We loved this set from Rococo*Kidz, what a great way to dress your child up for her Halloween class party! Available in sizes 12m-6x. We love the friendly looking applique characters, not scary just super cute.
Click here to make it yours >>

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

and Here for Etsy >>

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

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

See you there! - Daria

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Click to post a Review for Boutique Cafe on iTunes

Thank you!!

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My girls actually set up the Therapure 100 in their room all on their own. (Mom was taking too long to get around to it I guess.) The Therapure air purification system is actually a three-part cleaning system. First, it removes allergens and pollutants including mold spores, pet hair and dander. Second, it kills bacteria and germs such as viruses and mildew. Third, it removes toxic fumes caused by things like household cleaners, paint and new carpet. Integrated into these three parts is its ability to rid the air of unwanted odors from smoking, cooking and pets (i.e. kids). So did the Therapure 100 “provide clean, crisp, pure air indoors?” According to our noses, it did!

My girls noticed a difference within a couple hours after plugging in the Therapure and we only had it on the low setting. I noticed it the next day when I opened their door and wasn’t knocked out by the typical sweaty-girl smell that greets me most mornings. The air in their room really did feel cleaner, fresher and purer (yes, purer is a word). An added bonus about this system is it has a permanent filter that never needs replacing, only periodic vacuuming. Wish I could say that about our humidifier.

Because the EPA has recently said indoor air may be up to 100 times more polluted than outdoor air, you might want to take a moment and learn more about Ionic Pro’s line of Therapure air purification systems. With the dramatic increase in allergies, asthma and other respiratory illnesses, it’s worth your time…especially if you have your own set of sweaty kids sharing a room! –Emily

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In this episode Daria talks about Summertime fun with family, Back to School Launches. ** Our Surprise highlight on ultra talented designer Patty Young about her new project ModGreetings.

We also cover Amy Butler’s NEW Eco Green Gift wrap & Tableware. Daria talks about our upcoming website redesign and asks for your input too (email your suggestions to daria@boutiquecafe.com). Podsafe music by Lee Coulter “I Would Love”.

Boutique Café is a proud member of the MommyCast & Friends Family Channel, powered by Podango.

**GIVEAWAY: This just in! Patty Young from ModGreetings is offering a 10 pack of variety cards to one of our lucky listeners. Leave a message in the shownotes to enter and we’ll draw a winner on Aug.8th.

**Please note: currently our hosting server is having an issue and will not play directly in your browser. It will instead download to your desktop when you click to play the file. Sorry for any inconvenience, they are working on the issue. However, you can head over to iTunes, subscribe and watch it there with no troubles. Click here to subscribe in iTunes

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My Princess Closet sent me the Debbie Dress by Fable & Lore. This beautiful yet delicate white cotton dress is truly fit for any princess (size 2, 4 or 6), but what beautifully embroidered dress wouldn’t be? What makes this little dress suited more for a fairytale than your basic tea party is the magic “woven right into the fabric.” When worn in the sunlight the embroidery along the bottom turns shades of lavender, pink and light green.

Though my little girl is still too small to wear the Debbie Dress that didn’t stop me from taking it outside to watch the magic, and watch it I did…over and over again! It was rather hypnotizing watching it change color and then fade once I brought it indoors. If you want your little princess to be the queen of the next tea party, have her show up in the Debbie Dress by Fable & Lore. (Now if I could just figure out where to find a magical dress like that in my size I could be queen of the next barbecue!)

Some of my other favorite treasures found at My Princess Closet are the Flower Power hat, Princess Ballerina Onezie, Woodland Fairy costume, and the 4 Tier Crochet dress. And when your little girls goes from channeling her inner princess to her inner fish, My Princess Closet even has a great selection of UV swimwear. Their Gifts that Give Back help you give others the royal treatment, and with $5 shipping you can afford to add a tiara or tutu (or two) to your princess’ closet! –Emily

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Geoff has released a fantastic new service for iPhone users called Ringtone Feeder and it’s brilliant. Subscribe for a monthly or annual membership and have unique ring tones uploaded directly to your iPhone via a podcast feed. It’s easy, it’s inexpensive, it’s FANTASTIC!

