I’ll put it out there—I don’t love (or read) self-help books very often. I did read Leadership and Self-Deception and The Purple Cow while working at LoveSac (required reading) and enjoyed them, but I’ve started and never finished quite a few others. I take that back. I also read Simple Abundance years and years ago and enjoyed it…but never put much of it into practice.

When I was sent Carol Tuttle’s Dressing Your Truth: Discover Your Personal Beauty Profile, I agreed to read it because beauty and fashion and all that goes with it does interest me a lot more than the “warm fuzzy” stuff. Plus, this blurb on DressingYourTruth.com caught my eye:

If you’ve ever felt defeated in a dressing room, faced a closet full of clothes but still felt you had nothing to wear, or thought you had to be skinny to be beautiful, Dressing Your Truth will be a much-appreciated reality check that will help you discover and celebrate your own, unique beauty!

Well, I do have a closet full of clothes and a few items that never get worn because let’s face it, they looked better on the hanger. And I’m always interested in discovering your “type” to see if I agree with what “they” say my type is. So I dove into the book, quickly skimming the first few parts so I could get right to Carol’s four types (Type 1, Type 2, Type 3 and Type 4). And then I was anxious to find out what that type meant for me as far as what my wardrobe should like look like, how I should wear my hair and makeup to complement my features, plus I was even interested in learning the challenges that particular type faces.

Um, Dressing Your Truth was spot on. Seriously. I’m a Type 3 through and through, though not everything matched 100%. (I’m not a natural salesperson, trust me.) Want to know what a Type 3 is like? You’ll have to read the book. It was fun to read about the other three types and think about people I knew who fit into each one. Question is, are those people being true to their type or trying to be another type and therefore not living their own truth? Good question!

To enlighten you a bit on why I’m pretty dang sure I’m a Type 3, here are some excerpts I highlighted from the book that had me thinking—if not saying—”holy crap!” Type 3 personalities:

• “… get multiple tasks moving forward at the same time, so we can get a lot of things done at once” and we keep “a lot of plates spinning until all the tasks are finished.” {Like my mom says, someday I’m going to lap myself.}
• “… will write on our to-do lists tasks we have already accomplished just for the satisfaction of checking them off the list!” {Been there, done that many times.}
• “… see what needs to be get done, and often wonder why no one else is taking action, assuming the rest of teh world moves in your expression.” {I no longer assume anything but I do still wonder how my family can watch TV while dishes need to be done and counters need to be wiped. Any why doesn’t anyone else see those piles on the stairs?}

As a Type 3 I also have a tendency to be late wanting to get lots done and not being realistic about what can be accomplished in a given timeframe. I love to challenge myself (sprint triathlons this summer) and I walk with determination and a firm, brisk footstep. Just ask my parents about my firm, brisk footsteps…they hear them every time I walk across the kitchen floor.

What made me chuckle toward the end was this little note about the Type 3 woman:

It may have been hard for you to read from the front of the book to the back. You like to get to the point, fast, and pass by anything that appears to be too much detail. … You like to finish things quickly and get on to the next thing.

Did I not state at the beginning of this review that I skimmed those first few chapters to get to the nitty gritty? Yeah, I’m a Type 3.

The beauty profiling Carol does in Dressing Your Truth is pretty awesome. And the transformations are just as amazing. The book is filled with stories like most self-help books, but what I love are the transformations you can watch online at DressingYourTruth.com. Real women, not skinny, size-0 models, learning how to show their beauty rather than “put on” beauty. Online you’ll find a whole community of women and tools and resources to become your own “Beauty Expert” in areas like clothing, makeup, hair, and accessories.

One last awesome quote from the book:

Ironically, consider the possibility that you have deemed your greatest gifts your biggest weaknesses and your natural beauty in your physical features as flaws.

Are you dressing—and living—your truth?

P.S. Here’s a great video showing the grand prize winner of the Dressing Your Truth Do-It-Yourself Makeover Contest. She’s a Type 3 too!

