v 3 issue 22: Editor's Picks I

Editor's Picks


Our favorite picks from 2007. We simply love these products and we know you will too!

Cover by Leah Profancik

1 For so long we have been draping our blankets over the stroller to protect our little ones from the sun only to wrestle with the blanket to keep it in place! Bellah May Designs is such a simple idea, yet genius in every way, that you will be left saying "Now why didn’t I think of that?" The Little One Sunshade stroller covers are reversible, so you have two chic patterns to choose from! Add some style to your stroller while protecting your precious cargo from the sun.
2 The 4Moms Cleanwater Infant Tub with Thermometer is a fresh and safe twist on baby's bathtime. The tub's innovative reservoir system drains dirty water from the tub while replacing it with clean water from the faucet, so baby is always bathing in fresh, clean water. And, you can trust that the faucet water will always be just the right temperature thanks to the tub's instant-read digital thermometer. Should the faucet water become to warm or too cold, an alarm will alert you immediately to the change.
3 The Orbit Infant System is a car seat, base and stroller system in one that makes going out on the town a snap. The car seat easily snaps in place in both the base and stroller and with a lightweight folding frame, the stroller can be assembled with one hand. Find a retailer near you at Orbitbaby.com.
4 Looking for a diaper bag that can double duty as a handbag? The Alexandra Bee Sophia diaper bag truly doesn’t look like a changing bag but has all the features inside that keep you organized. With two sizes to choose from and nine fabrics (including one made entirely with soft Italian calfskin leather!), you will love the look and the functionality of this bag and use it long after your little one is out of diapers. Features worth mentioning include the fully lined, water resistant interior, a key chain holder, two exterior pockets and eight interior pockets.
5 Bed bugs are fabulous when they're Lady Bug Nap Sacks from Sozo! Designed with snaps at the shoulders and underarms and a hidden zipper running down the right side and bottom, the Nap Sack opens fully for easy access. And of course we love that Nap Sacks offer reduced risk factors associated with SIDS. Snug as a bug in a rug, courtesy of Sozo Nap Sacks.
6 Yo My Booties Signature Booties are pure angora, pure bold style and pure fantastic! There are 14 delicious colors, (you’ve got to get Ecru, and Chocolate, and probably Lime…) but only 2 sizes (small: 0-3 months, medium: 3-6 months) so order fast before baby is too big! Winter without yo my booties is no wonderland at all…so visit yomybooties.com and give the gift of pure glam.
7 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.
8 Give a gift worthy of your little king (or queen) when you give a fabulous stuffed animal by Jellycat. These innovative British toy’s features rich gold colors, cuddly-softness, and unbelievable cuteness! Available in several sizes, Jellycat stuffed toys will make a great gift and a great childhood friend.
9 Looking for a gift set that will wow the receiver? This cashmere blanket from Coco Lane is simply stunning and pure luxury for a special little girl. Made of 100% top-grade luxurious cashmere; the blanket is generously sized. Come take a stroll down Coco Lane and save 20% on this gorgeous set.
10 Babeebright has turned night duty into light duty! 100% hands free, and 100% mobile, the Babeebright allows you to use both hands for changing diapers, preparing bottles, searching for a pacifier...and so much more. The Babeebrite can clip onto nearly any surface up to an inch thick (shirts, bathrobes, cribs, headboards, strollers etc), has an adjustable 90 degree arm, and is gentle enough that it doesn't affect baby's night vision.
11 With a rich faux suede cover, 105 beautifully decorated pages, and a durable pewter spiral binding, this all-in-one album, scrapbook and keepsake journal is a gorgeous way to record and cherish your pregnancy journey. Of course there are also the scrapbook cutouts friends and family can use to write baby’s first love letters, family letterhead, and custom designed photo areas that make the Tummy Talk Journal a must have! Available in 4 beautiful colors at www.tummy-talk.com
12 Casting call for all moms-to-be! A pregnant belly is a beautiful belly, and you can capture your pregnant form easily and quickly with the Proud Body Belly Cast. Each kit comes with all the materials you need to create your cast in the comfort of your own home. Be proud of your belly, with the Proud Body Belly Cast.
13 The Bundleme Urban by JJ Cole Collections is a must-have for newborns during the winter months. With a quilted outer nylon that protects against wind and rain, while the inner microsuede adds style and warmth, you can be certain your baby will be comfortable and warm. You can use the Bundleme with car seats, strollers and joggers and it allows the safety straps to rest directly on your baby for a perfect fit. Available in lighter fabrics for warmer climates as well; birth through toddler.
14 Little Giraffe, Big Luxe. Cover baby in incomparable plushness and coziness with the blanket collection from Little Giraffe. Choose from their velvet, chenille and plush chenille blankets for a blanket that will last a lifetime for baby’s favorite blankey.
15 Say goodbye to dropped and dirty binky's thanks to Bink Link, the original wood pacifier clip. Safety was a huge motivating factor for the company, inspired by a broken glass bean pacifier clip; the owners set out to create a pacifier clip that was fashionable and safe. The Bink Link is easy to use, just slip the cord through the pacifier and slide the clip through to make a slipknot. $14 at BinkLink.com.


