How to Buy a Baby Gift

It can be really hard to buy a meaningful baby gift for someone you don't really know. My customers come to my shop looking for a special gift.  The first thing I always ask a customer buying a baby gift- Do you know what the nursery looks like? Most do not know what the nursery looks like.  Where do we go from there?  Although my customers do not want to buy from the standard online baby registries from the big box baby stores, I suggest we take a look at what the mom registered for. These baby registries give many clues in terms of simplicity, colors, and style  of the nursery. Do they like shabby chic? Are they more modern or traditional? Lots can be learned from looking at their list of essentials  on big box registries. Sometimes there  are no baby registries, the only item the customer has is a baby's announcement.  Baby announcements say a lot about the aesthetic of the new parents.

Almost 19 years ago, my sweet boy Justin was born. Wow!  My baby announcement was very simple. White and gray and meaningful words from a Springsteen song.

 

What can you tell from this announcement?  Well keep it simple for sure.  But also maybe a bit funky.

I would have loved this stroller blanket from Cici Crib's online shop.

 

Or maybe this elephant bookend..

 

Or this cool clock made from bicycle parts...

 

Or go out on a limb and get this vintage aluminum diver helmet container, that could be used to great store little toys...

So don't be afraid or nervous about buying the perfect baby gift if you have never seen the nursery, there are lots of clues to help you pick a fantastic gift!

See you..

Christina

 

Vintage Baby Photo Album

A customer and I were enjoying this photo album I found at the flea market. We both were admiring the sweet vintage pics this album had to offer. Made in Norwalk, CT in 1956. It's condition is perfect, no one ever used it. The customer needed to purchase a gift for someone who had registered at Babies R US. We looked at her registry to give us clues about her style. She decided to forgo the album. But she hoped it would be around if and when one day her  daughter in law has a baby girl. How sweet it is...

See you...

Christina

Vintage Planters

I have always collected vintage planters from the 1940-1960's. Way back when, they were given as baby gifts and I assume they had plants in them.   I used them to decorate my kids' nursery.  I use them for their toothbrushes. I use them to store pencils. I have one in my bathroom. Here is the elephant in my bathroom...

At the shop we have a planter on the counter that we use to hold pens. I used it when the kids were babies  to store A & D ointment and thermometers. It has such sentimental value. I won't sell it...

The planter that holds the business cards sold recently. A new holder is in place...

We have put together some great little gift planters using some of  the vintage planters. They come with a minky soft rattle and a handmade baby comb from Switzerland. They will be going on our ecommerce website that will soon be up and running.  Hurrah!

See you...

Christina

Happy Holidays!

Christmas is almost here. Even though the boys are teenagers, they are still counting down the days! I wanted to do a video holiday card for my blog, but it just got too complicated. I wanted to play this music box as the top whirls around. I purchased the music box from an Armonk estate sale many years ago. It is so worn and loved.

Every year I look forward to my sister's present. Although I love the contents (we get the same gift every year- very special homemade soaps. My favorite is lavender,bergamot and lemon), it is her special wrapping that is just so beautiful. I love the vintage card.

Happy Holidays everyone!

See you...

Christina

Nursery design in my mind

There are times  a designer misses the concept of what a client is looking for. This is a fine example. I thought the customer would be as excited as I was about this concept. Great clients. Wrong concept.  It mixes touches of blues and oranges with a neutral cappuccino  color. The carpet in this NYC apartment is a Stark neutral. It will remain. The customer is pretty firmly traditional, but would like a more modern nursery. The carpet looks like this..

I wanted to use a grasscloth wallcovering  that had  a delicate orange  trellis.

After I chose it, I saw it was used in the Kips Bay showhouse, in a very large room. As you can see the pattern is not overwhelming.

I designed this long changer finished in white lacquer. It had closed storage on the right  side, drawers in the center and a hamper on the left side. Each piece would come apart and be completely painted. This would allow for future flexibility.  Later on, one could use the hamper and dresser in different parts of the room, for example.

On top of the changer we would affix this standard tray.

The crib is very clean, but  still maintains it's traditional roots. It would be entirely in white.

The glider is the classic glider that I have in the shop slip covered in a linen. The bedding would have dashes of blue and orange. Pic of the side of bumper is below.

Fabrics would be a thin orange stripe piping and ties  with white matelasse  and Annette Tatem soleil orange fabric that is separated by a large ric rac lace.