*** Giveaway! Carol is giving away five (5) copies of Dressing Your Truth: Discover Your Personal Beauty Profile! ***

Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each one you do:

•   Leave a comment telling us what you’d most like to learn from Carol’s book.
•   Visit DressingYourTruth.com and register for Carol’s 7 free revolutionary beauty tips (for every Type).
•   Become a friend of Carol on Facebook. (If she hits her limit before you can, let us know you at least tried!)
•   Follow Carol on Twitter and leave a comment telling is you’re their newest follower.
•   Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•   Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: September 9, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

I’ve had the luxury of testing a Shi Shu Baby blanket that’s as soft as it gets! The blanket is a handwoven 60/40 combination of cotton and bamboo and is trimmed with 100% cotton sateen. And it’s completely natural!

Tamre, the founder and owner of Shi Shu Style, had a child who was allergic to the fibers of those soft and fuzzy polyester blanket. She, determined to create a line of 100% natural baby blankets journeyed to India. She found a village that specialized in hand looming and she says she “…had never seen a place like this!” and she’s been to many factories in China (from her years of experience in the toy industry). Here working mothers were employed to loom blankets and rugs and in the evenings they went home to their families. Tamre found that these “…were not just blankets…they were works of art.” This is what she was searching for! As she worked on designing the blankets, she would ask her host’s family how to say words in Hindi. The children referred to their Grandmother as Shi Shu Ma and it was explained to Tamre that this was a term of endearment. Shi Shu is someone that cares for a child. Thus she found the name for her blankets – SHI SHU BABY. Isn’t that so perfect?

My child really is being cared for by this blanket. It’s softness consumes her little body. I have the baby lemon color and I adore it. It’s the perfect shade, light and airy but still vibrant. It has pilled a little bit and if I don’t take it out of the dryer promptly it gets wrinkly, but you’ll find that’s the way it goes with natural fibers. It’s totally worth it!

When this blanket arrived in the mail and I felt how luxurious it was, I thought to myself, “I wish this came in my size.” Well, it does. Shi Shu has a line for your home and it comes in 3 beautiful colors. I would love to have one to wrap around myself while I sip hot chocolate this winter! I think I would choose the classic for myself. Which blanket would you choose for yourself or for your child? – Katie

Though registration is not required to get into Handbag Heaven, if it were I’d be ready, pen in hand. I mean, we’re talking a website filled to the brim with discount handbags and purses. If you’re in the mood for a new handbag, purse or clutch, good luck—good luck narrowing it down to just one. Seriously.

Handbag Heaven’s designer-inspired collection has something for everyone. You’ll find flirty and feminine hobo bags, chic and tailored shoulder bags, date-perfect evening clutches and everything in between.

Handbag Heaven sent me the Caroline City Bag in yellow. I’ve never owned a yellow handbag, and after trying out this beauty, I think everyone should add a little sunshine to their handbag collection!

The Caroline City Bag not only looked stylish but was super functional with its large interior and multiple pockets. The hardware was pretty dang solid and the bag held up well to weeks of abuse normal, everyday use by a mom with four kids. I loved the option of shoulder straps or a longer messenger strap, though I did have an issue with one of the shoulder straps. The silver ring that attached it to the bag would slip off once in a while, but some pliers and a little squeeze fixed that right up. That little hiccup didn’t deter me from checking out—and drooling over—some of Handbag Heaven’s bestsellers and new arrivals.

By the way, I bought my mother-in-law a cute black and pink tote for her birthday and bought myself the Paisley Clutch for my un-birthday. Happy un-birthday to me! I’m thinking I might need to add the Paisley Bow Bag to my un-birthday gifts as well… My other faves? The Claire Flower Satchel in blue, the Valencia Blush Hobo in ivory and the Jackie Patent Tote in black.

Handbag Heaven handbags start at $10 without a single handbag over $85. You can browse by color, size, trend (e.g., citrus colors, animal print, quilted), price and style. The site also offers oversized bags, canvas totes and wallets. (Have you seen the Marsha Daisy Wallet? Yummy!)

Um, I’m thinking Handbag Heaven was the perfect name for this site. How about you?

