Modern-twist Matte Stephens Placemats
I'm not a fan of standard high chairs. And being the planner that I am, I've already decided on the Stokke Tripp Trapp chair for my little one. The innovative, modern design brings baby tableside, which means he'll need his own placemats so that I can protect my wood tabletop and easily clean up the inevitable mess. These new Matte Stephens designed placemats from Modern-twist are numero uno on my list. The patterns are hand-silk-screened on non-toxic silicone, which is an incredibly easy-to-clean surface. I love the retro-inspired monster and owl designs! Buy them here.
Get ready for your close-up, ladies. Cargo cosmetics recently launched a collection of makeup formulated specifically to create flawless faces in high-definition. You read it right—HD makeup. Wait! Before you dismiss your need for such a product, give me two more minutes. Even if you won't be walking the red carpet anytime soon, consider this: the 
Painting a room gives it style but adding color to the walls is not always an option for apartment dwellers. Wall decals are becoming increasing popular and offer a wonderful alternative to paint for those seeking to spruce up white walls. I heard about 
The other day I was feeling the need to give my ensemble a boost with a spring accessory, so I switched handbags and I've been toting around my 
I discovered luxe knitwear label Stacia back in the summer of '05 and shared my fab fashion find in an article for 
Apartment living in NYC and California has doomed me to a life of laundry woes. I've yet to have a washer and dryer in unit, which means multiple trips to and fro the garage/laundry room hauling my laundry bag and liquid (not to mention scrounging for one last quarter to finish the load). Lately, my loathsome laundry duties have been a tad more enjoyable thanks to Vaska, a green and sustainable business located in Berkeley, CA. Vaska household products are high efficiency, biodegradable, hypo-allergenic, and pretty darn fabulous if you ask me. I've been using the laundry liquid and spot remover for a couple of months and my clothes are softer than before. Herbal lavender extracts kill bacteria and purify clothing. Plus the sweet smelling (yet subtle) aroma makes the laundry room a little less daunting. Residue-free and carcinogen-free, Vaska is good for you and the environment. And the HE concentrated formula means you don't have to carry a huge, heavy bottle to the laundry room every time, and you get 48 washes out of one bottle. Buy Vaska 
File this one under stylish essentials. You know, those items that are necessities for comfort but are made even better when they are super-luxe and stylish? A good eyemask is definitely an essential in my book. I never travel without one and I use it at home almost every night. I first started using them to help prevent headaches (If I was scrunching my eyes closed tightly, I'd wake up with a headache for sure). Now I use this beautifully soft Kumi Kookoon silk eyemask when I need ultimate relaxation. Covered in fine silk charmeuse and filled with hand-stretched silk fibers, this luxe item lifts stress and tension thanks to its airy properties. Beautiful hues include raindrop, pebble, sapphire, wine, champagne and more. Buy it 
As a die-hard J Brand fanatic and jeans & tee girl at heart, I can't imagine going months without wearing my favorite jeans. So I'm relieved and thrilled that they have a maternity style because, slowly but surely, my stockpile of J Brands (pencil, cigarette leg, straight, wide leg) are becoming unwearable in my current state. (I've pretty much exhausted the hair elastic around the button trick.) I just picked up my first pair of Mama J's and they are more fabulous than I ever imagined. Kudos to Jeff and Susie for creating stylish maternity jeans that are incredibly comfy. Most maternity jeans have an elastic panel in the front to cover the bourgeoning belly but J Brand's revolutionary design has soft elastic panels on the sides and the waistband is cut below the belly in the front and higher in the back. The dark indigo hue is super flattering and the 4-way Lycra denim is soft and light. These jeans are designed to grow with your belly and last throughout pregnancy, as well as after when moms are getting back to their regular shape. They are just as comfy as my sweatpants and Rachel Pally leggings, and that's not something you can usually say about jeans. Buy them 
In an ongoing effort to live a more eco-friendly life, I'm trying to break my bottled water habit by using a stylish Sigg bottle. The Swiss water bottles are reusable, 100 percent recyclable and do not leach harmful chemicals (a la plastic bottles). In celebration of Sigg's 100-year anniversary, the company has teamed up with 
The weather in SoCal is currently gorgeous so I'm lusting over spring dresses. This little beauty from Vince is quite simply adorable, with a smocked neckline and beautiful pleating. The silk jersey if fully lined, making it fully functional and comfortable. Plus, it has pockets! Love that. The floaty silhouette is figure-flattering for a range of body types, which is top priority for this pregnant gal. And I adore the fact that the pretty blue color evokes the soothing vibe of a clear blue, sunshine-filled sky. Buy it 
