Monday, March 26, 2007

v 2 issue 38: Baby Essentials Spring '07






With a new baby on the way, you may wonder what you need for this future stylin' tot. Our current issue is full of baby essentials that make your life as a mom easier and your babies life a little more stylish.



Cover photo by Shannon Stewart


super-soft blankets
tot trends weekly Take a stroll through Dilly Hearts’ boutique, and we’re sure you’ll be in love, especially with the handmade Stroller Blankets. These super-soft chenille stroller blankets are reversible, can be personalized, and at 28” x 34” are the perfect size for infants and toddlers. The Stroller Blanket is available in too many adorable colors to list. Run; don’t stroll, on over to DillyHearts.com!

bathtime essentials
tot trends weeklyBaby Silk’s Spaaah Baby has us saying aaah. Developed by Pediatricians, Baby Silk offers a complete line of baby skin care that is gentle, pure and effective. The Spaaah Baby set includes baby’s bathtime essentials and more than a touch of luxury: Gentle All-Over Clean Hair and Body Wash, Daily Skin Protection Moisturizing Balm, and Delicate Skin Comfort Silky Liquid Powder are all tucked into a beautiful aqua raffia bag. Baby Silk is just what the doctor ordered!

tot trends weekly
Bambini Carini’s Bath Sacks have bathtime style in the bag. Of course these terry velour bath sacks offer more than sophisticated style. Turned cuffs help little hands stay warm, terry velour dries baby quickly, and a zip front keeps your little one from wiggling free while you attend to big sister or brother. Get Bambini for your little bambino at BambiniCariniOnline.com.



essential sweetness
tot trends weekly

Little Giraffe, Big Luxe. Dress baby in incomparable plushness and coziness with the Luxe Hooded Jacket and Pant Set from Little Giraffe. The Hooded Jacket is lined with satin for extra comfort, and has furry ears for extra cuteness. The Pants have a little added room in the seat for a comfy fit over diapers. Available in 8 beautiful colors, and in sizes 6 months through 2 years at LittleGiraffe.com.



the perfect swaddle
tot trends weekly


Aden and Anous have gift giving all wrapped up, thanks to their gorgeous muslin wraps. Each gift packet includes 4 super soft and breathable muslin wraps, large enough to safely swaddle baby. Choose from 8 fantastic colors (and truly, eight is great when it comes to Aden & Anous colors…think eggplant & gray!) at AdenandAnous.com.




sassy diaper clutch
tot trends weeklyThe Stella is simply stellar. The Offhand Designs Stella Diaper Clutch comes in five sparkly (we love them) colors, features a sleek velvet handle, grosgrain piping, patterned cotton lining with a wipe-clean finish, and matching changing pad. Get your hands on Offhand’s stylish Stella at InStyleMoms.com.



playtime essentials
tot trends weekly School Zone has a terrific line of interactive and exploratory games for baby that will keep him/her entertained for hours. We especially love the Happy Faces Cards. You and your baby will love to place the character cards over the magnetic mirror or the magnetic "happy face" card. . Exploring faces is an important early activity, which promotes brain development while building social skills. These cards also encourage cognitive development, imagination and memory, responsiveness, spatial orientation, and visual perception. Not only for babies, School Zone has something for nearly every age range including preschool, kindergarten, first grade and up. Be sure to check out their bargain bin for great discounts.

Monday, March 19, 2007

v 2 issue 37: Safety Matters






Our safety issue is full of fun products that make safety easy and stylish. We have found products for all price ranges, so we are sure you will find something that will make your life a little safer.



Cover photo by Allie Gadziemski


safety monitor
tot trends weekly Deck your nursery out with one of our favorite (and safest!) baby monitors going: DECT from Philips! The DECT guarantees zero interference from any other device, so you will have a safe and continuous connection with your baby, and only your baby. We also love that you can talk back to baby, monitor the temperature in baby’s room, and move freely in and around the house thanks to the DECT’s small size, long lasting battery (24 hours!) and great roaming distance (300m!). Don’t leave home without it…use the included travel pouch!

baby steps
tot trends weekly

Keep him safe while learning to walk with the Baby Steps cushion. Simply wrap the cusion around the front of his body and loop your fingers in through the ribbon ends and he'll be walking in no time. Baby Steps allows him freedom and you piece of mind. We found this one at egiggle.com.



