Lizzy Anne Photography is set for May 23, 24, and 25th in Victoria BC – that’s right, she’s coming to the island!! Currently a few evening slots are available on those dates for family portraits, senior graduate pictures, or even portrait sessions. Have a baby you want photographed? Need business style photos? Just let her know and we can work out the details.

Liz has an incredible eye and is a true artist. You may find a plethora of work she has done on her blog here, as well as her portfolio available for viewing on her website.

To sign up for a photoshoot time, on location in Victoria area please visit this post on the Lizzy Anne blog and leave her a comment. If you have additional questions or requirements you can email to: Elizabeth@lizzyanne.com

Special Island Pricing:

Family sessions are $250 (disc can be purchased)
1-2 hour session on location.
Editing of images up to 75
Online Gallery to share with family and friends

Senior Graduate sessions are $250 including disc.
1-2 hour session on location
Editing of images up to 30
Online Gallery to share with friends and family
Disc/digital negative of images

Any other photoshoot themes can be arranged. Email for full details.

I’ve had a deliciously fun time collecting handmade gift ideas for the sweet Mom, Wife or super woman in your life. Here’s a few great ideas and I’ve included our GIFT to you, a FREE Mother’s Day Printable from Boutique Cafe and our friend Maggie at Honeysuckle Art. Enjoy honouring the beautiful Mom in your life.

Polymer Clay Decorative Handmade Pears – on Etsy by SkyeArt

Ipad case – padded with retro colorful measuring tape and pocket (don’t forget to buy her the iPad too for extra points!) – on Etsy by PinkOasis

Gorgeous Felt Flower brooch white poppy – on Etsy by Roltinica

Custom Family Tree Typography Art – on Etsy by Lesleygracedesigns

Boutique Cafe and Honeysuckle Art FREE Mother’s Day Printable in several sizes!! Get it FREE here >>

I happen to know Patty in real life and have featured her many times over the years on Boutique Cafe, so the experience of seeing her book come to fruition is an added thrill for me. However, even if I didn’t know my little firecracker of a friend, I would be racing to the bookstore or Amazon to snag myself a copy of Sewing Modkid Style – Modern Threads for the Cool Girl. That’s exactly what I’m going to recommend for you to do, but first I’m dying to share my thoughts on Patty’s first book.

When it first arrived I couldn’t wait to peruse the pages. Everything Patty touches is beautiful and I knew her book would be too! For her first foray into the book arena Patty focused on utilizing knits for girls. Some may think that working with knits would be daunting or difficult, but Patty takes you step by step along the way guiding you through the process and making it simple. You might wonder “why knits?” and the answer is simply that Patty is a Mom herself and believes that your children should look adorable but also be comfortable. Knits are the answer to “dressing the modern, active child.” These clothes will move with your children and allow them to romp, play and rule the world. Patty also understands how you don’t want to dress your children in clothes that are boring, knits allow you to showcase their style and sprinkle in some attitude in their clothing.

Inside the pages you’ll be guided through the process of identifying different knits and picking out the best quality for your precious projects. I personally loved chapter 1: guide to sewing with knits, with techniques, tools and hints on sewing with knits for the ultimate success.

You might be wondering how extensive the collection of patterns and projects is for this book, and Patty does not disappoint. You can bet on the maximum bang for your buck because everything is here from dresses, to pants, to shorts, to skirts, accessories and even a knit quilt!! I’m having a terrible time deciding which project I love the most, I honestly just want to get sewing. I will tell you that I will definitely be making up the Bloom dress, the leg warmers, the yoga pants and the quilt!

In the very front of the book (published by Wiley) is a darling pocket filled with your precious patterns. Obviously there are many patterns out there in the sewing world to choose from, but Patty’s patterns are easy to use and so well done! Can beginners use this book? You bet! Can people who are sewing stars use this book? Yes definitely!

What I love about Sewing Modkid Style is that it’s so perfectly Patty in every way, from the design elements, to the photos, to the patterns, to the fabrics, it all comes together in a beautiful cohesive book. Way to go Patty – this is a work of art! – Daria

Here’s our Mini-interview with Patty Young – I asked Patty a few fun questions and here are her replies:

1. Your book is called Sewing Modkid Style, can you tell us how you would describe your own personal style of clothing and fashion love?

Patty: My own personal style is all over the place. The remnants of a 90’s Goth Girl in me still loves black and gray with all of her heart, while the new, more confident, 21st-Century-Mom part of me gravitates towards bright colors and bold prints. As I looked at my closet this morning I saw pinks, reds, oranges, citrons and turqs amidst a whole lotta black and gray. Clean, modern lines, with not a lot of frill, is what I love in a silhouette.

2. Was it fun for your daughters and husband to be included in the making of this book?

Patty: This was definitely a family project. My girls are so used to modeling for me that I’m sure they didn’t see much of a difference between this project and previous ones (pattern covers, catalogs, website, etc.) except maybe that there were more models involved, which was definitely more fun for them. My dear hubby, as I mentioned in my acknowledgments, pretty much took over and ran the household while I worked on this book and I will be forever grateful.

3. What did you learn about writing a book that you didn’t know before?

Patty: I learned that I can let go of my OCD/control freak tendencies and let others help. I was so used to being a one-woman-shop that I didn’t think I could ever let go of some of that control. But I learned quickly that when you’re working on a time-consuming project like this one, while still managing a whole company and trying to be a good mom and wife, you have to let others help you. It was liberating and refreshing!

4. Will you create patterns for women in the future? Please!

Patty: The future of women’s patterns for MODKID is still uncertain. Although our previous women’s pattern got a very warm reception from our fans, they are definitely not our best sellers. A recent report ran by Jon showed that girls’ clothing patterns outsold women’s clothing, purses and accessories by a large margin. This is not to say that we will never do them again (never say never, right?), because we still have some wonderful prototypes floating around the studio that beg to be made into patterns… but it definitely won’t be our focus anytime soon.

5. If you could say anything to your fans and supporters right now, what would you tell them?

Patty: That I definitely wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for their love and support. I so enjoy reading their comments and emails and I gain so much experience from constructive criticism. I live for looking at their photos on my Flickr groups and when I see shares on FaceBook or Twitter, my heart swells with pride and joy. Thank you so much for all of your support!

***GIVEAWAY: Win a Copy of Sewing Modkid Style!
The wonderful people at Wiley are giving one of our lucky Boutique Cafe readers a copy of Patty Young’s new book Sewing Modkid Style!! Aren’t you excited?!

*To enter, leave a comment telling us why you want to sew with Patty’s new book, Sewing Modkid Style

Additional entries: 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:
• “Like” Boutique Cafe on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.
• Mention this giveaway on Twitter (with @BoutiqueCafe and @pattyyoung in the tweet) and leave a comment with the URL.
• Jump up and down yelling “I NEED This Book!!” and email us a photo of you doing it to: boutiquecafe@gmail.com

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: May 5th (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

Follow the Blog Tour:

Monday, April 2: Wiley Craft Blog

Wed., April 4: A Sewing Journal

Friday, April 6: Pink Chalk Studio

Monday, April 9: Melanie Dramatic

Wed., April 11: Stop Staring and Start Sewing

Friday, April 13: Generation Q

Monday, April 16: Lil Blue Boo

Wed., April 18: True Up

Friday, April 20: Paige Hill

Monday, April 23: Boutique Café

Wed., April 25: The Long Thread

Friday, April 27th, 2012: Sew Pretty Dresses

Monday, April 30: Prudent Baby

Wed., May 2: Our Busy Little Bunch

Friday, May 4: Fat Quarterly

Monday, May 7: Making It Fun

Wed., May 9: MODKID blog

PHOTO ENTRIES:

Gyl of Rhembein Photography sent in a few pictures of herself jumping up and down shouting “I NEED THIS BOOK!!”, I seriously LOVE that she chose to enter in such a fun way. I was laughing and loving this entry. Good luck Gyl.

I’d be giddy to have more photo entries – just do it!

*************WINNER UPDATE*****************
Well believe it or not, our winner is Gillian by random generator! Her comment that won this giveaway was:

“I would love to win this book and sew with it because (a) it is impossible to find in Canada – as you know Daria, ordering online is our only hope… OR WINNING IT!! and (b) I have always ONLY sewn my own creations and I would love to try some of Patty’s, having always been a fan.
~gillian”
Congratulations Gillian! And thank you to everyone for your support and participation on our Website, Facebook and Twitter. I have some new giveaways coming up soon so keep coming back, I want you all to win!

SNAP! The Conference was to target the best in modern handmade, contemporary craft, mind blowing events and DIY - right up my alley! The added bonus was that SNAP! was being held in Utah, a place that many of my nearest and dearest call home. @emihill and @brassyapple were both there, and tweeting all weekend, go read their tweets! I would have loved the opportunity to network with all of the attendees, and I hear everyone was dressed so uber-cute too!

In all seriousness, I feel so blessed that I was able to share the experience of Cold Play with the guys I love so much. Especially that my teenage son was so thrilled to be at a cool concert with his old parents. What a great kid! Being right next to the stage and having Chris Martin within a foot of me was pretty great too, he sang his heart out! It was undoubtedly the BEST concert I’ve ever attended. We danced, sang, screamed, laughed, and had confetti from the gigantic confetti canons all over us.

And so now as I read all the blog posts, tweets and Facebook updates about the SNAP! conference and all you talented gals were able to learn together, I will take comfort in my amazing evening with Cold Play. I vow to be at SNAP! next time!

My hats off to @Taunitweets, the founder of SNAP! The Conference. Well done Tauni, I’ve heard nothing short of RAVE reviews. You deserve Cold Play tickets my friend!
XOXO - Daria

Follow me on Twitter @boutiquecafe

Happily, our Emily is attending and will be there at SNAP! – just watch for the gorgeous gal in the cutest shoes! This is her! Can’t wait to hear the scoop on SNAP!

XO - Daria

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of smelling diesel fuel before, you know it’s crazy strong smelling and seeps into everything! We spent some time as a cramped family at a local hotel while air scrubbers worked 24/7 to make our home liveable again. We are back in our home but the long and tedious work of reclaiming the land is now being done. This means jackhammering out loads of concrete patio, digging out huge trenches in front of our home, and now “under pinning” the house to reinforce the digging that has to occur UNDER the house. Finally once all of that is done (and that is weeks away), they will tear out the concrete and lino floor in our laundry room and the wall that was soaked with diesel as it all poured in.

I have been working my way through our laundry that we unfortunate enough to be in that room when the fuel leak happened, it’s tough to get the smell of diesel out. I have felt SO sick from it, it’s been a nightmare. I’ve found the best solution for the odor problem is washing them with baking soda, Tide and a bit of Dawn dish detergent. This seems to be the best concoction thus far.

In any case, that is the lovely situation we find ourselves in. Yet I want to convey how lucky we feel that we are back in our home, and things will be taken care of. We feel blessed to live here on this beautiful island, and we have so many kind friends who have cared for us over the past weeks as we’ve dealt with this mess. Lucky to know we have so many to lean on!

So that’s the scoop from my end of things – just wanted to share with you! XO Daria

I hope you enjoy and will follow my boards on Pinterest, I love sharing what I love with you and I also truly enjoying seeing what each of you is interested in and working on. If you’d like me to follow your boards on Pinterest be sure to leave me your linky.

Hippity Hoppity Easter’s On It’s Way >>

**As an added bonus: Remember that DIY Owl’s Nest Tutorial I made back in Dec of 2010? Well you can also make those cute and easy nests for Easter and use them in a ton of ways to add a special touch to your Easter baskets or your Easter table. You could make smaller nests and set one at each place on your table for Easter dinner filled with a treat, a message or a beautiful colored egg. Here’s the original tutorial for making my nests, enjoy! Since it was originally put together for Christmas, you’ll have to use your wonderful imaginations and visualize some eggs and bunnies.

PS - My amazing friend Megan at Brassy Apple has her own Nest Tutorial here as well>>

Brassy Apple makes Mondays the BEST day of the week!

Introducing the worldwide launch of Summerlove, the latest collection from designer Pat Bravo for Art Gallery Fabrics.

The Summerlove Collection captures beauty and innocence with its vintage-inspired prints and evokes the spirit of young and carefree romantic adventures. With a palette that mixes sun-kissed warm tones with a splash of aqua, you will definitely get swept away by this collection. We love Pat Bravo, she is so talented!

FREE:
To download Summerlove’s free quilt pattern “Sandcastles” (shown in the video), go to http://goo.gl/yMz5u

On Etsy you can find well over 6,000 current items for children’s St. Patricks Day delight including clothing, accessories and more. Etsy is a great place to shop and support the handmade and boutique community – We {HEART} Handmade!!

Click to discover the perfect St. Patrick’s Day gifts and clothing for your kids here>>

Whether you own your home, or if you rent and can’t alter your environment with paint colors, Shelley has great inspiration to create walls you’ll love!

Enough said, go check it out now

Now our sweet readers and viewers can Pinterest to your hearts content, and easily reference the HUNDREDS of product reviews, designers, crafts, projects and podcasts we have shared over the past 7 years! Yes sir, we sure LOVE you guys!

We are currently working on a complete Pinterest Board with links to each and every review we’ve ever written in our Daily Dish! That’s hundreds of amazing products that we have loved, tried and shared with our readership. We’re excited for you to rediscover some of our past faves, or perhaps stumble across something new.

Thanks for sharing the {LOVE} of Boutique Cafe by Pinning what you love from our site. XOXO - Daria

P.S.
Follow all of our pins and boards here—>

I really shouldn’t be surprised. We loved Harley’s The Best Candy in the Whole World CD. (You can read my review of that CD here.) And I’m not a big fan of “books on tape,” but Harley has made me a believer.

We were sent a copy of Harley’s High Dive but had yet to listen to it. I wasn’t sure if my kids would sit through 12-minute and even 20+-minute stories, but they totally did. In fact, they wanted to sit in the car when we  pulled into the garage just so they could finish hearing the end of “Field Trip.”

Entertainment Weekly has called Harley “the Mark Twain of contemporary children’s music,” and I believe that to be true. His “High Dive” had us all laughing and giggling through the entire story and a certain line about a certain goat in “Field Trip” had Nathan chuckling long after Harley had moved on with his story.