Click on the banner to find out more. Thanks for supporting our great friend Geoff Smith in this ground breaking new venture! >>

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I was sent the Soy Hydrating Shampoo and Soy Balancing Conditioner, Pumpkin Spice Polish and Lash Masque. Sadly I was not able to test the shampoo and conditioner but I have given the Pumpkin Spice Polish and Lash Masque thorough testing and these products are as impressive as the list of harmful ingredients they don’t include!

Let’s start with the 3-in-1 Instant Facial you’ll find in the Pumpkin Spice Polish. This is by far one of my favorite exfoliating scrubs. The polish includes pumpkin enzymes, natural fruit and nut enzymes to dissolve dead skin cells and pore-clogging debris; apricot grains and micro-spheres to gently removed dead skin cells and polish the skin’s surface; pumpkin oil, soy protein, aloe vera and Vitamin E to leave skin hydrated and protected; coconut oil to dissolve makeup, excess oil and pollutants while leaving the skin’s natural pH intact. All of these fab ingredients make for one effective yet totally yummy facial scrub. (I had to remind myself not to lick my fingers while massaging it onto my face, it smelled that good!) (more…)

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If you look at their product line you’ll find it no surprise their gear often sells out mid season, and not just to runners and triathletes but to cyclists, tennis players and fashionistas. Check out the 4th place winner of Live with Regis & Kelly’s High Heel-a-thon. Jill Stamison not only set a world record but did it in heels and SkirtSports’ Footloose running dress in Pink Crush.

And that brings me to my own review of the Footloose running dress and coordinating Shorties. Now, I’m no record setter but that doesn’t mean I don’t get to look like one, and you can’t help but do so in this dress. I received it in Sapphire Blue and have only had one opportunity to wear it so far, but I’m sold! I’ve never worn anything like it and yet it took very little getting used to. It was a heck of a lot more flattering than my typical t-shirt and cut-offs, especially since there’s no waistband for my love handles to roll over (and jiggle as I run…not a pretty sight). I worried it might make me sweat a little more but I shouldn’t have; the lightweight fabric felt great and I rather enjoyed the updraft. <wink>

Speaking of updraft, that brings me SkirtSports’ UnderSkirt collection. Because the Footloose dress is on the sassy side (i.e. short) you’re going to want to wear something underneath (my husband begs to differ, but that’s no surprise). Whether you prefer the panty-style Spankies or the butt-lifting Shorties (their most popular product in this collection–you’ve got to read the product description on this one!), you’ll be covered. SkirtSports has even thought to include pockets for your workout needs such as gels, music or IDs.

Though the Footloose running dress and Shorties are fabulous in and of themselves, what I love even more is their effect on my attitude about exercising. I’m actually entertaining the idea of running outdoors. (Don’t tell my treadmill; its feeling are easily hurt.) SkirtSports is a firm believer that “girls rule; boys drool,” and how could those boys not drool when they spot you at mile 14 in that Mojito Green Footloose dress. –Emily

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Thankfully, no. This book was a refreshing reprieve from not only People but also the plethora of parenting advice with which we are inundated on a daily basis. Written by fashion designer and entreprenur Stephanie Hirsch, the book started from a mother’s desire to raise her son to be “generous, family-oriented, loving, courageous, and professionally accomplished–maybe [even] turn out like Steven Spielberg.” After a conversation with Spielberg’s mom more interviews with mothers of “America’s best and brightest” soon followed.

I love many things about Mother Nurture, the first being that it offers common-sense advice from mothers who’ve helped raise successful children in a variety of fields, from sports and politics to music and business and everything in between. Though I recognized most of the names I found a few I hadn’t heard of but enjoyed reading nonetheless. Another great things about these “vignettes of maternal instinct at its best” is you can read them in bits and pieces. Each portrait is only a couple pages so you can read two or twenty depending on how long you can hide in the bathroom before the kids find you.