For any of you who may be handbag challenged, Handbag Heaven recently launched a handbag glossary; you can even subscribe to Handbag Heaven’s Affordable Style YouTube channel.

You can find Handbag Heaven on Twitter and Facebook or you can check out the Handbag Heaven blog about all things handbag (and backpack and clutch and purse and style and fashion).

*** Giveaway! Handbag Heaven is giving away one (1)
$50 gift certificate! ***

Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each one you do:

•   Visit HandbagHeaven.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite handbag, purse, clutch…whatever!
•   “Like” Handbag Heaven on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.
•   Follow Handbag Heaven on Twitter and leave a comment telling is you’re their newest follower.
•   Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•   Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: September 2, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

Emily did a review of Inglesina’s Zuma high chair and she claimed that the chair made clean-ups easier and that any company that can do that is a “true friend.”

I’ve been testing the sleek, minimalist club high chair and I can tell you that it really does make clean-ups easier, I would even say clean-up is a breeze (trust me, we had spaghetti and pasta sauce last night!). We have loved this high chair!

The chair comes equipped with a cover that easily wipes clean. If your baby gets as involved with his or her food as mine, you may want to remove the cover every now and then and hand wash it in warm, soapy water. I found that removing the cover was tricky and tight. It took fussing and some time to wrestle it off, however as soon as I dipped it into the warm water the dried peanut butter seemed to wash itself off! Nowadays, I leave the cover off because Holly doesn’t need any extra support, plus she’s no longer being spoon fed and that kind of independence equates to much more mess! After Holly played in her first birthday cake, I just hosed the high chair down. Perfect!

The tray is completely removable which is great for some deep cleaning, however how the tray attaches to the chair can call for some pinched fingers. Holly loves sticking her fingers in the holes that the tray attaches into and as careful as I tried to be, I still pinched her fingers one time. The only upside to that is that now she’s really careful about her finger placement so I haven’t even come close to pinching them again.

I like that the legs come off, especially since the chair doesn’t fold up. That was so handy in our recent move. On the bottom of each foot, it’s clearly indicated which position each leg belongs to so it’s really easy to reattach the legs.

The club high chair is a great chair. I love the simplicity of it’s design. It feel timeless, yet modern. If I hadn’t received this highchair for testing I would’ve personally purchased it. It’s my favorite-looking highchair and within my price range! -Katie

First up this week, Nena from A Happy Life Studio sent in these adorable pictures of her darling daughter Hendrix and best friend Emma in clothes that Nena created. We LOVE them!! Nena has been sewing for Hendrix since she was born, and now she’s sewing for her Best Friend too! Thanks for sharing

Kylee (our beautiful mermaid) is wearing an original design by her mom Tina of Pixie Petal Creations. Tina designs custom tutu’s, handmade flowers, boutique style clothing and more. You can also check out Pixie Petal Creations on Facebook here>>

Keep sending in pics of your children wearing boutique clothing and accessories in real life. We love when you share, and you’re most welcome to “toot your own horn” if you are a designer! Keep those fashions and adorable pics rolling in, and let’s show the world how wearable and beautiful boutique fashions can be. – xoxo Daria

** Readers: Don’t forget to leave some sweet comments for our featured children – they would love it!

In February I reviewed Plum Organics’ new JUST and TOTs lines of organic baby food. Packaged in super convenient, lightweight (BPA-free) pouches with a resealable cap, these babies are perfect for on-the-go feeding. Of course you’ll need to remember to pack a spoon so you can get the food from the pouch into that eager, drool-filled mouth…that is if you don’t yet have one of Plum Organics’ Dispensing Spoon designed by Boon:

Leveraging innovation from the award-winning Squirt Baby Food Dispensing Spoon, the Plum Dispensing Spoon by Boon is the exclusive spoon for Plum Organics pouches. Each case contains two spoons which easily attach to Plum Organics JUST fruit and Second Blends baby food pouches for healthy, convenient feeding especially when on-the-go.

Don’t you love it when something comes along that makes feeding your little one while out and about even easier? I mean, what more could you ask for than healthy, organic baby food with its own dispensing spoon?

