Retail

Just because you're a mom doesn't mean you have to give up your creativity and passion for art. Novato mom and artist Alice Orth shows her paintings in exhibitions and shows throughout the North Bay, including area wineries. Her work can also be seen during the annual Marin Arts Council Open Studios, which are coming up this weekend, May 10 and 11, 2008. We asked Alice to tell us about herself, her family, and what it's like to be an artist and mompreneur.

Please tell us a little about yourself. What's your background?
After completing an AA in Fine Arts at the Collage of Marin, I attended and graduated from California College or Arts and Crafts [now called California College of the Arts] with a BFA in Interior Architecture. Encouraged by family and friends to pursue my love for art, I continued to paint alongside my design work. I discovered painting to be more gratifying than design and spent several years creating custom murals and mixed media on canvas. I am also the mother of a very charming four-year-old boy, and wife to an incredibly supportive husband. A couple years after the birth of my son, I passionately returned to painting solely on canvas. It allows me to be the best me.
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I think many moms will agree that there’s no better Mother’s Day gift than a massage or spa package. I know that’s what I want, especially after working and chasing two small children around all week, every week. Fortunately, there are a number of places in Marin for busy moms to relax and take some time out to be pampered. Go ahead, you’re worth it…

My son has been an avid Mac user since he was around 18 months old (although I do try to limit the amount of time he spends on it). Since computers are a part of his life, I like to find educational games that spark his imagination and inspire learning. This week I received a DVD-ROM copy of Mia Reading: Bugaboo Bugs!, part of the Mia’s Big Adventure Collection series, a neat computer reading game that offers a great balance of fun and education. My son had a blast playing some of the games and adventures, and I have to say I was really impressed with how quickly he started to spell words, and comprehend sentences, all while having fun.

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Making impressions of your children’s hands and feet in clay is a neat way to create a reminder of when they were small. Marin “mompreneur” Shawna O’Connor has made a business out of creating these special personalized keepsakes out of fine china clay with This Little Piggy. We asked her to tell us a little bit about herself and her unique business. She’s also agreed to give one lucky Marin Mommies reader a gift certificate for a free double print (two impressions on one piece), a $45 value. To enter the drawing, send an email to contests@marinmommies.com with "This Little Piggy" in the subject line.

Mother’s Day is around the corner, and it’s never too early to start thinking about the perfect gift for the moms in your life (which can include yourself, of course).  I like to get gifts that that involve my children. One of my wish list items this year is a piece of custom photo jewelry by mom-owned tj & co. You send them your favorite photos and they seal them into a sterling silver pendant for a necklace or bracelet.

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Don’t miss this year’s Novato Mothers Club Kids’ Rummage Sale on Saturday, April 12 from 9 am to 2 pm and Sunday, April 13 from 9 am to noon. You can literally get everything you need for your family: cribs, strollers, children’s clothing, maternity wear, toys, shoes, nursing items, and more. The NMC Rummage Sale will take place at the Novato Teen Center at 950 Seventh Street off of Grant Avenue in downtown Novato (attached to the Novato Gymnastics Center).

I volunteer for this event every year and always come home with a bunch of toys and clothes for the kids. It’s really a great sale that offers bargain prices on a lot of things (many of them barely used). To get the best picks, try to get there when they first open on Saturday, because the good stuff goes quickly.

If you’re into beautiful summer vintage dresses and unique clothing for your kids like I am, then check out Girl Charlee. This is one of my favorite sites for cute spring and summer dresses for girls, and the hip clothing for boys. Girl Charlee offers a variety of designer lines, including Eeny Meanie and Girl Charlee’s own, that offer a variety of both real vintage styles and vintage-inspired fabrics. Some of the girls’ styles include a groovy knit halter, a vintage floral strap dress, and vintage patch pocket gaucho pants. A few of the boys’ popular styles include some cool and hip cargos and stylish “Sebastian” shorts. They also carry a variety of very cute fabric wrap headbands using their signature vintage and vintage inspired fabrics.
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Right around Valentine’s Day, I always make a special stop at See’s Candy to pick up some of their marshmallow-caramel hearts for the kids. If you’re looking for some last-minute places to get some really good or unique Valentine’s candy for family or friends, here is a list of a few places that I really like here in Marin: