My children always look forward to a Scholastic review because it means another DVD or two full of their favorite stories, and the most recent DVDs don’t disappoint.

Diary of a Spider…and More Cute Critter Stories title story features one of my children’s favorite books, Diary of a Spider, the sequel to the popular (and another Hill favorite) Diary of a Worm. The story is one of the few I can read–and watch–over and over again. The award-winning animated adaptation is engaging and of course the humor in the story is great for kids and adults alike. The DVD features more critter stories with Scholastic’s wonderful Read-Along option: Roberto the Insect Architect, Norman the Doorman, The Mysterious Tadpole and The Story of the Dancing Frog.

Corduroy…and More Stories About Caring brings the much-loved character from the classical storybook to life. On this DVD the title story is an animated adaptation of the original Corduroy, which tells the story of Corduroy’s search for his missing button in hopes it will help his being purchased and taken home. The story uses both live action and stop-motion animation. When the story first started I had to clue in my kids about the lovable bear, and because it started out in a dimly lit department store with a “live” teddy bear, they asked if it were a scary story. But I quickly put their fears to rest, as did the story itself, and the proceeded to watch it and the other features quite a few times that afternoon. The DVD also includes six other stories.

My children have thoroughly enjoyed their Scholastic DVDs and I have enjoyed their watching something other than Nick toons and Playhouse Disney. And if you have a preschooler at home you’ll definitely want to pick up a few of these DVDs; the Read Along feature is wonderful for beginning readers. –Emily

Many companies featured on the Daily Dish were inspired by children, and TinyNut is no exception. When the owners gave birth to their daughter they wanted to share [the] news in a way that would be as beautiful and special as she was…[they] set about creating a photo announcement that … was as unique and striking as she was. …” They received so many compliments they decided to do the same thing for others and TinyNut was born.

Offering everything from “coming soon” announcements to birth announcements for multiples TinyNut helps you spread the word about your “little” celebration in a fun way. Their designs are fresh and unique and best of all, affordable (all designs are $1.39 or less!). I love the Family Tree and Tiny Boxes ultrasound announcements, and their Miracles Happen adoption announcement is simple yet beautiful.

TinyNut doesn’t want you to be limited by what you see online. They are more than willing to help customize your announcements so it is uniquely yours. They can accommodate any gender, color scheme and wording/font style, plus they offer an online proof so you can ensure your little one’s name and birth info are correct.

Another really cool option is the “print your own announcement.” Just approve the online proof and for a one-time fee of $34.95 TinyNut will send you a high-res photo so you can print your announcements at home, at your favorite photo store or online. And TinyNut even offers 8×10 enlargements of their designs so you can frame your special announcement for all to see. Make your announcements as beautiful and special as your little one by creating something unique from TinyNut. –Emily

* Promotion! TinyNut is offering Daily Dish readers 15% off their order; enter code “boutique15″ at checkout. Offer expires December 1, 2008.

Super cutie Sophie models this sweet “Peace, Love, Boys” tunic by the*pink*lemon*girl on eBay.

Custom size 2t – 10. The tunic is partly recycled made from vintage tees. Are you doing your part in recycling? There couldn’t be a better cuter way! Awesome and easy style for Back to School!

View this listing and more pics here >>

Now you can share your love of Boutique Cafe right on your own website, blog, facebook, myspace and more!! Use our content to enhance your website, inspire other’s with our product reviews, podcasts etc.

Simply click at the bottom of our widget, copy and paste into your sidebar. You look SO Chic! XO!

We’ve reviewed some awesome workout gear from SkirtSports, and now I have a great set of accessories from Studio i|m’s active line to complement your new Footloose dress. The i|m active collection was designed specifically for the “active woman’s lifestyle.”

With what Studio i|m calls ActiveHold Technology these hair accessories grip into place and won’t slip or fall out. Though I have a fairly active lifestyle (trips to the gym, yoga and chasing after four kids) I have pretty short hair so I had my girls try out a couple i|m products. We loved how the hair elastics with their ActiveHold tread were grippy enough to keep their ponytails in place but not so grippy they pulled out the hair when the girls were done using them.

