My Brand Name Baby

Just one more pair.....

2009-05-18T21:17:00.006+02:00

What does Mom need more than anything? Well, the love of her family of course. But, once she is secure in that, it's time to move onto other important stuff like chocolate. I have admired the work of Gayle's Chocolates for quite a while now and I'm so excited to blog about them. Gayle's Chocolates carries an extensive line of truffles and novelty chocolates, but hands down, my favorites are the Chocolate High Heel Shoes. I mean, seriously, is there anything I can say that the picture doesn't tell you? The Pink Dots shoe is definitely on my wish list and you can get it in either milk or dark chocolate! Check out the shoes and so much more at Gayle's Chocolates.

Monday for Moms!

2009-05-18T10:44:00.002+02:00

So, I have decided to mix it up a little here at My Brand Name Baby and all postings on mondays will feature stuff for Moms. Tomorrow, we will be back to spoiling our brand name babies, but for today, let's focus on us!

Going to the Theater....

2009-05-16T14:44:00.004+02:00

I "found" a perfect gift for my daughter. She has an active imagination, sings while she plays and loves to put on puppet shows. She must have at least one set of finger puppets from WeeKnit on etsy. At WeeKnit, you can find finger puppet sets in a wide variety of your children's favorite themes and they are affordable (which is quickly becoming one of my favorite words). In fact, they are so reasonably priced, that you are going to have a tough time buying just one set! I love the Old MacDonald set because it gives you the opportunity to sing with your child, while teaching them about animals, animal sounds, and the joy of puppetry. Take a look at WeeKnit today. I promise you won't be able to stop smiling.

Monkey See....

2009-05-14T22:27:00.006+02:00

I have always loved paper. I love notecards, invitations, scrap papers, and the pages of books. I could spend hours on the internet searching for great invitations and notecards, but since I have a two-year old that wouldn't stand for that, I have to make it fast. I took a quick peek at etsy today and immediately found Catherine Wilson. She is the creative mind behind this Monkeying Around Birthday Invitation (would also make a great baby shower invitation) and much more. She designs some wonderful invites. Once she has finalized your card, she sends it to you in jpeg form, so that you can have it printed online or at your local printing shop. Check out Catherine Wilson's shop, Polkadots and Paisleys, by clicking here.

I Felt Some Fun in my Future

2009-05-12T22:24:00.005+02:00

"Kitchen" and "Tea Party" are staples in my house these days. My daughter loves to host dinner parties in her room and she can't get enough dishes and play food. Play food has come a long ways from the days when I played with that horrible, plastic stuff in the 70's. I am a big fan of felt food. It's fun. It's soft. It's creative. Plus, it doesn't hurt as much when "accidentally" hurled across the room. The Little Bitty Bakery on etsy has some wonderful, felt toys for playing in the kitchen. I am in love with this tea set. It's gorgeous and has wonderful detail, including tea bags! Right now, The Little Bitty Bakery, is offering 50% off a second item when you purchase the first at full price. There are so many great items to choose from, so finding a second one shouldn't be difficult. If it was me, I would go for the Hot Dog and Nachos set. Check out all of the offerings at The Little Bitty Bakery here. Happy eating!

Imagine That!

2009-05-11T08:14:00.006+02:00

There are some creative people out there and then there is missprettypretty or Imaginative Play Toys on etsy. She is in a league of her own. She creates fabulous, felt playhouses that fit over the top of a card table! It's a fantastic way for your kids to have an indoor playhouse, that doesn't take up much space. You can just fold it and put it away when it's not being used. Missprettypretty carries many varieties of the playhouse, so you can purchase more than one, and using the same card table, your kids can have different adventures on different days. I have been drooling over missprettypretty's shop for days now. The details are phenomenal and interactive while still leaving much to the imagination. The only downside I see to her wonderful products is deciding which one to buy. I'm still working on that. The Train Station is a great choice...I love the compartments for carrying dolls and/or stuffed friends. I cannot say enough about these playhouses. You have to see them to believe them!

