v 4 issue 22: Editor's Picks II

More of our favorite picks from 2008. We love these products and know you will love them too!



Cover by Samara Hutcheson









1 The birthday box from bloomers baby is a three piece set all neatly tucked into a fabulous ready-to-give gift box. Included in the three piece set is a top knot adjustable hat, a long sleeve lap tee (accented with a tiny footprint design and plush details), and a matching plush diaper cover. A birthday present any new Mom would be delighted to receive for a newborn child.

2 Perfect for your toddler, The Safe Sippy stainless steel drinking cup is a non-leaching stainless steel cup that is plastic free (and free from other harmful chemicals) and they topped it with a plastic straw free from Bisphenol A, phthalates and DEHA and a cap made out of Polypropylene plastic (the most stable of plastics). The water has very little contact with these safe plastics to prevent leaching.

3 Swaddle your cherub in the heavenly softness of Robbie Adrian luxury organics. These precious blankets are made of 100% certified organic cotton or fleece fabric and are topped off with a natural silk trim in a ruffled or straight edge. Makes an elegant & unforgettable present when tucked inside the available keepsake gift box!

4 A beautiful gift for Moms and babies would be a matching pair of bracelets from Emmie Kate. Emmie Kate offers a number of gorgeous sterling silver bracelets in baby, child, and adult sizes. Pick from a number of quality pre-designed pieces or add a personalized engraving for a special keepsake piece.

5 Smart-e-dog is the interactive cuddly companion designed with fun and education in mind. With a quick connection to the internet, kids and parents can add new games, songs, and stories for ever-changing fun. A super upgrade from good 'ole Teddy Ruxpin.

6 Squishing and hugging this Moonman makes him light up and sing with joy. Comes with a bedtime book and tons of love for only $19.99! Start your collection of Nanastar and friends today.

7 For moms who need to carry everything but the kitchen sink we recommend the JP Lizzy Polka dot Leisure Tote. This tote has lots of space, an insulated pouch and unbelievably light weight. The exterior is a wipeable microfiber and we love that this bag doesn’t scream mom...which makes it usable even after your diaper days are done.

8 Every day can be a birthday party with the Daisy Tea Time Set from Djeco. This adorable wooden set features the colors of green and yellow delicately adorned with daisies for an extra touch. Comes with all you need for your tea party...even the teabags, birthday candles, and sugar cubes.You can find these great set at Oompa.com

9 Tidying up is a cinch with a little help from the Land of Nod. With an open concept and a fresh look these storage bins are sure to store all kinds of toys, books and trinkets with the greatest of ease. Who knows...the children may actually help with the cleaning!


More favorite Mom tips:
Financial Tip: Save hundreds of dollars by cooking meals at home and packing lunches. Not only the cheapest but also the healthiest way to satisfy your hunger.

We adore this lunch bag to keep hot or cold lunches just the right temperature and compartments to store everything: one wide zip pocket for the top and another for the bottom, three slide pockets for extra snacks, and holders to keep utensils and drinks in place. Find lots of great Allerhand bags at oompatoys.com.

Sanity Saving Tip: Let calls go to voicemail! Phone interruptions cause you to become distracted from your to do list or spending quality time with your kids. By returning phone calls at your convenience you can get your list done and cut down on chatter time.

Time Saving Tip: Create a box/folder just for bills. Compile all you need to get the job done including stamps, envelops, checkbook and of course the bills. Having it all in one place allows you to easily get the task done. Just pull out the box whenever you have a free minute.

Organizing Tip: Reduce clutter in the playroom or your child’s bedroom by going through their toys periodically and picking out the toys they don’t play with anymore. Pack them up and donate them to a local play area, church, clinic or goodwill.


Making Baby Food
Making baby food is very simple! No need to fret or spend all that money on those jars found at the store. All you need is a few basic kitchen pieces like a blender, food processor and steamer basket/strainer. At around 6 months (or 4 months if your pediatrician recommends) you may begin introducing solids. These first foods need to be smooth purees. As baby gets older you can begin thickening the food and including small chunks.

