After nine months of field trips, permission slips and science fair projects, summer vacation has finally begun. Looking for some inspiration for your summer plans ? Our friends at CelebrityBabyScoop asked some of our favorite celebrity families to share their upcoming summertime plans.

You can get your little one prepared for road trips, sleep-away camps and not-so-lazy days with this hand-picked selection from some of our favorite brands in our “School’s out for Summer” boutique.

Continue reading about Tia and Tamera Mowry‘s plans with their sons, to Sarah Michelle Gellar‘s busy summer, to Jewel‘s great escape from the heat of Texas.

Tamera Mowry-Housley:

Tia & Tamera star Tamera Mowry-Hardrict and husband Adam Housley are parents to 7-month-old son Aden. The Sister, Sister alum, 34, opened up to Celebrity Baby Scoop about their upcoming summertime plans.

“My husband and I have a house up in Northern California,” Tamera shared. “We live in the Napa area and we love going wine-tasting. I also enjoy staying at home, relaxing, and spending time at our house up there with each other.”

Tia Mowry-Hardrict:

Tamera’s twin sister, Tia Mowry-Hardrict, and her husband Cory Hardrict are parents to nearly 2-year-old son Cree. The reality star mama spoke about their favorite summer activities.

“Oh my gosh! I love to travel during the summer,” Tia gushed. “I love just being by the beach, sipping on pina coladas, and watching Cree play in the sand and get his diaper all soggy from the water [laughs]“

Sarah Michelle Gellar:

Star couple Sarah Michelle Gellar, 36, and Freddie Prinze, Jr., 37, are parents to daughter Charlotte, 3, and 9-month-old son Rocky. SMG shared their plans for this summer.

“We will take a few road trips, but I start work fairly soon,” she said of her upcoming sitcom The Crazy Ones. “And it’s California, so it’s summer here year-round.”

Antonio Sabàto, Jr.:

General Hospital alum Antonio Sabàto, Jr. is dad to three kids: Jack, 18, Mina, 11, and Antonio, 2.The actor-model, 41, recently opened up about their summertime plans.

“Cheryl’s mom and sister are coming from Hawaii to visit us for three weeks,” he shared. “Usually in the summers we stay home, and at the end of the summer we’ll take our vacation and go to Kauai.”

Helen Slater:

The Good Mother actress Helen Slater - mom to 17-year-old daughter Hannah – is looking forward to the following this summer:

“I’m making my fourth CD, Greek Mythology for children,”  she shared. “It will be an audio book with music.”

Elisabeth Röhm:

The Client List’s Elisabeth Röhm - who raises 5-year-old Easton with fiancé Ron Anthony – recently spoke about their upcoming summer plans.

“I plan ahead and make sure that at least 80% of her time is organized,” she shared. “From beach camp to nature camp and gymnastics, Easton loves activities and being around her friends.”

Melissa Rycroft:

Reality star Melissa Rycroft and husband Tye Strickland are parents to 2-year-old daughter Ava.The Bachelor alum, 30, has some fun trips planned for this summer.

“We have a couple fun trips planned,” Melissa shared. “We always go to the lake for holidays, and we’re going to go down to the beach. We actually have a fun European trip planned for the three of us, since we’ve never been—well, obviously Ava has never been, and I’ve never been—so we’ve got a lot of travel set up.”

Garcelle Beauvais:

Actress Garcelle Beauvais is proud single mom to three sons: Oliver, 22, and 5-year-old twins Jax and Jaid. The Franklin & Bash star, 46, opened up to Celebrity Baby Scoop about their fun plans in NYC this summer.

“[I’m] taking the boys to New York for their first visit,” she shared. “Going to do all the fun touristy things, but in sure we’ll end up at FAO Swartz at least more than once.”

Amy Grant:

Grammy Award-winning singer Amy Grant and husband, country legend Vince Gill, are parents to five children: Jenny, 31, Matt, 25, Millie, 23, Sarah, 20, Corinna, 12. The singer-songwriter, 52, is looking forward to their favorite summertime activities.

“We love sleeping in late and cooking,” she shared. “We have some pretty monstrous wrecks in the kitchen, because it is the hub of the house. When you start cooking something or baking, everybody comes in and one thing leads to the next and you plan something fun.”

Scott Wolf:

Party of Five alum Scott Wolf is dad to sons Jackson, 4, and 6-month-old Miller. The Everwood star, 45, talked about swimming and enjoying the outdoors during the summertime.

