If you’ve been reading the Daily Dish column here on Boutique Cafe for a while then you know I’m a big fan of Putumayo Kids and their wonderful line of cultural CDs (Celtic, African, Brazilian to name a few). I am always on the lookout for a children’s CD that parents can listen to without wanting to invest in a good pair of earplugs. The newest CD from Hot Peas ‘N Butter is kid tested and mom approved (yes, just like the eve popular Kix cereal).

I knew nothing about Hot Peas ‘N Butter before receiving Hot Peas ‘N Butter Vol. 5 to review on the Daily Dish. I went to the site and found out this group was a “[winner} of the 2006 AND the 2008 ‘Parent’s Choice Awards’” and is “a unique children’s musical group that incorporates elements of traditional Latin music, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, jazz, folk, and rock.” Now THAT is my kind of children’s music!

As usual I tried to have all my kids listen to the CD but with our recent move, the CD got lost in a box somewhere until I finally unpacked it yesterday. I did have my oldest daughter listen to it, but all of a sudden these children’s CDs are, as she puts it, “for littler kids” so she didn’t have much to say about it. My littlest ones were in bed and didn’t get a chance to jam to the multicultural, distinctly Latin (love it!) music, but if I know my two-year-old, I know her tiny little bum would be shaking and groovin’ to every song on this CD.

I took a listen so I could tell you my favorite song but found pretty much everyone was a favorite song on the CD. I’m not much for the slower songs unless I’m singing my babies to sleep, and this CD was full of extremely danceable music, which I love, love, LOVE. If I had to pick a favorite or two or three I’d choose “‘Round the World” (a good geography refresher); “Rayos Diferente” (who knew a song about bike safety could be so much fun!); and “Campo” (dang, I love those drums in the background!). I’m listening to “Campo” now and it brings back memories of my recent trip to San Juan and our meal at tiny restaurant in Old San Juan. Good times…

I love that you can download the lyrics and translations online, which makes you appreciate the songs even more. I can’t believe this is the fifth CD from Hot Peas ‘N Butter–how did I miss the other four? I’d like to say I have a little Latin in me somewhere but alas, it’s all German, Irish and English. I’m as white as they come, but that doesn’t mean I enjoy the music on Hot Peas ‘N Butter Vol. 5 any less! Um, wait, isn’t this supposed to be a review of a children’s CD? How about I stop making this review about how much I enjoyed this CD and instead tell you how much your children are going to enjoy this CD–they are really, really going to enjoy this CD! –Emily

*** Giveaway!!! We’re giving away a Hot Peas ‘N Butter Vol. 5 CD to two Daily Dish winners! It may sound like a small prize but this CD really is a ton of fun–and will make a great stocking stuffer! 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:

•    Visit HotPeasNButter.com, listen to a song or two and leave a comment telling us your favorite.
•    Join the Hot Peas ‘N Butter group on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
•    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 winners from the comments and contact them via email. Deadline: October 8, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

Our house is all a-flutter with preparations for our new baby girl arriving in late December. It’s a wild race to find the perfect accessories, products and things to make life for mommy more comfortable and stylish too. I was needing to track down a gorgeous and functional baby sling so keep my hands free and busy with Boutique Cafe, then luckily ran into the sweetest slings from a cool company called Pippalily (guess what? They are Canadian too!)

If you’ve never “worn” a baby before, with Pippalily you’re in for a real treat! They have a wide selection of the most yummy looking fabrics to suit almost every moms personal style. I opted for the Burgundy Gothic Rose, and I can’t tell you how gorgeous it is! The great thing about Pippalily’s slings are how totally easy they are to use, its one step simple to get that baby in there and have your arms free to keep on movin’, but if you have any trouble never-fear because Pippalily has instructional videos on how to strap their slings on.

One word of advice I have is to make sure you take the time to measure properly before you order your sling. Everyone’s body is different and in order to get a good fit it’s best to take a moment to get accurate sizing. Pippalily makes that easy too, with simple instructions on how to measure your body for your pretty new sling.