I wanted to use a 7' round rug that would achor the room.If the baby was a girl it would be this one.

A boy...

Possible artwork.  Vintage educational posters...

Although the client decided not to go in this direction. The ideas will remain in the Cici Crib library....

See you...

Christina

Hooray for Kips Bay!

Finally went to my first Kips Bay Decorator Show House.  It was a moment of great fun in a pretty stressful week! Rooms were  interesting and very dramatic.  I did have favorites. The entrance foyer was by Mary McDonald.  Where lipstick red meets masculine black. I wish I could have photographed the detailing of the window treatment trim. So very tailored.  But the docent was a bit of a robocop.

Amanda Nisbet's maiden's bedchamber was also a bit of 2 worlds clashing. Pretty and proper meets the wild side.   Pictures of Amanda Nisbet's head were superimposed in the portraits of 18th century ladies that were scattered through out the room. The walls are upholstered in Nisbet's own fabric. The area rug is actually cow hide by the super talented Kyle Bunting.

What you can't see so well are the small delicate and luxurious touches. The pillow on the chair is a fine gold weave with a mini pink flange. Fabric is by  Hinson and Company.

The little vintage table next to the chair is from Nisbet's private collection. With flecks of gold imbedded in a lucite, the soft lines of the piece added so much sparkle to an already glowing room.

We ended our tour in the ladies library created by Celery Kemble. A fantastic chaise anchored the room.

Notice how she replaced the wooden shelves with lucite ones.

Speaking of lucite. Love this lucite table..

Of coarse there were touches of green.  The faux painted malachite chair was purchased from 1st Dibs.

To complement the chair, a little side table was purchased from ebay and was perfectly faux painted by Alpha workshops.

So many interesting details....

See you...

Christina

Traditional with a Flair

I have been working with a lovely  client who subtly shows her refined Texas roots and her flair as a jewelry designer.  We have been working on her daughter's room. The design is a bit in the transitional phase. The toddler is quickly moving into the world of a big  girl. We planned for a future bed, nightstand and desk. For now it works for her age. She loves to sit and  read with  her mom on the double glider. She loves her crib. And she loves her dollhouse. We wanted a timeless design that the little girl could grow with. The carpet is a delicate pink and green lattice by Schumacher.

There was much discussion about the window treatments.  The client wanted very soft formal treatments. We exactly translated her wish.  I so love the chandelier that was chosen. When she saw the electrican putting toThe client had to take out her jewelry making tools to put it together. It is perfect.

For the window treatments, we decided on a  Hinson & Co. fabric and splurged a bit on the Schumacher trim.

We did a fairly large bulletin board that will eventually hang  over a desk.

I love the pushpins the client found. Made from vintage earrings...

The bookshelf was custom Newport Cottages.  The metal fairies  that flank the venetian mirror are vintage. I am not sure where the fairies came from. Maybe they were a part of a weather vane.  I purchased them from an antique mall in Ohio.  It is the unexpected element in the room.

On the bookshelf are crystal lamps from the '50s. We purchased the vanity tray on ebay. It reminded the client of her grandmother. The vintage  porcelain southern bell is actually a music box.

For now it is room for a little girl. I will take more pics of this room as it evolves into a room for a big girl.

See you..

Christina

Vintage Finds in Vermont

I always think I am missing out, when we pass signs  along the road that say Antiques.   I would never even think to stop as it would disrupt the family plan to reach our destination.  This year for the first time, the kids skiied and Miles and I actually checked out a town  that was not connected to the ski resort. We were in Bennington, VT for the afternoon. We checked out the college. We checked out the covered bridges. But the most fun of all was actually making an unplanned stop to an antique mall. What a nice surprise to find some fantastic little things for the shop. Love this lamp for a dresser in a little girl's room. How sweet is her face ...

These hand colored 19th century French fashion prints are really special. The frame is as lovely as the prints. Completely hand carved..

I couldn't resist these children's busts. I am trying to figure out what to do with these. They would look great  in a modern kids room. People generally purchase items that serve a purpose for children. I am thinking of making them into bookends..

Doesn't the little girl look a bit like Hailee Steinfield?

The last items I purchased were these teeny tiny pictures. About 3"x4".  Perfect for Cici Crib..

See you...

