Though we still have a bit of time before Christmas it’s never too early to keep an eye out for great gift ideas, especially ones sure to be a big hit come Christmas morning. I’ve actually got a couple great ideas for you, all from Noodle Head, a company that believes “imagination, creativity, ingenuity, concentration, personal interaction, and good conversation are developed and ignited with real-world projects and toys.”

Noodle Head has quite the lineup of great gift ideas, and I had the opportunity to check out a couple Pawparazzi pets, Bag Buddies, and Travel Buddies. If any of you have girls at home, a Pawparazzi pet would make the perfect gift. These miniature pet “celebrities” come with a carrying purse, blanket, and celebrity magazine. Be “mom of the year” and go with the Pawparazzi Celebrity Style Set, which includes a carrying purse, leash, collar, blanket, name charm, silver food dish, matching peral collar, and girl’s pearl necklace. We received the Indy and Lexi, and my girls could hardly wait to get those little pups in their purses. And what I love the most about these little critters is how very little they are. No need to figure out just where you’re going to put one more stuffed animal. Read the rest of this entry »

I have to admit I’ve never really been a big fan of the huge, oversize hair bows. Not that they aren’t cute, mind you; they’re just not my style. But leave it to a mother-daughter team to convert me to the oversized hair accessory.

Maggie’s Rose offers intricately hand crocheted hats and bands embellished with beautiful, albeit large, jeweled blossoms. I recently received one of their beautiful “bloomin’” hats, and the minute I pulled the crocheted work of art out of the package my girls were oohing and aahing over it. I loved the beautiful colors used in the hat and though in the past I would have rolled my eyes at the size of the flower (just about as large as the hat), I found myself totally loving it. I’m actually pretty excited about my new little one fitting in to her new Maggie’s Rose hat.

I’m so glad the women behind Maggie’s Rose felt a “near sense of duty to make the world a more beautiful place” and turned a grandmother’s talent into a blooming business. These beautiful designs are a definite must-have for any little girl–and for any mom who needs to learn bigger is better, especially when it comes to a bejeweled flower on a fabulously crocheted hat.

* Promotion! Purchase your Maggie’s Rose creation online by visiting Itsy Bitsy Baby Boutique. When you do you’ll receive 15% off your Maggie’s Rose item(s). Eenter code MR015 at checkout; offer expires September 30th.

…and yet still stylish for your feet. Cape Clogs, whose tagline “body. mind. sole.” is both a perfect fit for this company and its shoes, has taken a great-fitting, steeped-in-tradition Swedish clog and combined it with designs sure to please even the pickiest of clog connoisseurs.

Cape Clogs can trace its product lines back to around 1860 and “to a Swedish farm in what remains one of the most beautiful places in the world,” and where clogs were made by selecting the perfect alder tree and fashioning the clogs by hand. Their clogs are shaped to provide an “anatomically correct scaffoid metatausal arch.” This translates to “you’ll feel natural support the minute you slip them on.” Plus, Cape Clogs are designed to help improve posture and increase energy–reason enough to own a pair for every day of the week!

I received a pair of women’s Cape Clogs in the new Chocodot design. With its alder sole and genuine leather upper, I felt stylin’–and my feet felt happy–the minute I slipped these on. They were definitely more lightweight then my current pair of clogs and definitely a lot more fashionable. Read the rest of this entry »

Ostrich plume, taffeta, mini hat, corset and more make us this stunning Ringmaster costume from Jamie of JZCustoms. The design is spectacular and the pictures are breathtaking. After you pick your jaw up off keyboard, be sure to post your comments in the notes for Jamie and let us know what you thought of her latest design. – Megan

Over the next few days we’ll be moving Boutique Cafe studio and our entire household to a new home. I will be unavailable until next week sometime but will attempt to read urgent emails if possible. If you have any major concerns please contact megan via email at megan@boutiquecafe.com

Thank you for all your well wishes on our move, it means alot to me! See ya on the Flip Side – Daria

Okay, so those prenatals aren’t always all they’re cracked up to be. I really like the brand I buy from Wild Oats as they don’t make me nauseated but they sure don’t taste that great, even when on the tongue for only a split second. And I’m not one that loads up on the healthy food groups when pregnant, unless you consider a Big Mac and fries a basic food group. So what’s a girl like me to do when it comes snack time and she’s already had one too many Oreos? She reaches for an Oh Mama! bar, a new award-winning nutrition bar designed specially for moms in all stages, from trying to conceive to nursing.

