I came across these buttons on Etsy and they are just so amazing! I love the colors and the uniqueness and especially the price. $6 for a set! Any crafty mom will lose her mind over these. I don’t scrapbook, but I hear you can incorporate these kinds of cute goodies into it. (Not sure how that works. Someone wanna explain?) If you like to sew, I bet you can do great things with them. I don’t really sew either….

Anyway, take a look at all of them over on Droolicious where you can see the full post.

Yes, a paperie. And if you don’t know what a paperie is you might also need a dictionary. Ouch. Snap! Sorry, MommyQ hasn’t had enough coffee today. Anyway…

If you don’t have a paperie like Polka Dot Design – that makes your mouth water and your heart skip a beat, you’re totally missing out on party-throwing fun. From adorably tiny cupcake toppers to swoon-worthy invitations to knock-your-stilettos-off party favors, a reliable paperie is one of life’s perfect pleasures.

I think every mom needs a one-stop-shop for baby shower and birthday party inspiration. This fact is especially true if you’re like me, up to your knees in diapers, sippy cups, Goldfish crackers and a ponytail is your standard hairdo. Trying to be the creative party hostess can be as tricky as making my spirited 2-year-old get a haircut or trying to convince my 5-year-old that cauliflower doesn’t smell bad.

This is why I love Polka Dot Design. Struggling with a great teacher gift? Not sure what to do for a party favor? Need a dinosaur centerpiece? Of course you do. And you’ll find all of this and much more that will get your creative juices flowing.

“Calling all bugs! Calling all bugs! Do not come within inches of this fresh meat!” If my OFF! Clip-On device could speak, that’s what it would say. It might also say, “Paging Dr. Ryan.” It kinda looks like a pager or something. A pager/fan/Walkman without the headphones.

I bought it a few weeks ago and just tried it out for the first time. You see, if I walk outside for 3 seconds, I get 1,000 mosquito bites and my oldest child is the same way. I read once that bugs sense anxiety and that’s why they bite. I’m not buying that particular brand of logic, but I’m a victim nonetheless. No matter how much repellent we wear – be it sweet-smelling-lotion or peels-your-skin-off harsh – nothing works.

The Clip-On is very easy to use and is just a tiny fan that circulates repellent. It even has a nifty “use-up indicator” to tell you when you need a refill. You can clip it on or place it near you if you’re sitting still. I clipped it on my kiddo and it seemed to work. It’s totally odorless and very quiet. Just make sure you turn it off when you’re done. One of my friends said it’s just a silly gadget and accused me of being a marketer’s dream. That may be true, but if they made an animal-print Clip-On I’d be wearing it to outdoor events with heels & a cocktail dress.

I ordered the Blue Home Sweet Play Home and the cushion online. The website said both items would arrive by the 24th. I was a little bit worried, but the items arrived in plenty of time. When I took the cushion cover out of the box, I noticed the directions said to wash it before use. When I unzipped the cover to find the washing instructions, I was pleasantly surprised. The directions ended, “Do not dry clean. Do not pass go. Sleep tight!” Well, that was such a clever little treat. Making laundry fun – what a novel idea!

Last night, I put the clean cushion cover on the cushion and was so impressed with the fluffiness of it all. This is one luxuriously fluffy cushion! The play tent is beautifully made and it is quite stunning in person. I am so thrilled with this purchase and only hope it is as pleasing to my child on Christmas morning.

Find the tent online at The Land of Nod for $99 and the matching cushion for $49. It also comes in lavender, pink and green.

As you can imagine, my kiddos got a hold of the crayons and found some serious wall space. Yep, they drew all over the wall upstairs in the playroom. Oh my, what a mess.

I know it’s not a huge surprise as these things happen with little kids and crayons all of the time. I guess I’m just surprised because I mistakenly thought we had made it through that wall-scribbling era without a problem.

Nope, they just waited and waited until the time was right. Luckily, one of the drawings was a huge jet that started at one end of the wall and went all the way to other end. And it’s magenta! What fun. All I can say is I love my Clorox Wipes more than ever.

Win on of the cutest iPhone apps for youngsters, Peekaboo Wild, at Droolicious!  I announced this great giveaway today – a free Peekaboo Wild app for five lucky winners. This game is a lifesaver if you have extra time to spare waiting in line at the grocery store, at the doctor’s office, at the restaurant – anywhere!

We discovered Peekaboo Barn a few months ago. Now those quirky farm animals have gone wild! Instead of barnyard animals, it features friendly animals you would find in the wild. Instead of peeking out from behind the barnyard doors, these critters pop out from behind the waving grass in Africa. The illustrations are endearing and the activity makes for great learning opportunities. Remember, you can play it in Spanish too! Thanks for the fun, Night & Day Studios!

There are lots of cute, tiny decorations to choose from, as well as cupcake liners and wrappers. It’s certainly worth a click or two! Hop on over to CupcakeSwirl.com.

The sound he makes at blast off sends my kids into hysterics. And when they laugh like that, we laugh too! My four-year-old plays it by himself and thinks it’s just great. After the kids go to bed, my hubby and I play it too. I think the best part is the old fashioned helmet. That is such a clever twist.

You can read more about it and download it here. I guess I’m just a sucker for a flying sheep. Read about it on Droolicious here.