“Jack has become a great little swimmer, so we spend our days in the yard, swimming and planning more bake sales for MalariaNoMore,” he shared. “[We] will definitely get back to Park City this summer for a visit with the mountains and our friends there,” he said.

Candace Cameron Bure:

Full House alum Candace Cameron Bure and husband, NHL star Valeri Bure, are parents to three kids. The actress shared her upcoming summer plans.

“We are going to spend most of the summer in Napa Valley,” she said. “We have a home up in Napa Valley, because our wine label, Bure Family Wines, is also there. We will just hang out in Napa and enjoy being in a slower pace than L.A.”

Melissa Peterman:

Reba star Melissa Peterman is mom to 7-year-old son Riley. The Baby Daddy actress is looking forward to returning home for the summer.

“When Riley finishes school, we will probably go back to Minnesota to visit our family,” she shared. “My husband is from Wisconsin and I am from Minnesota, so we will go back to Minneapolis and hang out with the family. My husband and I are also going on a big couples trip to Ireland with a bunch of our friends. I’ll be back to work in the end of July for the third season of Baby Daddy.”

Niki Taylor:

Supermodel Niki Taylor is proud mom to four children – 18-year-old twin sons Jake and Hunter, 4-year-old daughter Ciel, and son Rex, 19 months. The blonde beauty shared their upcoming summertime plans.

“This summer, we have swim lessons and the boys are going to Bonnaroo up here in Tennessee,” she shared. “I don’t know what I’ve got planned yet. There will be lots of sunscreen and hanging out as a family too. I also hope some work comes in.”

Andrew Zimmern:

Celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern is proud dad to 8-year-old son Noah. The television personality, 51, has a fun family road trip planned for this summer.

“We are going to take a road trip through some of our state parks out west,” he shared. “We are also going back east to visit my dad in Portland, Maine, and we always wind up in New York for a while. It’ll be fun.”

Liz Lange

Celebrity stylish Liz Lange is mom to son Gus, 14, and daughter Alice, 12. The maternity fashion pioneer spoke about spending the summer in the Hamptons.

“Summer is my favorite time of the year,” she shared. “I love the light, the warmth, and the relaxed longer days. We will be in East Hampton where both my children have a lot of friends.”

Jewel:

Singer-songwriter Jewel and husband, rodeo cowboy Ty Murray, are parents to nearly 2-year-old son Kase. The Grammy Award-winning singer opened up about their plans for this summer.

“We will spend quite a bit of the summer in Colorado to escape the heat,” she shared. “It’s hard to escape the heat here in Texas, so we’re going to Colorado.”

Celebrity Baby Scoop is one of the most popular blogs on the topic and the foremost provider of everything celebrity-baby, featuring baby fashion, baby names, baby trends and up-to-the-minute celebrity baby gossip and pics. Get all the latest news, updates, and photos about Hollywood’s most beloved celebrity moms, dads and their babies. Who’s the latest Tinseltown baby? Who’s due next and who just announced a pregnancy? It’s all on Celebrity Baby Scoop.

Our Lifestyle Merchandise Manager, Karen Trempe shared the following tips with modernmom.com on how to get your kids outdoors for the summer. Check out our Get Outdoors sale all this week at zulily.

The kids are out of school, the sun is shining and summertime is here. But if you’re like many parents, myself included, those blissful summer musings quickly turn to panic at the realization that all those hours have to be filled.

When we were kids, summer meant long bike rides with friends, trips to the nearest lake or pool for a dip and good old fashioned lemonade stands. Maybe those classic outdoor activities that we enjoyed so much growing up can still compete with the all-consuming technology culture that we live in today. I’d like to think so.

With these ideas and tips, you may just be able to win the screen battle and fill your family’s summer with outdoor fun.

1. Win them over with wheels. Summer is a great time to get the whole family biking. Create adventure by planning weekly bike trips to new spots in your neighborhood. Even the little ones can partake with balance bikes, for ages 18 months to three years. One of my favorites is Spring Fever Smart Balance Bike from Smart Gear (Retail: $100, on zulily for $49.99 June 17-19).

2. Get out the sleeping bags. Whether it’s far off in the woods or in your own backyard, camping is a great way to unplug and reconnect with your kids. Summer is also the perfect time to explore the parks in your town or plan a visit to a National Park. On August 25, all National Parks have free entry and all year long, the National Park Service has programs specifically tailored to kids.

