droolicious : mobile

First Look: Bamboo Mobile

Nicole Feliciano — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Bring a bit of nature to the nursery.

Funny how new parents instantly become environmentalists. (Who wants to leave a cruddy world for their offspring?) If you’ve been hunting for green décor for the baby’s room check out this new mobile from Petit Collage.

This Tree Friends Mobile is laser-cut from bamboo (a renewable resource). Here's the scene: A little owl nests in the tree, a porcupine scurries below and a bird flies overhead. Sweet and simple, yet clean and modern. The mobile is strung on clear thread and requires minimal assembly. ($68)

In the Nursery: Pooki and Co Mobile

elizabeth leach — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 14:30:00 GMT

I love the colors in this mobile from Pooki and Company. Whimsical and cute, without overdoing the cute, this mobile will give your baby something fun to look at.

Remote Controlled Solar System Perfect For Junior Astronomers

Chris Ford — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:30:00 GMT

Most kids go through a period of fascination with outer space and the solar system (I know I did), and if you've got one that has more than a passing fancy, this might be for you. The R/C Animated Solar System Mobile hangs from your ceiling and has a Sun that lights up with nine planets that orbit around it. Well, eight planets really, plus Pluto.

Poor Pluto.

The mobile runs on batteries and has a remote control that operates it. The remote also doubles as a light-pointer which (according to the web site) your kids can use to "make comets and meteors streak through the night sky." It even comes with a companion CD that explains and describes stuff.

It looks pretty cool to me, though it would be cooler if you could wire it directly into a ceiling light fixture. Now all I have to do is figure out when my daughter will start learning about the planets in school.

R/C Animated Solar System Mobile, $39.99 from ThinkGeek.com

Let These Birds Hang Around

SunnyChanel — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:00:00 GMT

The birds take flight with this whimsical, cute and kooky mobile. From a baby blue egg comes four arms holding a quartet of plush birds. This mobile and the soft padded birds were all handmade so each one is unique. It’s one of those items I wish I had the time (or skill) to make myself. I love the homemade look, sadly it won’t be an output of my own home, thankfully someone else has the time and the skill to create this feat or adorableness.

Since this was handmade, it price reflects the care and time needed to create it. You can pick one up from Spunky Sprout here for $180.

Monkey Tree Mobile Makes A Great Gift

Chris Ford — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:30:00 GMT

One of the best baby shower gifts we ever got was a mobile for the nursery. Not the Fisher Price, make noise for the baby kind, but a beautiful one that hangs off the ceiling above the crib. We've written about mobiles from Flensted before, but my favorite is the one pictured above.

The Monkey Tree Mobile from Flensted has five little monkeys climbing a tree, and is both modern and totally fun. If you're looking for a baby shower gift that's affordable, unique and also perfect for a boy or girl (or a shower for a baby of unknown sex), Flensted Mobiles are definitely something to check out.

Monkey Tree Mobile, $32 from Design Public. Also, check out all the Flensted Mobiles at Design Public here.

20 Best Baby Deals on eBay – Save Thousands, Really!

SunnyChanel — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 02:05:00 GMT

In these days of stock turmoil, credit crunching and good old -fashioned recession style, saving a buck has never been so prudent and, sadly, necessary. If you have a newborn or a bun in the oven, it’s a bit late to “reschedule” that recent or impending birth for a more auspicous era. So although the future financial forecast includes rain, cloud and scattered storms, if you don’t do the standard baby shower route, don’t fret, you can get a significant discount on pert near everything you need for your baby.

Below are 20 baby necessities (not all of them are must haves, but all are popular with the parental units) that are in regular rotation from everyone’s favorite auction site eBay.com. You can get items that are brand spanking new or “gently” used and your savings can, seriously, be phenomenal. Let’s say you bought everything on this list,if you got it all at the retail sticker price you’d pay $3459.39. If you wisely went to eBay and got a mix of used and new items, you could pay as low as $1320.52 for all of it, I mean everything, saving more than $2000! Now that’s a recession friendly deal.

