Lips by Tom Ford

Ladies, Tom Ford is doing lips. This month under his Private Blend label, the design mogul known for his stupendous turnaround of the Gucci Group's assets and of course for his own design label, has unveiled his signature lipstick line. And while not many girls are likely to pay-up for a simple tube of lipstick, Ford fans (who understand that this man - delivers!) are going wild. A palette of 12 "perfect" lip colors, scented with chamomile, packed with the purest of pigment, and utterly creamy - thanks to loads of Brazilian murumuru butter. His ivory, gold-rimmed case creation is classic and heavyweight; a tribute to our grandmothers - the way they'd open an ornate case, spin out the bullet, and paint their pout was so, i don't know, glamourous. So not lip-gloss. As mothers, we all know how tough it can be to consistently look put-together on the go - but a good lipstick is all a girl needs. One coat and we're dressed. Thanks for the help Tom. Private Blend Lip Color, $45.00

Idiot-proof Pancakes

Came across this frying pan while browsing for some Fathers Day gifts... I think this pan should be called man-proof. Perfect pancakes every time - great for our mornings off (what? Your husband never offers to wake up with the kids and bring you pancakes in bed??) - or an easy morning on. Plus, this would definitely be payback for all the gifts they give us that are really for them (just think back...) : )

Alright, fine; not the greatest way to gift them on their day of honor, but an awesome gadget to have on hand for cooking with (older) kids in the kitchen.

Silver Dollar Pancake Pan, Crate & Barrel $29.95

Magical Space Change

I wanted to share these wonderful images from the fantastic furniture designers at Laurette of France. Thought it would inspire the creative ability of space change through color... The space in these photos is exactly the same, yet the rooms are almost magically diverse. Oh, the joys of good interior decor! (These photos initially made me look because the charcoal bed goes shockingly well with our Sparrow crib. Hmmm...)

Exclusive Sale Site Invite

Wanted to share an awesome "flash sale" website with all my readers. Geared towards the Mom race, Totsy offers brand-name kids clothing, toys, gear, and mom-goods at ridiculously reduced prices! Attempting to remain exclusive and not be tainted by an overdose of popularity (which would result in sell-outs before the first hour of sale), Totsy tried to remain an invitation-only website for a while, but membership can be requested now. All FreidaFroo readers can enter the Totsy-hood by clicking on the (linked) icon above. Happy thrifting, ladies!

Cookies 'n Cream

I made these yummy little freezer treats the day before Shavuos. I agreed to have an extra 3 last-minute guests, and I know 3 people shouldn't make that big of a party difference, but when you're planning on using an 8 seater round table and counting on a cheesecake for 8, I needed a table intervention and another dessert - stat.

I had baked some Neiman Marcus cookies the night before, and had a gallon of vanilla fudge ice cream in the freezer. I tried making ice cream sandwiches with these cookies many times before but they always came out so darn messy looking! With a last minute light bulb idea, and a little help from a cookie cutter; I landed myself a fine lookin' munchie.

Choose a round cookie cutter that's about the same size as the cookies, take the ice cream out to soften a bit, lay some wax paper on a cookie sheet, and spoon the ice cream into the cookie cutter smoothing out the tops. Gently remove the cutter after smoothing each one, and remember to work quickly so the ice cream circles don't melt. Pop the cookie sheet in the freezer overnight to re-freeze the circles. Place the ice cream rounds in between two cookies, and roll in sprinkles (or some ice cream topping novelties: toasted coconut, candied pecans, crushed peppermint etc). Wrap each sandwich in a strip of wax paper to prevent sticking, and tie with a bit of twine to keep the wax strip in place (and to add a touch of whimsy).

I wish I would've thought to take pictures of the steps to share with ya'll - but honestly, I didn't believe they'd come out neat. I know it sounds like a patchke but it's really only two steps - and the visual effect is totally worth the effort. (Next time I make them I'll shoot-as-I-go, and post the tutorial steps with photos.)

At least I grabbed a photo of the finished product leftovers...