AllSaints Spitalfields - The Coolest Kids Clothes are Back!

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Remember my post from a few months back?!  I was telling you all about these kids clothes and how I had just bought some and they were wicked awesome and the day the post went up the clothes were no longer available on the site????  WELL!  I just happened across the same brand, AllSaints Spitalfields, for sale on Zulily!  The selection seems way bigger (and different) than when on the companies own site and the prices are still totally reasonable.  Seriously if you have cool kids and you like to dress them in the best, these are for you!  The fabrics are soft and plush and the styles are super cool and edgy.  The sale is through Friday, October 21 so hurry! Stock up on Christmas gifts for your friend's cool kids!  Stock is pretty limited so shop fast!  

And as if my endorsement wasn't good enough, the brand got a shout out on last night's Rachel Zoe.  It seems baby Skylar had a closetful of AllSaints waiting for him when he got home from the hospital.  And the AllSaints site has some of the kid's clothes back as well!  

Need an invite to Zulily - click here.  

While you are there, check out these other rad sales (ending soon!)

Erin Condren - Custom stationery

Book Boutique - including Calef Brown's Famingos on the Roof on of my family's favorites! 

Mason Cash - Amazing English bakeware and serving dishes

R&R Games - including a super cool Igor Monster Making Game

Truly Sanctuary - RAD t-shirts!  (grandmothers, if you feel the need to buy clothes for your grandkids but are unsure if they are cool enough for your fashion forward family members, these shirts are perfect!  Kid friendly and design minded = the best of both worlds.)

Sharon

Images via Zulily

Baby Gourmet Organic Baby Food {and Giveaway!}

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There are all kinds of reasons that reviewing this baby food appealed to me.  While I don't have baby food eaters at home any more, I am in love with this product and company and wanted to share it with all of you.  Baby Gourmet is a new baby food product that has launched in Walmart stores nationwide and I can't wait to tell you why I love it.  

GIVEAWAY:  I will be sending samples to one commenter (see more details at the bottom of the post)!

With our first son, I was still working and the idea of making my own baby food made me want to cry. I didn't know about "whole" cooking and quite frankly didn't care.  But when we were diagnosed with food allergies at 1 years old, I became very aware of all the harmful stuff we were introducing to our bodies, whether it was from pesticides or even just preservatives.  When my second son was born, I did make a lot of his baby food.  But the volume of produce I had to buy, prepare and smoosh was a total time sucker.  I felt like I was trapped in the kitchen.  And when we left the house, I always used jarred foods because I couldn't wrap my head around having to thaw the food somewhere or if I was keeping it at the right temperature.  If these pouches were around when the kids were little, I would have absolutely tracked them down.  And while my second son doesn't have any food allergies, I knew that a whole foods diet is what I wanted to give the kids.  I know the top right picture is a little small but basically the packages show everything you could want to know and want in a baby food:  organic, unsweetened, no dairy, egg or lactose, no nuts, BPA free packaging, gluten free.

The company was started by Jennifer Broe because she wanted something better for her kids than she was finding in stores.  Aside from the quality of ingredients she wanted to feed her kids, she actually wanted it to taste good also.  She tastes every batch to make sure she likes it and understands the variance in flavor that vegetables can have.  This product is straight from her heart to our homes.  She began selling her baby foods at local Farmer's Markets but the demand grew and so did her business.  The growth led her to the shelf-stable packaging which actually helps to create a healthier product.  The flash cooking process is quicker and maintains more of the great nutrients in the food itself. 

The re-closable spout makes feeding on the go a snap.  For smaller babies, just squeeze directly on to a spoon.  For older kids, they can squeeze it right in to their mouths.  I asked a couple of the cutest babies I know to give these a try so I could review them. 

Our first taste tester is little baby C.  This adorable guy is my neighbor and he is just about 5 months old.  How darling is his face! 

Baby C's mom loved the idea of this food.  She loved that it tasted good and that the packaging was super easy to use.  Since it has been a while since I have fed anyone baby food I asked her how it compared.  She said this consistency was thicker than the standard food on the market and that you could tell it was made with real fruit (he tasted the apple cobbler flavor).  I am pretty sure he really liked what he was eating as his little feet never stopped kicking.    

Next up is my buddy, D (why, yes, that is his older sister in a wrestling mask in the background).  He is about 10 months old and he likes to eat.  

D took to the Roasted Squash and Fruit Medley like a champ.  I didn't taste this one but from the content looks and how much he ate, I think he really dug it. 

My 2 1/2 year old has been riding me since these arrived at my house to let him try them.  So finally, I relented.  I gave him the stage 1 Juicy Pear and Garden Greens.  I quickly tasted it before handing over the package found it was sweet, with just the right amount of tartness, and although you could taste the "greens" when it hit your tongue, by the time it got to the back of you mouth, they were completely blended with the pears and made a delicious bite.  My son does not eat.  I mean, I'm sure he does but almost always, I take away a plate from meal time that looks very similar in size to the one I put down in front of him.  I am going to go find these to supplement his meals with.  He thought it was a snack but what he was getting was pure wholesomeness.  While I am not trying to revert my son to baby food, I am trying to get him to eat a more well balanced diet.  

So the final consensus for Baby Gourmet...a toddler thumbs up!  Although their store locator info doesn't seem to be completely input yet, these meals are available in Walmart now.  Go find them!  There are 3 flavor options for each of the 3 stages of food.  