That’s why I really like this fun option from Skip Hop. It’s the Funky Farm Fun Activity Mat and although it’s quite colorful, it’s cute. The animal characters are quirky and sweet, while the mat itself has lots of great eye candy for baby. I love the plush, striped carrot with the bunny and the goofy pig that is actually just a circle with a snout.

Find it at BabyEarth for $60.

Taggies Books – Yes, it’s the blanket in a book version!

I love Sandra Magsamen! Take a look at her Snuggle-Me books.

Little Green Books for the eco-tot.

Say “howdy” to Nacho the Party Puppy!

Sweet little faces book with rattle.

My youngest son got another goodie for Christmas, his first Bing Bunny book. This is a beautifully illustrated delight called Bing: Make Music. Bing and his friends use a variety of household items to explore music, just like my son. The author, Ted Dewan, has won many awards in the UK. If you haven’t seen these books, you must check them out. Available at Amazon. It’s a Bing Thing!

Create your family’s masterpiece with this unique Handprint Canvas Kit. Capture handprints, footprints or a parent-child combination. This adorable gift set comes with four 10″ stretched canvases in a variety of colors and non toxic water-based paint. Everything you need to celebrate today and mark milestones for years to come. A wonderful keepsake and a fun family activity! $40 at Red Envelope.

A few weeks ago the Rachel Ray show did a segment about Chef Guy Fieri’s kitchen, which lead to the mention of The Learning Tower. If you haven’t seen this clever step stool yet, check it out!

Whether your little “do it myself” one needs an extra step to wash hands or wants to help you bake a tasty batch of brownies, this tower is the perfect solution. And it can easily hold two children.

I love it because it fits flush against the counter and it has railings on all four sides to prevent falls. It also converts into other fun things like an art easel, playhouse or puppet house.

And best of all, because moms care, those bright pretty paint finishes are all lead-free. Blue, cherry, red, white, pink, green and so on.

If you’re looking for a special gift for the special youngsters in your life, The Learning Tower is a great idea. Retails for $185 at BabyEarth.

Born in the great state of Texas and a big fan of cheese pizza, Nacho is known to wear many hats. Snowboarder. Politician. Astronaut. He makes his debut as Nacho the Party Puppy, a birthday connoisseur. Look for Nacho the Downward Dog to make an appearance in Fall 2009.

If you live in Austin, TX, you can come to Storytime at Book People and hear Nacho the Party Puppy read by Nacho’s best 2-legged friend ever, the lovely & talented Emma. Storytime will take place on Saturday, October 11, 2008 at 11:30 a.m.

Part I of the Dog Days of Fall series by MommyQ.

Based on my personal experience, the Graco Baby Einstein Discover & Play Entertainer is a fantastic activity center for your growing and curious baby. One of the best features is the 360 degree swivel seat, so baby can easily play with all of the cool gadgets, as well as keep an eye on things happening nearby. It also incorporate bi-lingual language into baby’s vocabulary. The seat can be removed easily and is machine washable. This activity center does take up a bit of space, but the entertainment value is worth it.

Brightlings Exploration Station by LeapFrog is another favorite. Housing Bobblers, Tumble Tunnel, Babbling Bandshell, Rainbow Balcony, and Alphabet Alley, all the Brightlings friends come to play.

The Fisher-Price Peek-a-Boo Piano is a cute toy that baby can play with as a stand-alone piano or you can tie it in the crib and baby can activate by kicking it. The piano is soft and plays sweet songs. Best of all, the little birdie can play peek-a-boo, which all babies enjoy.

It’s hard to go wrong with the Sassy Poppin’ Push Car. This little car is perfect for little hands and the popping noise seems to be thoroughly amusing, prompting some cute expressions from baby and lots of giggles from everyone.

Even though your baby is getting bigger, don’t forget the travel toys. For rides in car, strolls in the stroller or just to amuse baby at a restaurant, make sure to carry a few of these with you. Sassy makes a Rock-N-Roll play pad stroller accessory and Tiny Love makes a Stroller Play Set featuring three unique activities for babies on the go.

Which toys amuse your 10-month-old?

If you’re a mom like me, you have a tacky train table located somewhere in your house. Sure, it’s perfect for the train set, but that’s it. Nothing more can be done on this table unless you take all of the trains off. And for those of us that aren’t engineers, they never quite seem to fit the same again…

Well, a clever company called P’kolino has devised a Play Table that truly captures the spirit of creative play. The company, founded by two dads, has been featured on the Today Show and in many national magazines including Time (April 2008).

Since the photo doesn’t do this table justice, let’s see if words can help paint the picture. What makes this table unique is it is actually a modular piece that can be reconfigured a zillion different ways. Yes, a zillion. It’s constructed with high quality materials that do not include nuts and bolts. Rejoice – you don’t have to drag out your dirty, unorganized toolbox! The wood is bent maple that has been machine pressed for increased strength and protected with a clear water-based finish. P’kolino also uses high density foam and premium stain resistant fabrics. You’re in love, right?

Here’s more:

- Interchangeable play kits fit into the table for neat storage and are easily removed and replaced for a quick activity change.

- The uniquely designed foam benches offer a soft, safe seat at the table as well as a fun rocker when flipped, and the removable foam blocks act as puzzle pieces or objects for a game of catch.

- Color schemes include light blue & purple and blue & green.

It’s a pricey piece – $1,399 – but if you think of it as bedroom furniture that provide hours and hours of creative play for your kids for many years to come, it’s certainly worth it. When all is said and done, you’ll spend that much on trains. Trust me.