNY STACKER TOY - $24
7. POLKA DOT CLUB, CUDDLY RABBIT - $79
8. PETIT COLLAGE, PETIT RABBIT PUZZLE - $5
9. BAJO, MINI CAR (natural) - $9

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Favorites: New Tea Collection / ITALY

The new Tea Collection is inspired by travels to Italy and it's SO good. From cute graphic tees to super wearable pants for my two active boys, the latest collection is hard to beat (though this one inspired by travels to India from last year is close). Lucas is wearing the Gran Premio Graphic Tee and the French Terry Playwear Pants while Theo is wearing the Night on the Town Pajamas, the Fulmine Graphic Tee and the Ready Set Joggers. Check out the entire Tea Collection boy's clothing sets and scroll down for a 15% off discount code for my readers :)

We started the day hanging out at home eating one of Nick's awesome omelets, playing and drawing before heading out to Nana and Granddad's in Santa Rosa. Nick decided to take us to see the elementary school he went to when he was a kid where Granddad is STILL on the school board. Go Granddad! It was recently remodeled and the school grounds were perfect for the kids to ride around on their Mini Micro scooters (best scooters ever!) and romp around on the new play structure for hours.

Side Note: This BluTrack toy is one of the best things ever. I put it on my Toy Guide a couple years ago and Lucas and Theo still play (nicely) with it all the time.

We all just love this shirt--Lucas' Granddad used to race cars so Lucas couldn't wait to show him his new tee.

Always moving--whether it's their bodies or their eyeballs ;)

Finally made it to Nana and Granddad's house where there's so much outdoor space for climbing, running, falling down and getting up.

Here we are at Wright Elementary.

Lucas the Ninja

View fullsize

This mural is still here after 35 years!

+ This is a sponsored post that contains affiliate links. Tea Collection is offering 15% off your purchase for new customers with code GOODONPAPER15. This code is valid from 2/29/16 - 6/1/2016 and cannot be used with other promotions or on third party merchandise.

+ Get 25% off Tea Collection's favorite spring styles with code ROMA

+ Tea Collection ships to Canada for a flat rate of $15, free for orders over $150!
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Favorites: Tulsi Scarves by Tara Hogan

It's been a little crazy weather wise around here--I'm talking 70s during these "winter" months and then all of a sudden rain and high winds. Either way, I get cold really easily and wear a lot of layers like an old Chinese grandma. One way of keeping warm without wearing a hat (note, I do NOT look good in hats) is wearing a scarf. I love love wearing scarves especially ones that are light and long enough that I could wrap around once or twice and feel cozy.

Not only does she design cute t-shirts, but my friend Tara Hogan of Ink & Wit has designed a new line of beautiful Tulsi scarves. I absolutely LOVE these scarves. Printed by master block printers on the outskirts of Jaipur, India using natural non-toxic dyes, these silk and cotton scarves are light with raw edge ends and have the most beautiful patterns and natural colors. Tara sent me the Ojas design and now I think I need the Amrita or Nadi too!

Scroll down for a special discount code in the Ink & Wit shop!

Tara is offering 10% off shirts and scarves with code GOODONPAPER10 in the Ink & Wit shop until Sunday 2/21/16. Thanks so much Tara!

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Favorites: Ink & Wit

I've been a longtime fan of Ink & Wit, the illustration and design company of Tara Hogan. I met Tara at the National Stationery Show in New York over 8 years ago and just loved her and her sweet illustrations and organic style--I have kept two of her letterpress calendars from a few years back. Now a sweet mama of two boys, Tara has a line of super soft and simple t-shirts for kids and mamas. Two little boys is no joke--finding the time to get back into the swing of things work wise is a huge deal and I'm in full support of that. Tara was kind enough to send us the Earth Dweller t-shirt for Lucas, the Cloud Hopper Rain Stopper t-shirt for Theo and the Moon Mama t-shirt for me, and we have been wearing them all the time. I love the super soft cotton and the gender neutral colors and designs. Plus, they're made in the USA from 100% Fine Jersey cotton.