Created by a mother of three with a Masters of Health Science in Health Policy and Management from John Hopkins University and a ton of experience in maternal and child health, Oh Mama! bars are all natural and made to complement your prenatal vitamins without running the risk of over supplementing. They are also the only nutrition bars fortified with DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid that is critical for babies’ brain, eye, and central nervous system development. Oh Mama! bars “provide the correct amounts of vitamins and minerals most difficult to get in a normal diet and most important to the health of both mother and child.” But how do they taste? Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re looking for something extra special this year in Halloween costumes, you’ll definitely be thrilled by the offerings from the Boutique Community (like this gorgeous one from MonaLisa Boutique). For quality handmade creations, made by moms like you be sure to check out the hundreds of listings … now is the time to order your custom Halloween gear!

shop Boutique Halloween on eBay »

There’s something really special about the Lillé©baby Tote, for me it ticks a whole lot of boxes so I couldn’t wait to dish the details! It’s not often you find a product that has the design factor, great packaging, chic styling and so many purposes that you literally would need to buy 5 separate ones just to replace it…but with the cool Lillé©baby Tote why would you want to?

The tote is ideal for on the go parents and makes you wave bye bye to that old bunting bag. The first thing you’ll notice right away is the Scandinavian design with four hot color combinations and quality construction. Then it’s drool time as you realize just how versatile this baby tote really can be, take it in your carseat, move it to your stroller, tote your bundle in it as a super chic bunting and much more. The tote boasts wide padded adjustable straps for carrying with care, interchangeable covers for changes in climate, soft flannel lining, microfiber shell, a removable carrying board to support baby in tote position etc. It’s like a little nest you can literally take anywhere and is built for almost every occasion.

Don’t disturb your sleeping baby while trying to take them out of a sling to lay them down. The Lillé©baby tote is perfect for taking your tot as they are, and resting them comfortably when needed. A playmat, a travel bed, a stroller enhancer, and ergonomic carrier – what more could your little one need? Just you! – Daria

It’s finally here! The much anticipated Indelible launch starts today – “51 of e-bay’s finest designers join together to celebrate the debut fabric lines of Joel Dewberry.”

Watch BC for an upcoming exclusive interview with Joel Dewberry himself – coming soon to Boutique Cafe. In the meantime be sure to indulge in the Indelible launch »

I love a cute onesie so it’s no surprise that this one created by cottonbop caught my eye! An asian inspired theme, bold color choice and the simplicity of the design just screams BUY ME! Their Etsy shop is full of many more cute items including a piggy romper dress that is adorable! – Megan

And who wouldn’t want the plushest of diaper changing pads for her little one? We’ve reviewed a few changing pad products over the past year or so, but this one quite possibly has them all beat when it comes to comfort. Oh, and it’s got style to boot. Say hello to the Plush Pad from Ah Goo Baby (but be ready to say goodbye to the one you’re currently using).

What’s so plush about the Ah Goo Baby’s Plush Pad? Well, you start with yummy, soft boutique fabric that is both water resistant and washable (no vinyl in this baby) and combine it with a high-density memory foam pillow covered in a water resistant taslin fabric. All fabrics aside, it’s the memory foam that puts the plush in Plush Pad. The memory foam provides comfort and protection by actually soothing your baby’s pressure points. Ever try changing your little one on one of those restroom changing stations? Even with a changing pad those things seem far from comfortable for baby’s backside. With Ah Goo Baby’s Plush Pad you’ve got inches of super soft foam between baby and that plastic thing they call a changing station. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s Clicking SPREE Day for August! Time to click your way to some sweet Swag this month. Winning is easy, all you need to do is clickity click on any of the Sidebar and market ads on BC website – then come back to our show notes below and leave a comment. Maybe you found an ad so attractive that you just had to click it, let us know. What stands out? Who’s got a cool product that is on your wish list? Who do you admire? Click on the ads this month and then come back here to report. We’ll draw winners from all those who comment, check back on Thursday for a posting of the winners. It’s not too late to get YOUR ads up today for SPREE day, hurry and send ‘em in.

