Momathon Blog

Room for Children: Stylish Spaces for Sleep and Play

 

 

Looking for decorating ideas for a nursery or a child's bedroom? Susanna Salk's visually exciting book Room for Children: Stylish Spaces for Sleep and Play is a stunning treasure trove of decorating ideas and a fun read. Kelly Wearstler, renowned interior designer and author of several books, writes the foreword.

Is it possible to design a room that pleases both the parents and their children? Salk has found a way. Page after page of lovely photography by some of the industry's top photographers–Pieter Estersohn, Paul Costello, William Abranowicz, Melanie Aveced, and others–makes me want redecorate a few rooms at my house. No matter your style–modern, formal to whimsical–you will find a room that fits your mood. The book showcases a variety of decorating styles for bedrooms, play spaces, and study areas created by a talented group of designers including Kelly Wearstler, Charlotte Moss, Alessandra Branca, Amanda Nisbet, and Thomas Jayne, among many others.  

Salk is a leading design maven with many publishing success stories. Here are just a few: author of Weekend Retreats, a contributing editor for Bon Appetit Magazine, 1STDIBS.COM, and iVillage.com, as well as a former special projects editor at House & Garden. In the book she features an assortment of rooms that will appeal to a variety of ages. Her book has a sophisticated take on decor for children according to the LAtimes.com: 

The book suggests that just because a room is designed for a kid, that's no reason the design can't be all grown up. There is nothing DIY about "Room for Children," and no sense of trying to do more with less. Two-dozen-plus rooms in the book differ in style, but few could be described as "cute."

 

Anne at her blog The City Sage says: 

In the world of interiors books, the subject of decorating for children has been sorely neglected. Until now! Renowned author and editor Susanna Salk has released Room for Children: Stylish Spaces for Sleep and Play, and I'm rolling on a serious sugar high from all the sweet, sweet eye candy!

Julie at her blog Remodelista calls the book required reading:

Salk rounds up spaces by designers such as Kelly Wearstler (who wrote the book’s foreward), Amanda Nisbet, Amy Lau, Sixx Design, as well as J. Crew Creative Director Jenna Lyons’ edgy charcoal-walled nursery. 

 

This room makes me want to plan
a trip with my family...

The beach can't be too far away here...

A cozy space for a girl or boy to call home...

A little bit of elegance and fantasy...

Comfy and creative space for parents and baby...

Photos above feature the stylish pages from the book Room for Children by Susanna Salk. 

Note to my readers: I did not receive compensation from the author or publisher for writing this book review

Pet Safety: Some foods YOU love can be toxic to your pets

It's hard to resist giving your pooch a snack from the dinner table. Unfortunately some foods that people love--even foods that are healthy for you--can harm or kill your pet. Something as common as guacamole dip is toxic to dogs because it contains a substance called persin according to WebMD.

We know chocolate is bad for Fido, but did you know that meatloaf with onions is very harmful because of the onions? When my Rhodesian Ridgeback got pancreatitis after eating the turkey meat with the fatty skin on it, I found out how quickly a healthy dog can become gravely ill.

For a detailed look at poisonous foods and items for pets, check out ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and ASPCA: People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets

People foods you should NOT feed your pets according to the ASPCA:

• Chocolate, Coffee, Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Avocado/Guacamole (the plant, fruit, bark)
• Macadamia Nuts
• Grapes & Raisins
• Yeast Dough
• Raw/Undercooked Meat, Eggs and Bones 
• Xylitol (food and drink sweetener in gum, candy, toothpaste, etc.)
• Onions, Garlic, Chives
• Milk
• Salt

If you suspect your pet has eaten any of the following foods, please note the amount ingested and contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

If you suspect your pet has consumed a toxic substance
Seek emergency assistance immediately–do NOT wait for your pet to show symptoms of poisoning because the symptoms of poisoning may not appear for several hours or days after the incident.

If you think your pet has consumed a toxic substance, do not hesitate to seek emergency assistance, even if you do not notice any adverse effects. Contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

Symptoms
According to WebMD–10 Dog Poisons: Plants, Foods, Medicines, and More:

Depending on how a particular substance affects your dog’s body and how much was ingested or inhaled, pet poisoning symptoms can include gastrointestinal and neurological problems, cardiac and respiratory distress, coma, and even death.

Here are are just a few of the signs of poisoning:

• Muscle tremors or seizures, muscle weakness
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Drooling
• Redness of skin, ears, and eyes
• Swelling and bleeding
• Overheating
• Breathing problems
• Coma
• Note: Symptoms may appear hours or days later.

