Celebrate Spring With Asian Flair

Spring is right around the corner and we decided to add a bit of Asian flair as we celebrate St. Patrick's Day, Easter and Passover.


We put together a fun Easter basket that can easily be modified for a fun and festive Passover centerpiece.

We started with a vibrant plush from the Limited Edition Kaloo Fung Shui Collection. The signature Kaloo box makes a wonderful basket. We simply filled the bottom of the box with packing peanuts and put Easter basket grass on top.

The rabbit's bright colors set the tone for a festive basket. We placed the rabbit towards the back of the container so there would be plenty of room to add more items.

To give our basket flower blossom accents, we used handmade felt Giddy Giddy Flower Power hair clips. We reluctantly admit to swiping a few wood coffee stirers from our favorite Starbucks and attached the Flower Power clips to the sticks. You can paint the sticks green and add construction paper leaves to create a fuller bouquet.









The Pull Back Mice by Jack Rabbit Creations add a touch of whimsy. The mice are also a reminder that according to the Chinese Zodiac 2008 is the Year of the Rat. Put a colorful mouse in the basket and one on the table to elongate your arrangement.









Don't forget to leave room for the Ladybug Shakers. The sweet ladybugs remind us of the red thread that binds families and loved ones together.

Add your own special touches and create a memorable Easter basket or Passover center piece. Bears, cat and mice are also part of Kaloo's Fung Shui Collection. Throw in a bunch of holiday themed candy and you're all set!

The Mayberry Shop

We recently came across The Mayberry Sparrow, a delightful Etsy shop. Canadian artist Corrabelle creates custom name stamps or bookplates with whimsical designs. For just $20.00, we can think of several uses for these fun stamps - stamp them on brown paper bags and your lunch will be sure to stand out. Gift tags and personalized stationary will have a funky fresh vibe when use your Mayberry Sparrow stamp. These stamps make fun baby shower gifts and birthday presents too.

The Pagoda design would make an adorable name stamp.

If you are looking for a wonderful gift for a wise teacher, what could be cuter than this sweet owl?


Check out The Mayberry Sparrow and be sure to read about Corrabelle and the inspiration behind the name of her shop.

Girl Scout Cookie Curse

Just the sight of a Girl Scout has me reaching instinctively into my purse to find a pen to fill out the cookie form. Living in suburbia, we have several Scouts come to our door hoping to make top cookie seller. Combine that with troops selling cookies outside the grocery store and we now have a pantry full of boxes of Girl Scout cookies.

This year I decided to employ my Halloween strategy with my Girl Scout purchases - buy what you don't like and you won't eat it. Funny how that works with Nerds and Crybaby gum, but not with Girl Scout Cookies. I didn't even buy Thin Mints this time around for fear of eating them all myself - like last year.

So, today for lunch I had more than a few Samoas. Does that come under fruits and dairy in the Weight Watcher's Food Guide?

Year of the Hamster?

Here at Itty Bitty Ladybug we've been stumped - it's the Year of the Rat and we've had a tough time finding cute and fun items to celebrate the Chinese New Year. We feel bad. After all, the rat was certainly clever enough to finish first in the Amazing Race. Hard working, thrifty and healthy the Rat has many wonderful qualities. But let's face it, the Rat is far from cute.

So, we were delighted to find a little blurb in today's paper about how prices are rising in China for HAMSTERS as people look to honor the Year of the Rat. That's right - hamsters. Hamsters are considered lucky in China and they are definitely more cuddly than a pet rat. Also, the Cantonese and Mandarin word for "rat" translates in such a way that could include hamsters and moles. Who knew? Anyone up for a hamster tee?

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year! Today is the beginning of the Year of the Rat.

Stamps celebrating the Year of the Rat are available at your local post office or at http://www.usps.com/.

According to the Chinese Zodiac, a Rat Year is a time of hard work, activity and renewal. The Year of the Rat is also a good time to begin a new job, get married, launch a product, or make a fresh start. For many of our friends waiting for an adoption referral, we hope it also means getting good news soon.

People born in The Year of the Rat (1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008) are believed to be devoted to their families, quick - witted and passionate. The Rat is energetic and has endurance to fight off most illnesses. Full of nervous energy,a Rat benefits from the practice of Yoga and meditation.

Some famous celebrity Rats include: Alyssa Milano, Cameron Diaz, Gwyneth Paltrow and Lauren Bacall. Charlotte Bronte and Margaret Mitchell are famous Rat authors.

Be sure to check out some of our favorite blogs for more information about the Year of the Rat and fun products celebrating the Chinese New Year. Now make like a Rat and get busy!

Katiedid at http://katie-d-i-d.blogspot.com/2008/02/happy-chinese-new-year.html

Cool Mom Picks at http://coolmompicks.com/

Tonic Home at http://tonichome.blogspot.com/

Baby Magnolia - a blog about a couple waiting to adopt their baby girl from China - at http://babymagnolia.com/