Christina

Vintage Alphabet Blocks

A customer came into the shop looking for  a gift for her good friend's new baby girl.  She wanted to give her vintage blocks that spell her name.  The customer knew she had room on a shelf in the nursery for short name.  I needed to  sort through my collection to find the letters. I was excited to find the blocks that she needed. Looking through them, you can see a little bit of  cultural history. Most of  the  blocks date around WWII.

So sweet the images are...

Love these stylized animal blocks...

Silhuettes are just fantastic..

I heard the friend's gift was so very well received. The mom loved the blocks for her daughter  Cici!!

See you...

Christina

Children and Animals

Just browsing through some of my vintage children's books, I came across a lovely book, Children and Animals.  From the School of Emmy Zweybruck, copy written 1935. It seems this book was originally printed in Austria. These pictures are so stencil like and stylized. You can really decorate a kids bedroom or baby's nursery  nicely with these pictures. How great they would be  as art.

I just love them.

See you...

Christina

Monkeys everywhere

I sold my vintage sock monkey in the store last week. A bit sad about it. I will miss him.  Another customer picked up her bumper made with this great monkey fabric..

Monkeys are such a popular inspiration for decorating a baby's nursery or a child's room.

Vintage sock monkeys makes their appearance...

New Arrivals bedding and accessories....

Monkeys used in wall stickers...

More  mod monkeys...

Look how Tobi Fairley decorated for her daughter's playroom. Tis the season...

Happy Holidays! See you...

Christina

A Visit to Tinsel Trading Company

We had a moment this weekend while the kids were at fencing to do some errands in the city. After buying some fabric in the fashion district, we thought we would stroll about, maybe look at some holiday windows.  The city was packed. There was no such thing as strolling. It was just wall to wall people. Up in the distance, I saw  Tinsel Trading Company. A complete respite to the outside world.  An absolute treat to step in. A shop filled with notions and trims, both new and vintage, and other lovely objets d'art.

Ribbons from the early part of the 20th century made out of 14k gold.

I couldn't resist this ornament. It has a new home on our tree...

What a lovely shop.

See you..

Christina

Boy's nursery of calm colors

Sometimes you know when a client is perfect for you. You hit it off right from the start. I've been working on this nursery in NYC and it will be coming together just in time for the arrival of a sweet  boy. I was so pleasantly surprised when this client wanted to use the light woods of the Duc duc line.

The crib  bumpers   are custom from Henry & Henrietta, one of  most beautiful  bedding companies out there. No need for a crib skirt.

A clean white changer/dresser..

An organic changing pad will be used with a very soft cover..

She will need a little diaper caddy to go next to the changing pad. There are really no modern diaper caddies out in the market.  Maybe we can use this box without the lid..

A classic glider similar to this one in slate blue

Instead of an ottoman, we would like to use this fantastic  leather Hippo.

Next to the glider will be a laquered grass cloth side table

We will use this table lamp, but the shade will be a burlap and the base is an ice blue.

The artwork will be this cute hippo.

I would like to flank the picture with some of my vintage animals from a 1920's Milton Bradley game...

 

The day will soon be here!

See you..

Christina

Final day at the flea market

It was the end of a very busy weekend due to our jewelry show. Overall, pretty disappointing.  Lots to learn on doing trunk shows... I came home from work last night to find my son James and his friend  pleading to go to the Sunday market. Teenage boys willing to get up at the crack of dawn to go shopping ??  How could I say no.

This morning we started out in the freezing cold, on a day I didn't expect to find much. Season has ended and dealers are just getting rid of stuff. Who could believe it would be such a fantastic day. Once at home, we got to rake over our treasures. The boys purchased binoculars, a very special coin and an army mask from desert storm.  Not exactly Cici Crib merchandise, but it made them happy.

I so love the vintage table I purchased. Thanks Miles for schlepping it to the car.  I will eventually have the base painted.  James' friend asked me what color will the table be. Maybe hot pink, I said. He burst out laughing.  James added, my mom is a girly girl. Ok, maybe I am...

But how nice is this table in a little girls room with one of Cici Crib's mid century inspired modern lamps on it.

Everyone loved this sled, definitely made in the 1960's, when space exploration was all the rage. Space Rocket XS-17 Orbit Control.

Loved the graphics on the wooden base.  A great piece of wall art. So I did, what you are not supposed to do to a collectible. I took it apart.  All the extra parts will be saved. How fantastic would this look in a play room or boys bedroom wall...

A vanity tray and container for a very fancy little girl..

