v4 issue 29: Get Accessorized

Dress up your every day gear and clothing with these products that add a little extra. We review accessories for your little ones in this week's issue.


Cover by Robin Long








1 Gorgeous knitted hats, adorned with a blooming flower and a long, color coordinating ribbon, can be transformed into a purse for 2-in-1 function. Versatile and chic accessorizing from Lollitops!

2 According to Cambodian folklore, the delicate sounds of this jingle bell ankle bracelet ward off unwanted spirits. Pass along an ancient tradition of baby welcoming with the sounds of dainty bells and the beauty of sterling silver. Available at baby emi. Enter code: TTW15 for 15% off your total purchase

3 Function meets high style in the Lucas bag from hedvig bourbon. The unique strap design allows the diaper bag to clip over any stroller handles. Yet, it just as easily transforms into a handbag or shoulder strap bag.

4 Fashionable eye protection for winter fun. Protect eyes from sun and snowballs with Ski Banz child ski goggles. 100% UVA/UVB protection in pink, black, or blue at babybanz.com Enter code: TTW09 for 10% off your total purchase. Exp: 3/15/09

5 Bellaziza's carries an assortment of itty bitty bows for creating the perfect teeny tiny hairdo. Adjustments can be made so these adorable clips can easily expand to fit thicker hair too. Brilliant! Enter code: TOTTRENDS for 30% off orders of 6 or more barrettes

6 Royalty rules the land of accessories @ Babycakes of Scottsdale. A furry pink case is just right for storing travel wipes or trinkets when topped off with a crown of jewels.

7 Fabulously hip headbands from Bugalug come in a multitude of colors and trendy patterns. A unique toggle adjustment keeps headbands in place without slipping and allows a headband to fit any head from infant to adult! Talk about a bargain. Enter code: TREND10 to save 10% off total purchase. Exp: 3/31/09

8 Creating a bouquet of accessories is a cinch with customclippies.com. With an endless assortment of flower hair clips made of organza, silk, and everything in between...the selection can't be beat. Enter code: Trendsweekrdr15 for 15% off your total purchase. Exp: 4/30/09


This weeks Mom tip:
Vinegar - an earth friendly alternative to many chemicals

The active component of vinegar that makes it so useful is acetic acid; which is a byproduct of a bacteria called acetobacter. White vinegar is incredibly cheap, particularly when bought in bulk (under a dollar per litre or quart) and has a long shelf life.

• Some commercial air fresheners use chemicals that can be harmful to a baby's development. Instead, lightly spritz the place with vinegar.
• Vinegar will clean out deposits clogging a steam iron or coffeemaker.
• A cup of vinegar will clean a washing machine. Run it through a regular cycle - but not with clothes.
• If using vinegar as a cleaning agent, pick the white variety. Brown will stain porous surfaces.
• To create a tub-scum cleaner, mix baking soda and a "green" liquid soap to a honey-thick consistency. Apply it with a little elbow grease and perhaps a splash of white vinegar.
• Use full strength vinegar to polish chrome and stainless steel.
• Vinegar can also be used as a glass cleaner either mixed with water or used neat in a spray bottle.
• Vinegar can be used as a fabric softener by adding half the amount of vinegar as you would of your usual softening agent.
• Use it as a broad leaf weed killer - spray it neat onto the leaves of weeds, being careful to avoid plants you wish to keep. A mix of vinegar and salt can be used to keep weeks and grass out of driveway cement joins.
• Old, stiff paintbrushes can be revived by dipping them into heated white vinegar for a couple of hours, followed by a rinse in soapy water. Beats using turpentine!
• For a DIY dusting formula, add a few drops of olive oil to 1/4 cup vinegar. Dampen your dust cloth with the solution.


Get Kids Involved in Food Preparation
Storybooks with cooking involved are a good place to start building an interest in helping in the kitchen for younger kids.

Ask questions and talk about what will happen when you do certain things, like chop something up, or put something in the oven ... this gets their interest even if they aren't doing the action themselves yet.

The simplest tasks can get even a toddler involved in food prep, stirring the macaroni, pouring the milk, etc.

Clean up is a time when everyone can help as well.

Gathering of ingredients is an important step and one that most kids can handle, "please bring me 3 carrots, and 2 sticks of celery" and a good beginning to helping out in the kitchen area.

Teach them to make something that they can make with little help from you, a scrambled egg, a grilled cheese sandwich, a bowl of soup, a fruit salad, etc.

Look for kids sized kitchen gear and alternate tools for little fingers, for example kids could use a rolling pizza cutter to cut up veggies instead of a big sharp knife.

Get kids their own cookbook and let them choose a recipe, there are a variety of kids geared cookbooks on the market today to choose from.

Let them experiment with different foods, textures, ingredients, combinations, sauces, dips etc.... even if you think something sounds gross and they want to try combining it let them try a small amount, it's the best way to learn about foods.

Don't take over, as adults and parents we tend to want to do things for them when we see a little bit of a struggle or when we think they might not succeed, try to take a different approach, stand back and be observant but don't help unless they ask you too or if it's with something sharp or extremely hot.