DesignSwan.com saved Christmas

It sounded like a good idea at the time.

My daughter loves Legos. So, in my usual "do before I think it through" mode, I make up my own Advent calendar idea. I buy a couple big boxes of Legos and decide to give them to her as little Lego structures for 24 days. I even make up these fun little clues (and they rhyme!) that tell her where I've hidden them each morning:

Today you don’t have to look far.
I’m hiding inside a cookie jar!
If you don’t see me in one, try the other
Just don’t eat the cookies without asking mother!

Now we're 17 days into it. She has a Lego Christmas tree, a few different Santas, a Lego reindeer, a little kitty, giraffe, elephant....then I start to run out of ideas. She gets a Lego chair. And a pathetic little Lego house. I'm getting desperate....what will I make for tomorrow?!? I do some web searches, but come up short on anything that won't take 10 hours and another trip to the Lego store. But I don't give up. I keep looking. Finally an image search on "simple Lego designs" gets me to The Site That Saved Christmas (aka DesignSwan.com).

No, they don't provide step-by-step directions on how to make a Lego butterfly out of three 2x8s and six 1x4s, but they do showcase some innovative product designs, some of which happen to be Lego-inspired. After knocking out 3 simple Lego critters that mirror these playful memory keys and an extra figure inspired by the simplicity of the designs, I found myself spending hours browsing the amazing photography, funky product designs, and interesting artwork this site showcases.

I was a both drawn to and repulsed by the creepy Alien Skeleton Bar but thoroughly entranced by some stunning photos by Mark Mawson and Jennifer Squires Ross . I also lost an hour of sleep browsing pages of fun food art, unusual fruit bowls, and brass-knuckle inspired designs. It's the Willie Wonka's of eye candy.

So, relieved that my design slump was over and my daughter's Lego Christmas was saved, I signed up for their newsletter, stashed away the final few days of advent Lego figures, made a cup of tea, and browsed some more.

OK, so it's been a while since my last post. Sorry. Got kinda busy there. But I'm still here and I still get excited about stuff, so here's my next "ooo, that's cool!" moment:

Really, really good deals. I'm talking, like, 40-70% off for things I like, or things I'd like to try. If you havn't checked out Groupons.com or LivingSocial.com yet, I recommend you give it a whirl. They send you daily emails with the day's special offer, like a $20 gift certificate for dim sum for $10, or a 1-hour massage for $35. If you're interested, you buy it and they send you an email with the link for the gift certificate. Easy, fun, and rewarding for someone like me, and great for the companies that participate. I'm trying out a few new places I haven't been to before, and haven't been disappointed yet!

Happy savings!

Star Wars Designer USB Flash Drives

I ran across these while researching a blog post I'm writing for the Cyber Sisterhood. Clever and useful, I'm thinking stocking stuffers for a couple hard-to-buy for family members.

They have a few different series of designer USB flash drives to choose from, but here's a sample:
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You can check them all out at mimoco.com.

Update on the Day Spa for Kids

So I finally tried out La Di Spa, the kid-friendly day spa with three other girl friends and their daughters (see Day Spa for Kids post). The staff was fabulous and the girls had a blast. They were served crackers and "tea" (fruit punch served from a tea set), got to pick out their own "ice cream" (aka scented fizzy balls) and drop them into the water. The kids definitely enjoyed the pampering, with lots of giggles and glee.

While I'd do it again (as a special occassion, of course), I would opt out of my own mani/pedi next time around. This is clearly a place you go for the experience, but don't expect your treatment to last long after you walk out the doors.

What else is cool? View other blog posts >
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What's in that movie?

Like millions of other moms, I took my kid to see Wall-E at the theater over the summer. It looked cute, got great reviews, and was rated G. It has an adorable little robot and the story covers the importance of taking care of your body and the environment. And it scared the bejeezus out of my daughter. We're talking tears-streaming-down-her-face scared.

It would have been handy to know there was a scene in which a space ship appears to land on Wall-E and it's unclear if he will be OK. Even though the movie is rated G and was a lot of fun for the over-4 crowd, I wish I had know about Kids-In-Mind.com before heading to the box office.
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The site not only gives you a quick-look visual of why the movie is given a certain rating based on how much sex, nudity, violence, gore and profanity it contains, it actually describes the "offending" scenes so you know what to expect, how your child might react, and make decisions accordingly. And a huge plus, they also rate the short that precedes the main feature!

I'm thinking this site wouldn't be bad to evaluate date night options, either. Only our criteria would be quite a bit different, if you know what I mean (wink wink).

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What else is cool? View other blog posts >

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Anti-Princess Books for Your Little Princess

If you have a preschool girl and you're anything like me, you are a little sick of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and all their sorority sisters in fairy tale land. They all fall in love at first site to some gorgeous babe of a prince who is somehow not arrogant, self obsessed or spoiled and they go on to build false expectations about love, relationships and, well, being a girl.