And this lamp, I just couldn't let go. An architectural melange of styles. Never the less, it is a great castle. It is ceramic with a wooden base and top. Took forever to clean up, but now looks perfect.  I could see Jonathan Adler getting inspired over it. It could go either in a boy or girls room..

I want to line this peach crate with burlap and use it for display purposes.

Loved these kitschy girl pictures. Their hair is made out of yarn.  They made me smile. Something so charming about them..

A weekend that started out a touch disappointing, ended on a very light note.

See you..

Christina

The little holiday window at Cici Crib

Cici Crib has  small storefront window. Most of the time, I wish it was larger.  This holiday season, it took a lot of doing to get this little window into form.  Because we are having our holiday children's jewelry trunk show,  the inspiration for this window is ofcourse  jewelry. During the 1990s, my sister amassed  this huge vintage  costume jewelry collection.  Our tremendous collection's focus was 1950's plastic jewelry. The price point was completely right. Very cheap, but high in style.  For this season we used mostly earrings to decorate the window.

I purchased a white tree from Target. I was so not happy, when it came in the mail. It looks like a branch. Oh well, no time to waste.. We needed to make the Charlie Brown Christmas tree beautiful with pink lights and sparkly necklaces and earrings...

The menorah came from Home Depot. Who knew?? Well, it was perfect. I decorated it with pink glitter foam and sparkly jewelry. It is a Barbie Menorah for sure. So very pretty..

A glittery moon was made out of packing material from a light fixture...

We clipped earrings onto garlands of snow flakes and hung some huge icicles...

The window is just a sparkle at night..

Now we are ready for the show...

See you...

Christina

Leryn's Nursery

I would say one of the nicest parts of my job is meeting some really good people.  I remember the first time Bari  made her way into Cici Crib. Her smile filled her entire face as she talked about the upcoming birth of her daughter, Leryn.  We discussed many details of the nursery.  After months of planning and waiting, the moment finally came. Leryn arrived in early July.  It' s so nice to see good things happening to good people. Bari wanted the nursery to have a bit of a bohemian feel. Very soft and relaxed.  Perfect for baby. The bedding completely inspired her. It is by Elizabeth Allen.

A petite chandelier was needed in this cozy little nook.

Storage bins from Macbeth were purchased from Bari's registry at Cici Crib.

The artwork is from Oopsy Daisy.

Birdies and butterflies are delicately painted  through out  the room  The inspiration was taken from the bedding, as well as the artwork.

A lovely nightlight fits right in.

And, of coarse, a vintage pin caddy that came from Bari's nursery when she was a baby.

Thanks Bari for sharing your daughter's lovely space.

See you..

Christina

Welcome back

Everyone is returning from their various summer journeys. It's time the kids get back to school.  I am back from Pittsburgh for a bit.  So far, everything is going very well with my mom and sister. They are getting stronger every day. My mom has a new future. It is just amazing what the doctors can do.  I am so thankful! The huge weight that lies on my shoulders is beginning to lift.  Life is ok right now... Tina and Beth  have been  great  caretakers of  the little shop.  I am thankful for them too!

We put together a new window display celebrating the return of school. I picked up these cheap vinyl floor tiles from Home Depot to cover the base of the display.

I recently purchased this giant abacus from an auction that was selling items from a schoolhouse from the turn of the century. It is enormous. It would be fabulous in a great playroom or bedroom that needs to fill space because of high ceilings. It would look great on top of a bookshelf. A piece of sculpture.

Bookends came into the shop in late August. The vintage globe also makes a nice addition to the window.

Another set of new bookends...

So we put it all together  along with some other items and made a welcoming display.

See you...

Christina

Decorate a bedroom with pink and orange

This new picture frame came into Cici Crib this week. I love the delicate pink and orange.

I really don't like creaming a room with "fun" colors just because you are decorating a kid's room. It can still have the same bad effect. Just too much of everything. This is an inspiring pink and orange room.

So I am doing some girls bedrooms with pink and orange. Gathering ideas is so much fun.  We will not use all these items, but they are ideas to throw around.

Wallpaper...

A clock...

Some pillows...

An original piece of artwork from Jeff Canham...

The bedding and furniture will be  quiet for the most part. Although, I have these vintage bedside tables that I want to paint in a hot pink or orange.

We already chose this light fixture..

We love these boy and girl lamps I found in Atlanta for the bedside.

It will be a delicate pink and orange room.

See you...

Christina