Comments heard from the back seat:

“That is the awesomest!” ~ George

“No, that is super fun!” ~ Olivia

“My cheeks hurt from smiling so much!” ~ Lauren

My cheeks totally hurt—I was smiling for the 15-minute drive to and from the school event. We finished up the CD the next day and George asked to play it again from the very beginning. Sadly, we had just pulled into the garage and I’m unsure of the van’s battery life. We’ll just have to go on another family drive!

Bill Harley’s High Dive and Other Things That Could Have Happened is available starting February 14th. You can read more about it here and check out Bill Harley’s on Facebook too.

You know. Kind of like this:

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And now you can provide your daughter with her own fun and productive quiet time!

Choose Friendship Co. is giving away one (1) winner’s choice of either My Friendship Bracelet Maker or My Ribbon Barrette Maker!

Additional entries: 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:
• “Like” My Ribbon Barrette Maker on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.
• “Like” Boutique Cafe on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.
• Mention this giveaway on Twitter (with @BoutiqueCafe in the tweet) and leave a comment with the URL.
• Update your Facebook status with a link to this giveaway and leave a comment telling us you did so.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: February 3rd (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

For Valentine’s Day this year let’s get pinned together. – XO Daria

Pinterest Valentine’s Day Board

Believe you me, this is about as far from a geeky technologically savvy review of the ZAGGfolio for iPad 2 as you can get. Not only did the video file of the final—and best—take go all corrupt and shut down my computer, I had to record the review in my bedroom for two reasons:

• It was the furthest removed from the kids who were watching Mulan on full volume in the family room. (They were also fighting about something but I chose to ignore them as usual.)


• My bedroom had more light than the office because Nathan had Scotch taped the light switch in the “off” position. Apparently it was powering his hard drive and if we flipped it, Armageddon would ensue.

Trust me, you don’t want to mess with the light switch when it’s controlling something in his half of the office. Been there; done that; barely survived.

It’s all quite sad because this beautiful red beauty…

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...and its accompanying wireless keyboard…
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...should get a shout-out equal to their awesomeoness.

If I had it my way, my video review would look something like this (except those would be my hands and the fingernails would be painted in OPI’s “Yodel Me on My Cell”):







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Instead of a marketing team and a professional studio, I had a 14-year-old videographer, a badly lit bedroom (but not so badly lit as the office in which I’m currently straining to see the keyboard) and not nearly enough caffeine and chocolate.

You’ll also notice I could’ve used a bit more practice sliding the ZAGG wireless Bluetooth keyboard into the ZAGGfolio case. I find it easier to leave it in the case—just slip in the iPad 2 and go—so I rarely remove it…except for the occasional video review. Madison got it right on the first try; obviously I have issues. It truly IS simple to slide it in and out of the case no matter how I make it look on the video.

Again, not enough practice (and not enough caffeine).

Also, I’m an idiot.

Speaking of my video review of the ZAGGfolio for iPad 2, here it is in all its non-scripted glory. Hopefully you can see past me and catch how cool this case really is. Because it’s really, really, REALLY cool.

Yeah, good luck with that.







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Yep, I said “criminey.” I was channeling my grandfather. Sadly he knows even less than I do about sliding a wireless keyboard into the case.

And I just realized the link at the end of the review is wrong. Let’s hope those watching the video review over on YouTube are smart enough to search my site once they that “404: Page Not Found” error pops up. sigh

You can check out the ZAGGfolio for iPad 2 keyboard case and all its colorful options on ZAGG.com. You’ll also find all those super techy specs I failed to mention in my review.

At $99, which includes the wireless Bluetooth iPad 2 keyboard, it’s a steal.

Just don’t steal mine. After the night I’ve had, I will hunt you down and make you watch Mulan with my kids.

P.S. I’ve checked out “real” reviews on the ZAGGfolio and it’s received some seriously high marks including quite a few “Best of” product awards.

P.P.S. Buy one. Your iPad 2 will thank you.

P.P.P.S. Couldn’t resist including this super short gag reel. Enjoy. (I promise I won’t be doing any more video tech reviews any time soon.)







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Disclaimer: I received the ZAGGfolio in exchange for this review. All opinions, thoughts, videos and their accompanying subtitles are mine. I totally claim ownership of it all (except for the official ZAGG video, of course).

What I love about Girl’s World is how Jennifer has designed patterns for every aspect of a girls world – fashion, accessories, decor…it’s all in here! Published by Chronicle Books, it’s a gorgeous feast for the eyes and is guaranteed to get those creative juices flowing just by cracking the spine. All patterns are enclosed and ready to go, inside the inner front cover pocket. The rest is an indulgent glimpse into the beautiful world of a little girl, and how you can recreate that in your own homes.

Now to Valentine’s Day – I would love to suggest a few projects that would be great bets to create for Cupid Day.

Sophie Glittered Apron

This simple tulle apron, would make a darling project for your little girl’s Valentine’s Day. Surprise her by creating this tulle apron with glitter ribbon. Then have her wear it over a sweet solid dress, the apron will totally jazz it up and look amazing! Don’t forget that you can always embellish with a simple heart pocket for a cute Valentine’s effect.

Gigi Ruffled Pillow
Check out the Gigi ruffled pillow! Isn’t it gorgeous as a throw pillow for a bed, or as an accent pillow? Perfect for the little girl who loves to cuddle up on her bed and tell you about the cute little boy she likes at school.

Valentine’s Day Banner
Project No.21 in the book is a Happy Birthday banner, but this project is so versatile you can easily work your magic and create a Valentine’s Day banner in a snap. Using pre-made felt letters you can mix it up and create a banner for any occasion or any name in your family!

Chloe Paper Doll Overnight Bag
This overnight sack is such a sweet way to say I love You to your little girl. If slumber parties are on the horizon, this would be a darling unique present that she can take along and know how much you love her. So sweet!

There is so much more that I can’t show you in one post (memory boards, pin wheels, canopy’s and dresses), you’ll have to run out and grab a copy to cherish. You can pick one up on Amazon.com too!

*** Giveaway! Jennifer Paganelli is giving one winner a copy of her book “Girls World”!!

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:
• “Like” Sis Boom on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.
• Visit Sisboom.com and leave a comment telling us what inspires you most from Jennifers collection of fabrics, patterns and books.
• Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
• Post in the SisBoom Facebook group and tell them you saw the review on Boutique Cafe!

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: Feb 3rd, 2012 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

UPDATE: Congratulations to Shirley Clark for your Tweet:

Thanks everyone for entering – more giveaways are coming so keep entering!

Click to view the Lola Pink Collection>>

When describing Lola Pink Servane says:

“The Lola line offers us this season bold colors, beautiful floral motifs, versatile designs and lightweight fabrics. This is also a partnership with a well known shoes Designer: Bear Feet Shoes. For this collection I took my inspiration from Asia, more precisely from Japan. All our unique and trademarked patterns/graphics are taken from nature or Kawaii inspired…”

Other elements used in Lola Pink include The Kokeshi dolls, which are wooden dolls from Japan. As well as the “Cuteness” aspect, which is a prominent part of the Japanese culture right now, from the noun kawaisa meaning “lovability”, “cuteness” or “adorableness”.

Express Yourself! Think Cute! Think Pink!

The Lola lineup will be rolling out in 4 collections – First on the agenda is the LOLA PINK Collection available right now on the website! Subsequent collections (ie: Lola Blue, Lola Exclusives, and Lola Essentials) will all mix’n match with each other as always, that’s one of the things Servane Barrau is known for. Be sure to watch Boutique Cafe over the coming weeks as each new collection launches, we’ll be sharing the details and offering great opportunities to WIN special pieces from this collection for your little darlings.

*** Giveaway! Servane Barrau Designs is giving one winner an adorable “Dotsy Dress” from the Lola Pink Collection!!

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:
• “Like” Servane Barrau Designs on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did. **This step is critical in order to win!

Additional entries:
• Visit ServaneBarrauDesigns.com and leave a comment telling us which item from the Lola Pink Collection is your favorite.
• Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
• Post in the Servane Barrau Facebook group and tell them you saw the review on Boutique Cafe!

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: January 31st (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

update: Congratulations to Odessa Frey!! You have won the darling Dotsy Dress from Servane Barrau. I have emailed you instructions for claiming this prize!

Thanks to everyone who entered, more Servane Barrau giveaways will be happening soon!

I just discovered the blog called This Fresh Fossil, it’s so fun! The bloggers chronicle improvements they are making to their 1st home. Tutorials, freebies etc. are available on the site.

I couldn’t help sharing this FREE grey Chevron pattern background download for all of you. Simply follow the link and download to your desktop using their instructions. Chevrons are so hot right now, it’s nice to get a cute one for free! Happy Happy Day!

Being the Mom of 5 children I have a goal this year to get ahead of the ball and plan better for my kids events. Project #1 is Valentine’s Day - Last year I was snapping these pictures before school on Valentine’s Day itself and rushing to get the cards printed and ready before the kids got home at lunch to take them back for their friends. I seriously had my glue gun plugged into my minivan and was hot glueing heart shaped lollipops onto their cards in the Costco parking lot! People were stopping and laughing, I was a sight to be sure! Thankfully I managed to finish the cards and they were a Huge Hit at their school. This year I want to plan ahead better so I can involve them in the card making for their friends, and I don’t look like a maniac with a glue gun in public again.

Last Year’s Valentine Cards – 2011
Snap your pics, edit in Photoshop and add some cute text, I had them printed at Costco on photo paper, then hot glued a heart shaped lollipop into their hand on the image. Supercute right?!

My Valentine plans this year are being greatly influenced by Pinterest. I have an awesome board with Valentine ideas ready to share. I think we’ll be doing the Moustache Cards this year with my boys. Let me know what you are doing and don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest for inspiration and fun all year long!

Pop by and see who you can spot! What an incredible year it has been, we loved seeing you at various events and sharing the designers and products that inspire you, and make your life beautiful!

Looking forward to a bright and shinning 2012 with all of you.

First of all I love to go to “The Source” AKA Pinterest for amazing ideas on New Year’s Eve parties and printoffs. Pinterest is a treasure trove and you’re sure to find the perfect little touch to add to your celebration whether a big party, or fun time at home with the family tonight. Here’s the link to my own New Year’s Board on Pinterest – have fun and please follow me, I’d love that and I love to follow you back!

Another great source for New Year’s ideas is our dear friend Megan over at Brassy Apple! All week she has been sharing awesome ideas for a festive New Year’s, and she knows her stuff. Memory packets, New Year’s Surprise Bags, shakers, time capsules and more! Go check it out – you’ll love Brassy Apple.

I LOVED this free printable from Simply Creative Insanity (don’t you love the chevron??!!) Print this cute saying off and throw it in a frame – you can use it anywhere in your home tonight for a little New Years fun.

Whatever your plans I hope you have a safe and fun New Year’s Eve. Take care and enjoy the relationships and make some memories. Be sure to snap those pictures tonight and preserve those moments in a creative way. Thank you for all of your ideas and involvement with Boutique Cafe in 2011! Happy New Year to all of you! – Daria

May you all feel the joy of the season, and your cups of couture will be overflowing with creativity in the New Year! From my family to yours I wish you the happiest holiday. XOXO - Daria

“I try to be true to myself in any holiday decorating. Keeping my personality even in the face of Christmas glitter. I fell in love with a banner at Anthropologie. But did not fall in love with the price tag! Every year I feel like I have to decorate before I start on my other Christmas projects. So this year I did this one for myself before anything. A treat to me for all the hard work I’m about to embark on to pull off Christmas once again. It has been the perfect touch at our front entry and I love walking past it everyday! Merry Christmas to me! You can give yourself this gift too! Here is what you need.” – Liz

Supplies Needed:
-15 Sheets of Felt various colour ( you might want to buy a couple extra to allow for matching options)
-Cross stitch Thread ( I bought this huge pack at Walmart for $10 ‘craft thread’)
-Yarn 3 colors
-Needle
-Printed Letters I used Arial in Bold and outline size 160
-Sewing machine
-Mat and Cutter
-Safety Pin
-Elastic band

Make your cuts. You should be able to get 2-3triangles out of each sheet with salvage
You will need 2 triangles per letter in the banner.

Save your salvages. If you only need 2 out of the color, stop cutting. The Salvage will be used for your letters and circle details.

Next print your letters, cut and trace them onto the felt salvages. Then cut out. Use any extra felt to cut out free hand circles of various sizes.

Line up 2 triangles of the same color. Sew ¼’ seam around all edges. Center and pin letter of contrasting color and sew as close to edge as you can.

Use your floss (craft thread) and needle to do a blanket stitch around the triangle. I doubled my thread for a thicker detail. Pick a thread of a contrasting color yet again for this look. Repeat on your circles as well. This part is what takes the most time, but the look is so worth it!!

For the braids use your colored yarn. I chose a variegated to save on money and still get a variety of color. Cut your full length of both Merry and Christmas and enough to hang, about 4.5 m. I used 2 length per section of the braid for a total of 6 strands. Tie ends in a knot and put a safety pin through the knot. Attach to carpet or somewhere you can anchor it.

Before braiding wrap up each section and put a rubber band around to make it easy to manage and easy to pull more length as you braid. Braid, braid, braid! Then repeat with second color way.

Voila!!

Now your ready to string your banner. Take your cream Yarn on a tapestry Needle and pull through the top portion of each triangle. This is also the time to randomly string your circles on between letters. To attach the braided portion you will need to cut small slits at the bottom portion of the triangles through only the back layer and feed through. If you use the safety pin at one end, it’s easier to pull through.

Once you have everything spaced how you like on the strands of yarn, pull your top and bottom strands together at the swag you are happy with. Do a simple slip knot to attach the strands, as well as create a loop to hang it from. You can either trim or let the ends dangle like I did. YOU DID IT It’s beautiful! Hang it and feel the Christmas spirit! Of course you could spell anything for any occasion in any color way and it’s sure to light up your day!

At the end of it you have this incredibly festive banner to love for years to come! Enjoy and Merry Christmas to you all!

This simple and quick “chili con quese” dip is so easy to make, we let all the kids and grandkids help. Plus, it is a tasty treat for those in our family that are “gluten intollerant”. You can even make it a couple days before the party.

Why the name? Because it looks like “throw up” after you make it!

