Aperitifs refer to the type of light cocktail served before dinner to stimulate the appetite and enhance the meal – and are chic once again!  Dating back to the mid-1800s, these cocktails are now fabulously retro and completely simple to mix up by adding soda water and a lemon twist to basic bar staples.

Here are a few suggestions for stocking an aperitif bar at home:

• Lillet – a French wine fortified with citrus liquors
• Martini Bianco – an Italian vermouth
• Campari  – a bitter alcohol infused with herbs and fruit
• Dubonnet – also a French infused wine with a sweet flavor
• Punt e Mes – a dark, Italian vermouth with a slight tone of chocolate

The Negroni , the Gimlet, and the Dubonnet Cocktail are some of the more commonly known aperitifs and perhaps good starting points if you’d like to channel the hip vibe of these pre-dinner cocktails!

Cheers!

While our children are often unpredictable, the one thing that mothers can count on is ever growing stacks of prized “artwork” and outgrown clothing!  Knowing how hard it is to let these things go, there are some very creative and clever ways to turn these possible castoffs into precious keepsakes.

The Great Remember

Based in Brooklyn, this company offers parents the opportunity to turn special outfits into a work of art that you can proudly hang in your home.  A variety of designs are available and can incorporate varying numbers of fabrics.  Children’s artwork can also be transformed into mosaics that include multiple pieces or a personalized locket.

Stuff Your Doodles

This is the perfect way to turn your child’s favorite “doodles” into three-dimensional stuffed creations!  Using imagination, recycled fabric and thread, artist Lucy Moose transforms those cute little drawings into heirloom treasures.

Formia Design

Jewelry designer Mia van Beek crafts one-of-a-kind, custom pieces based upon children’s drawings.  The choices include rings, brooches, key chains, necklaces and pendants, in a variety of metals.  The end result is an adorable and sentimental gift that will be treasured by any parent or grandparent!

 I hope that these suggestions will leave you feeling “guilt free” when it comes to tossing those piles of artwork or handing down those outgrown favorites!

The spring is such a special gift-giving month with moms, dads, grads and brides on your list.  Finding the perfect gift for the mothers and mother figures in your life is a fun and challenging task.  Here’s hoping that these gift suggestions will be just right for the women on your list!

Ladurée Silk Scarf

Ladurée is best known for its exquisite Parisian macaroons now available at a Madison Avenue shop in New York City.  If you can’t bring mom the actual dessert, this macaroon strewn silk scarf may be even better!

Vertical Cosmetic Tote

This travel accessory by Cinda B. is unique because it features a vertical orientation with a weighted bottom that keeps the contents upright.  The bag won’t tip over on a flat surface and attractively contains full-sized bottles of shampoo, conditioner and more.  A pretty variety of patterns is available.

“Catch Me Mom” Necklaces

We all know that our mothers are there to “catch” us when we fall and this unique, hand sculpted necklace will remind her of this every day!  Each necklace crafted by metal smiths John and Linda Whitney features a fearless mom, with your choice of up to two children (boys or girls) dangling from her arms!

Monogrammed Belt Buckle

These classic, preppy belt buckles are a lovely personalized accessory and a very thoughtful gift.  The buckles retail for $28 and the reversible belt strap is $58.

Mother/Daughter Necklaces

Such a sweet idea, these necklaces are crafted of silver bronze and sold in a set of two:  one “mother” animal and one “baby.”  Choices include mommy and baby versions of bunnies, whales and monkeys.

The Prosperity Candle

This candle is a thoughtful gift that you can give to all of the mothers in your life.  Women who are trying to build lives for themselves and their children, following the effects of war, political unrest or natural disaster, produce the Prosperity candles and this is one gift that can actually change lives!

Stylish Jewelry Storage

Consider taking jewelry storage out of drawers and boxes and into a decorative wall unit.  From Home Decorator’s, this wall mounted, mirrored cabinet is an ideal spot to organize and store jewelry, while adding a chic element to bedroom décor!

Needlepoint Nook/Kindle Covers

Talk about a fabulous gift at a fabulous price:  Land’s End is now offering beautiful needlepoint kindle/nook covers that not only look hand crafted, but can be monogrammed for a personal touch.

Kate Spade Beach Towel

A favorite designer of mine has added two fun beach towels to her summer line. One towel sports a blue/green-mod pattern and the other, a funky “Dive In” message in orange and turquoise.  Either of these will be a great addition to mom’s beach bag!

PJ’s by P-jamas

Another favorite of mine, these nightgowns and pajamas are made of such fine cotton that they are the perfect sleepwear!  Whatever style you choose, be prepared to have your mom hooked on these pjs as well!

My very best wishes for a wonderful day for you and all of the special women in your life on May 13^th!

* Busybeelifestyle.com is an affiliate of Uncommon Goods.

I am almost embarrassed to admit this, but in my town, I’ve gained a reputation (is this good or bad?) for being able to get out any stain that you can make!  Friends appear regularly on my door step with their most challenging laundry issues!  From the start of my writings, I’ve been asked to share my knowledge on laundry, and when a friend’s MOTHER (!) called ME (!) for advice, I figured that I’d better write up my laundry tips right away!