For more information on items that are toxic to pets, check out

• ASPCA | Animal Poison Control FAQ
• ASPCA | Top 10 Pet Toxins of 2010
• ASPCA | Top 10 Human Medications That Poison Our Pets
• ASPCA | 17 Poisonous Plants
• ASPCA | Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants --This link includes helpful photos to identify plants

Dog Photo: Missy, the sweet lab in the photo above, is up for adoption. She has a friendly personality and survived a tough situation before being rescued by an animal rescue group. For more information on adopting her, check her out at this Petfinder Adoptable Dog link. (Photo by me, Chris Olson)

Your vacation begins now

 

Sigh... My collage art class with Claudine Hellmuth is almost over. What am I going to do for fun now? Perhaps a vacation?

Looking for something artsy to do this summer? Check out the classes at Big Picture Classes. Or follow artist and workshop instructor Claudine Hellmuth on Twitter–@collageartist. Her tweets include loads of clever craft ideas and great links to DIY projects and tutorials.

Collage by me, Chris Olson

Daily doodle: Summer is here to stay

 

 

Doodle by me, Chris Olson.

West Nile Virus: prevention, insect repellent safety, and virus symptoms

If you live in an area with mosquitoes infected with the West Nile Virus, using some simple precautions can prevent getting bitten by an infected insect. The good news is not all mosquitoes carry West Nile Virus. To see if West Nile Virus is in your area now, call your local County Health Department or consult the CDC West Nile Virus Activity by State by State map. West Nile Virus cases increase as the weather gets warmer, so if the virus is not present in a state now, the virus may develop later in the summer.

Prevention Is Key
According to MedlinePlus, "There are no specific vaccines or treatments for human WNV disease. The easiest and best way to avoid WNV is to prevent mosquito bites."

Practice the four D's to avoid misquito bites:

1. Use DEET-enhanced insect repellent or another EPA-registered active ingredient
2. DRESS in long sleeves and pants when outdoors
3. Avoid spending time outdoors from DUSK until DAWN
4. DRAIN standing water outside your home

The CDC has a list of EPA-registered active ingredients in mosquito repellents here and that list includes:

• DEET (Chemical Name: N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide or N,N-diethly-3-methyl-benzamide)
• Picaridin (KBR 3023, Chemical Name: 2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperidinecarboxylic acid 1-methylpropyl ester )
• Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus* or PMD (Chemical Name: para-Menthane-3,8-diol) the synthesized version of oil of lemon eucalyptus
• IR3535 (Chemical Name: 3-[N-Butyl-N-acetyl]-aminopropionic acid, ethyl ester)

More information is available from the EPA on insect repellents and the active ingredients found in insect repellent at this link.

Applying an effective insect repellent is key. And not all insect repellents are created equal. The percentage of DEET in an insect repellent determines the duration of effectiveness–in other words the effectiveness of a 30% DEET lasts longer than a 10% DEET. According to HealthyChildren.org:

• The current AAP and CDC recommendation for children older than 2 months of age is to use 10% to 30% DEET. DEET should not be used on children younger than 2 months of age.
• The effectiveness is similar for 10% to 30% DEET, but the duration of effect varies. Ten percent DEET provides protection for about 2 hours, and 30% protects for about 5 hours. Choose the lowest concentration that will provide the required length of coverage.
• The concentration of DEET varies significantly from product to product, so read the label of any product you purchase. Children should wash off repellents when they return indoors.
• As an alternative to DEET, Picaridin has become available in the U.S. in concentrations of 5% to10%.

DEET Warning

Insect repellents should be used with caution. Read the label carefully. Consult your doctor or pediatrician if you have questions. Adults should supervise the use of insect repellents on children. When kids come indoors, they should wash the insect repellent off their skin. According to Kidshealth.org: 

• Generally, repellent with DEET should not be applied more than once a day
• DEET is not recommended for babies younger than 2 months old.
• DEET can be used on exposed skin, as well as clothing, socks, and shoes
• DEET should NOT be used on the face, under clothing, or on the hands of young children. 

For more information on the safety of DEET and other repellents with children, check out the Kidshealth.org article, Are Insect Repellents With DEET Safe for Kids?

