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West Elm Platform Beds: Our Top Pick for Tweens and Teens

Families with tweens and teens often transition to a bigger bed and room configuration. For us, the change was prompted by the need for better sleeping options for guests, along with the kids’ desire to have more grownup spaces.

After doing some research last year I bought platform beds for both Hudson and Ella from West Elm. They’re perfect! I now know SIX tweens and teens who have West Elm beds as part of their new look. They’re affordable, stylish, high quality, and easy to assemble.

Hudson has a queen sized Chunky Wood bed frame in chocolate {$349 plus $50 delivery surcharge}. We didn’t bother with a headboard; it’s just against the wall with some extra pillows. We bought it on sale, so the price was even lower. For Hudson’s new look we added the Threshold Crinkle Quilt in Red and the Thomas O’Brien Sheets in “Tribal”, both fromTarget. Here’s a West Elm Chunky Wood catalogue shot below, in white. Note that Hudson’s bed in chocolate, with the red and taupe bedding looks totally cool and guy-ish!

Chunky Wood Bed Frame

This is the color of Hudson’s bed. We bought an extra thick mattress so that it wouldn’t be too low to the ground:

Chunky Wood Bed Frame - Chocolate

Ella’s bed is the full sized Simple Low Bed Frame in white {$199 plus $30 delivery for that size}. Again, we went without a headboard {though one could easily be added and West Elm has some great choices} and we bought it on sale.

Simple Bed Frame - White

It’s just the simplest thing, but that’s all we needed. For bedding she chose the Ruched Quilt in White and Ikat Dot Organic Sheets in Black, both from PB Teen. Looks crisp and classic!

Detailed View

These beds have everything we wanted in a new bed for our tween and teen: inexpensive and oh-so-cool, with zero parental hassle. Love it!

Three Things I Loved This Wintery Weekend

Just a few things I wanted to share after the wintery weekend…

1) Ollie in the Snow!

What’s better than taking a dog out in newly-fallen snow? Ollie was a very happy boy when we went out to play. {Yes, my wreath is still up — my personal deadline for wreath removal is always Valentine’s Day…}

Ollie heading out

Ollie in the snow

2) Chicken Tortilla Soup in the Crock Pot

We made two kinds of soup this weekend. First up, Chicken Tortilla Soup {pictured below}, courtesy of Heather Likes Food on BlogHer. My friend Becky had raved about this recipe, and when Heather declared that:

“the only thing that could make it better would be a unicorn sitting at your dining room table with you”

I had to try it. And it was delicious! I loved that it could be prepped quickly in the crockpot in the morning, then we just lined up bowls of cheese, avocado, sour cream and tortilla chips at dinner time. Fantastic!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

The second soup I made this weekend was my friend Martha’s Butternut Squash Ginger soup. I’ll post that recipe soon! {Note: the Squash Soup recipe is now here.}

3) The Athleta Luscious Half Zip

View all three colors and order here. I received mine {in coastal green, which is really a beautiful blue} over the weekend and I love it so much! Mr. BOP and I are going on a long ski weekend in a couple of weeks {JUST THE TWO OF US!}, and I had ordered a few things for the trip. This top is ridiculously soft on the inside, and the ruching in front is so flattering. It’s $79, but it is one of those tops that is perfect around town, to the gym — anywhere. Based on reviews and looking at how it fits me, I would say that petite women might find it too long. For all others, I highly recommend! {Tip: it runs a tiny bit big. Order down in size if unsure}.

Athleta Lucious Half Zip

A Bonus Pick

If you’re still with me and you happen to have a tween/early teen daughter, I’ll throw in a bonus pick that I was loving this weekend when shopping online … girls’ swimsuits from Johnny B {ages 8-16}. I’m loving their prints this year, and we’ve found that Johnny B’s suits are well made and fit beautifully. And, they just went on sale! Although I’m all for snow, I’m happy to look ahead to summer too! I ordered a couple of suits for Ella and they’re on the way…

Hope you’re having a happy, cozy day wherever you are!

- BOP

Brrrrr…. Just Right for Jumpin’ Jammerz

Brrrrrr! The past few mornings we’ve seen subzero temperatures here in the Northeast. It’s absolutely freezing!

Which reminds me of a favorite new tween/teen thing in our house; Jumpin Jammerz – the “original adult footed pajamas.” Ella received the “brown cow” version for Christmas {below, right}, and she looooves them. And, her friends love them too! It seems that when a friend sleeps over, they inevitably end up borrowing Ella’s Jumpin Jammerz at some point. Then they ask where we got them! So I’ll tell ya.