Getting Back Behind the Wheel

2009-05-09T07:12:00.004+02:00

I took a trip back in time today.....to a time when all I wanted to do was ride my Big Wheel around and around the driveway! Those were the days. Those were the days before there were a million options when it comes to trikes and bikes for small children. Those were the days when to have a Big Wheel was to be a very happy kid! I happened upon a shop called Wonder Threads this morning. Diana is the talented creator behind a line of onesies and tees for babies and kids that are now on my "must have list". She carries a number of cool designs, but the big wheel onesie is by far my favorite. It comes in white, pink, or blue. Dress your little one in it and you will be a hit, especially amongst the "moms who were little kids in the 70s" club (which includes me). A onesie from Wonder Threads would make a perfect shower gift. See the Big Wheel Onesie and more by clicking here.

Time for Tea

2009-05-08T20:23:00.004+02:00

My daughter's 3rd birthday celebration will last for about a month this summer, as we will be travelling for a couple of months, and there are a number of loved ones that want to help her bring her third year to a cheerful close. She will be having a tea party with a few ladies that love her a great deal, so I have been on the lookout for tea-themed party "stuff". I am a big fan (one of many) of Sarah Jane Studios. I have admired her work for quite a while, and I'm glad that I'm finally getting the chance to blog about her shop. She is the artist behind a wonderful collection of prints and other paper products. According to her blog, she even did some illustrating for Nancy O'Dell's new book, Full of Life. I couldn't begin to pick out a favorite piece of artwork from Sarah Jane Studios, but I think that these party invites are going to be just the perfect thing to get my daughter's tea party off on the right foot. Plus, I think I will need these Tea Party Postcards for thank you notes. You can purchase from Sarah Jane Studios on etsy by clicking here.

Modern Hippies

2009-05-08T12:39:00.004+02:00

I'm a northwest girl, born and bred. Call me crunchy, granola, or hippie, and I will simply nod in agreement. Back when I found out I was pregnant, one of the first things I did was head to Pike Place Market in Seattle (By the way, if you refer to it as Pike's Market, we will know that you aren't from around these parts.), and bought a tie-dyed one piece outfit for my little one. It still makes me smile to think of it. I am a true believer that tie-dyeing will never go out of style, not as long as northwesterners exist and not as long as kids still attend summer camp! This story brings me to an etsy shop I want to introduce to you. It's called dawnberries and they feature hand-dyed clothing for babies. I am partial to this Spaceship onesie, but the shop has a number of great items for little boys and girls. Check out dawnberries today for that love of granola that exists in us all!

One more note, dawnberries' prices are extremely reasonable. The Spaceship onesie is listed at only 12.99!

Sock it to ya!

2009-05-07T18:10:00.005+02:00

Little Miss Matched has a great sale going on right now. You buy one set of socks and get one free. Each set contains three different socks, so with the buy one get one, you will get three pair of socks for just $8. Each sock is different so you are getting a ton of combinations....I know there's a math formula swimming in my head somewhere, but I hear some rattling, so....

Head on over and buy yourself a pair or should I say two! They have several of the styles in childs' sizes as well as women's sizes, so you could buy a set for your son or daughter, and get a free matching set for yourself!

Sweet Stuff

2009-05-06T21:59:00.005+02:00

If you do a search for cupcake hairclips on etsy, you will find a ton of wonderful choices. I picked out a few of my favorites to share.

This set of 3 is from SoSweetByDesign.

This clever set, which can be made into clips or ponytail holders is by charity5.

Littlechirpybird is one of my favorite etsy sellers.

It all starts with a great invite!

2009-05-06T20:46:00.010+02:00

For my daughter's 1st birthday party (can't believe it's been almost 2 years since then...sniff..sniff), we went with a cupcake theme. It was a beautiful, successful party (with the exception of the smoothie bar run by my husband and brother). But, I digress....The first step, in planning a cupcake party, is to find great cupcake invitations. This week, I was perusing one of my favorite sites, Tiny Prints, and came across a cupcake-themed invite that I was really excited about. The reason for my excitement? In addition to being a cute invitation, it's done in blue and yellow so that you can use it for a boy's party! I am pretty sure that boys love cupcakes as much as girls do, but when cupcakes are depicted in print, they are so often in the traditionally girly color of pink. Here's a chance for the boys to get in on the sweetness.