Store your baby food in single-serving airtight containers labeled with ingredients and the date. We love these baby cubes found at one step ahead or use ice cube trays to freeze the cubes and then once frozen put them into a large freezer bag. Baby food can be refrigerated (for up to 48 hours) or you may freeze the food (for up to six weeks). When warming baby food, you can use a microwave but continually stir to be sure that the center does not get too hot or thaw cubes in a saucepan. Baby food should be room temperature when you serve it.

The general rules for making baby food are steam veggies until tender, simmer ripe fruits until soft and cook meats until fully cooked. Remember babies don't need added salt, sugar or anything artificial, just fresh and healthy food. And above all else, choose colorful foods like fresh vegetables and fruit purees, babies love colorful food!

You should introduce new foods to your baby one at a time to allow you to spot any allergic reactions. By introducing foods early in the day you reduce the risk of allergic symptoms occurring during the night.

Our favorite book for recipes from infancy through the childhood is First Meals by Annabel Karmel. This book is full of over 200 easy, healthy recipes for children. Find tasty first purees, quick lunchbox combos, and fast, fabulous dinners for kids 6 months-7 years old. We love the photographs and her adorable creations that make food fun! The book also includes everything you need to make the most nutritional and healthy baby food, we recommend it for every new mom!

v 4 issue 21: Editor's Picks I

Our current issue includes our favorite picks from 2008. These products are of high quality, along with being stylish and of excellent value.



Cover by Shannon Stewart






1 Kate Quinn's adorably organic kimono bodysuit is now available in new yummy shades for the season. The ginger colored organic rib cotton is complimented with pomegranate red for a delightful twist to the original favorite. Long sleeved for warmth, ultra soft for comfort, and snaps to keep everything in place.

2 Bathe him upright with the Spa Baby bath tub. This European-styled baby bathtub allows your baby to sit with the warm water up to their shoulders. Spa Baby has created a tub that is much like the environment where they spent their first nine months. $44.95 at Petiteposh.com.

3 Little tykes will look swell in the buckaroo shirt from Bobinette- the makers of fine baby accessories and clothing. Green polka dots are accompanied by blue denim shoulders for a rugged look with a shout of playfulness. Gussy up boys for entertaining in a shirt that makes sense.

4 Unbelievably soft!!! Max Daniel Baby is the place to find seriously luxurious blankies and throws to cuddle up with on a brisk autumn day. We are especially fond of the camo print with it's chocolate charmeuse satin ruffle edging. Highly coveted by kids and Moms alike.

5 Research shows rooms should be kept between 61-67 degrees Fahrenheit for baby to sleep safely and comfortably. The Grobag Egg is the nursery room thermometer which allows parents to quickly peek in and check on baby's sleeping arrangements. The glowing thermometer changes colors with different temperature readings and doubles as a nightlight to easily assess the situation.

6 Soft to the touch velour is wrapped in olive and blue stripes, then paired up with solid color velours and soft knits. Le Top creates these sweet outfits, and we think they are just fabulous. Fill up on the details of this great playwear in the editor's blog.

7 The quality of this boy's make noise canvas print has us barking with joy. It's an original, as is all the artwork you'll find at Kelly B. Rightsell. Sure to add a sparkle of fun to any child's room.

8 Coral Camelia offers vintage-styled duds that are unique and simply stunning. Their online store has everything from dresses to jackets and complete outfits all handmade by this designer mom. We adore this Betsy Birdseed Dress. Hurry and shop while several pieces are on sale.

9 Now your favorite soft-soled shoes can head outside! Your toddler can now enjoy the outdoors in comfort with the new Robeez Tredz. These new outdoor shoes still have the stay-on elastic ankle, the comfortable shoe design and adorable styles... now combined with an outdoor protective sole.


Our favorite Mom tips
Time Saving Tip:
Save time by having your grocery list sent directly to your cell phone with Cozi, a free family organizer. Cozi helps busy families manage schedules, appointments, shopping and communications from wherever you are — the kitchen, car, office or even the grocery store. Learn more at www.cozi.com

Cleaning Tip: Before hanging shower curtains, soak in salt water solutions to prevent mildew.

