I also love the shoes in their new spring collection. Simple Shoes sent me the D-Kay in Jute, a sort of skater-style women’s tennis shoe. Well, maybe it’s not super skater but it’s definitely more hip and youthful than my tan suede Rocket Dog sneakers! Here’s me trying them on for the first time and a what appears to be a pathetic attempt at ballet’s first position:

And here’s me kickin’ back in my D-Kays on our super comfy couch. (At least, I’m guess it’s super comfy since I rarely sit on it much less kick back on it. Who has the time?)

Though I wouldn’t typically choose this style of tennis shoe (it’s totally my sister, though), I really enjoyed wearing them. Made me feel a few years younger and yet not like I was one of those mom’s who raids her daughter’s closet. At first the top of the back of the heel felt like it might sit too high and poke into my ankle (or whatever bone/ligament/tendon is back there), after I wore it a couple times it loosened right up and I didn’t give it a second thought. The D-Kay is a really fun shoe, and like all Simple Shoes, it has a really cool makeup:

• Eco-certified suede eyestays
• Certified organic cotton laces
• A “pedbed” (the cushiony and supportive stuff at the bottom of the shoe) made of super soft and squishy polyurethane foam and recycled rubber
• Certified organic cotton lining and footbed
• A biodegradable sole made of recycled and natural rubber and EVA with Eco-Pure additive
• Water-based glue
• Foot form inserts made of post consumer recycled paper

And your D-Kays arrive in a shoebox made of post-consumer recycled paper, soy based printing ink, natural latex and starch based glue.

The other fab shoe in the collection is the women’s Flippee. Who doesn’t love—and live in—a great pair of flip-flops all summer long? This new flip-flop from Simple Shoes is just as eco-friendly as the D-Kay and just as stylish, if in more of a “I’d rather hit the beach than hit the skate park” sort of way (my sort of way). They have lots of fun color combos and I’m telling you, they look like the comfiest flip-flops a beach-goer could own!

If my tan can’t be sustainable, then I sure as heck want my shoes to be! Check out all Simple Shoes’ new arrivals for spring/summer on their website at SimpleShoes.com. –Emily

Sorel sent me a pair of their new, super stylin’ Sorellington rain boots. Typical me, I went with the black and white style; other color combos would really tax my already simple fashion brain and require a phone call to my friend Quinn in a panic asking her how to work them into an outfit. Here’s a little info about these little puddle jumpers:

The Sorellington combines all the comfort and protection you need in a Wellie with the durability and detail you expect from Sorel. Crafted with the same high-quality vulcanized rubber shell as our classic 1964 Pac boot, it features a bonded felt frost plug to insulate your footbed on colder days and a multi-directional lug outsole for grip.

Now that’s a high-tech soundin’ rain boot!

When my black and white Sorellingtons arrived, I whipped those babies out of the box and tried them on, hiked up pant legs and all. I couldn’t believe how comfy they were! I’m no Wellie-aficionado but these might be the most padded, comfy rain boot around. Plus the tall shaft made them feel a bit more chic and stylish, at least in my humble, little opinion.

Unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to sport them around. The couple times it snowed it melted immediately or snowed on a Sunday, and I didn’t think I could pull off wearing my Sorellingtons with my Sunday dress. But I have a feeling with it being a mild Utah winter, we’ll have a very slushy, rainy spring so I’ll have plenty of chances to test them out. Of course, George didn’t need an excuse to try out my new boots:

Perhaps I should take some fashion advice from George. He seems to have plenty of style for the both of us! –Emily

***Giveaway!!! Sorel is giving away one pair of their Sorellington rain boots, winner’s choice!***

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

•   Visit Sorel.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite shoe (women’s, children’s or men’s).
•   Become a fan of Sorel on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
•   Follow Sorel 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: March 23, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

This commercial from Kia made Nathan and I laugh so hard! I love the Sock Monkey getting the tattoo – hysterical! Had to share. What’s your fave commercial right now? – Daria

Lucky Puppy is an “innovative lifestyle brand with a focus on children’s fashion” designed for dog lovers and enthusiasts. But the company isn’t just about cute clothing:

While Lucky Puppy is cute and adorable, the real heart of the brand is what makes it irresistible. Created with the idea of giving back, each online purchase of Lucky Puppy helps to rescue a homeless dog. Lucky Puppy is dedicated to matching strays with loving families and they succeed by partnering with various animal foundations on a local and national level.

Currently Lucky Puppy is donating 15% of the company’s online sales to Paws and Learn Humane Education Center. Super cute clothing that also supports a cause? Pretty “dog” gone terrific!

Lucky Puppy sent George their blue burnout tee with crest design and Livi their aqua heart paw tank dress. As you know I love to snap photos of the kids as they “review” products for the Daily Dish, but since we don’t live in Phoenix, it was a little chilly for Livi to try out the tank dress. And due to a laundry situation here at home (i.e., my avoidance of said laundry), I didn’t have a layering tee for George to throw on with his Lucky Puppy tee.

I will say, the tank is super cute and will be great for summer, especially as a fun swimsuit cover-up to and from the pool. And the burnout tee is seriously so dang cute! Even though it’s blue I’m looking forward to handing it down to Livi after George is done sporting it around town.

Lucky Puppy also offers hoodies, hats, onesies and a line for puppy-lovin’ adults. They even have a “Darling Doggie Contest” happening right now. Submit your photo of your super cute puppy or vote on your favorite canine.

Lucky Puppy clothing is about as hard to resist as those heart-stopping puppy dog eyes! –Emily

* Promotion! Lucky Puppy is offering Daily Dish readers 10% off their purchase! Simply enter code bcafe10 when checking out. Offer expires March 20, 2010; don’t wait! *

It’s so much fun sharing this FIND with you today, as I’ve personally ordered several items from this designer and have drooled over each and every one! It’s time to Discover {Rosebudlips} on Etsy, this quaint online store is stocked with precious treasures such as fabric rosebud headbands, funky rosebud & bib necklaces, and even darling infant hats.

From personal experience I can rave about the beautiful handmade quality of her items, they are beautiful! Check out Rosebudlips on Etsy today, and let them know you found out about them on Boutique Cafe too!! – XOXO Daria

Perhaps that’s why I love the designs from Rock-a-Thigh Baby. This company has designed a line of eco-friendly thigh-high socks that stay in place. With designs for boys and girls and sizes from newborn to four years, Rock-a-Thigh Baby has you your children’s legs covered! The comfortable cuffs are designed so they don’t roll down or twist while the ribbed panels at the ankle and arch help keep socks in place. (Yay for stay-put socks!) These socks also have no-skid grips that provide traction (a must on slippery wood floors like ours) and size (a must for moms washing multiple size socks at the same time). Even niftier than all that, Rock-a-Thigh Baby socks are made in the USA and are an “environmentally friendly, sustainable cotton-blend textile product made from soft top-quality, 100% ‘pre-consumer’ yarn.

So do they live up to their thigh-high claims? They sure do! The company sent Livi a pair of their neopolitan socks to test for our Daily Dish readers. She had no problem wearing these cute pink, brown and white striped socks.

And I loved having only one thing to put on her legs–no layering leg warmer and socks. When it comes to getting kids dressed, I’m all for easy. Plus Rock-a-Thigh Baby’s socks kept her legs warm yet I didn’t have tights to pull down for diaper changes. Toward the end of the day the tops started to curl just slightly, but they never rolled and never slid down. I’d say they passed the chunky-toddler-leg test! A leg warmer and sock in one? Genius!

Rock-a-Thigh Baby will soon add sizes up to about eight years. So cool! You can view their entire collection at RockaThighBaby.com. –Emily

*** Giveaway! Rock-a-Thigh Baby is giving away one pair of children’s socks, winners choice! ***

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

•   Visit RockaThighBaby.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite style.
•   Become a fan of Rock-a-Thigh Baby 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 winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: March 16, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

But perhaps this review will make it a little easier for you. Essential Swimwear is a new line of modest tankini-style swimsuits with designs to flatter every figure. Designed by a woman who was all too familiar with the stress that is swimsuit shopping, Essential Swimwear was created with every woman in mind:

After becoming thoroughly discouraged every season as I searched for the perfect swimsuit, I decided that it didn’t exist. I was frustrated with expensive prices, wrong fits and the hassle of searching online for hours. Having some sewing experience, the thought came to mind, “Why don’t I make my own swimsuit?”

After a lot of trial and error, I was finally able to sew swimsuits that were comfortable, stylish and flattering. I began making swimsuits for friends and family and soon the word started spreading.

I sold hand-sewn women’s swimsuits in 2008 and 2009 and received an overwhelmingly positive response. I gained priceless knowledge as I personally fit hundreds of women. I was able to discover their needs, wants and insecurities. With this knowledge I was able to design a line of swimsuits for the 2010 season.

I like clothing designed with non-stick-thin women in mind! Essential Swimwear sent me their Ocean Waves halter top with matching basic bottom, one of their more popular styles. And I can see why. In fact, I loved the style of this suit so much I would have modeled it for you if only I’d been on a white sand beach in the Caribbean, but since all I have is a sleet-filled backyard, you’ll have to settle for stock photos instead and simply use your imagination.

I love the dainty ruffle around the neckline and along the bottom. The color is super yummy and the tankini top has a very generous length, so you long torso women will be just fine. (Short torso women like myself will still look cute with it sort of gathered around the middle—does a great job hiding any belly rolls.) The bottoms fit snugly in all the right places without riding up (or down). And the triangular-style halter is a really great cut for both the well and not-so-well endowed.

One thing I thought was really cute about this suit is you could pull it straight down like it shows in the picture for a sort of retro look. I do wish the tankini fabric were a titch thicker and hugged a little tighter around the middle, but that’s because I’m not a big fan of suits sort of floating around me when in the water. But I would have to say that’s my only “sort of but not really” hangup about Essential Swimwear’s Ocean Waves suit!

My other favorite styles are the Broadway Halter top with black basic bottoms and the Coral Paradise Sweetheart top with coordinating bottoms. Essential Swimwear also offers hipster-style bikini bottoms and a couple styles of skirted bottoms.

Essential Swimwear does home parties (Utah only, I believe) so you could even earn a free swimsuit if you host one! It’s never to early to swimsuit shop, especially if it lifts your “crap here comes more snow” winter spirits! –Emily

* Promotion! Essential Swimwear offers a 20% discount on one of their swimsuit pieces every Tuesday on the company’s blog. Subscribe or you’ll miss out on some great deals!*

*** Giveaway! Essential Swimwear is giving away one swimsuit, winner’s choice!***

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

•   Visit EssentialSwimwear.com and tell us your favorite style of swimsuit.
•   Sign up for Essential Swimwear’s newsletter and leave a comment telling us you’re on the email list
Become a fan of Essential Swimwear on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
•   Follow Essential Swimwear on Twitter and leave a comment telling is you’re their newest follower.
•   Become a follower of Essential Swimwear’s blog and leave a comment telling us you’re a new follower. (You’ll want to do this one so you know when they have the 20% discount!)
•   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: March 12, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

Halftees sent me their cap-sleeve tee in black to review for our readers. Unfortunately the size I chose was a bit too small to wear comfortably so I passed it to my oldest daughter. She wore it under a cute v-neck babydoll style shirt the very next day. It looked great and she didn’t have to worry about the tee riding up in back. (That’s one thing that drives me crazy about multiple layers—the constant pulling down in back.)

For those of you who are expecting, Halftees are a wonderful option for layering. Clothing can get bulky enough when you’re pregnant, and adding a second layer bumps up your already warmer body temperature. With a design made to end just below the bodice, Halftees are the perfect option for expecting moms.

I did notice the band around the bottom of the tee is a bit wide, which means it’s more likely to be visible when layered under tighter fitting clothing. When my daughter wore it under her babydoll tee, I didn’t notice it but it was also a thicker fabric and the band of the babydoll tee coincided with the band of the Halftee. I will have to wait and see how it looks under a simple, thinner t-shirt. I do love that Halftees offers a long-sleeve option, which is great way to transition your tees from summer into fall.

You can buy Halftees online or visit their kiosk outside Victoria’s Secret in University Mall (Orem, UT).

*** Giveaway!!! Halftees is giving away one of their layering tees, winner’s choice!***

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

•   Visit Hafltees.com and leave a comment telling us which style/color you’d choose.
•   Become a fan of Halftees 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 winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: March 9, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

Every pair they’ve sent us for review, my children have loved and worn and loved and worn until there’s no room for any more lovin’ or wearing. They last forever; the designs are fresh (even hand-me-down versions are still just as cool); and they fit my children’s feet. Not an easy task when you’re talking one two-year-old with chunky feet and one four-year-old who’s super picky about his shoes fitting just right. But See Kai Run does it—and does it in style.

See Kai Run sent Livi the Arianna from their new Spring collection. Can you say “yummiest orange Mary Jane EVER?!” She could not wait to put these on so we immediately de-boxed them. They went perfectly with her current outfit of choice:

Don’t tell Livi, but while she was sleeping one night I tried on the shoes just in case they might fit me. They didn’t. Dang!

You can view See Kai Run’s entire Spring collection online. You might want to double check the limit on your credit card…I guarantee you’ll want to buy every pair on the site!

*** Giveaway!!! See Kai Run is giving away one (1) pair of See Kai Run shoes, winner’s choice!

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

•   Visit SeeKaiRun.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite product.
•   Become a fan of See Kai Run on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you’re their newest fan.
•   Follow See Kai Run 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: March 4, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Regina M., the winner of the See Kai Run 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!

Designer thats*so*addie says:
“I ADORE how this set turned out! I used the popular Cow Says Moo fabrics to make this darling jumper set.

The jumper dress is a sweet combination of barnyard fabrics with a poufy bubble style skirt attached for a full & fun look. Euro clips at the shoulders for a unique look and of course a little pocket on the bodice showing off those cute little farm animals. Layer over a long sleeve tee for cooler days.

The poufy ruffle pants (can be made capri length if you wish) are so sweet with little pockets featuring the barnyard animals on one leg and made with darling coordinating polka dots. The ruffles at the hem are a new design by me that have a pouf to them instead of regular ruffles…so cute and fluffy!”

Bid Here>>

Thank heavens Keurig had a wait list for review units and my name came up sooner rather than later! Winter is the perfect time to give this baby a test run. Keurig sent me their Keurig Select Brewing system, which retails for about $160. This model actually offers users four cup size options when brewing, an auto on/off setting and the largest available removable water reservoir, which holds up to ten cups. I didn’t realize until reading the user’s manual it has a removable drip tray so you can fill your travel mug before heading out the door. (If only it also “brewed” vanilla-flavored Diet Coke…)

The girls oohed and aahed over the Keurig brewer when I first set it up on the counter. They couldn’t wait to try it out, so we hurried and washed the reservoir and then filled it with water. After returning the reservoir to the brewer it only took a couple minutes for “ready to brew” to appear on the LCD screen. In went the hot cocoa cup and out came the chocolate:

Though the brewer was a hit, the hot cocoa definitely was not. The brand is Green Mountain and I noticed they didn’t get stellar reviews on Keurig’s site or Amazon.com. The girls wouldn’t touch it, even my “loves anything hot cocoa” daughter Lauren, so down the drain it went. I noticed the Ghirardelli hot cocoa received pretty decent reviews, but those are packets and not K-cups.

I then tried the lemon zinger tea. I popped in the cup, hit brew and a few seconds later it was ready. The flavor was really good, although next time I might up the cup size so it’s not so strong. Cocoa and tea aside, most of Keurig’s coffee selections receive rave reviews. I wish I’d had a chance to invite some coffee-drinking friends over but the brewer arrived too late to do so.

If you’re a serious tea (great selection of teas!) and/or coffee drinker with a penchant for sleek appliances, Keurig home brewers are totally for you. If you’re more of a cocoa drinker, I’d wait a bit longer until they add a little more variety—and some better-rated selections—to their current line. –Emily

…

YOU CAN WIN WITH THE DIY DISH >>

The company recently launched an line of first-stage baby food called the JUST line (six single-fruit varieties of USDA organic baby food) and a selection of fruit and veggie blends (e.g., pumpkin & banana, apple & carrot, spinach, peas & pear). Plum Organics sent us a few pouches from the JUST line to review, but since I didn’t have a child willing to try young enough to test the samples I decided to try the purees in a couple recipes.

For the first recipe I substituted about one full pouch of JUST Bananas in a Betty Crocker Cinnabon Cinnamon Streusel muffin mix. They were just as yummy, if not more moist than usual:

And for the second recipe I substituted a pouch of JUST apples in one of my favorite lemon cookie recipes. (You can find the recipe on isthisREALLYmylife.com.) These babies were also super tasty thanks to the Plum Organics puree:

But back to the packaging. Those pouches are super cool! They fit much more nicely in a diaper bag or purse for on-the-go feeding. The recyclable cap is resealable so you don’t have to chuck any uneaten food. They’re lightweight (no breakable glass jars) and make it easier to squeeze onto a spoon. The packaging is also designed using 100% BPA-free materials. Cool, huh?

Plum Organics also sent us a few samples from the company’s new TOTs line, a complete line of organic snacks for toddlers. You’ll find TOTs Mish Mash (squeezable fruit snack); TOTs Fruity Fingerfuls (pouch of handful-sized bites of freeze-dried fruit and multi/whole grain puffs); and TOTs Fiddlesticks (gluten-free snack sticks with “the goodness of fruits and veggies baked right in”).