There are so many different styles and patterns in the Jumpin Jammerz world. Such as…

Jumpin Jammerz1

And these aren’t just for girls. Though honestly, Mr. BOP and 14 year old Hudson aren’t exactly begging for a pair. But there might be a guy in your house who feels differently.

Jumpin Jammerz Tiger

A few more details: Jumpin’ Jammerz are around $50 — a splurge item. They’re available through Amazon and jumpinjammerz.com.

{Note that they contain a few photos of an “adult” nature — having to do with the “trap door” styles! Don’t go shopping with your 6 year old…}

Jumpin Jammerz are made for adults, so they’re an older tween/teen/grownup thing. Ella {age 12} is in an XS, with plenty of room to grow {except for her size 8 feet which just barely fit into the footie part}. The size chart is here.

So what do you think? Cute? Fun? Weird? I’m still not sure where the appeal comes from.

Must be that Jumpin Jammerz makes their owners feel like a goofy little kid again.

And what’s not to like about that?

“Relationship With Gravity”

Your collective response to the recent ”Truth Be Told“ post has been amazing! Thank you to all of you who commented, emailed, and Facebook messaged {Olliebop is on Facebook here}. Your words further emphasized that we do need to stick together and offer up some mutual mid-life understanding. The dialogue was an unexpected gift, and a fantastic way to begin 2013.

I discovered Emily McDowell’s art on Etsy when I was writing the Truth Be Told post. And look what I found!

THIS SCALE Print. By emilymcdowelldraws on Etsy {$22}. Click on image to link to the shop.

Do you love it as much as I do?

Whether enjoyed here on this screen for just a moment, or hung on a bathroom wall, or forwarded to a friend or family member — it’s a beautiful thing! I’m loving Emily’s whole shop actually, especially this print, or this one or this one…

50% of the proceeds from the sale of “This Scale” goes to Project HEAL, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping women and girls recover from eating disorders, and promoting body love and acceptance for everyone.

Love it.

The Great Big Ultimate Olliebop Holiday Gift Guide 2012

Are you NEW to Olliebop? Welcome!

Subscribe by clicking the box to the right and good stuff like this will come to your in box!

I hope you’re ready for this… since it’s big and wonderful! I’ve rounded up the gift ideas that have captured my interest since summer. And here they are — all in one place. Just for us. Are you ready!?

I’ll be curious to hear what you think of this “Great Big” format. I hope you will return to it more than once — a “sourcebook,” of sorts. A Great Big guide wasn’t my original plan, but A) I’m running late and short on time. And, B) the holiday shopping season is underway. This post isn’t as graceful as I’d like — but I just wanted get the goods out there and get the mojo working!

And if you’re looking for even more inspiration … you can also refer back to last year’s FIVE fabulous holiday gift guides for great ideas too. And, don’t miss the section below on creative ways to give cold hard cash! Sometimes it really is what teens want, but that doesn’t mean it has to be uninteresting.

And lastly before we begin — I fully encourage and support shopping locally, wherever you live. That’s where I always start, and I round out from there. Please also note that I do not profit in any way from your purchase of these items. This guide simply contains things that think are great.

So, here we go. First things first… A Gift that Does Good:

A Full day of Emergency Shelter for One Person through the American Red Cross {3 meals, 2 blankets, 1 cot and personal supplies for $50}. Tangible, Meaningful, Helpful.

Next up; Tweens and Teens — 36 gift ideas, below!

Hello Wood Script Sign {$90} by OhDierLiving on Etsy

Noel Sucre Sweets {$48} from Olive and Cocoa

Agility Training Ladder with DVD {$24.10} from Amazon

Farts in a Can {$9.95} from Chronicle Books. Ewwww.

Marimo Moss Ball {$20} by PinkSerissa on Etsy

2013 Daily Calendar of Awesome {$11.69} on Amazon

For social media lovers; Casetagram Gift Card for Teens to Make a Custom Phone/iPad Case from their Instagram, Facebook or Uploaded Pics. SO Cool! {Prices vary}

Just Between Us Parent-Child Journal {$15.95} from Papersource. Ella and I love ours.

Voice Changer Sound Machine {$17.95} from Papersource. Or, how about this assortment of wacky sound machines in stockings?

Ticket Stub Diary {$14.95} from Chronicle Books. Another favorite in our house. We save every stub from plays, concerts and movies.

Socker Boppers Inflatable Boxing Pillows {$19.95} from Papersource

Boo the World’s Cutest Dog by Gund {$14.77} from Amazon. Awwwww….