The best thing about Mother Nurture is how down to earth these mothers’ words of wisdom are; I might even be able to implement them in my own parenting “vignette.” I love Terri Augello’s advice to her daughter Alicia Keys: “It’s a fickle world out there. They could love you today. They can hate you tomorrow. So…make sure that you keep your family and friends close around you.” And Linda Armstrong Kelly’s dose of common sense for all moms: “If you shelter your children, you don’t really do them any favors.”

We are all doing our best to raise America’s best and brightest, so why not get some help from those who have some experience doing so. Mother Nurture: Life Lessons from the Mothers of America’s Best and Brightest does a fabulous job uplifting, encouraging and inspiring, something even non-celeb moms need. –Emily

* Giveaway!! HarperCollins is giving away one copy of Mother Nurture! Please leave a comment telling us your favorite parenting words of wisdom and include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: July 31, 2008 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

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Visit our website to view the new designs, which include our “let’s get smashed!” onesie, “babylicious” and “nesting” maternity tees, and our fabulous new “the apple doesn’t fall far…from the tree” mom & baby set. Choose one of our freshly baked (i.e. “new”) georgie tees or an ol’ favorite like “does this shirt make me look fat?” and get a second tee or other item for half off!*

Don’t wait too long…this scrumptious sale will melt within the week (offer expires July 30th). So grab some pie a la mode and check out our freshly baked styles at georgietees.com. You can also read more details about our calorie-free, fat-free, sugar-free BOGO sale between tasty bites! –Emily

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Organics by Noah’s Naturals is setting a new standard in organic bath and body care with its line of products, which include organic blends like rosemary mint and coconut vanilla. But they don’t just smell good; these products help cleanse, revive and condition skin and hair with good-for-you formulations. For example, their Rosemary Mint Shampoo has Vitamin B5 (great humectant) and cone flower extract (natural healing properties, while their Coconut Vanilla Lotion has Vitamin A (improves texture, firmness and smoothness) and safflower seed oil (replenishes moisture). All I know is my travel kit (rosemary mint shampoo, conditioner and body wash) left my skin, hair and senses feeling fabulous!

Along with Organics, Noah’s Naturals offers an original line of bath and body products including an impressive lineup for facial care. I was sent their Hand Salve but was only able to test it once. (If it were winter I’d be all over it on a daily basis!) I don’t use a lot of wax-based hand moisturizers because I don’t love the often greasy feel, but Noah’s Naturals’ hand salve, which contains soy wax oil and beeswax, absorbed quickly and even the smallest dollop did a great job with moisturizing my scrubbed-the-house-all-day hands.

Noah’s Naturals is committed to being good for you and good for the environment. Besides only using nutritionally fortified formulas (e.g. pure essential oils, organic plant oils and emollients) and staying away from harsh chemicals (e.g. petroleum, parabens, propylene glycol), the Noah’s Naturals is also a member of One Percent for the Planet. The company donates 1% of their sales to environmental causes worldwide.

You can find Noah’s Naturals online and at select Wal-Mart stores. I’m basically saying you can purchase a high-quality product at an affordable price and donate to a worthy cause all at the same time. I love it when I’ve got a great excuse to shop! –Emily

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The company’s SeaSource detox products use botanical sea extracts such as spirulina, sea kelp, and sea fennel and combine them with nourishing ingredients like sunflower, safflower, hazel seed, grapeseed, and jojoba oils. You’ll also find vitamins E and F, which help your body regenerate and purify itself. The SeaSource Detox product line includes everything from a 5-in-1 Massage Oil to a Sea Mud Face and Body Mask to a Re-Mineralizing Body Lotion 24H and quite a few products in between.

