Jean Paul Gaultier - From Sidewalk to Catwalk

Jean Paul Gaultier - From Sidewalk to Catwalk  exhibition will be showing at the DeYoung Museum until August 19th. It is an impressive exhibition for those wanting to see a well-executed retrospective using multi-media to bring his amazing creations to life.


Jean Paul Gaultier at De Young Museum - The Marin Scoop


As you walk into the beginning of the exhibit you are faced with a collection of mannequins, including Jean Paul Gaultier himself, talking and looking around the room. Footage of human facial expressions has been projected onto each mannequin’s face to give the visitor the feeling that they are standing in front of a real person. Jean Paul Gaultier partnered with the Montreal-based theater company Ubu Compagnie de Création in the design of 30 animated mannequins throughout the space who talk and sing, which is very entertaining.


Jean Paul Gaultier at DeYoung - The Marin Scoop



Jean Paul Gaultier launched his first prêt-à-porter collection in 1976 and his punk collections from the late 1970’s and early 80’s are displayed on mannequins lined up in front of a great graffiti wall inspired by San Francisco during that time.


Jean Paul Gaultier Punk - The Marin Scoop

Jean Paul Gaultier’s140 haute couture and prêt-à-porter designs through the years up until 2010 are displayed on mannequins throughout the space. Some of his incredible creations are displayed on podiums so you can walk around them and see their intricate details and genius tailoring up close. They are fascinating to admire.

Archival documents, sketches, photographs and video clips tell the story of fashion’s enfant terrible. His beautiful editorial and past advertising campaigns are also displayed on the walls, most of which are up lighted with light boxes to make them even more eye catching.


Kylie Minogue in Jean Paul Gaultier at DeYoung


There is a whole section dedicated to his muse Madonna, featuring the costumes he designed for the Blonde Ambition tour. The iconic satin cone bra corsets are displayed next to fabulous sketches, Polaroid photos of fittings and beautiful photography from that era I remember so well.


Madonna's Costumes by Jean Paul Gaultier


I highly recommend going to see this within the next three weeks, as it is a revolutionary and memorable exhibition that is thoroughly enjoyable for those either interested in fashion or interested in seeing an impressive multi-media exhibition.

View Website for opening times and ticket information.

Ella's Kitchen Giveaway Winner!


Congratulations to Marisol Mann from Tucson Arizona who is the winner of the Ella's Kitchen sample box giveaway!

A Summer Tip 

Did you know Ella's Kitchen 100% organic food pouches are not just for babies, they are also an easy way to get fruit and vegetables snacks into your toddler! A useful summer tip from Ella’s Kitchen is to freeze the pouches beforehand and take them with you on a picnic or to the park for a refreshing slushie treat!




Products can now be ordered through their On-line Store  and sent straight to your door too! 

Customize your iPhone & iPad with Casetagram!



Sophie Davies collage
I love beautiful photography which is why I am becoming addicted to making and sharing photos on Instagram (well, it keeps my Pinterest habit at bay). 

I also enjoy making collages, ever since I was a teenager cutting up fashion and music magazines and creating collages of my favorite bands, movies and teen pin ups and putting them on my school notebooks and bedroom walls. I got to do this for real at college by creating mood boards for my fashion studies, and still enjoying making collages today, either the old fashion way or on the computer.

There is a fantastic social design company called Casetagram that enables you to make collages out of your Instagram photos and turn them into a hard case for your iPhone or iPad!

Casetagram iPhone & iPad cases - The Marin Scoop

This fun process can be achieved in three easy steps; just connect to Instagram, import your photos, create your own customize design using their templates and Casetagram will print and ship your creative case to you!

Casetagram iPhone case - The Marin Scoop

Users can take a look at other’s people’s designs for inspiration and try the process out for free on their websites choosing from 7 design templates and 3 case covers (white, clear or black matte).

You travel pics Casetagram case

It makes a great gift for your fellow Instagram friends using their Virtual Gift Card, and Casetagram are also offering free international shipping for a limited time. At only $35.95 including shipping, it makes such a great personal thing to keep and enjoy each day!

I can’t wait to make mine! 


(follow sophialdavies on Instagram) 

Ella’s Kitchen Giveaway!


The variety of baby food products can be a little overwhelming for a parent. As you stand in front of the market shelves deliberating over which type of food is best for your baby. You make important decisions about whether you buy organic or which brand has hidden sugar, salt and additives? The choice and marketing ploys can be confusing.