Prizes this month include:

The Glass Slipper Boutique
Prize: Custom Flower Hair Snaps or French Barrette Hair Gem

Mommastouch
Prize: $10 Gift Certificate

Sheree’s Alchemy
Prize: $25 Gift Certificate to the Etsy Shop

Tough Girl Charm
Prize: Size 4 Tee

In Boutique News – Check out These!
• My Little Pretty
• Tiny Sprouts – free tote with purchase over $45 – use code: “augusttote”
• Monogramsbysopretty.com code “boutique” for 20%
• Anthology INC. Launch

My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-44b1ed77ab45885f50829ee170d58426

The now “famous” little blue birdie is chirping & he’s got big news…he wants everyone to know that Adagio Bleu Studios has a brand new website! They’ve got lots to check out~a blog, a special page of games & fun stuff for the kids to do, a very cool webstore where you can shop safe & securely with your favorite Adagio Bleu designers, a special place to browse all of the ABStudios ebay auctions without all the unrelated ebay auctions and annoying popups/phishing scams, and lots more. Fly on over and take a peek!

What a great  and BLINGIN’ way to show your support for your school and be stylish at the same time! GirlsRuleBoysDrool has designed this adorable custom tee. She can also do Team Kindergarten, 1st grade and even TEAM Mommy! Show off your pride with maximum bling this fall! – Megan

I can’t be the only one who’s gotten in the car to touch up her lipstick only to leave a huge glob of it on her upper lip because the heat got to it first. If I’m going to be out all day and won’t be home before heading out for the evening, I like to take along a cosmetic bag with everything I need to freshen up for a night on the town. Of course I like leaving said cosmetic bag in the car rather than haul it around with me, and when the temp soars above 80, I’m left with a gooey mess of makeup and a less-than-fresh face. So what’s a girl to do? Well, thanks to IcyBag, a girl has an alternative to melted makeup.

IcyBag is the only insulated, chilled cosmetics bag that lets you store heat-sensitive products such as makeup, lotions, sunscreen, medication, and even the occasional chocolate covered “emergency” snack. The stylish bag has a thermal insulation and a small gel pack, which you freeze and slip in the attached sweat-proof pouch. I decided to test the IcyBag on a 90+-degree day by leaving it on the dashboard of my car for a good three hours. Granted my car was parked under a bit of shade, but the temperature inside the car could definitely curdle milk. Read the rest of this entry »

One Month To Go! SavvyMom.ca is holding their “Momprenuer of the Year Awards” this summer open to Canadian momprenuers. At the insistence of several sweet Boutique Cafe members, I have thrown my name into the hat and would love to have your vote for this honor. The first prize is valued at $18,000 worth of cash and prizes to help grow and boost your business, this would be a huge help to Boutique Cafe in continuing to bring more quality content to our listenership.

Thank you for taking a moment to vote for Boutique Cafe Cast your Ballot here ». Contest ends Sept. 16th.

Birds seem to be all the rage right now but I haven’t seen anything as creative, CUTE or on this large of a scale as this adorable OWL bag by cherry*tea! So many fun colors and textures and the design is simply TDF! – Megan

The designs of Aurora from Miabambina Co. are the focus of our Fashion Show this week. Full of expression and exhilaration, they make being a child all the more fun!

When asked what inspires her inspiration for her beautiful creations, Aurora says:
“I love to come up always with different designs, combine fun and cute fabrics.
My inspiration is my family, I think of what I would like my daughters to
wear, and I want to share with all the cuties. I admire all the designers.
Especially one of my favorites, my sister Cynthia, from bellabebeco, she is
The one who invited me to this wonderfull world of designers.”