Necessary Supplies for Laundry

If you want to do a quality job with your laundry, there are some very necessary supplies you must have on hand!

• A good detergent - I only use Tide with Bleach Alternative – choose whichever scent appeals to you!
• Biz, a powder detergent for whites and colors
• Woolite for dark colors
• Spray n’ Wash - try to find the Dual Action version or the version that adds “Resolve” to the spray
• Clorox bleach - I like the citrus scent.
• Clorox bleach pen
• Febreeze for Laundry
• Bounce dryer sheets – I only use the dye and fragrance free variety.
• Niagara Spray Starch
• A roller lint brush
• An Ironing board
• A Good quality iron such as Rowenta – get this at Bed, Bath and Beyond with your coupon!  Expect to spend about $75.
• Stainless steel (not wood) drying rack – try Target’s Polder Accordian Drying Rack in Chrome
• Hangers – simple wire, tubular plastic, skirt/pant, padded, and wooden.
• Mesh lingerie bag for hosiery and delicate lingerie.
• Plastic laundry baskets – I like the Rubbermaid brand, and if you buy multiples of the same basket, they will stack perfectly.  Buy at least one basket for each member of your family and two extras.  One extra is for linens and the other for towels.
• A soaking bucket

The Down and Dirty

Sorting the laundry.  Using your baskets, divide laundry as follows:

• Light colors – to be washed in warm water
• Dark colors - to be washed in cold water
• White items needing bleach - to be washed in hot water
• Special clothing items should be divided into two loads - Black sweaters and pants should be washed alone in cold water with Woolite for dark colors.  Pretty white or light items like lingerie, cotton cardigans, and embellished blouses should be washed in cold water with regular detergent and a dash of Biz.  Any item receiving this special treatment should be line dried!

Washing the laundry:

• Start with each load as you have sorted above.  As the loads finish, put them into the dryer with a Bounce dryer sheet, especially during the winter months when static cling is at its worst!
• Line Dry the bras, silk/satin nightgowns, tights and hosiery, bathing suits, cotton or wool sweaters, ski jackets, ski pants, anything that you don’t want to shrink, cotton tops in bright or dark colors, sundresses, cotton skirts, patterned tablecloths or placements, duvet covers or coverlets, anything that you LOVE!
• If you take the time to line dry clothing that is colorful, you will prolong its life and keep the colors bright!  Don’t worry about the cheap/disposable clothing items, but give special attention to anything adorable and/or pricey.
• The dryer is perfect for towels, bath mats, sheets, jeans, cotton underwear and pajamas, sweats, t-shirts, blankets, turtlenecks, and socks.  If unsure, put it on the drying rack!

Expert Stain Removal:

• Basic dingy, dirty clothes - fill a soaking bucket with hot water and a good measure of Biz.  Add clothes and stir it up!  Let this sit overnight.  After soaking, wash in warm water with Tide.
• Vintage Linens - follow the Biz formula, but change the water several times before moving on to the regular washing.
• Single spots - for small stains on white clothing, you’ll need the Bleach pen! Lay out the dirty item and carefully dot the stain with the Bleach pen.  Don’t get it on yourself or patterned areas of the dirty clothes!  Allow it to sit for a few minutes and then wash on its own. The bleach from the pen can transfer to other clothing if you throw it in a big load!
• Wax - allow wax to harden and scrape off with a dull knife.  Next, put a piece of brown paper over the stain and warm with an iron. The grease from the wax will absorb into the paper.  You may need to use fresh sections of brown paper as the wax is absorbed.  After you’ve removed all that you can, resort to the single spot method above if your tablecloth is white!
• General Stains - pre-treat with the stain solutions recommended above.  Don’t be discouraged if the stain doesn’t come out with the first try!  I’d try at least twice before tossing the garment!

Don’t Forget Ironing:

• I know some people will go to great lengths to avoid ironing, but some clothes just have to be ironed! If you’re going to iron, use spray starch! This will make the ironing go much more quickly and give you a more professional finish for your efforts!
• Choose selectively - with limited time, I’d iron curtains, tablecloths and napkins, white blouses for me, my little girl’s party dresses, my son and husband’s dress khakis and shirts, and any special occasion outfits.
• Don’t treat ironing like a punishment!  It’s one of the few household jobs that can give you an immediate sense of accomplishment!  Set up your ironing board in front of the TV and either rent or “on demand” a great movie!  Time will fly by and the lovely clothes will be the fruits of your labors.  June Cleaver, look out!

Folding Laundry Tips:

• Try to fold every one or two loads as they come out of the dryer.  As you fold, sort into each person’s basket.  Insist that your family members retrieve their own baskets and put their clothes away!  Keep towels in their own basket, as well as sheets and other linens.
• In a recent burst of genius, I installed a TV in my laundry room. The sorting, folding and ironing process goes a lot quicker with Oprah in the room! (or whatever you enjoy!)
• Enlist your family in the folding process as well!  At an early age, I had my little ones playing matching games with the socks – some are easy like the colorful ones that kids wear and some are hard, like my husband’s tiny and dark patterned dress socks!

