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17 May '26

Newborn Gifts Meant to Last

Posted by Annie Messing

A few days ago, I watched my pastor’s wife holding her newest granddaughter, tiny face tucked into her shoulder. Today, a friend texted me a little video of her son’s first steps, knowing how much I adore their little one. Somewhere in between came sudden happy tears for a mother who waited longer than most for her first baby.

Lately, it feels like I keep bumping into these small, tender reminders of just how meaningful the first year of life really is.

In many ways, the beauty of this phase of childhood was part of the original inspiration behind Brimful. Even though I’m now more than a decade beyond the baby stage myself, I still get genuinely excited about giving a thoughtful baby gift. A set of wooden blocks. A favorite board book. A soft rattle tucked into a gift bag for a new parent running on very little sleep.

 

 

The best newborn gifts are rarely the loudest or trendiest ones. They tend to be the things that quietly stay. The books read so many times the front cover is barely attached. The wooden animals passed down to younger siblings. The swishy playsilk first used for games of peek-a-boo, then years later tied to a stick and waved like a flag.

In celebration of spring babies, I gathered a few newborn gifts meant to last.

1. Seeds

A gentle story about seeds, seasons, and the small beginnings that eventually bloom into something beautiful.

2. Wooden Rattle

Simple enough for tiny hands, and lovely enough to tuck into a keepsake box years later.

3. Senger Goose

The kind of soft toy that quietly becomes part of childhood.

4. Natural Rubber Ball

Soft, grippy, and surprisingly versatile through the baby and toddler years.

5. Mini Playsilk

First for peek-a-boo. Later for forts, dress-up, doll blankets, and imaginative play.

6. ABC Picture Blocks

A keepsake-quality set of blocks meant to be stacked, sorted, and eventually used to spell simple words.

7. Wooden Animals

First chosen for the nursery, then loved through years of everyday play.

 

03 May '26

Play has always been this simple

Posted by Annie Messing

Have you noticed lately how many articles and apps are focused on helping us get off our devices? Being offline is starting to feel like a luxury. As we lean into what’s now called “analog life,” I have to laugh a little. It’s essentially us adults learning how to play again.

Children have always known how to do this. Give them something simple, and they settle in. They turn it over in their hands. Try, adjust, try again. Time stretches a little.

Not everything needs lights or instructions to hold their attention.

 

 

Sometimes it’s a box of marbles, lined up and sorted just so. The colors, the weight, the small satisfaction of getting them just right.

Or a spinning top that wobbles, flips, and keeps going, each try a little different than the last.

Or a beautiful game that stretches their thinking and slowly becomes a story.

These kinds of toys don’t rush children.

They leave space to think, to notice, and to come back and discover something new.

And then there are the everyday objects that quietly become part of this rhythm, too.

A set of colorful forks and spoons, used every day. Chosen colors. Small hands learning independence at the table. Not a toy, but something they grow familiar with and begin to love.

In a way, it’s the same reason adults are reaching for analog hobbies.

There’s something grounding about using your hands. About slowing down enough to be fully in one small moment.

Children don’t need to relearn this. They just need the chance to keep doing it.

 

26 Apr '26

Picture Books and Play: A Simple Way to Extend the Story

Posted by Annie Messing

Some stories don't really end when the last page is turned. With one small shift, it can become something children step into, not just listen to. 

Read the story once, then leave a few simple things nearby to quietly invite children to  keep the story going. No instructions, no real setup. You'll often find them coming back to the story in their own way. I've watched this happen with my own children more times than I can count.

Here are a few ways this can look: 

The book: Brown Bear Wood: It's Busy Down in the Woods Today

Leave out: A few woodland-themed wooden animals or puzzle

What you might see: Children recreating scenes from the book and wandering into their own version of the forest. 

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Small Things Mended

The book: Small Things Mended

Leave out: A playsilk, and a soft animal or doll

What you might see: Children engaging in gentle, caring pretend play, themed around fixing, tending, and looking closely. 

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The book: Teatime Around the World

Leave out: A pretend tea-set and play food

What you might see: Pretend play centered around serving, sharing and repeating familiar rhythms of everyday life.

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Stories give children something to hold onto. Play gives them a way to explore it. It's one of the simplest ways I've found to extend a story without needing anything more. 

 

12 Apr '26

New for Preschoolers: Six Thoughtful Finds for Curious Little Hands

Posted by Annie Messing

 

There’s something especially sweet about the preschool years.