Confetti Junction

2009-05-06T06:34:00.005+02:00

I love knit, stocking caps. (I would love them even more if my head was a little smaller and they all fit me well, but that's beside the point.) Knit stocking caps can be worn all year round and are great to have on hand for that night when it gets a little chillier than you expected. For newborns, knit caps can be essential for keeping them warm as they adjust to "life on the outside". I love, love, love (you get my point) the Confetti Cupcake Newborn Hat from Nini's Handmades. It's bright, it's fun, and it screams "Wear me on the way home from the hospital!". Nini's Handmades is full of clever, cupcake-themed items, and they carry hats for newborns to adults. Two other bright spots...shipping is just one dollar and 10% of all sales go to charity. Take a look at Nini's Handmades on etsy today. You are going to be squealing with delight.

With Sprinkles...

2009-05-06T06:26:00.002+02:00

I am officially declaring it "Cupcake Day". I won't be eating one today, unfortunately, but after being away from blogging for a while, and having a hard time knowing where to begin (there are just so many great products out there), I have decided to go with a theme today. Every posting will include a cupcake or cupcake-themed item for babies and/or children. Should be fun....I hope!

Dino-mite!

2009-05-04T06:31:00.003+02:00

STAT.....that's how quickly I need to learn the pronunciations of all the dinosaurs' names. (And, based on how hard it was for me to spell pronunciations, I'm thinking I'm in trouble.) My daughter has taken an interest in the prehistoric set, and I find myself shopping for the big, ugly creatures, when I could be hanging out in Strawberry Shortcake-land. Case in point, we were looking in the toy section of our local superstore last week and when we walked by the barbies, she gave them a cursory glance and said "pretty". Then, she spotted a huge, horrible, dinosaur skeleton from across toy section, and took off running. Her eyes were as big as saucers, and she said "beautiful".

So, being the good Mom I'm trying to be, I'm looking for all things dinosaur. My first stop is one of my favorite shops, Olive Kids. They have 96 items listed in their Dinosaurland and I feel like I've struck gold! Even I have to admit, the Toddler Bed Set is really fun and while you are there, a personalized placemat is a must.

Olive Kids has many themes to choose from, so there is something for every parent's (I mean child's) taste. Stop by and spend some time looking at Olive Kids today.

Now, I'm off to find a dictionary.....

Tweet! Tweet!

2009-05-04T06:16:00.002+02:00

Okay folks, if you prefer to follow my blogs via Twitter, you can now do that! I have to admit that I'm not sure I get the "whole Twitter thing" yet, but Mr. and Mrs. Kutcher tell me that it's the place to be, so I'm at teriblogs. Fly by and see me!

Ch...Ch....Ch...Changes

2009-05-02T14:58:00.003+02:00

I took a much needed break from blogging....had to make sure I wasn't blogging so much about babies, that my own baby wasn't getting my full attention. I feel good about my ability to blog again while keeping up with my primary job. Most of it has to do with the fact, that after 2.5 years, she finally sleeps through the night!

Speaking of babies, the under 3 set has always been the focus at My Brand Name Baby. The problem for me is that my own baby will soon be out of that set and will move onto to be a "kid". I still love to discover new baby items and blog about my favorite creators, companies, and shops for newborns and up, but I am now beginning to hunt for the perfect items for someone leaving toddlerdom as well. I considered starting a second blog, but what age range would I focus on then? So, I will continue to blog at My Brand Name Baby, and I will feature products for a variety of ages. I won't change the name, because they never stop being our babies, right? I will try hard to organize things by age categories, to make it easier for you to go out and shop.

I am excited at the possibilities and the chance to learn about a lot more great products and great people.

While all of my posts regarding children's fashion, toys, etc. will be blogged about at MBNB, I am going to be authoring a new blog which will focus exclusively on literature for children. I am really excited to read and share some great kids' books with you. You can follow that blog here. The design is done and posting will begin this week.

Thank you to my faithful readers, my new friends that pop up daily, and my Mom, who will love me no matter how many months it's been since my last post.

I look forward to seeing you often.