Now, I tried to get Livi to test the TOTs line, but she wouldn’t have it. She’s kind of in that “I’ll eat what I want to eat when I want to eat it” phase, which seems to last for years at a time. (Her favorites right now are cheese, yogurt, Goldfish crackers and more cheese.) But my husband was all about taking the TOTs Fruity Fingerfuls to work for a healthy snack. Hey, more power to him! I do know Livi loved those freeze-dried fruit snacks a few months back when she wasn’t so danged independent, so I bet had we tried them then she’d have been a big fan.

Though a little pricier than your typical off-the-shelf baby food, Plum Organics is worth it if you’re looking for certified organic food with no artificial ingredients and no added sugar or salt. It’s 100% “real” food. –Emily

*** Giveaway! Rebel Green is giving away three (3) six-packs of their JUST baby food to one lucky Daily Dish winner!

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

•   Visit PlumOrganics.com and leave a comment telling us which fruit & veggie blend sounds yummiest to you.
•   Become a fan of Plum Organics on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you’re their newest fan.
•   Follow Plum Organics 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: February 25, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Eileen B., the winner of the Plum Organics 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!

Party Like a Twinkle Star is the latest release from Charity & the JAMband. Who–or what–is JAM?

JAM is a hootenanny, a hullabaloo, a dance party, a shindig-bash, a festival, a family band, a rain dance, a sun song, a fairy frolic, a wander in the park, a race on the beach, a flitting floating butterfly-bop, a blundering thundering elephant-stomp, a twirling-whirling-swirling dizzy-dee fall-down boogie!

How could you not want to go right out and purchase this two-disc set after reading that? The full story of Charity and JAM is rather interesting; you can read it here.

Party Like a Twinkle Star will have your kids twirling, frolicking and rockin’ with the first disc, Party: 10 Songs for Rocking Out. Then Charity & the JAMband will help them calm down, relax and mellow with Twinkle: 10 Songs for Tucking In.

My favorite Party songs were “Some More S’mores,” “Beach” and “We Are Stardust” (definitely a great song!). But I’d say most of my favorites came from the Twinkle disc. In fact, I loved the entire disc. Perhaps it was because it was late at night while I listened, but those tunes were peaceful, soulful and centering in a way. I’m listening to “Moon Hug” right now and I keep pausing to listen and relax and regroup. You can tell the artists behind the music have children and movement and music appreciation in mind when they created these tracks.

Along with their collection of music, Charity & the JAMband offer some wonderful children’s and grown-ups’ classes if you happen to live in the Bay Area. Since we don’t, we’ll have to settle for creating our own JAM classes here at home, though I have a feeling I’ll be popping in the Twinkle CD most often. (We have quite a bit of twirling, rollin’ and rockin’ goin’ on already.) –Emily

** Giveaway! Charity & the JAMband is giving away two (2) copies of Party Like a Twinkle Star!

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

•   Visit Charity & the JAMband online and tell us what you think of their February “Song of the Month”
•   Follow Charity & the JAMband 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: February 23, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Kowanda M. and Renee C., the winners of the Party Like a Twinkle Star 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!

Plain tees are nice but it’s always fun to spice up an outfit with a vibrant color or a cute content tee. Don’t get me wrong though… I’m not about to advertise myself with a shirt that yells out a brand on the chest or silly and ridiculous statements across the front.

That is why I like retroink tees. Their classy vintage content combines any look into a stylish statement. My fitted elephant tee is not only a hit in the classroom full of 1st graders but adults in the college classroom find my shirt very “cool!”

The cotton isn’t anything amazingly soft, but, with enough washes the shirt has become more worn in and more comfortable and seems to fit me better.

The tees are an affordable way to supplement your wardrobe with just a few pieces that could add variety and style to your closet.

Tees are available at retroink.com
-amber

Baby Emi was founded “to celebrate Debbie’s [the owner's] Cambodian heritage and the culture’s family-oriented traditions. She was also inspired by her grandparents who made a brave trek to America during a dark time in history wanting to create lives filled with peace, hope and promise.” Cambodian families welcome new babies with jingle bell anklets believing the whimsical sounds keep bad spirits at bay. The inspiration for Baby Emi came when Debbie’s daughter received a set of traditional Cambodian jingle bells as a baby blessing gift in 2002.

I’m not the only one who loves these sweet little jingle bells. You’ll find Baby Emi’s sterling silver jingle bell anklets and bracelets on quite a few celebrity children. That’s probably why I felt super nifty when Baby Emi gave me a sterling silver jingle bell anklet for Livi so she and I could review it on the Daily Dish.

Oh, the sweet tinkling of those tiny, delicate bells! When I pulled it out of the satin gift bag the first thing I did was see if it would fit around my wrist. It honestly looked fabulous, but I sacrificed and let my daughter try it on for size. Unfortunately for this review but fortunately for me (because now I can wear it whenever I want), Miss “I’ll wear what I want to wear and not what you ask/beg/plead with me to wear” refused to keep it on. I bet if I’d had one on her ankle since birth she’d be fine with it. (The same holds true for headbands and oversized floral clips.) I honestly wish she’d wear it so I could tell where she was in the house. Is she in my bathroom trying on lipstick? Is she in the pantry pulling out the Costco-size bag of chips? It would be nice to have a sort of JPS (”jingle positioning system”) on her!

Though Livi won’t wear it, I continue to take it out of the bag, shake it gently and fall prey to the enchanting sound. Apparently these Cambodian jingle bells can stimulate a baby’s development–perhaps that’s why I love it. I could use a little stimulation throughout the day. (Not that kind of stimulation…) Anything to keep me awake from the hours of 3pm to 7pm.

Baby Emi offers anklets and bracelets for infants, toddlers and adults alike along with sweet necklaces and bangles. Though a little pricey at $60 for a baby anklet, they do make a beautiful and meaningful baby gift (or Valentine’s/Mother’s Day/I’d be lost without you gift). It’s been too long since I last heard the jingling of bells. Better give that anklet a little shake! –Emily

* Promotion! Baby Emi is offering Daily Dish readers 15% off their purchase with code BOUTIQUECAFE15. Now you too can jingle all year long!

*** Giveaway!!! Baby Emi is giving away one (1) sterling silver Jingle Bells anklet for baby to one lucky Daily Dish reader (a $60 value)!

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

•    Visit BabyEmiJewelry.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite piece of jewelry.
•    Become a fan of Baby Emi on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
•    Follow Debbie 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: February 11, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Aura H., the winner of the Baby Emi 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!

Hopscotch Tees sent George their Roboman t-shirt and I should’ve paid to have them overnight it. Once George had picked out his tee he asked me “Is that my robot shirt?” every time I grabbed the mail. When it finally arrived that kid had the package open (with a little ribbon help from me) in no time. I wish I could’ve captured his expression when he pulled his “robot shirt” out of the package but these photos will have to do:

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Did you see the super cute lollipop? Yeah, I thought so. Yummy treat packaged with an equally yummy shirt. George couldn’t wait to wear his shirt but I made him save it until he could show it off at school, but the wait was well worth it (see photo at right). The shirt held up well at preschool and equally well after multiple washings. The shirt is super soft, which is perfect for a little boy who doesn’t deal well with shirts that might be even the least bit itchy. It’s definitely one of George’s favorite tees (and mine)!

Hopscotch Tees has styles for both girls and boys on its site, my favorite girl tee being Sugar Shop. And if (when) we order another one for George we’ll definitely add the Tackle Shop tee to his collection! –Emily

* Promotion! Hopscotch Tees is offering Daily Dish readers free gift wrap AND a crystal or long-sleeve upgrade on their orders! Simply mention Boutique Cafe when checking out. Roboman powers, activate!

Though not all songs on Rise and Shine were made for serious rockin’ and rollin’, they are all made for children with enough funk for adults to enjoy. The songs range in style from bluegrass to 80’s punk rock and were perfected as the duo of Key Wilde and Mr Clarke performed together at numerous schools and kid-friendly events. When you listen to the songs you can tell these two “get” kids.

The CD comes wonderfully packaged in a board book complete with illustrations just as offbeat as the songs. It was my kind of humor and I thoroughly enjoyed browsing through it while listening to the music. (Does that mean my sense if humor is that of an elementary-aged kid?)
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Rise and Shine is one of the newest releases from Little Monster Records, an indie kid’s music label based in Woodstock, NY. Last February I reviewed another release from Little Monster Records (Robbert Bobbert & The Bubble Machine) so it was no surprise how much I enjoyed Rise and Shine by Key Wilde and Mr Clarke. Definitely add it to your current collection of children’s CDs. Now. –Emily

* Promotion! Little Monster Records is offering Daily Dish readers a really awesome deal on Rise and Shine. Our readers can buy the book/CD combo for $9.98 and receive a free video download! You must click here or click below to purchase a copy of Rise and Shine for yourself your kids at this special price:

Get it Now!

*** Giveaway!!! Little Monster Records is giving away two (2) copies of Rise and Shine! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a comment for each one you do:

•   Listen to Rise and Shine in the widget above and leave a comment telling us your favorite track.
•   Become a fan of Little Monster Records on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
•   Follow Little Monster Records 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: February 4, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Melanie M. and Wehaf U., the winners of the Rise and Shine 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!

Remember the days when you couldn’t wait to open that special valentine card filled with a paper note and conversation heart candy. I just KNEW that those conversation heart candies meant TRU LUV when given by the boy I had a crush on.:)

Years later, those special “valentines” are still ones I look forward to giving and receiving. A handmade card and artwork from our children are some of the best, aren’t they? A small handmade gift from a friend says, “I’m thinking of you”. Those kinds of things are memorable and treasured because you know that it was made with a lot of thought, time, and care. You know that while they were making that item, they thought about you, and could just imagine what it would be like to have you receive it!

Well, I have those same feelings, too, when I am making something special for a friend or family member. And because I love to do just about anything “DIY”, now is the perfect time to begin some simple projects to give this Valentine’s Day.

At www.YouCanMakeThis.com, we have a variety of downloadable projects that are quick, simple, and perfect to give to someone you care about. Here are a few ideas:

Make a Lotus Flower and attach it to a card for a friend. This flower can then be added to her favorite handbag or even used as a brooch.

Make a Basic Box and fill it with some hair accessories, make-up, and jewelry for your teen daughter. Use that same Basic Box and give it to a friend for sewing supplies, baked goods, or even a place to keep her CD’s. This idea is very versatile and easy!

Do you love to crochet? Remind that little one that “Some-bunny loves her/him!” The nice thing about this cap is that it can be worn through the Valentine and Easter holiday!

A Gourmet Cookie Bouquet is certainly going to be a treat for anyone!

If you have someone who is the “Queen of YOUR Heart”, you may enjoy making her the 24″ Kimberbell Kids Doll & Coordinating Queen of Hearts Clothing. It will definitely bring back memories of your own childhood!

And who doesn’t need a day at the spa? Make it possible at home with 148 different recipes for body scrubs, face masks, and more.

Let your little ones know that you are their #1 fan…well, you and maybe even a dozen other people in their life! This sweet, soft book will showcase photos of loved ones and make your child feel very special.

This Funky Fringe Barrette Bling would be something that anyone would oooh and ahhh over.

This one will have your friends doing a double-take! Create a very personalized Embossed Recycled Soda Can Frame! Include a favorite photo and this will definitely be treasured.

Valentine’s Day is also a fun time to create unique clothing for your children. Whether is is through applique, crochet, bling, or sewing, there are a lot of ideas to get started!

Find downloadable clothing patterns and instructions here>>

And if you love to embellish with applique, you can find all kinds of applique patterns here>>

If you love machine embroidery, you can find many of these same designs at our sister site, www.SWAKembroidery.com.

Have fun creating and MAKE it a great Valentine’s Day!

-Kim

The company sent me two of their newest products: Perk’s Crunchy Rice cereal and Perk’s Crunchy Flax cereal. The cereals are made with all natural ingredients and sweetened with fruit juice and honey—and look like a smoother version of one of my all-time favorites, Grape-Nuts. Knowing how healthy yet yummy Enjoy Life Foods’ samples have been in the past, and knowing how much I love breakfast cereal, I was anxious to give them a try.

I started with Perk’s Crunchy Rice cereal since it did sound a bit more appealing than Crunchy Flax. This cereal is 100% natural, low in fat and low in sodium and the ingredients list is impressive if you consider short impressive (and I do when it comes to cereal): rice flour, rice bran, raisin juice concentrate, honey and salt. The first bite was a bit crunchy but after a little soaking in some milk (reminiscent of those Grape-Nuts), they were perfect! They probably would’ve been sweet enough on their own but I couldn’t resist a touch of Splenda. The only think I didn’t like was the serving size, but that’s true of a lot of healthy cereals like bite-size shredded wheat, low-fat granola, etc. I finished off the box before anyone else in the family had a chance to grab a bowl, but who says I have to share all my product samples?

Then I tested Perk’s Crunchy Flax cereal, which was similar in size and texture but definitely different in taste. This cereal is a bit more impressive than the rice, boasting 50g of whole grain, 425mg of Omega-3s and 6g of fiber per serving. Perhaps that’s why the Crunchy Flax tasted a whole lot “healthier” to me. It needed an extra spoonful of Splenda, but then again, I’m as big a fan of Apple Jacks as I am of Grape-Nuts and love slathering jam on my toast. (Can you tell I have a bit of a breakfast sweet tooth?) I haven’t yet finished the box but I promise I will! I know what’s good for me, trust me.

Though Perk’s Crunchy Flax cereal wasn’t my favorite, Perk’s Crunchy Rice was a nice alternative to what’s usually in our pantry. A little bit (okay, I usually poured myself a serving and a half) did go a long way to keeping me full until lunch time and it felt good to fuel my body with something all-natural and packed with nutrients. Enjoy Life Foods never ceases to amaze me with the full-flavored products they offer their allergen-sensitive customers and their new cereals are no exception! –Emily

*** Giveaway! Enjoy Life Foods is giving away one set of their new cereals plus some fabulous coupons to two (2) Daily Dish readers! ***

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

•    Visit EnjoyLifeFoods.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite product.
•    Become a fan of Enjoy Life Foods on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you’re their newest fan.
•    Follow Enjoy Life Foods 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: February 2, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Kelly T., the winner of the Enjoy Life Foods 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!

BabyHawk sent me one of their Mei Tai infant carriers to review on the Daily Dish, but they sent me the infant size rather than the toddler so I wasn’t able to give it a thorough test run. But I still find it an intriguing carrier, especially since they offer you the option of creating a custom carrier that reflects your personality. BabyHawk lets you choose from over 300 fabrics and 15 strap colors for a truly unique combination. Do the “other” carrier companies offer that much customization? You can also choose from a wide selection of in-stock carriers if you’re design challenged like I am.

BabyHawk’s design is just as fantastic as their fabric selection. I may not be too familiar with this style of carrier but it seems BabyHawk has the Mei Tai style down pat:

The equation? Simple. One child, plus two arms, plus one million things to do, equals me needing a baby carrier that not only matched my style but is functional and comfortable as well. A mother’s time is perhaps more valuable than anyone else’s and at BabyHawk our goal is to make your parenting experience easier.

Our Mei Tai’s (Asian Baby Carriers) are adopted from a Chinese-inspired idea that makes holding your little one on your front, back or hip as safe, as it is comfortable. The weight distribution of our MT’s makes wearing you baby more cozy and delightful than you can imagine for longer than you can imagine! Our design is simple to let you strap on or take off your custom Mei Tai quick and easy. BabyHawk Mei Tai’s are comfortable, sure, but they are above all safe and reliable.

If it makes wearing your baby more “delightful than you can imagine” I’d say buy two! The BabyHawk infant carrier has received some rave reviews (you can read them here); I only wish I could add my two cents. I will say it looks super stylish and functional, and I like the carrier enough to suggest you check them out if you’re in the market for a Mei-Tai-style carrier. You can’t go wrong, especially if you want to go custom!

AND if you order on Thursday or Friday THIS WEEK (January 21st and 22nd), 50% of sales will be donated to Partners in Health—Haiti. I can think of no better excuse to buy a super cool infant carrier. Do it. Now. –Emily

*** Giveaway!!! Because I didn’t get to test the carrier BabyHawk sent me, I’m more than happy to give it away to one lucky Daily Dish reader! To enter, do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each item you do:

•   Visit BabyHawk.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite fabric/style.
•   Become a fan of BabyHawk on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
•   Follow BabyHawk 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: January 28, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Promotion! BabyHawk is offering Daily Dish readers 10% off their order! Simply use code DAILYDISH when checking out. Offer expires February 4, 2010.

* Congratulations to Barbara T., the winner of the BabyHawk 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!

If your company is interested in joining our Spring Savings Guide simply email daria@boutiquecafe.com and we’ll send you all the information you need to make a splash with your Spring Sales.

Visit Jennifer’s website and blog here>
Get your own, custom made, SugarPlum Hat here>
Or make your own with Jennifer’s SugarPlum Hat Crochet pattern!

Pretty up your next party with Brassy Apple! >>

Sniffle Buddies are an environmentally friendly alternative to disposable tissues and a mom-friendly alternative to children’s sleeves. These organic cotton and bamboo wristbands, which are naturally antibacterial and anti-fungal, fit comfortably around a child’s wrist so they can wipe their runny nose quickly and easily. Sniffle Buddies can also be used to wipe those leftovers often found around your child’s mouth after eating. The fact that they come in multiple colors and are machine washable seals the deal!

