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Shoe tying has been an annoying interruption for me ever since I had kids. From the moment they started walking it seems there have been loose laces flapping and flying and me running behind them. On more than one occasion a lace caused a trip, which caused a fall, which caused the skinned knee that brought whatever we were doing to a dead stop for the requisite kisses before tying the darn things again.
Now I go to ballgames and we watch referees hold up the game for kids to stop and tie shoe laces. In fact, shoe tying is practically a ritual in recreation leagues, hence the refs know to watch for it. No matter how many velco shoes they make for kids, and we have tried them all, the standard for athletic shoes is still lace-ups. In 200 years of shoe making, this is still the best we have.
So when I saw Lace Stick at Bass Pro Shops amongst all the waterproof hunting boots and paraphernalia (no, I have no interest in hunting, but was strangely drawn to the stuffed racoon atop the display), I had to try it. If hunters - the people who look forward to rising before dawn to sit motionless in tree stands for hours in frigid weather - use this stuff, it must be good. It stands to reason that you can't stop to tie a shoe when you're after game and you have a dangerous weapon in your hands.
to apply Lace Stick, you just draw the laces through the hole in the cap, barely coating the lace with a slightly tacky, dry and colorless substance. Tie the shoes as usual and you're good to go.
Many ballgames later, Lace Stick has proven to be effective. In fact, laces don't even cross my mind anymore.
Besides athletic situations, I'm not having to harp about school shoes that are untied or breaking my nails to undo impossible double knots that any 18th century pirate would be proud to claim. I think I am making peace with lace-up shoes.
Lace Stick is around three bucks and I've learned it's sold at most athletic stores in addition to Bass Pro Shops. If I were a daycare instructor, I would keep it in my pocket at all times. After all, it takes a few years before that pincer grasp can move from grabbing Cheerios to tying laces, and I don't need any extra skinned knees to blow.
I've heard three different moms raving about these when I've been out and about and they clearly rate a find for moms chasing busy feet.
You probably remember versions of these when you were a kid yourself, but apparently Hanna Andersson makes the mom-favored version for kids. Moccasins are the original footwear, and soft suede soles for kids have been standard for a long time, but the "Swedish moccasin" (Hanna Andersson is a Swedish company) is the best hybrid of warm socks and comfortable moccasins. One mom refers to them as "sockasins", which I think is just perfect.
These are great for padding around the house or playing indoors. They have a bit more grip than a sock alone and certainly wear better, plus they're machine washable. One of the best features is that they stay on, even during a restless daytime nap. They're the next best thing to wearing footed pajamas, and on a cold day in a stroller, it's nice to know the feet that keep kicking out from under the blanket are well covered.
I know a mom of three girls who swears by the Hanna Andersson catalog, stating that all three of her girls have been able to wear in turn everything she has purchased from the company. The quality of the fabrics, including their durability and colorfastness, has given each garment several seasons of heavy use. Because of its excellent reputation, the brand does well via consignment sales also.
Time was when you had to enlist a friend headed to New York City to grab the latest fun costume jewelry, sunglasses and accessories for a song on the streets or in Chinatown. If you went to the Big Apple, maybe a buddy gave you a $20 bill and asked you to bring back a hip item for her.
Now there's no need to travel and hassle with street vendors since the same imports are widely available. One of the best sources in Birmingham is Accessory City in Patton Creek at Hoover.
The walls are lined with costume jewelry in trendy styles, but there are also crystal, sterling, and other pieces with semi precious stones. Opera wallets, small luggage and laptop totes, sunglasses and scarves are all around the place, and of course there are bags in all - and I do mean ALL - sorts of colors and patterns. (The bags may be designer inspired but they're not designer knock offs, which always felt too shady for me to worry with, even in NYC.).
Nobody pretends these are investment pieces. They're just for fun and frivolous enough to spice up an outfit for a few bucks. In fact, you may find that a few of the items are made as well as those you'd find at department stores with a higher price. Let's face it, almost all maunfacturing for costume bags and accessories is outsourced now, so most of them are more alike than different, regardless of whether they're a national brand or no brand.
A couple of my out-of-town friends like to check out the store before hopping on the interstate and heading home. Shopping here sure beats buying stuff out of a stall on the street. If you like trying new things or have an occasional wish for something big and bold to wear, this is your store.
*Accessory City's a good source for fun Valentine gifts for a daughter, mother-in-law, etc.
I feel for the retail workers who are back on duty for 6 a.m. doorbuster specials the day after Christmas. They had to have been dead on their feet by the time the store closed on Christmas Eve, and now they have to get the tired old sets they tended so carefully before Christmas re-warmed for CLEARANCE with big red signs and hundreds of little red pricing stickers.
Even I have sale fatigue. The retailer holiday emails have badgered me to death, starting encouragingly enough with, "Get a head start on your holiday shopping" but then cycling through, "Hurry! 20% off starts today", "Only three more days for 20% Savings", "Last day for savings!". These were quickly followed with another round of free shipping and upping the ante to 30% savings, escalating to "last minute deals" and the feverish "only 48 hours left!". On Christmas Day I even received an e-mail from Barnes & Noble offering an "instant gift" (electronic gift certificate) to the neice or nephew you forgot.