See how cute Lucas and Theo look in their new t-shirts and scroll down for a sweet discount code for shirts and scarves in the Ink & Wit online shop.

I really don't like photos of myself but I love this t-shirt so I'm making a sacrifice ;) By the way, this is a size large so it's a bit on the looser side which I prefer. Thanks to Nick for snapping these.

Tara is offering Good on Paper readers 10% off shirts and scarves with code GOODONPAPER10. Also, check out their beautiful hand block printed Tulsi scarves--more to come on those! Thanks so much Tara!

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DIY Kids Project: Accordion Envelope Card

My good friend Sally Shim has done it again. With her latest book Be Mine (published by Chronicle Books), Sally shares 25 simple and very doable paper projects for Valentine's Day or any occasion. I love simple, practical and kid-friendly DIY projects and Sally is just so good at that. Remember the Hand Carved Stamps Lucas and I made? We still make gift wrap with that stamp all the time. See, I love practical!

Today I'm sharing one of the projects Lucas and I worked on together as a little Valentine's Day gift for Nick. We chose to make the Accordion Envelope Card so that Lucas could choose little keepsakes to share with Daddy.

Look at Lucas' kindergarten picture!!!

Also, how cute is Lucas' new t-shirt from Ink + Wit? More to come about these amazing shirts!

Materials
5 paper envelopes (I used size 4-bar)
1 colored metal brad
1 piece of cotton ribbon, 16 inches long (I used bakers twine)

Tools
X-ACTO knife
Ruler
Pencil
Self-healing cutting mat
4 piece of tape adhesive
Paper hole punch

How To

1. Set aside one of the five paper envelopes. With the remaining four envelopes, cut straight across the flap, leaving a 1/4" flap. Make the cuts using the X-ACTO knife, ruler, pencil, and self-healing cutting mat.
    
2. Build the Accordion Envelope Card from the bottom up: Arrange the four envelopes on the work surface, one atop the other in a row, opening-side up, with the openings at the top. Join the envelopes together by taping the shortened flap of one envelope to the bottom back side of another envelope, in this way: First cut a piece of tape that is roughly the length of the envelope flap. Then apply the piece of tape to the flap and the back sides of the envelopes. Repeat until all four envelopes are taped together. Add the fifth envelope to the top of the accordion using the same technique.
    
3. Using the hole punch, punch a hole in the point of the triangular flap of the envelope, 1/4" from the tip of the flap. Insert the brad through the hole so the round piece is on the outside of the flap, then separate the legs of the brad and flatten them against the underside of the flap to the secure the brad to the envelope.
    
4. Fill the envelopes with special messages, mementos, and trinkets.

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Coffee and Donuts -- The Perfect Pair

According to Wikipedia, "Coffee and doughnuts" is a common food and drink pairing in the United States. I would go a bit further to say it's one of the most perfect food and drink pairings--the sweet and tender crumb of a fresh donut paired with a smooth and mellow cup of coffee can't be beat.

Today I've partnered with Williams-Sonoma to show you how the OXO On Barista Brain 9-Cup Coffee Maker makes delicious barista-quality coffee at home. And I've paired that cup of coffee (or two) with a delicious baked donut recipe with two kinds of glazes.

I can't tell you how many Oxo kitchen tools I have and use and love. So when they came out with a new line of coffee makers, I was really excited to try it out. I have loved coffee since my college days, switched to decaf when I was pregnant with both boys, and have been back on ever since. While Nick prefers his coffee black, I personally love an almond milk latte. But I will drink a regular coffee as long as it's not too bitter. And has milk in it. A lot of milk.

The OXO On Barista Brain 9-Cup Coffee Maker makes one of the best coffees at home that I've had. I had no idea how much science was involved in making coffee, but I really can tell the difference between our last coffee maker and this new one. It has a microprocessor that monitors time, temperature and volume from start to finish, resulting in barista-quality handcrafted coffee at home with one touch of a button.