One recipe is great for 12-15 people. Easy to double the recipe for a bigger crowd.
We add an extra 4-5 more bacon strips to our dip, ‘cause we LOVE bacon. (My personal favorite meat!)

Gramma Halladay’s Throw Up Dip

1- can chili (without beans)
2- cans stewed tomatoes, drained
3-5 pieces of bacon
1 large onion-diced
1 lb processed cheese (Velveta)—cut into small chunks

Fry the bacon and crumble into small pieces. Add diced onions and cook until onions are soft and translucent.
Drain the stewed tomatoes and add to the bacon/onion mix. Stir and simmer for a few minutes. Add the chili and the cheese chunks. Cook over low heat until cheese melts.
(I transfer the dip to a crock pot and let it simmer until party time!)
Serve warm as a dip with tortilla chips.

Save the leftovers and reheat the next day—sometimes it even better!

Its the best “throw up” you have ever tasted!

Gina Halladay
www.QuiltersBuzz.com

Big Soft Ginger Cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons white sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

You can find more great recipes on my blog:

www.pinkfigdesign.blogspot.com

Under the Pink Fig Recipe Collection Tab on the right side bar.

Here is the link to the cookie recipe on my blog:

http://pinkfigdesign.blogspot.com/2008/12/on-first-day-of-christmas-my-true-love.html

Instructions by Emalee Grambo. Photography by Patty Young.

Our pink tree, while a fun experience, was definitely a group effort to put together. So find your friends and neighbors to help you put this beauty up.
For starters, you will need some sort of small round object for the tip top of your tree. Being a sewing studio, we had plenty of sewing embroidery hoops lying around and we chose one that was 4” in diameter. Anything similar to this will work great. Just be sure there is no chance whatever you choose can crack… the first item we used—a clear plastic plate—cracked when we tried to put the tree up. This tree ends up heavier than you think.

You will also need:
1 Hula Hoop (at least 3-feet wide)
Colored duct tape or spray paint to cover the Hula Hoop if you wish
Clear fishing line (a bit on the stronger side)
180 shatterproof ornaments in glittery pinks (or the color of your choice)
Clear tape and a hot glue gun to reinforce areas of your tree

We decided we wanted our tree to be about 10 feet tall with ornaments placed every 6.5”. So:

1. Mark your hula hoop and embroidery hoop with ten evenly spaced marks around the circumference.
2. Cut 10 strands of fishing line at 12 feet each.
3. Starting at one end, measure a foot and mark with a permanent marker. From this point measure every 6.5 inches and mark with a permanent marker. About a foot should remain at this other end as well. This will allow room to tie each strand to the top and bottom hoop. All 10 of your fishing line strands should be marked in this way.
4. Proceed to string your ornaments onto each strand and tie three knots at each mark you made. On 5 of the strands, leave the very last mark empty. On the other 5 strands, leave the second to last mark empty. These will be the “top” of the strands. This will keep the very top of the tree from getting too congested. If you have the space, spread each completed strand on your floor to keep it from tangling up with one another. (Trust me on this!)
5. Once you have all ten done, spread them out as best you can in a circle around the object you have for the tippy top of the tree.
6. Tie the top of each strand, alternating between strands with the last mark empty or the second to last mark empty, to each mark on your tippy top tree piece. From four evenly spaced marks on this tippy top piece string fishing line to create a loop to hang your tree.
7. Now this is where you will need all the helping hands you can find. Have each person grab two strands as you lift the center of your tree up. If you don’t recruit these lovely friends, you will be spending the majority of your afternoon untangling these ten strands and your pretty pink tree won’t be looking pretty anymore.
8. Once you have your tree hung, you can proceed to tie each end to your hula hoop where marked. We found it most helpful to place the hula hoop onto a flat surface at the level where we wanted our tree to fall and then tie each end to the hoop.

Christmas Confession #1: I’ve never let my kids decorate MY tree. They can put their handmade ornaments on their smaller trees in their room. I know, I’m a bad mother.

Christmas Confession #2: Even though your Santa may wear a RED suit, mine doesn’t. I loathe RED. There is not a speck of RED (or Christmas Green) in my house during the holidays or any other time. My Santas have Gold, Cream, White, Silver, and Aqua robes…LOL!

Christmas Confession #3: I like getting Christmas cards with pictures of your adorable kids. Except the ones that include those annual summaries of their overachievements.

Wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas! Lisa – The Domestic Diva’s Disasters Blog

Lisa’s Glamorous Lined Christmas Stocking Tutorial

Materials Needed:

• 1/2 yard outer fabric
  
• 1/2 yard lining fabric
  
• 1 yard fusible interfacing
  
• Sewing Thread

Print out a template or trace an existing Christmas Stocking.

Stocking Templates:

Tipnut’s Stocking Template

Martha Stewart Hankerchief Stocking Template

Martha Stewart Quilt Stocking Template

Martha Stewart Remnant Stocking Template

About.com Stocking Template

Woman’s Day Stocking Template

Fuse interfacing to the back of both your outer fabric and your lining fabric..

Layer both outer fabric and lining fabric right sides together. Trace template and cut out layers.

Sew one top of outer fabric to one top of lining fabric. Repeat with second outer fabric and lining fabric.

With right sides together, place outer fabric/lining piece on top of other outer fabric/lining piece. Sew together …

leaving a 3 inch opening on the lining (for turning).

Clip your curves.

Turn right side out and press.

Stitch Lining Opening closed.

Stuff lining inside outer fabric. Fold over lining to outside to create a self-cuff.

Make Cuff

Measure the circumference of the top of the stocking (mine is 16 inches) and add 1 inch to that measurement. Now take that measurement (for me it’s 17 inches) to cut the width of the cuff fabric with a height of 7 inches. My cuff fabric is 17 inches by 7 inches. You following this?

Fuse interfacing to the back of your cuff fabric.

Fold in half width-wise, right sides together.

Now fold height wise.

Stitch through all four layers of raw unfolded side. Turn right side out. You now have a cuff with the a raw bottom edge

Line up raw edge of cuff with finished edge of stocking. Stitch or serge.

To make a loop to hang your stocking, cut and interface a 2” x 10” piece of fabric.

Fold fabric in half lengthwise and stitch to conceal raw edges.

Fold finished loop in half right sides together. Stitch or serge together bottom edge.

Attach loop to inside cuff seam. Stitch.

Fold cuff to outside of stocking, add a fancy crystal brooch, and hang your stocking!

We have read this book multiple times in the few days we’ve had it. George and Livi love it and it’s easy to see why. The illustrations are fun and colorful, the writing is clever (“You’re seriously not going to believe it.”) and the addition of lift-the-flap-style fun seals the deal.

The book includes 8 fun recipes perfect for feeding a hungry giant, including the popular Pizza-Sized Cookie. We’re anxious to try the Ginormous Blueberry Muffin. (Perhaps that will be our Christmas morning treat!)

I love this Q & A with the author. If you’re still wondering if you should buy How Do You Feed a Hungry Giant, this will help you place it in your shopping cart.

Q: What was the inspiration behind the story?
A: Well…I would have to say my kids. They were six when I wrote this story…the age of the priceless questions. You know what I’m talking about…do your toes ever stop growing? Why do chickens have wings if they don’t fly? I am sure that there was some Saturday morning that Declan (Oscar in the book) asked me how much food a giant would eat.
...
Q: How can parents use Hungry Giant to talk to their children about the importance of charity?
A: The story is about a little boy helping to feed a lonely, hungry giant he finds sitting in his backyard. Oscar has a big heart and so does his mother…and at no point are they scared by the giant’s size. I used this story and Oscar’s instinct to help to talk to my kids about the opportunities they have in their day to help those around them. I also talked to them about thinking a little bigger…yes, you can help the boy in your class pour his milk AND you can help a boy you have never met by donating a can of food. If you are lucky enough to have what you need then you have a responsibility to help those that don’t.
...
Q: In what ways can families incorporate philanthropy into their {holiday} traditions?
A: Take a moment to talk to your children about the issue of hunger, take a moment to teach your children to be grateful for the food in front of them and the family around them. If you are lucky enough to have what you need then you have a responsibility to help those that don’t. You could even have your children start their own food drive. Little kids LOVE looking through cabinets and finding things to donate. If they feel a part of it and like what they are doing is making a difference they will experience the joy of helping others.

Monogrammed Cranberry Ornament

You will need: – Some “Cranberries” I used little red foam vase fillers – Glue Gun – A Letter – Burlap – Wire

1. Glue the Cranberries around the boarder of you letter.
2. Continue to fill in the rest of the letter.

3. Make your burlap bow – above is how I made mine

4. Glue your bow right on top!

5. Take your wire making a little hook and glue it to the back as close to the centre as possible

6. Hang it on your tree!

I didn’t have a Christmas tree so I display it on – so my lovely barren tree outside our apartment will have to do! Merry Christmas!

This recipe was passed down from my Grandmother who’s ancestors used to run a bakery in Germany.

My little frosted men might look unassuming in their simplicity, but I assure you they are extremely delicious, addictive, and make for a wonderful family tradition!

RECIPE:

5 cups sifted flour1 cup shortening
1 tsp. salt1 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg1 egg well beaten
3 tsp cinnamon1 cup light molasses
1/2 tsp ground cloves1/3 cup water
1 tsp ginger1/8 tsp baking soda

Sift 1 cup of the flour with salt, spices, and baking soda. Cream shortening. Add sugar gradually to shortening beating till light and fluffy. Add egg and slightly warmed molasses. Stir in water. Add remaingin flour 1 cup at a time till dough is soft and moist. Chill for 6-8 hours. Roll about a quarter of it and cut with cookie cutters. Continue. Put on lightly greased cookie tray and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool and then ice with mixture of confectioners sugar and water beaten till smooth and colored with food coloring if you want to be creative.. Raisins can be used as decoration.

Jenny Alden Barth critiques and reviews desserts at www.DessertDarling.com with a 5-cherry rating system to guide you to the very best. She eats the good, the, bad, and the ugly so that you don’t have to.~

Hi this is Daria’s Mom. One of our family’s favourite Christmas traditions is making popcorn wreaths to give away to friends and neighbors (and teachers). It is an easy treat to make and tastes yummy!

I use an angel food cake pan to get the shape of a wreath, and then I also form my own candy cane shapes, which are also fun. If you want to be creative you could do star shapes or whatever else you can think of to make this fun and interesting. Our children still look forward to this tradition and now we are passing along to our grandchildren. Hope you enjoy as much as we do.

Here’s the recipe (I do up several batches)

Pop 1 ½ cups of popcorn (remove all unpopped kernels).

Syrup:
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
½ cup marjarine
1 pinch salt
Bring to a boil while constantly stirring. (Burns easily, watch closely)
Cook to almost soft ball stage in cold water. Remove from stove and add 1 tsp. Vanilla.
Pour over popcorn. Mix well.
Pour syrupy popcorn into well sprayed angel food or bundt pan. Press and leave about a minute to take form.
Remove from pan and decorate with jube jubes, and/or Christmas candies of all sorts.

Note: Prior to preparing the recipe I cut out cardboard squares big enough to hold the popcorn wreath, or rectangular ones to hold the candy cane shapes. Cover the cardboard with tinfoil and you are ready to go. Makes it easy to deliver your decorated treat!

GUBS was definitely a game for 10 and up. It had a lot of different types of cards, and we had to refer to the guide quite a bit throughout the game. I’m not sure we’ll ever have everything memorized, but once we got the hang of it, we enjoyed the strategy and scheming. It’s definitely hard keeping those little GUBS safe!

As for City Square Off, this was by FAR our most favorite game…probably are most favorite game of Gamewright’s to date. Even George, our six-year-old, loved it! Granted, he didn’t quite of the strategic forethought as the older kids, but he totally understood how to play. Think of it as Tetris meets urban planning. We played this one constantly over Thanksgiving break. It’s definitely a must-have for the kids.

Both games are award-winning (as usual for Gamewright) and both are extremely fun to play. And both need to be under your Christmas tree this year. (At least make sure City Square Off is!)—Emily

These sweet sayings are Free for you to download and print off at your local print shop (or at home on your printer). Put them into a cute frame and place them around the house to make your holiday festive and bright. These make an easy and affordable gift for someone you love as well. We’d love to see pictures of where you place your prints and how you display them, post a link to your blog if you share them – (*remember good things come to those who share…).

We have two NEW Holiday designs available for 2011:

“Joy Love Peace Believe Christmas” in a classy and beautiful tree formation

“Have yourself a Merry little Christmas”

Each download is available in 3 sizes (4×6,5×7,8×10)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to each and every one of you.

With much love,
Daria, Maggie and the entire Boutique Cafe Team

FREE DOWNLOADS
Click to download the sizes you wish
“Joy Love Peace Believe Christmas” Tree
4X6
5×7
8×10

Click to download the sizes you wish
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
4×6
5×7
8×10

**Last Year’s Free Printables are still available for download here >>

For even more Heather Bailey Inspiration:
Follow Heather on Twitter here>>
Join Heather on Facebook here>>
Indulge in Heather’s popular blog here>>
Shop Heather Bailey’s online store and website here>>

***GIVEAWAY! Heather Bailey is giving away a signed copy of “Signature Styles” book ***

**Special Thanks: Thanks again to our friends at Quilt Market for inviting us as Press to their events. We love to attend their amazing Markets and bring you the most incredible interviews and products. Visit www.quilts.com to learn more about upcoming Market events in your area.

**Special Thanks to Megan (Brassy Apple) and Emily (Is This Really My Life) for being my incredible Boutique Cafe support team at Market providing video recording, interview support and lots of Diet Coke. I love you both!!

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

Today I am grateful for: – a new and comfortable home – island living is quite special – my adorable, supportive and gorgeous husband who I love more each year! – 5 of the sweetest children ever created – extended family and friends who make this life beautiful and full of possibility – my freedom to worship, believe and have hope each day, and for those who fight to make that possible – each of you! Truly, I am grateful for you!

Happy Thanksgiving my friends

These sweet sayings are Free for you to download and print off at your local print shop (or at home on your printer). Put them into a cute frame and place them around the house to make your holiday festive and bright. We’d love to see pictures of where you place your prints and how you display them, post a link to your blog if you share them – (*remember good things come to those who share…).