An additional feature that I enjoyed was the matching Toy Strap Pippalily sent along for me to try. I adored that it matches my gorgeous sling, and keeps baby’s soother or toys secured where you want them. No worries about losing that precious soother or dropping it on the floor. You can quickly strap it to your diaper bag, stroller or sling and take it along for the ride. I love that!

Having practical products to assist you with parenting is a real bonus, and the fact that Pippalily makes you feel so great and stylin’ while using them is even better! Sling on your own Pippalily, and enjoy special closeness with your little bundle of joy. – Daria

The beautiful & amazing Heather Bailey, fabric and textile designer extraordinare shares her inspirations and ideas on NBC’s Studio 5.

Enjoy this awesome interview with Heather, she even shares a quick and easy tutorial on how to create a beautiful fabric flower accessory from sewing scraps! We LOVE you Heather – way to go!

Read Heather’s popular blog here >>

Not sure what or who Primo is? Let me fill you in: Primo is a kid with “an extraordinary spirit, a huge heart, and a zeal for life. … He’s wild, he’s fun, he’s spontaneous, he’s daring and he’s a real go-getter. … He may struggle, battle self-doubt, and nay sayers but he will persevere and defeat. If he believes it, he will achieve it.” So I ask you again, have you found your inner Primo?

If you answered yes then count yourself among the few. For most of us we are constantly looking for that inner Primo, and even when we find it’s a daily struggle to hold on to her. Our lives are full of nay-sayers and self-doubt, so what’s a girl or guy or kid to do? How about sporting a positive message so you and others can remember how to believe in themselves.

Primo Activewear is all about spreading the positive message of hard work, perseverance and self-confidence through their line of tees for men, women and children. From their “Persevere-Believe-Win” tee to their “Find Your Primo” tee, the company celebrates trying your hardest, doing your best and most importantly, believe in yourself.

Primo Activewear sent George and I coordinating “Persevere-Believe-Win” tees, mine in pink (a very happy, confidence-boosting color) and George’s in black (a very cool, sophisticated toddler color). Though George will need to grow into his tee (just in time for kindergarten when a kid can use a good confidence boost!), I have worn mine often and for two reasons: one, it’s extremely soft and extremely comfy; two, somehow the “believe” part of the tee works its magical powers and I find myself a bit more positive about life…even when it comes to moving from one home to the other. I wore that tee a few times during our move and week of furious unpacking and I tell you what, I persevered, worked hard and definitely found my inner Primo. The house was pretty much unpacked and we were settled in within about two weeks!

These days we could all use a little inspiration and Primo Activewear is one way to be inspired while inspiring others. Use them for team shirts, a winner’s tee (”First 1 Up Wins” is a perfect one for that!) or as the perfect tee for helping your little guy or gal find his or her inner Primo. At the age of three George finds his more often than not, but who knows that 4 and 5 will bring. I’m glad we have a Primo tee just in case he needs a little confidence! –Emily

*** Giveaway!!! Primo Activewear is giving away one t-shirt, 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:

• Visit PrimoActivewear.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite product.
• Become a fan of Primo Activewear on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you’re their newest fan.
• Follow Primo Activewear (@Primolady) 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 24, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Promotion! Primo Activewear is offering Daily Dish readers 20% off their order! Simply enter code BOUTIQUE17 when checking out. Now go and find your inner Primo!

* Congratulations to Dee, the winner of the Primo Activewear 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!