3. Transform your backyard into a fun place for the kids to hang out and get some exercise. Lawn games, kiddy pools, water tables and sprinkler toys are easy options. For a little family adventure, create a treasure hunt by geocaching in your backyard or neighborhood. I love the Geomate Jr. GPAS & Hide It Starter kit that contains a GPS with 250,000 preloaded geocaches, a guide and even a container to hides (Retail: $125.00; on zulily for $74.99 June 18-20)

4. Get creative! Ask the kids to help plan fun and affordable outdoor games and actives like a mini field day complete with water balloon tosses. You can even do your own science experiments outside. A quick search on Pinterest for outdoor science experiments turns up a wealth of ideas and how-tos like creating a daily weather chart or how to make smores with just foil and sun

zulily Outdoor Week starts June 17 with sales all week long on everything you need to get outdoors.

Karen Trempe oversees Sports and Recreation, Electronics and Health & Beauty at zulily. An active and busy mom of two, Karen is always on the lookout for fun, easy, solution-based products and activities for moms and their children. Karen has over 15 years of experience in home goods industry. In her spare time, she loves to get outdoors with her kids, riding bikes, coaching soccer and gardening.

Your dancer loves to shake, rattle and roll so you’ve decided it’s time for  jazz or hip-hop classes. In addition to basics like a dance bag and warm-up clothing as described in our ballet post, there are a few other must-haves. Here’s a guide from our experts:    

Hip-hop:   Hip-hop dancers need baggier clothes so they can move freely.  A pair of loose pants and a comfy top will do the trick. For footwear, think about bringing the street into the studio—sturdy sneakers are essential for hip-hop style.

Jazz: A jazz dancer’s outfit should have a little flair. Team a fun top with well-made tights and a pair of shorts. Jazz pants or yoga pants also work. Add a some jazz shoes and you have an outfit that’s ready to get movin’!

Maturing dancers will want a sports bra for both hip-hop and jazz class. For performances and recitals, add a zingy pair of handwarmer gloves and a vibrant hair tie that’ll keep locks out of your star’s shining eyes.

Let the dancing begin!

You’ve found the perfect dance studio and enrolled your ballerina-to-be in classes. Now it’s time for tutus and leotards galore!  But, what other essentials do you need?

Our in-house experts put together this checklist to make your planning easy as a step-ball-change. 

·       Warm-up clothing. Loose-fitting sweatpants that are easy to pull on and off plus a hoodie are perfect to wear to and from class. Leg-warmers, cardigans and long-sleeve tops can also keep your sweetie cozy.

·        Hair band. Check with the studio about hair style. Some ballet classes require hair to be in bun. Regardless of requirements, you’ll definitely want to pull back those loose locks and keep them secured with a pretty hair tie.

·        Tights. A good pair of dance tights has just the right amount of stretch to hold up through lots of dance practices. Convertible tights can be switched to footless in seconds.

·       Leotard. Some studios have strict guidelines about class apparel and require non-skirted leotards. Otherwise,  it’s up to you! Non-skirted leotards tend to be more versatile since they can be used for other occasions, such as recitals and summer dance camps, while skirted ones add extra flair and can show off your little one’s personality.

·        Ballet shoes or slippers. These often come with a loose piece of elastic that straps across the top of her foot. Note that you might need to stitch the elastic onto the shoe yourself so check to see if it’s attached when you get them.  

·        Tutu. Get bitty ballerinas a poufy tutu or ruffle skirt; at this stage, it’s purely fun!  For older girls, you’ll want to find a pair of ballet shorts to combine with a sheer wrap skirt.

·       Dance bag. We suggest a tote with pockets so you can organize shoes, hair ties, water bottle and snacks.  Pack snacks like fresh veggies or crackers that can be easily munched on before class, keeping your little dancer healthy and fueled for practice.

You can find all of these items in various styles and colors on our ballet event page today.

Beyond Ballet:

Here at zulily we’re tapping our toes to Dance Week, beginning with ballet today. If you’re looking for other dancewear, here’s a peek at the week:

Tuesday: Modern Dance

Wednesday: Streetwear

Thursday: Tap

Friday: Hip Hop & Jazz

School’s out and long summer days are here again.  One of our favorite activities is a trip to the zoo, and we’ve gathered items that round out this trip to perfection! Get them June 1^st through 4^th .

Here’s how we’d start the day. Slip your little monkey into this clever sweater:

Give your girl this darling purse to carry:

Keep the rascals from getting lost with this fun safety harness:

Make a picnic-perfect lunch in this zebra-themed casserole carrier: 

Keep the little ones happy with this fuzzy mama and baby monkey:

And have a blast all day! Which animal is your kid’s favorite? 