We have two Holly Jolly designs available:

“All is Calm, All is Bright”

“A Little Cup of Christmas”

Each download is available in 4 sizes (4×6,5×7, 8×10, 11×14)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to each and every one of you.

With much love,
Daria and the entire Boutique Cafe Team

FREE DOWNLOADS
Click to download the sizes you wish
“All is Calm, All is Bright” (colors are Turquoise and red)
4X6
5×7
8×10
11×14

Click to download the sizes you wish
“A Little Cup of Christmas”
4×6
5×7
8×10
11×14

Maubys

Embroidery Boutique

Sweetpeas Ribbons & Bows

Squirmy Worm Studio

Painted Butterfly

Runwayz Boutique

Spunky Little Monkey

Cutie Pies Couture

Squiggly Twigs

Peekaboo Beans

Peanut and Bean

We make inclusion easy, affordable and fun for small business owners! After all, that’s what we love more than anything at Boutique Cafe, helping businesses get noticed and doing so shouldn’t cost a fortune. We’re here to help and we love supporting you.

Let’s make it an outstanding year once again! – Daria

We’ve lived in our home for over three years and I still have blank walls. With this home I’ve been a bit pickier about how I decorate, choosing pieces that have meaning or make me happy. (Don’t worry…there are pictures of the kids here and there.)

When A Vintage Poster asked if I would be interested in reviewing a couple of their posters, I checked out their website before replying. I wanted to make sure their collection had something I would want in our home. Funny thing is, I found a few things. The simple designs and beautiful colors were perfect and I had a hard time narrowing down my choices…such a hard time, in fact, they were nice enough to send me two for review: Star Struck and Bookworm.

...

Star Struck is the perfect fit for our basement home theater and Bookworm is going to look just right next to our large black bookshelf in the office!

I was going to wait to write the review until I’d found the perfect frames but again, I am picky and it would’ve taken me way too long. With the holidays around the corner, I wanted to spread the word about A Vintage Poster because they have a poster for everyone on your list, including yourself.

Here are a couple of my other favorites:

...

Along with illustrated and quotable posters, A Vintage Poster offers custom designs. You can put your children’s names, family name, child’s name with birth info (birth date, weight, etc.) or whatever your heart desires (as long as it fits on the poster).

And fit it should because size isn’t problem. They offer 8×10 ($12), 11×14 ($14) and 18×24 ($28) sizes (pricing is only a titch more for custom designs). With those sizes, the variety of colors and the amount of designs, the possibilities are pretty much endless!

Just think what a great gift this would be this holiday season! You’d definitely be the favorite if you aren’t already!

*** Giveaway! A Vintage Poster is giving one winner her choice of three (3) posters in 8×10- or 11×14-inch size! ***

•   Visit AVintagePoster.com and leave a comment telling us which poster is your favorite.
•   “Like” A Vintage Poster on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.
•   Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: November 23, 2011 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

In our interview Jennifer shares her book “Girl’s World” (published by Chronicle) with our audience. Girl’s World is full of 21 projects to sew for little girls. It’s a gorgeous book full of patterns and inspiration. If you have a little girl in your life, you need this book!

Find out more about Sis Boom and Jennifer Paganelli herself at www.sisboom.com. Join her Flickr group SisBoom Sightings here>>

***GIVEAWAY! Jennifer Paganelli is giving away a “Girl’s World” Prize Pack! ***

**Special Thanks: Thanks again to our friends at Quilt Market for inviting us as Press to their events. We love to attend their amazing Markets and bring you the most incredible interviews and products. Visit www.quilts.com to learn more about upcoming Market events in your area.

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

Have a safe and fun Halloween everyone! If you blog about your children’s costumes be sure to link up with us and share in our comments section. We LOVE your ingenuity and of course the cuteness!

Chelsea Baby has the answer to cute feet couture, with their adorable high end baby booties. This is an eco-friendly line of luxury mini footwear sized 0-6 months and 6-12 months. Eco-friendly that is, because of the use of Sensuede, a beautiful stain resistant material that is “100 per cent green in the milling process”.

I personally had the delight of receiving a pair of their “Bucky” shoes pictured above. They came beautifully packaged in a clear plastic box perfect for gifting right away, but that’s not all…not by a long shot. The Chelsea Baby shoes are incredibly plush and soft, featuring cotton fabric on the toe and with a unique snap on bouquet for girls and a snap on bow tie for boys.

At Chelsea Baby the styling of each tiny shoe is an irresistible indulgence! You can follow the lady who started it all, Chelsea Geenen herself on Twitter to learn about promotions, deals and the latest from this fab entrepreneur.

For your next baby shower, wow your new Mommy friend with luxury and style for the tiniest of toes. – Daria

PROMOTION
Chelsea Baby currently is running a 20% off promotion on their website for a limited time. Visit Chelsea Baby and click on the “DEAL” button at the side of their page – then share the promo on Facebook for your 20% off code. Sweet Deal!!

You’ll also find a host of ideas for those of you who like to sew and craft your own. See Halloween on Etsy Here >>

This video is quick, but it’s all you need to get started with your own Slice Fabrique. Let the projects begin!

Find out more about the Slice Fabrique here>>

**Special Thanks: Thanks again to our friends at Quilt Market for inviting us as Press to their events. We love to attend their amazing Markets and bring you the most incredible interviews and products. Visit www.quilts.com to learn more about upcoming Market events in your area.

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

Snap a photo and send it in to Megan! Each photo will help raise money for cancer research and will be donated to Stand Up 2 Cancer.org (remember – 1 only photo per person this month! You’ve got to encourage your friends to submit!). Let’s show off those shoes everyone!

I’ve been intrigued by the SodaStream home soda system ever since I first heard my sister-in-law rave about it, but I wondered if it really was worth the investment in the system, bottles and flavorings. Yes, it’s more environmentally friendly than cans, but if that’s it’s only selling point, I’m not sold. (Sorry, it’s true.) It would have to make really good soda—and a lot of it at a reasonable price—for me to place one on my kitchen counter.

Guess what? I now totally have one on my kitchen counter and we absolutely LOVE it!

SodaStream sent us their Genesis Soda Starter Kit plus a selection of their flavorings to see if they could win us over…and win us they did. Here’s a video of us giving our SodaStream Genesis a test run. Yes, it’s about 10 minutes long but every minute is worth it because you’ll see:

• Me trying to figure out how to put the thing together.


• Me being a smarta** to Nathan.


• Madison learning how NOT to shake a SodaStream liter bottle to mix the flavoring.


• Madison and I learning just what the “buzz” sounds like when pressing the button.


• Me trying to figure out how to open the single serving packet of root beer flavoring.


• George equating his tasting the root beer to “living in heaven” or some such craziness.

The video had me laughing out loud when I watched it (and wondering why Nathan didn’t tell me my shirt was all tucked up in back). He’s never going to be a professional videographer at this rate!

Since our first test run, we’ve sampled quite a few flavors from the variety pack and enjoyed every one. I have yet to give the diet cola flavor a taste test, but Diet Coke is a hard habit to break. Of course the fact that SodaStream diet flavors don’t have aspartame helps. (They use Splenda.)

SodaStream offers 30 regular, diet and caffeine-free flavors. Oh, and their regular flavors contain no high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). The lack of HFCS and aspartame makes me feel better about giving my kids diet soda for sure. Other benefits? No heavy cans or large 2-liter bottles to store in my fridge. (That means more room for string cheese, Slim Fast and yogurt.) This image pretty much says it all:

On the day of the session it was crazy – we weren’t sure we could even make it in time driving up from Lethbridge. But made it we did, and in spite of reports of possible rain we had beautiful evening light. The only major issue were the millions of biting and nasty mosquitos threatening our very lives. I joked with Wendy that she would have to spend hours photoshopping them off of our faces.

Between the travel time, and the time of night our kids were crazy monster children ready to pounce. Lola wouldn’t stand still and was constantly escaping and running down the paths yelling “RUNNNNNNNN” Noah was freaking out about ants on his shoes, and Joshy and Brigs were trying to behave but couldn’t sit still or resist trying to parent the other kids. It was a gong-show comedy playing out right in front of my photography blog icon friends! I could die! Wendy in spite of all the chaos was cool, collected and darling – all the time telling me how precious my children were and how perfectly we were dressed. I love her!

Seeing the images today brought tears to my eyes. These are the last family pics of our family in Alberta, they are treasures to me. I love and stand in awe of how Wendy was able to capture such beautiful shots of our family. We love each other and she was able to get that, despite all of the chaos. I can’t tell you how much I recommend the Blue Lily experience, they are the travelling vagabond photographers who just might be in your neck of the woods next. I have many more images I couldn’t share on here, but I love them all – the shots of my individual children are beautiful too. Come over and I’ll show you all the shots! Thank you Wendy + Tyler – we loved being “Blue Lily-fied” and can’t wait to do it again. XOXO - Daria, Nathan and family

You can catch up with the photography and travels of Wendy + Tyler (and their adorable insanely well behaved children) at Blue Lily Photography Blog here>>
Join in the Blue Lily family of the happily photographed on their Facebook page here>>

Enjoy some of our family shots here:

We’d like to invite a few of our readers to share your favourite project, craft or DIY idea on Boutique Cafe this month. Posts should include clear photos, and will link back to your own blogs. We also require a mini bio about you (and a headshot – say Cheese!).

If you are interested in strutting your stuff on BC simply email me your idea. We are so excited to see what you come up with to share with our readers, and it’s great exposure for your blogs and businesses as well.

Email your ideas to: daria@boutiquecafe.com

“SOUL never lose your sense of awe and mystery, stay curious, And remember that it is truly a gift to be surrounded by all the people and all the stunning beauty that you Love.”

I hope you enjoy my interview with the beautiful and talented Amy Butler- please leave her your comments and questions. – xo Daria

GIVEAWAY!! Amy Butler’s goodie package Giveaway will include her book “Style Stitches”, all her new patterns + a few great surprises as well for one of our very lucky Boutique Cafe viewers!!

For Entries to Win Simply:

Comment in our shownotes below, tweet on Twitter, Share on Facebook, or comment on YouTube for multiple entries to win a Prize Pack!! Draw Date is September 17th at Midnight, must have valid email address to win.

Amy Butler Fabric made into dreamy clothing:

Many more interviews are on the way, keep tuning in and enjoying your Cup of Couture and So Much More!!
**For those of you who have arrived from the Amy Butler Bloghop – WELCOME!! If you search our past podcasts you’ll find many more Amy Butler interviews, and oodles of other great designer interviews as well.
Amy Butler Facebook Group>

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Ryders has been around since 1986 when Brent Martin, on his way to becoming the first Canadian Mountain Bike Champion, wanted a pair of high-performance sunglasses at a budget-friendly price. Ryders Eyewear was the result, and Brent’s been making stylish, sporty, sport-friendly eyewear ever since.

We make performance glasses for human powered activities that get your heart racing. Fun stuff like mountain biking, trail running, hiking, road cycling. If you want to wear your Ryders for other heart pumping activities like rollerblading with your pals, streaking the quad or naked bike riding – please be our guests (and send photos!)

Making sunglasses is not sending rockets to the moon. What we do is keep it simple, get out of the way of the sunglasses and let them do their job. We make great sunglasses at a great price so that our customers can get outside and perform at their best.

With shatterproof, polarized lenses to reduce glare plus UV protection and a scratch-resistant coating combined with a thermoplastic frame making them durable, flexible and light, you can see why I love these sunglasses for the pool. And the 11-hour car ride. (Flying objects are not unheard of somewhere between the Nevada and California state lines.)

I’ve already mentioned one of my two biggest reasons for loving these glasses (they’re super lightweight). The other reason is the superior coverage. The lenses on the Solace sunglasses are nice and big without being too big. There’s no errant sunlight making it’s way into my eyeballs; my entire view is polarized and shaded and I love it!

Ryders Eyewear has an awesome selection of women’s sunglasses, from the Drill and Nitrous to the more casual Duchess and Fray designs. Love them all!

As for price, they are right on target with Brent’s vision to design high-performance, stylish, durable sunglasses at a reasonable price. The Solace sunglasses are under $70—a great price for all the benefits this pair offers. You’ll find styles for under $40 all the way up to just under $90. Can’t beat that!

Now if Ryders Eyewear could cut out as much noise as they do glare, the 11-hour drive would be even less painful!—Emily

This week I’m heading out to the Island with my hubby and Lola in tow to seek out a home for rent. I’ve only visited Victoria once before, I don’t know anyone out there so it’s a bit scary, coupled with sheer exhilaration at the thought of such a big adventure.

If you walk around my house right now you’ll see little notes all over with two columns:

Great Things about moving to Victoria / Not So Great Things About Moving to Victoria

Missing our dear family and friends definitely lands on the right side of those lists (and right at the top). I’m not entirely sure how I’ll cope without a direct road to our parents homes within arms reach. We’ve been so blessed to be near our family the past 4 years, within an hour or so. Every few minutes my mood changes and you may catch me mid cry or mid laughter at the craziness of what we are doing.

Victoria BC is beautiful. An island surrounded by the ocean, beautiful beaches, lovely weather (goodbye Alberta winters), gardens, orchards, vineyards, whale watching, and a slower pace. My ultimate dream is to have a Palm Tree in my front yard…it’s gonna happen folks.

Hence this post is just to let all of you know that I’m here and have many things to share, however I’m not sure exactly when the posting will take place. I’ll post as I can over the next few weeks. Lots of Market Videos still to share and giveaways to well…giveaway!

XO - Daria

It’s a long way from Long Beach, California to Boulder, Colorado… or is it? Fresh Produce first sprouted in 1984 in Long Beach, selling silk-screened t-shirts in bright graphics and custom jewelry at the ‘84 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in the parking lot across the street from the coliseum. The concept then is the same as now – to bring the emotions, the colors, the sensations, the leisure of beach life to everyday life through fashion.

Known and loved by women ages 6 months to 60-plus for lush colors, year-round sensibility, simply inspired design and coastal comfort, Fresh Produce continues to delight customers around the globe.

