We all love the drawings and unique pieces of artwork our kids bring home from camps, daycare, preschool, and elementary school, but many parents struggle with what to do with all of it. You can only hang so much of your child’s artwork on the refrigerator for so long. Artimus Art is one solution. It’s an online storage area. When you order one of their high-resolution books full of your child’s art, you automatically get a free webfolio of that artwork where you can save, organize, and print your child’s artwork whenever you want. This is nother great idea that, of course, was invented by a mom. Packages are available based on the number of images you want and the size of the book, starting at $120. Visit ArtimusArt.com for more information. It’s also a great gift idea for other members of your family who don’t always get to see your child’s beautiful artwork!

I’ve been looking into different photo editing sites and downloads and so far, I really like Picnik.com. Not only can I edit my photos so that their appearance improves, but I can make collages and scrapbooks as well. I can add all kinds of quirky effects to my photos, like borders, color changes (Sepia, Black & White, Infrared Film), and text. I’m having a ball altering my photos and here and there, I’m managing to improve on them as well. If you take as many pictures of your children as I do, you will love this site, and the best thing is that a lot of it is free (but subscribing doesn’t appear to be expensive) and you don’t have to download anything. All the changes you make to your photos are done online and you get the choice of saving them to your computer. Thumbs up to the creators of Picnik!

Here’s a neat gift idea: PicPads takes photographs you send them and turns them into notepads, shopping list pads, kid pads - any kind of writing pads you might need. This would be perfect for family members who might not get to see your children as often as they’d like - when Grandma goes to write something on her shopping list, there’s Johnny smiling at her. Each pad includes 40 sheets of paper, and an order is 2 pads. The basic note pads sell for $34.95 for a set of 2 pads using a color photo, or $24.95 for black and white. Go to PicPads.com to see all of the different ideas for pads. I think I might start my Christmas shopping early this year!

Some of the baby gear I find on Etsy.com astounds me. It is absolutely gorgeous and some of it is very well priced. Take seller alisajacobs’ Baby Set-Lovie and Onesie in Juicy Jungle. For $22, a mama can get this fun alligator and two birds appliquéd onesie in size 6-9 Months and a vividly colored, attractive jungle print lovie. The lovie is 12 inches square and has microfiber on one side for added softness. To top off the lovely item and great price, every purchase is made to be gifted-wrapped in tissue, tied with a matching ribbon, and tagged with the seller’s brand, Quiltish. There are matching bibs and burp cloths sold separately as well.

I come across a lot of different birth announcements while writing for the blog. I have to admit that after a while, they all start to look the same, so much so that I dread looking at them at times. So, when I see something that looks fresh and fun, I am always quite pleased. Such is the case with these sweet announcements from Kite Notes. There are many to choose from, and they have a unique aesthetic. You provide the photos and birth information, pick the style, and Kite Notes does the rest. This Star Tree design retails for $2.85 each and can be ordered in increments of 25, with a minimum order of 50. While I’ve never needed quite so many announcements, many people do. You can shop the entire collection at kitenotes.com.

Sophie the Giraffe is definitely on my list of things to buy for our baby as soon as she starts teething. This great little gift set from The Elegant Child of Beverly Hills offers Sophie in combination with a onesie and matching hat which can be personalized with your baby’s name. This would make a sweet little keepsake of your little one’s earliest days. The set also includes a cute toy bunny. Whether you give this as a gift or order it for your own baby, this set is sure to delight. It is available in several colors and sizes. You can purchase the set for $87 at elegantchild.com. 

What better gift to present to a new parent than a digital key chain? Though you should shop around for the one you like best, I spotted a simple, inexpensive Insignia 1.8” LCD Digital Photo Key Chain at BestBuy.com that claims to hold 40 pictures and has a rechargeable battery. Showing off a new blessing has never been easier than it is in our digital world. Just make sure the person you are giving it to has a computer or access to one, because it will make loading it up much easier. Offered in black, red, or indigo, at $19.99 you can’t lose. The manufacturers maintain that you can even see it in dim lighting. I’m thinking of adding digital key chains to my ongoing personal list of things I like to give at baby showers.

When I was pregnant with my second daughter, I went a little ultrasound crazy. I desperately wanted to know if she was a boy or girl, so we took a weekend trip to go to a private ultrasound studio three weeks before I’d have the big diagnostic ultrasound with my midwife. I found out I was having another girl (much to my delight), and got some great photos and video footage to share with friends and family. We went back at 32 weeks for a 3D/4D session. Those pictures were great. We could see her big chubby cheeks, and I think it helped my older daughter prepare for the reality of a new baby.