Washi Tape {links to an earlier post}

Geomate Hide it Starter Kit {$18.95} from LL Bean. Even cooler with the Geomate Log Cache

Mouthman Animated Hoodie Shirt {$29.95} from Daily Grommet. For kids on the lower end of tween-aged.

Fortune Telling Scratchers {$9.95} from Chronicle Books

Nail Art Pen and Polishes Set {$14.95} from The Spoon Sisters

You Are Beautiful Mirror {$32} from Mixed Mangos on Etsy

Peacebomb Tag Wrap Bracelet $46 from Peacebomb. Learn the incredible story of this charitable gift here.

F For Effort: More of the Very Best Totally Wrong Test Answers {$9.95} from Chronicle Books

Bird Sentry Jewelry Stand {$40} from Sundance

Makey Makey {$40} from Uncommon Goods. For playful inventors and computer geeks. Learn more here.

Monogramed Letter Pillow {$35} from FestiveHomeDecor

Seemed Like Such a Good Idea Notebook {$9.95} by the Black Spruce on Etsy

Miniature Terrarium with Fairy: {$65} by PinkSerissa on Etsy

Kwizniac Trivia Game {$19.99} from Amazon

Love and Toast Fun and Flirty Fragrance Collection {$54}. Carried here in Saratoga at For Earth’s Sake. All smell so good!

Funky iPhone Case in many designs: {$17.99} by TheCuriousCaseLLC on Etsy

Divergent by Veronica Roth {$9.99} on Amazon. Recommended by Bridget Mason in her top book picks for teens {a great list for holiday shoppers!}.

Personalized Zodiac Silver Necklace {$19} bymoncadeu on Etsy. In gold here.

Slackers Slackline Tightrope Kit {$79.95} from LL Bean or their Slackers Eagle Series Zipline Kit {$169.99}

Birch Box Gift Subscription - for Him or Her {$60 for 3 months}

Smashbook and Accessories {links to an earlier post}

Ugg Ansley Slippers {$100} from Zappos

Zombie Temporary Tattoos {$9.95} from Chronicle Books

Do Your Best Pennant {$36} from Three Potato Four

A Top Pick for Anyone! Music anywhere with this wireless bluetooth speaker. We have the BIG one in our kitchen, and we love it.

Jawbone BIG Jambox Wireless Bluetooth Speaker {$299} from Amazon or the Mini version {$129} from Amazon

And what about “HIM”? A dozen gift ideas, right here –

New England Plaid Reversible Shirt {$118} from Sundance. Practical, yet dashing. 12/7 Update: Oh no! Out of Stock! Try this or this instead!

Eye Chart Print – “I Love Waking Up to You Every Morning” {$19} by Dalloway Place on Etsy. Many other sayings in this eye chart format too.

Ideology Duffle {$168} from Sundance

Native Union Popup Phone Handset {$29} from West Elm

Sutton by JR Moehringer {$17.80} from Amazon

American Red Cross Hand Turbine Weather Alert Radio with Smartphone Charger {$59.99} from Amazon

Bose Quiet Comfort 15 Noise Canceling Headphones {$299} from Amazon

Lettuce Turnip The Beet Tshirt {$27} by coup on Etsy.

Secret Club Key Tags {$6 each – 6 different designs} from Three Potato Four

Jack Black Balm Squad {$25} from Birch Box

Hand Stamped Personalized Key Chain {$12.50} by IJDbyNoelle on Etsy. Great for grandpas, too.

Clinton Street Baking Company Cookbook {$18.98} from Amazon. For the guy who loves to cook breakfast, from the restaurant voted “best pancakes” in NYC!

I also love Touch Gloves by Echo for the smartphone-carrying HIM or HER. His are here. Hers are here.

And then there’s “HER”… a collection of 14 picks:

Silk Scarf with Spiral Dots Pattern {$28} by Brooke Stanton

Pistil Clara Cap {$24.94} from Altrec. Several other colors, too.

Cast Metal Jewelry Tree {$29} from West Elm

Birthday Cake Notecards {$14.95} from Chronicle Books

Miguel Ases Rose Gold and Silver Medium Earrings {$220} from Bloomingdales. I love these so much that I featured a similar pair in last year’s guide. Also lovely and more understated are these beauties {$75}

Not Your Mom’s Table Topics {$29.95} from Papersource

Bryant Park Scarf in Poppy {$59} from Stella and Dot

Paper Source 2013 Wall Art Calendar {$29.95} from Paper Source

Barefoot Contessa Foolproof by Ina Garten {$21} at Barnes and Noble

Tweezerman 10 x Lighted Mirror {$15} from Zappos. Note: I know this is weird, but I have one and I really love it! Could give along with Tweezerman Slant Tweezer {$22} on Zappos

Photographic Lithograph Necklace by Everyday Artifact {$30-$35} from Artfully Elegant. Even more beautiful in person. I love the diver and tightrope walker.