Our Favorite Cleaning Tips
(1)Found a sticker on the wall? Remove as much of the sticker as possible then remove the rest with a little bit of Ben Gay ointment and a blow dryer (on low heat setting). Other ways to remove stickers include WD-40, Oops brand latex paint remover, De-Solve, fingernail polish remover, and rubbing alcohol.
(2)Puchase Method bath wipes (found at Target) and keep them under your bathroom sink. They are quick, efficient and perfect for when a visitor drops by unannounced.
(3)Everyone's microwave could use a good cleaning, so we figured everyone could use a good microwave cleaning tip. Here it is: fill a bowl with equal parts vinegar and water, place in the microwave, and cook on high for 3 minutes. Wipe out the microwave and your done!
(4)Found magic marker on the couch? Try Hair spray to remove magic marker from surfaces.
(5)When laundering keep your whites whiter. 1. Use dishwasher detergent in your white loads to keep the whites super bright. 2. If you get a grease or oil stain, sprinkle cornstarch on the spot, allow to stand for a few minutes and then brush off and wash as normal. 3. For blood stains, spot treat with hydrogen peroxide and then wash as normal.
(6)If you have stainless steel appliances, you'll love this cleaning tip. Simply take a small amount of baby oil, apply to a cleaning rag, and rub onto your stainless steel, top to bottom. Tried, tested and true, this trick will get rid of those annoying streaks other cleaning solutions leave behind!

v 3 issue 21: Keepsakes

Document and create memories with products from our Keepsakes issue. These heirloom products make the perfect gift and our picks for documentation will help you organize your favorite memories.

Cover by Kristin Franke

Keepsakes for your memories


1- Wear your memories with style when you wear Sentimental Silver pieces by Christij. Find handstamped personalized pendants, sterling silver photo jewelry, and custom mommy jewelry...even a little something for Fido. Each pure silver (.999%) pendant is made completely by hand using recycled silver. Every piece is truly one of a kind...a perfect gift for mothers and grandmothers!
2- Catch all of baby’s important first stories with Tiny Tales. Nothing is more important to a mother than capturing Baby’s first’s. Document every amazing milestone and funny story with one of their keepsake kits. Check off a category and jot down the story, then slip the note behind the appropriate divider. With its modern and classy design, you can conveniently keep it close by on the counter. Available for baby or choose toddler tales for ages 1-4.
3-When only a classic, handcrafted gift will do…send a NannyGram heirloom piece. Find gorgeous hand-knit layettes, sweaters, hats and booties all luxurious and all stitched with love by “knitting nannies” that create luxurious gifts made of cashmere and merino blends. Each NannyGram is packaged, tied with a bow and delivered with a personalized notecard…perfect for gift giving.
4-Keep all those treasured memories and keepsakes in a hand-painted keepsake box by Stacie Dale Designs. Keepsake chests are the ideal way to store and protect memories and make the perfect gift for new parents or for a special event. Each box is hand painted and may be customized.
5-These couture keepsakes by Keepsake Concepts are the perfect accessory for your baby shower, birth announcement or invitation. Adorable, handmade and personalized; these keepsakes help celebrate a cherished moment of your life.
6-Make remembering easy with Aimeej’s Mini Baby Days album. This 8x8 signature memory album is made of luxury paper and suede with 20 uniquely designed baby scrapbook pages to remember baby’s first year (with included page protectors). Pages are acid and lignin free and are post bound so pages can be added and removed. Personalize your album with an added touch at aimeej.com.
7-Create memories with the gorgeous My First Pearls Classic Beauty freshwater cultured pearl keepsake bracelet for your little girl. This beautiful bracelet is made with timeless Freshwater Cultured Pearls and comes with Genuine Swarovski Crystal accents. Personalize with a birthstone crystal color.