Name: Shannon

Job Title: Scenic Designer/Prop Coordinator

Job Description: I build, paint, and purchase scenery and props to create the backgrounds for zulily’s photo shoots. In a short: I shop and drive a lot… salvage yards, thrift stores, estate sales, craigslist, ebay, you name it.

Once, I spent a weekend picking out a wedding cake for a photo shoot, which really confused my friends. They thought my boyfriend had proposed.

Much of my job is trying to produce themed sets on a pretty tight budget in a very short time frame.  Ideally, I like to find ready-to-photograph props, but about half the time I need to paint or alter them in some way. You might call me zulily’s resident do-it-yourselfer.

Favorite zulily moment: This week?  I’m lucky enough to work in a really interesting place – take really talented artists, add tons kid models running around and you’ll never have a dull moment. I’m currently hobbling around on a broken foot, so I’ve really been loving my coworkers getting me coffee… and snacks…and sometimes tools…and carrying heavy things for me. I really like when they do that.

Oh, and I love days when we’re taking photos of food!  We had a chocolate fountain a few months ago – that was amazing. Yep, that’s it, the fountain. My favorite Zulily moment.

Favorite DIY project you’ve ever created (at zulily or not):

That’s a tough question. My hands have always been rather busy since I was a kid.  I went to a performing arts high school for technical theatre, so I was trained in scenic, costume, lighting, and sound design (not to mention being raised by a carpenter/record collector/photographer/pro thrifter father).  

One of my favorite projects at zulily was a monster costume and five foot skyscraper model for a monster-themed shoot. I made everything out of cardboard packaging materials. I have 3 cats at home, so after the shoot, the skyscraper turned into a kitty condo.

I think my favorite project I’ve ever done was when I volunteered for what in Florida is called the Great American Teach-In. I showed a class of 5th graders how to make a backdrop, from start to finish. The kids all sketched illustrations of a book they had read as a class, voted on their favorite sketch, then I drew it out on an 8’ x 12’ muslin, and let the kids paint the backdrop with brushes I had taped to bamboo sticks and paint I had donated from the shop where I was working.  I couldn’t believe it, but they painted the entire surface of the drop in just a couple hours. And they all agreed on the color scheme and all worked together beautifully.  I was a bit worried about the kids sword fighting with paint brushes, but thankfully, my fears weren’t realized. That being said, I am always on the hunt for a new favorite project! 

A new handbag can freshen up an entire look! That’s why zulily has teamed up with our friends at Emilie M. to give away three Emilie M. handbags, each worth $75! One winner will be selected each day: Wednesday, 5/29, Thursday 5/30 and Friday 5/31.  Remember to shop the Emilie M. event 5/29 – 5/31 on zulily.com.

How to enter:

1. Tell us on Twitter what you always carry in your handbag (ex: ‘I never leave home w/o making sure my smart phone is in my purse! Oh, and snacks for the kids #EmilieMforzulily’)

2. Use the hashtag #EmilieMforzulily

3. Mention @zulily in the Tweet

4. “Like” Emilie M. and zulily on Facebook

5. Make sure you send your tweet between 6am and 3pm PST each day

Click ‘Read More’ for Official Rules.

Read more

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s – our awesome editorial team! Ever wonder how we build our sets and keep things looking fresh each day at zulily? Today we’re taking you behind the scenes with Shannon, editorial prop coordinator, and Bridget, stylist, to show you how we built this superhero-worthy set.

Perfect for photo ops or as a backdrop for an extra-cool playdate, it was also super easy to put together. To give it a true comic book feel, Bridget decided upon black and white colors, with pops of primary hues for the signs.

Make Your Own!

1.      First you need to create the buildings that will make up the background. Shannon took standard foam core and cut it to size.  You can do this or use white clothing boxes if you have those lying around.).

2.      Then, decorate your buildings to bring them to life. We recommend colored duct tape, electrical tape or artist tape. Find a pencil and yardstick for measuring and marking if you want to be extra precise.

3.      Stand up the buildings by taping them with double-sided tape to spare boxes or bricks.

4.      Finally, add your comic book words – Bam! Pow! Wham!  You can have the kids draw their own or find signs you like and print them out.

It’s time to let your superheroes out on the loose. We know these little guys had a ton of fun. And so did we!

Bright colors, fresh flowers, days on the beach – there are more than a few reasons to get excited for summer, and to celebrate the upcoming season, we’re collaborating with TV host and home expert Vicki Payne for a seasonal-themed, DIY-filled Twitter Chat! 