I tested several kinds of coffee including Counter Culture Hologram, Counter Culture Idido, and Stumptown Guatamala Santa Clara (all from Modern Coffee, my favorite coffee shop in Oakland), as well as Philz Tantalizing Turkish.  The Oxo made each one taste like it says on the package.

Aside from making really good coffee, here are a few other things I love about the OXO On Barista Brain 9-Cup Coffee Maker:

• Super quiet
• Sleek and modern design
• You could see the water percolating which I think is pretty cool
• It shows you how long the coffee has been sitting
• The vacuum-insulated lightweight stainless steel carafe keeps coffee at the perfect temp
• Could easily make just one cup of coffee
• Easy to clean

The only con I would give is that I can't see how much coffee is in the carafe. But then again, if the carafe were made of glass, the coffee wouldn't stay at an optimal temperature.

Now on to the donuts! I made baked donuts with a blueberry glaze and also a chocolate one with some crushed pistachios on top. I love any kind of donut except for maple bars. This is the first time I've made them at home--sadly, the first batch tasted like play dough, but the second batch using the nonstick donut pan from Williams-Sonoma was a big hit.

+ Full Recipe for Baked Donuts
+ Donut pan and cooling rack from Williams-Sonoma
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+ Williams-Sonoma generously sent me the Oxo On Barista Coffee Maker to test out. I have received no other compensation for this post. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.

PlanetBox Rover Lunch Box

When I was little, I had a Strawberry Shortcake lunch box. That was it. Just one lunch box with a giant thermos sitting next to my sandwich. When I got older, my mom would pack my lunch in a brown paper bag with my name written on the outside. That was it. So simple. Those were the days.

Nowadays there are so many options for lunch boxes--each one with a promise to be the best one. But I've come to realize that, just like a stroller, there's no one perfect lunch box. So when PlanetBox sent me their Rover to try out, I put it to the 3-year old preschooler test with Theo. And so far it has passed with flying colors.

Measuring 10 x 7 x 1.5 inches, the Rover resembles an old school lunch tray with compartments (love!) and it's made of high quality stainless steel (also love). It comes with two smaller air-tight/waterproof containers (Little Dippers) that are great for yogurt, applesauce and hummus. Holding nearly 4.5 cups of food, the Rover is a great way to sample a wide variety of foods. And if you know Theo, that kid loves to eat.

Another thing I love about the Rover is that it's all one piece. I really can't stand a lot of lids and extra parts so the one piece Rover is great and easy to wash. Ooh, bonus: it could go in the bottom rack of the dishwasher! I'm guessing this is probably a bonus for Theo's teachers too who would rather open one piece than a bunch of individual bowls.

One thing I've noticed is that the Little Dippers are a bit difficult for Theo to open. I don't use them every day though so it's not a huge deal--and of course he could just ask his teachers for help. And I figure he'll eventually be able to open them more easily on his own as he gets older.

PlanetBox also sent me their Jetpack backpack that is specifically designed to transport their lunch boxes along with everything else. Unfortunately, the Jetpack is way too big for Theo and turns out it's recommended for kids 6 years or older as it's really big. I'll have to save it until he's in 1st grade :) But I do love its features which include a cool docking station that fits the Rover perfectly flat.

They are also on the expensive side ($49.95 for just the lunch box without any accessories), but I honestly think it's worth the price. It's super durable and will last through Theo's school years.

The bottom line: Considering quality over quantity, I think of it as a great investment. Plus, it perfectly suits our needs and Theo loves it. In fact, I actually think his lunch box is coming home emptier than before. Yay!

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My Real Life 2015 Best Nine and Happy 2016

According to 2015bestnine.com, my best nine Instagrams were the ones shown above. My real life best nines are the ones shown here on our holiday card (photos by Sarah Hebenstreit) and below.

Thanks for all the love and support this year. I'm so grateful to my family/friends and to all the friends I've made both online and offline this year. Happy new year!

