apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Summer is in full swing! And nothing is more summery than ice cream. But here's the thing: in our tiny apartment, we don't have room for 'one use' appliances, like ice cream makers.

But thanks to the magic of the internet, we have found the recipe for Ice Cream in a Bag, a staple of cottage life when we were kids, and long forgotten until today.

It takes less than 10 minutes, start to finish, and the only equipment you need are 2 ziplock bags...

Originally created for professional writers and illustrators as a notebook, workbook and sketchbook in one, think.jot.draw notebooks are being co-opted by creative kids. The brainchild of New Jersey based illustrator and designer Leeza Hernandez (of Libby's Nursery Tour fame), these 104-page 6x9 paperbacks are filled with a combination of blank pages, lined pages, half and half, and thumbnail boxes to give kids lots of options to draw, tell stories, and journal.

Rita writes: My partner and I are just about to start putting together our son's nursery, which we are, naturally, quite excited about. When we conceptualized the design, we knew that we wanted to 'go green', so low VOC paint, etc, is in the plan, but as part of that philosophy, we also want to use items in the nursery that will last longer than our son's babyhood will.

So many nursery items we see seem very specific to very short periods of time in a child's life...

• southpacificbody: Creepy Crawly Spider Soap ($5.00).

• marcia724: "...did you ever have that feeling?" 8" x 10", signed ($14.00).

• creativethursday: The Gangs All Here, print. ($28.00).

• sparrowdesignworks: Vampire Pocket Tissue Holder ($10.00).

Modern and cute. It is a tough combination to pull off, but we think that Robin Rosenthal has it mastered. While working at Martha Stewart's Kids magazine, Robin realized that there is a real lack of artwork for kids' rooms that was modern and fun and affordable, and so she filled the gap by designing the kind of posters she would want to hang on her own walls. We would hang them on ours, too! Details, below:

There is a new stroller showing up at the coffee shops and library story times in our neighborhood - the Mutsy. The big draw, as far as we can tell, is the click mechanism that lets this transportation system transform from pram to stroller to car seat, and that the handles are adjustable for taller parents.

We love cupcakes, and we love a reason to make them, so when we went searching for a good hallowe'en cupcake, we were thrilled to find these Monster Cupcakes.

This is a very fun idea - make the cupcakes ahead of time, frosting them in green, purple, and orange buttercream. Then let your kids, and their imaginations, go wild with the decorations. More fun cupcakes ideas below the jump.

We love the design philosophy behind the Ninna Nanna Bassinet: "...we don't believe that bassinets should look like poufy 1980s wedding dresses." The 'we', in this case, are Ralph and Michelle Montemurro, who founded the Monte Design Group after the birth of their third child, because they just weren't finding nursery pieces congruent with the modern aesthetic.

It is a new way to think about buying art, and we like it. 20x200 is a very elegant, Web 2.0 sort of way of bringing people who need art in contact with people who sell their art.

Every week, 20x200 introduces two new works - one photo, and one on paper, each in 3 sizes. The smallest are just $20, medium sizes are $200, and each piece has 2 large sizes available for $2000. At right, Breath Portrait, by Ann Tarantino.

Below, a few more favorites from 20x200.

When we were young, back in the days of yore, trick or treating was done with one of Mom's third best pillowcases. But times have changed, and kids are a lot more stylish these days, as evidenced by these Trick or Treat Totes from Williams-Sonoma.

Dana wants to know: "All of the toy recalls, toxic toy news, lead paint issues, etc that have been in the news lately are making me worry about what my daughter has been exposed to. Today, her favorite toy, Einstein Baby Blocks, were recalled, and I know she has had those in her mouth. How do other parents keep up with all the recalls and proactively keep their kids from being exposed to dangerous toys? We are freaking out!"

You aren't the only one freaking out. Below, a few ideas.

• Pippalily Baby Sling: 100% cotton, blue dragon brocade sling.

• Diaper Cake: 3 tiers of diapers (100 in total), hand rolled, stacked, and tied with a ribbon.

• Baby Harness:Monkey functions as both a backpack and a safety harness.

• Baby Rattle: From Pottery Barn Kids, a pumpkin rattle.

What do you do when it is time for your child to give up their beloved binky? Susan, from The Kitchen Designer, discovered the Giving Tree on a recent trip to Copenhagen, and we were astonished (and a little moved) by what she saw. Check out her Flickr photos, and read the explanation, below.

We love adding a little seasonal decor into the mix, especially when we can creep things up a notch! Below, a starter list of some of our favorite things for adding some Hallowe'en into our home design. Let us know via the comments if you have any great ideas that should have been on this list!

• Hallowe'en Crow Table Runner, $39.00.
• Raven table decoration, $7.00.
• Hobgoblins Hallowe'en placesetting by Bethany Lowe Designs, $14.99-$32.99.
• 50' Haunted Forest Scene Setter Roll, $16.50.
• Kids' Skeleton Apron, $18.00.
• Fitz and Floyd Bones Appetizer Plates, $20.00.
• Martha Stewart Crafts Cat and Moon Window Silhouette.
• Black Feather Wreath, $19.99.
• Snake Divided Platter, $24.99.
• Hallowe'en Candelabrum, $60.00.