The company sent us a couple Sniffle Buddies to test and I slapped one on George immediately. He didn’t seem to mind it while eating and even gave his nose a test wipe with it, but his favorite use was to wipe is mouth after lunch rather than his nose. He hasn’t asked to wear it since and is back to his ol’ sleeve-wiping habit. I wish he’d get into the Sniffle Buddies habit instead, but so far it’s a losing battle.

On a good note, when my mother-in-law saw the Sniffle Buddies she thought they were fabulous and wished she had one to wear while working in her garden. I immediately gave her our spare and she was tickled pink about it. Sniffle Buddies does come in an adult size, which would be perfect for those of us with runny noses that get in the way while we exercise or do anything active, including shoveling snow. I’d rather wipe my nose on Sniffle Buddies than my snow glove! –Emily

* Promotion! Sniffle Buddies is offering Daily Dish readers 10% off their order! Simply use code DAILYDISH when checking out. Offer expires February 2, 2010.

And I’m okay with that. Don’t get me wrong, I still watch what I eat and hit the gym when I can but when life hits full force, especially around the holidays, I tend to skip the gym for a little more sleep and indulge in all the artichoke dips and Christmas cookies I can. You only live once, right? You also should only have to diet once if dieting is one of you New Year’s resolutions. For some, dieting is a cinch: simply eat better and exercise more. But for many it’s not an easy thing, especially when it comes to food. You want healthy food that tastes good in portions perfect for a serious dieter. Does that exist? In fact, it does.

Freshology believes “weight loss is an important step in maintaining a healthy balance of body and spirit, not to mention fitting into that bikini this summer!” That’s my kind of philosophy—a mix of mind, body and bikini. The company offers clients pre-made meals that are quite possible the healthiest, most gourmet on the market. Freshology also believes the environment’s health is as important as its clients:

Whenever and wherever possible, we purchase our ingredients from local growers-minimizing the environmental costs of transportation-and from farms dedicated to practicing sustainable agriculture. Our meal packaging is re-used whenever possible, and is fully bio-degradable, for minimal environmental impact. At Freshology, we are constantly seeking new ways to reduce our carbon footprint, and value the health of our planet as passionately as we value the health of our customers.

I’m pretty sure I’ve never heard those “other” companies who offer pre-packaged meals for dieters say anything like that.

Though Freshology offer a variety of plans from family meals to specialized nutrition for before and after pregnancy, their newest GETSLIM program is the subject of this review since it is the only national program they offer so far. Trust me, I wish I could try their FRESHDINING since that would mean I lived within delivery distance (i.e. SoCal). {deep sigh}

Freshology sent me four days’ worth of meals from the GETSLIM program. Here are the details on this home-delivery service that provides you diet-friendly (and palate-friendly) meals:

• Hand-crafted, chef-developed meals prepared in Freshology kitchens that are nutritionally balanced
• 100% fresh meals delivered to your door twice a week via FedEx
• Non-frozen, non-shrink-wrapped, non-pre-packaged, non-dehydrated and non-processed food. Oh, and there are no preservatives. (Whew! That’s a lot of “nons.”)
• Lean protein, seasonal vegetables, fresh meats and whole fruit for optimal taste, natural texture and greater nutritional benefit.

What I haven’t told you yet is the price for these gourmet, scale-friendly meals: a whopping $42.95 a day. Yes, that’s $40 per day totaling about $1,200 a month. That’s about three times what my family of six spends on groceries a month. Of course I’m not fixing broccoli, mushroom & cheese frittata for breakfast, roasted vegetable salad with pork tenderloin for lunch, and poached salmon with citrus sauce for dinner. Those are just a few of the mouth-watering names given Freshology’s GETSLIM meals. But how do they taste?

Freshology’s GETSLIM meals taste, well, fresh for one. You can tell they use high-quality ingredients and test their recipes before sending them to the masses. I actually double checked the ingredient lists thinking there just had to be some sort of preservative or funky “how the heck do I pronounce that?” ingredient but there was nothing. Take the ingredients for their Lemon Bar (butter, lemon zest & juice, sugar, flour, eggs, baking powder) or Roasted Vegetable Scramble (50% whole & 50% white egg liquid, lactaid, olive oil, canola oil, zucchini, crimini mushroom, red onion, grilled eggplant, thyme, olive oil). It’s not called Freshology for nothing.

Overall the meals were hit and miss. I did have my favorites (Roasted Vegetable Frittata, Marbled Banana & Chocolate Muffin, Manhattan Clam Chowder and Open Faced Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich) and a few meals I wouldn’t re-order (according to my husband, the Salmon with Citrus Glaze was “quite possibly the worst salmon he’s ever tasted” and the pork was a bit chewy). You can see the meals for yourself in the slideshow below:..

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Freshology excels in offering a huge selection of meals—something for everyone—so I didn’t get bored. The variety was a nice change from my typical can of soup or PB&J sandwich. Plus Freshology is pretty faithful about sticking to a 1,400-calorie diet plan, which is great for serious dieters, but for me it just wasn’t quite enough. I’m actually on the low end of the BMI for my height and weight, so I only do the 1,400-calorie thing if I absolutely must (e.g., Caribbean cruise). While the breakfasts were usually filling enough to last me until an early lunch, the afternoon meal didn’t cut it for me so I supplemented with a few snacks in the afternoon. And of course I didn’t count those calories. (If you don’t count them, they don’t exist, right?)

The million-dollar question is whether Freshology’s GETSLIM meal plan is worth $40 a day. Yes and no. If you’re a Hollywood star, and plenty of them are Freshology clients (just check out their press page), then definitely yes. Those with $1,200 a month to spend on a diet plan should totally go for it. The food is fabulous and healthy, the portions are perfect, and not having to think about what you’re going to eat is totally worth it—if you can afford it. And for some, finding a healthier lifestyle that works—and not having to cook—is worth any investment. But if you’re like me, a mom of four who hits the local rec center since it’s cheaper than a “real” gym and is okay with non-gourmet foods three meals a day (as long as she can get one at a fancy restaurant once in a while), Freshology is a pie-in-the-sky diet dream, albeit a healthy pie.

P.S. The Freshology website offers a lot more information, including great little videos, about their meals if you want to learn more.

P.P.S. You can find Freshology on both Facebook and Twitter. –Emily

* Promotion! Freshology is offering Daily Dish readers 10% off their GETSLIM meal plan (14-, 21- or 28-day plans available) AND a free Freshology tote! Enter code BTQ2010 at checkout to receive your discount and “fresh” tote. Hurry and get healthy—this offer expires January 31, 2010.

Follow @BoutiqueCafe on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/BoutiqueCafe

Now you can show your love of all things Twitter, with products handmade and readily available on Etsy. Can you believe all of the “Tweet” goodies that can be found??!!

Sellers Featured:
FunckyPopArt, ArtUnderGlass, Storeyshop, velynfields, ksickles, fliepsiebieps, CuteJewels, Craftsquatch, cbtscloset, post, plastique

So what’s a girl and her technologically advanced husband to do? Follow up on a recommendation from a friend to try out the zBoost from Wi-Ex. Another cell-phone-reception-challenged neighbor had used this gadget to give him a few more bars inside his home so we were anxious to test it. Wi-Ex was happy to send us their zBoost YX510, which “extends a zBoost Cell Zone for single or multiple users in homes or offices.” Basically it should give you more bars in more rooms. This unit claims to increases indoor signal coverage for up to 2500 square feet and is compatible with all U.S. carriers and mobile devices. Other benefits:

• Increases voice and data transmission for any U.S. phone or wireless data card
• Decreases dropped or missed calls
• Easy to set up
• Extends phone battery life (uses less power when signal is stronger)

Question of the day is did it work? Well, yes and no. First, the zBoost was fairly easy to install. Actually, it was cake for me since I simply handed it over to my husband with a “hear you go–go do your thing” and he had it working in no time. We have found it has helped with improve our signal coverage so we can make and receive cell phone calls better than we could before.

Previously we’d sit on the front porch if we wanted to actually hear someone on the other end or do the “can you hear me now?” thing, hang up and call them back using our home phone. Now we can hold a decent conversation but the signal is still a bit weak. We’re at about 2 or 3 bars, which is better than no bars but definitely not as good as 4 or 5. I tend to stand by a window or in my kitchen while chatting, and if my husband wants to hold some serious convo about the latest YouTube video on some nifty homemade gadget or the cool CGI in Avatar, he heads to the basement where the signal is the strongest.

So is the $300 price tag worth it for the fully decked-out zBoost YX510? If you rely on your cell phones as much as we do, yes. An average signal is better than no signal at all and the Wi-Ex zBoost is cheaper than moving yet again. But if you’re only a casual cell phone user (do any of those still exist?), then you might want to stick to your home phone or find a more affordable option like a couple tin cans and a really, really long string.

If you’re looking for a few more bars in other places, Wi-Ex does offer some cool options for the traveler (zBoost for your car) and international users, plus they also offer commercial solutions for businesses. You can check out all the zBoost options at Wi-Ex.com. –Emily

So how do you stay motivated to get fit when your favorite sitcom (or favorite Barcalounger) is calling your name? You grab a workout towel from Words to Sweat By and, well, break a sweat! Whimsical Walney, a good Twitter friend of mine, recently launched a wonderful line of motivational workout towels “with attitude.” Sayings include: “No jiggle in the wiggle;” “‘C’ is for crunches not cookies;” and “Strength. Compassion. Peace.”  Yes, Words to Sweat By might be just what the personal trainer ordered!

Whimsical Walney sent me the “Healthy. Strong. Happy.” workout towel to review on the Daily Dish. It arrived in a cute organza bag complete with “Cherish” charm attached. The charm lasted two seconds on the bag before it was permanently attached to my purse and then moved to my cell phone so I could see it all the time. I was motivated already and hadn’t even opened the towel! The 100% cotton towel was a good gym size at 16″x24″ and had a simple yet perfect applique on the front. I wanted to make sure the towel was washer and dryer friendly so I immediately threw it in the wash with some other towels to test its durability. It came out crisp and clean, no bleeding, no fraying.

We have a treadmill at home which I use when I don’t hit the gym so I hung the towel over one of the arm rails with the mantra facing me so I could glance at it while doing a 10% incline at 4.2 MPH. That incline really sucks when it’s your third time doing it in a 30-minute time frame. And believe me, I also used that towel to mop up plenty of sweat (Words to Sweat By is completely accurate). I’d have taken a picture to prove it but I think my husband used my favorite workout towel to blow his nose at some point; trust me, you wouldn’t want me to take a picture of the towel in its current state! The only thing I wish is for the towels to be a bit thicker and softer since I tend to sweat A LOT.

Along with her Words to Sweat By workout towels on Etsy, Whimsical Walney has a Words to Sweat By blog with health and fitness tips and tricks to keep you wiggling that jiggling away. Though it’s too late to stuff these great little motivational towels in stockings for the holidays, they do make a fun gift for friends and family who have set that New Year’s resolution to get and stay fit in 2010. Just remember, “Practice makes practice!”

*** Whimsical Walney is helping you pay it—or rather motivate it—forward by giving two (2) Words to Sweat By towels to each of two (2) winners! Those winners will get to keep one towel and pass along the second towel to a friend or family member. Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each one you do:

•    Leave a comment telling us your least favorite exercise.
•    Visit the Words to Sweat By Etsy shop and leave a comment telling us your favorite workout towel.
•    Become a fan of Whimsical Walney on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you’re her newest fan.
•    Follow Whimsical Walney on Twitter and leave a comment telling is you’re her 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: January 14, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Melissa and Cassie M., the winners of the Words to Sweat By 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!

Though all of us moms were okay with the lack of a third booster seat since the school was merely a mile or two down the road (and yes, the kids were tightly buckled), I was super excited when Harmony Juvenile sent me their new LiteRider Booster Seat to review. I would now have three booster seats, the newest one being pink–a big hit with George’s little girlfriends. Before I tell you my thoughts on Harmony Juvenile’s LiteRider, here’s a little info about these booster seats:

• exceeds the most stringent safety impact testing in the world
• is exceptionally comfortable and easy-to-use
• fits children from 30 to 100 lbs.
• uses ultra-plush, durable fabrics made with comfort foam throughout seat
• offers a full-wrap premium seat pad is removable for machine washing
• utilizes a seat-saver design
• visually pronounced belt guides promote correct installment of the seat belt
• belt path design prevents child from sliding under the lap belt on impact

That’s pretty impressive for such a small seat! I immediately noticed its light weight and sleek design. Compared to our other back-free booster, the LiteRider seemed to fit better against the seat and definitely offered more padding and a comfier fit for little legs. The seat belt also had a more snug fit, and not just because I finally learned what that belt guide is for. Those little armrest looking things on the side make it a bit more difficult to secure the belt but also make for a safer fit. I’m happy to spend an extra thirty seconds buckling in my child if it means he’ll be kept safer in an accident. Oh, and did I mention the pink fabric looks super cute against gray interior? (Don’t mind the lack of smile on George’s friend’s face–she’s not one for early morning preschool!)

The LiteRider Booster Seat also comes in beige, and did I mention the LiteRider booster seat is only $13? All those features for such a great price!

Even though our new LiteRider (kind of makes you think of Knight Rider, doesn’t it?) is pink it will be our main booster of choice as we relegate our previous ones to second and third positions. I don’t think George will have an issue with a pink booster; ever since he wore his sister’s hand-me-down hot pink snow pants he’s been good with pink! –Emily

Tutorial here>>

I’ll be back in full review force on January 5th. Until then enjoy some hot cocoa or hot apple cider while catching my favorite reviews from 2009. Happy holidays!
…

Em’s Favorite Reviews, 2009 Edition

Babycape—the superhero of winter coats
Loved testing the Babycape last winter and plan to use it again this winter season. Beautiful, soft, toasty and perfect for infants and toddlers. And guess what? One cape will last your child several seasons!

Pop Fly hits a home run with my kids
My kids still love Justin Roberts’ Pop Fly CD. It’s one of the most fun, danceable, groovable children’s CDs out there.

Time to change tactics!
My toddler has yet to be potty trained (she’s the most stubborn of the bunch) and so we’re still utilizing the diaper/wipes case. My favorite to date is JJ Cole’s Tactic Changing Purse. It goes from car to gym to church and is the perfect size for wipes, diapers, ointment and even a small change of clothes. (Fortunately we don’t need that anymore!)

I just can’t get enough!
We have featured See Kai Run multiple times on the Daily Dish and I never get tired of these perfect little children’s shoes. The pink Mary Jane Jennaes pictured in this post were worn by my daughter nearly every day of the week until she could no longer squish fit into them. We wore those shoes out and yet they still looked great enough to hand down to my friend’s little girl. Quite possibly my favorite pair of shoes Livi owns…or owned. {sniff}

Anne Taintor—better than popping Prozac
Anne Taintor’s vintage humor makes me laugh out loud every time I see it. It’s so my style. And yes, I’ve often wished I’d actually told my girlfriend to “stop me before I volunteer again.”

The HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition: The hottest clutch to hit the runway!
I have used my HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition notebook (or Vivienne Tam for short) more times than I can count—and had more women ooh and aah over it every time I pull it out of my handbag. I still need to wipe the drool off the keyboard when I’m done tweeting, Facebooking, emailing and updating my blog via this handy handbag-sized notebook.

Add some ambiance to your favorite aroma
I use my Contempo Candle Warmer Lamp every day. I love this alternative to sooty candles and the danger an open flame around a curious preschool-age boy poses. I just replaced my fruity pomegranate candle with a more appropriate spice one for the holidays. The smell is wonderful and the light gives off just the right glow in the evening.

Hapari makes swimsuit shopping a happy experience
Fabulous tankinis and bikinis in super fun prints combined with high-quality fabric and construction make these suits some of my faves. I’m also a big fan of their Shore, a sort of half-shirt-meets-cap-sleeve style layering tee that I’ve found works wonderfully well under dresses.

Photofiddle Dad this Father’s Day—he’ll love it!
I have my Photofiddled canvas artwork displayed on our dresser and not a day goes by that I don’t absolute love looking at it. Nothing like creating a work of art from a digital file!

Flip goes the world!
By now you’ve heard of Flip video and their handy, dandy line of mini handheld video cameras. I have two, the Mino and the UltraHD and the UltraHD is by far my favorite. Though not as compact as the Mino it takes superb video. We use our Flip all the time; so much so we forget we own a “real” handheld video camera. That thing has an inch of dust on it by now.

Kickin’ it on a mini kick scooter
George rocked and rolled his Kickboard USA mini kick scooter all summer long. Though we discovered leaving it in direct sunlight for extended periods of time fades the beautiful orange color, this is still my son’s favorite scooter and I love that it’s more stable than the Razor ones my girls ride. If you’re in the market for a preschool-friendly scooter, this is it!

CurlyQ Cuties for your little cutie!
Looking for a unique children’s gift? Heck, even an adult would love the custom monsters you can make using CurlyQ Cuties’ online Monster-Maker. George’s CurlyQ Cutie is still one of his favorite “reviews”—he loves that thing!

My new favorite tote
My Ann Judge Everyday tote served me well during our last vacation and it’s still my go-to bag when I need to pack more than the necessities like lip gloss, wallet and cell phone. Well made, beautiful and perfect for travel overseas and around town.