These luxurious products come with a bit of a luxurious price tag (all the more reason to use the special offer below) but take into account you’re averaging 12 fl oz per bottle. Plus I highly doubt your current exfoliating body wash helps release toxins and increasing microcirculation. I’m most intrigued by the 7-Day Body Cleanse dietary supplement. Also infused with marine botanicals it claims to stimulate, strengthen and support health and beauty from the inside out by flushing out excess fluids. I could definitely use that once a month! (more…)

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In any case I hope you enjoy, I’ll be adding tons so check back tomorrow and there will likely be more. Don’t forget to subscribe to my flickr feed, or add me as a friend on your own Flickr account. - XO!! Daria

Click on the Badge to see them all:

www.flickr.com Boutique Cafe’s Quilt Market Portland - Spring ‘08 photoset

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I have not made my way through the entire book, and I’ve learned it’s not the type to be read cover to cover in one sitting. The book is a tool and a guide to help intertwine writing and mothering, teaching readers like me that inspiration can come from the everyday. I usually have a bit of a harder time reading non-fiction books but the author Lisa Garrigues’ wit and writing style (no surprise) had me from page one. Here are a couple passages I’ve starred in my copy so far:
Garrigues’ take on the students (a.k.a. moms) from her first writing class:

My first Writing Mothers arrived feeling physically exhausted and emotionally spent–in some cases ‘brain-dead,’ their imagination and creativity anesthetized by the rigors and routines of daily life. (Sound familiar?)

Her thoughts on taking the first step:

Carl Jung would call it synchronicity. A priest might call it fate; a romantic, serendipity; a skeptic, luck. However you choose to explain this phenomenon, know that one step always leads to athe next. This is how mountains are scaled, deserts are crossed, and whole journeys are made. (Feeling inspired?)

Garrigues, a writer and a mother, takes what seems like an overwhelming task at times and turns it into a welcome journey. An excerpt from WritingMotherhood.com put it perfectly:

Whether you are a new mother or a grandmother, someone who has long aspired to write or someone who has never written before, in Writing Motherhood Lisa Garrigues will show you how to use writing as both a tool for recording your life and a path to understanding your experiences. In just fifteen minutes a day, your Mother’s Notebook will be a keepsake, and your daily writing will keep you sane.

Are you ready to recapture the sanity you thought was lost long ago? Me too. Take a minute to read a little more about the book and Lisa Garrigues. I guarantee it won’t be long before you’re standing in Barnes & Noble picking out the perfect Mother’s Notebook. I’m planning to go tomorrow. –Emily

** Giveaway!!! Simon & Schuster is giving away 10 copies of Writing Motherhood! Please leave a comment with a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winners from the comments and contact them via email. Deadline: July 25, 2008 (midnight). The winners will have 24 hours to claim their prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to all ten winners of the Writing Motherhood giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

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Raven has a new DVD coming out called Raven-Symone Presents. This is a fabulous DVD for Teens and Tweens featuring everything from cooking to crafts, quick tips, fun trips, helping others, etc. coming to a Walmart and Target near you next Tuesday!

To listen in on MommyCasts interview with Raven CLICK HERE

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About the group:
“Blossom Leigh is a unique group of designers with a wide range of talents. We all love to create and value the deep friendship that we have all made in this group. I think the best part of our group is that we are all friends that make group decisions. No one is in “charge”. We all help and support each other to make our group a success.”

**GIVEAWAY!! The ladies of Blossom Leigh Boutique are offering a FANTASTIC prize to go along with their Holiday launch. One of our lucky readers will win a $30 Gift Certificate from BLB group!! To enter simply leave a comment about the fashion show in our comment section below. The winner will be drawn on July 29th!!

Shop for the Holidays right now by searching their auctions on eBay. Thanks to each of the BLB designers for the use of their pictures! **Please allow time for the show to load.

**UPDATE - Winner Announced!! Congratulations to Poster “Corey” who said :
“Wow, what a great idea to incorporate all these holidays into one launch! Halloween, Christmas and Thanksgiving seem to all run on top of each other in the boutique world. I love that they are all in one launch! Way to go girls! Great idea
Oh and I was just looking at that Smores necklace before I came over here. Very CUTE!”

We’ve sent you details of your win! Congratulations!! Thanks to everyone for the amazing response to this giveaway, and for your support of Blossom Leigh Boutique’s fun launch.