Green Tip #1:
Turning off and unplugging electrical appliances when they are not in use will save a surprising amount of energy. Many appliances enter “passive standby” mode when they are turned off, which allows the appliances to start up quickly when switched on. Other appliances continuously use energy to power clock displays. According to Energy Star, as much as 40 percent of the energy used to power appliances is consumed while they are turned off. Unplugging appliances will help avoid this energy waste.

Green Tip #2: Formaldehyde may be present in plywood & particleboard, and in some drapery & upholstery materials, so check for warnings before you buy.

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:
Do as mom would do...turn down the thermostat by two degrees, repair those leaky faucets, use light bulbs that consume less power, clean heating and air vents regularly, and make sure that doors and windows are airtight. You will save a bundle following these rules.


Recipes from our readers:
Coconut-Frushi

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup uncooked sushi rice or other short-grain rice
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light coconut milk
Dash of salt
Cooking spray
10 orange sections
20 fresh raspberries
1 (6-ounce) carton vanilla fat-free yogurt

Preparation
Bring water and rice to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until water is almost absorbed. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 15 minutes.

Place rice in a large bowl. Add sugar, coconut milk, and salt, stirring gently until well combined. Cover and let stand 20 minutes.

Lightly coat hands with cooking spray. Divide rice mixture into 20 equal portions, shaping each into a ball (about 1 rounded tablespoon each). Lightly press each rice ball into an oval between palms; place ovals on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Top each of 10 ovals with 1 orange section, and press gently to adhere. Top each of the remaining 10 ovals with 2 raspberries. Cover and chill frushi until ready to serve. Serve with yogurt for dipping.

Makes 5 servings (serving size: 4 frushi pieces and about 2 1/2 tablespoons yogurt)

Submitted by TTW reader Emily
Source: Cooking Light


Whole wheat banana chip muffins

1 c. ripe mashed bananas
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. butter or shortening, melted
1 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Mix bananas, eggs and butter. Combine dry ingredients with above.
Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, Cook mini muffins for 10 minutes.
Can freeze. Yield: 1 dozen large or 2 dozen minis.

I like to bake 3 batches at once and freeze in large bags for quick and easy on the go breakfast.

Submitted by TTW reader Alex


Old Fashion Suckers

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 tsp pure peppermint extract (or another flavor of choice)
gel-paste food coloring of your choice.

In preparation grease both a baking sheet (rimmed) and a metal spatula. In a sauce pan bring sugar, corn syrup, and water to a boil over medium-high heat-stirring till you reach a boil. Allow the mixture boil now without stirring. You will need to bring the mixture to 304 degrees on your candy thermometer, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and add lemon and your flavoring extract. Stir and then pour onto prepared pan. Fold mixture into itself from all sides using spatula until the mixture starts to turn a little opaque.

Wearing rubber gloves, you will need to pull candy-as soon as it's cools enough to handle-although it will remain hot. Pull to about 8-10 inches, twist and fold back into itself. Take a small ball and drop food coloring in-you will need to continue to fold and twist both pieces until the candy mixture begins to whiten. Just a minute or two.

Lengthen both pieces about a foot and twist into each other. Twist from one end and use scissor to cut the length you desire. I wrapped mine around candy sticks--but you could easily cut into bite sized peppermints! You will have to work quickly-but worth the effort. So yummy-hard to resist! A great treat to add to a Christmas gift.

Submitted by TTW reader Joy


Kentucky Egg Nog

4 egg yolks
8 cups milk
2/3 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
Heat until simmering, set aside to cool. Once room temp, refrigerate.

While the above is cooking, mix:
4 egg whites
6 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1.2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. vanilla
Combine well and chill. Shake or stir several times before adding to milk
mixture. When all ingredients have chilled for several hours, mix the egg
white mixture with the milk mixture. Serve chilled.