Jewelry storage disguised as art
Beautiful fabric + hand-finished wood dowels + convenient hooks = the perfect way to manage/display/organize/make sense of your earring collection. Need I say more?

Can functional be fun? Heck, yes!
Though one of my most recent reviews it still makes my fave list for 2009. The wit and real-life wisdom of Knock Knock’s products make for some serious chuckles if not outright laughter. Perfect for gift giving whether for yourself or that annoying coworker.

Our review dates are already filling up for the first quarter of 2010. If you would like your product or site featured on the Daily Dish, shoot us an email at dailydish{at}boutiquecafe.com.

See you in 2010!

We’re celebrating the holidays a little differently this year at Boutique Cafe, my new baby Lola Olivia was born on Dec. 10th and isn’t sleeping at night. Needless to say I had to find a creative way of bringing the holiday spirit to our viewers, while including some extra help from a few special friends to pull it all together. What I came up with was a wandering through various homes in our very own Boutique Community!!

This idea makes me feel like Robin Leach from Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous (minus the accent)!! It’s a fun little holiday jaunt into the homes of some very creative gals who give so much year-round to their families and community. We hope you feel inspired by the Christmas decor, so cozy up with your hot cocoa and visit the homes of some of our closest friends.

Holiday Homes Included in this episode:
Chelsea – Vintage Chic (Free!! Pillow tutorial on her blog>>)
Patty – Mod Kid Boutique
Emily – georgietees
Liz – LizzyAnne
Lisa – The Domestic Diva(TUTORIALS: Make Tulle Garland, Bow Tutorial, Scents of the Season, Gift Wrapping Tutorial)
Catherine – our “Muirhead Family” Tree
Daria – Boutique Cafe

Don’t miss out on the incredible shopping deals in our 2009 Holiday Gift Guide>>

Happy Holidays with love from Boutique Cafe! See you in the New Year!

*** Giveaway! Boutique Cafe wants to make your holiday extra merry by giving away two (2) Zhu Zhu Pets to two Very Lucky BC readers!
Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each:
• Leave a comment in our shownotes for this episode telling us your favorite holiday tradition!
• Become a fan of Boutique Cafe on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
• Follow Boutique Cafe on Twitter (@BoutiqueCafe) and leave a comment telling is you’re our 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 two winners from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: December 26, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

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

Here’s a quick & easy Bowdabra Tutorial …

Get out your junky craft scissors and some florist wire. Cut a piece about 12 inches long.

Place the wire through the center of the Bowdabra.

Leaving 12_ for the tail of the bow, cinch ribbon between the holder.

Make a loop and twist it away from you…then place in between the holder.

Make as many loops as you want as long as you have the same amount of loops on each side. I usually do 6 or 8 loops in total.

Cut the ribbon leaving another 12 inch ribbon tall.

Cross the wire and twist tightly. Then fluff your bow.

And if you don’t dovetail the ends of the ribbon, everyone will think you are an amateur…
Fold the ribbon end in half lengthwise (do not crease it). Cut across at an angle to form the dovetail end.

I hope you don’t think I’m mental, but my favorite holiday activity is GIFT WRAPPING. I “try” to wrap each night as new purchases come into my home. It helps to have a “gift wrapping station” set up in your home…a simple table with all the supplies you need to wrap gifts. My station has several holiday gift papers on rolls which are contained in a Rubbermaid™ Gift Wrap Holder.



I keep several rolls of fancy gold and ivory ribbon, tulle, my handy dandy Bowdabra™ (the Diva’s bow-making secret), place cards (used as gift tags), scotch tape (on the big rolls in the office tape dispenser), plain white boxes, tons of gold gift bags, gold Calligraphy markers and my hot glue gun. Each gift, no matter, how small, is wrapped with care and is adorned with a nice bow.


Stuck in the center of the bows are simple “holiday picks” such as silk flowers, ribbon roses, faux sugared berries, miniature ornaments, rhinestone buttons or some other glittered item. Year after year, my sisters fight over my bows as gifts are unwrapped on Christmas Day. They reuse them the following year to make their gifts “sparkle.”



Every year I designate a specific color and/or theme to each of my two kids. That way I don’t have to put name tags on them until Christmas Eve and the kids’ don’t know which gifts are theirs.


In the past, I’ve used some great color combinations for my teen daughter such as polka dots, zebra prints and tiffany blue. This year I’m using hot pink and black/white houndstooth for my daughter. My son will get either brown or turquoise blue depending on which wrapping paper I have the most of this year.


When gift wrapping, don’t restrict yourself to just ordinary white boxes. Get creative! I’ve used colored Chinese take-out boxes, fancy hat boxes and different baskets. If you’re going to be lazy and use gift bags, be sure to at least add a beautiful bow and handmade gift tag.

Also, don’t be afraid to use non-traditional colors. As a matter of fact, I NEVER use any red in my house. Any color can become a Christmas color is you add sparkle to it.

Though some of the songs on Go Waggaloo may have familiar lyrics you’ll find a new take on the traditional folk songs and some great little surprises like a cool scratching drum machine and even a song recorded on a cell phone by the Guthrie family while on a road trip. I think it is the sort of mystical “Oni’s Ponies” but can’t be sure. (I wonder if Sarah uses it as her ring tone?) Sarah’s not the only voice on Go Waggaloo. You’ll hear her husband Johnny Irion, the couple’s two daughters and a handful of family and friends (Arlo Gurthrie, Pete Seeger and Tao Rodriguez Seeger).

Though it wasn’t quite up there on the list of my kids’ favorite CDs (they prefer music with a little less folk and a little more funk), I found it a nice, relaxing listen compared to some of the crazier children’s tunes you’ll find in our collection. Plus I found it rather endearing to know it was the Guthrie’s daughters’ voices I was hearing sing along. Nothing like a good family singalong! My fave songs are “Go Waggaloo,” “Take Me to Show-and-Tell,” and “If Mama Had Four Hands.”

If you’d love to introduce your children to folk music then Go Waggaloo is the way to do it. Tailored to children with fun vocals, lyrics and music, your kids will be singing “She’ll be comin’ ’round the mountain” right along with the Guthrie family in no time! –Emily

** Giveaway! Smithsonian Folkways is giving away two (2) copies of Go Waggaloo! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each:

•    Visit Go Waggaloo’s page and listen to samples from the tracks. Leave a comment telling us your favorite!
•    Become a fan of Boutique Cafe on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
•    Follow Boutique Cafe on Twitter (@BoutiqueCafe) and leave a comment telling is you’re our 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: December 29, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Wehaf and renee, the winners of the Go Waggaloo CD 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!

Our new baby girl Lola Olivia arrived on December 10th and since then I have been using my beautiful nursing cover sent from Ginger Snappz in their Yoko Flowers design. What a treat to have such a gorgeous cover, I feel spoiled each time I nurse Lola and get to drap the beautiful fabric over for coverage. We’ve had loads of guests dropping by, and I feel totally secure wearing this well made cover as it’s the perfect size to keep me modest. My favorite feature is how the neckline bows out with a flexible material to allow me to latch her easily, and I can gaze at her precious face while he nurses.

Other awesome features include the adjustable neck strap so it fits any mommy perfectly. The inner corner of your Ginger Snappz nursing cover also boasts a terry cloth corner pocket to keep breast pads or use as a face cloth for baby when you’re on the go. Their covers are lightweight and easily portable, just fold them up and store in your diaper bag before you hit the road.

Ginger Snappz come in the most glorious selection of fabrics, they are drool worthy and perfect for the mom who loves to be stylish and fashion conscious. Each nursing cover is handmade with love and available on Etsy through their popular shop, now the only problem is deciding which beautiful cover to choose! ~ Daria & baby Lola

*** Giveaway! Ginger Snappz is giving away one of their beautiful nursing covers! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

• Visit Ginger Snappz Etsy shop and leave us a comment here telling us which nursing cover you adore.
• 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: December 24, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

Nothing puts you in the holiday mood more than the smell of Christmas. Since Christmas scents are usually limited to Pine-Sol™ pine, sugar cookie and country kitchen apple scents, I started making my own. Combine the following:
1 sliced orange
1 sliced lemon
10 cloves
1 tablespoon Allspice
3 cinnamon sticks
Add two cups of water and simmer (low flame) on your stovetop. The smell fills your house! Occasionally add more water as it evaporates.

DIY: TULLE GARLAND TUTORIAL

I’ve always used tulle when decorating my Christmas tree. It’s the secret to making a cheap tree look full. Basically, I’d “stuff” the tree with tulle and call it a day. However, this year since I now have a full pre-lit Christmas tree, I needed to somehow find a way to incorporate tulle into my tree. What better way than to Tulle Garland?!

All you need is a serger and a few rolls of 6 inch tulle in whatever color you like. The color choices are endless. I used 4 rolls (100 feet each) of “Old Gold Shimmer” tulle. Tulle rolls are sold in increments of 25, 75 and 100 feet. Be sure to buy as much as needed or you’ll be making additional trips to the craft store like I did.

Serger Settings:
4-thread overlock
Gathering Serger Presser Foot (if you have one)
Left and Right Needle Tension = 8
Upper and Lower Looper Tension = NORMAL
Stitch Length = 5 (or highest available setting)
Differential Feed = 2 (or highest available setting)
Note: You can use a sewing machine to gather your tulle, but the serger makes it a fast project…and I’m all about speed.



With the roll of tulle in front of the machine, on your lap or on the floor (like I do), fold tulle in half as it comes off the roll (folded edge to the left). Use your right hand to guide tulle through the serger cutting off 1/4 inch. With your left hand, place two fingers behind the presser foot to prevent the tulle from feeding freely.

This helps the tulle gather even more. When your fingers can no longer hold the tulle from behind the machine, let it go. Repeat until you’ve gathered all your tulle needed.



Once you’ve gathered all your tulle, you’ll need to “poof” it by separating the two layers of the tulle.



This is what 400 feet of gathered tulle garland looks like. Just enough to decorate a 7 foot Christmas tree.

We are Knock Knock, a product design company with aspirations to greatness. We concoct, manufacture, and distribute witty objects of cosmopolitan panache from our shamelessly sunny perch on the left-hand coast. Our domain is desire rather than necessity, though we seek to infuse our creations with utility and meaning.

Like I said, functional can be totally fun if you’re talking Knock Knock and the company’s product line. Oh, and that shamelessly sunny perch? That would be Venice, California. With a perch like that how could you not turn out fabulously witty notepads like the Why I Must Get Drunk With You checklist and Don’t Kill the Kids babysitter pad? I’m a big sticky note user so they’re sticky pads totally tickle my fancy. My faves: Total Crap, Trees Were Killed and I Didn’t Realize You Were Cool Until sticky pads. And don’t get me started on the kits like the Personal Library Kit and the B*tch Kit. (Sorry, couldn’t resist throwing that one in there—we all have an inner one, you know…) By the way, the company’s philosophy is a must read. I couldn’t agree more with their list of beliefs.

Knock Knock sent me two of their Forgettable recycled reusable totes to review for our readers. Trust me when I say their humor doesn’t stop with the last checkbox on the Romance Pros-Cons checklist. These bags are infused with just as much humor as they are recycled water bottles (80% by the way). Knock Knock’s Forgettable totes are the most generously sized tote I’ve seen, and I have quite a collection in the back of my van. They include an interior pocket and solid (solid as in well woven) woven handles. Oh, and though the product description doesn’t say so, it seems like they’re slightly insulated as well.

“Remembering to bring the bag is half the battle…” That’s what you’ll read in the product description and oh, how true it is. I have all the good intentions in the world but for the life of me can’t remember those darn reusable bags. It was even a topic of discussion on a past #gno night on Twitter. But since I’ve had these Forgettable bags—and their passive-aggressive, eco-friendly humor—in my car I’ve actually remembered to tote my reusable totes with me when I hit the grocery store. Well, not every time but more often than I ever did before. Don’t believe me? Here’s a photo via Blackberry to prove it:

It’s like they infuse my van with this sort of environmentally friendly guilt and it follows me as I try to lock my doors and head into the store. Whatever it is, it’s working. They are by far my favorite reusable totes, which is saying a lot since my previous favorites were my Trader Joe’s bags…and I love Trader Joe’s.

I’m like a kid in a candy store when it comes to Knock Knock. So many notepads, sticky notes, books and bags and so little time. Even their site navigation makes me smile—notice the “Gifts For” has an “annoying people” subcategory. Nice. I believe there’s still time to order for the holidays, so if you have an annoying person in your life or simply a relative or friend who’s hard to shop for, I can guarantee Knock Knock will have the perfect gift. I mean, who doesn’t need the Insults & Comebacks for All Occasions handbook?

Note: The plastic bag you see in my shopping cart is the result of poor planning on my part. I left a few reusable totes at home and bought more than was on my list. Like that’s anything new.

*** Giveaway! Knock Knock is giving away one of their Forgettable reusable totes, winner’s choice! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

•    Visit KnockKnock.biz and leave a comment telling us which product made you laugh out loud.
•    Follow Knock Knock on Twitter (@knockknock) and leave a comment telling us you’re their newest follower.
•    Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•    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: December 24, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Melissa, the winner of the our Knock Knock 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!

Kookie Stationary is a line of these delectable cookie greeting cards you can fill out and give to your kids or have your kids fill out and give to Grandma, Dad, Santa or friends and family alike. The kit includes a large cookie and an edible food coloring marker. Fill out the cookie on the lines or spaces provided and then deliver by hand or mail (I’d use extra packaging if by mail). Or in the case of a Santa note, deliver by fireplace and glass of milk! The recipient can then either eat your tasty note or display it using the case in which it arrived. Me, I’m all for eating the dang thing but there are probably a few dedicated grandmas who’d be willing to display it so it’s a good thing it comes with a built-in easel.

We received two of Kookie Stationary’s holiday offerings and we’ve already filled out and delivered one of them. My two oldest were given the privilege of filling out the Santa cookie since they’re the only two and I desperately wanted to snap a few photos but as usual the batteries were dead in the camera. By the time I had them charged and ready to go the girls were done and the cookie was sealed in its box. The cookie did arrive with a broken Santa hat, but once we had it placed in the gift box it was hardly noticeable. The pen worked well and the girls had a great time writing a little note to their grandma.

We hand delivered the Santa stationary later that evening and Grandma proudly displayed it on her piano. Since it was displayed we didn’t get a chance to taste it so I can’t tell you if the cookie is as tasty as the site claims. Of course, we still have the Kookie for Santa card, which I’m going to let my little ones fill out (and by “fill out” I mean draw psychedelic sunshines and crazy stick figures). Once the resident Santa munches on it I’ll be able to tell you if the cookie’s as tasty as the idea behind Kookie Stationary.

Whether or not the cookie is a feast for the tastebuds, the stationary is a treat for the eyes. Kookie Stationary has everything from birthday and get well cards to princess and dragon cards and my favorite, the Searching for Friends card. At about $10 a piece they might be a little more than your typical Hallmark card, though those are close to $4 these days. But then again, the card itself is a great little gift so it’s like a fabulously yummy two-for-one deal!

Note: Kookie Stationary is located in Canada and ships to the U.S., but I could not find the shipping rates on their site without going through the checkout process. You may want to verify shipping before purchasing.

*** Giveaway! Kookie Stationary is giving away one themed holiday treat to two 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; please leave a separate comment for each one you do:

•   Visit KookieStationary.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite Kookie.
•   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: December 22, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Lisa and Heather, the winners of the 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!

This holiday season my children are enjoying Scholastic Storybook Treasure’s The Night Before Christmas Special Edition two-pack of DVDs, which features all these great stories:

• The Night Before Christmas
• The Twelve Days of Christmas
• The Clown of God
• Great Joy in the Month of Kislev
• Merry Christmas, Space Case
• Seven Candles for Kwanzaa
• Too Many Tamales
• The Little Drummer Boy
• Max’s Christmas
• Morris’s Disappearing Bag
• Sam and the Lucky Monkey

That’s over two hours of multicultural, classic storybook stories! The stories are narrated by Jane Curtin, Anthony Edwards, Christopher Lloyd and other famous voices and the DVDs have won four awards including ALA Notable Video. Really and truly, The Nightmare Before Christmas Special Edition stories are a refreshing break from the “noise” that is Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and even Nick Jr. at times. (I can only handle so much Max & Ruby, even if they’re building a bunny-like snowman.)

You can find the two-pack of DVDs on Scholastic’s site along with a whole slew of wonderful animated classics. (They make great stocking stuffers, by the way!) We have quite the collection and have enjoyed every one. Plus as my younger ones get older they’ll be able to read along with many of the stories. I have yet to see follow-along captions on Wonder Pets! Happy holidays! –Emily

Our four boys have been dotting on her and loving her up so much. They are over the moon to have a sister of their very own. Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support through my pregnancy, many of you got me through these months and I’ll never forget it. I hope to be back to Boutique Cafe very shortly, but in the meantime I’m wrapped up in Lola and enjoying each moment of her first few days. I’ll share a link to see more and more pics of our Lola, I’ll be adding more so feel welcome to stop by and gush with me over her.

With love and thanks,
Daria, Nathan
The boys & Lola Olivia

Lola Olivia on Flickr>>

I was not disappointed, for I came across KikiBella, which boasts “fashionable storage for your fabulous style.” I’m not sure I have fabulous style but I do need some fashionable (and functional) storage for my earrings and I found it in KikiBella’s earring organizers/jewelry displays. Kristie, the owner and designer of these fabric works of art, sent me the organizer that first caught my eye (Watercolors II) so I could review it on the Daily Dish and find out firsthand if her jewelry displays were as fabulous in real life as they look on Etsy. Because Watercolors II is not the typical size for a bellabella organizer (it’s slightly smaller), she also sent me one that was a typical size and one from the babybella collection (for children’s rooms; pictured at right).