Welcome to show #115, our celebratory podcast for 5 years of Boutique Cafe goodness! This journey has been a real joy to go on with our our listeners and readers, I can’t thank you enough for the support you have shown for the website, podcasts and for me personally as well. This episode Daria shares her thoughts on 5 years of podcasting and supporting mompreneurs. We share LOADS & LOADS of Boutique News about sales/promotions and great finds, and also give info on how you could be our very LUCKY listener to win our 5th Birthday Ultimate PRIZE PACK!. As a tribute to Patrick Swayze, who died yesterday after a heroic battle with Cancer, we play a song called “Jennifer Grey” by Christa Couture inspired by the movie “Dirty Dancing” and featuring some favorite images of him. Thanks to Maggie of Boutique Graphics for our Birthday Banner!
All Boutique News Links Mentioned in This Episode:
Gocks Frocks
Unstrung Sisters
Taygalook
SoFunFabrics
La*Tee*Da*Kids
Genevieve Gail (mention Boutique Cafe at checkout for Free Shipping this month!!
Free Forged showing at the USB, along with several @etsydallas members. @makestudio is sponsoring the show.
Urban Street Bazaar
GirleeGoodz

***5th Birthday GIVEAWAY*** – ONE LUCKY listener will receive a HUGE Prize Pack from our Boutique Cafe friends!

Prizes Contributors include –
Patty Young 6-piece fat quarter set of her fabric AND a Lil’ Chef sewing pattern
Tote and Tee – custom initial tee any style of winner’s choice
Carla Hegeman Crim – CD loaded with complete Scientific Seamstree Ebooks (valued at over $100)
Rosa Dolce Designs by Priscilla Resendez – set of 5 headbands…halloween, thanksgiving, christmas, valentines day, & 4th of july
Christa Couture – copy of her most recent album “The Wedding Singer and The Undertaker” & one-of-a-kind “Christa Couture Couture” shirts
Pink Papillon Jewelry by MaryAnn Daniels Springer- gift card for a custom cuff!
Sandi Henderson – set of patterns, and a collection of her gift boxes
Lee Coulter – his new album!
Frogs and Flowers boutique – an “I spy” bag and an apron The fit tweens up to ladies (one size fits all)
Greggy Girl - a plethra of Greggy Girl items and a Greggy Girl Set!!
You Can Make This – $50 pre-packaged bundle of ebooks from YCMT
$30 Gift Certificate to Miss Label.com
Boutique Cafe free banner advertising package for 6 months!
Amy Butler Design – a selection of her sewing patterns and stationery!!
And more prizes are coming in today as well!!

Several ways to win:
* Comment in our shownotes =1 entry
* Blog about Boutique Cafe and share the link = 1 entry
* Share this post on Twitter and mention @BoutiqueCafe (then come back and post the link here) = 1 entry
* Share this post on Facebook with your friends (then come back and post the link here) = 1 entry
* Join our Boutique Cafe Facebook Fan Group and post about this show = 1 entry

Drawing will take place on October 1st, 2009 at Midnight MST!
Boost This Giveaway on PRIZEY>> (click here, then press VOTE UP to give our special giveaway even more attention)
WINNER ANNOUNCED!!!!!!!! Congratulations to Mayya @ Sew Chic and Unique on winning our Ultimate Birthday Prize Pack from Boutique Cafe with prizes worth well over $500!! Thank you to everyone for entering and for your support. We love to do hot giveaways at Boutique Cafe and this one was definitely Smokin’

Over the past couple years there’s been a definite shift in children’s music and I like the direction it’s heading. I was never one for 10 variations of “I’m a Little Teapot” or “The Wheels on the Bus.” Don’t get me wrong, these songs are classics, but if I have to listen to children’s music then it better make me want to get up and dance as well as it makes my kids want to do so.

I had never heard of Laura Freeman before I was sent her newest CD to review on the Daily Dish. Apparently she’s had quite the music career before Somersault Season, including a few songs for adults as well. But it’s her lighthearted-yet-educational songs that have caught the ears of children and adults alike. Here’s what Freeman had to say about Somersault Season:

I wrote these songs to keep busy active bodies moving all year long. I also wrote it to remind us to notice how the natural world is always changing around us. I love watching the seasons flow from one to the other. I hope I inspire others to do so.