Apparently I didn’t sport the tunic quite right. I tied it rather than letting it the ties hang loose and I have to admit, I like the more casual look better. Here’s a photo from the site:

And here’s my take on it:

The Swing Capri was super soft and super comfortable. It could be due to the 92% Rayon, 8% Lycra fabric or the nice, wide leg. Or both. Whatever it is, it works and makes for the most comfortable pair of pants you could own. The Rio Crescent Moon Tunic is also comfortable but not as “cool” as I thought it would be. Though it’s 100% cotton and on the thinner side, I still got a little toasty in it, but it would make for a great transitional shirt for summer to fall or spring to summer. And it is flowy and airy, though I think I prefer the more bright, “beachy” colors better like seaglass and sunrise.

Some of my other faves from the site:

Impromptu Dress

Girl’s Koi Pond Jersey Knit Dress

Coastal Wrap Cardigan

First, a bit about Wolverine:

The footwear, apparel and gear reflects the values of the craftsmen whose pride in their work has made Wolverine the gold standard for comfort, quality and performance. Wolverine products are among the finest to be found anywhere in the world, with advanced technologies that add unparalleled safety, durability, and especially comfort. Wolverine will handle the toughest days and keep coming back for more. They are RELENTLESS BY NATURE.

Then I noticed this diagram on the inside of the lid:

And found this cute little dial under the sock liner:

So apparently these hiking shoes are awesome inside and out. They have this customized comfort system with four settings: I for enhanced inner support; O for increased outer support; F for firming things up; and C for added cushion. You remove the liner, choose your setting, set both disks the same and replace the liner. How great is that?

Question is, could these shoes hold up to a 13-year-old at a week-long camp for girls? And an 11-year-old who knows how to beat up a pair of shoes? I gave one pair to Madison and one to Lauren so they could test drive the Wolverines. Here’s what they had to say.

Madison
“Hi everybody! This is Madison. My mom asked me to write a review on the shoes Wolverine. I took them to Oakcrest {a five-day camp for girls} and used them for hiking. They were SUPER comfy and didn’t give me blisters on the first time I wore them! I love the design on the shoe. I had to use them on a three and a half hour hike and my feet didn’t hurt one bit. I heard people complaining about their feet, but I didn’t! They were even good in the mud and rain. When we were hiking down, lots of people were slipping. I didn’t fall because of the great traction on the bottom of the sole. These shoes were the best!”

Lauren
“Hey people! This is Lauren and I am writing a review on the shoes I used. The first time I used them I walked to and back from the school and my feet didn’t hurt only my legs did. The second time I used them was when we went on the alpine slide and while on that I slipped! {Clarification: The shoes had nothing to do with her flipping her sled. She was going way too fast around a turn. The end result? Fiberglass burns and a gash on her knee that need over 11 stitches!} The shoes looked great with blood-red inside and little dots only on the right shoe! Just kidding. They were my favorite tennis shoes and still are and the red came right out”

—————
Yes, I totally washed them in the washing machine in cold water on gentle cycle and then air dried them. I hesitated to do so due to the leather but she had really bloodied up the inside of the one shoe. They washed up perfectly and are good as new! I was super impressed! Both girls raved about how comfortable they were. I’m kinda sad I gave both pairs away. Dang.

Wolverine shoes are not super cheap, but if I were an avid hiker or outdoorswoman, I would make the investment. These babies survived camp with nary a blister; a trip down the Alpine slide before rolling around in fiberglass, rocks and dirt; and being washed in the washing machine. If they can survive all that, they will definitely last years and years. And years!—Emily

You can catch up with Carina on her blog, in her Facebook group, as well as on the Northcott and Riley Blake websites. If Twitter is your thing, you can definitely catch up with Carina on Twitter as well by following @carinagardner

**GIVEAWAY
We are giving away an adorable Carina Gardner Ruffle Dress pattern, to enter our drawing comment and share this episode for an opportunity to WIN! We’ll draw a winner on July 25th, 2011!!

Many more interviews are on the way, keep tuning in and enjoying your Cup of Couture and So Much More!!

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

1. Footprint Butterfly – for all those little budding Picasso’s out there, get out the paint and use their feet as butterfly wings. This would also make a fun gift idea for Grandparents, it’s always so darling to capture the smallness of their little feet forever.

2. Adorable DIY Bird Feeders – Bird watching is always an interesting adventure for little ones. What’s even better? Getting a bit messy and making bird feeders. These ones are so adorable, and super easy!!

3. Puff Paint Artwork – you can make this puffy paint in your very own kitchen with self-rising flour, salt and food coloring. Cook in the microwave to puff it up. Voila!! You’re Awesome!!

*Check out my original suggestions here>> as well More ideas to come soon – let me know how your children enjoy these activities too!!

One thing I don’t have to locate is the Coghlan’s Bug-Eye Headlight my kids received so we could review it for the Daily Dish. I always know where it is: either on George’s or Livi’s head or on the kitchen desk when not on George’s or Livi’s head.

The kids LOVED this headlamp the minute they put it on…which was the minute I opened the package.

The Bug-Eye Headlight is compact, lightweight and designed just for kids. Powered by a bright white LED – that never needs replacing. Comfortable elastic head strap. Perfect for kids who love the outdoors!

I’m thinking we’ll be packing it for our trip to visit Grandma and Grandpa in August because there’s always some serious backyard camping when we go! I’ll probably need a second one so I don’t have to keep an eye on the timer as George and Livi share. (At less than $9, it’s a no-brainer!) I like to limit the number of battles and they’ve had a couple over Coghlan’s Bug-Eye Headlight. Can’t blame them!—Emily

When I was sent Pearl Izumi’s women’s Fly Top from their P.R.O. line, I was all over giving this baby a test drive—or ride.

The top features Pearl Izumi’s In-R-Cool fabric technology “that cools the body for optimal comfort.” The fabric also:

• Provides optimal moisture transfer with a “superior hand feel” (yay for super lightweight, super soft fabric!)


• Flatlock seams (yay for no chafing!)


• Reflective elements for low-light visibility (yay for not getting hit!)


• Sublimated graphics (yay for something that sounds super cool!)

Yes, it’s part of their running collection, but I’m way okay with mixing and matching! Can you tell how lightweight and breathable this fabric is? Just look at it lying on the table—it’s nearly paper thin (or at least cardstock thin)!

You can even see my fingers (and ring) through the fabric:

Because of the everlasting winter here in Utah, I didn’t get to try the Fly Top until the Goldillocks ride in May. But it was the perfect weather—and event—to do so. It was a 42-miler that started out when the weather was still a bit nippy but ended up in the pleasant 70s. Though I survived my first long ride, Pear Izumi’s Fly Top did more than survived; it performed beautifully! It was almost like wearing nothing at all, which is nice if you’re into that sort of thing.

Unlike wearing nothing, the Fly Top does provide you with sun protection. The body has a UPF of 40+ and the mesh a UPF of 30+. I just wish I’d had sunscreen with 50+ between the end of the cap sleeves and the top of my arm warmers!

Available in black, red and white, Pear Izumi’s P.R.O. Fly Top is a must for runners and cyclists alike…especially those who only cycle (or run) in fair weather.—Emily

Violet shares her beautiful collection of fabrics called Peacock Lane, as well as her children’s clothing patterns and a bag pattern for Indygo Junction!

GIVEAWAY!! Violet Craft Prize Pack including a Fat Quarter Pack of the ENTIRE collection (all 24 designs across both color ways!!) – she says “I don’t think they should be separated!” and we quite agree, they are Beautiful together!

Violet is offering an awesome GIVEAWAY for one of our very lucky Boutique Cafe viewers!!

For Entries to Win Simply:

Comment in our shownotes below, tweet on Twitter, Share on Facebook, or comment on YouTube for multiple entries to win a Prize Pack!! Draw Date is June 27th at Midnight, must have valid email address to win.

CONGRATULATIONS to our Winner Kelly Irene. And Thank You to everyone for your awesome comments and involvement. We have many more prizes to giveaway so keep commenting and sharing. XO!!

Many more interviews are on the way, keep tuning in and enjoying your Cup of Couture and So Much More!!

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(*Please be aware that YouTube Videos are loading slowly for some people – they are working on the issue)

GIVEAWAY!!
Lucy’s offering an awesome GIVEAWAY for one of our Boutique Cafe viewers!! Comment in our shownotes below, tweet on Twitter, Share on Facebook, or comment on YouTube for multiple entries to win a Prize Pack!! Fabric and Hot Scott Patterns galore up for grabs – don’t miss out!! Draw Date is June 27th at Midnight, must have valid email address to win.

Many more interviews are on the way, keep tuning in and enjoying your Cup of Couture and So Much More!!

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

FlipOut, which has already won six awards including the iParenting Media Award, Parents’ Choice Gold and Creative Child Magazine Seal of Excellence Award, is geared for children ages 8 and older and can handle 2 to 5 players. The object of the game is to get at least four of the same cards in a row by switching, swapping and flipping cards (your own and those of your opponent(s)). It gets a little tricky because each card is double sided, so what you see isn’t necessarily what your opponents see, and they may take the exact card you were hoping to keep!

The game claims “easy-to-learn rules,” but I will say the first time my girls took it out to play, they gave up after only getting through half the directions. Fortunately I don’t give up that easily when it comes to board games, so we gave it one more shot, this time with me reading through the rules with them. And I will admit, it took me a couple run-throughs to understand all the different options (aka “actions”) you could do each turn and how the whole process worked. But once we got going (and reread as we played), we finally got the hang of it and had a really great time thwarting each other’s efforts to line up four of a kind.

Don’t let our little struggle with the directions make you shy away from Gamewright’s new FlipOut. It really is a fun game and I love that children and adults can play together (kind of like Dweebies!), plus it teaches children visual discrimination, strategic thinking (my favorite part) and color identification. That’s a Gamewright game for you: learning and fun all wrapped into one!—Emily

*** Giveaway! Gamewright is giving away one copy of FlipOut! ***

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 Gamewright.com and leave a comment telling us which other games you’d love to try.
•     “Like” Gamewright on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.
•    Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•    Update your Facebook status with a link to this giveaway and leave a comment telling us you did.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: June 28, 2011 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

1. Liquid Sidewalk Chalk – Get out some paint brushes and have a Ball! Full directions at Stampin’ & Craftin’. My kids can’t wait to do this, it looks easy and don’t forget to snap pictures of the “giggle-fest”

2. DIY Art Kit – Dear Lizzy shared her incredible Art Kit idea on her blog, and I quickly set to work to make one for our family. Ours will go into the van and be at the ready while we are out discovering parks this summer. Then all we need to find is a picnic table and it’s mobile arts and crafts time. Love this!

3. Summer Journals – Brassy Apple (Megan) shares some great Summer Time Journal ideas, as well as ice blocks full of toys, and many other AWESOME ideas in this TV segment! We are making our summer journals today!



4. I-Spy Bottle for road trips – Meet the Dubiens created this coolest of cool I-Spy bottles for those long car rides. I’m making one of these for little Lola this summer.

5. Giant Bubble Wand – Tatertots and Jello always has GREAT ideas! This one looks like so much fun. Create a Giant Bubble wand and the solution to go with it!

LINK IT UP If you have discovered or blogged your own ideas for summertime activities with your kids please share it in our comment section below. We’d love to stop by and share in the fun! More summer ideas will be posted soon – feel welcome to submit yours for a feature to daria@boutiquecafe.com

EA stands for Estrogenic Activity. Any chemical that either blocks or mimics the natural estrogen in the human body is an EA chemical. Chemicals like BPA and Phtalates are just a few EA chemicals that can be found in certain plastics.

When the PureBot arrived, I was drawn to its transparency.

I’d never seen a water bottle with a see-through top!

I also loved its simple, slim design. But how would it hold up in spin class? I filled it with ice water…

...and headed to the gym. The first thing I noticed was the lack of an aftertaste. No metal, no plastic, nothing but crystal clear, pure-tasting water. That was my favorite part! The PureBot also kept my water fairly cold during those 50 minutes, but it didn’t have the staying (chilling) power of my Camelbak bottles, and that was a little disappointing. I could see me using the PureBot bottle around the house, but I wouldn’t be taking it to my endurance spin class or on outdoor rides. I like my water super cold and the PureBot can’t do that for me.

But it can keep me a bit safer from those EA chemicals—and at a great price (less than $8). I’m thinking the PureBot water bottle a good option for my two oldest kids as they participate in summer camps and sports this summer. As growing girls, I’d like to keep them as far away from EA chemicals as I can!

*** GIVEAWAY! Hydrapak is giving away one PureBot water bottle! ***

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

•    Leave a comment telling us what you’d use your PureBot water bottle for.
•   “Like” Hydrapak on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.
•   Follow Hydrapak 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.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: June 23rd, 2011 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

As the ColorFusion shirt altered from periwinkle to a vibrant rose it startled those I was with and caused quite a stir to those that claimed they were losing their minds. A few favorite comments received: “I swear your shirt was purple earlier.” “Is it just me or is your shirt turning into a tie-dye fabric?” “Ahh. What’s going on? Your shirt is turning Pink!”

The entire shirt switched colors almost simultaneously. When the shirt reaches 68 degrees or 20F it changes color. This cool line is also available in pint-size. Quagmire kids shirts will undoubtedly be your little tike’s favorite piece of clothing. Any child will be obsessed with the “magic” demonstrated right before their eyes. The changing of colors is really the coolest thing to observe.

I have to admit, I was so skeptical about this product. Two reasons. My first inclination of the ColorFusion shirt was cheesy and crazy “technology” that probably only works in the armpits. Wrong. So wrong! It is really the coolest article of clothing I own. Besides the real “magic” technology works everywhere. It is high fashion with a cut that is perfect in every area. The length is just right. Sleeve size is ideal and it’s not a boxy golf shirt, but a perfect tailored yet relaxed fit. It is made of soft fabric that washes well.

It’s two in one with ColorFusion. Two colors. Two purposes—fashion and fun.- Amber

Buy it online and I highly suggest checking out all their other adorable active apparel visit www.quagmirestyles.com.

While attending Quilt Market in Salt Lake City I had the opportunity to sit down for a quick interview with my dear friends Kim and Kris of The DIYDish! As you can see when we get together we turn into giggly girls, I sure love them. Kim and Kris share news regarding the remainder of their show season on TheDIYDish.com, as well as the news that Kris is opening a brick and mortar quilt shop in Utah called My Girlfriend’s Quilt Shoppe. This awesome new shoppe will open on June 6th, and for those not in the immediate area they have us all covered with a website as well. These talented gals will be moving their production studio into the store, we can’t wait to see all of those DIYDish projects rolling out of their new studio.