Petunia Picklebottom Diaper Bag
Regular Price = $175
eBay with a range from $36 used to $137.50 new

There are a lot of choices for diapers bags out there. Why did I pick this one? Because I had one and loved it. It has a zip out changing station, two generous sized side pockets, is easy to carry and also tres chic. There are lots of different styles, colors and patterns to choose from .

Medela Breat Pump - In Style with Bag (don't worry it's new!).
Regular Price = $350.99
eBay price range - $260.50 to $200

Yeah, this is something that would probably be best bought brand new. You could always save even more by renting one but if you know you'll get lots of use out of it, you might as well just make that investment.

Baby Bjorn Original Carrier in City Black
Regular Price = $89.99
eBay: $1.04 (used) to $84.99 (new)
The always popular and utterly classic Baby Bjorn is the go-to carrier for both moms and dads. It’s practical, safe and makes multitasking with a baby plausible and possible.

Native Baby Sling
Regular Price: $54.00
eBay: $8.07 (used) to $34.99
For those of you who prefer to sling instead of Bjorn (or perhaps you play both sides of the baby carrier field) there are many options in slings out there and almost all of them are listed on eBay. I picked the Native Baby Sling since that is the one I used with my daughter and we both loved it. Simple, no straps, buttons, or zippers. Just cloth, baby and me.

Britax Marathon Car Seat New - Various covers
Regular: $279.99
eBay: $92.74 to $279.99

Your newborn won’t be able to cold chill in the Britax Marathon Car Seat right away, but one thing about those kids, they grow quick. So having a car seat ready to go when they suddenly grow out of their infant seat is a good thing to keep in your basement. I’m a fan of the popular Britax Marathon Car Seat. Not only is it sturdy and safe, but it comes in many interesting patterns and hues.

Mobile -
Regular: Wide, wide range
eBay .81cents to $69.00
(one pictured above is $39.99)
When my daughter was a baby, I was convinced the mobile was what was keeping her up at night. So I pretty much immediately tore it off her crib. Other parents swear by them. There is an extremely wide range of mobiles from modern to Mickey.

Fisher-Price Butterfly Garden Papasan Cradle Swing
Regular: $160
eBay: $36 (used) to $129.99
The Fisher-Price Papasan series of swings are a great way to cradle and keep your baby safe so you can do crazy things like brush your teeth, make a meal or just sit down and space out for a couple minutes. Babies grow out of these pretty quickly so getting one in good condition on the second hand market is a pretty easy feat.

Graco Quattro Tour Travel System
Regular: $239.99
eBay: $49.99 (used) to $239.99
The Graco Quattro Tour Travel System will take your baby on their first car trip home from the hosptial to strolling them when they're a big-ole toddler. The set comes with a car seat base, infant car seat and the "tour "stroller (which the car seat easily snaps into). The above pictured unit is in the Kasbah pattern but there are a variety of hues and patterns to choose from .

BebeSounds Flat Screen Baby Monitor:
Regular: $200
eBay: $127.50
Things have certainly gotten high tech in the world of baby monitors. Instead of just listening for your baby's cries, you can peek in on your little one with a petite video monitoring device, and via a flat screen at that. When you don't need to watch them in their crib anymore, just put the camera next to the cookie jar.

Huggies Diapers Jumbo Pack
Regular: $12.92 (56 diapers) to $62.00 (220 diapers)
eBay: $5.50 (56 diapers) to $26.11 (192 diapers)
Yes, you can even buy diapers on eBay. There are a variety of brands, styles and sizes. Although you may take a toll on shipping, but even so the price may be much better than at your local drugstore.

Prince Lionheart Diaper Warmer
Regular Price: $23.00
eBay: $2.99 (used) to $21.99 (new)
If you choose to warm up those wipes for your baby's bum, the Prince Lionheart will keep them moist and warm.

Baby Trend Diaper Champ
Regular Price: $29.99
eBay: $8.99 to $19.50 (new)
There are several disposable diaper contraptions out there. But my favorite is the diaper champ since you can use whatever bag you want and don’t have to buy any kind of special replacements. You can risk buying a used one, but you risk also purchasing some lingering smells. I’d splurge here and buy new.