Here’s to cleaner laundry everywhere! 

If you liked this article on laundry tips, you may also enjoy:

• Dishwasher Double Duty

Updated May 1, 2012

While this article may sound like an overused first day of school assignment, don’t be misled! I can’t wait to share my vacation story having recently enjoyed two gorgeous weeks at the New Jersey shore!  On vacation I had a lot of fun with my immediate and extended family and kept up with my Busy Bee “work!” The “work” involved hanging posters, handing out business cards and taking note of the fun and unique products and stores that crossed my path!

Great Stores!

At Busy Bee, we created colorful and informative posters with tear off tabs labeled with our website address, in an attempt to entice new readers all over!  Hanging these posters, however, has been a tricky endeavor!  I’ve hung a few only to find them removed the next day and hung others to find that every tab had been pulled off!  Some shops were thrilled to help us out and others just weren’t interested!  Of the many places I visited, Busy Bee received its kindest welcome at:

• Fourth Street Café in Ocean City – home of the most delicious scones I’ve ever eaten
• The Bee in Bay Head – the most chic clothing shop around
• The Preppy Palm - an adorable gift and clothing store with locations in Avalon and Clermont.
• Pink Beach - an adorable new shop who’s tag line reads “Girls Just Want to have Sun!”  This fun filled and preppy shop has locations in Annapolis and Severna Park, Maryland.
• Springer’s – Stone Harbor’s location for the best homemade ice cream!

If your travels take you to any of these towns, please visit these great stores and let them know that Busy Bee sent you!

Fun Stuff!

As for the unique, specialty items that I found, here goes!

Carrot and Stick Press

Here you’ll find a wide array of adorable stationary, place cards and notebooks that are both cute and classy!  I especially loved the coral design and the candy cane pattern!  (carrotandstickpress.com)

Cupcakes and Cartwheels

This new division of Two’s Company sells colorful and whimsical gifts of all sorts!  Look for these new products on-line and in gift shops!  You are guaranteed to love what you see! (for on-line sites go to google and search for Cupcakes and Cartwheels.  Cupcakes and Cartwheels is coming soon on-line at twoscpomany.com)

Queen Bea Studios

These pocketbooks are fabulous!!  The pocketbook that first caught my eye was a straw bag with a monogrammed ribbon trim, unlike any I had seen before!  The straw bags are available in a variety of sizes and with a “Key West” inspired trim, if you aren’t interested in a monogram.  Clever cloth bags are also sold by Queen Bea. ( queenbeastudio.com)

As If Bags

As If Bags creates custom fabric pocketbooks in a number of sizes.  What sets this site apart from many others who offer the same type of product are the clever and vintage inspired fabrics that are updated seasonally!  The price is also terrific, ranging from $40 to $80. (asifbags.com)

Paisley Pear

More Pocketbooks!  Paisley Pear offers bags with a more constructed shape, sporting unusual trims and handles.   Also fabulous from this vendor is a reversible wrap skirt in two different lengths and many different patterns!

My absolutely sentimental favorite from this site, however, is the “Heirloom Collection.”  This collection got its start in 2006, five years after the World Trade Center tragedy, when the daughter of a 9/11 victim turned her dad’s snappy tie collection into pocketbooks for five female members of her family with the help of Paisley Pear!  This creative and commemorative idea is now available to all of us!  Utilizing ties, shirts, hankies, brooches, buttons, patches, medals or whatever is special to you, an heirloom bag can be created to showcase someone or something of significance to you.  The idea of seeing and using cherished mementos on a daily basis is without compare! (paisleypear.com)

Sun Feather Natural Soap Company

With its simple beginnings in a kitchen in 1979, this company now offers lovely, all natural soaps, lotions, scrubs, lip balms and much more.  Of note is the full line of all natural bug repellants in the form of soaps, wipes, sprays and solids. (sunfeather.com)

Daphne’s Details Jeans

These jeans are so cute I purchased them for myself and my teenage daughter!  Daphne’s details offers a collection of five styles of jeans with each pair sporting a series of buttons around the hem.  The buttons attach your choice of designer cuffs to the bottom of the pants!  And while the denim is basically plain, the cuffs are fabulous!  In toile, madras, boucle, and more, the cuffs are ribbon, pompom, rickrack, and fringe trimmed and every pair of cuffs is cuter than the next! (daphnesdetails.com)

Help Share the Bee!

Now that I’ve shared my Busy Bee ups and downs, along with my “finds” of the summer, please give me a hand with my Busy Bee “work” and forward the site to anyone who’s on your mind today and who might enjoy the Bee!  Consider checking out some of the exceptional retailers noted above and don’t forget to let them know where you learned about their special products!

How was your summer vacation? I’d love to hear!