Kick back and enjoy the laughter and fun with two of the sweetest twins I’ve ever had the pleasure to know!

Many more interviews are on the way, keep tuning in and enjoying your Cup of Couture and So Much More!!

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

This book tells the story of a lazy dog that prefers staying inside and sleeping rather than playing outside (the situation sounds oh so familiar) and exploring. Wallie’s clothes begin to be too small for him because of his lazy ways (again…another great parallel). An exercising elephant helps this lazy dog get fit. This book teaches about hydration, warming up and working out.

The book ends with suggestions and fun games that Wallie did that your child can do too. The Wallie Wiggle Wag Walks and Relay Race and Silly Shark Squats are some of the exercises that your kids will love.

The writer behind this book has credentials that make it effective exercises you know are safe and legit. Steve Ettinger, the author is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist. The illustrator, Pete Proctor is a former teacher who knows what kids like to read. His adorable illustrations of the characters make this a visually stimulating book anyone can enjoy.-Amber

This book is available online at wallieexercises.com.

****DAILY DISH GIVEWAWAY***
Go to wallieexercises.com and leave us a comment on daily dish telling us the award this book received from Mom’s Choice Awards. One random selection winner will receive an autographed book.

This cover goes onto the club and shaft easily by expanding in the right places, yet keeping its form. Easy to get on and easy to pull off make it a critical component for me because it can be a real annoyance when you need your driver and the head cover won’t come off!

Their line is a huge hit with PGA and LPGA Tour players and a novice golfer from Salt Lake City. Me. I’m not a regular on the course, nor do I have stellar form or a swing that gets noticed, but my gear gets the attention because it is colorful and expressive.

I tested the “numero uno” driver head cover from the company’s “Bling” line. It matches my eye-catching golf bag from keri bag and looks good in the bag. The cherry-red cover is embossed with the image “1” with small diamond-looking studs. It is a bit more expensive than most head covers, but the diamond-looking embellishment makes a sassy statement for a more individualistic look on the course.-Amber

Available online here.

Women, of course know exactly what classifies something to be cute. So, what makes it so cute? The pink rosebloom print on the white bag is a unique pattern designed by Keri Murschell that you typically don’t see on a golf bag, which makes me think of my golf bag as an oversized purse. It is the perfect accessory.

Rare is it to find a golf bag that you actually want to lug around. The first chance to put the bag down is usually how it goes, but with this lightweight fashionable golf bag I wanted it strapped to me all day. The padded double-strap allowed perfect balance and prevented any one shoulder stress from overuse. It was comfortable and when I did set it down the legs easily came out each time, making it a sturdy stand bag. Only a few good bags actually stand up with ease, as you grab your club. This stand feature took no effort at all.

Behind the beauty of this bag lies a durable, functional bag that integrates pockets of every size for every purpose. This good looking get up offers plenty of storage in the sleeve and zippered pockets for all my golf gear and the 8-way full-length dividers keep my clubs nicely separated.

My favorite feature is the insulated pocket to keep beverages cold. This accommodation allows me to keep myself well hydrated so that by hole 15 I’m not lagging.

If you’re a golf pro or a novice this bag is for you. Don’t you want to hear the word cute said by men? Buy the bag and see what happens on the greens.

This bag – and other bags designed by Keri for Adams Golf – are also available in sets that include the bag, matching head covers and clubs! What’s more, is they’re available at different price points depending on the budget. Adams Golf is the market leader for women’s equipment.
-Amber

Available here or at adamsgolf.com.

Chelsea Andersen shares her “I Love Paris” fabric as well as her beautiful girl and teen clothing patterns. A big hit at Market were Chelsea’s NEW Roxy and Lola doll patterns, we can’t wait for you to see the cuteness!! Pink Fig is also offering a Free tshirt design on their blog, and a way for you to make a difference! All that and more!!

Comment in our show notes to enter to win an OUTSTANDING GIVEAWAY Package from Pink Fig Design! Watch our episode for details! Don’t forget to Comment, Tweet and Facebook share this show as well for additional entries.
We will draw the winner on June 10th, 2011!!
UPDATE!! Our Winner has been drawn randomly from all entries recieved. Congratulations to Kymmie Marriner! I have sent you details on how to collect your awesome prize!

Thanks to everyone for commenting, tweeting, Facebooking and blogging about our giveaway. We have lots more Market Swag to giveaway so keep entering.

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

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Thanks to Revolution Foods and their organic fruit Mashups, my kids can have a serving of fruit—and multiple fruits at that—without the washing, peeling, slicing and dicing. I know, fresh is best, but when you’re going on 5 hours of sleep a night, fresh isn’t always an option at 7am.

What are Mashups? Mashups are 100% organic fruit purees without any added sugar. They also don’t contain any trans fats, HFC or artificial ingredients. Mashups come in squeezable packs with a kid-safe, resealable cap, so they’re perfect for lunches and on-the-go snacks. Mashups are available in four flavors: Grape, Berry, Tropical and Strawberry Banana.

Revolution Foods sent us a sampling of the Mashups for the kids to try. My 13- and 11-year-olds weren’t brave enough (or cool enough) to give them a test run, but George and Livi did. Note: One of the flavors was a carrot one, which I don’t see offered on the site yet. Perhaps it will be offered soon, as these are super new! (By the way, iIt was George’s least favorite.)

Here’s what the kids thought of the Mashups. This video is one of my favorites—gotta love the honest of kids!

George actually really loved the Mashups in his oatmeal. For a few days straight he had me make him a bowl of oatmeal and then he doctored it up with the berry and strawberry banana Mashups. You could even add the Mashups to yogurt, smoothies or probably even as a substitute for oil in some recipes. You can buy them online and in select grocery stores. They’ll run you just over $1 a piece, so I’m not sure I’d use them in my kids’ daily lunches, but I would totally consider them a great option for food storage and our emergency food supply. My kids would rather eat these than reconstituted applesauce any day!—Emily

*** Giveaway! Revolution Foods is giving away a gift box of Mashups samples and a Revolution Foods t-shirt! ***

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 RevolutionFoods.com and leave a comment telling us which of their products you think your kids would like the most.
•“Like” Revolution Foods on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.
•Follow Revolution 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.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: June 2, 2011 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

KENTWOOL Golf Socks created an enhanced cushioning system at strategic micro-stress points along the foot to maximize comfort, reduce the risk of injury and boost on-course performance. The blend of fine merino wool and high-tech fibers protects feet from chafing. All their high-tech experience with textiles (they’ve been around since 1848—it is the nation’s longest-running textile company) it would be an easy guarantee to produce a high performance pair of socks.

Now I was skeptical about its claim because I am one that gets blisters easily. Seems that my bitty size 5 foot is often overtaken by redness and blisters after extensive time in any pair of shoes I wear. So, who knew it was all in the socks? I was spending too much money replacing my shoes where I should have been replacing my socks! I had no idea specialized socks really worked, but, they do.

Don’t let the title KENTWOOL Golf Socks fool you—you don’t need to have a set of irons to wear these. In fact, I tested the low profile skinny when I was running, biking and yes, golfing. Initially I tried them on the greens and was so impressed with its wicking ability. Here in Utah, Spring has turned more like a second winter with cold rain and sleet, so of course I loved the warmth the socks offered me while playing golf, but would they be too warm without the cold air? I decided to take my test to the gym and wear my “golf” socks running. I worked out hard on the treadmill. I sweat everywhere, including my feet, yet my feet were dry at the end of the workout and there was no odor. The moisture management technology did a great job keeping my feet dry, but, they were a bit too warm for my liking. The socks did a great job wicking sweat away, controlling odor and maximizing comfort with cushioning but they are best for outdoor activities where there is a chill in the air.

KENTWOOL’s claim is accurate. Blister-free socks—they are. The days I wear these socks are the days there are no signs of irritation on my heels, toes or arches. My purple low profile skinny socks will be so worn out because I literally wear them every other day. So, my suggestion would be—stock up. I’ve experienced no loosening of the seams with its constant washing, but, stock up because your feet will thank you.-Amber

With beautiful fragrances, gorgeous colors and advanced botanical extracts, our products deliver the ultimate level of protection for super smart women who want to protect, renew and perfect their skin every day. Hissyfit products are proudly Australian made using the finest ingredients, including powerful botanical extracts. ...

Next up is the Saving Face Buffing Powder—a hit! I love a good finishing powder that keeps my skin more matte than shiny yet feels lightweight. This one totally did that. It kept my makeup looking good all day long and felt really good on my skin. Perhaps it’s due to all the bontanicals inside (aspen bark extract, green and white tea extracts, jojoba and aloe).

Last are the Clockpots, and here’s where I tell you I can’t really tell you much about them. The shades sent for review weren’t right for me, so I didn’t dare apply them. (I have a hard enough time trying to make my makeup look good!) And for me, the Clockpots were a bit overwhelming. I kept reading the directions so I’d know which shades were for which time of day, and I thought the compact a bit large. i couldn’t imagine packing that for travel OR throwing it in my handbag for makeup touch-up later in the day. Out of the three products sent, this was probably my least favorite, but perhaps someone with a bit more confidence in her makeup skills (and a much larger makeup bag) would do just fine!

Overall, I loved the creaminess and high SPF of the Saving Face Foundation (even if the color was wrong) and the effectiveness of the Saving Face Buffing Powder, but I’m still not convinced on the Hissyfit Clockpots. If any of you have tried them, let me know! I’d love to hear your take!—Emily

My apologies in advance, I was alone in the car for the first time without someone yelling “Mommy”. Here’s the first video of me on my way to Quilt Market in SLC, we have loads and loads of designer interviews on the way in the coming weeks (minus my singing I promise).

While you’re awaiting the Designer Interviews – why not kick back and read my Quilt Market Summary and view our hundreds of Market photos >>

I’ve tried more than my fair share of products claiming to reduce the occurrence of acne and/or treat blemishes. So far I love the Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser, but as far as post-cleansing, I have yet to find a product that truly seems to work…and I’ve tried quite a few including the knock-off version of ProActiv. (Now all I have are nicely bleached towels.)

No surprise I was totally game to try La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar Duo, a dual action acne treatment “clinically proven to treat acne as effectively as the leading prescription” with results in only 3 days and “minimum irritation.” Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? Here’s why it’s supposed to be so nifty:

• Key ingredients of 5.5% micronized benzoyl peroxide acne medication (reduces inflammation while minimizing irritation) and 0.4% micro-exfoliation LHA (precise cell-by-cell exfoliation).


• Non-drying, non-comedogenic, oil-free, paraben-free.


• Dermatologist tested on all skin types, even the most sensitive. Test on mult-ethnic skin.

Crazy thing is, this little tube of Effaclar Duo holds a truly “big” and effective acne treatment. And I’m not the only one who can attest to that. I used it on my chin area where I tend to get the tiniest bumps and then on the occasional zit that would hit my cheek once a month. It smoothed and cleared in those three days. I did find twice a day was too much for my skin and it started to dry out a bit, but once a day was perfect.

The other person who loves this little tube is Madison, my 13-year-old daughter. For the past few months she’s been showing the signs of that whole puberty thing with a collection of the tiniest acne on her nose. I had her try the Effaclar Duo and within those allotted 3 days, it had cleared up in a major way. (I would have done before and after pics, but she so wasn’t going for that.) For her, two applications a day also started drying out her skin (we do live in Utah after all), but once a day has been perfect for managing it. And she couldn’t be happier!

Priced at around $35, I am here to tell you it’s totally worth it. TOTALLY. Now the only problem is figuring out whose bathroom currently has the tube of La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo cream. Oh, and this go-round, no bleached towels or sheets!—Emily

While at Market I was able to attend a few of the events/parties including the exclusive Sweet Hot Yam’s Event and the Bloggers Quilt Market Meetup which Boutique Cafe helped to sponsor. Both events were a blast, jam packed with attendees, and I was so honored to be included in the festivities.

Our interview schedule was literally packed from sun up to sun down. There wasn’t time to stop, it was go-go-go – but I feel it will all be worth it as I roll out the new episodes (as quickly as possible) over the coming weeks. I hope you will all be thrilled to hear from the designers themselves about what they were showcasing, what their inspirations are, and how fun and hilarious some of the moments were that we captured for you on video.

Some Highlights of my trip included:

-Seeing all of my dear friends at Market that I have missed over the past few years.
-Hanging with my girls, Megan and Emily – they are incredible friends and I am awed by their help in getting all of our footage, photos and networking for BC at Market. Amazing!
-Rooming at the Marriott with Paula Prass, Jennifer Storey, and Jona Giammalva – you gals rock!
-Having the tables turned on me and being interviewed by Kim and Kris of The DIYDish! Can you say Hot Seat?
Meeting Nancy Soriano and Jo Packham Cofounders of The Creative Connection
-Chatting with local bloggers in SLC about Boutique Cafe, Market, my family and the gorgeous and incredible weather while we were down there!
-Soaking my feet at night
and many more things I will be sharing throughout our coverage so stay tuned!

PHOTO SHARE

**To visit my bursting gallery of over 300 Quilt Market photos that we took while in SLC click here and head to my Flickr album. I’d LOVE to read your comments!

Please watch for our upcoming Market Interviews coming soon – I’m so excited to share them with all of our Boutique Cafe viewers! Now get clickin’ those Flickr photos because there is great stuff in there! – Daria

Ahnu offers footwear for men and women who enjoy an active lifestyle—and, of course, some serious style too:

Whether designed for hiking on trails through the Big Sur Mountains or taking a run through Golden Gate Park, we infuse technology that keeps us centered, balanced, and ultimately comfortable for miles on end. And while our passions drive us to create great performance products, our values guide us to be responsible throughout all of our environmental and social encounters.

So if we can inspire a more balanced life that begins with getting outside, then we’re making the connections that influenced us to start this brand.

I was lucky enough to test out a pair of Ahnu Montara hiking shoes for Boutique Cafe’s Daily Dish.