I experienced this with my son who is now 3 years old and again with my daughter when she started moving onto solids 6 months ago. I tried to give my daughter fresh pureed vegetables and Earth's Best jarred food; as they are an organic brand that I trust and my son loved them. But she wasn’t interested, so I tried another couple of brands and after a month or so I was starting to worry that my daughter wouldn’t enjoying eating and progress from nursing, as she was refusing the bottle.

Ella's Kitchen Pouches - The Marin Scoop

Food is a main event in our household, we always sit down as a family to eat together and we have brought our son up to enjoy a wide variety of food, so we were beginning to feel disappointed. Then a friend introduced me to the brand Ella's Kitchen and things began to change!


My daughter’s eating habits quickly improved and she especially liked Ella’s Kitchen’s Baby Brekkie pouches and started to open her mouth wide for the next spoonful. The Baby Brekkie is a breakfast blend of natural fruit puree, natural yogurt and brown rice in an array for flavors such as banana, mango, blueberry and pear, raisin and prune. It also makes a great dessert or snack on the go.

Ella's Kitchen Baby Brekkie - The Marin Scoop


I started to alternate the Baby Brekkie with the Fruit and Baby Rice pouches in pear and apples, or banana and apricot. These combinations are a good solution for hungry babies who want to give their kids more than just fruit but are not ready to go onto dairy and protein.


Ella's Kitchen is 100% organic with fun image and eye catching packaging, but what I like the best about this brand is their interesting and unusual mix of fruit and vegetables. Offering combinations like Butternut Squash, carrots, apples and prunes, or their Sweet Potatoes with pumpkin, apples and blueberries. For meat options there is the Chicken Casserole and the Beef Medley. There are also ones we are yet to try like the Creamy chicken and Corn Mash, or their Oat Crumble with apple, raisin and custard, yum! Yes I eat them too…

Ella & her father Paul - The Marin Scoop

I am pleased to say that 6 months on, my daughter has a great appetite and she eats all the fresh food that we eat at the family table. Ella’s Kitchen still remains to be my go-to brand for snacks on the go, eating in the car and taking lunch to the park etc. In particular their “Nibbly Fingers” fruit and wholegrain oat bars contain no concentrates or refined sugar; making is one of the healthier snack bar options!


One lucky US reader has the chance to WIN a sample box of yummy Ella's Kitchen pouches, just Email Me with “Ella’s Kitchen Giveaway” in the subject box.

You can find Ella’s Kitchen at Target nationwide, Kroger, buybuybaby and order on-line on amazon.com and diapers.com

Sign up to be a friend on Ella's Kitchen Website and share your kid’s mealtime photos.

Ella's Kitchen website - The Marin Scoop


“Like” Ella Kitchen on Facebook or “follow” on Twitter


Simple Style Solutions


I am so excited to reveal my blog’s new redesign with you today!

I gave a creative brief to my friend Amy Bartle at Simple Style Solutions who helped me by designing the new header, background and custom buttons. 

As a fashion stylist and blogger, Amy understands the role that image plays in communicating a brand message. She now offers her expertise to small businesses wanting to develop their brand and expand their on-line profile through blogs, social media, free sites and practical advice on digital photography.



What and who inspired you to create your business?

“After taking a short break from fashion styling while I raised my son, Noah, I got into blogging as an outlet for the creativity I was missing from working on magazines. I loved the process, but learnt quite quickly that there are limitations to what you can do with very basic knowledge, so I began taking classes both on-line and at local colleges trying to fill in the gaps in my design knowledge. 

One of the most inspiring courses was “Blogging Your Way” with Holly Becker of the brilliant blog decor8. She runs regular courses to help people develop their blogs and brands, and I felt like I wanted to share some of my knowledge and experience with other women. It started as sitting down with family and friends helping them build their own blogs or websites on free platforms like blogger, and I'm hoping to be running my first workshop soon. It sits nicely with my new personal styling service and gives me the time to spend with my son.”


Amy's personal blog Karma and Cupcakes 

What does your service offer?

“It is a very relaxed approach to design, working closely with individuals to develop their own ideas and give them the knowledge and confidence to do what they would like with their blog and social media presence. I was always intimidated by the web design world and the costs that were involved, but with a little guidance a lot more is possible than we imagine."