Shop Miabambina Co. in her eBay auctions. You can learn more about Miabambina Co. on her eBay Me page.**Please allow time for the show to load. A HUGE Thank you to Lisa from iza-bella.com for producing our Fashion Show this week!

Boost your baby with Kaboost, the portable chair booster. Not only is the Kaboost a modern looking addition to your room, it’s a booster chair for modern times!

You can finally toss those old plastic booster seats out in the trash, they were dangerous, unstable and could fall off the seat of your chairs so easily. I love that the Kaboost fits snuggly around the legs of any chair and secures your bigger child’s place at the table with the rest of the family. Gone are the days when little guys could barely see the plate in front of them, now your growing child can feel the excitement of joining the family at eye level for one of the most important family events of the day. Read the rest of this entry »

Do you love the color orange? The designers of Ivylane do and have just launched “an homage to a favorite color…….Orange Appeal.” There are so many great sets by these talented ladies I couldn’t pick just one to single out to feature, plus the launch is all centered around the rich orange color – which is pretty unique in it’s self. A few stand out favorites right off is the peasant style dress by kandy*kisses*, the hoodie apron set by takeabowcreations and the garden gnome outfit by jam*clothing*co – just love those polka dots! There are many more “orangey” outfits to see so take a peek! – Megan

And when I say “sweat” I don’t just mean stressing about getting the whole swaddle thing correct. I’m also talking about the possibility of your little one overheating if swaddled with too warm a blanket in warmer weather. Solana Babywear has taken the sweat out of swaddling with their ultra lightweight fabrics that are breathable, soft, and definitely easy to use.

I received two of their 100% cotton swaddling blankets, the Ashley Solana Swaddle Wrap and the Sadie Solana Swaddle Wrap. The Ashley is made from a gauzy eyelet fabric and has a dainty white trim while the Sadie is made from a polka dot gauze. Both are soft, thin, and definitely fit the description of breathable. I can’t wait to try the Ashley blanket on our new little one, especially since she’ll need swaddling during those hot August days (and nights). Solana’s blankets are a great size at 45″x45″ and can swaddle a baby up to 20 pounds. They can even be used as a breathable sunshade or bugscreen over strollers or carseats. Can you say that about the blanket you’re currently using to swaddle your little one? I highly doubt it! Read the rest of this entry »

Color, originality and spunk! hoganfe has designed a fun purse-lette with a vintage closure, over 15 different fabrics, unique shape and design and even a removable pin! whew! Lots of great details to be seen on this baby so take a peek! – Megan

If your answer to that question is “not very,” then you are the perfect candidate for the latest and greatest in eyebrow care products. Billion Dollar Brows’ line of brow products are “bringing the arch back!”

Now, I’m big into styled eyebrows. I tweeze any stray hairs the second they show up and I own everything from brow powder to pencil to even clear mascara, which I use to keep my brows in place. I was curious to see what Billion Dollar Brows (BDB) really had to offer, so when they sent samples I was more than ready to test them out. The first product I started with was their Brow Boost, which is designed to help men and women restore thin, over-plucked eyebrows. You use Brow Boost nightly for 30 days applying it to sparse areas, and then the unique blend of proteins and vitamins help condition, repair and restore those thin brows. New growth should appear after those 30 days. Well, I haven’t had a full 30 days to try Brow Boost, but so far I have noticed my brows do feel a bit softer and even a hint more full towards the ends (where I tend to be a bit overzealous when plucking). I’ll definitely continue using this one! Read the rest of this entry »

Traveling this summer? Here’s a fun addition to your roadtrip with the kiddos. Sweet technology can be yours with the functional and fabulous Insignia 10.2″ Widescreen LCD DVD player available at Best Buy. Ideal for travel and toting along your fave videos anywhere, the Insignia player looks like a chic laptop and has some awesome features that left us drooling.