I use skim milk (or almond milk), organic sugar and real or 'pure' vanilla. I also go a little heavier on the cinnamon and nutmeg. I think it tastes better.

You may add Kentucky Bourbon to your liking.

Submitted by TTW reader MaryAnne, NH

v 4 issue 20: Make it Personal

This week we review products that are personalized for your little ones. Products include clothing, music, room decor and more.


Cover by Julie Cruz









1 The Little Elephant Company offers adorable wooden wall letters for making room decorating personal. Each 9 inch letter is hand-crafted and comes in a variety of styles which compliment popular bedding style themes. Really cute!

2 A precious box for storing special memories. Add a name, date, or monogram. Each hand-painted wooden box is 10" x 8" x 6" and comes with acid-free paper envelopes for storing life's little treasures. $80 at staciedaledesigns.com

3 Start with a shoe, add a color, a name...and you have one uncommonly cute shoe. Personalize to your heart's desire, and see what your shoe will look like in the end-with the build-a-bootie function. How neat!

4 Need a little help getting kiddos to eat all their veggies? A little enticing with a magical fairy and a membership to the clean plate club just might do the trick. Each 10" melamine (BPA free!) plate you find at My Clean Plate Club can be personalized with a name or a monogrammed initial.

5 Three burpcloths, one bib, and one hooded towel come in the Essential Pack from Punkin Seed. Each item in the pack can be customized to your liking. Choose names, colors, designs, or a combination of themes.

6 Customized cuteness from baby candy couldn't get sweeter. The shirt includes the name of each parent, along with the year of baby's birth, in a sporty "property of" design. Available in all 10 tasty colors on soft cotton tees for tots, or onesies for infants.

7 Children's favorites like Elmo, the Wiggles, Disney princess...sing-a-long to your child in personalized CDs. Enter your child's name at Kidz Unique Boutique to sample a piece of the musical action. It's the real deal-the licensed characters are used for all the recordings.

8 While scoping the scene for great personalized gifts, we stumbled upon this precious set from Olive Dimpleton's. Each personalized set comes with an organic tie top hat monogrammed with baby's name, and an organic onesie with a single initial accented by adorable coordinating fabric.


Interview with Emily Tanner of Em Tanner Designs
We recently interviewed Emily Tanner, the founder of Em Tanner Designs. EmTannerDesigns is well known for their stylish lunchboxes, plates, tee's and so much more. Her personalized designs are totally unique, original and so much fun.



What inspired you to start your business?
Honestly, it was pretty much an accident. I was doing childrens photography and stationery and was on a mission for personalized tees with all these simple and bold designs that were in my head and I never saw to purchase so I randomly called this place after searching and giving up for 5 years and get Laura on the phone, who seemed to know exactly what I was wanting. Together we designed and made 12 tees (that was the minimum) for my kids and friends kids and seriously there hasn't been a week since without orders. It was crazy how fast it started spreading around Knoxville, then everywhere! still blows our mind! It has been a year and a half since we have had a day without multiple orders on our site. Laura has since become my sole manufacturer and moved all her equipment and business into our building. We're just one big (well not that big, 4 employees) happy family now.


How do you manage juggling mom/wife/entrepreneur?
Well I have to say this one is still in the works. I'm getting better though but i must give the credit to my mom (aka "Nana") for helping w/4 kids and school stuff ALL THE TIME. My hubby Kris for putting up with my stressed out and grouchy attitude that creeps up on us a little too often when i am stressed out, and my CPA (aka "Dad", and "Pawpaw") for helping w/basketball and baseball practices while Kris is out of town, financial backing and keeping our books and all in line!Would never have gotten where i am without all of their unconditional (and BELIEVE ME ITS A GOOD THING...) love and support!