OPI Tinseltown Nail Collection {$19.50} from Sephora

Sequined Tank {$88} from Garnet Hill

Three Designing Women Custom Self-Inking Stamps {$45} from Tiny Prints

Or, When in Doubt…. Gourmet Foods:

Molecular Gastronomy Cuisine Kit {$60} from Uncommon Goods. Learn more about this crazy form of cooking here. A whole new form of entertainment!

Marshmallow Twig Roaster {$18} from Terrain. Even better paired with their homemade Cinnamon Sugar Marshmallows {$8}

Teas from Around the World {$75} from Dean and Deluca

Vosges Exotic Mini Chocolate Library {$29} from Orvis

Macaron Gift Box – Choose your flavors {$35} from Macaron Cafe

Lidded Juice Jar Set {$25} at Terrain. OK, I know this isn’t gourmet food, but I love that they have lids and I want to take them on a picnic. Especially if accompanied by Terrain’s Birch Bark Straws {$8}

AND THEN there’s Cold Hard Cash, often desired by teens. Below are a few unique packaging methods to make giving and receiving cash more fun:

My Stache Jar {$16} from LoveGraceJoy on Etsy

FAKE “Blankeez” Gift Box {$6.95} from Papersource. HIlarious packaging to make the predictable gift less so!

FAKE “Pet Petter” Gift Box {$6.95} from Papersource.

Money Bag {$10} from Three Potato Four. Stuff the money bag with shredded paper or tissue, along with your bill of choice.

Not pictured above, but awesome: Real Money Origami {Prices Vary} by Vincent the Artist on Etsy

So there you have it; the GREAT BIG gift guide. Happy shopping! Happy relaxing after the shopping… And happy happy holidays to you!

xoxo - BOP

A Must-See for Tweens and Teens! Road Trip Nation

Update: 11/22/12. We are running a giveaway! Road Trip Nation has kindly offered a box of Green RV SWAG to bestow upon one lucky Olliebop reader! Read all about the giveaway details and see the box of goodies right here. To enter, simply comment at the bottom of this post between now and December 15th, 2012 and tell us one favorite road trip destination. One entry per person. Thanks, Road Trip Nation! Back to the original post….

We just discovered a must-see website: Road Trip Nation. It’s not new – but it’s new to us. And it’s incredible! Especially cool for tweens and teens, it highlights careers and paths in life through the most unusual array of video interviews. Road Trip Nation offers:

“a massive archives of stories from all different kinds of people who have built lives following their individual interests and passions.”

On this site, teens and tweens can browse a mind-blowing array of short video interviews organized by industry and overarching themes. Think: food critic, Rolling Stone photographer, magazine editors, Executive Director of Greenpeace, fire fighter, creator of Blue Man Group, well known business owners…. there are SO many fascinating stories and messages here!

What started out with four friends, a video camera and a painted RV, has become a powerful grassroots movement and PBS television show {now in its 9th season}.

Besides offering the video interview archive, the Road Trip Nation site serves up so much more! Such as:

A self-discovery curriculum for middle schoolers and high schoolers consisting of online lessons and a local or virtual road trip project.

The option for students to apply to hit the road in their own Green RV or on an Indie Road Trip.

Archives of the Road Trip Nation TV show.

This weekend why not take some time to dream and see some new paths and possibilities? Send your tween, tween, or yourself on an inspirational virtual road trip! Ready, set … GO!

It’s Pouring! Best Raincoat and Boots

It is pouring BUCKETS today — and it isn’t stopping. Puts me in the mood to round up some rain coat and rain boot picks, featuring the updated version of my favorite raincoat of all time. And while we have rain on the brain I was inspired to locate Singing in the Rain {when did you last watch this?}. I had forgotten how spectacular it is. Look!

So back to my favorite raincoat of all time; it’s a black NorthFace “Grace” jacket that I snagged at TJ Maxx for a song in 2008 {left, below}. I was SO pleased with myself! The inside lining is starting to tear so I’ve been considering a replacement. Of course they don’t make the same exact model any more, but the current North Face “Stella Grace” is similar {right, below} and I’m sure will also be awesome.

A Mainstay of the Olliebop Rainy Day Wardrobe:

Get the New Stella right here {$210}.

Hot tip for anyone who wears a size large and likes the coat on the left. I found one discontinued size large “old” Stella on clearance at Moosejaw.com. Score the very last coat right here {on sale for $149}.