stylish medical bracelets
tot trends weeklyWe think you’ll stick with StickyJ when you see how super-cute and fabulously affordable their children’s medical bracelets are. Available in Little Boys Truck or Little Girls Flower and Butterfly, these bracelets are big on fun. The bracelets are adjustable from 4 inches (for tiny wrists!) to 8 inches (a good thing, since your kids are going to love them!), the stainless steel plaque is 1 square inch, and several adorable engraving options are available. With StickyJ you can ‘be safe and have fun!

safety gear
tot trends weekly Go the extra mile for your child’s safety and invest in the Britax Marathon! The beauty of Britax starts with simple installation: thanks to a sculpted base, push button release LATCH system with patented Versa-Tether®, and built-in vehicle belt lock-offs, installing the Britax Marathon won’t leave you winded. The beauty of Britax continues with its patented HUGS™ system, belly pad, and a plush & washable seat cover that will keep your little one comfortable and safe from 5 pounds to 65 pounds. Legendary among moms, the Britax Marathon™ convertible car seat will truly go the distance in so many ways!

tot trends weekly The sky’s the limit when it comes to kids’ safety, and that’s why we love CARES aviation child safety restraints! CARES is the first and only aviation child safety device certified by the Federal Aviation Administration as an alternative to a car seat. We think it’s a fabulous alternative. Designed for children ages 1-4, and weighing 22-44 pounds, we found that CARES was super-simple to install, adjustable to nearly every size airplane seat, and super portable (yes, it literally fits in your pocket!). So check the car seat, carry on your CARES, and fly safely!

safety rails
tot trends weekly Take one giant step toward safety and install CareRailsJr on the stairs in your home! Available in white or oak, CareRailsJr is a banister that puts safety within the reach of your kids. Simply attach the CareRailsJr to the underside of your existing banister (the screw holes stay hidden…fantastic!), and give your children their very own banister, complete with a non-slip grab strip. Ideal for children 18 months to 5 years, and up to 50lbs, CareRailsJr provides 12 feet of railing, and extension kits are available in 3-foot increments. We love this safety product, and we think that your little ones will really grab onto it!

safe feeding
tot trends weekly What a fantastic invention...the Baby Safe Feeder found at OneStepAhead is the perfect way to start baby chewing on solids without the risk of choking. Simply fill the mesh bag with fresh foot and let your little one munch away. Not only a great way to get your tot munching, but a great teether as well (just fill with frozen fruit or ice). The Baby Safe Feeder is dishwasher safe, and includes two feeds and two extra pouches. At only $11.95, we think this is a must-have.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

v 2 issue 36: It's Easy Being Green






Does all this talk of melting ice caps and global warming have you thinking about going green? We hope to make the transition a little easier by pointing you in the direction of environmentally-friendly products for baby and your home.



Cover photo by Erin Palos


eco-style
tot trends weekly(1) When we find something we love, we have to dish…well, in this case, Blirt! Blirt shirts feature design interpretations of figures of speech that capture kids’ character traits (Bull in a China Shop, Fish out of water). Made with 100% organic cotton, non-toxic dyes and designed with a water based screen silk, these shirts also have being green figured out. Available in sizes 6 months to 6 years, several colors and short or long sleeves at blirtshirt.com.

(2) Being green gets simple with the GO GREEN tee by Verymeri. A simple message- reduce, reuse recycle- makes a big statement as does the donation to Free Arts for Abused Children from every GO GREEN tee sale. These tees are designed by kids and are available in children’s sizes 2-12.

(3) Patagonia deserves a pat on the back (again)! Thanks to their commitment to the Eco-Circle recycle system, Patagonia garments will use born-again fibers that will save 76% of the energy and 71% of the CO2 emissions of normal polyester garments. And of course, Patagonia always makes going green look fabulous.

your green explorer
tot trends weeklyGoing green is simple, and with the Loaf, Simple is going green! As simple says: ‘Finally…a sustainable sneaker!’ Jute uppers, water based cements, natural crepe outsole, 100% post consumer materials for packaging (and not too much, because too much is wasteful) and fantastic colors (like midnight navy, tie dye, tendril/sunset) means that sustainable is also fashionable (at least if you wear kids sizes 1-13.4)!

green gifts
tot trends weeklyWhen it comes to going green, we say start them young with the Erbaviva Baby Gift Set! Featuring Baby Washbags, Organic Baby Oil and Baby Soap, the Gift Set is authentically herbal and organic baby care wrapped in a beautiful natural fiber bag. If you believe that ‘being organic should be the conscientious manufacturer’s doctrine,’ look no further than Erbaviva’s Baby Gift set where Organic means 99% certified organic ingredients. And, while you’re looking, be sure to check out the new Erbaviva organic pregnancy collection!