Each KikiBella display is handmade using picked, “poke-proof” fabrics and trims. You’ll find everything from Japanese imports to vintage fabrics in the collection. The displays include two hand-cut, stained, varnished wood pieces, one at the top with two circular pieces for hanging the display and one on the bottom with a handful of hooks for hanging larger earrings, bracelets or necklaces. The minute I opened my Watercolors II KikiBella jewelry organizer I headed for my room to find the perfect place to display it. No, it wouldn’t go in my closet with the not-so-artistic hooks I have for my necklaces; it needed a spot worthy of a work of art since the colors matched my room’s decor perfectly. And I found just the place: right next to my closet on a wall that was quite possibly designed just for a KikiBella jewelry organizer:

Though not all earrings will work well (hoop earrings would have to be pretty close to the edge), I found the KikiBella display perfect for all my large dangly earrings and random earrings I don’t wear as often, plus the hooks on the bottom worked well for my favorite skinny bracelets. I did find a couple pairs of earrings easily slipped out of the fabric if I moved it around too much when adding another pair, but that was due more to the style of earring (a very wide, open hook style) and the double gauze fabric, which is unique to Watercolors II. The other fabrics in the collection aren’t quite is “filmy” as the one I choose.

The best part? No more jumbled earrings in my jewelry box! That little, old box has a new lease on life and I spend a lot less time digging through it looking for matching earrings. Apparently Kristie has a couple organizers hanging here and there in her home, for example, one in the bathroom and another in the bedroom. Though I’m one that needs everything kept in one place, I can totally see a use for having multiple ones depending on where you take off your jewelry.

The babybella jewelry organizers are super cute and would make a great gift for pre-teen girls who seem to have more earrings sets than See’s has candies! Kristie can even do custom designs combining your choice of fabric with your choice of wood pieces. (They come in a variety of finishes.) And unless you’re going for a custom order, KikiBella orders ship within 1 or 2 days via Priority Mail so you’re only days away from becoming beautifully organized–or days away from giving a wonderfully unique and stylishly functional gift for the holidays.

*** Giveaway! KikiBella is giving away one jewelry organizer/earring display, winner’s choice! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each one you do:
•    Visit KikiBella on Etsy and leave a comment telling us your favorite design.
•    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: December 18, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Patricia, the winner of the KikiBella 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!

Positively Organic’s children’s clothes (sizes up to 4T with seasonal sizes up to 6) are made using certified organic cotton. The company combines earth-friendly materials and sweatshop-free/fair-trade manufacturing with “bold graphics, bright colors and hip yet simple designs.” From henley and raglan tees to kimono one-pieces and yoga pants, Positively Organic is not your typical organic children’s wear line. When they say “bright colors and hip yet simple designs,” they mean it! I’m lovin’ the Earthgirl raglan tee, long-sleeve Cowboy tee and printed blankets.

Positively Organic sent Livi a cute long-sleeve tee and pants set. Though a size smaller than she usually wears, the outfit was designed well enough so she is still able to wear it…and wear it she has! We’ve already worn and washed this outfit two or three times, and each time it seems to get softer. The colors have held up well to both play and laundry detergent and this has become one of our favorite go-to outfits. (Trust me, she likes the outfit. What she doesn’t like is my taking her picture.) Though the pants are now a bit short I still love putting this outfit on her for slow, comfy days around the house.

Positively Organic’s collection is reasonably priced, which makes it even sweeter, and they have a pretty awesome clearance going on right now too. The fall line has some yummy colors like the bright raspberry in Livi’s outfit and some great styles like the corduroy cuff-up jeans for boys. And don’t forget those adorable kimono rompers! Along with offering customers stylish organic clothing for kids, Positively Organic also works with several causes supporting children’s welfare and environmental responsibility. Your children will look good and you’ll feel good when dressing your kids in the chic styles from Positively Organic. –Emily

* Promotion! Positively Organic is offering Daily Dish readers 15% off any regularly priced item! Simply enter code “cafe09″ at checkout. Offer expires December 23, 2009.

The first think you notice about Hank & JoJo’s box of tube socks, besides the fact that “box of tube socks” is a sweet little rhyme, is the packaging. This miniature tin lunchbox with it’s peek-a-boo window has the cutest, most whimsical characters on it. Made from lead-free tin and plastic (and exceeding CPSIA regulations for lead), this little box is recyclable, but I can guarantee you’ll be recycling it in-house as a piggy bank, display case for those little treasures toddlers collect or the perfect storage for tiny hair clips.

But enough about the lunchbox. Hank & JoJo’s set included four pairs of tube socks: Strawberry, Banana, Pear and Blueberry. The socks are made using 80% bamboo, which is grown without the use of chemicals and has natural UV protection. Dyed with toxin-free dyes, these little socks were designed for babies ages 0 to 12 months. The socks actually go up over the knee protecting legs and knees during tummy time and crawling. You can also use them like you would leg warmers—in warmer weather pair a pair with a onesie for quick and easy diaper changes.

When the pairs first arrived I was a bit sad because my youngest just turned two. I figured we would get very little use out of our Hank & JoJos until I realized these socks with their tube design means even older babies can wear them! Livi has already sported the Pear and the Strawberry. You can check out the Pear in the photo below. Trust me, I tried to get her to look at the camera and smile but what can you do when Yo Gabba Gabba! is on? Though they don’t go over her knee the do get close to it. Once washed the heel ends up about mid sole but because they’re so soft she doesn’t even notice. And I love that they’re the perfect socks for wearing with nightgowns—they keep her legs warm when her nighties ride up. Plus they’re great under jeans in cold weather!

I love anything that works for multiple ages and is stylish and eco-friendly and makes a great gift and has super cute packaging. Perhaps that’s why I love Hank & JoJo so much. But one more reason comes to mind: each purchase of Hank & JoJo Retro Baby Tube Socks “ensures that The Tiny Miracles Foundation, Tiny Treasures Program, is able to include on pair of Hank & JoJo socks in each Homecare Starter Kit for parents and premature infants release from Stamford, Norwalk and Bridgeport Connecticut NICUs.” Now THAT’S cool.

Priced at around $30 for the box set, Hank & JoJo Retro Baby Tube Socks make a wonderful gift for the holidays and post-holiday showers. ‘Tis the season for giving, and with these babies you’ll be giving two gifts at once. Totally tubular, baby! (Forgive me, I couldn’t resist…) –Emily

*** Giveaway! Hank & JoJo is giving away one box set of their Retro Baby Tube Socks! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each one you do:

•    Visit HankandJoJo.com and leave a comment telling us you did (we trust you to be honest).
•    Become a fan of Hank & JoJo on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you’re their newest fan.
•    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: December 15, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Kari, the winner of the Hank & JoJo 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!

ScooterBees just launched it’s new 2010 collection, which features a line of supple leather shoes handmade in Peru. The company sent us the Bloom story (”a flower story from bud to bloom”) in a beautiful gray and you can believe I tried to make them fit Livi’s not-so-size-6.5 feet. The leather is super soft and dyed using vegetables and fruits grown at the tannery, so each color reflects the crop of the season. How cool is that? And the company doesn’t use the chemicals traditionally used in tanning leather so you can be sure each component of ScooterBees is made from sustainable and safe materials. As with their 2009 line, the company is all about being eco-friendly. The new collection features a midsole made from recycled carton and lined with recycled fleece fibers and an outsole made using natural and recycled rubber (PVC and phthalate free).

Here’s a really great little video I found on their site that shows how the ScooterBees StoryTelling Shoe works. (It would’ve taken me hours to try and put something like this together for you, and I was too busy trying to get Livi’s feet in those dang cute Bloom shoes!)

Do any of the shoes in your little one’s closet tell a story? I’m not talking the “I was worn while jumping in mud puddles” or “I’m her favorite pair of sparkly princess shoes.” I’m talking endangered animals or dinosaurs or egg in a nest to tweeting bird in just two flaps. If you want a unique gift this holiday that is as good for your child’s feet as it is for the environment then choose a story from either the bamboo or leather collections offered by ScooterBees.

So Livi’s feet never did fit into her ScooterBees shoes from the new 2010 collection. Can you tell I’m seriously sad about it? Fortunately she does have a BFF (yes, even at her young age) who is slightly smaller in stature and will be able to give these shoes a good test run. Guess I’ll have to settle for a review by proxy. Sigh… –Emily

*** Giveaway!!! ScooterBees is giving away one pair of shoes, winner’s choice! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway (please leave a separate comment for the ones you do):

•    Visit ScooterBees.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite product.
•    Follow ScooterBees 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: December 14, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Heidi, the winner of the ScooterBees 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 winter collection offers everything from party outfits to comfy warm-weather clothing. You’ll find plaid skirts, satin vests, ribbon sweaters, leggings, pajamas and even boots. (I love the cozy boots!) Sizes vary (and not everything is available yet) from about size 4/5 on up to 10/12. The clothing is heavy on girls with only a few offerings for boys, but that’s pretty true for Avon in general.

For today’s review Avon sent me the corduroy toggle coat and velour trim skirt, both in size 4/5. Because Livi is still a solid 2T she was a bit too small to give the two a thorough testing, but I did check them out as best I could. The corduroy toggle coat, which is a yummy candy apple red (see photo above), was pretty dang cool. It has a Sherpa-style lining even through the sleeves and seems like it will definitely hold up well in frigid temps like we’re having right now. The corduroy is soft and the toggles sturdy. What I love best about this coat is the color could easily work for a boy as well as a girl. Throw in a black beanie and gloves and you’ve got a decent boy’s coat too!

The velour trim skirt was silky, shimmery and very sweet. The flower embellishments and contrasting fabric made this skirt dressy, yet you could easily dress it down for casual wear. Though its lightweight fabric means it should be comfy no matter how long you manage to keep your four-year-old in the same outfit, I didn’t like how thin the material looked and felt. I snapped a photo hoping to give you an idea of the fabric–see below. You’ll definitely want to add some sort of petticoat or slip and throw on a good pair of tights if it’s winter. Even in the summer I’d think you’d want something under it.

Overall I think the winter collection is a fun and festive one (check out those sparkle flats!), though I do wish they’d add a few more items and offer them in a wider range of sizes, from 2T on up to 14 or so. Perhaps I just need to give Avon a little time! This is their first children’s fashion line, and for a first run they’ve done a pretty good job. You can find the entire collection online at Avon.com. –Emily

This particular set is Ready Made, in a size 2T (measurements available in listing). Snag this set right here>>

Need I say more? Okay, yeah, I do since this is the Daily Dish and it is about our take on the latest and greatest products for parents and kids alike. Stonz Wear sent me a pair of their Daisy Brown booties for Livi and until recently it wasn’t cold enough to sport them around town…and then when it was cold enough we hibernated inside. That combined with them being a bit too large and my not yet purchasing the fabulous Sherpa-fleece linerz for Stonz means Livi hasn’t actually worn these babies yet. But I can tell you they are within easy access so once I get those Sherpa-lined Linerz (they’ll be on their way today!), these will be our go-to shoes here in frigid Utah. And here’s why:

• They are the cutest dang boots I’ve ever seen!
• Wind and water-resistant thanks to a nylon upper.
• Soft, comfortable fleece lining provides warmth.
• Easy on, easy off (need I say more?).
• Toggles at calf and ankle make sure these booties stay on!
• Skid-resistant soft soles.
• Machine wash and dry, inside out on delicate cycle. (Bet your current boots can’t do this!)
• Made in Canada by a mom who knows a thing or two about cold, wet weather.

Though they do come with a fleece lining I am definitely adding a pair of Linerz to the boots. Stonz Linerz fit snugly inside and add even more warmth to the bootie and I love that the top of the Linerz can either fold over the top or you can leave them up for extra warmth. That’s a lot of warmth…you feelin’ warm yet? (Note: The Linerz will make the boots fit a titch smaller so size accordingly.)

Stonz Wear booties are now available for children up to four years of age–how cool is that? Though at about $45 they are slightly pricier than a snow boot from Target they are definitely worth it. Think of how much time you’ll save getting these booties on and off (we’ve already wasted too much time in our house trying to cram feet into snow boots) and knowing exactly where they are at all times (on their feet, of course!). Stonz Wear also has the most adorable collection of reversible and pointy Hatz and Mittz. I’m tempted to get the matching Daisy Brown Mittz to go with Livi’s new Booties. What a fashion statement that will make at the next sledding trip! –Emily

Hello! My new organic towels from Welspun are here!

After the exciting release of my organic bedding, I’m so happy to expand the collection with my beautiful bath towels. Made with 10% organic exchange cotton, these towels are super soft to the touch. The bold and vibrant colors will brighten up any bathroom space even in the wee hours of the morning when waking up is so hard to do. These joyful designs will lift your spirits and get you going!

My new line will be available in my online shop, along with Bed, Bath & Beyond stores nationwide and on Bed, Bath & Beyond.com (with many more retailers to come!). Please visit my website for inspirational photos and all the great details.

Warmest Wishes,
Amy

It is made for a man, yet perfect for me. It is a metro man’s bag. Designer Jee Kim has designed a refined and contemporary line that delivers exceptional detailing that marries style and function for men.

But…hold up. It is just perfect for a lady too.

It’s big but not too big. Small but not too small. Sounds like a contradiction right?
Yet, the bag is just that– big but small.

Big in that it fits so much!
I took off for the weekend and I put it to the test because I didn’t want it to look like I packed my closet, but, I also needed 3 pairs of shoes, plus warm and cool clothes. Suffice to say I got my 3 pairs of shoes in and all outfits I wanted to bring. I didn’t have to skimp on my packing and I didn’t need a mule to carry my load.

It is small enough to strap on your shoulder and carry as an adorable oversized bag. The classic brown exterior with bright cobalt blue and white gingham interior has all the makings of a must-have bag. It really could be for the male or female in your life. It has durable material, pockets inside & out and the bag can collapse down flat.

This cool urban overnighter bag is durable and versatile.
I pretty much love my new bag and think you would love one too. Really…it could be used for more than just packing up your closet and going. It could be your toy bag, your picnic bag, your errands bag. I love it and think you will too!

It can be found online at Peasants & Travelers.
-Amber

Along with all my mompreneur responsibilities I am also a stay at home mom of one, and wife. With this job, like many of you, I am also responsible for the family finances. When I quit working for the USPS six years ago, our family’s income was greatly reduced. I had to learn a lot about being frugal and saving money. I actually started my business to support my yarn and craft habit!

Now, I am in no way an expert on this subject, but through the years I have met many people and found many sites that are! With their help, I am happy to say that not only is my business growing, but my family has been debt free (with the exception of our home) for almost 2 years now! I’d like to share some of my secrets with you!

Every morning, with my cup of coffee, I have a series of websites that I visit. My hands down favorite is One Pretty Thing. She has compiled a list of some of the BEST do-it-yourself projects on the web! From Christmas and Hanukkah décor, easy to make handmade gifts, and even tips for your business, you can find tons of useful and inexpensive ideas on her site. And the best part is that she does the internet searching for you! Not crafty or too busy? I bet you know another mom who is and could use a little extra money this holiday season.

Now, for the savvy shopper in you, I always check out Slick Deals. Every day you can find some great deals on items, especially now for your Christmas shopping!! The other day I scored an awesome deal at Victoria’s Secret, three sweaters and a free scarf for only $31! Guess what will be under my Christmas tree this year? I’m currently on the lookout here for some other great gift ideas!

And if your dream this holiday season is to be debt free, you must check out Dave Ramsey! My family listens to his radio show a lot and we got tons of tips and great ideas that helped us. When refinancing our house this summer, we contacted one of his preferred mortgage providers and they actually told us that the deal we were offered from our current mortgage company was better than anything they could do for us! I was shocked…they were turning down our business! We managed to combine our original 30-year mortgage along with our Home Equity Loan and drop down to a 15 year mortgage. We paid cash for the closing costs and our monthly payments dropped $30!! Our new goal is to have the house paid off before our first grader graduates from High School.

Well, I hope you enjoyed a sneak peek at some of my secrets. I look forward to sharing more with you through Mompreneur Corner.

Jennifer Cirka
www.jaybird-designs.com
www.jaybirddesigns.etsy.com

But in a strange turn of events (due mainly to Maestro Classics sending me a CD to review for Boutique Cafe readers), Mom busted out a book on CD during our last drive up north. The Tortoise and the Hare is the latest release from Maestro Classics, a company that utilizes “wondrous new recordings, innovative educational and performance materials, and uplifting live performances … [to guide] audiences as they expand their listening horizons and discover the magic that can only be called music.”

My family can always use their horizons expanded so I popped in the CD and then passed around the accompanying booklet, which has activities and features illustrations by nationally recognized children’s book illustrator Renee Andriani. The Tortoise and the Hare takes the classic Aesop fable, sets it to an original score by Stephen Simon and then throws in the London Philharmonic Orchestra for good measure. Once we got the fade/balance thing right in the car so all parties could hear, the kids and the parents enjoyed the narration, especially with the added Mrs. Beaver character who runs the local bistro. As you know, I’m sold if it involves food.