We might have done the same thing this time, but the drive was a bit much with a toddler in tow, and a closer studio didn’t take appointments before the diagnostic one at the doctor’s office. While many people are against these “recreational” ultrasounds for a variety of reasons, I was pleased with my decision. I really felt it was a bonding experience for the whole family, and I think my daughter will enjoy seeing those pictures one day.

I wish I had them for all three of my girls. Of course these studios cannot diagnose medical conditions. They were completely unaware that I had placenta previa, for example, which was diagnosed by my midwife a few weeks later. There are also concerns about the overuse of ultrasound and possible risks to the baby, although I was satisfied from what I read that there is no reason for concern within limits. Ultimately, everyone has to make their own decision. If you are interested in getting a private ultrasound, you can find one in your area at 1800sonogram.com.

We were given something similar to this Hobby Horse Parade Enamelware Set for my son when he turned one and we absolutely adore it. You can keep this set by Golden Rabbit as something special to pass on, but we use ours every now and again on special occasions and it’s been perfect. Based on an original classic 18th century design, it features a young boy riding a horse surrounded by hobby horses on the edge of the plate. I really like the traditional look to this set.  It would make a wonderful gift for any little boy. This enamelware set has been made using a particular manufacturing process to strengthen the enamelware and as a result it is extremely durable, as well as oven and dishwasher proof. It has also been sealed with a stainless steel rim for chip and rust resistance.

The set includes an 8.5 inch diameter plate, a 5 inch diameter bowl with lid and a 4oz mug. It all comes in a keepsake box. It is on sale for $28.00 (down from $33.00) at mysweetmuffin.com

As the mother of three children, I’m no stranger to hand and footprint kits, but until now I had never encountered anything like this product from Little Reminders. While most kits come with a big bag of powdered plaster which you must mix and shape, Little Reminders modeling compound arrives ready for use. All you have to do is roll it out a tiny bit. My oldest daughter, who just turned 10, enjoyed taking responsibility for this aspect of the project, while my three year old continues to enjoy playing with the little wooden rolling pin that came with the kit. All I had to do was press our little one’s foot into the compound.  Since it isn’t wet, there is no mess to clean up afterwards.

After making a print, you simply package the print according to directions, select frame and matting colors, provide your child’s name and age or other personalization, and ship everything back to the company.  They create a 3-D ceramic keepsake that is beautifully-framed. We chose a dark wood frame and pink matting, and the finished product looks stunning in our daughter’s nursery.

This product may cost more than others on the market, but the end result is a world apart. I would highly recommend it based both on its ease of use and its high-quality look. You can purchase a single print kit for $59, or add additional hand or footprints for a slightly higher price. You can see all of the options and purchase a kit at baby-handprints.com. This would also make a wonderful gift for grandparents.

I always love to give books as gifts for children, as they are something to treasure that will last a long time. Some of my best childhood memories are of the bedtime books I read when I was little. So I was very happy to find these personalized book plates at Felix Doolittle with some of the most wonderful illustrations I have seen in a long time. They are both charming and whimsical, seeming to tell little stories all their own.

The designs are miniature watercolors by artist Felix Fu, originally from Hong Kong, but now working out of Newton, Mass.  These would make a great gift in themselves and are ideal for the budding young reader who likes to take ownership over his growing library. The book plates use premium self adhesive labels and are easy to add to any style books. Measuring 2 ¾ X 4,” they cost $40 for 25, and are available from FelixDoolittle.com.

My middle daughter’s name is Wren, so when she was a baby, I bought as many bird-themed items for her as I could find.  I wish I had found these birth announcements back then; they would have been perfect.

Each of these cute little birds is made in the USA from OEKO-Tex 100 certified wool felt, so you know it is safe and lead-free. You can personalize the ribbon with the child’s name. Each bird is packaged in a kraft gift envelop, then tied with ribbon.

You can design and purchase your own announcements for $19 each at GiftsDefine.com.

I have to admit that I am not very organized when it comes to my children’s keepsakes.  We recently came home from the hospital with our newborn’s hospital bracelet tucked into an envelope with her discharge papers.  Unfortunately, that is where both remain over a week later.  When I saw this picture frame from Pearhead, I knew it was right up my disorganized alley.  This great product allows you to find a perfect home for this important early keepsake where it will remain out of harm’s way.  While a picture goes in the top portion of the frame, the cut-out at the bottom displays a hospital band.  You can purchase one for a very reasonable $25 at tottini.com.  A white finish is also available.