My favorite, which worked just as well in my short hair is it did in their long, was the FeatherWeight black hair wrap. This headband was truly light as a feather (i.e. didn’t cause a headache after lengthy wear) and stayed put no matter how many double-takes I did (is that really permanent marker on the carpet?!?!). And I loved the Sport Clips because their rubber tread holds wet hair really well, which is a great help when you’re trying to give your girls’ hair a trim and it’s your first time giving them a haircut!

Whether you have short hair or long, play on a high-school sports team or run a daily marathon chasing after children you’ll find the perfect hair accessory for your active lifestyle from Studio i|m’s active collection. –Emily

We’re almost there! Show #100 is next week and we would love your help! Please send us a quick email with your fave BC moment, show topic, advice or comment and we’ll include it in our upcoming 100th episode!

In this episode, Daria is totally TWITTERpated. We’re seeing so many of our boutique community members joining in at Twitter.com that we just had to encourage you all to join. It’s a great way to follow your friends and colleagues, keep connected, and network. Thanks to Kirsten at Winipoo Jewelry for inspiring so many momprenuers to get connnected in this fun way.

Also in the show, our 2008 Holiday Gift Guide is taking reservations now, email us for full details. Boutique News including: NStyle Halloween Launch, Lil Peas HapPEAest Place on Earth group launch, and JM Banner Ad Sale and more! Song is “Betty” by The Lascivious Biddies, from the Podsafe Music Network.

Here on the Daily Dish we’re big fans of form, function and fashion coming together in one big group hug, and Allen Avenue’s Cevan Metro diaper bags and Color Zoo animals do just that. Founded by award-winning product developer Natalie Covrig, Allen Ave.’s unique product line is a result of collaborations with artists whose backgrounds include illustration, fine art, industrial design, graphic design and photography. Catering to the contemporary parent, the company’s limited-edition gear and toys are modern, fresh and definitely functional.

I’ve been able to check out the Gold Biplane Cevan Metro diaper bag. Though the Cityscape is probably my favorite design the Gold Biplane is just as sleek and stylish. I love the wide opening, which means quick and easy access to snacks and wet wipes, and the reinforced bottom is a big plus. Unlike most diaper bags this one is fully insulated and even has slightly larger insulated compartments for those wide-neck bottles and sippy cups. Cevan Metro bags have pockets galore and an extra wide, padded shoulder strap (yay!). Another feature you probably won’t see in other bags is an adjustable velcro divider for extra organization. When you have two under the age of three you’ll take all the extra organizational help you can get! And can your husband borrow your current diaper bag and still look cool? Probably not, but if you own a Cevan Metro bag he can play Mom more often. Now that’s true functionality!

We also received Grady the Giraffe from Allen Ave.’s Color Zoo collection. Besides being super cute the giraffe’s soft texture and bright colors brought a smile to our faces immediately. I swear my eight-year-old has played with it just as often as my toddler. These large animals, which come in limited-edition patterns, have embroidered eyes and noses and a 100% cotton cover so I felt pretty safe when my littlest one started chewing on its nose! My other favorite animals–besides my kids–are Hadley the Hippo and Ellis the Elephant. I’d probably add them to our collection if it didn’t already feel like a full zoo here at home!

If you’d like to get in on the form, function and fashion group hug then visit Allen Ave.’s online store. The only problem you’ll have is choosing which bag and which animal most appeals to your modern sense of design…because they all will! –Emily

Boutique Café Granted Exclusive Access at International Quilt Market

Boutique Café’s Daria Muirhead, who hosts one of the most popular weekly podcasts featuring designers, “mompreneurs,” and even the occasional celebrity, was the hostess with the most exclusive interviews at the Spring 2008 International Quilt Market in Portland, Oregon.