If a book on CD can keep my children’s attention for more than five minutes, it’s a keeper…and The Tortoise and the Hare is a keeper! It even has a few bonus tracks filling in listeners about how the music is composed, more info about the original tale and even a Dixieland rendition of the “Pretzel Vendor of Paris,” which you’ll hear during the tale.

You can find The Tortoise and the Hare and the full collection of Maestro Classics on the website, including Peter and the Wolf (one of my favorites!), The Story of Swan Lake and Casey at the Bat.

*** Giveaway! Maestro Classics is giving away 3 The Tortoise and the Hare CDs! What a great stocking stuffer for the holidays! 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. Remember to leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

• Visit Maestro Classics online and leave a comment telling us which other CD you’d love to hear.
• 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: December 8, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Christine, Shelley and Janelle, the winners of the Maestro Classics 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!

CANADA—November 30, 2009— From the very beginning Boutique Café’s passion has been supporting mom entrepreneurs (“mompreneurs”) and women in business. For over five years the website’s podcast interviews, fashion show spotlights, product reviews and various forms of advertising have given added attention to women business owners.

Daria Muirhead, Boutique Café’s owner and podcast hostess, is all about helping these women fulfill their dreams. In another effort to do so she recently launched Mompreneur Corner, a new feature on Boutique Café that will showcase featured articles by and for incredible business women. The weekly articles will cover a wide range of topics, from the importance of branding your business to better balancing family and business. Mompreneur Corner will offer readers specific how-to’s from expert panelists in areas such as fabric design, product placement, advertising, stress management, mothering from behind a desk and zeroing in on your passion.

“I have put together a wonderfully talented group of women for our Mompreneur Corner feature. They will quickly become an integral and ongoing part of Boutique Café and I am excited to share their talents and expertise with our audience,” said Daria.

In addition to the new Mompreneur section on Boutique Café, the site is currently showcasing its 2009 Boutique Cafe Holiday Gift Guide. The gift guide is packed full of discount codes, free shipping offers and other special promotions. This is fourth installment of the website’s popular holiday shopping guide and is a tremendous draw for readers and advertisers alike (many of whom happen to be work-at-home moms and mompreneurs).

Whether you’re interest is family or business (or holiday shopping), you can find what you’re looking for on Boutique Café.

About Boutique Café

Boutique Café is the world’s first boutique podcast. The site’s weekly shows highlight topics of interest to fashion savvy moms around the world. Whether readers are looking for a new muse, the latest in fashion for children, reviews on must-have products or tips and tricks for women business owners, Boutique Café can help. Besides producing a highly portable and downloadable radio show, the site also supports a community forum of buyers, designers, moms and professionals. Boutique Café has experienced great success in its first five years of operation and has gained thousands of subscribers to the show as well as thousands of visitors to the site each day. Visit BoutiqueCafe.com for more information.
###

Our wildly popular 2009 Holiday Gift Guide is brimming with sweet festive savings. Enjoy this little commercial we’ve produced featuring the current discounts, promo codes and deals you can snag on amazing products & services (discount codes valid till Jan. 1st 2010).

To view the entire savings guide Click Here>> More promos are continually being added throughout the Christmas shopping season so keep checking back. Thank you for supporting these businesses, many of whom are mompreneur owned & operated small businesses. Doesn’t that make you feel all warm and jolly?!

Happy Holidays from Boutique Cafe!

** Please Tweet about this episode on Twitter. Include our name @BoutiqueCafe so we can cheer you all on! Thanks!
** Click button below to view video coverage, or view it on our YouTube channel right here>>

Description:
“Whether you are going out to the lodge or shopping around town, your little snow bunny will be sure to impress at any winter soiree in these adorable boots. Made out of lovely Paula Prass fabric, and lined with super soft and cozy black fleece. These boots have black non-slip leather soles which are ideal for walking babies. Finally, these gorgeous boots are finished off with completely handmade pink roses reminiscent of the ones in the fabric. They even have gold edged leaves. ”
Size……..2…….3-6 months……..4″
Size……..3…….6-12 months…….4.5″
Size……..4…….12-18 months……5″
Size……..5…….18-24 months……5.5″

Snag these sweet boots for your little love right here>>

This pillow from shopbabymoon.com has a unique Velcro at the edge of the “U” to create a little circle just perfect for any newborn head. This unique function that takes one of the arms of the pillows and attaches by velcro to the other arm creates a perfect head support and can be adjusted just right to your baby’s head. The circular opening of the pillow cradles the back of the head while providing optimal positioning for the baby.

Detach the Velcro and cover the scratchy Velcro surface with the soft peek a boo flap and instantly it becomes a perfect neck support for your baby while in the car seat or in a stroller. The peek-a-boo flap is provided so it can cover the Velcro so there in no irritation.

Designed by a mom. Tested by a mom. Created just for your baby.
Available online at shopbabymoon.com
-Amber

Wear Your Music is line of super cool bracelets made using guitar strings. Wear Your Music actually has two lines of bracelets, the Artist line and the Fashion line. The Artist line features bracelets that are “handcrafted from recycled fine silver and guitar strings” actually used by well-known artists such as Avril Lavigne, Joan Jett and Tim McGraw. These bracelets sell for $100 and up (you can get Robert Trujillo’s from Metallica for $250 or John Mayer’s for $200) and proceeds go towards a charity of the artist’s choosing. The Fashion line is made using guitar strings in a variety of colors. These unisex bracelets are simple yet pretty dang hip and are perfect for music lovers of all ages. A percentage of the profits from the sale of these bracelets are donated to charities that support music.

Wear Your Music sent us a collection from their Fashion line and once they arrived I had to immediately divvy them up so the girls could wear them. I of course claimed my fave colors (black and red) and let the girls decide on the rest. They looked great doubled and tripled up and I found I loved wearing my black one mixed in with some of my favorite silver bracelets. The fit is universal so no worries about wrist size and they are extremely well made so they can hold up to whatever your music lover throws at them. And at about $9 a piece they make a wonderful stocking stuffer or gift for the holidays. I love finding unique gifts and a guitar-string bracelet from Wear Your Music is definitely one of them.

If you have a real guitar lover in the family you might want to consider a bracelet from Wear Your Music’s Artist line. Not only will you be giving a one-of-a-kind gift perfect for your musician but you’ll also be supporting a worthy cause. Now THAT rocks! –Emily

*** Giveaway! Wear Your Music is giving away an 8-piece collection (an $80 value) from their Fashion line to one lucky Daily Dish reader! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway. Please leave a separate comment for each one you do:
•    Visit WearYourMusic.org and leave a comment telling us which artist’s bracelet you would absolutely LOVE to purchase (if money were no object!).
•    Become a fan of the Wear Your Music charity project on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
•    Follow Wear Your Music 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: December 1, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Lisa, the winner of the Wear Your Music 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!

Be sure to check out all of the awesome goodies at Fat Quarter Shop, and take advantage of the deal they are giving Boutique Cafe readers in our Holiday Gift Guide. 20% off a single order till Jan 1. 2010!! Use PromoCode “BoutiqueCafe”

Though my girls don’t pack their lunches very often I am still trying to take baby steps on my way to helping our family be a bit more “green.” A reusable, eco-friendly lunchbox is one way we can make a small change in our habits, which will hopefully lead to more changes as we go. yubo sent me their Deluxe Lunchbox in a snappy orange–a good color for a family with both girls and boys. Before the lunchbox even arrived I was pretty excited to review it because although the previous ones I’ve featured on the Daily Dish were nifty, other than choosing your color or pattern, they weren’t extremely unique. yubo’s lunchboxes not only have removable faceplates but you can personalize them with your child’s name of even one of your own photos!

yubo’s Deluxe version comes with the lunchbox (of course), faceplate set (ours came with the “peace” set), three containers (one square plus two small rounds), a custom ice pack and a name tag. The kids saw the new lunchbox on the counter and immediately called dibs on who got to use it first. (My oldest won that one.) Though I quickly hand washed everything you can stick pretty much every part of the yubo into the dishwasher (except faceplates, tags and the ice pack). We love easy! The night before school my daughter packed her lunch complete with PB & honey sandwich, pretzels, carrots and fruit snacks.

Because her sandwich container had a little room she was able to throw in a pack of fruit snacks on top before closing it. Other than that there isn’t much room for anything except the ice pack. Of course if you don’t really need the ice pack you could throw in a granola bar or other small snack on top. She put everything inside, snapped on the lid, slipped in the faceplates and was ready to go. It fit nicely in the fridge so it kept the carrots cold until it was time for school the next day.

I would say out of the three this is my kids’ favorite lunchbox, but I will say as fun as it is to be able to change the design or personalize it or add one of any number of cool tags, it doesn’t hold that many items…unless you get creative and don’t need the ice pack. Otherwise you have a sandwich, two sides and that’s pretty much it. Perhaps that should be all you need for a school lunch, but I know by the time my girls eat (5 or so hours after breakfast), they’re pretty hungry. Of course you can buy different size containers so you could have three oval ones or four rounds and one oval one. But I have to say though the OOTS! lunchbox stacks vertically, which can be a pain if you need something on the bottom, it does offer a little more room for packing a few more things.

We didn’t received the drink holder to test but I do love that yubo lunch boxes offer this option, though I do wish it came included with the deluxe version. It’s a holder that attaches to the outside so you can carry a reusable water bottle and it’s insulated, which is super nice!

Overall the yubo wins our vote for its ease of use (easy access to everything, dishwasher safe); custom ice pack that takes up very little space; BPA-free materials, food-safe, anti-microbial agent; soft handle (forgot to mention that earlier); 100% recyclable materials AND the super cool faceplates and tags. Plus it comes in pink, orange and blue…and did I mention it’s easy to clean? At $29.95 for the Deluxe and $21.95 for the standard lunch box, it is more of an investment than your typical lunchbox but you are helping save the environment, and who can put a price on that? –Emily

* Promotion! yubo is offering Daily Dish readers 15% off their orders. Simply use code boucaf15 when checking out. Offer expires December 25, 2009.

The event took place last weekend at a beautiful cabin in Sundance (Utah), and thanks to Seth Jenks (@SethJenks) and APX Alarm I was able to attend. The company sponsored myself and two other gals including my good friend Quinn Curtis of CreatedByChicks.com and Limelight Food Photography. (Thank you, Seth!)  I was only able to attend Friday night, and though I was sorely disappointed to miss Saturday (Cherie Burton’s class, Tara Starling’s professional styling and makeup, Russ Dixon’s photography and of course more girl bonding), I got enough out of Friday to reevaluate my own personal style both inside and out.

There’s just something about 25 entrepreneurial women in one room tucked away in snowy Sundance, well fed and ready to be inspired—I can’t explain it. But it was cool. My favorite of the evening was Skyping with Danielle LaPorte (@DanielleLaPorte) of White Hot Truth. When she was done speaking all I could do was sit there and let it all soak in…for a good ten minutes. It’s a good thing I took notes because it was fast and furious—and fabulous.

Sarah Ward from Cable Car Couture introduced me to the power of the collared shirt and Tara Starling of Starling Beauty Academy introduced many of us to the application of the color wheel in makeup. (Quinn and Janet may still be reeling after learning about the tensile strength of mascara-coated eyelashes…) And if all that stylin’ was glam enough, both e.l.f. cosmetics and Timex sponsored the event and so we freshly inspired women went home with some glam of our own. My girls oohed and aahed over e.l.f.’s mini makeup kits and I’m excited to own pretty much my first blingy accessory. ever.

Kelly King Anderson, Startup Princess herself, knows how to throw a good event and from what I’ve heard of Saturday’s adventures, the gals had a great time. You can read Quinn’s take on it here and here (she keeps you in suspense with a two-part recap) and catch the Whrrl story here. THANK YOU again to APX Alarm for sponsoring us. As far as security companies go, APX is pretty dang cool. They monitor not only burglary and fire but also carbon monoxide and medical emergencies. What you REALLY need to do is check out the APX Alarm blog–it has some really great articles on personal and family safety (love “Confessions of a Worryholic“) and they’ll be doing a series of holiday-related security posts as well. You’ll definitely want to add the APX Alarm blog feed to your reader!

If you want to feel like you were part of the action, head to TwitterSearch.com and check out the #supa09 hash tag. Even if you’re not planning to pose for the camera or pitch to the media you can catch a lot of what went on during the event. I tweeted my fair share of 140-character snatches on Friday and I’m sure there were quite a few more on Saturday.

Head on over to the Startup Princess site and subscribe to the feed so you don’t miss another conference or event and be sure to follow Kelly on Twitter (@startupprincess). As mompreneurs we can use all the inspiration (and girl bonding) we can get!

There is now a brand NEW Swanky Community where moms can connect, share photos/videos and more, create groups and the list goes on. They have over 200 members so far and are looking for fun moms to join in!

Sign up for the Swanky Community>>

The U-Play Mat was designed by a New York pediatrician and mother of four. The design allows your child to sit and the floor, inside the opening of the U, and have full access to 15 clear pockets (5 on each side and 5 in front). The mat comes with about 8 sets of theme-based cards from animals to food to letters and you fill those clear pockets with those cards. For younger children you might only place 5 cards in front whereas for older children you’ll fill the entire thing. Then you get to make up games to play to help your child learn names, colors or even find matches. The mat, which comes with a tote to help organize the cards, also comes with some ideas for games you can play and then you can take it from there.

We set up the U-Play Mat on our family room floor and with a little direction from Mom, my oldest two took charge of a little learning time with their younger siblings. Livi went first:

And then George soon followed:

The girls had a great time working with the flash cards and cheering on their little brother and sister and I loved watching it all happen. My favorite part about it other than the super cool, super unique design? I didn’t have to locate a pair of AA or C batteries to get the thing going. We are far too plugged in at our home and going unplugged was definitely a welcome change. I was smiling the whole time while watching them get into our new U-Play Mat. How could you not when you have this taking place on your family room floor.  Note at the end how Livi is super “anxious” (i.e. throwing a small fit) for her next turn:

We really had a great time with the U-Play Mat and with 8 sets of flash cards it’s sure to be a hit for a while. (And now I’ve found a great way for my oldest two to keep the youngest two busy!) The U-Play Mat is an all-around great time for our kids! –Emily

* Promotion! Play This Way is offering Daily Dish readers 10% off their U-Play Mat purchase! Simply enter code BOUTIQUE10 when checking out.

Marina provides outstanding tips and information via her daily Build-A-Buzz newsletter, and website for all companies looking to pump up their PR efforts. PR no longer needs to be a budget buster, with Build-A-Buzz you can get your daily dose of expertise right to your email address. We LOVE this!! – Daria

Sign up for the FREE Build-A-Buzz newsletter>

Visit the Build-A-Buzz Website>>

After owning tanks from DownEast Basics and Shade, layering tees from Layers and then being sent a tank and cap-sleeve tee from undertease to review on the Daily Dish, I can tell you yes, there is a big difference, and not just in price. I have found there is a big difference in fabric and fit among all these brands and up until I received samples from undertease, Shade had my vote for fit and fabric while DownEast had my vote if you were going for price. But then undertease sent me a white cami and a black cap-sleeve tee…sigh…who new fabric could be this comfy? (Note: I’d have included an image of the white tank but it was too hard to see on the mannequin. The black shows the fit better.)

My undertease tank is now my tank of choice when I need a white tank under sweaters, tees or low-cut dresses and if I need a cap-sleeve layering tee, you better believe I’ll reach for my undertease one first. I was thinking I might need to hide the white tank because my oldest daughter is now “borrowing” it for her use, and then I realized I just need to tell her to leave my undertease alone and stick with Shade. My favorite features are the fabric, length and especially the straps. The straps are on the thinner side with a bit of stretch so it almost feels like I don’t have a tank on at all–and when you’re wearing multiple layers, the feel of less is more.

I wanted to find out what made the undertease tees so dang comfortable with a fit that lasted after washing and I discovered the company uses a blend of 46% cotton, 46% modal and 8% spandex. It’s that modal that makes their tees maintain their shape, feel and look even after numerous washes. They really are silky soft yet have that spandex so they hug your body without feeling bulky, an important thing when layering.

I can speak from personal experience on their cap-sleeve tee, too. (Two for tea and tea for two…sorry, couldn’t resist!) I wanted to see if their sleeves would eventually cut into my armpit like the “other” cap sleeves I own and tend to make that area sore after extended wear. I donned the black cap sleeve for a day of testing and due to either the style or the fabric (or both), it was comfortable all day long. No armpit soreness or discomfort or “how soon can I get this thing off.” I really could tell a difference and it felt great!

As much as I absolutely adore my new undertease the one thing I don’t adore is the price. While they are top on my list for fit, fabric, comfort and style all rolled into one, they are bottom on the list for price. I guess I should say it’s worth the investment, and perhaps it would be if they were only a handful of dollars more than those other brands, but at almost twice the price I have a hard time justifying the purchase. If I needed to wear them day in and day out I think I would make the investment as I’m sure undertease will hold up a lot longer than the other tees in my dresser drawer, but since I’m usually kicking it in jeans and a comfy tee, I think I’ll love and cherish the undertease I have and wait for a sale to pick up a few more.

undertease also offers long-sleeve tees and tees for maternity and plus sizes. If you want to try undertease before buying you can find them at Blend Fashions in Pleasant Grove, Utah, Nordstrom (undertease is part of their Half-Yearly Sale so you may find me there stocking up on a couple more!) and boutiques around the country. You can also find undertease on Facebook and Twitter. –Emily

With Daria expecting a baby in December, Designer and Friend Bari J. Ackerman steps in and brings us some spectacular video coverage of Fall Quilt Market 2009!

