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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I originally wrote about Arbonne when I reviewed their fabulous NutriMinC RE9 skin care line. (I am still faithfully using the eye cream—my favorite!) The company’s skin care products were originally developed in Switzerland in 1975 by Petter Mørck and a group of leading biochemists, biologists and herbalists. Like I said in my previous review, I love it when science meets skin care in a successful partnership…all for my benefit! Arbonne’s SeaSource Detox Spa line is no different.

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! Read the rest of this entry »

I’m always on the lookout for a great picture book or two to freshen up our current collection, and if you’re on the hunt as well you’ll be excited about today’s review! Blooming-Babies.com, a boutique for “moms and kids of all ages” brings you the First Picture Book series from Usborne Books.

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.

I once bought a wonderful Thai food cookbook hoping to make yummy Thai dishes for my husband but as soon as I learned all the work and preparation that went into creating an authentic Thai dish, I closed the book (and have yet to make a single recipe). Tonight that all changed when I tested one of CurrySimple’s line of gourmet, restaurant-quality Thai sauces.

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.

If you’re a breastfeeding mom you’ve probably looked at numerous options for covering up while nursing. Most covers, though made out of fun fabrics, are a bit on the bulky side while blankets tend to slip leaving both of you exposed. That is why I love the idea behind MoBoleez, hats specially designed for the breastfeeding mom and baby.

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!

No intro needed for this review…I love, love, LOVE sticars! Sometimes The Big Idea is right on—sticars are fantastic! Slated as the “hippest car magnets to hit the road,” these babies help you “express your inner artist on the open road.” (Note: I like to quote when I couldn’t say it better myself!)

sticars are basically magnetic graphics designed for your car’s exterior but there’s nothing basic about them. Just check out their fun and funky designs, many of which come in a variety of colors. My Odyssey’s gas flap is now the mini canvas where I display my small birds sticar. (I’d have included a picture but the car is in major need of a thorough washing.) I was actually sent a few different designs, and though I loved the random dots, peace sign and monsters my inner artist felt it might be too much to have them all on the car at the same time.

I love the online catalog because you can get a feel for how the sticars will look on different styles of cars before you buy. Plus they have a great photo gallery, which is helpful for those of us whose creative juices don’t flow as readily as others. And don’t think sticars are just for the open road. Because they’re magnetic you can also place them on other magnetic surfaces like school lockers, refrigerators, even your washing machine!

The best part about sticars is they’re an affordable way to give your car flames without the permanent paint job, which is a very good thing once that midlife crisis passes! “Express yourself in the fast lane” by getting your own set (or two or three) of sticars. You’ll never look at your car the same way again!—Emily

* Promotion! sticars is offering Daily Dish readers free shipping! Simply enter code MOMSHIP at checkout. Vroom, vroom!

Though I don’t have a huge hat collection I love hats. I love beanies in the winter and floppy cotton hats in the summer, but I’ve never owned a hat with super sun-shielding power that was also super stylish…until now. Wallaroo Hat Company actually has me excited about wearing a wide-brim hat this summer, especially since I’ll be the envy of every beach- and pool-goer this summer!

Believe it or not many of Wallaroo’s fashion-friendly hats are UPF 50+, which means the fabric has been tested and block 97.5% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. As cute as my floppy Old Navy bucket hat is, it definitely doesn’t have a UPF rating, nor does it protect my face from the sun’s harmful rays as well as my new Nantucket hat. But as much as I love the UPF rating, what I truly love about this hat, along with the other two I’m lucky enough to own (the Victoria Diva and Casual Traveler) is that they look good even with my short hair (yep, that’s me!). If you have short hair you may have the same problem I do: hats just don’t look as good as they did when I had long hair. All three styles looked fabulous no matter the angle (trust me, I checked).

So you’ve got great sun protection and great style—what more could you ask for? How about the variety of styles for the whole family (love the women’s Tamworth, men’s Explorer, and children’s Platypus) plus fabrics like canvas, microfiber, and the new polystraw that make the hats washable, crushable and oh so versatile. Plus (yes, there’s another plus!) each Wallaroo hat has an internal or external drawstring to make it one-size fits most. (By the way, this drawstring comes in handy when walking along Huntington Beach Pier in the wind…)

Wallaroo hats are the most fashionable way to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays (i.e. the wrinkles and sun spots). I doubt my motherly, gave-birth-to-four-kids figure will turn heads at the pool but my Nantucket hat sure will!—Emily

* Promotion! Wallaroo Hat Company is offering Daily Dish readers 10% off their order! Just call the company to place your order and mention this review. Offer expires July 30, 2008.

Using the same simplicity and style found in their Judabee Pouch, Hedvig Bourbon has designed a bug net that not only keeps pests away but does it with style. The Charlotte Bug Net is quite possibly the only bug net I’ve ever considered a fashion accessory. I mean, if you’re going to protect your child from pesky insects, why not do it in style?

The Charlotte Bug Net is a 100% polyester soft, fine mesh designed with an elastic hem so it fits snugly around most strollers, prams, carriers and car seats (even those with canopies). The net comes in both black or white mesh and your choice of either colorful butterflies or dragonflies appliqués. I think I loved the cute drawstring bag almost as much as the bug net inside! We have lots of outdoor trips planned (including our last-minute one to Dinseyland this week) and I can’t wait to bring along our Charlotte Bug Net to create a very fashionable insect-free environment for our baby. (Okay, she’s almost 10 months old but she is our last so I can refer to her as our baby as long as I’d like!)