As usual I had my girls pop the CD in their player to get their take on Somersault Season. Unfortunately their little brother didn’t get a chance to listen to it (I think they had up their “no boys allowed sign” or something while listening). So I only have an 11- and 9-year-old’s opinion on the music and for Laura Freeman’s Somersault Season, it wasn’t as rave a review as, say, Pop Fly or Robbert Bobbert & the Bubble Machine. And I think that was solely because, in my eldest daughter’s words, Somersault Season is “kind of a little kids’ CD. Livi and George will really like it!”

So apparently while the music on Somersault Season is fun and danceable, it’s best listened to by a younger crowd. I’m thinking everyone but pre-teens and teens–they’re too cool for the seasons anyway. I would love to tell you my favorite song but I didn’t get a chance to listen to it before we moved, then it got lost amidst the boxes, and I have yet to hook up speakers to my computer so I can’t even listen to it via iTunes. But I do know it has received rave reviews and I love anything that mixes a little education with a danceable tune. Plus, if Freeman’s music is half as fun to listen to as her “My Brother’s a Monster” video is to watch (without sound, mind you) then it’s definitely worth adding to your collection!

Awww! Check out this darling Punk Princess custom set by bullfrogs*n*fireflies on eBay. This set was designed in conjunction with the new IVYLANE group launch called “Pretty in Paisley”.

“There was no detail left out! Punky the Princess and her kitty were hand cut and appliqued on the tulip petal top. The top also have V front with lots embroidery and flair. The fabrics are a mix match of color, patterns and textures. The Oilily flower cord fabric is TDF!! The tulip top also has a double layer for the extra Princess twirl. The tee is made with knit and jersey. Trimmed in rouching and ric rac with the tie tip hood. The jeans are FULL of applique and embroidery. Punky’s Teddy is on one leg with an awesome Oilily cord tie string pocket and Princess skull on the back. The other leg is appliqued with P U N K and has a Princess wing skull on the back. This set is full of style and attitude….deep inside every Princess is her inner Punk ”

Click here to bid >>

International Fall Quilt Market is hot on our heels, and this season I will not be able to travel to it due to my pregnancy. We’re opening it up for Quilt Market attendees to consider being our official Boutique Cafe Video Correspondent. (*You need to already be attending, as hotels in the area are sold out).

If you are interested in interviewing some of the top fabric and textile artists in the country for our Boutique Cafe shows please email me directly to: daria@boutiquecafe.com (Subject: Quilt Market Correspondent). Thanks so much for your interest,

Details:
October 10-12, 2009
Houston, Texas
George R. Brown Convention Center

Hello Friend!

I couldn’t be more excited about LOVE! My newest fabric collection for Rowan has me reeling.

I’ve gone over-the-top with prints and color to make a luscious and yet “bite-sized” collection of 26 quilting/fashion weight fabrics and 12 Home Dec weight fabrics. A marriage by design coming from a love affair of rich, soulful, organic florals and architectural prints passionately inspired by my recent trips to Indonesia and England. Rich tropical colors with ethnic imprints and elegance found in over the top florals like full roses and exploding peony blossoms join together in an optimistic celebration of print and color.

Print stories ” heart ” and ” soul ” provide the most positive vibe! Let the un-limited mix of design and color fuel your customer’s next creative project! Click Here to view the entire collection, I hope you and your customer’s fall in love with them all!

One of my favorite parts of my Love collection is the expansion into different substrates! I had a blast creating my new Love projects. Keep in touch and continue to check my website to see the new lifestyle and project photos and to learn about the releases of Love in quilting, home dec, flannel, laminate and double-faced quilted fabrics! We will be updating the website and adding free downloadable patterns featuring the different Love fabric weights throughout the month of September. I can’t wait to see all of the fun projects you and your customers come up with.

Westminster Fibers is accepting orders now for all substrates so be sure to contact your rep to place your order or call 1-866-907-3305 to set up a new account. I hope that Love inspires you & your customers to create great things this fall.