Canada (PRWEB) August 21, 2008 — Boutique Café’s Daria Muirhead, who hosts one of the most popular weekly podcasts featuring designers, “mompreneurs,” and even the occasional celebrity, was the hostess with the most exclusive interviews at the Spring 2008 International Quilt Market in Portland, Oregon.

The International Quilt Market is an industry tradeshow that focuses on “the art and the business of quilting.” For vendors and buyers only, the show’s exhibitors offer everything from quilting supplies, machines, patterns and yards and yards and yards of fabric. Daria was on site as the only podcaster with permission to record the event.

The extensive and impressive list of well known and up-and-coming fabric designers interviewed by or Daria include Amy Butler, Joel Dewberry, Anna Maria Horner, Sandi Henderson, Tina Givens, Gina from Quilters Buzz, Jan Lutz of The Apron Lady Designs, Michael Miller Fabrics and the list doesn’t stop there!

While attending Quilt Market, Boutique Café was invited to attend the JCaroline Fabric 2.0 Party where Daria and other Boutique Café members had the opportunity to network and meet with designers, textile artists and media.

A select number of vidcasts from the Spring 2008 International Quilt Market show are already playing and Daria will continue to release more interviews and behind-the-scenes footage over the next couple months. The vidcasts are a perfect way for those who were not able to attend to get a feel for the show and “meet” their favorite designers. They are also a fabulous way win great giveaways (visit BoutiqueCafe.com for details).

Bob Ruggiero, Director of Publications & Public Information for Quilts, Inc., was extremely pleased with Boutique Cafe’s coverage, “I’m (so) happy to have some younger and hipper coverage!” Ruggiero has invited Daria to return to the International Quilt Market show being held this fall in Houston, Texas.

About Boutique Café:
Boutique Café is the world’s first boutique podcast. Our weekly shows feature children’s couture designers and highlight topics of interest to fashion savvy moms around the world. Whether it’s a new muse, shopping for trendy outfits for your tot, or tearing your hair out over organizing your home, Boutique Café can help. Besides producing a highly portable and downloadable radio show, we also support a community forum of buyers, designers, moms and professionals. Boutique Café has experienced great success in its first seven months of operation and has gained thousands of subscribers to the show, as well as thousands of visitors to our site each day. Visit BoutiqueCafe.com for more info.

###For press release and info >

It’s been almost two years since we reviewed a pair of fashionable rain boots (Plueys back in October 2006) and it’s about time we did another one especially with fall weather around the corner–the same corner around which school projects are hiding. The wait has been worth it when you see the downpour of designs from DLL Rainwear.

DLL Rainwear offers more stylish puddle stompers than the weatherman has cold fronts, From the cutest styles for women (check out the Jeffrey Campbell Rainbow Gray ballet flat) to dashing pairs for men (Chooka’s Dueling Skulls could take on any size puddle) to a seemingly endless selection for children. We received DLL’s own Raining Cats and Dogs pair for kids and though my littlest is too young to give them an official test drive–or jump–I did give them a thorough going-over. Besides loving the playful unisex design, I found the 100% waterproof natural rubber boots to be super sturdy. The non-slip sole was a big plus (when you’re jumping in water this is an important feature!) and the pull handles are perfect for little hands. With boots as cute as these you know your little one is going to wear them 24/7 so they better be easy to take on and off!

DLL Rainwear even has a few “Mommy & Me” sets, my favorite being the Orange Squiggle set. Of course you’ll want to protect more than your feet when it rains and DLL has you covered with their line of rain coats for both adults and children. And their prices are just as “sunny” as their designs with boots and coats starting around $30. DLL Rainwear lets you puddle jump in style–and on a budget! –Emily

* Promotion! DLL Rainwear is offering Daily Dish readers 15% off their purchase. Enter code BCAFE15 at checkout. Offer expires October 31, 2008.

Think your group has the right stuff?! We bet they do, and Boutique Cafe loves nothing more than featuring YOU! We’re booking our Fall Fashion Show features right now and opening up our email to allow your group to apply for a showcase.