Though my youngest is now three, I can still remember juggling those glass jars or plastic containers, lids and all, and hoping I’d packed a spoon somewhere in the diaper bag. I needed four hands: one for the baby food jar, one for the spoon, one for the lid and one to wipe my baby’s mouth before she took that pureed banana and rubbed it into her eye! With Boon’s custom dispensing spoon, you only need two (one for dispensing and one for wiping), which is good because that’s all you have!

A two-pack of Plum Organics’ Dispensing Spoons is just under $4—basically the same price you’d pay for a two-pack of “normal” spoons. Plus Boon’s spoon is BPA-free, phthlate-free and PVC-free. Oh, and it’s made by Boon. Enough said.

Make your baby’s food healthier—and your life easier—with Plum Organics new TOTS line of baby food and Boon’s custom-designed spoon. Remember, you only have two hands. –Emily

My OiOi hobo diaper bag is totally my go-to diaper bag. Quickly after receiving it, I realized that it’s the perfect diaper bag. It’s the optimum size and depth, it has the best amount of pockets and their sizes are spot on. It’s endured being toted everywhere and still looks brand new! I adore the wipeable interior and the adjustable strap. But, my hands down favorite feature are the stroller straps. They’re hooked into the diaper bag so I never have to worry about losing them and they clip around my stroller’s handles so easily, leaving the basket underneath the seat accessible and available for other things such as shopping bags when we’re at the mall. I totally wish I had this diaper bag when my husband, daughter, stroller and I went to NYC. The diaper bag also comes equipped with a wipeable change mat, a thermos bag and a wipes case. Everything but the baby right?

Let me focus for a minute on the depth of my hobo bag. It really is perfect. I never feel like I’m digging around for something for an inordinate amount of time. Or if I am, it’s my own fault for tossing and going and making my diaper such a mess! As Moms, we all know those moments when it’s vital to find a specific something to calm, soothe or entertain your child. The minutes seem to crawl by in those moments and so it’s incredibly important to make the find as quickly as possible. With this diaper bag, you won’t find yourself rummaging as your face gets progressively redder. You’ll be able to find what you’re looking for and put an end to your child’s crying, whining, or screaming in my case. And who could say no to that? My daughter, Holly, also loves the depth of this diaper bag. She loves looking around for a specific toy or her sippy cup and she enjoys the empowerment of emptying the bag as she goes. Personally, I love that she can have that independence!

My bag is from the spring collection – it’s called green floral disc. Right now Oi Oi’s August 2010 line is out and I’m swooning over the Ikat print. It’s just so perfect!

I highly recommend getting an OiOi hobo diaper bag for yourself. As far as pricing goes, they’re very reasonably priced especially when I believe the diaper bag will last for years and help your sanity to last just as long too! If you’re looking for something more lush, they also carry leather. To find a store go right here. You won’t regret it! – Katie

I admit it. I need to be more conscious about what I cook whether it’s for my children or the grownups in our home. Though I do my best to make healthier choices at the grocery store, I often fall back on tried-and-true (often not organic, not super healthy) recipes. I definitely want to expand—and tempt—my children’s palettes and Anni Daulter’s new book, Organically Raised: Conscious Cooking for Babies and Toddlers, just might do that!

Anni Daulter is the founder of Bohemian Baby, an online organic baby food
service. I reviewed Bohemian Baby a few years ago and four years later I still remember how fabulous their organic baby food was. It was tempting even for me, and I don’t eat baby food unless it’s added to an “adult” recipe! I knew with such fabulous, fresh baby food recipes, Anni’s new cookbook wouldn’t disappoint.

Cited as a “hip, holistic guide to creating delicious, healthy, and organic meals for children ages 6 months to 3 years,” Organically Raised “shows parents how to replace bland processed shelf staples with flavorful, pesticide-free meals that babies will love, laying the groundwork for a lifetime of good
nutrition and enthusiastic eating.” My favorite part of that quote? Pairing “good nutrition” and “enthusiastic eating.” That is something I for sure want my kids to pair!