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Bot was created in 2006 by a husband and wife team (Cricket and Brian Allen). As parents of twin daughters, these savvy parents wanted to find a healthy, low sugar drink for their girl, but they weren’t able to find any on the grocery store shelves. That’s when mother invention stepped in, and they decided to create with a tasty and “good for you” drink that will hydrate kids without the sugar high.

I was sent several bottles of the Bot beverages to test with my team of taste testing critics (my kids). Let’s face it, if the kids won’t drink it then no matter how good for them it is it won’t fly. We tried them both chilled and room temperature, the consensus was that everyone preferred the chilled Bot in our family. They come in subtle flavors of Lemon, Orange, Grape and Berry. The kids loved the Orange and Grape the very best. For my husband and I who also took our taste test, I loved the Lemon and he was a big fan of Berry.

Bot really stands out as fortified water with 75% less sugar than juice, but still boasting a lovely flavor to entice your children to drink up. The packaging is outstanding and definitely branded to appeal to kids and parents alike. Finding bot beverages is easy peasey, just visit their website and place your zip code in their handy store locater web page.

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DiscSox’s DVD Pro storage sleeves hold 2 DVDs plus the DVD’s graphics and wrap. These thin yet sturdy matte vinyl sleeves (with integrated fabric for extra protection) let you store over 65 DVDs in just 12 inches of space! Their side-loading feature keeps DVDs free of dust, and the aforementioned fabric actually helps clean the disc every time you put it away. My favorite option is the DVD Pro Storage System, which includes 50 DiscSox DVD Pro Sleeves, a DiscSox tray, at least 5 DVD Pro Dividers and 96 movie labels. I wish I could have reviewed this before Father’s Day, as it would have made the perfect Father’s Day gift!

MMDesign’s fabulous multimedia storage products aren’t limited to DVDs. They also offer similar solutions for music, data, game and photo storage. If you’re multimedia storage looks anything like mine (i.e. basket next to the TV, vertical towers of games, shelf after shelf of DVD cases) then DiscSox may be the answer to your space-saving prayers! –Emily

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First Picture Books, recommended for ages nine months and up, is a collection of award-winning picture books featuring everything from numbers and letters to fairytales and trucks. But these aren’t your typical, often cartoonish, children’s books. Usborne First Picture Books are larger than your average picture book and filled with wonderful eye-catching and colorful illustrations. We received First Picture Fairytales and First Picture Trucks, and let me tell you, I knew the trucks book by heart after just a couple days. My son had me reading it before every nap and every night. Fortunately I enjoyed the real-life type illustrations as much as he did!

Our 10-month-old is finally old enough to look at books at more than just teething toys and I can’t wait to share First Picture Fairytales with her. It includes eight favorite fairy tales filled with engaging illustrations and its board book construction means even if she needs to teethe the board book will survive. Looking at the other books in the collection I’m finding it hard to decide which book to buy next, First Picture Action Rhymes or First Picture Nature. –Emily

* Promotion! Blooming-Babies.com is offering Daily Dish readers 10% off their order! Simply enter code “DailyDish10″ at checkout. Offer expires August 10, 2008.

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This new Elixir is definitely not your typical ginger ale. This sleek and portable drink is specifically designed to help alleviate specific symptoms of morning sickness and soothe the stomach during pregnancy. To do so the drink is infused with nature’s top-three nausea calming ingredients: ginger, lemon and vitamin B6. It’s also fortified with 100% RDA of folic acid. Check the label on your 2-liter of ginger ale. You’ll find carbonated water, citric acid and caramel coloring but no ginger, no lemon, no vitamin B6 and definitely no folic acid. Perhaps the theory that typical ginger ale soothes stomachs is from back when you could actually find ginger in it!

Because I’m done with the morning sickness thing (whew!) I could only test the drink for its taste. I actually enlisted my kids’ help in taste testing as well. After my 8-year-old made sure she wouldn’t “turn pregnant” from drinking the Elixir, we all took a sip…and then took a few more sips. Everyone, including myself, thought it tasted just like ginger ale and one daughter thought it tasted even better. I had to agree with her. Oh Mama! Ginger Ale Elixir with its nausea-calming ingredients and folic acid was a big hit! Perhaps the company should start offering it in a 2-liter size. We could all use some stomach soothing after a stressful day at work or crazy day at home, right?