Once I had the correct size (definitely order a half size up), I found they fit perfectly the moment I put them on…and by perfectly, I mean no break-in time needed (i.e., no blisters). Though I didn’t get to take them hiking in the mountains due to our super long winter and super late spring (I’m talking frigid temps earlier this week), I did wear them as actively as possible at the park and around town. No blisters, no hot spots and super lightweight on the feet. Honestly, I couldn’t believe how light these hiking shoes were—and comfy to boot (pun intended).

Me taking the Montaras for a test drive. Super cute AND super comfy! I even took a quick run to the car and they felt great!

I’m thinking the comfiness is due to that Numentum™ Technology, “a neutral positioning system engineered to encourage the foot’s natural biomechanics.” It sounds all techie but it sure feels good! Though I have the Montara in Coffee Bean, I adore the Ruby Wine, a delicious red. I also love the Rockridge II and Nicasio styles.

Ahnu has already contributed more than $20,000 to the Breast Cancer Fund and expects to donate a total of $30,000 before the end of 2011. How awesome is that?

Check out Ahnu’s entire collection of Numentum™ Technology women’s footwear here. And remember, for every pair purchased, the company will donate $5 to the Breast Cancer Fund.—Emily

P.S. You can find Ahnu on Facebook and Twitter!

The eco-smart yoga mat is made from Polymer Environmental Resin. This material is safer for our health (most mats are made from PVC foam which contain harmful toxic chemicals) and the environment. This material is very durable. Non-stick and lightweight makes practicing poses a breeze. Measuring at 24” by 69” by 6 mm I tried the Burgundy/Mustard mat. It was a crowd pleaser at the gym. Receiving multiple comments from strangers about the cute design on my mat had me notice just how decorative it is and definitely a stand out in the sea of solid purple and blue mats.

The price is right at just $29.95. Makes me feel better about spending money on something that preserves our environment as well.

Now, the yoga mat is great but what I really loved was what I carried my yoga mat in—the reconstructed yoga tote. It’s a one-of-a-kind piece of art draped on your shoulder. It is so eye-catching and completely unique. No two bags are the same because the bags are constructed from old banners and tents. The waterproof material is slick. The tote is nice because you can roll your mat up, stash it and seal the bag up with the velcro clasp. The inner-zip pocket is another unexpected feature that is perfect for keys and a cell phone. Same price as the mat $29.95.

Shop green and while you’re at their website, check out Project C.A.R.E.
I like a committed company that is methodical in their approach to preserve our earth.
I also like a company that keeps yoga essentials at a minimum price. Just under $30 for each item.—Amber

Now is the perfect time to get your ads in before the huge influx of traffic hits our site over the next several weeks for review of Market coverage. We invite you to enjoy this special promotion today, there’s only added traffic and customers to gain!

To snag this deal – simply go to our Ad Upload Form Here and fill out your information, then when our system sends you to Paypal you pay half! YAY!

Enjoy – we’re excited to support your businesses and see your traffic soar

We have been covering Quilt Market as Press for our viewers for several years now, and I have a feeling that this year is going to be the best ever! To share in all the creative fun I have a great team coming along with me – Emily our Contributing Editor and owner of Is This Really My Life, and Megan (our past Queen of Chat on Boutique Cafe) and owner of Brassy Apple. Aren’t I a lucky girl to have such a talented and amazing team?!! Just look for the two tall, amazingly stunning gals with cute hair and great shoes and you’ll spot Emily and Megan!! We are gearing up for all the fun and mayhem that Quilt Market provides. If you are attending and see us in the aisles please stop and say hello, we would love to meet you. I also have a few goodies to give away…shhhhhh its kind of a surprise.

Boutique Cafe will be featuring a huge selection of Market interviews, pictures and oodles of giveaways with many of your favourite designers, so be sure to check back here for post-Market coverage. We will even be partying with many bloggers at the Quilt Market Meet-up on Saturday evening. Thursday evening I’m hoping to make it to Quilt Market Sweet Treats and Drinks, a mixer so I’m crossing my fingers that my plane arrives on time for us to attend. It’s going to be a whirlwind of a weekend (feet don’t fail me now), but I can’t wait to get back and share all that we have discovered with you.

See you in SLC and beyond everyone! XO - Daria

If you have questions for specific designers, we would love to capture them answering you on video. Simply post or email your question and we’ll do our best to ask the designer for you at Market. Just a fun way to bring you all along with us.

The first printable download the gorgeous saying, print it and frame it up for Mom! This is a beautiful saying she will want to look at all year in her home. I know that I {adore} mine, I just printed it up yesterday and it’s lovely. We’re offering it four sizes:

Click Here to Download the PDFs, choose the size you want to print at home or send to your local print shop. Your Mom will love it!
4×6
5×7
8×10
11×14

Our second freebie takes just a few more simple Photoshop skills to customize. We’re gifting you a “Mommy Business Card” template. Now you can share your contact info with other Mommys at the playground and get together for Gymboree class or playdates. Drop in your own picture and contact information, have your Mommy Card printed up and get connected. We love this idea {plus isn’t Emalie just adorable on her mommy’s card below? Thanks Maggie and Emalie!}

Click Here to Download the Photoshop template for our customizable Mommy Card

Happy Mother’s Day to each and every one of you!

First, a bit about Cyclelogical:

Cyclelogical exists to bring the best travel and bike commuter gear to the market. Our gear will get you to and from your destination, be it the office or the grocery store, with all the right equipment and just the right amount of options, no more….no less. Cyclelogical will get you there safely and totally in style! Our gear is made with the highest quality and most durable materials. We know, because we have researched them and tried them out.

Both tees had a bit of a longer length and more narrow fit, which I liked, but they did seem to run a bit small. The Bike Me tee had the softest fabric but was a titch shorter in length. The Cycling Is Off the Chain tee had a really nice length but a little less stretch. Both are washable in cold water BUT the directions say “lay flat to dry.” Guess who didn’t read that part and assumed drying them on low would work? That would be me. Though they didn’t seem to shrink too much, they did shrink just enough to make me wish I’d gone with a large rather than medium. So be sure and order one size up in those tees, especially if you’re going to forget to dry them correctly!

Madison absolutely LOVED the Bike Me tee and I loved the Off the Chain one. It makes me feel kinda cool to sport a fun, eye-catching tee that lets people know I love cycling. I’m actually considering buying the Chain Flower Hoody with its super cute design on the back!

Their men’s collection is awesome as well. My faves are Bike Power Retro and City Fixie tees. Cyclelogical also has some fun gear like their Minima and Townie Rust packs. And if you find you’re riding early in the morning or later at night, you’ll want to invest in a pack of reflective Chopspokes. No, they won’t make a cool noise like those plastic spoke beads, but they will keep you a heck of a lot safer.

Along with cool tees, Cyclelogical also has a super cool mission “to help the environment by keeping gasoline consumption down, sustaining a healthy mind and body, and keeping the world we live in safe for bicycle commuting everywhere.” I like a company that likes the environment and likes keeping me safe.

If you have a cycling family member or friend and want to give them something other than a month’s supply of energy gel or a new insulated water bottle, give them a Cyclelogical tee. They will love it and you will love being her new favorite!—Emily

*** Giveaway! Cyclelogical is giving away one tee, 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 CyclelogicalGear.com and leave a comment telling us which tee you’d choose.
•  “Like” Cyclelogical on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.
•  Follow Cyclelogical 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.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: May 20, 2011 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

I love it think of it as “Pure Sugar for your Mind and Imagination”. I’m throughly addicted to showcasing things I find interesting, beautiful, or that I want to make/gift. It’s like a virtual filebox, dream board, and a way to share what you love and your style with others.

You can use Pinterest to gather ideas for your next DIY project or Kids Birthday extravaganza, plan your wedding theme down to the perfect bridal dress and shoes, or get a giggle from some of the funny sayings that show up on the site.

You can follow my boards and pins here>> and then create your own as well – I can’t wait to see what you love! Be warned, you won’t be able to stop pinning your faves – I’m a giver so I had to let you in on your newest daily craving. XO Daria

Springtime is right around the corner to summer swimwear season and eating right is now essential. Salads are my go to meal because you toss it up just as you like and it’s a great way to get my veggie intake. The only hassle? prep work.

You gotta slice the veggies down to size. Ugh. The reason I dread this task? I typically wind up slicing some skin along with cutting the vegetables. Whether it’s a knife or a peeler I somehow always seem to get a nick on the knuckle. But with the prepara peeler and its large gripper- prep work is now a cinch.

The comfortable non-slip grip is just one of the many features on this must-have kitchen tool. The peeler actually has 3 steel blades nested inside the handle that allow you to turn and click to select your choice of blade.

The soft blade is perfect for soft-skinned produce like peaches and tomatoes. The firm blade grabs and peels the skin of hard produce like potatoes and carrots and the decorative julienne blade cuts precise strips. Prepara has developed a peeler which is a three in one tool. It is a durable and dishwasher safe utensil.

Each blade was easy to select and change out and really cut perfectly. Fruit that I didn’t want a deep cut into, it managed to finely slice up and other produce that required deeper cuts, it did just that. The blade selection by twisting the bottom of the handle is easy to use and a brilliant way to ensure a larger non-slip grip.

My favorite thing about the trio tri-blade peeler? The gourmet shoestring carrot cuts from the julienne blade, that turn any tossed green into a colorful masterpiece or maybe the retractable blades which make it a safe stow away (avoiding any risks from the little ones who rummage through kitchen drawers.) It’s a toss up. So many features to love with the trio tri-blade peeler. -Amber

-Prepara is offering Daily Dish readers not only 15% off the peeler, but, any item you find online at www.prepara.com, just use the code HERB455 at checkout.

-Did I mention that prepara has one of Oprah’s favorite gadgets? Yeah you’ll want to check out all the cool stuff they have online at www.prepara.com.

When Animoto approached me about reviewing their online movie-making site, I was totally game. It looked like a lot of fun and claimed to be easy, the perfect combination. But was it easy? And was it fun? And did the end result look super cool? I’ll tell you—and show you—in just a moment. First, a bit about Animoto:

... Animoto was founded to help people better share their stories and express themselves through online media by innovating technologies in the field of video production. Using the latest in entertainment post-production technologies, Animoto is designed to bridge the gap between the high production value of film and television, and the more “amateur” feeling of most user-created videos and photo albums.

The heart of Animoto is its newly developed patent-pending Cinematic Artificial Intelligence technology that thinks like an actual director and editor. It analyzes and combines user-selected images, video clips and music with the same sophisticated post-production skills and techniques that are used in television & film.

I couldn’t believe how easy it was to use Animoto’s process for creating the movie. It was so easy, my 13-year-old gave it a shot and had a movie made in just a few minutes:






Uploading images and video was a snap as was uploading my own background music. (You can select from hundreds of songs on Animoto’s site as well.) And of course having a variety of templates to choose from was a nice touch. I do wish they had more of a selection, or at least more options for non-Pro account users.

I think the only complaint I had about Animoto was only being allowed 10 seconds of video time. Trust me, the video of us in that golf cart is hilarious; I would have loved to have shown a bit more of it. The same goes for us laughing uncontrollably in the car. It also seemed the video lasted only as long as the song I chose. I was hoping the song would loop so the slides would stay up longer, but I couldn’t quite figure out if that were a possibility or not. I remade the movie a second time, choosing a longer slide length, but the final length of the movie stayed the same so obviously it didn’t matter.

With Animoto, you have three pricing options: Lite, Plus and Pro. Lite is free and allows for only a 30-second movie. Plus, which is what Animoto offered me for this review, is $5/month or $30/year and allows for full-length video. Pro, which is $39/month or $249 a year, has a lot more capability, is ad-free and lets you do HD movies. (You can read more about what each plan includes here.)

After using it just once, I would totally recommend going for the Plus. Lite just doesn’t cut it, and $30 per year isn’t much at all. Then if you love it, you could always upgrade to Pro. I’m thinking you need to at least get a Plus account immediately so you can put together a fabulous Animoto movie for Mom for Mother’s Day. It’s sure to make you the favorite!—Emily

*** Giveaway! Animoto is giving away one (1) year of its Plus service! ***

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

•  Leave a comment telling us what your first movie/slideshow would be using Animoto’s service.
•  “Like” Animoto on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
•  Follow Animoto 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.
•  Update your Facebook status with a link to this giveaway and leave a comment telling us you did so.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: May 4, 2011 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

I have used every type of gym bag out there. Using small totes to large duffle bags and nothing compares to this bag. The creators thought of every feature.

During my testing of the bag I really put it to use. I used it for the purpose of going to the gym, but, soon became so attached that my bag also served as a carry-on for my travels and as a book bag. This bag really got some wear with no tear.

First, I stuffed it into various size lockers to test the shape. Somehow it fit perfectly into long skinny lockers and in the wide short kind. Next, the carry-on shoulder strap that seem to hang at just the right length—not too long that the bag drags to your hips, but, not too short that you can’t carry it over your shoulder.

The fabric is this incredible material specially treated with water-repellent finish, which also is the perfect color. It is a hue that sits in the middle of vibrant and a muted shade of green. Not too loud that it screams “look at me” but bold enough to make a statement.

This bag is so well designed they thought of everything! It features an additional plastic liner at the bottom for easy cleaning. There are a plethora of pockets on the exterior and interior. There is a front patch designed specifically to hold your yoga mat, small pockets, large pockets, ring holders within the pockets, zipped pockets and soft-lined ones for gadgets, removable key fob. I’m telling you everything you need this bag has. There is even a hidden water bottle material cage on the exterior. My favorite Lug feature though is definitely the separate ventilated shoe garage. It keeps my dirty soles away from my clothes and the stench of my running shoes can air out.

Inside there is a separate tote that is perfect to hold under garments. After working out, it serves as a perfect place to stow away my sweaty apparel. With all these features you’d expect it to weigh you down, but, nope it is even lightweight!

The price at $95 may seem a little high for a gym bag, but, trust me you will spend way more buying multiple bags trying to get what you want. This is the one and only bag you should have. It is well worth the money. It is well constructed, well-designed and looks good. -Amber

Buy it here at www.luglife.com.

I love the ABC print she sent me. It’s hanging in our nursery and it’s the perfect addition. It has a fun mix of animals and letters.

When I asked Heather to tell me about herself and her company, what she responded with was awesome and motivational.