1. Lucas turned 5 and had an epic Wild Kratts party

2. Theo turned 3 and jammed with his buddies

3. Lisa turned 40 and holy shit she's 40 (I went to Tulum, Mexico with my girlfriends from college on our annual trip)

4. Lucas started kindergarten and LOVES it

5. Family trip to Maui and Theo's first plane ride

6. Lisa and Nick celebrated their 10-year anniversary (photo by Sarah Hebenstreit)

7. Lucas had his first surgery (1/2" piece of wood in his foot)--also, not really a "best" nine but he did so well throughout the whole ordeal.

8. Nick ran a full marathon (3.49) and hasn't run since (but plans to get back into it in 2016), photo by Sarah Hebenstreit

9. Lisa went to Tulum and got a tan--Nick hiked the Trinity Alps and got pneumonia / I also conquered a very big fear of mine!

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Jackson Family Photo Shoot: December 2015

As always, the year flew by way too quickly and before I knew it, it was time to design our holiday card and take our annual family photos. Of course, we asked our friend Sarah to shoot our family's photos--she's been taking our photos since Lucas was a year old (remember last year's shoot?). Incredibly talented, sweet, patient and a genius with my boys, Sarah somehow magically captures the best little moments--all while the boys are running around like crazy.

+ All photos by Sarah Hebenstreit
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Holiday Gift Guide: For Babies and Kids

Here are some of my favorite gifts for babies and young kids--there's so much cute stuff out there right now, I could have gone on and on. Here's a list of my favorite childrens books and my favorite toys for kids.

1 /  Areaware Horseshoe Magnet - Made of beech wood, this super strong magnet has twice the lifting strength of a bar magnet.

2 /  Plae Sneakers - We LOVE these shoes. They're flexible, breathable, washable, lightweight, stylish and vegan. Plus, they're customizable with interchangeable tabs.

3 /  Deuz Organic Nature Playmat - This mat is perfect for little ones to hang out on and let their imagination run wild.

4 /  Little Miss Workbench Natural Camera - I love this camera and recently bought it as a gift for friends due very soon. Handcrafted in the USA and finished with natural beeswax sealant and packed in an organic cotton canvas case.

5 / Rylee + Cru Foxes Jumper - This is just adorable. If only I could stuff Theo into one!

6 / Hedley & Bennett Wishbone Jr. Apron - Theo loves baking with me in the kitchen and we love our Hedley & Bennett apron. This would make an awesome gift for your little baker or chef.

7 /  Whoa Bots Ninja! - Make a tower, knock them down, build them up. Lucas is all about ninja everything these days.

8 /  Sycamore Street Press Indigo Alphabet Print - Such a beautiful print for a child's room and doesn't look too kid-like.

9 /  Mabo Organic Fleece Sweatshirt - How cute is this cozy sweatshirt with wooden buttons on the opening? We love Mabo everything!

10 /  Iddy Biddy Fleece Jogger - We love Iddy Biddy clothes--remember Lucas and Theo sporting their duds earlier this year? These cozy fleece joggers are so cute and comfy!

11 / Walnut Animal Society Clover the Fox - Made of soft brushed wool, these charming animals are lovingly handcrafted in the USA, using natural and locally-sourced materials whenever possible. We love our Henry the Fox!

12 / Pengaloo - Instead of a traditional board game, go on a South Pole Egg-spedition with this all wooden memory game. Strengthens color recognition, visualization, memory and social skills

13 / Janod Alphabet Puzzle - Learning the alphabet is super fun with this all wood puzzle.

14 / Different is Awesome Book - We love this book by Ryan Haack. Simply written with a powerful message, this book helps kids understand how everyone is different and that being different is awesome.

15 / A Magical, Personalized Storybook - This personalized storybook is far from cheesy. Choose from two books that will take your child on a courageous journey personalized to the letters of their name. 

16 / Butterfly Joint Gift Certificate - Another great gift idea is an experience. Give a gift certificate to a favorite museum or a class like a woodworking class at the Butterfly Joint. Lucas had the best time when we visited.

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