Peace and Joy,
Amy

I can scarcely believe I’m typing our 5th Birthday post, but its true! 5 years ago this month Boutique Cafe launched with our very first show featuring boutique designer Lark, and her precious daughter and model Sophie. Since then we’ve welcomed some incredible guests, hosted celebrities, bonded together as a community, played some fun games, held countless contests and giveaways, recommended hundreds of products for you and your family, travelled to meet each other at our 1st Boutique Cafe Girls Getaway Conference, hosted a live feed at Quilt Market, spotlighted tons of mompreneurs in our popular 12 Days of Christmas shows, and have even been sponsored by big name companies like Aveeno Baby from Johnson & Johnson! Whew, I’m tired!!

That is just a sprinkling of what we have been able to accomplish together, each day I hear stories of how members of our community have followed their dreams and gone on to great success. All the while we at Boutique Cafe have been cheering you on, bringing you new inspiration, and in several cases given our guests a platform to get their message out to the world. We are so honored to support women and moms in their businesses, its what brings us the most joy! And when I hear that we’ve made a difference to you, well it honestly touches me to the core.

I am currently working on posting a NEW podcast as well as a huge gaggle of Giveaways! Keep a close watch on the site for this in the coming day or two!

Thank you to each and every one of our listeners, readers and viewers for contributing to Boutique Cafe over the years. We couldn’t do any of this without your support, and encouragement. Here’s to another 5 years! Hugs to each of you from the bottom of my heart – Daria

Though school has started for pretty much everyone by now, summer weather is still here. For us those fall days are still a few weeks away, though the changing colors up the canyon reminds us they’ll be here soon. And that means it will soon be time for fall clothes in warm, yummy colors.

But what do you do if you have a child who isn’t big on “it itches, Mommy” sweaters or multiple children who I swear try as hard as they can to ruin their clothes? It makes me hesitant to put them in anything other than a long-sleeve tee and makes for pretty un-fancy fancy holiday wear. That’s why I was super excited when I heard about Picaflor Kids and their line of child-friendly, fair-trade-friendly children’s wear.

Reading their “about us” section taught me that Picaflor actually means “hummingbird” in Spanish. What a sweet name for some sweet clothing! The company “uses thoughtful fabrics and small-scale production to create a unique collection of knitwear that is designed for busy little wings.” Their knits are not only simple yet beautiful and stylish but are 100% rayon, which is a natural fiber (I had NO idea) made from recycled wood pulp. I knew rayon was soft but didn’t know it was environmentally friendly! It’s also hypoallergenic, absorbent and wicks moisture away (great for sweaty little bodies) and is known for fade-resistant colors. Best of all, Picaflor apparel is machine washable and dryable. What more could a mom ask for?

Picaflor Kids sent me two outfits, one for George and one for Livi, and I am totally dying for fall to hit so they can wear them. Our days are still too warm for long sleeves and pants, but this is quite possibly the first year since I’ve lived in Utah that I’m looking forward to cooler weather. True to the description above, the rayon is super soft and super forgiving and you can tell there’s been a lot of attention to detail and the colors are just as yummy as the soon-to-explode colors up the canyon. My blue-eyed boy will look fabulous in his brown sweater and pants with contrasting red stripes while Livi will be the belle of any fall ball in her perfect purple dress and leggings!

I’m keeping my fingers crossed my “I hate tags!” son will love the softness of the fabric. That will be a true test of Picaflor Kids‘ wearability. I have no doubt Livi will be just fine in her outfit–fortunately for Mom she’s not picky when it comes to clothes. (Yes, I’m enjoying it while I can!) According to their site, Picaflor apparel is available in a wide range of sizes from preemie to 7/8. Te Picaflor Kids site is still fairly new so you won’t find everything online but you will find a locations page so you can hit your local store for the collection. It’s worth the trip! –Emily

Check out this darling jumper from designer forever*young*boutique on eBay. This is part of a cool collaborative launch called “Duet” with the WisteriaLane group, with two designers coming together to create musically inspired designs.

