We are beyond excited to announce the latest addition to Monkeys and Mayhem, The Lark.

Whimsical and sweet, this bunting is made with the softest organic cotton fabric imaginable. Inspired by the impending arrival of the stork to one of my best friends from high school, this bunting is as special as the baby that will soon fill it! The Lark was custom-designed to complement the decor and theme my friend selected for her new baby's nursery. We’re so excited over here & can hardly wait until the Big Day! 

If you are interested in this style, please drop us an email to special order this Limited Edition style as only a seriously limited amount of fabric is available. 

We are so excited to have been asked to showcase the new designs from our Fall Collection at the Creative Runway Show in Petoskey, Michigan! The event was coordinated + held at the Crooked Tree Arts Center. It was an awesome event that was filled with really talented designers from Detroit.

Monkeys & Mayhem was honored to share the stage with Detroit Denim, Inga Lenz Designs, Cyberoptix Tie Lab, The Smith Shop, Peninsulas, Lilacpop Studio, Trybe + Detroit Urban Design Studio. Definitely check out everyone's apparel and jewelry for unique pieces that will make you look amazing! 

The models in the show wearing Monkeys & Mayhem designs were unbelievable! The babies were darling in their buntings and I think they slept during their big debut! (a true testament to the buntings they were being held in, wink, wink.) The toddlers were beyond sweet, and did an outstanding job in their Monkeys & Mayhem apparel. And of course, the hot moms strutting their stuff down the runway made it all go down without a hitch!

My grandparents arrived at Detroit's Michigan Central Station [pictured above] from Europe, bringing their two children with them- a son, who tightly held his father's hand and my mother- an infant, was being cradled in her mother's arms in a traditional handmade baby carrier called a bunting. It was their first time in America. 

Decades later, in another part of the city, my mother wrapped me up in a bunting that her mother (my grandmother) had made and stepped into the brisk air of a spring just beginning to take shape. She held me close in the car as they made their way home from the hospital. 

Many seasons had passed when I stood in the doorway of the same exact hospital in Detroit where my mother had once-upon-a-time stood with me. This time I was holding my own daughter- in a bunting made by my mother. Ready to take my own baby home for the first time.

Monkeys & Mayhem is pleased to announce the limited edition release of a one of a kind bunting- The Max- created to celebrate Paint By Numbers and its inventors!

One of my favorite crafts, Paint By Numbers was invented right here in Detroit! In 1949, a local artist named Dan Robbins met a businessman- Max Klein and collaborated on the Paint By Number Kit. The set was intended to take the mystery out of producing a pretty piece of art that could be painted by novices. Klein sold them through the Palmer Paint Company, which he owned, and in 1951, the first set of kits was sold. It was widely popular, selling millions of sets.

Named after Max Klein- the inventor behind the original Paint By Numbers, this is the first bunting named after a different sort of Rock Star. And guess what! he shares the same name as my grandmother, who showed me how to make these buntings. 

But wait- There's More! Click 'Read More' to read more of the story...   ↓↓↓

A small clue about the next collection launching soon:
Dolly Parton is revered around here. Last year we took a trip to Tennessee for a quick visit to the mecca known as Dollywood!

Update 1.16.14! Dolly Parton just announced an upcoming tour- The Blue Smoke World Tour. She'll be performing in Kentucky, Oklahoma + Tennessee, of course.

A tiny hint about the next product... yarn.

Detroit Design Festival 2013 featured the awesome concept that attendees could create their own path, meandering around town to check out any combination of the 60+ latest designs, innovations and installations from cutting-edge artists and designers. Happenings were conceptualized by a huge range of avant garde artists, including fashion and product designers, gallery and studio owners, cinematographers, interior and graphic designers, performance artists, boutique owners- the list is endless. 

Paths included varied categories such as the Youth Path, Community Path, Exploration Path, Enthusiast Path, Consumer Path and Practitioner Path. Stick with one specific path and attend coordinating events or choose a few from each to make your own way. Exploration promotes learning about new things and this was a excellent way to introduce children to art and design concepts. There was an amazing array of activities and interactive exhibits for all ages to discover.

Children were able to draw and crawl through a cardboard city from Neighborhood Fort, check out a Lego exhibit which depicted some of the city's iconic skyscrapers, create their own mask, and scribble at an artists studio created by coG-studio, an architectural design firm which specializes in creating spaces for youth.

Sometimes babies are messy. (all the time) So when the time comes to freshen your bunting up- don't worry- caring for your baby bunting is simple. Just follow these tried + true tricks for stellar results.

Bunting Cover:
-Act quickly. Most stains can be removed if you attack them before they dry. 
-Remove lining from bunting. Turn bunting inside out. 
*RockStar Tip* For optimal results, throw into a pillow case for added protection against nor'easter grade agitation.
-Wash in cold water set to 'delicate' or 'short wash.' 
*RockStar Tip* Use a mild detergent made for a baby's delicate skin. Do not use bleach.
-Remove from washer promptly.
- Lay to dry on a flat surface. [if you can find one not covered in baby clothes!]
*RockStar Tip* Drape the bunting over a chair- the ruffles will look spectacular and fuller than if you keep it flat. [+it dries very quickly]

Removable Lining:
This can be washed, if you have ever washed an actual pillow- those are pretty similar to the results you will get when washing a bunting. 
*RockStar Tip* Go for it! 
-Wash in cold water set to 'delicate' or 'short wash.
-Remove from washer promptly.
- Lay to dry on a flat surface.
*RockStar Tip* Occasionally 'knead' the lining as you would bread dough, that will cut down on the 'lumps' that are congregating. 

Guess what! 
Buntings can be professionally dry cleaned.
Recommended for styles with lace or specialty buntings from the Christening Collection. 

Shot the musician the "Aoki" bunting is named after! How awesome is that?

The Verge Campus tour opened the season this Friday evening at Meadow Brook Music Festival, where Steve Aoki ripped into a packed house with his hardcore production skills.

Cold for April, and frigid enough for the entire crowd to wear coats, one lone fan wearing red velvet stilettos stole the show, until the the man of the hour, Aoki blasted onstage at full speed, attacking his DJM-900 Nexus mixers in an onslaught of color.

It was so cold you could see his breath. Aoki was dripping in scarlet red and electric blue, then Bombs Away! He transformed into a massive explosion of energy, detonating in front of the sold-out crowd of 8,000. They mimicked his moves, going wild, thrashing their arms in the air to the commanding beat.

It is shocking what a man standing behind a stationary block can accomplish. His sets are high energy house parties, with brilliant performance art arriving in waves throughout the show. Let's just say it usually involves birthday cake and navigating through thousands of people in an inflatable raft- treacherous and thrilling. Whenever he went wild, so did the crowd.

Later he did what any guy owning a fashion house would do, and performed a wardrobe change, shedding his jacket for a t-shirt featuring a deranged version of Mr. T. It's rumored he's scheming with his fashionista sister to introduce a new line, so be on the lookout for that collab on the horizon.

Aoki transforms everywhere he goes into a Wonderland; a place of hardcore enchantment with treacherous adventure at every turn. Maybe one day he'll arrive on the scene with an invisible cheshire cat and play some croquet using a flamingo- until then, he knows how to throw a raging Mad Tea Party, overflowing with champagne and cake. And if this curious Land includes buckets of mud, freezing cold temperatures, and riding the rapids- then this must be the place.