In the third installment of our Quilt Market Coverage, Bari interviews: Our outstanding friend & designer Patty Young. Patty shares her new fabric line “Flora & Fauna” as well as her upcoming patterns, and ready-to-ship patterns. Check out Patty’s website here>>. Bari J. also interviews the very talented Anna Maria Horner about her new “Little Folks” fabric line, upcoming projects & patterns…even her new book available Spring 2010 called “Handmade Beginnings”. Visit Anna Maria’s website & blog here>>.

Twitter Follows for this show:
Patty Young on Twitter
Boutique Cafe on Twitter
Bari J. on Twitter

Please join me in thanking Bari for her outstanding efforts and contribution to Boutique Cafe. Even more new interviews will be on the way in the coming weeks thanks to her! XO Bari, we love you ~ Daria

** Please Tweet about this episode on Twitter. Include our name @BoutiqueCafe so we can cheer you all on! Thanks!
** Click button below to view video coverage, or view it on our YouTube channel right here>>

The u-shaped pan bakes corners in more than just 4 corners. The brownie pan has been the craze with bakers everywhere and now the bakers edge has introduced the lasagna pan with the same extraordinary u-shaped lines.

I’m a simple cook…by that I mean I’m not very good at it. Lasagna is a big meal for me so I felt a bit overwhelmed with the task of putting this u-shaped pan to the test with all the ingredients that go into creating this pasta.

The preparation wasn’t bad at all. The noodles just fold into place with the u-shaped corners and everything else just pours perfectly into its spot. I put the pan in and minutes later I had a delicious crispy lasagna.

I think anything I create in the oven that comes out unburned is a masterpiece, so I needed an objective opinion. I took the lasagna out of the pan and dished it onto a couple plates and took it to my neighbors to get their take on the taste of this dish.

Sheepishly they began eating away because it did look crispier than any lasagna ought to be…but that is what makes this lasagna so good. Immediately they raved about the perfect pasta that is crispy on the outside yet deliciously cooked on the inside. I admitted that it wasn’t my amazing cooking skills nor my brand new oven that delivered such an appetizing lasagna but it was my incredible new u-shaped pan.

Available online at bakersedge.com.
-Amber

Interested in joining in? We’d love to showcase your stores and shops! We have a few remaining spots available. Email info@boutiquecafe.com for further details.

**Doesn’t that just make you jolly?!**
Take me to the Gift Guide now>>

“Euro style Vita done in bright cheerful colors, inspired from the Trix cereal box. Licensed Trix fabric that’s hard to find adds charm to the side panels of the dress. Lots of trim used on front and back bodice along with Smiley Face decorative buttons. Bottom panels also have rickrack trim and ruffles complete the design. Applique is whimsical and oh so much fun. My grandaughter loves the Trix Rabbit and we’re always saying “Silly Rabbit, Trix are for Kids”. The letters are double appliqued for lots of color and pop. Silly Rabbit is on both front and back panels.

Available in size 2 through girls 10.”

Take me to the Trix Outfit! >>

In 2003, I started creating children’s clothing and needed a name. During an online chat with friends, several were suggested and I immediately was drawn to That Funky Boutique. Seemed catchy and I do like to have a playfulness and uniqueness in my creations. I’m no longer doing children’s items but it still seems to fit ok for my etsy shop.

Can you share your background in design?

From a young age I knew I wanted to be an artist. I can’t say enough about the professors I was able to learn from while getting a BFA with emphasis in Illustration and design. After school, I worked for an advertising company for several years where was able to design and illustrate national catalogs and then went off on my own as a freelance artist and designer. I’ve been freelancing ever since and consider it my main focus. Though my textile designs do take over during some seasons! Recent illustration clients include Chatti Patti, Knuckleheads Clothing, Portabello Pixie and others. My That Funky Boutique line fits in nicely between projects as I can never sit still.

Where do you find your inspiration for your creations? What part of
the process is your favorite?

Inspiration for my textile creations comes from all over the place. From my children, from nature, from the materials on hand. Those are the biggest jumping off points.
The first part in the process is my favorite. From early sketches to completing the sample.

How did you come up with your new HOT scarf design for fall? What are
the features of it that will make women want them this season?

My scarves came about on a whim. I hadn’t sewn in quite a long time due to a cross country move that demanded my time and energy. But I dusted off my machine to do some personal sewing for fun. My first scarf was originally going to be a throw blanket out of some wool and cashmere scraps. I did one long length to start the blanket. There happened to be a mirror close by where I was working and I caught a glimpse of myself with the piece. I threw it around my neck and viola. A unique scarf. I had a feeling it would sell and sell it did! Along with more than 100 more in the first month of selling. I never set out to sew and sell again but here I am enjoying it!

What has been the response since having your scarves featured last
week on The Today Show?

I was humbly honored to have my scarf requested for The Today Show segment. I’m hopeful that the segment brought in lots of viewers for all Etsy artisans! My sales are the same—selling about as fast as I can create them!

www.thatfunkyboutique.etsy.com
www.thatfunkyboutique.blogspot.com

Now with Mompreneur Corner we hope to take our journey a step further. We will be showcasing featured articles by and for incredible business women. These weekly articles will run the gamut of topics, everything from the importance of branding your business, to how to balance your home/work just a bit better. We’ll delve into specifics from expert panelists in arenas such as: fabric design, product placements, advertising, coping with stress, mothering from behind a desk, zeroing in on your passion and much much more!!

The most thrilling part of the venture comes from the calibre of writers we have lined up to share their talents and expertise with you. Over the past several years, it’s been my honor to connect with so many leaders and trail blazers in various fields – I have approached several key people to become an integral & ongoing part of Boutique Cafe…and they can’t wait!!

We invite you to join with us in this new step at Boutique Cafe, by adding your voice to our discussion as well as sharing these articles and features with your friends. This is only the beginning – welcome to Boutique Cafe’s NEW Mompreneur Corner! Please give us a shout-out in our comments today and let us know you are eager to begin.
~ Daria

With Daria expecting a baby in December, Designer and Friend Bari J. Ackerman steps in and brings us some spectacular video coverage of Fall Quilt Market 2009! In the second installment of our Quilt Market Coverage, Bari interviews: the talented and lovely Paula Prass about her new fabric line “Woodland Delight”, check out her popular blog for updates on her new pattern line release. Then Miss Sandi Henderson steps into the Boutique Cafe spotlight and discusses her new fabric line “Meadow Sweet”, as well as patterns and her upcoming book called “Sewing Bits & Pieces”. Learn more about Sandi on her beautiful blog as well.

Twitter Follows for this show:
Sandi Henderson on Twitter
Paula Prass on Twitter
Boutique Cafe on Twitter
Bari J. on Twitter

Please join me in thanking Bari for her outstanding efforts and contribution to Boutique Cafe. Several new interviews will be on the way in the coming weeks thanks to her! XO Bari, we love you ~ Daria

** Please Tweet about this episode on Twitter. Include our name @BoutiqueCafe so we can cheer you all on! Thanks!
** Click button below to view video coverage, or view it on our YouTube channel right here>>

The latest addition to LeapFrog’s line of electronic learning products is the Zippity Learning System. This not-so-little gadget is sort of Dance Dance Revolution meets Wii meets old-school Atari controller–but for 3- to 5-year-old children. The set consists of an interactive mat and “bopper” plus a small console that plugs into the television. The console has places for extra games but already comes with 8 games (2 levels each) featuring fave Playhouse Disney shows like My Friends Tigger & Pooh, Handy Manny, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Little Einsteins. (Anyone else absolutely adore Little Einsteins?!?!) You can also purchase separate games with other popular characters like Lightning McQueen and those ever-effervescent Disney princesses.

George was so excited to try out his new Zippity he kept asking how soon ’til Dad was home he could play it. (Yes, I could have set it up but I love giving Dad a chance to get involved with these reviews.) But George couldn’t wait so big sister got it all plugged in and set up for him. After that it only took a few false starts to help George understand how the mat and bopper worked and away he went trying out each game (easy level only) and finding out his faves; he really enjoyed making June and Goofy dance and helping Handy Manny’s tools fix things. Don’t believe me? Here’s a little video for you:

And just like the Tag Reader and Tag Junior, the Zippity offers the built-in Learning Path so you can track the skills your child is exploring as they learn and play. It’s really pretty cool. Though I love the Zippity I will say a couple things bothered me. One, the amount of batteries this puppy takes. I think it’s like 4 C batteries for both the console and the mat…and I have yet to find rechargeable size C batteries. (We’re big fans of rechargeable batteries around here.) And two, even though the games are geared towards 3-year-olds and up, the easy levels moved a bit too slowly for both George and me. Touted as an “active” learning system, the only time George really got moving was when he free danced with June, and he was moving way too fast for the game to keep up with him!

But all in all the Zippity is a huge hit at our house and would make a great holiday gift for the preschooler in your home. Even Livi had a great time taking a turn on the mat–after she gave her sister the count of three to do something. (Who do you suppose she got that from?) Check out this outtake video:

*** Giveaway!!! LeapFrog is giving away one (1) Zippity Learning System to a lucky Daily Dish reader (and $80 value)! 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 LeapFrog.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite LeapFrog product.
•   Become a fan of LeapFrog on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you’re their newest fan.
•   Follow LeapFrog 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: November 12, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Sky S., the winner of the Zippity 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!

Vancouver, WA – November 2, 2009 – Puj, a leading designer of modern baby products that help Simplify Parenthood, is putting its new Puj Tub to the test, literally. The company is looking for 100 parents to act as official product testers for its new Puj Tub. The Puj Tub has been hailed as one of the best baby products to come on the market in years, offering a revolutionary new way to bathe a baby. With this new Puj 100 Tub Challenge, parents can see for themselves how easy bathing a baby with the Puj Tub can be.

Parents everywhere know how anxiety-inducing bathing a newborn can be – such a delicate creature slipping and sliding can quickly cause inner panic. With the Puj Tub, parents are able to bathe their baby in a standard sink so there’s no bending over a big, awkward bathtub. The Puj Tub cradles the baby in a cushiony, non-absorbent and non-slip closed cell foam that is also PVC and BPA free. And once the bath is done, the Puj Tub dries fast and folds flat.

The Puj Tub will be available for purchase at the end of November at a price of $39.99; however, through the Puj 100 Tub Giveaway, parents with a blog can go to the Puj site and apply to receive the tub for free in exchange for being a product tester and sharing their honest views on the product. The 100 selected winners will also be listed as official product testers on www.pujbaby.com . In this economy, giving consumers an opportunity to try a product at no cost is welcome news. For more information on the Puj 100 Tub Giveaway please visit www.pujbaby.com

Puj designs products for parents with the focus on making their lives easier. As parents and designers, Katie and Ben Richardson know how wonderful yet challenging parenting can be and have set out to design products that Simplify Parenthood. Having designed products for numerous name brand companies, it just seemed natural to begin designing products that helped them raise their own children. From shoes that fit baby’s feet perfectly to the latest innovation in baby products, Puj Baby makes parents lives easier. For more information on the Puj Tub and Puj please visit www.pujbaby.com.

JelliBee Baby offers a line of bibs aptly named NEAT that feature the coolest prints (Pop Girl and Purple Ink are my faves) and a style that offers superior coverage without being a full-on straight jacket. JelliBee Baby sent us the Melrose for Livi to test for this review and for once I was anxious to fix a messy meal just so we could slip it on and try it out. Unfortunately Livi’s in this “I’m going to do what I want to do no matter what you want me to do” stage so she refused to wear it. Thank goodness for George who always aims to please and was more than happy to wear it. Even though he’s older than the stated 24 months I wasn’t going to turn down a child who actually asked to wear a bib.

Our Melrose bib, though not the most manly print for a little boy, did feature the optional clear vinyl pouch–always a great way to catch misdirected food. His arms slipped through easily and the tie-back closure was a cinch. The NEAT bib is lined with 100% organic cotton and is reversible. Ours was the vinyl-faced with catch-all front but you can also find these bibs in fabric-only and clear vinyl-faced front styles. Like I mentioned above, the recommended age is 6 to 24 months but I found it worked just fine for George who’s pre-school age. Not only would it be good at keeping alfredo sauce off his shirt but also finger paints off his non-finger parts.

When mentioning to Jane Schwartz, the woman behind JelliBee Baby, how much George loved the bib she wanted me to let readers know her NEAT bibs really do have a lifespan longer than 18 months. Plus, and this is super exciting, JelliBee Baby will be introducing a line of smocks perfect for 3 to 5 year olds! As we say around here, “Whoo hoo!” Though the $18 price tag seems a little high for a bib, it’s the going rate for a bib that does a superior job at combining style and function and will last through multiple children (i.e., hundreds of breakfasts, lunches, dinners and washings).

JelliBee Baby also offers a line of chic wipes cases, wipes clutches, decorative hangers, booties and wool animals. Every single thing on that site would make a fabulous baby gift for an upcoming baby shower or holiday  stocking stuffer–or a gift to yourself so you have one less shirt to spot with stain remover before washing.  –Emily

* Promotion! JelliBee Baby is offering Daily Dish readers 15% off their orders. Simply use code NeatDish when checking out online. Offer expires November 30, 2009.

Snag your Vintage Hair Pin here >>

“The mix of high end Designer Fabrics give the slinky new Eva Apron an eclectic bohemian elegance.

Our Eva Apron has a great size range that looks every hot on sizes 4-14. ”

You can snag this sweet apron for yourself right here>>

**See all of our amazing apron finds on My ApronADay Blog >>

Last year I reviewed Bearpaw shoes and am already a fan of Uggs, but this year there’s a new fave in my closet and I have a feeling it will be worn a lot more than the others because it combines comfort, warmth and some serious style. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on–and toes in–a pair of Sorel boots so the company sent me the Shila from their newest line. (Oh, the sacrifices I make for our readers…) Though I think the Shila is one of their cutest styles I have to admit I can count at least five others that come close. I’m thinking it’s the combination of 45+ years of experience and some pretty talented product designers that make their line so irresistible!

So the Shila arrived, tie-up laces, wedge heel and all. My first thought was something like, “Dang! These boots are even cuter in person!” It was then followed by, “How did I not notice ‘SOREL’ written along the outside of the heel?” At first that was a bit off-putting, but that’s probably because I don’t love brand names printed noticeably on clothing. I think I would’ve preferred it to be the exact same color as the background (it is in the black) just so it blended in a bit more, but as it was the boot had enough chic style to compensate for this one little “flaw.”

Of course being cold-weather boots meant I had to wait for a nice wintry day to test them out, and fortunately for this review–but unfortunately for me because I hate snow–we actually had some snow fall yesterday, enough to warrant a thorough test drive. I pulled on Sorel’s Shila boots and opted for some straight-leg jeans so I could show off the super cute laces. I wore those shoes from about noon until about 6pm, even keeping them on while in the house, they were THAT comfortable. I swear the sole of the shoe had some serious cushioning but I had added spring in my step, something I’ve lost these past few crazy weeks. Though I love my Uggs and Bearpaws they don’t have near the comfort when it comes to the insole. My feet were toasty and looked fabulous, if I do say so myself. I did notice the SOREL printed on the boot wasn’t nearly as noticeable once the boots were on my feet, and no, that’s not just because they were harder to see. It really blended in well to the overall look, so I guess first impressions can be deceiving sometimes! (Gotta love my expression; it’s like I’m trying to pretend I really and truly do love snow. A for effort!)

Sorel has a wonderful line of boots for men and children as well so you can make sure everyone’s tootsies are warm this winter. If you happen to live someplace like Phoenix, I say buy a pair and then come up and visit me just so you can wear them! I already have my eyes on the Hoonah and Maribel in black…merry Christmas to me! –Emily

*** Giveaway! Sorel is giving away one pair of children’s boots, 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 Sorel.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite shoe style.
•    Follow Sorel on Twitter and leave a comment telling us you’re their newest follower.
•    Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•    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: November 5, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Chris S., the winner of the Sorel 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!

To thoroughly review a tote from the Ann Judge Design collection, the owner sent me one of her Everyday totes…and it arrived just in time for our recent Caribbean vacation. (Whew! Don’t know what I would’ve done without a fashionable tote while perusing shops in Old San Juan. See photo at right.) At a travel-friendly size of 11″ by 11″ by 5″ deep the Everyday bag was the perfect airline carry-on, old-town shopper, port-perusing carryall and even beach-going bag. The two convenient pockets held my cell phone, gum, business cards, Carnival FunPass and a lip gloss or two. The main pocket held a seriously too full cosmetic bag filled with the rest of the lip gloss, mini hand sanitizer and passport along with my wallet, MP3 player, Flip camera, digital camera and a couple single-serving cereal boxes (our snack while away from the ship). And I still had room for a few souvenirs!

The canvas held up wonderfully well to all I threw at it, including sand, sun and a small rainshower while hiking to Trafalgar Falls in Dominica. That tote and I were inseparable! The only thing I wish it had were a sturdier bottom (don’t we all?). I rarely if ever put the Everyday tote down for fear the canvas bottom would get dirty. If it had either a vinyl, leather or even pleather bottom or small brass feet, I would’ve thought this tote absolutely perfect in every way…kind of like the Mary Poppins of everyday totes.