Prevention Around Your House
Something as simple as maintaining screens in windows and doors will help prevent insects from entering the house. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water. If you have a kiddie pool in your yard or flower pots with saucers collecting water, drain them daily. Remember to clean your pet water dishes and refill them with fresh water each day. Drilling a few small holes in the bottom of a tire swing will prevent mosquitoes from finding water in them. For more information, a helpful West Nile Virus video is available at this CDC link.

West Nile Virus Symptoms
According to the CDC 1,021 total West Nile Virus cases in humans were reported in the US in 2010. West Nile Virus infected mosquitoes can transmit a disease that creates a variety of symptoms including stiff neck, high fever, severe headache, memory problems, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, body aches, rash, and nausea. For a detailed list of symptoms read the CDC West Nile Virus Fact Sheet.

 

Photo: Dr_Relling.

 

Seeking sunshine after a thunderstorm

 

Sunshine after a big storm always makes me smile.

 

Photos by me, Chris Olson.

 

Summer vacation doodle

 

Taking an online art course is a great way to get your creative juices flowing. Here is the collage I completed yesterday for a collage class taught by the fun and super creative Claudine Hellmuth at Big Picture Classes. You can follow Claudine on Twitter at @collageartist.

(Art by me, Chris Olson)

 

Weekend beach read: Familyhood by Paul Reiser

 

In Paul Reiser's new book Familyhood, the comedian and star of Mad About You chronicles life in his family with relatable observations that made me laugh out loud and say to myself: he really gets it. Just like most things in life, parenting is never quite what you expect or what you plan. Fortunately seeing the funny side of life–one of Reiser's strengths–is what makes the job of parenting doable and hopefully even enjoyable.

 

Reiser's previous books Couplehood and Babyhood have a similar witty sensibility that made me eager to read more. According to a review by Chris Erskine in the Los Angeles Times: 

"If you like Reiser the comic, you're likely to enjoy Reiser the writer. That personal connection is important, for he's covering some pretty familiar ground in this collection of 22 essays: his struggles with technology, his two sons going off to camp, the frustration of GPS devices."

As a parent, keeping one step ahead of your kids is a challenge. Reiser understands this predicament. As a kid he thought about the "mistakes" his own parents made and he made a list of things he did not want to do when he became a parent. The thing is, a list is just a list and parenting is bigger than even the most comprehensive list.

The Bob Edwards Show (June 1, 2011) features a delightful interview with Reiser—the kind of interview that makes you imagine Reiser would be a great person to sit next to on a long plane ride. The interview gives a glimpse into his life as both a dad and a husband. I especially enjoyed hearing Reiser reading an excerpt from his book. You can hear the interview here on the Bob Edwards Show on Tumblr or listen to it here on CastRoller.

 

 

Summer collage

 

 

Summer is the perfect time to try something new and get creative. So this month I am testing out collages in an online class taught by the fabulous instructor Claudine Hellmuth at Big Picture Classes. The boating collage above is my first attempt. Lotsa fun!

Art: by me, Chris Olson

Summer in the kitchen with Giada De Laurentiis

The book Giada's Kitchen by Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis is my favorite cookbook this summer. (I also like her cookbook Giada at Home.)

 

 

Giada's Kitchen is California cooking with an Italian twist. Amazon.com explains:

Italy meets California in Giada De Laurentiis’s collection of 100 new recipes. She focuses on fresh ingredients, simple preparation, and bright flavors. Anyone who wants to indulge in the pleasures of Italian food without feeling weighed down will find inspiration for delicious, hearty yet healthy weekday meals. Giada’s recipes satisfy both our desire to eat with gusto and to feel good about what we eat.

And why not love this cookbook--I think Giada wrote Giada's Kitchen with busy moms in mind. According to Barnes & Noble:

She even made us fall in love with pasta again by opening us up to lighter, healthier versions that don’t weigh us down... Yes, you will still find those fabulous recipes she remembers so fondly from family meals, but you’ll also find updated twists on classic trattoria favorites—California-inflected, hearty but not overwhelming, and with the perfect balance of healthfulness and terrific flavor. 

The recipes by Giada are delicious and family-pleasing. And the photos are what makes this cookbook easy to use.

Here are a few of Giada's recipes on the Food Network and in her cookbook:

• Whole-Wheat Linguine with Green Beans, Ricotta, and Lemon Recipe
• Italian Ice Recipe
• Apple and Thyme Martini Recipe

 

Cookbook review by me, Chris Olson, writer and illustrator.

 

 

Hello, June!

 

Doodle by me, Chris Olson. You can see more of my doodles at Momathon doodles.