I’m a SAHM of four – three boys and one girl.  I was a visual arts major in college.  I love my family, graphic design, photography, cooking, crochet, sewing and interior design.  My shop, Lemon Dropp, came to be for a variety of reasons.  My husband is currently looking for a job, which has a been a really hard process.  Not only is Lemon Dropp a much needed creative outlet and a way to make some money, but it helps me stay focused on the positive.  It started out as me designing uplifiting prints for my own house to help us not despair about our situation, and has blossomed into my own etsy shop.  I really believe that happiness is a choice, and that no matter where you are in life, there is always a bright side, always something to be happy and excited about, and there is always hope.  I try to portray that in my prints. I try to make something tangible and beautiful that people can put in their homes that spreads that positive attitude.  I think that every home could use a happy art print or two to help us remember who we are and what we want our lives to be.  I also have a blog : www.alemondropplife.blogspot.com where I share design inspiration, lovely things I come across, ways to give service, little tidbits about my family life, and updates for my shop.

Take some time to check out Lemon Dropp. Heather’s art is so happy! – Katie

***Giveaway!!*** Heather’s giving away and 8×10 print (winner’s choice)! To enter, leave a comment telling me which print is your favourite. (Giveaway closes May 5th, 2011 at midnight. Winner will be contacted via email and will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen)

***Promo!*** Get 15% off with code BC15OFF.

Congratulations to Amy! You’re the lucky winner!

That’s why when I stumbled upon Road ID and their Wrist ID bracelet, I knew I not only had to have one for myself, but I also needed to share this product with our readers, especially at the start of warmer weather. ‘Tis the season to head outside on long runs and rides and participate in sporting events like marathons and cycling races!

First I want to share a bit about the inspiration for Road ID:

The inspiration for Road ID was born in the fall of 1999. For my father, the inspiration was his concern for me as I trained for my first marathon. For me, the inspiration was a black, King Kong size pick-up truck that I nearly came face to face with on a long Saturday run.

Earlier that fall, I began training for my first marathon. My father worried about me logging all those miles and would often tell me to “be safe.” One day, he suggested that I carry an ID so that he could be notified if I had an accident while training. Of course, I dismissed that suggestion. I thought: “What could possibly happen to me while running?”

So, there I was, in a ditch, on the side of the road, having nearly been hit by the aforementioned pick-up truck. From that ditch, my father’s suggestion to carry ID started to make a tremendous amount of sense. ... A few months later, from my father’s damp basement, he and I launched Road ID. To us, Road ID has always been far more than a business. We are on a mission to save lives.

Road ID let me choose the style of bracelet I wanted, so I went with the Wrist ID Elite. I liked the sleek look with its rubberized band and watch-style buckle in a brushed nickel finish. I went with the pink (I do like pink!), entered my info including a nice, sassy, inspiring slogan, and sent off my order. Within no time at all, my new Wrist ID Elite arrived and I absolutely LOVE it!

What I don’t love is that I haven’t been able to use it yet. If you’ve watched our awesome Utah weather at all, you know we’ve had like one day of sunshine since Christmas Eve, and I don’t venture out unless it’s close to 70. (I’m a wimp like that.) So I haven’t been able to give my new Wrist ID Elite bracelet an actual test drive on the road, but I have worn it around and believe you me, it’s so comfortable and so lightweight you forget you’re even wearing it. And the peace of mind knowing I wont’ be a Jane Doe if something happens is totally priceless. (You never know…my little ones could take me hostage and cover me in duct tape and fingernail polish someday and Road ID would be the only way to identify me.)

If you’re not a sports enthusiast but have a family member or friend who is, this would make a pretty cool gift. Trust me. If Nathan had known about this product and purchased one for me, I’d think him even niftier than he already is!

Road ID now offers a Wrist ID Slim, which I might consider adding to my collection; it would also be a great option for kids! I also like their Shoe ID, which is perfect for someone who can’t handle wearing things on her wrist while active. No matter which ID you choose, choose one. You never know if it might save a life.—Emily

*** Giveaway! Road ID is giving away one Road ID bracelent, 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 RoadID.com and leave a comment telling us which product you’d choose.
•“Like” Road ID on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.
•Follow Road ID 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.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: April 26, 2011 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

Shop Children’s Easter on Etsy>>

Search “Boutique Custom Easter” on eBay>>

For the first month of Greta’s life, she wouldn’t sleep anywhere except for in somebody’s arms and in her hushamok hammock. Which is saying something. Greta’s a high maintenance baby – a princess. To give you an example, she refused a soother until she was 6 weeks and she still refuses to take a soother half the time it’s offered (what bottle-fed baby refuses a pacifier?!). So the fact that she’d sleep for good stretches in her hammock is saying something. Very recently Greta developed reflux and I’ve found that although the hammock offers the ability to have Greta’s head elevated, it’s not quite enough for her specifically to lie awake in. To fall asleep these days, she needs to be elevated about the same way an infant car seat elevates a baby’s head (and sometimes she has to be completely upright!). Once she’s asleep, she’s good and happy to sleep in her hammock. And once she’s there I love that it keeps her head elevated slightly – she coughs less which is great!

Hushamok says their hammock is the next best thing to the womb – I agree. And so does Greta. I love how it sways when she stirs helping her to sleep a little longer. This makes me totally believe that the hammock would be perfect for restless sleepers. As the baby moves, the hammock sways or bounces slightly and that would help soothe the baby. Hushamok also says that their hammock helps to prevent flat heads. Again, I agree. The way the hammock softly conforms to baby’s head is perfect. It cause no concern for suffocation either.

Hushamok has some great, flexible options as well. There’s two different stand choices: the Okoa (which I have and love – it’s super sturdy and beautiful!) or an aluminum stand. Or you could purchase just the hammock and it comes equipped with the hardware to hang it directly from the ceiling. When your baby is ready to be a little more interactive, you can get the MySeat. I would love one! I love that it allows the baby to sit upright and off the floor. I think it’s so clever and it looks like it would be so easy to interact with baby when they’re in a MySeat.

You have to check out Hushamok! They make beautiful, eco-friendly products that parents and babies alike will love. – Katie

1. Elizabeth Kartchner (aka Dear Lizzy) is launching a NEW site this Thursday called “Something Splendid” – isn’t that delicious? I have the launch marked on my calendar because everything she does is ultra beautiful and drool worthy. Just check out this little teaser video created by her husband Collin and you’ll be rushing to your computer Thursday to check out the new site with me:

Something Splendid from Collin Kartchner on Vimeo.

2. Megan (aka Brassy Apple): we all have seen the easy and beautiful DIY method of making those adorable rosettes for your hair, jewelry and more. Brassy Meg cranks it up a notch with this awesome tutorial on making a Burlap Rosette Bracelet. It’s fun and fabulous just like her >>

Have YOU spotted something Fabulous we need to spotlight? Email us the link (daria@boutiquecafe.com – subject: Fab Tip) and if we use your suggestion we will credit you with a link back to your blog or website. It’s a fun little way to share the best content on the web with our BC readers, and its a fun little boost of traffic for you. XO - Daria

restoring their broken lives.

empowering them to live free.

I am a really, REALLY big fan of products that support worthy causes. That is why I’ve especially fallen in love with PUNJAMMIES, a product line that supports the International Princess Project. Did you know over 3 million women and girls work as prostitutes on the streets of India? Some are as young as six years old. SIX. YEARS. OLD.

The International Princess Project is “committed to giving women once enslaved in the sex trade the opportunity to support themselves with skill and dignity, to heal in body and spirit and to live lives of freedom.”  The organization establishes micro-enterprise sewing centers, partnering with Indian organizations who rescue women escaping from the sex trade. Inside these centers, rescued women learn to create PUNJAMMIES, drawstring pajamas sewn using beautiful Indian fabric.

I found this video on YouTube. I think you need to watch it.






Ready to purchase a pair of PUNJAMMIES? Wait until you see some of the gorgeous patterns. I was sent the RATTMA PUNJAMMIES paired with the blue fair-trade organic tee.* The first thing you notice is the gorgeous pattern and lightweight fabric. And then it hits you—these pajama bottoms are going to be the most comfortable pajama bottoms EVER. Unfortunately I didn’t get to actually wear them with Utah thinking it’s still winter and dumping inches of snow at least twice since I received them. LAME.

I did get to try out the organic black cotton tank** during a recent yoga class. Super soft and comfy, it was the perfect tank for yoga…and Pilates..and weight lifting and whatever else you’d like to do in a tank. I loved the design (I think it helped me channel my inner “ohm”), though I wish it had a bit longer length. I’m thinking I might have to get the red version so I can see if a larger size is just as comfy…you know, purely for research purposes of course.

There’s this holiday called Mother’s Day coming up in just a few weeks, and I’m thinking PUNJAMMIES would be the perfect gift, especially this pair:

You’d be supporting the International Princess Project, bringing “hope and a voice to those who have none” while making your mom (or sister or friend or yourself) feel like a princess in a gorgeous pair of pajama bottoms. The only problem will be deciding which beautiful design to buy, especially when you see the new collection! (By the way, they come in full length as well as capri.) Good luck!—Emily

***MOTHER’S DAY PROMOTION!***

The first 50 online orders will receive a FREE bracelet from 31 Bits (pictured below), a friend of PUNJAMMIES and the International Princess Project. (Like you need an extra excuse to buy PUNJAMMIES…)

* The organic cotton tees are made by Freeset, an organization similar to IPP working in Kolkata.
** The tank is made by Alternative Apparel and printed in the U.S. Even though the tee and tank are not produced in IPP’s centers, the profits go back into the program.

I’ve also shared these little cuties on my blog here>>

Follow Patty Young on Twitter>

Binth not only sent me their darling baby book (see my past review) but they also sent me two of their “FRIENDS” prints, which are absolutely charming. Each print is screen printed with hand-mixed inks. They come framed and ready to hang (or stand), which I love since all too often I purchase prints I love, but never complete the hanging process because I forget or procrastinate buying a frame! I loved hanging my “Doe Girl” and “Dancing Bears” on my daughters’ nursery wall shortly after they arrived (see photo below). Somehow Binth has an amazing ability to tie modern with vintage and make it perfectly balanced. I love the colors that are used – “licorice black and lavender with just a touch of cream.” The prints are high quality and will surely last through the ages and become heirloom items – they’re that adorable. – Katie

***Giveaway! Binth is giving away 3 prints (winner’s choice) to once lucky BC reader! To enter, visit Binth and leave a comment telling me what your three faves are.

Additional Entries by:

Tweet about this Review and GIVEAWAY on Twitter (include @BoutiqueCafe and @Binth in your Tweet). Please come back here and post a link to your tweet as well for an extra entry.

We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline April 15, 2011 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

Congratulations to Wendy R!

These songs were inspired by the students at Celebrate the Children School, a New Jersey school for children with alternative learning styles. Many of the students are affected by autism, Asperger’s Syndrome or related disorders. The songs can be heard as anthems for differently-abled children and their families; at the same time, I think every child will find something to relate to in this collection. I hope the songs will invited deeper understanding and appreciation of children with autism and other disorders by shedding light on just how much we all have in common. ~Brady Rymer

** Giveaway! We are giving away one (1) copy of Love Me for Who I Am! **

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 BradyRymer.com, listen to the song samples and leave a comment telling us your favorite one.
•  “Like” Brady Rymer and The Little Band Who Could on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did so.
•  “Like” Boutique Cafe on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.
•  Follow Boutique Cafe on Twitter and leave a comment telling us you’re our newest follower.
•  Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: April 8, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

Welcome Everyone to Boutique Cafe! We’re so excited to have you here as a stop in the Ultimate Blog Party this year. This week Boutique Cafe is excited to “party down” and join the Ultimate Blog Party hosted by 5 Minutes For Mom. We love their website, and are thrilled to be able to join in the groove with many bloggers and websites across the blogosphere.

As means of celebration Boutique Cafe wants to give one of you a FREE 6 Month Advertising spot on our popular website valued at $540!! We are all about helping small businesses get their name and products out there, and a free ad on BC will do just that for you! This will give you a small taste of what Boutique Cafe has to offer, but don’t stop there listen to our past podcasts, shop till you drop in our Market, Follow us on Twitter, Join our Facebook Group and come back often for our Daily Dish hot product reviews and BC FINDS!

To all our New visitors this week, welcome to Boutique Cafe. Don’t forget to bookmark us and come back often – to learn more about BC check out our About Us page. Thanks for stopping by for your cup of couture and so much more!

Now let’s PARTY -

**GIVEAWAY – Boutique Cafe is giving away a 6 MONTH Ad Spot in our sidebar to One lucky poster (valued at $540) that’s 6 full months of free exposure for your blog or website. To be eligible simply post a comment about our website or this show – we’d love to hear from everyone that visits. We’ll draw the winner on April 9th at midnight.

To Enter:
Leave a comment below with a valid email address for our drawing.

For additional entries:
Follow us on Twitter and tweet about our Giveaway using Hashtags #UBP11 #BoutiqueCafe

Join our Facebook Group and come back here to let us know that you did

Share our Giveaway in your Facebook status – comment here with link to your post

When I want to lose weight I try to enlist everyone around me to support the cause…”Do not let me eat this and this!” I demand. Well now the accountability is in the watch. The watch has my back-side. It will swiftly get my butt in gear and trim my derriere by its innovative alarm system that sets off an alarm if I exceed my targeted caloric intake.
Brilliant! Finally, I can ditch the food journal and exercise log. I can forget about strapping on a heart rate monitor and tracking my progress each day. Rather, I just put on my stylish MIO Triumph watch and it keeps track of what goes into my body and calculates if I am adequately burning enough calories each day.

So many heart rate watches are bulky and big, but, not this one. It is petite and lightweight. I love that it is the same size as a standard watch but has the capacity to do what a computer does. The watch has another interchangeable pink band that comes inside the box and is easy to switch out when you want to change the color of the band.
I recommend this wellness watch for its form and function. With smart touch you simply touch the side of the stainless steel sensor with your two fingers for an on-demand heart rate. The MIO Triumph has an innovative calorie management system and can tell the time…what else do you need/want on your wrist?!
Visit http://www.mioglobal.com/mio-triumph to order your own heart rate monitor watch. – Amber

Daily Dish readers special!
Discount: 10% off and free shipping to US and Canada
Code: DISH (has to be all caps)
Order your Weight-loss watch here