So it's Doorbuster time again. Big deal. What can possibly be behind those doors that we haven't seen and evaluated already? I suppose the lesson is that the stuff is always on sale and it's only a matter of context. You're either a B.C. (Before Christmas) or A.C. (After Christmas) shopper. Now, thanks to instant gifts, apparently you can be an I.C. - Instant Christmas - shopper too.
If you're a doorbuster or even casual shopper during these days, check out these suggestions for clearance deals that will give you a no-hype, genuine head start for next year.
There's a warehouse full of monogrammable items, fashion watches, and houndstooth accessories on Old Hwy 31 in Riverchase. This is the same company, known as Time Machine and Stitch Witch, that was in the Galleria for years selling purses, lightweight luggage, and throws. Now they've moved to a larger retail space where they still monogram or replace watch batteries while you wait, only now there are more products available on site.
Most timely right now is their selection of collegiate products and especially houndstooth items offered through their online shop, ehoundstooth.com. Since a lot of BirminghamMoms may know someone headed for the Rose Bowl (or be planning trips themselves), a few accessories may be in order for the trip. You'll find a variety of houndstooth duffle bags, headbands, scarves and purses, and many items can be monogrammed. (It should be noted that the Tampa-bound will find Auburn items also).
Most of the houndstooth products here are not licensed by the University of Alabama, so they do not provide funding for the school's programs. On the other hand, houndstooth is a universal pattern (well established, let it be said, even before Bear Bryant ever donned his hat), so there's no reason to expect it to be licensed unless it specifically bears the university's logo. If you want to signal your allegiance via your houndstooth pattern, you'll find several options here.
Stitch Witch/ Time Machine and ehoundstooth.com's retail space is at 2010 Old Montgomery Highway. If you're shopping near the Galleria, you're practically there. Exit the Galleria at the Sears parking lot (near Stix and Kinko's) and cross Hwy 150, passing Sam's and turning right on Old Hwy 31. Follow the road past Riverchase Elementary and entrances to the Riverchase residential subdivision, and you'll see the store on your right.
If you have anything that needs to be monogrammed, bring it. You can have it stitched while you shop or if it will take a bit longer, leave your things and continue down Old Hwy 31 to Valleydale Road to have lunch at Monette's Pizza. You can enjoy a relaxing lunch and your newly monogrammed items will be ready to go when you return.
What do you do when you want to donate money for a favorite cause but have taken a hiatus from paid work to raise your kids? This was the dilemma Abby, a BirminghamMom of three faced when she wanted to give more than her time to the causes she supported.
This mom decided to get industrious and use her fascination with art supplies to create Crazy Mama Designs and her signature item, "Caps for a Cause." These include pendants she makes using bottlecaps and fillers like colorful beads that feature flowers, peace signs, etc. Proceeds from her "Caps for a Cause" creations go to support some of her favorite organizations, including the Birmingham Hospitality Network, which serves homeless families in Birmingham in helping them develop a stable lifestyle. Recent craft fair proceeds from Caps for a Cause have already benefitted Cystic Fibrosis, among others.
While she designs these herself using her own materials, anything smaller than one inch can be incorporated into a custom design, so if there is a special something you'd like to have made into a necklace, magnet, or embellishment for a photo frame, it's worth inquiring. She also makes earrings, photo frames, and other products.
Necklaces are $14.99 each and assembled by hand. Find them at Please Reply, Smith's Variety, Snoozy's Kids and the Junior League of Birmingham gift shop. There is a style and color combination for any outfit and a girl on your list is sure to love receiving something so one-of-a-kind.
The Birmingham Hospitality Network is a non-profit organization consisting of congregations who provide overnight lodging for up to 14 people on a rotating basis. Abby spends an evening with the group when her church hosts, and she has subsequently gotten to know and take a personal interest in several of the participants. However, this Crazy Mama acknowledges that she first started volunteering overnight so she could take an occasional break from her own hectic evenings at home wrangling three children to bed. Here's a shout out to her husband!
I know firsthand what it's like to be homesick, and I don't just mean the summer camp variety of homesickness. I mean the kind where there is no sun like the Alabama sun, no breeze like the Gulf breeze, and no barbeque that can satisfy. This homesick is a mental place where you would happily roll down a hill of kudzu into a barrel of prickly pinecones if only you could picnic by the Tennessee River.
This is because my first "real" job was with Ford Motor Co. in Detroit. After brief recruiting visits staying at the Ritz Dearborn, it seemed like an exciting place to start a career (suffice it to say the industry was much more hopeful at the time). Fast forward to the 7th month of a gray winter where I was practically infirm from Seasonal Affective Disorder and inadequate skills for driving on snow (boyfriend, now husband, was still in Birmingham, another impediment to coping with frozen car door handles). No wonder I finally broke down in tears in the middle of Farmer Jack's; the clerk had never heard of grits and was sure they didn't carry them. Who were these cold-enduring people? Didn't they know there was a warmer life elswhere?