With its great taste and stomach soothing abilities, Oh Mama! Ginger Ale Elixir is a must-have for expectant moms with morning sickness. You already have a lot to worry about during those first couple trimesters (which carrier to buy, how many onesies you’ll need, just how you’ll survive on 4 hours of sleep)…morning sickness shouldn’t be one of them! –Emily

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To search a full range of hundreds Back to School offerings, simply click here and stroll through the beautiful listings >>

*This gorgeous creation for BTS is available from seller boutique-jolie-b on eBay for the Anthology Inc. launch. Custom sized 24months - 7 and features 3 pieces full of detail and funk. We’re in love!

If your group is listing Back To School right now, please shoot us an email and let us know. We’d love to feature your launch on Boutique Cafe’s Finds!

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Thank you so much for taking a moment to cast your vote for Boutique Cafe!! Cast your Ballot here ».

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CurrySimple’s sauces have received rave reviews from a variety of customers and publications alike, and that’s probably because they’re actually prepared in Thailand from scratch using fresh, natural ingredients. The company’s products are so authentic, so yummy they sell to restaurants, caterers and private chefs and package their sauces in smaller sizes so people like me can cook gourmet Thai food at home. And that’s just what I did tonight!

Using CurrySimple’s Yellow Curry Sauce and their Yellow Chicken Curry recipe I created a dish that got its own rave reviews here at home. The recipe was super easy to follow and preparation was a minimum–just some slicing and dicing, sauteing and simmering and about 15 minutes later dinner was ready. I served that yellow chicken curry over brown rice (another favorite) and my husband was in Thai heaven!

Don’t be turned off by CurrySimple’s basic-looking packaging; it is probably the most advanced packaging in your pantry (this stuff is even space-shuttle ready!). Unopened, CurrySimple sauces need no refrigeration or preservatives and have a 1-year shelf life. This is a great lesson in how you definitely can’t judge a Thai sauce by its cover! CurrySimple’s product line includes curry sauces (red, green, yellow and masaman, Thai tea concentrate, Pad Thai sauce, Thai stir fry sauce and Coconut Soup (Tom Kha). I have a few more CurrySimple sauces to “review” and my husband’s mouth is watering in anticipation of more yummy Thai recipes! –Emily

* Promotion! CurrySimple is offering Daily Dish readers $10 off their best-seller, The Best Coconut Curry Combo. Use coupon code “boutique” at checkout. Offer expires July 31, 2008.

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***Not even an issue with our audio could keep us from posting this interview!. We’re sorry for the background noise.

**Boutique Cafe is brought to you by Aveeno Baby from Johnson & Johnson. Thanks Aveeno! Please click on our Aveeno banner to show your support.

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Being a Mom to four children, I can certainly attest to the draw of anything and everything dinosaur. Playground Partisans offers some of the most adorable and charming dino-rrific characters for your little tot to wear with pride. With character names like: Karl, Hildegard, Horst, Wolfgang and Dorthea you immediately will bond with your favorite new friend. I was especially drawn to Karl, a ferocious and friendly TRex, as well as Hildegard who looked so pretty and precocious riding on her bike.

The shirts are 100% cotton, and are sturdy quality tees. Playground Partisans offers baby sizes from 6-24 months, Toddler sizes from 3t-7t. They also offer matching Karl tees for men and women. If you’d like to see how other dino-lovers are sporting their tees, you can stop by their customer photos page.

Playground Partisans would make a tremendous gift for your family and friends with abounding personality! - Daria

**GIVEAWAY - Playground Partisans is offering an adorable Hildegard tee in yellow size 3 for one of our readers. To enter simply leave a comment and tell us “Who your Favorite Playground Partisans Character is” . Please include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: July 10, 2008 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen. miss this!