One of the first things I love about the DVD player is the tilting, swivel screen. It moves and adjusts to make viewing ideal from any angle. You can literally swing it around backwards with ease. The 10.2″ widescreen has beautiful picture quality and was so gorgeous to watch movies on that our family has seen several shows on this player instead of our regular tv. Insignia has made a super thin, lightweight DVD player with loads of headphone jacks (3), 2 stereo speakers with great sound and a rechargeable lithium ion battery for up to 4 hours of playback.

I really was excited about the remote control and the slot they have integrated to store it in, within the machine. There are so many technical outputs and options be sure to read the full product description for all the details. But another favorite thing of mine was the top loading feature to put in your DVD’s easily and quickly. Best Buy is currently selling the Insignia 10.2 DVD player for $199 which Nathan and I both felt was great for all the features you get and the quality of picture/sound.

If you’re looking for a great addition to your roadtrip, kitchen counter and much more, this player was a real hit with our family. Ah yes, technology is so sweet! – Daria

little*red*wagon always gets it right and had done it again with her latest raglan tee and hat – bad to the bone style! Its so perfect for boys – looks comfy to wear, versatile, durable and super cool too! – Megan

My dear friend Emily (Daily Dish Contributing Editor) and her husband Nathan just welcomed their gorgeous new daughter into their family last night at 9:20 pm. It was a quick labor and the baby is beautiful, pink, and brilliant with an APGAR score of 9 (Nathan was proud of that!). 7 pounds, 13 ounces and 19″³ long – she’s stunning. Emily sounds great on the phone, maybe a bit tired but very happy. And the report is that the other kiddos are thrilled with the new addition, aside from young George who says “Don’t want it!” . They are still deciding on her name, but we’ll keep you posted.

Many of you met Emily is person at the Boutique Cafe Girls Getaway, she’s an amazing person and mother. If you’d like to leave messages of Congratulations please feel welcome to do so in the comments below.

Congratulations Emily and Nathan – love you guys!!! – Daria

If you’ve been a Daily Dish reader for a while, then you know I’m a big fan of See Kai Run. Their shoes for little ones are of the highest quality and of the highest style and I would buy one of every pair if I could afford to do so. I was pretty excited when I heard about their new Fall 2007 line, and even more excited (if possible) when a package arrived in the mail with See Kai Run’s return address in the corner.

My son and future daughter (two weeks and counting) are now the proud owners of See Kai Run’s new Radik and Riley styles. The Radik is a stylin’ pair of black boy’s dress shoes that are cool enough–and comfy enough–to wear every day. The shiny black leather has the coolest star cutout on each side and easy-on velcro straps. George and his Radiks will definitely be the hit of every holiday party this year! And when his little sister is enfinally big enough to fit into her new pair of Riley’s, she’ll be the envy of every other size-4-wearing little girl. The Riley is a cocoa suede boot with the sweetest grape stripe and star (leather, of course) and faux fur lining. A zipper on the inside ensures an easy-on fit as well. Again, why don’t these shoes ever come in a grown-up’s size? Read the rest of this entry »

Amelia drops in with her new Fashion Forward Friday Challenge this week – it’s “Lip SMACKERS”. Blog about your fave lip color and show us your kisser, be sure to comment here in our shownotes and link back to your post.

Need some help with Back to School? Maja is back with step #1 in her series for getting our kids ready for back to school, and our homes in tip top shape. Join in her Challenge and give “Martha” a run for her money.

Megan also shares the Boutique News this week including:
Children of the World Launch, Jaynes Launch, Maker Faire Austin, virtual Back to School backpack, - $5.00 rebate – code: Boutiquecafe from Sophie & Spice, Sherees Alchemy – win $25 gift certificate, My Turtle Baby – 15% discount – code: Boutiquecafe, You Can Make This – help raise money for Children’s Miracle Network .
*Participate in our Fashion Forward Friday this week and be entered to win a FREE Month long Banner Ad on Boutique Cafe in our Market! Amelia will draw the winner from all those who join in and announce in her next segment on BC.