Stokke Tripp Trap Highchair
Regular Price: $249
eBay: $128 (used) to $227.50 (new)
If you’re fond of the convertible furniture pieces, than you may be a fan of the simplicity and multi-aged usage aspect of the Stokke Tripp Trap highchair. You can get padding to cradle the youngin’s and you can adjust the chair to grow with them. Plus, it’s just so damn Swedish looking.

Bugaboo Cameleon Stroller
Regular Price: $899
eBay: $355.55 (used) to $835 (new)

Yeah, this is the big ticket item on the list. But if you’ve lusted after the celebrity style of the highfalutin Bugaboo, for god’s sake, don’t buy one for $899. Seeing one recently sell for $355.55 almost makes it affordable.

Baby Einstein Activity Gym
Regular Price: $49.99
eBay: $3.25 (used) $41.00 (new)
The activity gym is another great item to keep your immobile kid active and interested. It’s soft, colorful and portable. Mine used the Baby Einstein one and loved it. But it is another item that has a short lifespan in babyhood, so picked up a used one isn’t a bad idea, just look for one sans spit-up.

Fisher Price Zen Collection Luxury Gliding Bassinet
Regular Price: $219.99
eBay: $170 to $219.99
An attractive peaceful place for your baby to lay their pliable little head. The "Zen" provides a smoothing enviroment that features music, nature sounds, and even womb sounds and has a smooth gliding motion to rock the baby to sleep. Man, I think I need one of those for myself.

Dwell Studio 3-Piece Zoo Crib Set
Regular Price: $79.99
eBay: $14.99 to $41.00
Who doesn’t love Dwell? I know we at Babble sure do. Their simple, modern designs are pert near perfect for any nursery. And with their line for Target, the beddings were finally affordable. Add eBay into the mix and it gets darn right cheap. The above pictured set is in the Zoo pattern and includes a fitted crib sheet, comforter and a bumper pad.

Graco Pack 'N' Play Portable Play Yard
Regular Price: $179.99
eBay: $35.00 (for a simple used one) to $129.99 (for one like the item above)
I personally didn’t use a Pack N’ Play but I know many, many parents who swear by them. If you travel, bring your kids places where the environment may not be baby proofed or if you just need to put them down for a second, the Pack n’ Play seems to fit the bill. There are oddles of styles on ebay from old-school versions for dirt cheap prices to ones with all the bells and whistles.

Boppy Nursing Pillow
Regular Price: $34.99
eBay: $2.99 (used) to $19.99 (new)
If you nurse, then you bop. The breast feeding pillow, like the above Boppy Nursing Pillow and the My Breast Friend, makes nursing a much more comfortable affair for both mom and the baby. There are lots of Boppy covers out there so if you don’t like the cheap Boppy you found on eBay you can always buy it and then bid on a more stylish cover.

Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumperoo
Regular Price: $89.99
eBay: $20.50 (Used) to $79.95
Yes, yet another tool to occupy your baby. Personally, I’m fond of the Jumperoo, they get to strengthen those leg muscles, get their wiggles out and pretty much just jump for joy. And I prefer the stand alone version rather than the kind that just fastens preciously from your door frame. And seeing the bidding wars for these on eBay, it looks like I’m not the only one who is a fan.

Amy Coe at Babies "R" Us

elizabeth leach — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:30:00 GMT

Does the name Amy Coe sound familiar to you? She has (or had?) a gorgeous line of nursery decor at Target that I was in love with but it was always sold out. Now, she has a new partnership with Babies "R" Us and her modern, graphic sensibility is still getting my attention.

Amy Coe is deputing this month with four fun collections: Pink Pop, Dot 2 Dot, Zoo Baby, and Simply Swirl all in contemporary colors. Mix and match with your own stuff or outfit your entire nursery with Amy Coe's nursery furniture, bedding, decor, toys, layette, feeding accessories, and, even, diaper bags. This is definitely not your typical Babies "R" Us. Shop now.