This summer keep the critters away in style! The Charlotte Bug Net retails for only $28 and would make a great gift for any mom, including yourself!—Emily

* Promotion! Hedvig Bourbon is offering free shipping on orders over $50 plus 20% off for Daily Dish readers. Email the code “boutiquecafe” to sales@hedvigbourbon.com after your purchase for the discount.

Besides the handful of cool strollers and a few other products here and there it’s not often my husband takes notice of the products I review on the Daily Dish (unless, of course, I walk around the house flaunting my new Wallaroo hat…look for that awesome find in a couple weeks!) . But when TrioArt Stationary sent samples of their whimsical and fun product line, he took notice, especially since they sent him his own “manly” yet super cool personalized stationary. And I know for a fact he’s already used it!

TrioArt actually has delighted everyone in our family. My oldest daughter couldn’t wait to use her personalized enclosure card for her friend’s birthday gift and my second oldest daughter was excited to have her own notecards (a great way for the middle child to feel like an only child!). My two-year-old had his own cool luggage tag, which he proudly put on his My Bag, and TrioArt even had something for our baby: personalized sippy cup and bottle labels! But I think the TrioArt goodies for me were even better because they included an awesome babysitter’s notepad, which had a generous size and room for notes. I find most babysitter’s notepads have room for less important items and leave little room for all those random thoughts you have to jot down just before rushing out the door.

There’s just something about TrioArt that puts a smile on everyone’s face, and perhaps it’s because of the designer behind TrioArt:

...I listen to your needs and find the right images and message to create a meaningful product specifically designed for you. ... I draw inspiration from my children, nature, fabric, vintage finds, interior design, architecture and fashion. I believe in following your passion, giving with your heart, and accepting life with joy and gratitude.

Personalized stationary makes a wonderful, unique gift and TrioArt will make that unique gift simply perfect! Good luck trying to choose just one design; fortunately the prices are just as delightful as the product line. Oh, and if you need help creating your design TrioArt offers some wording ideas to help the creative juices flow. Father’s Day is coming up, and what would be more fun than to give Dad something he can truly call his own?—Emily

* Promotion! TrioArt Stationary is offering Daily Dish readers a free gift with purchase! Receive one of their super nifty large grocery pads (a $10 value!) when you enter code “grocery list” at checkout. NOTE: I LOVE this notepad; it groups your groceries by type—super handy! Offer expires June 30, 2008.

Welcome to Spring on Boutique Cafe – our New Spring Savings Guide is now reserving spaces to promote your stores, boutiques and websites with exclusive promotions for our Boutique Cafe listeners. The Spring guide will go live February 2nd – June 1st.

If your company is interested in joining our Spring Savings Guide and offering a discount code for our audience, simply email daria@boutiquecafe.com and we’ll send you all the information you need.

We are currently accepting giveaways on Boutique Cafe for the holiday season. If you would like to sponsor a giveaway on our site or through our newsletter please contact us at (daria@boutiquecafe.com) and include a link to your site, product you’d like to donate, and any other information about your shop you would like mentioned.

In turn we will be mentioning our giveaway sponsors in our podcast, and linking to them from our shownotes or newsletter, during the busiest time on Boutique Cafe during the year. Donations must be $25 in value and up, if your items are smaller we suggest a great basket or assortment of your hot sellers would be a great giveaway. We will contact you once we review your application for holiday swag placement and let you know if your site has been chosen.

Thank you for your interest in making this an incredible holiday time on Boutique Cafe, loaded with the best giveaways and drawings!

Ever wanted to write a press release for your company but didn’t know where to start? Looking to pitch your idea but don’t have any “real news”? Or do you aspire to win an industry award but haven’t the slightest clue how to begin? Whether you’re new to the art of public relations or an old pro, PR Cafe’s Definitive Guide to PR is a must-have resource for any business owner.

Sure, I’ve written press releases before but I was at a loss as to how I could best utilize the power of PR to grow our company. I don’t have much faith in (or a budget for) advertising, so what other options exist? Let me tell you, after browsing PR Cafe’s Definitive Guide to PR a whole new world has opened before my eyes. The Guide includes all three of PR Cafe’s guides: Fresh PR Press Release Pack, Fresh PR Strategy Pack, and Fresh PR Awards, Product Reviews, and Speaking Pack. And when they say “pack” them mean pack! We’re talking 72 pages of detailed, informative, easy-to-read and easy-to-implement ideas to turn your business into a million-dollar-plus business all by harnessing the power of PR.

When I said I had only browsed the Guide, don’t think it meant that’s all I’m planning to do. You can’t just browse this baby. I’ve only made it partway through the first section (Press Release Pack) because literally everything I’ve read is something I can implement into my own business. If the rest of the Guide is as quality as this first section it’s going to take me a while to get through it all as I’ll be reading every single word! I can’t wait to get to the section on creating the killer pitch for those hard-to-pitch editors! Read the rest of this entry »

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