Dancing in the Moonlight is the song that inspired this set >>

Appliques cover the entire circumference of this Feliz jumper. Whimsical dancing animals from the barnyard, jungle, forest and pond will surely put a smile on everyone’s face. In the barnyard scene you will find a dancing cow, pig, & chick. Deep in the forest you will find a moose kicking up his hoofs opposite a dancing bear. In the jungles of Africa you will find a not so fierce lion getting down with a tiger and giraffe. Lastly in the pond it appears the frog and turtle are having a hoe-down!

Additional details : Shoulder straps button in the back. Dress is fully lined with an attached ruffle.

Appliques are not digitized. This was hand cut, pieced and sewn by me. A lot of time went into this design but the end result was worth it! What a fun dress to wear anytime. This would be especially cute for that school fieldtrip to the zoo or farm. Looks great with boots as shown in the pictures.

This will be recreated in sizes 2-8

Be sure to search Wisterialane Duet for the adorable matching accessories by the very talented Sophies*Beads

How long has it been since you frequented our amazing Market? We’ve got loads of exciting shops and suggestions to fill your heart with joy! Jump on over and enjoy the shopping fun >>

If you’re interested in promoting your shop, auctions and products on Boutique Cafe be sure to snag yourself an ad spot during our current Back to School promotion. Simply purchase an ad in any of our BC sections for any length of time, and automatically recieve and additional week absolutely FREE!! Submit your ad and payment right here>> (promotion runs until Sept.15th!)

Know what’s nifty? Tote and Tee is back from summer hiatus with loads of sweet tee designs for your little GIRL or BOY! Handmade with love, and totally personalized with initials to represent your cutie-pie!

**Deal: Use the code “labor09? for 25% off your total order at Tote and Tee. Code good until Tuesday at midnight:)

The POURfect line of measuring cups and measuring spoons claim to be “the world’s most complete and accurate set of measuring spoons and cups.” Considering the measuring cups have 9 pieces and the measuring spoons have 12, that’s probably true. I have yet to see a more complete set of measuring cups and spoons, and I have a few sets in my kitchen drawer.

I received the POURfect spoons and cups in the Kitchen-Aid’s Imperial Red. (They have spoons and cups to match 6 of Kitchen-Aid’s colors.) The first thing I thought when I opened the box was “those are some serious measuring spoons and measuring cups!” Apparently they both include some hard-to-find sizes. The cups come in 1/8, 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 3/4, 1C, 1½C, 2C while the spoons come in 1/64, 1/32, 1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 3/4, 1t, 1½T, 1T, 2T. Whew! Both sets have bold text and include English, metric and even braille; calibrated measurements that are “guaranteed accurate;” polished bowl so ingredients release easily. (I’m still not sure peanut butter releases easily in anything but Pampered Chef’s Measure-All Cup.)

Anyway, I tried and tested both the measuring cups and spoons and here are my thoughts:

• Who the heck needs a 1/64th teaspoon? or a 1/32nd for that matter? And the 2 c. measuring cup seems a bit redundant. Is it really that much more effort to use the 1 c. twice? Save some plastic, people!
• Though the thought of the “POURfect” pouring lip on the cups is a nice one, I think it really works best on their POURfect bowls. I don’t ever pour from the front of a measuring cup; 99% of the time I pour from the side.
• I loved the stabilizing rubber rings on the larger measuring cups. That feature was nice!
• LOVE the Imperial Red–yummy, yummy kitchen color.
• I also really like the raised text. I find when measuring cups have the measurements painted on they wear off after time and then it’s anybody’s guess as to how much brown sugar your packing into your cookies. Of course those same raised measurements are the same color as the cups so it’s sometimes hard to read.