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MoBoleez nursing bonnets fit snugly on baby’s head so once it’s on, it stays on. No worries about flyaway blankets or messing with a nursing cover. The oversized floppy brim gives just the right amount of privacy yet lets you “celebrate” breastfeeding. The best part about these hats are the designs. I received the popular Cafe au Lait design and it was so sweet and such a great concept I almost wished I were still nursing!

Each hat comes with a cute graphic on the top of baby’s head, a fun little “YUMMY MUMMY” on the brim, and a sweet little “hi mummy” on the underside. My other favorite designs include Milky Way, Time to Tweet, and their holiday bonnets. ). MoBoleez hats come in pink, blue, green, cream and red so there’s definitely the perfect bonnet design for you and your baby.

MoBoleez are Canadian made and eco-friendly (like you need another reason to buy one!). They are made from all-natural, super soft blend (and I can tell you firsthand these hats are super soft!) of cotton/bamboo (60% cotton, 40% bamboo). The company is also now offering their cream hats in 100% organic cotton knit and their red/green colored hats in a blend of 60% organic cotton and 40% bamboo. Machine washable, a MoBoleez bonnet is the perfect baby gift for any mom looking for a unique, fun way to cover up while breastfeeding. –Emily

** Giveaway! We’re giving away a MoBoleez Cafe au Lait nursing bonnet! Please leave a comment with a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: July 9, 2008 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Promotion! MoBoleez is offering Daily Dish readers 10% off their order. Simply use code “boutiquecafe” at checkout.

* Congratulations to Jennifer B, the winner of the MoBoleez giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

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GirlSense.com is an online fashion community directed at teens and tweens where girls can design their own line of clothing, create a boutique, and even advertise to help draw others to their boutique. These virtual boutiques are helping girls (and boys) use their imagination to create fun and fashionable designs all while learning a little bit about what it takes to run a business.

Along with collaborating with real designers to create virtual fashions, girls can make new friends, shop at other boutiques, and communicate in a safe online community. Once users have created their fashions they can save them in their online boutique and share them with their friends. Members can even buy and sell clothing to each other using g-cents money (no actual dollar value). If their designs sell, the designer will earn a lot of g-cents to shop at other boutiques.

As soon as I showed my older girls the site they were hooked! They had a ton of fun designing numerous, very creative outfits and checking out other fashions on the site. I enjoyed seeing them channel their energy into something other than the TV and non-entrepreneurial endeavors. GirlSense.com is a site that teaches some real skills, and your girls won’t even know it because they’re having way too much fun! –Emily

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We’ve already almost used up our rosemary & mint liquid hand soap, and that’s probably because it smells so good. I think we’re all washing our hands more often than we used to, and that’s not a bad thing by any means! According to the site, rosemary is known for its cleansing and stimulating properties and mint extract is known for its cooling and refreshing effects. The combo, which also includes pure glycerin, is simply fabulous!

I’ve also been thoroughly enjoying Pure & Natural’s almond oil & cherry blossom shower gel. Also enriched with pure glycerin, almond oil is a natural emollient with excellent moisturizing properties and cherry is great at soothing the skin. My favorite thing about their shower gel is that a little, and I mean a little, goes a really long way. I know some are anti-lather, but I love loads of creamy, rich bubbles when I shower and Pure & Natural has perfected the lather. I’m anxious to try their grapefruit & pomegranate; I need all the rejuvenation I can get!

Even better than their lathering abilities is their care for the environment, and I just learned how much they truly care when I visited their site for this review. Pure & Natural doesn’t just use biodegradable products and recyclable packaging; the company also donates at least $100,000 a year to the World Wildlife Fund. They are truly nurturing the world–all the more reason to nurture yourself with their products! –Emily

You can find Pure & Natural at a variety of retailers including Target and Wal-Mart.

** Giveaway! Pure & Natural is giving away one of their fabulous bath & body sets! Please leave a comment with a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: July 7, 2008 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Congratulations to Kristin M, the winner of the Pure & Natural gift set! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

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