Boutique Cafe would like to feature your groups designs for an upcoming launch you might have in the works. Boutique groups from eBay & Etsy may apply. We realize this may take some coordination to get images together and sent in so we’re booking features for group Fashion Shows now through the end of summer. Bookings will be done on a first come, first served basis and the fashion showcase will last one week on our front page (then of course in our archives).

If your design group would like to be featured please send me an email to daria@boutiquecafe.com
Please include information about your group:
- Date of your launch (this is critical)
- Number of participants
- Theme/Name of your launch
- How long your group has been running
- The leader’s name and contact info if applicable
- If you’re group would like to offer a prize or giveaway to coincide with the feature on Boutique Cafe (we highly recommend offering a giveaway of some kind to correspond with your launch.)

*Once your date is approved and we confirm with you, we’ll require some additional information, 1 image per participating member for the Fashion Show, your group logo and a quote about your group and what makes it special. (images will need to be supplied at least 1 week in advance of your feature date in order to create the movie)

We’re so excited to offer this great opportunity to so many talented designer groups! Cheers – Daria

Our first big family vacation to California proved to be 100% FANTASTIC!! I can’t wait to share it with you. I’ve started to blog about it on my personal blog with pictures, and will continue to keep adding to it (including our visit to Disneyland). Our video footage from Disney will be released soon as a video podcast as well. Keep watchin’ for it! – Daria

Jennifer Murphy, a mom and entrepreneur, is on a mission to “produce fun, modern, and organic baby and toddler clothes from sustainable materials,” and she does so through her company, Chapter One Organics. And by providing customers like you with fashionable, sustainable clothing her company is also creating green jobs for women who face various employment barriers. Murphy is essentially giving both your little ones and women in need a fresh start.

Chapter One Organics’ clothing line includes tops and bottoms, dresses, rompers, bibs and blankets in super soft organic cotton (made in the USA, fair labor, fair wage) and super fun designs. My little Livi received the Groovy Pink Dress and it’s by far one of the softest, grooviest dresses in her closet. I’m all about ease and comfort when it comes to children’s clothing and this Groovy Pink Dress fits the bill. I’m also in love with the Earthluxe Eggplant Top & Bottoms and Alphabet Soup Romper.

While your little one is enjoying his Organic Leaf Romper you will enjoy knowing your purchase has helped support a company that is a member of Co-op America, which “adheres to the highest standards to create a socially just and environmentally stable economy.” Chapter One Organics is truly “creating a fresh start for our future.”

Murphy also wrote The Green Eaters, a book for babies and young children that portrays five farm animal friends who dream of a better life outside of Dreary Day factory farm. While reading our family learned that even animals can dream of a fresh start, especially when they live on a factory farm. The five animal friends are granted that fresh start when they are moved to an organic farm. The Green Eaters was a simple yet engaging way for my children to learn a little more about organic living. –Emily

* Promotion! Chapter One Organics is offering Daily Dish readers 15% off online orders; use code 08GIRLSENSE at checkout. Offer expires September 18, 2008. NOTE: Any orders placed between August 14th and 23rd will not ship until the 25th.

Just when I thought yoga practice was restricted to the local gym or yoga studio (or in my case the basement) I was introduce to Yoga in the Car, a CD that teaches you to “stop beeping and start breathing.” Check out these scary statistics:

• The average American spends 443 hours a year behind the wheel of a car
• Most of that time is spent commuting to work (where you end up sitting behind a desk all day)
• Over 45 of those 443 hours are spent stuck in traffic
• In Los Angeles 1.5 million commuters have a 35-minute plus commute; 60% of these commuters have a drive time between 45 and 90 minutes. Much of this time is spent in bumper-to-bumper traffic moving at less than 1 mile an hour for 10 minutes at a time.

I don’t know about you, but sitting in traffic is not my favorite way to destress after a long day at work. Fortunately I don’t often have to sit in traffic, but I know quite a few people who do, especially when we lived in Sunnyvale, CA (Silicon Valley). If I’d known about Yoga in the Car back then I’d have given every one of them a copy for Christmas!