What do you want to achieve for your clients? 

“Foremost a design they love without the designer price-tag! Also the confidence that they can move forward and develop their own ideas and brand independently, to feel a little empowered in the tech-world.”


Parenting website Chatterbox designed by Amy Bartle


Some bloggers enjoy the blogging process but lack the "technical know-how", what advice would you give them?

“There are so many amazing resources on-line, tutorials and guidance that are free, this is a great place to start. Aside from Holly's courses [which you have to pay for] some of my favorites are Pugly Pixel, and the Biz Ladies on Design SpongeDownload a photo editing package like Photoshop, if you can't afford a professional package like this there are some great free sites that will work well to edit your pictures and design posts - one of my favorites is Pixlr. Great pictures are so important to building your blog. Beautiful, unique content can be posted to sharing sites like Pinterest to drive traffic to your site.”



What brands/companies/blogs are doing it right, that we should keep an eye on?

“There are so many out there it is almost impossible to choose a few. The most effective blogs for me have a simple design and a very clear message. Here are just a handful:



Any other advice you would like to share?

“A little knowledge goes a long way, I would really encourage anyone starting a small business to make sure they are in control of their web presence [if you are hiring someone else to design your website etc. be sure to read the small print carefully]. The more informed and empowered you are with your business on-line, the stronger your brand will be.”


Being a fashion stylist Amy also offers a new type of personal styling and shopping experience to those living in the UK. The service offers a tailor-made wardrobe edit, with styling suggestions and ideas to update your style to fit your lifestyle and budget. It can help to simplify your life as a busy working or full-time mom juggling life’s demands. Maybe your body size has changed since having a baby, or you are thinking about going back to work and need to adjust your wardrobe for the next chapter in your life?

Amy Bartle's editorial styling

For further information on how Amy can help you or maybe you know someone who could benefit from Amy’s help: Email Amy Bartle,

Follow  Simple Style Notebook blog,

Follow on Pinterest & Twitter                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Marin Parents of Multiples Club Garage Sale

Saturday June 9th

Marin Catholic High School Gymnasium, 
675 Sir Frances Drake Blvd, Kentfield:

Public sale is 8.00 am – 12.00pm (closed for lunch from noon- 1.00pm)
Half price sale is 1.00 pm – 2.00pm

Shop for a great cause this Saturday!


Northern California-based Marin Parents of Multiples Club is hosting its annual garage sale this Saturday and there will be plenty of high quality bargains to be had! Shoppers can get their hands on gently-used clothing, toys and gear for infants up to children aged 6.

MPOMC volunteers have been working tirelessly to create a great community event that affects over 150 families in need.

Co-President Corinne Golden explains more: “We are proud to be able to support our community and feel humbled every day by working with these families. We are not as large as many of the Bay Area mother’s clubs (under 200 members), but we are mighty and determined! We are committed to making a difference in the lives of many families and giving is so rewarding for us.”

The current Outreach chair Jana Maninna and her committed team work throughout the year picking up families from hospitals, arranging home cooked meals, delivering diapers and providing essentials like cribs, clothing and more.  

Show your support for a wonderful organization by coming along to the MPOMC garage sale this Saturday and rummage through a gymnasium filled with everything a parent needs! 


Follow MPOMC on Facebook & Twitter

ModCloth - Vintage-inspired Fashion & Home Shopping


Founded by high school sweethearts – Susan Gregg Koger and Eric Koger; ModCloth is a vintage-inspired shopping site that features clothes, shoes, accessories and cool things for the home. 

Silverware from ModCloth - The Marin Scoop


Their mission is to empower their customers and readers by joining their ModCloth community  flipping through their stylebooks, products and find one-of-a-kind designs. You can even be a virtual buyer for Modcloth with Be the Buyer and help what designs get made!

Dress from ModCloth - The Marin Scoop
Flat pumps from ModCloth - The Marin Scoop

I particularly enjoy following their blog Modcloth Blog inspired by fashion, art and culture. They recently posted a great entry about Business Savvy Site for the Business Savvy Girl and the Best Jobs Ever. Read about the working life of a floral designer, writer, veterinarian, vintage clothing store owner, interior designer or the costume designer for the cult TV show Mad Men...an inspiring read! 

Teaset from ModCloth - The Marin Scoop


You can follow ModCloth on Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest

Yarn Cake Topper - ModCloth on Pinterest 

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