Tips for compiling your memories
1. Determine how much time you want to put into your album. If your goal is to simply record milestones without the fuss of adding a lot of photos a smaller memory album is for you. Selecting the perfect album size is the first step to compiling your memories.
2. If selecting a keepsake/memory album, you must be diligent about recording milestones/dates or your album will be empty! An easy solution is to keep a small calendar handy (in your purse, on your nightstand, etc.) and note when events take place (baby smiled, crawled, took first steps, etc.). Later when you have time, you can transfer all this information to your keepsake album.
3. Take a lot of photos! In our digital world, most photos just stay on our hard drives but at least you will have them available to print when you need hard copies of them. Print your favorites for your albums and organize the rest on a CD by year. Although with digital technology changing all the time, there is no guarantee that you will have access to those photos forever. I'm optimistic that my CD storage will be accessible forever but I may be naive! Our suggestion is to print any photo you'd hate to lose!!
4. Only use archival, acid and lignin free products, including the pen you use. By using acid and lignin free products your photos will never fade or turn yellow like the photos in many of our baby photo albums or our parent's wedding albums. It's a tragedy to see all the photos with brown curled up corners and yellow overtones from years past!
5. Take time to remember. Life is busy and there is little free time for anything. Days turn to weeks to months... Try to take a day each month to dedicate to updating your keepsake/photo albums. This way the task won't be overwhelming but will be a fun way to reflect on the milestones that month.
Make scrapbooking easy with AimeeJ. Ironically, as the owner of aimeej, I have never scrapbooked! You can certainly use our paper products or albums and embellish them with all the fabulous scrapbook products on the market but for a clean, simple look, we designed our frames made easy, which coordinate with all our baby and kids pages. All of aimeej's products are acid and lignin free which means your photos will never fade or turn yellow. Shop our comparison page to find the album that fits your needs best.

Aimee Jacobson is a Mom of 2 boys (6 and 4) and is fortunate enough to run a business and still stay home to raise her kids. After a corporate career in San Francisco, she moved to Kansas City with her husband and 3 month old first son and started the company after a long search for the perfect baby album. 6 years ago there was no selection for high end luxury keepsake albums or other products. Since the first 12x12 baby album, the company has grown into a full line of baby, kids and wedding albums, keepsake boxes, brag books, photo albums and more. The goal at aimeej is to make remembering easy and as a busy Mom, Aimee knows the importance of time management. She hopes to continue to provide products that will be cherished for a lifetime.

www.aimeej.com

This week's mom tips
Cleaning Tip: Remove ring around the collar with shampoo! Shampoo is designed to remove body oils. A savvy stain remover; keep a cheap bottle by the washer for use on all sorts of stains.
Time Saving Tip: Puchase Method bath wipes (found at Target) and keep them under your bathroom sink. They are quick, efficient and perfect for when a visitor drops by unannounced.
Organizing Tip: Purchase baskets/bins for the hall closet and label them for each family member. This way you can put everyone’s hats, mittens, bags etc in their basket for later picking up or just to keep the closet organized.
Financial Tip: Drive the speed limit. Cars use about 20% more fuel driving at 70 miles per hour than they do at 55 miles per hour.

v 3 issue 20: Luxurious Tots

Our current issue is full of luxurious and expensive goods and gifts. From leather ballet flats to gold rattles, this issue will leave you drooling for these products.




Cover by Connie Hill






Glamorous Gifts


1 We love Egg by Susan Lazar and we love these beautiful ¾ sleeve cable knit dresses from her fall collection. Available in ivory or dusty rose and comes with a matching diaper cover. Susan Lazar’s knit dress is made with environmentally-friendly materials and will keep baby warm and cozy. Her collection of sweaters, rompers, and blankets are the perfect addition to any little one’s wardrobe.
2 Brag about your kids with JULIAN & Co. for mom. Each of these 18k gold pendants are 5/8” in diameter and is inscribed with their signature baby hands and feet as well as your child's name and date. Order one for each of your children for a beautiful charm necklace.
3 We simply adore these ballet flats by Sue London. Made of Italian lambskin leather, these slippers are simply luxurious. Sue London ballet flats for women are a favorite of celeb’s like Cindy Crawford and the new infant version is certain to please the little one’s in Hollywood as well.
4 This beautiful two-color reversible dupioni silk sling is pure luxury for any mom and baby. Sakura Bloom slings are machine washable, fully reversible, designed to fit all body shapes and sizes, and easy to use for both newborns and toddlers. Your sling comes with a detailed booklet of instructions, tips, and photos. Sakura Bloom slings are loved by Hollywood moms like Bridget Moynahan, Heidi Klum and Marcia Cross.
5 Harmony Ball chiming rattles are known for their simple and elegant design. These hand-tuned, sixteen tone rattles are crafted from German Silver with a thick overlay of 14k gold. These beautiful rattles are sure to delight baby and will be cherished for generations.
6 For a silky and soft lovey for your love, Queenie by Design’s Luxury Loveys are simply the most luxurious we have seen. Perfectly sized for serenity on the go, the Petite Luxury Loveys are simply stunning. Sent on a wooden hanger, this is the perfect gift for a special prince or princess.
7 These beautiful silk booties by Rheba James will surely be a favorite. Rheba’s soft-soled shoes are designed with a mandarin style back to snugly hug your baby’s tender tootsies. After baby grows out of them they look beautiful in a keepsake shadowbox frame.
8 Showcase your favorite photos and memories with a stylish locket necklace by Monica Rich Kosann. These lockets are beautiful heirlooms that can be passed from generation to generation. These beautiful keepsakes are loved by celebrities, grandmothers and mothers alike (Katie Holmes has two). Available in Sterling Silver or 18k Gold.