Yoga in the Car, which starts off with a track introducing the listener to the concept behind the CD, has 13 tracks. The first, like I just mentioned, serves as an introduction. Jen Swain, the woman behind the CD, has an extremely upbeat yet soothing voice. Tracks 2 through 9 are a series of guided exercises while tracks 10-13 are enjoyable instrumentals that help the time spent behind the wheel go by quickly. The exercises help relax the shoulders, neck, back and hips, which I knew were areas affected by stress but didn’t even think about them also being affected by a long commute!

I listened to the CD while working away at my computer (my ‘95 Odyssey has yet to play CDs) and found that it worked its soothing wonders even when sitting behind a desk rather than a wheel. Though my husband often rides the bus to and from work he still can come home stressed from a long day (and lots of bodies crammed together in a bus whose AC doesn’t work that well). I’m thinking Yoga in the Car definitely has multiple uses. Perhaps it should be titled Yoga Whenever and Wherever You Feel Stressed. Okay, maybe that title’s too long, but you get the point.

If you commute or know someone who does, help them fight the signs of commuting (stress, tension, anxiety, fatigue, high blood pressure) with Yoga in the Car. It’s about time you took back your commute! –Emily

** Giveaway!!! Om the Road is giving away one copy of Yoga in the Car! Please leave a comment with a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: August 22, 2008 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

** Congratulations to Elizabeth Y., the winner of the Yoga in the Car CD! 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!

I am one of those moms who look forward to the start of a new school year. No, I don’t love the homework and required daily reading minutes but I do love the seven hours of quiet and lower hormone levels in the house. I’ve already done the back-to-school shopping for the kids so now it’s time for my list of school supplies, which includes a new outfit (hey, if the kids get one Mom should too!), a couple good books and momAgenda’s Desktop Planner in the new leopard print.

I first reviewed momAgenda’s Desktop Planner in January of 2007 and I used that thing until its week-at-a-glance pages were full! Although the lime green was bright and fun I was super jazzed to receive the new 2008-2009 (August ‘08 to December ‘09) planner in the new leopard print for this review. Would it be too much to say I was purring over the thing the minute it arrived? For me momAgenda’s Desktop Planner is the cat’s meow of all calendars. The daily spots are big enough to fit all those piano lessons, soccer practices, play dates and errands without needing a magnifying glass to read them all yet the planner is small enough to fit in your purse or tote.

For those of us with kids this planner’s ingenious design includes a space for Mom and up to four kids. (If you have less than four do what I do and use one space for a to-do list!) Plus with its month-at-a-glance pages you can plan ahead for their famous American report and count the weeks until winter break. One of my other favorite features is the space at the bottom where you can write in what’s for dinner. That may be the one thing that saves my family from eating pancakes more than once a week!

momAgenda’s Desktop Planner goes above and beyond a simple address book and gives you pages full of favorite websites, space for notes on books, movies, music and fashion, vacation and party planning pages. Plus the momEssentials pamphlet comes with space for addresses, medical info, birthdays, websites and passwords. It’s the ultimate tool for keeping you and the rest of the family organized and it ought to be on the top of your back-to-school list too.

The rest of your list should include these other items from momAgenda: chores pad, family planner (perfect for the fridge), weekly menu/grocery pad, and babysitter’s pad (you’ll definitely need a date night after that first week of school!). –Emily

** Giveaway!!! momAgenda is giving away one of their new 2008-2009 Desktop Planners! Please leave a comment telling us your favorite thing about back-to-school; include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: August 21, 2008 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

** Congratulations to Elizabeth C., the winner of the momAgenda 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!

I swear if it weren’t for moms The Daily Dish wouldn’t have as many cool products to review, and today’s feature is a great example. A very caring mother of two, concerned about the discomfort caused by most bibs and the possibility for strangulation and suffocation, designed a product that helped ease her mind while offering cleanliness, comfort and a pretty high “cool” factor for her children. The product was Bibs & Match, and I have never seen anything like it!