One of my favorite sections in Organically Raised is “Hot Topics: Popular Mama Questions Answered.” From when to start feeding your baby solid food to what to do if you can’t get your little one to eat veggies, this section will set new (and “old”) moms at ease when it comes to their child’s nutrition. I also love the suggestions for on-the-go healthy snacks. I can always use more ideas in that department!

Each recipe has a handy little box with a nutrients list and the book is sprinkled with helpful cooking tips and tricks. The photos are gorgeous, or as my friend Quinn of Limelight Food Photography would say, “lick-the-pic” delicious. Another fave is the small section on healthy mix-ins like flaxseed and even dried seaweed. Who knew you could sprinkle ground, dried seaweed on dishes?

I didn’t get a chance to test out many recipes mainly because I don’t have all those healthy, organic ingredients on hand and was too lame (i.e., I never planned ahead) to add them to my shopping list. But I have bookmarked Lorrin’s Basil-Walnut Pesto Quesadilla, Poppy’s Three-Cheese “Fancy” Panini and Massimo’s Tuscan Rustic Pizza with Fresh Herbs, Veggies and Three Cheeses. (Can you tell we love cheese around here?) I’m also throwing in Mayasita’s Cuban Black Beans (we LOVE black beans and I have yet to make them completely from scratch, dried beans and all) and Joey’s Roasted Coconut Oat Balls. In fact, the ingredients for the first three are on my shopping list as we speak I type!

Organically Raised also includes:

• Important information about nutrition for children
• Common food allergies
• Feeding journal
• Inspiring “Mama Mantras”

I know many of you are already pros when it comes to creating healthy, organic meals for your children, but for those of us who aren’t, Organically Raised is a great place to start. Don’t believe me? Check out what moms cooler than me have to say:

I was squealing today watching my friend Megan aka “Brassy Meg or Ms. Apple” on Studio 5 sharing her Fabric Wall Art tutorial. (isn’t she just gorgeous and adorable?! I love her!) This project is ideal for those of us who adore fabric, and want to have a customized look for our homes but perhaps need something less permanent than paint or wall paper.

Megan is changing the way we decorate our homes forever!

Check out this and other off-the-hook tutorials on the lovely Ms. Apple’s blog Brassy Apple

I’m so excited to kickoff our “Who’s Wearing Boutique” feature and hope that it will continue to grow. I love to see shots of your children wearing boutique and handmade creations in real life situations, it’s wonderful to see how functional and fashionable these items can be. I KNOW you love them, thanks for showing off the fave designers in your life (oh and your own adorable kids too!!). Let’s celebrate the creativity and hardwork of these designers, and gush over the cuteness of all your kiddos together. – Daria

Send in your “Who’s Wearing Boutique” snapshots with designer information to: daria@boutiquecafe.com Subject: Who’s Wearing Boutique

CLICK a picture to visit the designers website and shop till you drop!

Evie : Hair Accessories by Sweet Apple Kid

Ella & Gavin wearing EllaBugz Boutique

Hey BC Fans, I’m back from our vacation and I’d LOVE to SPOTLIGHT your little kiddos. If you have a pic of your child wearing a handmade boutique creation please email it to me – daria@boutiquecafe.com Subject: Who’s Wearing Boutique?? and we’ll start featuring the designs + the kids who love them! Let’s show the world how awesome it is to shop Boutique Customs.
(Be sure to note the designer’s name too) If we get a good response this will be a weekly feature on BoutiqueCafe.com

Gotta love the kiddos and their fave outfits. Send those pictures in Mamas! – XOXO Daria

When choosing which color or pattern of Happy Heinys One Size w/Snaps, I had a bit of a tough time. They’re are available in 22 different colors and 10 prints! With Happy Heinys you’re sure to find a diaper to match each outfit of your baby’s. I ended up choosing the turquoise color diaper and I sure love it. It’s such a beautiful color!

