Looking Good & The Importance of SUNSCREEN

By Petunia
As Earl stated in Tuesday's blog post, just because you're in the wilderness doesn't mean you shouldn't still try to look your best! It is possible to meld fashion and function. Take this outfit, for instance. I may have been a little grumpy from lack of sleep (who knew the forest would be so noisy at night?), but I was still rockin' a stylish outfit at the breakfast table!

One thing we haven't mentioned yet, which is an essential for any outdoor excursion: sunscreen! You must protect that delicate skin. Our sunscreen of choice for this trip was Neutrogena SPF 70. Now, unfortunately, that particular brand and SPF does not get the best rating on the Cosmetics Database. Ms. Mommy wanted the highest SPF we had available while on the beach though, as Earl and I are very fair skinned and could burn quite easily! We doubled our sun protection by wearing long-sleeved rash guards on the beach, and wearing hats whenever possible. 

More information on safe, high SPF, sunscreens can be found here, at the Cosmetics Database. 

Outfit of the Week

By Earl
I was surprised to stumble across this hidden gem from outofprintclothing.com.  This tee of In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak showcases one of my favorite (and one of the most underrated Sendak books) ever!  Since this book is a bit hipster, I decided to go all out and pair it with colored skinny jeans, suspenders and (Ms. Mommy's personal favorite), highly sensible shoes!  

OOW by twobabiesdofashion featuring skinny jeans

Skinny jeans
gap.com

Zips shoes
wesqueak.net

In the Night Kitchen
outofprintclothing.com

Suspenders Solid Yellow - Accessories & Makeup Clown Halloween...
anytimecostumes.com

Adventurous Adventures of Earl

By Earl
Camping is a lot of fun, especially when extended family is involved. Just because you're in the wilderness though, doesn't mean you can't look good. Here I am exploring the campsites in my trendy plaid shorts and semi-matching straw hat with the plaid band.

Ms. Mommy packed a LOT of clothes for our camping excursion. A 2 to 1 ratio, as in two outfits for every day we were there. More clothes than we ended up wearing, but it's better to be safe than sorry when you're in a place without washing machines, and where it is inevitable that one's shirt will wind up soaked, stained, or stinking within a matter of hours. So tell us, how many extra outfits do YOU take camping? 

Hat: Old Navy
Shirt: Carter's

Shorts: Carter's

Outfit Name: Adventurous Earl

Petunia's Fashion Rating: 8/10

Earl's Fashion Rating: 9/10

Swimwear: Camping Edition

By Earl
Ahoy there, Fashion Friends! We apologize for the lack of updates recently. We spent a glorious week traveling to Northern Idaho and back for a fun-filled adventure with extended family. Ms. Mommy has been so busy that she hasn't found the time to help maintain the blog. Since our last post discussed swimwear, let's take a look at what we wore to the lake:

Above, you see me (Earl) on hmy own private island, wearing some brand we can't recall (hand-me-down) swimtrunks, with an Old Navy rash guard. 

Here we have Hank, chilling on a tube with Mr. Daddy, wearing swim trunks and a rash guard (both from Old Navy). Hank also wore his a life-vest, because safety always tops fashion. Please note that it's a very cool Spiderman vest though. 

Petunia is seen here sporting an Old Navy rash guard (they do have excellent rash guards at reasonable prices) under a Land's End swim tank, with a Best Bottom cloth swim diaper.

Outfit of the Week - Swimwear Edition

By Petunia
It is never too early (or too late) to think about swimsuits!  This has been an unnaturally hot summer in Oregon and has required me to wear my swimsuit much much more than I did when I was a baby.  Plus, going to the kiddie pool, water parks, lakes, and beaches are much more fun when you look stylish and have everyone cooing over you!

Actually, Ms. Mommy says it is too late to buy a new swimsuit.  Which brings us to never being too early.  Good note: swimsuits are on sale! Great time to look forward to next year!  I love the ruching and old-fashioned appeal of these two suits.  The sunhat is great for the beach.  If you're like me and burn easily, a swim hat might be a more sensible (and still fashionable) option.  What's your pick?

Outfit of the Week by twobabiesdofashion on Polyvore

Janie and Jack - Girl 0-12 yrs - Girls Clothes, Kids Clothes, Baby...
janieandjack.com

Janie and Jack - Girl 0-12 yrs - Girls Clothes, Kids Clothes, Baby...
janieandjack.com

Janie and Jack
janieandjack.com

Janie and Jack - Girl 0-12 yrs - Girls Clothes, Kids Clothes, Baby...
janieandjack.com

Interview with Bubbe of Bubbe's Blankies!

By Earl

Today we're featuring our favorite seamstress and creative genius: the Bubbe (our Bubbe) behind the handmade quilt business, Bubbe's Blankies!

So, Bubbe, how long have you been embroidering and quilting?