The basic idea behind Bibs & Match is the set’s special design. The bib attaches directly to the onesie via simple snaps and you can detach them easily to replace with a clean one (think snacks in the car on the way to a family party). The bibs have no Velcro, which as we all know often gathers lint and loses its “velcro-ness” after a while. Plus that dang Velcro can get scratchy around your little one’s neck. The patent-pending design is made with soft 100% ring- spun cotton and the prints use 100% non-toxic water-based ink. Thebbibs are even double layered to maximize absorption. This mom has thought of everything!

I had to see Bibs & Match up close and I was lucky enough to receive their Boxed Gift Set , which includes two bibs (one in Grey Monster, one in Orange Monster) and one onesie in Grey Monster. Bibs & Match also included their PaciLoop, a pacifier holder with a silicone ring so you can attach your little one’s pacifier to their Grey Monster onesie. True to their word the onesie and bibs were nice and soft and snapped together easily. The PaciLoop was a great little addition to the set and coordinated perfectly. And those monsters…they definitely make the set. Their bright colors and simple design make for fun and unique creatures every child will love. “…Designs can be mixed and matched, in case your baby’s feeling a little bit monster, a little bit alien… Who says it needs to be Halloween to get into costume?”

With Bibs & Match’s genius, safety- and comfort-minded design plus its super cool characters, I can see why Bibs & Match is a winner of the 2008 iParenting Media Awards. And if you want to win “the best baby shower gift” contest (okay, so there’s not really a contest but for some reason it always feels like there’s one) Bibs & Match is your winning entry. Be sure and pick a set up for your little one as well! –Emily

** Giveaway!!! Bibs & Match is giving away one of their Boxed Gift Sets! Please leave a comment with a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: August 20, 2008 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

** Congratulations to Tara R., the winner of the Bibs & Match gift set! 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!

With the size diaper bag I carry I have to keep it organized if I’m going to find anything. With a pacifier pocket cliipped to the outside and a spare burp cloth next to the changing pad I felt I was good to go. But after reviewing Burpie Baby’s Binkie Bib and Burpie Baby 911 burp cloth I realize my diaper bag has more potential than I thought.

Put simply the Binkie Bib is a multitasker, and I love anything that can multitask because it usually makes life simpler in one way or another. The Binkie Bib is a super soft, triple-layer bib (with waterproof liner) that doubles as a pacifier holder and triples as a pacifier pouch. I have the My Little Monkey design in pink (the bib comes in 12 designs) and I love the simple yet functional design. The bib is the perfect size for a drool bib and comes with a removable pacifier clip. Pull the ribbon through your pacifier’s loop and then clip to the bib so baby can find it when wearing the bib and Mom can find it when the bib is off. To convert the bib into a pouch just pull the bib’s ties and cinch the bag tight. Though it took a little coaxing to get the bib to cinch super tight it sure looked a lot cuter than my pacifier pouch. Plus my vinyl pouch wouldn’t work so well as a bib…definitely not a multitasker. The Binkie Bib even comes with a small loop on the back so you can use a link to attach it wherever you’d like (diaper bag, stroller, belt loop, etc.).

As much as I like the Binkie Bib I have to say the Burpie Baby 911 is my favorite of the two. Talk about multitasking in style! The Burpie Baby 911 is a generously sized triple-layer Burpie cloth (waterproof layer inside) with an exclusive glow-in-the-dark “emergency” pull-tag with toy loop and a handful of cute teether tags on the end. I have my What a Doll Burpie Baby 911 in my diaper bag with that cool glow-in-the-dark tab hanging just over the side so I’m ready for any emergency even if it’s during a late-night drive home from Grandma’s. I love the oversized burp cloth and the little tags at the end are great for baby to play with while doing double duty as the perfect place to attach a teether toy or two. With 19 designs to choose from you’ll be fashionably ready for any emergency!