Vicki is joining forces with zulily home buyer Alex Kanter for a fun conversation about organization, cleaning tricks and DIY projects to get your living space in shape for the summer season. And once again, one lucky Chat participant will win a $50 zulily gift card to use towards a zulily purchase! (Past winners not included in drawing.)

The Chat is taking place on Twitter this Wednesday, May 22 from 11 to 12 p.m. PST, so be sure to bring all your spring and summer decor questions, comments and insights to our #zulilyhome Chat. Whether you’re curious about how to pair bright colors or want tips on tackling spring cleaning, Vicki and Alex can answer all your burning questions! Also, remember to check out the Vicki Payne by Rizzy Home event on zulily.

About Vicki Payne

Vicki Payne is a nationally recognized designer, home improvement, gardening and decorating expert.  Each week, for over 15 years, millions of viewers both nationally and internationally have tuned in to watch her popular television show, For Your Home, the longest running home and garden show on television. The show is available on PBS, Create TV, and in national and international syndication. Vicki’s step-by-step demonstrations are helpful to homeowners at all levels of experience and engrossing to viewers who are simply curious about improving their homes. Her designs are ruled by simplicity and balance, and are crisp and approachable. The result is a living space that is classic yet timeless, blending both sophistication and livability. 

About Alex Kanter
With three years of experience as a buyer, Alex Kanter has been a part of the zulily team for almost a year and focuses on bringing the best deals in bedding, bath and rugs to the zulily community. She searches for inspiration in places like J. Crew Kids, Peek Kids and Pinterest and loves to bring a room to life with candles, accent pillows and colorful ottomans. 

If you’re new to Twitter or still learning the ropes, we’ve laid out a step-by-step guide to participating in a Twitter Chat below. 

So, what exactly is a Twitter Chat?
A Twitter chat is a public discussion—with “tweeters” from all over the world—based on a common topic of interest.

Why a Twitter Chat?
Twitter has become the go-to forum for moms worldwide to discuss every topic imaginable. Twitter is a big place, though, and our #zulilyhome will be a great way to share ideas about style on a smaller scale.

How can I follow the discussion?
At first glance, Twitter can seem like a chaotic place for a discussion. Fortunately, some simple tools have been created to help organize the many tweets generated every day. 

While the @zulily Twitter Chat promises to be fast paced, the Twitter “#hashtag” feature allows followers to more easily keep up with and participate in the discussion. 

Each follower participating in the Chat will include a unique hashtag (#) in each tweet. For our Chat, we will be using #zulilyhome. This will help readers following the Twitter Chat to separate ours from other discussions taking place on Twitter.

To more easily follow and participate in the discussion, we recommend using a Twitter monitoring app. We’ve added a few of our favorites below. They’re free to use and will allow you to view any tweet that includes the right # (hashtag).

New to Twitter? Follow these simple steps to sign up and join the discussion:

Visit twitter.com to sign up for an account and pick a unique Twitter “handle” (Handle = what comes after the @ symbol)

Follow @zulily and@fyhvicki

Visit one of our recommended Twitter monitoring tools. We’ll use tweetchat.com as an example.

Once you’ve arrived at TweetChat click ‘Sign In’ and allow Twitter to authorize the TweetChat app.

In the field that reads “Enter hashtag to follow,” input zulilyhome
(all one word)

Join the chat! Tweet us a question or comment, or simply introduce yourself! We’ll make sure to say hello! Be sure to include the @ symbol to direct your tweet at the right user. Here’s an example:

“@zulily excited to be here! What color would be most soothing for a baby boy’s room? #zulilyhome

A few of our favorite websites for monitoring Twitter:

TweetChat http://tweetchat.com/,

TweetGrid http://tweetgrid.com/

Monitter http://monitter.com

Hootsuite http://hootsuite.com

We’ll be reading and responding to your tweets in real time, so if you have a question, just tweet @zulily!

Pinning from the zulily app just got easier! zulily is one of the first to have the brand-new Pin It button—update your zulily iPhone or iPad app to start using it. Now you can easily pin products directly from the zulily app to the Pinterest app with no extra steps or stops in between.  Just tap the Pin It button and you’re automatically sent to the Pinterest app, where you confirm your pin. Then, you’re sent right back to where you were.

The new version of the zulily app also introduces a live stream of our most popular products. Scroll to see what other zulily members are pinning and buying. When something catches your eye, you can easily pin it, add the brand to your favorites or go to the full product page. Find the stream under “more ways to shop” after you download the app from the App Store.

All these improvements make us want to pin, pin, pin. We hope you’ll visit our boards on Pinterest!