Like many 4-year olds, by daughter is in love with Princesses. She had a Princess birthday party, wants to watch all the princess movies, read all the princess books and buy all the princess toys. Fortunately, a good friend gave my daughter "The Paper Bag Princess" by Robert N. Munsch a few years ago, which has been one of my all-time favorites (thanks Jen!), but I've struggled to find more like it.

So kudos to the Amelia Bloomer Project - a list of anti-princess books for girls from preschool to young adult. I'm definitely going to have to check out this year's recommended title "Princess Pigsty" and a 2005 listing "The Princess Knight", both by Cornelia Funke.

What else is cool? See more blog posts >
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Solar Table

Too cool - you can power your laptop or other electronics with your patio table. The SunTable stores backup energy (you need to put in in direct sunlight to charge, of course) you can use for laptops, cell phones, radios, lights, etc. It can be used as a back-up in black-outs too.

It's meant to be kept outdoors, so it's built for the elements, and it's built to last. The only thing not so cool about this table? The price! $2200 - ouch!

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What else is cool? View more blog posts >

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Day Spa for Kids

I've been waiting for the day my daughter is old enough to go to the spa with me. I dream that we will sit at the pedicure station, chatting idly about what boy she likes that week while sipping on iced lattes.

I can't wait.

Well, now, apparently I don't have to! OK, at 4 years old I may need to trade boy talk and lattes for Dora the Explorer and ice cream, but at least we're close.

There's a new spa in town called La Di Spa that I can't wait to check out. I found it, by the way, from a site featured in a previous blog post.

La Di Spa is the first kids day spa in Austin. They actually cater to kids! I'm planning to get my kid the Gummy Worm Pedi. Plus, they use natural and organic products free of harmful toxins (another biggy for me if you haven't seen Is Your Lotion Toxic).

I haven't gone yet, but I'll be sure to check back in when I do!

What else is cool? View more blog posts >
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If an ad agency were to create a stop sign

I'm working on my consensus-building skills, but there's only so much a girl can take. Really, folks, how much can we jam into an ad? Jill likes green, but Mike hates green. Tom thinks the creative is fabulous, but Ann thinks it's "boring". Argh!

This video really pretty much sums up my week. I can soooo relate! http://my.break.com/content/view.aspx?ContentID=542649

What else is cool? View other blog posts >
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Jewelry Keeps Your Data

While we are on the topic of functional jewelry, I've just become privy to the trend in USB memory keys that double as pendants and keychains. Yes, bling has turned hi-tech.

My favorite must be these stainless steel pendants with crystals (ooh, pretty, shiny objects!) by Horchow.

I also like the subtle yet classy keychain Titanium Kay has come up with - one that can give the non-tech Tiffany keychains a run for it's money.
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Then, for the uber-hip dad, there the dog tag version by Olinari. Perhaps the new Father's Day alternative to the neck tie? Or perhaps this guy-friendly necklace by Versani.

But it doesn't stop at jewelry. Check out this wine-stopper/USB key to be released for sale in Europe this summer. I can't wait to see what they come up with next!

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What else is cool? View more blog posts >

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Bluetooth Bracelet

Don't you hate it when you miss a call because you can't hear your phone ring? Maybe it was in your purse, or perhaps you forgot you had it on silent. Well, then, check out this cybergadget! It's a bracelet that let's you know when you're phone is receiving a call! It's compatible with any Bluetooth phone.

Isn't that cool?

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What else is cool? View other blog posts>

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Is your lotion toxic?

I heard some DJs talking about Cosmeticsdatabase.com on the radio the other day, reminding me of this cool site. My favorite section is on sunscreens - which ones really work without ingredients that are believed to have serious health risks.

The results of the Environmental Working Group investigations showed that only 15% of 952 suncare products analyzed met their criteria for safety and effectiveness, and the leading brands were the worst offenders. Ouch!

I was relieved to find that the makeup I use is not only on the safe side, but is also not tested on animals (yeah! I've been meaning to ask the makeup counter about that!) However, I did get a little nervous about "anti-aging" products - most of them seem pretty sketchy in the health department.

You will also want to check on the products you use on your kids. One popular brand in the baby world has lotions with ingredients linked to cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity, allergies/immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity, organ system toxicity, contamination concerns...the list went on and on.

So be sure to check out this site to discover what NOT to buy, and learn more about the cool stuff they are doing.

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What else is cool? View other blog posts>

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Save on stuff you actually need

Find coupons and discounts you can actually use at MomsWhoSave.com. It's not a pretty site, but you can find deals on clothing, photo printing, computers and more.

I particularly like that they post offers on Twitter, making it easy to browse through the daily bounty. Cool way to save!

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What else is cool? View other blog posts>

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EepyBird.com (aka Mentos & Diet Coke Guys)

I met Stephen at the SNCR Excellence in New Communications Awards a while back. He and Fritz are some very interesting guys that managed to take something viral and turn it into a marketing opportunity, while most of us try to do just the opposite.