My life is all about multitasking so I enjoy finding products that work as hard as I do. Burpie Baby’s Binkie Bib and Burpie Baby 911 help keep me prepared and my diaper bag organized. Perhaps I should pick up a set for my husband… –Emily

* Promotion! Burpie Baby is offering Daily Dish readers 20% off their orders. Enter code “burp café” at checkout. Offer is good on Binkie Bibs and Burpie Baby 911 burp cloths.

Sigh…Amy Michelle diaper bags…they’re truly one of my favorites. The Gladiola bag I reviewed back in April has never left my side. I receive more compliments on it than I ever did with any other bag. If it proves to be a little big for everyday use once it’s free of diapers, wipes and divided formula containers, I may have to switch to one of Amy Michelle’s new Street Baby totes.

The Street Baby line, which includes the Broadway, Madison Avenue and Rodeo Drive designs, are all about fitting as much functionality as you can into a very compact design. Parked next to my fabulously red Gladiola bag is Amy Michelle’s Broadway tote in navy graffiti. (I also love the Rodeo Drive in chocolate modern.) This diaper bag not only includes stroller attachments but easily converts from shoulder bag to backpack (without instructions it did take me minute to figure out how to convert it). Believe it or not this bag includes a washable changing pad, quick-release pacifier holder, a surprising number of pockets and compartments and even a few features just for mom: section for Mom’s necessities; pocket for day planner, cell phone, and other essentials; an easy to find key ring.

Though the Gladiola is still my favorite I’m just as impressed with Amy Michelle’s Street Baby line as I have been with the rest of the collection. The designs are practical yet stylish, the craftsmanship is of the highest quality, and my favorite thing, they don’t look like diaper bags. Whether you prefer Rodeo Drive or Madison Avenue or find Broadway’s more your style, you’ll be street chic with any one of Amy Michelle’s Street Baby totes! –Emily

Halloween listings are shooting up all over eBay right now, it’s the perfect time to order your little one’s special boutique outfit or costume ahead of time. Trust me, planning ahead it the best way to ensure you have something you love, and that gets to you in time for the big event.

We adore this sweet Halloween Mouse Euro Vida dress by mya*bella*designs, with rockin’ applique to get your little girl some festive attention! Custom sized 2T-8. Bid on this Spooktacular dress here >>

**And for hundreds of Halloween Boutique Listings:
Click here for eBay >>

and Here for Etsy >>

Our dreams are coming true, Boutique Cafe is heading to California!! We’re going to be taping a Video podcast for Boutique Cafe at Disneyland next week!

I’ll be at the park next Tues, Wed, Thursday. If you’re going to be there with your kids, dress them in Boutique, we’ll be watching for you – I’d love to get them into the segment! If you’re a designer this would be a great way to showcase your designs in the happiest place on earth!

We hope to meet several of our Boutique Moms there, and your Disney-kids too!! If you’re going to be in the area, please leave me a comment below and I’ll email you my cell number so we can hook up at the Disneyland park.

See you there! – Daria

***Shhh!!! Don’t tell my kids, they don’t know we’re going there yet!! hee hee

The kiddos might be just heading back to class, the warm weather is still brightening our days…but planning your holiday sales starts months in advance. Here’s how to reserve your ad space in our 2008 Holiday Gift Guide.

On Boutique Cafe we’re excited to offer our popular 2008 version of our Holiday Gift Guide for your online shops to take part in! The savings guide will run from Sept. 1 – Dec. 31st. To reserve your ad space simply send us an email to daria@boutiquecafe.com and in the subject line please put “Holiday Guide Reservation”. We’ll send you further details on how you can take part and create a holiday selling season to remember!!

Remember the old school personalized magazine covers you’d find at the local amusement park where they basically put your face on someone else’s body? No matter how great the job it was always a little off. Well, say goodbye to fake bodybuilders and beach babes and hello to real life cover models. And let me tell you, the real life version is awesome!