Talk about a cute combination of colors, design and the MODEL! trendy*productions has a great transitional set for girls done in the colors of cherry and apricot and paired up with my all time favorite – polka dots! I love the addition of the jean jacket and the skirt over the jeans.  So “trendy” for the upcoming fall season! – Megan

“My new home dec fabric line, Nigella, started shipping to stores at the beginning of July and is widely available. It’s a yummy 54″ wide midweight cotton sateen that’s perfect for everything, from quilts to garments & accessories. The fabric has a beautiful hand and drape. The suggested retail price is $14.95 per yard and the wholesale price is $7.45 per yard. I’m having a great time using it in all of my summer projects. My quilting/fashion weight fabric lines, Belle & Lotus are still in full production and widely available. Also, we are putting the finishing touches on my new Nigella quilt pattern. It will be available as a free downloadable pattern on my website & in tear-off pads through Westminster Fibers. Please note that I am designing a new quilting/fashion weight fabric line that should be available in January 2008. I was not able to design a new quilting-weight fabric line before now because I have been busy working on my second sewing book, SEW BABY, which will be available Summer 2008.

I have a new kit and book that will be available soon. They have been true labors of love and I hope you enjoy them:
Sew-It Kit for Chronicle Books

This is a great giftable kit with 5 new sewing projects to accompany my IN STITCHES book. The kit includes fabric and notions to make one of the projects and 15 beautiful project cards, all packaged in a unique box format. Available in September 2007 from Chronicle Books. Retail $24.95.

TO ORDER DIRECT FROM CHRONICLE BOOKS (InStitches Book, Sunblooms Stationery Line or Sew-It Kit):
CALL: 1-800-722-6657 or www.chroniclebooks.com
Retail stores: 50% non-refundable discount on orders of 24 or more titles (all titles combinable for discount).
International Retail stores: To find your local distributor: exportsales@chroniclebooks.com.

Midwest Modern Book for Stewart, Tabori & Chang

My NEW book is called “Amy Butler’s Midwest Modern”. It is a home and lifestyle decor book packed with inspiring ideas covering creativity, fashion, home, garden and travel. It is loaded with beautiful photography (that my hubby, David, shot) featuring all of my fabric collections, my studio & my home. Available this October 2007. Retail $35.00. Here’s a sneak peak:

TO ORDER DIRECTLY FROM STEWART, TABORI & CHANG: CALL: 1-800-759-0190 or
www.hnabooks.com
Midwest Mod Book – SRP $35.00 AVAILABLE OCTOBER 2007
USA distributors and retailers should contact Trudi Bartow @ (212) 519-1209 for volume pricing or tbartow@hnabooks.com
Canadian distributors and retailers should contact Canadian Manda @ (416) 516-0911 or general@mandagroup.com
London Office +44 (0) 20 7713 2063
Please contact Madie Gunzi with inquires (MGunzi@abramsbooks.co.uk)

Rowan Sweet Life Bags
I am excited to tell you about my new Rowan Sweet Life Bags custom-made with my Nigella fabric. I designed these fashionable, multi-functional bags for creative passions like knitting, quilting, & crafting. The Sweet Life Bags are equally perfect on your arm as a stylish purse or shoulder bag. They are great for travel, baby care, shopping or the gym. They are loaded with smart details, organized pockets and plenty of room for stashing all of your tools and personal necessities.

There are 3 color collections made up of the 4 bag styles. The suggested retail prices range from $75.00 to $125.00. Wholesale pricing is 50% of SRP. The opening order is 12 bags total, in any combination. There is no minimum on re-orders. Orders are being taken now for the first production. Expected shipment date is August 2007.

Please contact Rowans Fabrics/Westminster Fibers directly to order the Sweet Life Bags.
Customer Service – Phone 866) 907-3305
All questions should be directed to Sarah Amrhein – Phone: (704) 329-5822
email: sarah.amrhein@westminsterfibers.com
International orders – please visit www.westminsterfibers.com for a distributor in your country.

I hope you continue to enjoy the beautiful days of summer. If you have a moment, check out a wonderful article on The New York Times website regarding the increasing popularity of sewing and knitting. One of the girls is wearing a dress made with my Belle fabric! Hurray for Sewing!!”

Take good care,
Amy
Amy Butler Design Website