I’ve been very happy with the construction of the diaper. It’s made well and pretty much looks like new still after many uses. Although the fleece on the inside has pilled a teeny bit, it’s still soft as ever. I love the snap system on this diaper – they overlap which is important when you’re baby is tall and slim like mine. And the snaps feel really sturdy. I find that the waistband has a little bit of stretch to it making it possible to get a perfect fit in the waist.

My only complaint about the diaper is that I wish the insert was a couple layers thicker. I found that it isn’t quite as absorbant as my baby needs, and as a result, we’d get some leg leakage.

With baby number 2 on the way and knowing that I have smallish babies, I’m quite interested in the Happy Heinys mini one-size that fits 4-15 lbs. It’s available in just as many prints and colors as the diaper I reviewed too!

Tell me, have any of you tried Happy Heiny cloth diapers? And what do you like about them? – Katie

I’ve reviewed a few other odor-fighting products on the Daily Dish but none with such a clever, smile-inducing name as the Little Stinker Baby Butt Spray. How can you not grin when you say “Baby Butt Spray”? It’s impossible!

Little Stinker is the brainchild of Kathy Dalton, a woman on a mission to “de-stinkify your little one.” I kind of like that mission! I’ve tweeted with Kathy and recently met her in person at a local blogging conference. She’s fabulous…and super serious about her Baby Butt Spray.

This lightly scented, refreshing lavender vanilla spray not only freshens your baby’s bum but also gently moisturizes, which I love. Those little baby bums can be super sensitive, so a little moisturizing goes a long way. Kathy gave me a sample bottle of Little Stinker Baby Butt Spray to try out at home. Along with using the spray right on my little one’s bum, I found some other great uses for it:

• Deoderizing the diaper pail
• Deoderizing the room after a diaper change
• Spraying my second-oldest daughter’s feet, especially when she wears a specific pair of shoes
• Freshening up the bathroom after a stinky husband
• Freshening toddler bedding after a particularly sweaty afternoon nap

You know me, I love a product that can multitask, and Little Stinker Baby Butt Spray does just that—and does it while smelling good!

Little Stinker Baby Butt Spray is made using certified organic botanicals, formulated without parabens and is hypoallergenic and allergen-free. It is also made in the USA using 100% recyclable packaging.
Dermatologist and pediatrician tested, Baby Butt Spray is “parent appreciated and recommended.” I love that! If your little one (or your little one’s room, bedding or diaper pail) need a little de-stinkifying, you need Little Stinker Baby Butt Spray!

Little Stinker will soon offer moms two new products: Natural Nursing Balm and Cooling Breast Cream. If they’re as nifty as Baby Butt Spray, then you’ll definitely want to stock up! –Emily

P.S. Little Stinker has a fun summer contest going on right now! You could win a FREE iPhone or iPod Touch! For details check out the contest page here. Good luck!

*** Giveaway! Little Stinker is giving away one (1) bottle of Baby Butt Spray! ***

Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a comment for each one you do:

•   Leave a comment telling us how you would use Little Stinker Baby Butt Spray.
•   “Like” Little Stinker on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
•   Follow Little Stinker on Twitter and leave a comment telling us you’re their newest follower.
•   Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: August 12, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

You can imagine my excitement when my Petunia Pickle Bottom shoulder diaper bag (in the Sleepy Santorini print) arrived in the mail. Boy, is it ever chic! I received a compliment the first time I took it out of the house – who doesn’t love that?

I love that the bag has a PVC-free Glazed wipeable exterior and although I have yet to need to wipe ‘er down, it gives me some serious peace of mind. Another feature I like is the key clip. I’m the worst for losing my keys at the bottom of a bag and so with this handy and easily accessible feature, I’m digging around no more. Plus it’s the easiest key fob to use so I use it. On the interior there are 6 pockets, 2 of which are for bottles, and a seventh pocket (a pacifier pocket) higher up on one side of the bag. It really is perfect for a pacifier, your lip balm, anything else that you don’t want to be searching for. It detaches via velcro, making finding that much needed item even easier. Gotta love that!