I started embroidering my overalls in high school because my mom had old floss and I liked making my denims more "girly".  When my first baby (Ms. Mommy) came along I wanted her to have beautiful blankets on her bed, and cute homemade dolls to play with.  I realized I could handle the boredom of watching TV if I had handwork, so I started to sew baby quilts to gift and sell at the Purple Pocket, a now extinct handcrafts shop in downtown Spokane.  I sold quite a few.  When Petunia and Earl came along two years ago, I had to make THEM quilts, and just sort of kept on making them.  They are now for sale through my blog.  

Can you tell us a little bit more about the quilt making process? 

It takes me from 4-12 hours to hand-embroider a square, averaging about 6 hours per square.  Sometimes I start with pictures, but often a fabric will inspire the design.  I recently found lovely cloth with animals in tutus, so Auntie Amelia and I drew pictures to go with it (this quilt is available at Autumn's Loft).  Currently I'm creating dinosaurs to go with some great green fabrics, and planning a farm-themed quilt, but no fabric's appeared for that one yet!  I don't think red gingham would be quite the thing, and denim is too heavy.   Each crib quilt takes at least 10 embroidered squares.  The batting is medium-weight, hand tied with yarn.  I don't like the sewing so much, but that might have to do with the fact that I recently sewed 4 together in one weekend!

Thanks for sitting down and talking with us, Bubbe!

Below are a few of our favorite Bubbe's Blankies, hand crafted for us by Bubbe and Auntie Amelia. First up is Hank's deliciously cozy, flannel, Sesame Street themed toddler quilt. Isn't that Elmo square adorable?!

The next two are Petunia's and my very own, complimentary quilts (click the images for a larger view)!

I may not be feeling my greatest in this photo, but at least I'm wrapped in the friendly warmth of my quilt. Ms. Mommy took a close-up of her favorite square to show the exquisite embroidery detail.

Want one of your own? How could you not after seeing ours! Bubbe is now taking custom orders- just email her at bubbesblankies{at}gmail{dot}com.

Shoes

By Petunia

In case you didn't know, I'm a shoe gal. Nothing pulls together an outfit quite like the perfect pair of shoes. Sandals, sneakers, Mary Janes... a girl simply must have a variety of footwear to choose from. 

The shoes I'm wearing here are the Violet, by See Kai Run. Ms. Mommy was able to score an awesome deal on these (60% off, clearance sale!) long before I even thought about taking my first steps, and I'm finally growing into them. 

Remember, appearance isn't everything when it comes to what's on your feet! Here are some tips for choosing appropriate shoes, no matter what the style:

• Proper Sizing: if at all possible, we recommend going to your local shoe store (we're fond of Stride Rite, personally) to get your feet measured. Both Hank and Earl have wide feet, so proper sizing is especially important.
• Flexibility: can the shoe be easily bent in half? If not, then give it a pass. Flexibility is key for a developing foot. Soft soles, including the ever popular, soft and breathable suede leather, are best for pre and new walkers. 

Going shoeless can be just as fun too, and great for your feet (even for toddlers like me, who require special orthotic inserts when wearing shoes). 

We'd love to hear what your favorite brands of children's shoes are!

How to Match the Mix

By Petunia

Here at Casa De Los Dos Niños, we love our hats.  If it weren't for Mr. Daddy laying down the "no more money on hats" law, we would have a hat for every outfit!  Ugh! 

As it is, this creates a fun opportunity for us to embrace our childhood poverty and celebrate a good mix and match.  Here's one of my personal favorites:

At first glance, these don't go together at all.  Look again.  Maybe you need to look a third time.  Keep staring until you see how these exciting the contrasting patterns blend together to create a 
fresh, forward look. Good move, Earl. Good move.

Hat: Old Navy
Shirt: Gymboree

Outfit Name: Plaid and Checks

Petunia's Fashion Rating: 9/10

Earl's Fashion Rating: 8/10

Photo Phriday. Er... Foto Friday?

‎"Wait, so you push the button and BUBBLES COME OUT?!"

Happy Friday! Hank turns 4 tomorrow, so we're going to have a busy weekend! See you on the flip side.

It Just Doesn't Fit

By Petunia
I'm sure we all have an article of clothing like this in our closet: the dress that doesn't fit. It might be too big, it might be too small, perhaps there's one little area that just isn't right. But you love it. You can't get rid of it, or wait to grow into it, or let your cousin borrow it, because it's just too cute.

This is my Cuidadela Smocked Dress from Tea Collection's Spring 2011 collection. The color is cordovan. Isn't that delightful? Even the name is gorgeous!

As you can see, I have some more growing to do before this dress fits me properly. I can't help but want to wear it though! The bright blue sparkle hat was perhaps a poor choice of accessories, but I really have little in the way of headcoverings that fit these days. But that's a topic for another post. 

Outfit Name: Cordovan Tea

Petunia's Fashion Rating: 8/10 (but only because of the hat and size issues)

Earl's Fashion Rating: 6/10