Make Your Own Mobile (Cheaply!): Kikkerland Photo Mobile

Erin Behan — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:24:00 GMT

I've gotten so many compliments on my nursery mobile that I thought I'd share my rather cheap solution to the nursery mobile dilemma (non-moving nursery mobile, that is). For a mere $12 you can buy the Kikkerland photo mobile and attach whatever happens to match your nursery--cards, photos, etc. In my case, I used the Wee Gallery Original cards and Jungle cards (yeah, I ripped the idea right off the website, but I'm telling you, it looks good!). And the flash cards do double-duty, as they are easily removable for a lesson in animals when the kid gets a bit older.

Floating Flower Fairies

chrisjordan — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:02:00 GMT

I can't let my daughter see this mobile. Even though she is far beyond the age of needing a mobile hanging over crib to entertain her, she would love this as a decoration in her room.

Made in Germany out of wood, this Waldorf inspired decoration really can follow a baby through the school aged years. Available at Quiet Hours Toys for $48.95

Flensted Bunny Mobiles for Every Nursery

Erin Behan — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:00:00 GMT

Every nursery needs a mobile, and I don't think I have to explain to anyone why a bunny mobile makes perfect sense in a baby's room. It doesn't hurt that this Flensted bunnies mobile, available at ModernTots for $28, has bunnies frolicking in adorable poses.

Hand Made: Origami Cranes Mobile

Mir — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 17:03:00 GMT

Cranes have long been a symbol of good luck in Asian culture, so I can think of nothing more fitting to hang over baby's crib than a mobile of origami cranes. Beautiful to look at, and good karma to boot. This earthy green and brown version contains 25 carefully hand-folded cranes suspended from twigs. Available from sewunique's Etsy shop for $50. (Sure, you could make your own for a lot less than that, but if you're all thumbs like me, it's nice to know there are other options.)

Hand Made: Orange Circles Mobile

chrisjordan — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 14:01:00 GMT

Stylish modern mobile is made from die cut foam, hand shaped wire, and monofilament thread. Place it near a window to watch it dance in the breeze. This mobile can go in a nursery, yet is cool enough to make the grade even in a teenager's room.

Available at Quilt Baby for $46

eBeanstalk: Look, the Pictures Are Moving!

Kelly Mills — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:02:00 GMT

Not content to only post pretty little pictures of pretty little things, we bring you...moving pictures. Crazy, huh? This is for eBeanstalk, and it explores the world of a little infant scientist. I kinda got over the whole "baby's inner dialogue" thing after Look Who's Talking, but whatever. Cute baby. Educational toys. There you go.

Let Them Count Sheep

chrisjordan — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 11:01:00 GMT

The Flensted Sheep Mobile makes counting sheep easy. The balanced swaying of the mobile above the crib may help lull baby to sleep. Or maybe just distract him so you can sneak in a few more precious winks yourself.

Available at Giggle for $28

Graceful Swallows Mobile

Mir — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 18:04:00 GMT

I'm giving a great big gold star to this swallows mobile. It's perfect for a nursery but suitable for any age so will not be outgrown; it's hand-crafted; and at just $22.50 (at Sparkability) it's actually affordable. What a concept!

Tweetest Mobile

Kelly Mills — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 19:03:00 GMT

"There were birds/in the sky/but I never saw them winging..." until this darling mobile, of course. Lovely Twitterling HABA mobile ($39.95) makes the baby room feel like an aviary, but without any Tippi Hedren anxieties. These little flyers clip on with magnets, so they double as soft toys for baby's play fun. Guess which two are squeakers.

Big Birds Knitted Mobile

chrisjordan — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 13:30:00 GMT

This mobile is 13 inches in diameter and is adjustable to 78" long, making it perfect for those houses with high ceilings. It can easily go from over a crib in a nursery to the corner of a toddler's room.

If these adorable little birds don't do it for you, check out the other mobiles they carry. My second favorite... the jungle animals on swings.

Like all products at blabla kids, the mobiles are made completely out of natural fibers knitted by Peruvian artists.

They can be purchased for $110 at blabla kids.