Greatest success professionally?
I guess it would just have to be pulling this whole thing together and getting it "out there". Laura and I are dangerous together. I guess I just happened to target the exact right markets, people,etc along with a little luck. I seem to know where to go with it and what look i think people need and want and Laura is the one that tells me how it's gonna work. I am the unorganized, frustrated creative one and she is the stickler that tells me when i am being stupid and something simply will never work. We just clicked and both seem to have the skills we needed to pull it all together. It was definitely HARD work though! Blood, sweat and TEARS...lots of tears! The crazy part is that i majored in Finance and she majored in Architecture???go figure!

Most difficult challenge?
Probably balancing it all. Taking it all so personal. Many people do not have a clue just how many orders we are processing these days and they want custom items turned around instantly if that is what they need. We are getting a new site that will actually work better than what we have! (My Christmas gift to me) We all really do care and do our very very best to keep all our clients happy!

What is unique or special about your biz that gives it an edge over competitors?
Well i would have to say that every design, color scheme, etc. comes straight from my head, not an inspiration from someone else's line. I keep seeing lunchboxes and tees popping up that are way too similar to mine but i suppose its the finest form of flattery but i just feel like I am already onto my next idea when something starts getting "duped".

Advice to mom wanting to start own biz?
First off....BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR! Really, never in a million years did I think little me here in "Knoxvegas" would frequently be shipping to Sweden, Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong, Ireland, last week Will shipped something to UZBEKISTAN!!! WHAT?! Never in my wildest dreams! Which leads me to the main advice....Before you dive in you must be prepared to INVEST, INVEST INVEST because if it does take off you have to be prepared to be able to keep it running. If Kris and I were depending on Emtannerdesigns to feed our family in the beginning we would have been in trouble. So just be prepared to fork it out to keep it going, have a plan in case it gets crazy!

Showcase: Lucy Ann


It all begins with you... Memories of the special ones in your life... Lucy Ann is here to help you create the perfect keepsake. Together, we’ll create wonderful jewelry for extraordinary people.





Lucy Ann, a real mom, began her drawings at an early age. She drew the charming little characters for her nephew’s first birthday party. Little did she know that these characters would soon blossom into such an inspiring jewelry collection.






What makes Lucy Ann personalized keepsakes so special and unique is how it touches the lives of others. From the birth of a new child to surviving the loss of a loved one, Lucy Ann is not just a piece of jewelry with a name on it. It becomes a symbol to each individual of what is truly heartfelt to them.





The Lucy Ann Collection is the first to ever mass-produce personalized products with the unique process of custom hand-stamping designs into precious metals, creating a one of a kind keepsake that is made specifically for that person. Choose from our wide selection of charms, accessories and specialty items.




Create your keepsake today at www.lucyann.com!
Enter Code: TT1208 to enjoy a Free Large Polishing Cloth with your $50.00 minimum purchase.

v 4 issue 19: Holiday Fashion

The Holidays are fast approaching and you may be wondering what to dress your little ones in. Not to worry, we have you covered! Our current issue is jam-packed with stylish outfits for the upcoming festivities.


Cover by Carrie Steffe








1 The Anavini Pink Velvet Dress at Cupcakes And Caterpillars is the most gorgeous shade of pink. Soft, gentle velvet is delicately dressed up with two small bows to complete a holiday dress with girly simplicity. Fits toddlers of sizes 2T-4T.

2 For the boys, babysusu makes a cashmere sweater fancy enough for Christmas, but made to last into the New Year. The creamy white hue and angelic softness of the cashmere can make even the naughtiest on Santa's list seem nice.

3 Spice up the holiday with the ruffles of a pettiskirt. Red and a touch of white work together nicely to create a fabulously fluffy treat. Pink Taffy Designs carries this pettiskirt, along with an assortment of matching tops.

4 Baby Lulu is the place to find a holiday dress full of spirit. Hot pink pops this dress to another level of great, while the red flowery accents, bow, and ruffle keep it grounded in Christmas. The Frances Dress is utterly fantastic.