At $12 for the POURfect measuring spoons and $18 for the POURfect measuring cups, I think you’re better off with a standard yet high-quality set from Target like the Kitchen-Aid line. I am intrigued by their POURfect bowls, which you can learn more about via videos on their site. A POURfect mixing bowl would come in handy when we use our Baker’s Edge brownie pan. It’s not easy getting that batter in there! –Emily

Meet Charlotte! She’s the most recent addition to the Olive Juice & Co. apron family and starts you off this month with membership in their NEW Kit Club!

Full Kit including:

-signature OliveJuice & Co. sewing pattern
-detailed step-by-step instructions
-all necessary coordinating fabric yardage
-jumbo rick rack
-lush chocolate velvet ribbon
-ecru pin dot scalloped lace

*The purchase of this kit begins your 6 month membership in the OliveJuice & Co. Kit Club. (All details are available HERE.)

We also featured this news on our ApronADay.blogspot.com blog, but HAD to share it here too of course. Good luck Kim – we love you! XO

Ahhh the 80’s! I was totally obsessed with the show Punky Brewster, my sister and I never missed an episode. Well Soleil Moon Frye gifted her loyal fans with a true blast from the past this week. She promised her Twitter fans that once she reached 1 million followers she would dress as Punky Brewster. Out came the bandanas and mis-matched shoes! I can’t express how much joy this brings me Soleil – you ROCK! Punky Power forever! – Daria

Follow Soleil Moon Frye on Twitter here>>

We recently sent Boutique Cafe viewer Jen Holyoak as our “Special BC Correspondent” to attend the “Moms Who Make it Conference” in SLC Utah. The goal of the conference was “Give Your Life & Business a Complete Make-Over, Creating the Life You’ve Been Dreaming Of!”

Jen was able to interview some incredibly talented women, get the scoop on some great businesses, and we’re thrilled to see the fun footage she was able to snag on her new Flip Camera!! Enjoy the ride as we share a bit of the behind the scenes from this amazing summer conference, put together by the dynamic duo of Quinn Curtis & Emily Hill. Thank you for inviting us to attend, and thank you Jen for all your hard work!! We LOVE our amazing viewers! Please leave comments for the featured gals in this episode – they ROCK!

Links to check out:
Olive Juice Co. (Kim)
You Can Make This & You Can Quilt This (Kim, Kris & Sherrie)
Girls Loft (Margie)
Dear Lizzy (Liz Karchner)
House of Three (Rhonna Farrer)
Created by Mom (Quinn Curtis)

** Click button below to view video coverage, or view it on our YouTube channel shortly right here>>

I rarely buy my kids those prepackaged lunch meals. I find them seriously overpriced for the sad little options you see through the plastic cover. I do have one exception: the “Jr.” ones that come in a two pack and designed specifically for toddlers. At about $1 a piece they are a perfect little snack. Of course if I were  a good mom I’d be more concerned about the ingredients in those aforementioned lunches rather than the price, but we all know by now I’m not necessarily a good mom. But I digress as usual.

Why am I bringing up the subject of ready-to-eat meals in September? Perhaps the sound of a school bell is still fresh in your ears; it is around here! And just in time for back-to-school lunch is a line of ready-to-eat meals, or should I say ready-to-picnic meals, from GoPicnic. When I heard GoPicnic offered a complete line of “nutritious, high-quality shelf-stable meal solutions.” In other words, meals that don’t require refrigeration and yet are healthy and filling. GoPicnic is serious about health and nutrition and offers vegan, Halal, gluten-free, vegetarian and kosher options. The story behind the company is pretty cool:

GoPicnic’s founders developed the concept of the shelf-stable picnic meal in 2004 for a major US airline whose existing buy-on-board fresh food service program was costing it millions of dollars annually due to high levels of waste from unused meals. … The shelf-stable snackbox solution that the GoPicnic founders created to address these issues generated profit for the airline for the first time in its food service history and provided customers with a reliable quality product at a good value.

Does that ring a bell? Anyone flown lately and seen those ready-to-eat meals some people buy while on the plane? I thought so! By the way, those people must not know you can buy a whole Cinnabon and carry it on with you.