Ann Judge Design offers four styles of totes from the Mini to the Day Tripper and even a line of cosmetic bags and coin purses. Her totes are not only perfect for travel but for everything from a day at the office to a day at the Farmers Market. Plus they’re stylishly affordable–the Everyday tote is only $48. (I swear we paid more than that for Carnival’s in-cabin bottled water my husband mistakenly opened.) Need a new favorite tote or the perfect excuse to go on vacation? Pick up your own fabulously functional Ann Judge Design tote online at AnnJudge.com. –Emily

*** Giveaway! Ann Judge Design is giving away one Pink Star Everyday tote and matching coin purse to one of our readers (a $72 value)! (If I weren’t exempt from this giveaway you better believe I’d be all over it!) 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 AnnJudge.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite fabric design/style.
•   Become a fan of Ann Judge Design 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 winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: November 3, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Audrey, the winner of the Ann Judge Design 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!

With Daria expecting a baby in December, Designer and Friend Bari J. Ackerman steps in and brings us some spectacular video coverage of Fall Quilt Market 2009! In the first in our series of “Market” shows, Bari interviews: Fabric & Jewelry Designer Genevieve Gail, amazing Textile and Pattern Designer Joanna Figueroa and we also see what our wonderful correspondent Bari J. is up to herself!

Please join me in thanking Bari for her outstanding efforts and contribution to Boutique Cafe. Many new interviews will be on the way in the coming weeks thanks to her! XO Bari, we love you ~ Daria

** Please Tweet about this episode on Twitter. Include our name @BoutiqueCafe so we can cheer you all on! Thanks!
** Click button below to view video coverage, or view it on our YouTube channel right here>>

For as little as $5 you can design your very own virtual gal, and start her walking. Don’t forget to join TEAM Boutique Cafe!! (simply add Boutique Cafe in the team name field when you create your gal, come back here and let us know you joined our team). It’s easy and it’s fun! The joy you feel in knowing that your dollars are helping make dreams come true for cancer patients, well it’s magic.
Here’s Virtual Daria and Virtual Emily doing our thing

SAMPLE SALE – Tailored Jacket
Size 3/4T – Measurements Below
**Worn only for modeling.**

“This jacket was the biggest challenge….and the design I am most fond of in my design history. I created this using my own patterns and a lot of trial and error and am extremely pleased with the end result.

I did not line this jacket, as the decorator fabric is already quite heavy and warm.

You will Receive:
One Tailored Fall Jacket ~ Size 3/4T

Measurements:
Chest: 25 inches
Sleeve Length: 8 1/2 inches
Shoulder to Hem: 23 1/2 inches
This is the Sample Jacket and is ready to ship.”

Click Here to Bid on this gorgeous Jacket >>

You can also find her “Angles Song’ and ‘Anthropology’ necklaces in select Anthropologie stores in the United States. As we gals know, a little Anthro goes a long way!

Of her company Lori says:
“Miss Ruby Sue radiates effortless charm in bold colors, artistic patterns and a free spirit to make any woman of any age stand-out.” And it’s true, I had the pleasure of receiving the Giddy Up Girl bib-style necklace featuring stunning handmade silk flowers, hot pink girly tulle, and oodles of special touches. At first I was afraid to wear it, it was just so breathtaking – but I quickly conquered that and rocked out a basic tee and jeans with my new “Ruby Sue” wonder. Everywhere I went people stopped to ask me where I got that incredible necklace, I honestly think Lori needs to ship 10-20 business cards with each piece she sells because trust me…you’ll be handing them out! The pieces are well made, and you can tell they are created with love and vision in mind.

For High Impact jewelry, look no further than the customized and specialized shop of Miss Ruby Sue on Etsy. She also offers lovely hairpieces and headbands that make the ideal holiday gift for someone dear in your life.

If you’re planning a wedding, Miss Ruby Sue will work with you to create a Bridal piece that is custom designed and colored for your day in the spotlight.

For your special day or any day, I highly recommend the styling of Miss Ruby Sue. The only question I have is which piece I want to order next! – Daria

**GIVEAWAY
Miss Ruby Sue is giving away one necklace of the winner’s choice to a very lucky Boutique Cafe reader! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway (please leave a separate comment for each):

• Visit Miss Ruby Sue’s Shop on Etsy and leave a comment here telling us your favorite design or product.
• Follow Miss Ruby Sue on Twitter, and let her know that @BoutiqueCafe sent you.
• 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: October 31, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

******UPDATE: Congratulations to Brookllyn who has won our drawing for the necklace of choice from Miss Ruby Sue!! We know you will LOVE it. Many thanks to everyone who entered, tweeted and shared this review on your blogs, we love your support for our talented sellers.

I only recently discovered ecoTOOLS and now that I’ve sampled their product line I’m anxious to learn more–and try more. The company sent me their new Green, Clean, Go travel sampler kit to review on the Daily Dish, which includes the Clean Skin, Cleaner World body wash, Blooming Planet body mist, Sustainable Softness body lotion, One Hand Helps the Other hand cream and a bamboo nail brush. How cool is that–even the product names are earth friendly!

Because the ecoTOOLS Green, Clean, Go travel kit arrived post cruise I didn’t try everything in the kit but I did give the hand cream and body mist a thorough testing (and everything else a thorough smelling). Every product had a different smell and every smell was fantastic. My favorite is the Blooming Planet body mist. I first spritzed some in the air just to make sure an eco-friendly mist was also scent friendly and my first thought was, “Wow! That smells simply fabulous!” I immediately spritzed it all over and found myself sniffing my arms throughout the day, the scent was that yummy. And since that first use I’ve been alternating it with my favorite perfume, which is saying a lot because I love my So Pink from GAP! Just thinking about the ecoTOOLS’ Blooming Planet body mist makes me want to run upstairs and spritz a bit more on my body–YUM!

I was also impressed with their One Hand Helps the Other hand cream because it absorbed quickly, wasn’t greasy and had a fresh, clean scent as well. It seemed to moisturize really well, as I didn’t find myself needing to reapply any time soon…even in this dry Utah weather. I kind of wish they also had shampoo and conditioner; my hair routine could use some greening up for sure.

Of course there are the aforementioned cosmetic brushes and accessories. My makeup brushes are far from green (and far from new) and it’s about time to recycle them with some new ones from ecoTOOLS along with a new foot file. My current one would have you running scared if you saw it! And the kits from ecoTOOLS would make great stocking stuffers or teacher gifts this holiday season. Along with the travel one they have All Four the Cause hand & foot care set and Be Green, Live Clean body care set. Green up your morning routine with ecoTOOLS’ new line of bath and body products! –Emily

*** Giveaway!!! ecoTOOLS is giving away one of their fabulous Green, Clean, Go travel kits! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway (please leave a separate comment for each):

• Visit ecoTOOLS online and leave a comment telling us your favorite product.
• Become a fan of ecoTOOLS 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 winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: October 27, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Allison, the winner of the ecoTOOLS 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!

When I Grow Up offers a line of tees reminiscent of our childhood years when we found wonder in simple things like nature, make believe and laughter. With an emphasis on what’s most important no matter what stage of life you’re in, When I Grow Up’s Value Statement tees for children reinforce four strong core values using very simple phrases:

• “i will…plant a tree” (Earth)
• “i will…walk in someone else’s shoes” (Compassion)
• “i will…eat my vegetables” (Health)
• “i will…give” (Charity)

Who knew something so simple could be so powerful? The inspiration for the tees came from Randy Pausch’s Journeys lecture, “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.” Kat Henderson, the mom behind When I Grow Up:

In his lecture he talks about his childhood dreams, enabling the dreams of others and how we can do the same. Immediately, I thought how easy it is to go through everyday life without defining what matters most to us. Then, I thought of my son and my responsibility to be sure he grows up with strong core values.

It’s not surprising When I Grow Up is an environmentally friendly company. The clothing is certified 100% organic cotton and uses water-based inks, while all of the company’s paper products and shipping supplies use recyclable and recycled materials.

Though George enjoys wearing his Earth tee (I wanted to snap a photo but totally spaced it), I am probably the bigger fan. I love that it causes me to stop for a moment and think about the environment. I find myself more conscious about my recycling efforts that day and wondering if when I finally grow up I will be nicer to our earth than I am now. For George it’s all about literally planting a tree; for me it’s a reminder that I can make a difference…and should make a difference. Like it says on When I Grow Up’s site: “Wear it. Teach it. Live it.” George is going to wear it, I am going to teach it and we will both live it! –Emily

* Promotion!!! When I Grow Up is offering Daily Dish readers free shipping on their order. To receive the free shipping discount, email design name and size to info{at}whenigrowupiwill.com.

Our good friends at YOUCANMAKETHIS have so many sweet NEW ebooks to make your fall and holiday season a hit! Don’t miss out on a jump start on those Christmas projects, now is the time to get planning. YouCanMakeThis has an incredible collection of everything you need to start your projects off right.

Visit the DillyDally Scandinavia Launch here>>

One look at these fantastic, fun, seriously cool yoga mats will have you sending salutations to the sun weekly if not daily. The Bolder Mat Company let me choose one of their mats for review and I went for the Fish Wish. I loved the whimsical design and colors and admit to having a weakness for butterflies. Their Flower Power mat was a close second, but once my Fish Wish mat arrived I was so glad I had gone with my first choice. (Guess it’s as true with yoga mats as it is with test answers!) The koi fish and “Om” butterfly were the perfect, peaceful combination.

When I unrolled the mat the first thing I noticed was the lack of a strong smell, chemical or rubber. I reviewed another yoga mat on the Daily Dish and while it was eco-friendly I found the strong natural rubber too much for my delicate sense of smell. The Bolder Mat Company’s yoga mats are also eco-friendly and use non-toxic paints (as sticky as the mat so you’re not slipping out of warrior) printed on an extra-thick 1/4″ mat. Though I do carry fat in certain places, my butt isn’t one of them and I appreciate a little extra cushion between it and the floor when do any seated poses or stretches.

The second thing I noticed about the Fish Wish mat is it can stand up to some serious wear and tear. No, I didn’t test it by doing over 1,500 poses but my two youngest children thoroughly tested it by rolling on it, jumping on it and using it as a play mat–and it still looked like new when they tired of it! This is truly my favorite yoga mat. Like I said, it’s inspired me to get back into regular yoga practice!

Along with having ultra luxurious mats for both adults and kids, The Bolder Mat Company has a wonderful community outreach program. Because the company wants to share the benefits of yoga with anyone who’s interested in practicing they started Renew and Recycle, a program that refurbishes your old yoga mat and donates it to yoga outreach programs in jails, detention center, shelters and schools. By donating your old mat you’ll not only send out some good karma but you’ll also receive a coupon for $5 off your next purchase.

I’ve always wanted to get my girls as excited about doing yoga as I am and a kids’ mat from The Bolder Mat Company may just do the trick. How can you resist child’s pose when you have dreamy pink starfish on your mat? –Emily

* Promotion!!! The Bolder Mat Company is offering Daily Dish readers $5 off their online purchase; simply use code BMC5 when checking out.

At Boutique Cafe, we’re excited to offer our popular 2009 version of our Holiday Gift Guide for your online shops, websites and stores to take part in! The savings guide will go live on Oct. 31th – Jan. 1st 2010!! We’re excited to showcase those sellers who will offer special deals to our readership, afterall saving some $$$ is a gift to us all this year.

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!!

I found these cool Origami Christmas Baubles on Etsy today and just had to share. What a fantastic idea and cute too! These ones are made by SnowdropsAndDaisies and you can view them here>>

That’s why I love the artwork by Anna from eyecandy4kids. Anna specializes in unique paintings that appeal to children and adults alike. Her collection includes everything from smiling alligators and shiny red engines to Little Bo Peeps (did you notice the sheep in the tree?) and lovely silhouettes. The paintings are done on 100% cotton duck and coated with a non-toxic gel to keep them waterproof and give them UV protection. (You’ll still want to hang them out of direct sunlight–man, those rays are powerful things!) Oh, and their ability to induce a smile is that much more powerful in person. I should know; we’ve seen Anna’s paintings in person and George and I smile every time we walk into his room…because what we see is what you see pictured in the photo at right.

When I opened the package containing the vintage train painting Ann from eyecandy4kids sent us for this review, George was as delighted as I was. We immediately headed up the stairs and found the perfect spot for it on his wall. The colors are bright and fun and add that all-important whimsy to his room. My favorite feature of Anna’s artwork is her attention to detail. I’m talking about the little extras you’ll find painted around the edges of the canvas: a child’s name, a saying that ties to the picture or even that curious panda’s cute little tongue (see below). In our case it was a wonderful plaid border matching the quilt on his bed!

Anna, a “mother of two who believes that art for kids should be as fun and unique as they are,” offers not only her collection of original paintings but also murals and custom orders. The silhouettes on her site are to die for! I love the ones my grandmother had in her home of my mother and her siblings…nothing like a work of art that is also a beautiful heirloom! Canvas art like the designs you’ll find on eyecandy4kids may be a bit pricier than the boring mass-produced wall decor you’ll find elsewhere, but consider it an investment in your and your child’s happiness because you’ll find yourself smiling every time you walk into the room. –Emily

* Promotion!!! eyecandy4kids is currently offering customers 20% off all 12×12 paintings including custom orders. This offer is good only until October 25th so hurry! (Offer can not be combined with other promotions or sales.) Anna also has a Fall promotion: Through November 31, 2009, if you link to eyecandy4kids from your blog or website you will earn 10% off any one painting from her gallery or your custom order. If you have a friend place an order you will receive an additional 10% off your order.

What’s the draw when it comes to CurlyQ Cuties? Could be how much fun it is to design your own creature online when you get to choose everything: body shape, body color, eye shape (even the number of eyes), eye color, mouth shape, belly shape (love the polka dots) and belly color. By the way, the online graphics don’t do the creature justice. I found myself checking out the cute collection shown at the top of the page for some good ideas on features. George had a grand ol’ time creating his monster and I enjoyed how quickly the creating arrived. And then to open the box and find the little monster so much cuter in person, not to mention so well made…it made both our days!

George’s little orange CurlyQ Cutie monster, also named George, has been thrown, sat on, loved, forgotten, found and squeezed and looks no worse for the wear. I have a feeling this little guy will be with us for a long time. (Just as long as George takes George with him when he goes to college…) And at only about $30 (including shipping), this really is a truly unique, truly fabulous gift for children of any age. Heck, I’d even make one for my sister!

CurlyQ Cuties‘ site says the Monster-Maker has 464,494,800 unique possibilities. It’s been a while since Calculus so I didn’t double check to make sure, but I believe them. Along with creating a truly unique product by changing out the features, your CurlyQ Cutie can be personalized with a name or message on the back. Each one has its own unique serial number and is handmade in the USA. Plus, if you don’t feel like using your imagination you can purchase one of their collectible monsters, which come pre-designed. OH! And I almost forgot to mention their super cute custom Fairy-Teeth. These are little tooth-like critters that come with a pocket on the back to hold a tooth or the Tooth Fairy’s spare change. So fun!

I kid you not, George asks me at least a couple times a week if he can make another monster. I kind of wish they had a frequent buyer program, and that’s saying a lot since I am NOT a big fan of stuffed animals. But I’d give away a basketful for a couple more of these CurlyQ Cuties! –Emily

Check out this fantastic Silk Web Rose Tutorial from The Domestic Diva – Lisa Carroccio! We love you Lisa, and I adore hearing your accent in this video. For Lisa’s blog please visit here>>

I thankfully have many sweet friends who know me very well, and recognized something weird was up. I received several phone calls from friend reporting the suspicious activity to me – Thank you so much for that! I was able to login and reset my passwords, all of my passwords in fact. However once I reported the suspicious activity to Facebook they disabled my account so they could look into it. So here I sit without access to FB and I find myself wondering “What does one do now? How will I go on without FB in my daily life over the next few days? Why me?”

So you’re all invited to my pity party. Please keep me informed of what you are up to, post in our comments and share your links – because this girl needs to feel connected. XO – the REAL Daria

Let imagination be your guide through the amazing and talented world of these incredible artisans.
See all of the 100+ listings right here>>

Satch & Sol, a company started by Susan Bell who has children of her own, is all about supporting fair trade artisan cooperatives worldwide–and by worldwide we’re talking Mongolia for one. Satch & Sol is also all about being eco-friendly by sticking to green practices in business and product materials. I love it when a company embraces fair trade and the environment and turns out a collection brimming with high-quality products that are super chic, super sweet and yes, super unique. Because each of Satch & Sol’s children’s slippers are handmade they are definitely one of a kind.

I would’ve loved to have included a picture of George wearing his new slippers but up until yesterday the weather was still in the 70’s and 80’s. We have a couple weeks before the chilly weather sets in, but once it does these will be our go-to shoes for carpool, quick trips to the grocery store and car rides to Grandma’s house. One comment George made was that these wool slippers were a bit “scratchy” (nothing a pair of socks won’t fix!). He’s not used to wool touching his skin so it may take some getting used to, but I should also include a disclaimer: George hates tags in clothes and is super picky about shoes.

Satch & Sol also has a collection of hand-knit sweaters, mittens, hair bands and purses and like the slippers, everything is handmade by Mongolian artisans. If you’re as tired as I am of character clothing and accessories and want something stylish and warm for those little tootsies, check out the slippers from Satch & Sol. Good luck choosing just one pair! (And no, they don’t come in adult sizes; I already checked!) –Emily

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.