5 Baby's first Christmas wouldn't be complete without sweet crib shoes found at the baby gardener. A hand-embroidered puppy design adds the jingle-jangle-jingle to the red wool felt of these shoes. Everyone will love them!
Enter DECSECRET for 5% off until 12/31/08

6 The adorable Bon Bon Dress from Bambini Bliss is made of featherwale corduroy fabric in a festive red. Covered shoulder buttons, a lined bodice, and creamy accents compliment the classic style. If you miss the cut-off date for monogramming, multiple color combination's make this a great dress for any upcoming special occasion.
Enter Code: TTW for 20% off your order of $100 or more.

7 Gold Mary Janes from Sweet Shoes are the perfect metallic toe tappers. Spiff up those holiday outfits with these soft leather suede shoes which feature cushion comfort and skid-resistant soles. Browse for where to purchase or select Zozoforkids.com

8 Multi-colored stripes and bright embroidery embellish this pure cotton blue sweater from Hanna Anderson. Swedish inspiration helps create this colorful and vibrant seasonal sweater. Available for only $35!

9 Limited edition holiday Robeez made only for 2008! Crimson Mary Jane's with a white elastic strap and mock flower fastener create a truly vintage look. Tried and true Robeez. quality...as always. $27.95 on sale for $19.99
Enter Code: ROBEEZ8 for free shipping Exp:12/9/08

Don't forget to check out all the wonderful Holiday Fashions in our Winter Shopping Guide!


Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas
Everyone loves getting gifts that come from the heart. What shows this better than gifts made by hand? While this may make some people panic at the thought of trying to make something arts and crafts, it really isn't that hard to make a nice gift for someone.

For kids, a great gift that can be added to is a Dress Up Kit. Get an old suitcase or two and fill it with old clothes that you don't wear anymore. Include hats and shoes. Now and then, add more items to the box. Ask other relatives to contribute to it as well. If you have pictures of family members wearing the clothes, print them out and decoupage them on the outside of the suitcase and then coat with a clear finish.
Our favorite picks- Dad's old ties, Grandpa's hat, Nana's apron, Mom's high heel shoes and costume jewelry.

Another nice handmade gift could be writing a poem for a family member. Poems don't even have to rhyme. Print it out in a nice font and put it in a nice frame. It's a gift someone will treasure for years to come. You can have kids help write one for different family members. Make it even more special by adding a picture of yourself or your child with the person they are writing the poem about. This could be your background for the poem set to low transparency in a photo editing program or just a small image at the top of page. See example.

Homemade cookies, fresh from the oven, are a great treat. A lot of people just don't have the time to make them. You can make a frozen cookie kit. Mix up a batch of their favorite cookies. Roll them out into balls and flatten them slightly. Flash freeze them by putting them on wax paper on a cookie sheet until they are solid. Remove them from the sheets and place them in a freezer bag. Bake for two to three minutes more than the normal time or until golden brown. They can be baked in small batches, even in the toaster over, or all at the same time.


Showcase: Starlooks Boutique


Imagine back in time when almost everything in America was actually made right here in the USA. The time has come to start supporting American-made.






That’s what owner Charlotte from Starlooks Boutique does - she scours the market for the most wanted, trendy, unique brands, all made in the USA. If it is not made in the USA, items will be marked imported so you know where your hard-earned dollars are going.





At Starlooks, you’ll find dazzling dresses, stylish frocks, and toys of all sorts, from made in the USA wooden toys to play dolls made in Spain, there is something sure to please everyone on your list. Especially fun items include personalized kids placemats from Olive Kids, personalized lunchboxes by Sweet Madys, and personalized shoes by Soft Star Shoes.


Moms and dads alike will delight over their shopping experience - Starlooks carries several well-known brands from Fortune Tee, Baby Candy, Itzy Ritzy, to indie finds like Sweet Bebe, Miss Sugar Pops, Kookie, Bodemi, Liliputians NYC, Paperlili, and Peri Ponchos. Toy brands include popular brands like Corolle, Berenguer Doll Company, and Whittle Toy, amongst others. Their inventory is constantly expanding, so visit often.

Visit Starlooks Boutique now - support American-made!

DISCOUNT CODE - ILUVTTW08 for 15% off (before shipping) Exp: 12/31/08