GoPicnic sent our family three of their regular meals (GoDeli, GoPower and GoEnergy) and three kids meals (SafariMunch, ExploreMunch and SportsMunch). Each of my girls took one to school and both came back pretty happy about their ready-to-eat GoPicnic meal experience. Though one daughter wasn’t a fan of the white cheddar cheese in the ExploreMunch, she was pleasantly surprised by the Snapea crisps and ended up sharing her all-natural gummy bears with her friends. My other daughter was pleased overall with her SportsMunch, though I don’t think she was a big fan of the pumpkin seed crunch.

As for me, I tried the GoDeli and the GoPower meals–not all at once, mind you, but I did have one for lunch and one for a late-afternoon snack. My husband was supposed to take one with him to work and spaced it as usual, so I was more than happy to try his sample. I absolutely loved the GoDeli meal with its pepperoni slices and asiago cheese spread but didn’t enjoy the dried apricots so much. Don’t get me wrong, I love apricots but the texture was a bit hard for me to swallow. The chocolate chip cookie reminded me of those Grandmother’s cookies only healthier and not five gillion calories! The GoPower meal was pretty tasty too. I ran out of veggie spread for my bagel chips (those ratios are important!) but the flaky, buttery shortbread pastry more than made up for my disappointment. Note: I would’ve taken photos of the yummy treats inside each box but I ate them too quickly. Sorry.

With such high-quality, healthy ingredients that also taste good, GoPicnic is definitely a wonderful option for school lunches. They’re also great for work lunch, road trips, emergency preparedness and even as a private-label meal option for organizations. (Yes, they do that too!) The one downside is the price. Though some of the meals are only $4, a few are upwards of $6 and $7. For me that’s a bit too much as far as a school lunch option goes, but at around $4 (some of the meals go on sale) GoPicnic’s ready-to-eat meals are a good way to prepare for emergencies. I’m thinking a couple in the car for those “one hour turned into four hours” tire rotation trips to Costco or a few in the pantry for last-minute field trip lunches! –Emily

** Giveaway! GoPicnic is giving away six (6) sets of meals to three (3) winners! 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:

• Visit GoPicnic.com and leave a comment telling us which meal you’d most like to try.
• Join the Friends of GoPicnic group on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
• Follow GoPicnic 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 winners from the comments and contact them via email. Deadline: September 10, 2009 (midnight). The winners will have 24 hours to claim their prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Charity, Spoodles, and Diane, the winners of the GoPicnic 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!

Holiday Christmas Cutie! This sweet applique wrap dress and jeans are so scrumptious for your little lady this upcoming holiday season. Blu*Moon*Design is having a sample sale, and this set is available in a size 2T (worn only for pictures).

Snag this set on eBay here >>

My kids have always been crazy about the Leap Frog DVD’s. We’ve spent many an afternoon together watching and learning about letters and their sounds over the years from cute characters Leap, Lily and Tad. Just before school began for the new year I ran out to our local store and snagged a copy of the brand new “Lets Go to School” movie for them to enjoy.

Initially I thought that Noah might be the only one interested in watching about starting school, however as the jazzy music and cute voices kicked in I found all three of my young boys (ages 8, 7 and 4.5) watching it together and giggling. Leap Frog marks it as appropriate for ages 3-6.

Here’s the premise of this video:
School starts tomorrow, and Tad and Lily are nervous! Join Tad, Lily and their magical firefly Edison as he shows them that the classroom is more nervous than they are! As the twins calm the blocks, globe, clock and more first-class characters, they build skills that help them get ready for school.

Preschool Skills:
- Phonics skills
- Counting
- Animals

Special Features:
- 5 sing-along songs
- Interactive alphabet book
- A sneak peek at Math Adventure to the Moon(TM)

**If you purchase your copy online you can get FREE SHIPPING! Use promo code FSNDVD at checkout to receive free shipping on this item. *

Help your little learners get a hop ahead for the new school year with Leap Frog! – Daria