Cool Stocking Stuffers for Boys

I always struggle to come up with unique items to put in my boys' Christmas stockings, so this year I turned to Etsy, "Your Place to Buy and Sell All Things Handmade," for ideas and found a ton of fabulous, handcrafted, and affordable little stocking stuffers that my boys will go crazy over!

Nick and Henry love I Spy books, so these custom I Spy bags ($14.50 ea.) from Violet , above, will be a huge hit. As the bag is manipulated, little plastic beads shift around to reveal little objects in the window. What a great way to entertain your child during car trips or while waiting at the doctor's office. (Note: not recommended for children under 3). Just for Unboring Boys readers! Receive a 10 percent discount off orders through December 20th. Just notify in a "message to seller" that you saw the I Spy bags on the blog.

For little readers (and their crafty moms), I love the do-it-yourself Rascally Robots personalized booklet, bookmark, book plate and tag set ($6) from the GoMakeMe shop. Simply edit and print from PDFs for cute personalized (and last minute) gifts. Also I really dig the superhero tags ($4.25) from the Whats Eating Yin shop that are made of recycled comic books and can be used as cool bookmarks.

If your unboring boy loves robots, he'll enjoy the adorable Wooden Matching Memory game--Robot edition ($16.00) from LemonTreeStudio, which comes in a cute drawstring pouch.

Tops are always a fun stocking stuffer especially if they are as beautiful as the little hand-turned maple ones seen here from Esty seller UrbanTurn.

Finally, if your boy is obsessed with diecast cars like mine are, consider a handmade car caddy from Mimimommieandme ($7.50 ea.) that he can use to tote a few favorite cars with him wherever he goes.

Old Soles Baby Shoes & Giveaway

WARNING: if you have a baby boy, newborn to 24 months, you will not be able to resist baby shoes by Old Soles.

Launched in January 2008 in Australia, and now available in the U.S., Old Soles offers a trendy collection of soft and flexible 100 percent leather shoes for babies and toddlers.

I LOVE the sporty velcro closures and faux laces, not to mention the great colors, such as the cobalt shown here. They're a hip, unexpected alternative to baby shoes featuring cutesy animals and firetrucks. Old Sole pre-walkers have a soft leather sole (the next best thing to bare feet), and toddler "first steps" have non-slip soles. All have a comfy elastic back. There are several great styles for boys to choose from and the quality and detail-work is amazing.

Old Soles are just being introduced to the U.S. and I predict they are going to be HOT. So contact their U.S. distributor, Lolligo, at info@lolligo.com for up-to-the-minute info for where to buy.

In the meantime, we have a pair of adorable pair of Old Soles first steps shoes up for grabs. I mean, seriously, I don't even have a baby and it's going to be hard to give these up. The winner will receive a pair of Old Sole shoes similar to the ones above but with light gray accents in size 15-18 months. Just visit the Old Soles children's shoes page on Lolligo's website then e-mail unboringboys@yahoo.com with OLD SOLES in the subject line and tell us the name of the designer who started Old Soles. We'll draw a winner at random December 6th. U.S. residents only, please. Good luck!

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Short Hats Long on Style

I love hats with ear flaps for boys--they are so outdoorsy and sweet--and my favorite for fall/winter is the wool Issac ($30, 12 months - 6 years) from Short Hats. Based in Colorado, Short Hats designs some of the cutest headwear for children, including heirloom-quality hand-knit beanies , the trendy Riley cap, and classic hats that will never go out of style like the Gatsbyesque Buster. I also love that Short Hats uses recycled plastic visors in their brimmed hats, their knit hats are handmade in Argentina by companies that treat their workers fairly, and the rest of the hats in the collection are made in the U.S.

Just for Unboring Boys readers: Short Hats is offering a 10 percent discount on items in their online shop through 1/1/2010! Enter coupon code "Unboring" at checkout. Factor in free shipping (on all U.S. orders) and that's a sweet deal! Visit http:www.shorthats.com/kids-hats-summer-and-winter.php to check out all the fabulous styles.

Unboring Sweaters for Boys 2009

It's sweater weather! and time for our annual round-up of the hippest, sweetest, and off-beatest sweaters for boys, starting with our favorite this year, the irresistible Rodgers Cardigan from Knuckleheads ($57, 2T-6T), above, which successfully fuses grandpa fussiness with rock-and-roll edginess that would look adorable on any little man.

Season after season, Tea Collection carries some of the most inspired styles for boys, and their recent Indigo Arts line is no exception. We've featured the Kimono robe ($75, 6 mos - 8 yrs.) from this line before because we think it's amazing. But we also adore the Nippon Pullover ($65, 6 mos. - 8 yrs.) because of the gorgeous colors and texture.