This one's my personal favorite, but they have all kinds of fun stuff on their site.

Check out their EepyPicks page to see cool videos they found on the "Webernet", like Human Tetris and a guy that can play the piano backwards.

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What else is cool? View other blog posts>

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Dance-Powered Night Club

Brilliant. A dance club that harnesses the power generated by dancers.

These guys really walk the walk. The cool British night club doesn't charge cover if you arrive by public transportation, bicycle or foot, equips bathrooms with air flush, waterless urinals and low flow toilets, sells drinks in polycarbon cups, and donates a portion of profits to charity.

They even have an eco-friendly destination resort scheduled to open in 2010. Check out Club4-Climate. Very cool!

Funny Cat Videos

I've truly never heard my 4-year old laugh so hard!

http://www.funnycatvideos.net/funny-cat-video-compilation-1.html


http://www.funnycatvideos.net/funny-cat-video-compilation-3.html

Note: you can get rid of the annoying ad by clicking on the "x" at the top right corner of the banner.

Kermit the Frog Used to Be a Coat

Ever wonder how your favorite Muppet was born? I found a great blog post on the origins of many a favorite muppet. Some tidbits from this cool stuff blog:

• The original Kermit the Frog was made from Jim Henson's mom's coat and some ping pong balls
• Cookie Monster was originally made to be in TV commercials
• Count von Count used to be able to hypnotize and stun people
• There does not seem to be a consensus on who Animal was modeled after, but some theories out there include Keith Moon of the Who, Ginger Baker from Cream and John Bonhamm from Led Zeppelin
• Oscar the Grouch is inspired by a cranky New York cab driver. And in Israel, he's not "Oscar" but his cousin, Moishe Oofnik, who lives in an old car

Some other fun Muppet sites:

• Muppets.com (great videos good for a giggle!)
• Muppet Central - Guides
• IMDB Muppet Trivia
• TV.com Muppet Trivia
• IMDB Sesame Street Character Trivia
• Test Your Sesame Street Knowledge (may want to turn sound off for this one)

Clothing Becomes Interactive

Got something to say? Now your clothing can be part of your social media brigade. Reactee is a Web site where you can create a personalized t-shirt that invites others to text you (without giving up your number!)
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So, Reactee is owned by TextMarks, which creates a unique TextMark keyword for you. When someone sends a text to 41411 with the keyword you had printed on your Reactee shirt, they receive a message back that you have pre-set (and can update at any time).

Still don't get it? It took me a while, too. Some examples may help (and yes, I just made up the following):

• A huge advocate for Free Tibet may create a shirt that reads "Why Free Tibet? Text TIBET to 41411". Then they would set up a new message every week that talks about the human rights violations occurring on the other side of the world. Anyone who texts "TIBET" to 41411 would receive those messages.
  
  
• A local coffee ship owner may create a shirt that reads "Get Free Coffee. Text CUPOJOE to 41411" and set up the account so that anyone that texts his keyword would get a "coupon" texted to their phone for a free sample.
  
  
• A night club DJ might create a shirt that reads "Whadda Ya Wanna Hear? Text REQUEST to 41411" so dancers can text song requests.
  

The possibilities seem endless. Your t-shirt becomes a billboard, a conversation starter, a way to support your favorite cause, the newest booth-babe attire at trade shows...

What would YOUR t-shirt say?

Stuff to do in Austin and Houston

Here are some fun little gems forwarded to me from a friend: Austin Tidbits, Austin Kidbits and Houston Tidbits.

You sign up for tidbits via email from gotidbits.com and they send you fun new things to try in Austin and Houston. The Kidbits one is my favorite - they tell you when Beauty and the Beast will be performed at Zilker, who has yoga classes for the wee-ones and where to go in Austin to get creative.

The Austin and Houston tidbits tell you thing like where the party is, who's having a sale, how to rent designer clothes, and more. You can check out previous tidbits to see if it's up your alley before you offer up your precious inbox space. Pretty cool stuff!

My Personal Renewal Group

Now, I'm not usually one for self-help books and "learn to love yourself" seminars, but I must say that I've found a lot of value and made some good friends through my Personal Renewal Group.

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The book is designed to help busy career moms not only cope with the struggles of balancing work and life, but how to succeed in your various roles and reconnect with "who you are".

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So, you can buy the book and do the exercises on your own, but I've gotten the most insight and "ah-ha" moments from discussions with the group. Ideally, you'd have a trained Facilitator. But if that doesn't work for you, I don't see any reason why you can't get a group of moms together once a month to read the chapter and do the exercises. Though you may need to nominate a leader to keep you on track.

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The book guides you through a journey of self-exploration (yeah, I know, I'm starting to sound like a self-help book now) and helps you realign your priorities, while the discussion group provides an opportunity for validation, reality checks, support and ideas. Plus, it's another good excuse for moms'-night out!