And, What’s a Rainy Day Without Fun Rain Boots?

I don’t own any of these particular boots, but I love them all. The splashy beauties above are fall from Zappos: 1. Hunter Original Gloss Violet {$135}, 2. Burberry Floral Print {on sale for $135}, 3. Burberry Haymarket Check {a $225 splurge for a timeless classic}, and 4. Kamik Heidi {$50}. Marshalls and TJ Maxx seem to always have cute rain boots, too.

So with this post nearly complete I have to get dressed and go out in the rain for real. Groceries need to be bought and kids need to be driven from place to place. I put on my own rain boots — Kamiks from several years ago — and my feet and I took a picture in my driveway. See? Really wet out here…

And while I’m not quite singing, having good gear does brighten the outlook.

Do you have a favorite piece of outdoor gear? Please share the love in the comments, below!

We Love Tape!

Ella and I are crazy about patterned tape. Whatever project or task we’re doing around here, fun tape makes it better.

This is Ella’s school binder. She ripped a page out of a magazine {Lilly Pulitzer ad} and added some tape. The black and white polkadot is one of our favorites {Smashbook black dots} and we’ve picked up other rolls in our travels to places like Paper Dolls here in Saratoga.

The array of types and patterns of tape is “mind bottling,” to quote Chazz Michael Michaelson. To shop for tape, go to Etsy and search for tape or Washi tape. This gorgeous assortment below is from StickerStop on Etsy {click on image for link}:

Other places to find great tape online include Paper Source and Cute Tape. Gift idea — put together a collection of tape for any fun-loving, crafty person in your life.

And speaking of gifts, I mailed this birthday package the other day to my best childhood friend, Rue. I grabbed three kinds of tape and was able to skip a ribbon and keep the card and package together. Fun, right?

Everyday Task + Fun Tape = A FUN Everyday Task!

Chaos in the Kitchen: The Renovations Begin

We’re in the midst of a kitchen renovation around here… exciting and messy!

This is what we are trying to accomplish:

make the kitchen feel more spacious
replace laminate cabinets and countertops that are falling apart {packing tape is holding counter edges in place}
create more counter work space
have an island where four people can be seated; ideally not all in a row {we want it to feel like a table}
have our kitchen feel more interesting and funky

Here’s the before view {the hole in the soffit is there because Mr. BOP was looking for the heating duct}:

The kitchen was like this when bought our house about nine years ago. We added this butler’s pantry on one side {through the doorway on the right} to create more storage and counter space. It was a great enhancement, and we decided to keep that in the same configuration, but with new cabinets and counter.

As we planned the renovation, we turned to architect Dick Robson {my step-father}. Here’s the concept drawing that he created for us, below. The area to the left of the present fridge has been open space for an eat-in table {earlier in our lives} and now, a couch. Using that wall for kitchen workspace gains the spacious feeling that we were looking for. Plus, the view from the sink will now look out toward the stream. The only loss here is that we really have enjoyed having a couch in the kitchen.

This plan accomplishes everything we were looking for — counter space, a seating area for the four of us {the island is 8 feet across} and space that is overall more interesting. The pantry will remain on the right hand side of this view. We have made a few minor changes, such as decreasing the height of the soffit above the island and also continuing the counter all the way across to the left of the new fridge. Although we like the breakfront look, we decided to sacrifice some style for function in that area. We also needed to replace four windows on the left side to accommodate the counter height.

So, this brings us to our current phase; chaos and demolition! We feel fortunate to be working with Joe Churchill of J&L Woodworking, as they create custom cabinetry and coordinate the kitchen installation. We highly recommend them. Joe and his right hand man, Ron {along with several electricians} got to work this week:

So that’s what’s going on here on our home front. Next week’s tasks; choosing cabinet hardware, painting, approving the concrete countertop sample, emptying the rest of the cabinetry, and coordinating with our plumber and taper. Oh, and packing for camping too! Although renovating a kitchen is challenging, confusing, and inconvenient — I’d say so far, so good. Stay tuned!

Welcome to The Hudson Hotel

Hello! I hope you’re enjoying summer. We’ve been on the go, in the sun, and generally not spending much time in front of the computer. As it should be!

I thought this would be a fun thing to share; especially for anyone else who — like us — does not have a beautiful guest room all made up and waiting for summer visitors. When we have company Hudson relinquishes his teen room with its queen bed, and it becomes the guest room. Not ideal, but Hudson and Ella recently made the accommodations surprisingly swish by creating “The Hudson Hotel” for the grandparents. Here it is:

The Entrance