Bookish

2008-10-30T22:19:00.005+01:00

A neighbor stopped by today and asked to borrow some Halloween books for her son's class. We have several on hand (We have several books of every theme on hand, but that's beside the point.), so I was happy to lend her a couple. My daughter, however, was very concerned. She mentioned the books several times throughout the day and was curious as to when they would come back. I assured her that they would come back and we had a talk about sharing with others, but she might have been further reassured if I had some custom bookplates from Silly Goose Creations. They have a ton of designs to choose from and you can customize the font and wording as well. These would make a great stocking stuffer for your favorite bookworm in the making!

Great Holiday Gift Ideas

2008-10-30T21:47:00.002+01:00

Cool Mom Picks, one of my all-time favorite blogs, has put together a fabulous 2008 Safer Toy Guide. You definitely will want to check out the great finds included in this year's Guide. I have spent too much time there already! Cool Mom Picks is a great site to visit daily, as they feature great products and offer spectacular giveaways.

Holiday Clippings

2008-10-23T21:30:00.003+02:00

My daughter has a new daily routine where she picks out her hair clip for the day. She spends about 15 minutes looking through her basket of clips, and chooses carefully. It's funny that it takes so long, because up until today, there were only about 6 clips in the basket. Today we got a bunch of clips from One Lil' Cupcake in the mail. She had so much fun trying them on and admiring herself in the mirror. They stay in her thick, but fine, hair well and they are darling. My favorite is the turkey. It is going to be perfect to wear during the month of November. Now, I just need to buy an outfit to match the clip....that's reasonable right? Check out the selection at One Lil' Cupcake and get free shipping when you buy 4 or more clips.

Now That's Funny

2008-10-23T21:10:00.003+02:00

Do you know a Mom who is in that "my house is a mess, my breasts are leaking, my baby won't sleep, and I haven't showered in days" phase? You know the phase I'm talking about.....the newborn phase. Brighten her day, or at least get her to chuckle, by sending her this journal from Rock Paper Scissors. It's made from recycled papers, it's got a great, woodgrain look to it and it's only $10. Pick it up today for your favorite new Mom!

(Just in case you can't read it, the front says "it quickly became apparent to everyone that i was in way over my head".)

Babylegs Giveaway at Clementine NW

2008-10-22T08:54:00.004+02:00

Clementine NW is holding a giveaway for 2 free pairs of Halloween Babylegs! Head on over to their blog and enter to win. Be sure to enter no later than October 25, 2008.

As a reminder, Clementine NW is offering a free pair of Babylegs with every $10 purchase, while supplies last.

It's Inevitable.

2008-10-20T22:08:00.004+02:00

Little Chickie Wear by Gwen Designs created my all time favorite onesie "May contain peanut" which I blogged about a while back. I was scoping out their site to see what else they have and I came across this onesie which states "I'm going to run with scissors". Now, that cracks me up. Not only are they clever, but Little Chickie Wear onesies and tees are all made in the USA, 100% cotton and they have sizes for babies and kids up to size 6. Plus, they are located in Newport, RI. If you have never been there, it's one to add to your list of places you must visit!

Sometimes you feel like a nut.....

2008-10-20T21:34:00.004+02:00

Today was the first day that it was cold enough for hats and scarfs where I live. So, before we headed out for our morning walk, I bundled my daughter up, but her hat was so small it kept creeping up her head. I began my search for some cute, new, knit hats. Naturally, I started at etsy, as I know that it's full of talented knitters. I was drawn to the hats by knitrgal in her shop, L.A. Originals just Kidz. They have a number of "yummy" designs and my favorite for Fall has to be the You're a Nut Acorn Theme Hat. It's available in infant and toddler sizes. I can see it on top of a newborn, heading home from the hospital, this winter. It would make a great gift for a mom-to-be!

Charting Growth

2008-10-20T21:16:00.004+02:00

My daughter is currently 32.5 inches tall as noted on her eeboo Up The Castle growth chart. I love the products from eeboo and they make some spectacular looking growth charts. They are made of heavy cardboard to withstand years of markings, plus it comes packed in a box which is nice for those of that move frequently.