Author

Betsy

Talk about a sweet Mother's Day card

Food + RecipesBetsy

Talk about a sweet Mother's Day card

What mom doesn't love getting cards on the most important holiday of the year? Of course I'm talking about May 8th, (that's Mother's Day honey, in case you forgot). And while I've loved every glitter-laden handmade card I've ever receive…

Swaddling blankets for the swaddling impaired

BabyBetsy

Swaddling blankets for the swaddling impaired

It used to drive me crazy when my son was a newborn that I couldn't learn how to swaddle properly with a swaddling blanket. My husband could. In fact, everybody else could. Why wasn't this genius product around then? I could have looked …

A parenting book you might be surprised to love

LivingBetsy

A parenting book you might be surprised to love

My dad died when I was 22 -- long before I met my husband, or had my son -- and my mom is very much alive. So you wouldn't necessarily think that the book Parentless Parents , by my friend Allison Gilbert , would resonate with someone li…

The Valentine's gift that made me go Wow.

Gift GuidesBetsy

The Valentine's gift that made me go Wow.

I love the Valentine's cards my husband picks out for me each year. Truly, I save each and every one of them. But wouldn't it be amazing if you got a personalized piece of hand-painted art to hang on your wall and enjoy it year after yea…

Tie one on

Food + RecipesBetsy

Tie one on

I am generally a coffee drinker, mostly out of habit, but lately I've made the switch over to tea and I'm not sure I'll go back. I enjoy the ritual: brewing the water, selecting the tea of your choice, burning your fingers as you try to …

No ifs, and, just lots of butts

KidsBetsy

No ifs, and, just lots of butts

"Eyes and ears are much respected, but the butt has been neglected." And so begins the masterful and hilarious The Butt Book , by Artie Bennett, illustrated by Mike Lester. Let's face it, few things are funnier to a little kid (and those…

Join the circus like you wanted to

KidsBetsy

Join the circus like you wanted to

There are a gazillion ABC books out there--plenty of which we feature here. While I believe that as long as you're reading to your child ,you're already doing great, once in a while a book comes along that really stands out from the othe…

Sandra Boynton - Udderly amazing

KidsBetsy

Sandra Boynton - Udderly amazing

To say that Sandra Boynton is my favorite children's author is an understatement, (with deep props to Dr. Seuss). But truly, for the first few years of my son's life her chunky children's books were a constant. Her writing is fun, bouncy…

Color me happy

LivingBetsy

Color me happy

Okay, what do you get when you cross a container junkie and an ex-Art Director? Someone who is madly in love these Pantone tin storage boxes , that's what. In other words, me. These boxes are ample in size so they're great for storing ev…

Star power

LivingBetsy

Star power

'Tis the season for lots of neighborhood parties and gatherings, and you know what that means--lots of hostess gifts . I have a closet dedicated to "cutesy gifts gone bad," like dozens of fancy soaps. (I'm a pump dispenser girl.) Persona…

Books to bring the Festival of Lights to life

LivingBetsy

Books to bring the Festival of Lights to life

Every Hanukkah, in addition to the loooong lists of requested items (i.e. toys) we always make sure to include several books as gifts . And guess what--long after my son is bored with the video game he received, he's still reading and re…

Jewelry that really makes a statement

Style + BeautyBetsy

Jewelry that really makes a statement

Remember when slogan t-shirts were all the rage? (Yes, I still have my "Frankie Say Relax! " shirt from college.) Well here's a new way for me to express myself through accessories, maybe even a little bit more cleverly than I could do o…

Holiday cocktail napkins that say it all

Food + RecipesBetsy

Holiday cocktail napkins that say it all

This year I'll be on crutches trying to pull together the perfect holiday meal, which I've already realized is going to have to be super "good enough." So, I've decided I should focus on cocktails, and lots of them. These fun cocktail na…

The gift(wrap) that keeps on giving

KidsBetsy

The gift(wrap) that keeps on giving

I'm not sure which is cooler, the actual lyziwraps reusable gift bags that I just discovered, or the story behind them. They were originally designed by an 8th Grader, for an innovation competition, who was trying to find a way to decrea…

What's new is what's old

DIYBetsy

What's new is what's old

What is it about vintage prints that I am so drawn to? Maybe it's that the quirky quality, mixed with a nostalgic feel just make happy when I see them. Now there's an online shop that taps directly into that feeling an an extensive colle…

Waste not. Want.

KidsBetsy

Waste not. Want.

I'm definitely an eco-minded person, but I don't think I'm alone when I admit that sometimes convenience wins out over conscience. For years I've stuffed my son's lunch box with pre-packaged snacks or plastic snack bags, but I think I've…

Face it, these labels are really cute

LivingBetsy

Face it, these labels are really cute

Anyone with kids know how important it is to label every single item they have. How else are you going to identify all the stuff that winds up in the lost and found bin? Over the years I've tried many different labeling methods and have …