Lately, I’ve been feeling very sentimental about that season. My second child is about to graduate from high school, and my youngest is finishing elementary school and heading into middle school. It feels like such a tender closing of one chapter in our family life.

As I anticipate these upcoming milestones, I keep thinking back to those early years, the preschool days of sorting and noticing, of asking the same question five different ways, of wanting to line things up, match them, name them, and then turn them into a whole story. 

There are six new arrivals in the shop that are all made for exactly this stage, the years when learning still feels wonderfully close to play. What I appreciate about these products is how naturally they support the things young children are already drawn to: letters, matching, storytelling, feelings, and imaginative thinking.

With April being Neurodiversity Celebration Month, this feels like an especially meaningful time to share them. These kinds of hands-on tools were so helpful for my own four children and I’ve always loved how they can reinforce learning while protecting a child’s joy and confidence.  It's so important for home to be a safe place where we can support our neurodivergent learners through gentle repetition, visual cues, and conversation-based play. 

A resource that has meant a lot to me lately is Dear Dyslexia, founded by my friend Rachel Goode. Her beautiful new site offers wonderful encouragement for families navigating different learning paths.

An adorable hands-on way to make the alphabet feel playful.

Makes sorting, grouping, and early logic into a game.

A whimsical puzzle for children obsessed with magical worlds. 

For the farm-loving child who loves a good matching game.

These cards encourage children to notice details and spark storytelling.

A gentle way to help name and process feelings.

As much as I've cherished every season of parenting, I will always treasure the preschool and early learning years in a special way. The tiny discoveries, the repeated questions, the little hands reaching for the same beloved pieces day after day, it all feels so precious looking back. 

 

19 Mar '26

Spring Things That Are Making Me Happy Right Now

Posted by Annie Messing

 

We are slowly creeping into spring here in Colorado, and it makes me so happy. My husband and I have been taking a long walk almost every evening, recapping the day together and soaking in the fresh air as the sun slips down behind the distant mountains.

This season always makes me want to notice the small things that bring quiet joy. Here are a few I’ve been loving lately, a mix of everyday comforts, playful finds, and little luxuries.

MixMatch Melamine Forks + Spoons

These cheerful little utensils make everyday meals feel a bit more fun. The small size is just right for children learning to eat independently, and the bright colors somehow turn even an ordinary snack into something festive. We keep them in heavy rotation for cereal, ice cream, yogurt, and in lunchboxes.

Alora Top in Mulberry by Known Supply

I went to Whole Foods for ice cream recently and left with this easy cotton top. That was an unexpected find! Spring weather is famously indecisive, and this button-up is easy to throw on with very little thought while still looking quietly put together.

Melanie with Pink Dress + Yellow Flower Purse

Melanie has a quiet, handmade charm, with soft cotton yarn, simple features, and clothes that can be changed again and again. She feels like the kind of companion who would sit patiently through tea parties, travel in a small backpack, or be tucked under an arm at bedtime.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

If you are looking for a new book to get lost in, I am currently reading this gorgeous novel. It is a sweeping, deeply moving family saga that follows generations of a Korean family in Japan through love, struggle, and survival, I already don't want it to end.

Flower Meadow Play Set

Spring practically invites children to gather tiny treasures, and this set feels like holding a whole garden in your hands. The small wooden flowers can be sorted, traded, arranged into bouquets, or scattered into imaginary landscapes, becoming a flower shop one day and an enchanted meadow the next. I love toys that don’t dictate how they should be used, and these pieces seem to spark quiet, focused play wherever they land.

Gold Vermeil Mena Earrings by Temple of the Sun

If you know me, you know I love dangly earrings. Dustin usually gives me a pair for our anniversary, and these Mena ones are my newest. They are easy to wear but still make an outfit feel intentional. The soft brushed gold and graceful shape have a timeless quality, almost like something discovered in a small antique shop while traveling.

Eau Rose Solid Perfume from Diptyque

A tiny luxury that feels especially lovely this time of year. This solid rose perfume is soft, fresh, and not at all overpowering, more like the scent of real petals than a traditional perfume. I often swipe it on in the mornings before the school run, and even if I look like a total schlumpadinka, I still feel halfway respectable. It feels old-fashioned in the best way, like something a grandmother might have carried in a little compact.

Spring always arrives quietly, but I’m so glad when it does. Longer walks, open windows, and small things to look forward to each day feel like a gift after winter.