If you haven't heard, GapKids has teamed with designer Stella McCartney to create a new line of children's clothing that we are falling for big time. At first glance, the gray Stella McCartney Cardigan ($58, S-XL) may look ordinary, but then you notice the delightful off-center buttons and thumb holes in the sleeves. Very unboring! For baby boys, we like her Fair Isle cashmere wrap cardigan ($58, 6 - 24 months). And though it's not a sweater, we have to point out the fabulous Band jacket which has been selling out like crazy. Rumors are some petite women have been buying the larger kids sizes for themselves!

Moms looking for holiday-themed sweaters should check out Janie and Jack's Nutcracker Sweater ($43, 3 months - 8) and Hanna Andersson's collection of colorful and stripey unisex styles, including the All is Bright penguin sweater (on sale for $38.40).

Shake up the Holidays with Looks from Bobinette and The Belle and the Beau

Ready to break with traditional colors, reindeer motifs, and argyle sweater vests this holiday season? Bobinette and The Belle and the Beau are two hot children's designers offering fashion-forward, colorful and festive alternatives for boys for holiday dressing and portraits.

I've featured Bobinette before (read the June 2009 article here) because I simply adore their hip, unbelievably soft, high quality shirts, like the navy polka dot, above, and red gingham print, right (modeled by my unboring boy, Nick). Bobinette's shirts are bright and cool, have fun details like contrasting cuffs and buttons, and can be dressed up or down. (click on the photos for a closer view.)

After you pick your favorite Bobinette shirt, pair it with a fabulous neck tie from The Belle and the Beau. The Belle and the Beau's two-mom design team makes the sweetest neck ties and bow ties for boys ages 6 months to teen (and men too!). My favorite? Who can pick just one? Don't be afraid to pair a dotted tie with a plaid shirt. Experiment! Go wild! It's fun and trendy to mix prints and patterns. But even if you go with a plain white button down, a tie from The Belle and the Beau will keep your little man front and center in holiday portraits. Those of you with girls may end up coordinating your daughter's holiday dress to match your son's look this year instead of the other way around!

SnackTAXI Reusable Eco-friendly Snack Bags

Right after school started, I realized I was using way too many little plastic zipper bags to pack my boys' lunches. I felt guilty, because we all know where those bags go: to the landfills, where it takes a gazillion years for them to break down and even then tiny, toxic bits of them remain in soil and water.

That's why I was so exited to come across SnackTAXI's reusable snack and sandwich bags. Each SnackTAXI bag can eliminate the use of 1000 zipper bags, which makes them both eco- and wallet-friendly. The bags are made in the U.S., are washable, and are 100% cotton with a nylon lining that is free of lead and phthalates. The quality is excellent for the money ($6.95-8.95 ea.) and Velcro closures make it easy for little hands to open. Did I mention they are way cooler than boring plastic zipper bags?

SnackTAXI bags come in great prints that will appeal to boys, including the Jungle Jumble print, above. I also love the Signs of the Times and Fly by Day bags, but there are prints to fit every personality. Check out all the pretty styles for moms, too.

One lucky Unboring Boys reader will win a 2 piece set of SnackTAXI bags including a Sign of the Times sandwich bag and a Groovy Guitar snack bag! Just visit www.SnackTAXI.com then e-mail unboringboys@yahoo.com with the phrase SNACKTAXI in the subject line and tell us how many lunches owner Erin Kelly-Dill packs in a year. We'll draw a winner at random November 10th. U.S. residents only, please. Good luck!

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Ants in the pants and on the sleeve and...: Blemish brand boys' clothes

At Unboring Boys, we are always on the lookout for new themes for boys. While bugs show up pretty regularly on boys' clothes, this is the first time we've seen a line designed so cleverly around ants.

Blemish, a Dutch company based in Amsterdam, has come up with a hip and quirky collection of ant-inspired clothes for boys including shirts, tees, pants and a coat. Along with the fabulous ant shirts and tee shown left and below, tiny embroidered ants appear on other pieces in the collection.

I love that Blemish does this for each of its collections, hiding that season's insect or animal (for spring/summer it was a crab) in unexpected places, like on a shirt sleeve or hidden under a collar!

Blemish, which means "not perfect," designs clothes for real boys, with a focus on comfort, quality and affordability. Pants have reinforced knees and adjustable waists. Tees are made with extra soft cotton. Shirts are made from Parisian fabrics with contrast cuffs and collars that offer a distinctly European aesthetic.

You can find Blemish clothes for boys in the U.S. at Barney's, Space Kiddets, Aminah et les amis, and Estella in New York; Marcia's Attic in New Jersey; 3 Monkeys and Me and Swaddle, Toddle and Bump in Connecticut; and The Red Balloon, LMNOP, and Stinky Pants in Chicago.