I had more fun reviewing YourCover’s Personalized Magazine Covers than I did inhaling a bucket of Trader Joe’s Dunkers. With our little one’s first birthday this week I had the perfect reason for creating a keepsake to celebrate this big event (she’s our last, what can I say?). With her pinchable cheeks and chunky thighs it was easy to turn that baby girl into a cover model. The process was super easy using the online design studio. I simply uploaded my favorite photo (vertical works best) and then cropped the image so her face was front and center. Next I created personalized headlines (font style, size and color) unique to her and her special day. The back cover had room for more photos (didn’t find this out until later, dang!), an Editor’s Note, masthead and sections for additional personalized text. I threw in Livi’s 10 favorite things and Top 10 Ways to Party.

If you’re not a big writer don’t worry; YourCover offers helpful suggestions for the various sections. Just tweak it a bit, proofread and you’re good to go. Your personalized magazine cover is printed on a heavyweight glossy paper and full bleed, which means the color goes to the edge of the paper so it looks like a real magazine cover. It arrives in a deluxe acrylic frame so everyone can see both the front and back, plus you can order extra copies to share with friends and family. I ordered two extra so both sets of grandparents could take one home. (Our grandkids are their favorites so displaying the magazine cover is a given…right, Mom?)

Typical of my life these days I waited until the last minute to order so Livi’s issue of First Birthday magazine has not yet arrived, but if it looks anything like the proofs it’s going to be fabulous! A personalized magazine cover from YourCover runs around $50 (additional copies are only $4.50) but let me tell you, I feel a lot better about spending that amount on this unique and beautiful keepsake than I do on a pathetically small amount (about three) photo sheets from Kiddie Kandids. My babies never made headlines there. –Emily

** Giveaway!!! YourCover is giving away one free personalized magazine cover! Please leave a comment with a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: August 13, 2008 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Promotion! YourCover is offering Daily Dish readers $5 off their purchase! Simply enter code BC5 at checkout. Offer expires September 30, 2008.

** Congratulations to Mary S., the winner of the YourCover 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!

The container we use to store our markers often reminds me of the laundry basket on top of my dryer. Where one holds a collection of single socks missing their mates, the other holds a collection of dried-out markers in desperate need of their caps. Though my kids may enjoy the challenge of finding the handful of markers that still work, I don’t enjoy throwing away the handfuls that don’t. If your markers are suffering from MCS (missing cap syndrome) then you’re going to love The Cap Trapper from Savvy May Creations.

Designed by a mom with a teaching background The Cap Trapper is a simple yet ingenious way to keep your caps together and organized. Caps don’t go AWOL and markers don’t dry out. The flexible material allows The Cap Trapper to fit any cap size from super skinny Color Wonder markers to those chunky, perfect-for-toddler, washable (or so they claim) markers. The minute we received our Cap Trappers I had them out of the package and attached to the few working markers we had left. My kids thought they were pretty cool and I loved knowing I wouldn’t need to stock up on markers from the back-to-school bins. Though they take up a little more room in the bucket, you actually don’t need as much room since you can eliminate half your markers. (When only one out of five green pens actually work you can really downsize.)

The Cap Trapper isn’t just for home and school. Savvy May Creations also has a line of professional Cap Trappers perfect for dry erase and flip-chart markers. You can keep your dry erase markers in one place so you’ll know just where to find them when called upon to present at that last-minute meeting. No need to steal markers from the conference room down the hall because you’ll have your own, full, moist set!

With back-to-school shopping here you’ll want to add a few sets of Cap Trappers to the list; be sure to throw in one or two extra for yourself. Even if you’re not a crafter or teacher you’ll find they come in handy for organizing those pens and markers you have hidden on the top shelf (right next to your favorite pair of “good” scissors). You can purchase Cap Trappers from Amazon.com or from Little Angel Baby boutique.–Emily

** Giveaway! Savvy May Creations is giving away one two-pack of their fabulous Cap Trappers! Please leave a comment with a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: August 11, 2008 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

** Congratulations to Suzie G., the winner of the Cap Trapper 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!

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