This week's mom tips
Cleaning Tip: Rub glass shower doors with a white vinegar-dampened sponge to remove soap residue.
Organizing Tip: Get rid of trash. You’ll be amazed at the amount of trash or stuff you never use you have throughout your home. Save time and space by tossing trash and donating usable goods.
Time Saving Tip: Shop online! Services like Netflix for movies and Shutterfly for photos can help you minimize running around by accomplishing tasks from home. Set up online payment for your bills to save money on stamps and a trip to the post office.
Financial Tip: Save on gas by no longer idling your car. Even on cold mornings, cars don't need to idle more than 30 seconds. Especially with newer cars, they are designed to be driven almost immediately.
Top 10 Tips on How to Become a Mom-trepeneur
In order to stay at home with baby many moms today are looking for ways to create a home based business which will allow them flexibility. As if getting pregnant, giving birth to an 8 lb baby and leaving your corporate career to be a stay-at-home mom isn't overwhelming enough.
Many working women who have decided to make the switch after having their first baby tackle the transition from a busy career life to living a life with baby. It's not too long after baby arrives that a mother thinks of things that will keep her talents sharp and passions alive.
She may think of launching her own business. This is when the fun truly begins in learning the art of juggling! The days of cleaning baby bottles and changing dirty diapers are mixed in with creating a business plan and marketing research. It's a popular trend today where moms are thinking of cool niches or product ideas that will help them make millions while raising their babies.

Top 10 Tips:
1. Make a list of your goals and keep them at the forefront of your mind to keep you focused.
2. Allow for the creative process to happen - no idea is a bad idea, test it, try it, believe!
3. Create a business plan and share the idea with someone you trust to give you feedback.
4. Keep organized - make a list of to do items to help you prioritize what needs to get done to launch your business.
5. Realize having your own business will take hard work. You'll put in more hours in your own business than a regular job at the office but it will be worth it.
6. Plan some "me" time into your day to keep you balanced and fresh. You'll be a better mom, wife and person overall when you allow some time to re-fresh.
7. Believe in yourself, be confident, take real action and know it will happen.
8. Remain positive. Remember you'll have ups and downs. There will be days where you ask yourself if you're crazy, where people don't get back to you or reject your idea but you must keep going.
9. Draw your boundaries. Make sure you set times for work, family and me time so that you allow balance in all areas of your life.
10. Remember it takes a village. Have a strong support team and network. If you have a partner, relatives, friends who offer their help take it! Women have a knack at creating special bonds, use your network. You can't do it alone.

By Melissa Moog, Founder of Itsabelly LLC, www.itsa-belly.com, Baby Concierge & Planning Services for New and Expectant Parents

v 3 issue 19: Winter Shopping Guide

Our Winter Shopping Guide is here full of gifts, great designer clothing, fabulous boutiques and even a little something for mom. Shop for your holiday gifts in our guide and save yourself time and the hassle of stores.

Cover by Shannon Stewart

1- At The Silly Wagon, it's a state of mind. Find clothing, toys, dolls, crib and toddler bed bedding, beautiful childrens wall art, and more. TheSillyWagon.com.
2-The Mommy Cover by Joia Products is a stylish nursing cover that makes public breastfeeding easy and stress-free. Joiaproducts.com
3-Baby Checklist provides you with the ultimate of baby needs lists for you to shop from. Use their list to shop for all your baby needs. BabyChecklist.com.
4-Emmy & Ally was created by two sisters whose goal was to create the ultimate children's store which appeals to your sense of style and practicality. EmmyandAlly.com

These stores are just highlights from our Winter Guide, check out our entire store listings in our Winter Shopping Guide.


Showcase: Chloe In Style


Chloe In Style is your one-stop shop for all those on your Christmas list. Their collection of baby gifts is top notch including cowboy booties, diaper bags, adorable shoes, toys, wall art and more…perfect for your little ones or those of your loved ones. There is a little something for all the women on your list including stationery, albums, journals and planners in their paper collection; and aprons, slippers, jewelry and clothing.
At Chloe In Style you will find rare and fantastic finds that are chic and unique. If you haven’t checked out their shop yet, no w is the time and if you are an avid shopper of Chloe In Style be sure to check out their new selection at ChloeInStyle.com.