bundle up organic style
tot trends weeklyWhat did we do without Luna Lou? Their silly scrumptious blankets ™ are made in the USA, by a local manufacturer, from a mostly recycled cotton knit. Beautiful vintage style and bold graphics give these blankets the kind of indie flair that we love…and of course Luna Lou’s tribute to local, homegrown and green is just plain cool. Available at lunalou.com.




eco-diapers
tot trends weeklyThe ‘little g’ gets a big A for its cool diaper technology and its super cute style. Little g pants offer adorable styles (like girly girl swirl!), and come with two water resistant liners that you simply flush down the toilet when done. Best of all, gDiapers have 'no elemental chlorine, perfumes, smell, garbage or guilt'!
tot trends weekly
Your new little generation deserves Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Diapers. Seventh Generation diapers not only work to reduce the amount of dioxin polluting our air, water and land…they also just plain work! Soft, absorbent, and designed for the perfect fit, Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Diapers are an easy way to fit going green into your life and the life of your little one. You can find Seventh Generation Diapers at Whole Foods and most grocery stores.

eco-friendly maternity clothing
tot trends weeklyFinally, moms-to-be can be both style conscious and eco-conscious thanks to Jessica Scott maternity clothes. The husband and wife team of Jessica Scott combines high standards of environmental and social consciousness with high fashion. Beautiful pieces-like the Under the Sea Scalloped Skirt (designed with embroidery, silk underlay and ‘colors that you crave’)- are designed sans any toxins or toxic manufacturing processes. Who wouldn’t want to go green when it means beautiful Jessica Scott clothing and a more beautiful tomorrow?

Sunday, March 04, 2007

v 2 issue 35: Spring Shopping Guide





Our Spring Shopping Guide is here and is a one stop shopping site, easy to use and find all of your needs for your little one. Not only is this a fantastic list of everything hip and fresh but it’s loaded with exclusive online discounts...and will keep you shopping for months!



Cover Photography by Shannon Sewell


Spring Guide Highlight: Girl Charlee
tot trends weekly What is Girl Charlee?
A love for vintage fabric and her daughter, Charlotte Lee, provide the inspiration for Girl Charlee's owner Heather Peterson. Girl Charlee clothing designs are based on patterns from the same era as the vintage fabric used to create them – but with a distinctly modern twist. We pre-wash all fabrics to verify their integrity before we use them to construct Girl Charlee apparel to ensure these items will withstand the rigors of active play. Only original retro-inspired artwork adorns our T-shirts, which are only produced in very limited runs to ensure the same exclusivity as our vintage clothing.
Top designers who share our affinity for vintage and retro designs create Girl Charlee’s collections of unique clothing and accessories. They are dedicated to designing innovative and stylish products from vintage-inspired fabric and trim. Like us, these talented designers believe children’s clothing should be unique, well made, and completely luxurious.

Be sure to check out our Fashion category of our Spring Shopping Guide!

Spring Guide Spotlight: Pink Gorillas
tot trends weekly At Pink Gorillas you will find extraordinary everyday clothes for babies and children. They honor the individuality of every baby, everywhere. They do so, in part, by finding baby clothes that are original, comfortable, hard to find, and great to look at. They are partial to unisex clothes devoid of stereotyping decoration…you wont find any sailboats, cars, butterflies, or ruffles here. Only well-made clothes with a modern edge. Pink Gorillas team believes less is more; they keep the selection limited and meaningful so that every piece will be loved by you. Shop PinkGorillas.com and see why they are so extraordinary.

Be sure to check out our Boutique category of our Spring Shopping Guide!

Spring Guide Spotlight: Spiffy Baby
tot trends weekly At Spiffy Baby you can indulge your baby with distinctive and upscale gifts. Create an impression with their stylish toys and modern accessories. Make an unforgettable entrance with a unique baby shower present when you choose from their large selection. You will find unprecedented quality and luxury gifts within their catalog. Find baby fashion in designer clothing, elegant jewelry and all you need for the modern nursery. Make present-giving an unforgettable and precious moment with Spiffy Baby.

Be sure to check out our Gifts category of our Spring Shopping Guide!

Spring Guide Spotlight: Photo Affections
tot trends weekly Custom Photo Birth Announcements are a unique and special way to announce the arrival of your newborn! Photo Affections has personalized photo birth announcements for twins & announcements for adoptions too. Get creative by ordering one of their many multiple photo designs. Custom proofs are ready in just three days. Photo Affections prints all of their cards allowing for a lower price, faster turnaround and exceptional quality control.

Save 10% with code PATTW.

Be sure to check out our Mom & Home category of our Spring Shopping Guide!