The diaper bag comes equipped with a changing pad that tucks into an exterior pocket. It can be removed if your children are past diapers but you still need the accessibility and convenience of a diaper bag. Inside that front pocket are 2 additional pockets that are the perfect size for the PPB wipes case (included with the diaper bag) and diapers. I love that I can keep all my diapering items in one handy spot. Although, I found that once I had the diapering supplies all packed up, the main body of the bag became a little narrow and slightly tough to access.

Despite the shoulder strap being unadjustable, both my husband and I found that the diaper bag sat nicely on our bodies. It surprised me when I first put it on because it felt so trim against my body. So even though I can pack lots in this bag it doesn’t feel overly bulky. I do wish the strap was less stiff. It can be a little sticky-uppy. I’m hoping that with time it will soften up.

Here’s a little more about Petunia Pickle Bottom:

More than three little words, Petunia Pickle Bottom is a lifestyle—a different way of looking at the world. And perhaps nowhere else is that difference more distinct, unique or decidedly fashionable than in the Petunia products themselves. A perennial exhibit of bold lines, daring colors and darling designer details, Petunia Pickle Bottom was created for the steadfast sophisticate inside every woman. Silk brocades, hand-woven tweeds, plush chenilles, intricate cut velvets, and exquisitely detailed embroidery—every one a Petunia hallmark, and every one an expression of motherhood’s myriad facets.

I couldn’t agree more! Every time I see a Mom with a PPB diaper bag I think that she’s totally got everything together and is way organized and chic! Hopefully people think the same when they see me with my bag especially since I’m often flying by the seat of my pants!

Make sure you check out Petunia Pickle Bottoms other products like their wide selection of diaper bags, their adorable clothing, and their cozy-looking blankets! -Katie

You’ve heard of those “of the month” clubs where you’re shipped a new item every month; of course it’s usually something like steak, fruit or candy. As much as I’d enjoy receiving a new decadent treat every month, the dessert (and the sugar high) wouldn’t last very long. If I’m part of an of-the-month club, that of-the-month item better be worth its weight in gold, or at least worth a bit more than my membership fee.

That’s why I think the concept behind JustGano is so dang cool. It’s a membership site for jewelry lovers. No, it’s not simply a “ring of the month” club. We’re talking necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings. And the collection is gorgeous! Here’s how it works:

• Choose your JustGano membership level from The Deb (1 item for $7.95 per month ), The Demi (3 items for $21.95 per month) or The Diva (6 items for $39.95 per month). Did you notice that last plan averages just over $6 per item? Crazy!
• Create an account and start adding items to your wish list.
• Every month you’ll be shipped an item (or items) from your wish list free of charge (i.e., free shipping) within 3 to 6 days.
• No cancellation fee and you can cancel any time.

That’s it! And the process is super easy. JustGano set me up with an account for the purpose of this review. I was able to easily browse their collection of jewelry, which you can do whether or not you have an account, and settled on the Wire-Wrapped Double Gypsy Hoop. The item was shipped quickly and arrived in a beautiful gift box:

The earrings were just as beautiful in person, if not more so, and I could tell they were well made. I couldn’t wait to wear them and so planned an outfit around my new earrings. Like you haven’t done that before!

I’ve actually worn them a couple times and each time I do I get compliments. Of course, they look better on JustGano’s model, but they’re still super fabulous!

I do seriously love jewelry and am seriously considering a Deb membership. I enjoy sprucing up my jewelry collection but don’t like spending a lot of money on accessories. Of course, being too budget-conscious can backfire when your Forever 21 accessories don’t last more than a few wears. JustGano seems like the perfect option for chic, stylish, budget-friendly jewelry.

Right now I’m eying the Fleur Necklace. It might be making its way into my wish list just in time for my birthday. Happy birthday to me! –Emily

*** Giveaway! JustGano is giving away one jewelry item from their collection, winner’s choice! ***

Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each one you do:

•   Visit JustGano.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite accessory.
•   “Like” JustGano on Facebook and tell us you joined.
•   Follow JustGano on Twitter and leave a comment telling is you’re their newest follower.
•   Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•   Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: August 6, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to April R., the winner of the JustGano giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!