Believe me, there are folks you know who are missing Alabama right now. It doesn't matter whether they are thriving in a new location they love or they are saving nickels for a return via U-haul. They're occasionally reminded of a balmy summer night or an amazing slice of pie and thinking fondly of their time here, perhaps especially during the holidays.
You can send them a little memento of home. Alabama Goods.com is a company run by two BirmighamMoms that markets Alabama-made pottery, decorative arts, foodstuffs, and even furniture. Much of their business is in corporate gifts, but they have all sorts of items for individuals. Some of my favorites are the Birmingham necklace, Alabama Platter, and the state-shaped cutting board.
The clay Alabama ornament above would also be a thoughtful gesture as a parting gift for relatives who have come in from out of town, since it could serve as a memento of their time here (assuming, of course, that you all will want to remember the visit).
As for my time in Detroit, a gift like one of these wouldn't have cured my homesickness, but it could have kept me mindful of the people who were thinking of me back home. Besides my mom sending grits, my boyfriend gave me the ultimate gift for a homesick girlfriend: an engagement ring and an invitation to come home.
It's true that I've probably never met a tote I didn't like. However, this one is unique simply because it suits such a heretofore unmet purpose. I'm calling it the car butler.
Several months ago I read a a book about organizing that suggested creating an "errand box" which would work like an in-box for the car. You would put it by the kitchen door to collect any items you needed to handle that day, then take it with you to the car, where you would place it in the passener seat. You could see at a glance what you had to do, like returns, mail, etc., and keep coupons and circulars at hand.
I couldn't imagine a good looking "errand box" until I saw this tote. Voila, I knew I had found just the ticket. But since an "errand box" sounded onerous (isn't it enough to have a "to-do list" to work?), I decided to think of it as a car butler, which sounded pleasant and ready to serve. Indeed, it has been serving well:
- Perfect size for the front passenger seat
- Laminated fabric comes in all sorts of solids and patterns and can be wiped clean
- Mesh pockets at either end are perfect for business-size envelopes to hold mail, carpool tag, school correspondence
- Handles can pull together like a picnic basket; lightweight; keeps its shape
- Can be folded flat for storage
- Can be moved to the trunk easily (if visible packages or returns could invite theft)
- Attractive enough to leave out when collecting items that need to go to the car (won't scratch leather upholstery)
- Use it to unload car at the end of the day, sort things into their proper places, and then put by the door until next outing
- Can be monogrammed or personalized
- Open top = flip through contents easily
The tote's handles aren't sturdy enough for heavy items like library books, but the tote is still perfect for grabbing the mail or newspaper (especially when it's in a rain-soaked bag), and for gathering the odds and ends that somehow get left behind in the car after every outing.
I found my "butler" at Snoozy's but Blue Willow in Cahaba Heights and several other specialty shops sell them. They are around $24 and would make a handy gift.
Whether you schlep around a cheap purse or carry a fine designer bag, you probably can't avoid placing it on the floor from time to time, especially in a restaurant. Chances are also good that when you bring a load in from the car you drop everything on the kitchen counter to sort, including your (previously on the floor) purse. We wouldn't let our kids put their shoes on the furniture, let alone the kitchen counter, but we're not so vigilant about our own purses.
One alternative to placing your purse on the floor is the purse hook. Normally, I try not to complicate my life with accessories for accessories. This purse hook is a worthy exception, though. Although I've seen them in stores like Stein Mart, I didn't care for the ones that are encrusted with sparkly stones and shaped like lipsticks or shoes. Then my friend whipped hers out the other day and I knew it was the simple, functional look I would like. Maybe it helped that it coordinated perfectly with her purse and green jacket.
She tipped me off to these at A.K.A. Girls' Stuff in Homewood, where they're only $10 and come in a matching little case (I guess that gets me three-deep in accessories to accessories). No matter, it's a great price and so much better than kicking around your bag under the table.
While we're on the subject of purses, don't forget the key finder. I conservatively estimate it has saved me a collective 12 hours of my life - not to mention frustration - over the past two years as I have not had to dig around in a bag for my keys.
A couple of years ago I found a great hook that can handle a heavy wreath, didn't scratch the door, and held up to wind and weather. I've been able to use it year-round to hold this door basket on the basement door, which is completely exposed to the elements and is subject to inadvertent slams and "hurry abuse" that the front door just doesn't get. You can see it has held up just fine, and let me point out that the door basket is probably 25 pounds when it is wet, yet the hook doesn't waver.
I'm happy to report the hooks are available this year at Southern Accents on highway 31 in Pelham for only $2.99. The hooks are near the checkout stand and on and endcap along the back aisle, where you can also find heavy duty magnet sets that secure wreaths to glass windows or storm doors for $9.99.
Although the puny hangers are displayed beside these heavier, sturdier ones, you'll have no trouble seeing the difference. They come in other finishes.
Give up on the brittle plastic and thin brass-finish wreath hangers. One of the these will serve just as well as a pricey catalog version.