If you are interested in trying these out with your own child leave a comment telling me why you want to give them a try.  I will choose one person to receive samples and and write a review for the blog.  (You do not need to be a blogger or professional photog to win - the post will be sent via email with photo attachments).   Must live in the United States.  Will take comments until midnight, Tuesday, October 18, 2011.  

"Like" Baby Gourmet on Facebook

Follow Baby Gourmet on Twitter

Sharon

all photos (except photo of Jennifer Broe) by me

*I was sent samples of the baby food to try but the opinions are mine, my son's, the babies and toddlers featured as well as their mothers.  We can not be bought.  At least not with baby food.  Will accept other inquiries. :) 

DIY Painted Napkins using Izze Soda Bottles

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Here is my tutorial for making painted napkins using an Izze soda bottle.  This post perfectly sums up my crafting abilities and process.  Generally when I create a tutorial there are tears, laughter and lots of little hands running away with stuff needed to complete the project.  This was no exception.  I often find myself shaking my head and thinking, "what the heck am I doing."  But at the end of the day I enjoy it so that is why I put myself through the crafting insanity. 

My family loves Izze sodas.  This is the only soda my food allergic son has ever known and it is a product that I feel really good about.  I always have a few cans (not bottles, the are glass and for those of you who know me I am risk and mess averse so the thought of having to clean up broken glass and a sticky soda mess if one potentially breaks is almost too much for me to bare.  No, I do not have a therapist yet but it has been suggested by several people) in the fridge as an extra special treat.  If you read the party blogs, you have certainly seen Izze sodas at a bajillion parties thanks in part to their great taste, natural ingredients and fantastic colors.  But I decided to get creative with the bottles and see what I could come up with.  

First you have to drink the soda.  Both boys really enjoyed this part.  Next, gather your supplies.  I was given a set of cloth napkins by my mom in law when she was cleaning things out.  This was great since I messed up quite a few in a quest to figure out how to do this project.  This really, ridiculously easy project.  That my brain just couldn't get right.  For instance, these are napkins.  If you don't want to through them out after one use you are going to want to use fabric paint.  The above paint is not.  It may or may not have come off in the washing machine.  This was one step above the washable Crayola paints that I had my oldest son do this project with first (yeah, I'm a bonehead).  The little white cup is a wax coated paper cup from a package that I bought via Oriental Trading Company.  These little cups are awesome and everyone should have these around for crafts.  For real. 

The idea is really simple.  Dip the bottle in paint and stamp it down on the fabric.  Since the top and bottom of the bottle are different sizes its like having two stamps in one.  AND if you didn't take the bottle cap off and empty the bottle first, you could also use the bottle cap as a stamp which would probably create more of a full painted circle instead.  But I didn't try this.  And it could get paint around where you want to drink from later on...Please note that my son has no shirt on in an effort for him to not get messy.  And he only dropped the bottle once (it did not break, yeah!).

Now, here is where my brain really let me down.  I don't use paints a lot in my crafts so I didn't realize how thick and stiff some of the circles might end up (even after running them through the wash to see if it would soften them up).  So, say you decide to wipe your mouth with your amazingly designed cloth napkin.  You probably don't want to end up with cuts on your face from the stiff paint.  The first and second picture show napkins with pretty scratchy paint circles.  The last picture shows what happens when you decide it makes sense to add water to the paints.  Too much water.  Actually, this last option could have turned out cool had I added even more water and created a sort of watercolored effect.  And chose paint colors that were hideous.  

This gold napkin was the final and most perfect napkin.  Although there were a few rough spots, they certainly wouldn't scar your guests.  I decided to add water, little by little until I came up with a consistency that wasn't too watery but wouldn't dry hard (how's that for vague).  The pattern I did on this napkin was sort of like an extra large chevron pattern.  I didn't get a good shot of the whole napkin though.  Maybe it got a little bit of soda on it before I could take that shot and maybe, just maybe that frustrated me and I threw it across the room.  

I also love the Izze logo.  It's so bright and cheerful.  I decided to take the bottle, when I was done using it to paint the napkins and paint the bottle itself.  I didn't take off any of the stickers, simply used a few coats of white spray paint, taking care to cover the logo so it would stay vibrant pink.  Then I dipped the bottle in a little watered down gold paint. 

I'm totally not the most artistic person so I know that there are so many other patterns that these bottles can create.  But I do like taking things and using them in a new way.  I hope this inspires you all to think of ways to reuse your Izze soda bottles.  As for the soda, I'm thinking I have a great idea for how to use some of them in a cocktail.  Shucks, more recipe testing...

Follow Izze on Facebook and Twitter and read their blog!!!

Sharon

All images are mine. 

*I received Izze product to review for this post.  But as I said before, this is something that we always have in our house.  I support this brant.  They are awesome.  And that is MY opinion. 

Ruby's Studio DVDs: The ABCs of raising a good human

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I've told you about some of the great finds from my trip to Blogher but this DVD and the company behind its creation is probably my favorite.  In this crazy mixed up world we live in, so much focus is placed on academics and how well kids do on school testing.  The Mother Company knows that it is more important to raise good humans.  But how do we, as parents, do that? 

This first video of Ruby's Studio, in what I hope is a very long list, focuses on feelings.  Through Ruby's guidance, the kids learn about feelings in a variety of ways.  From art projects, discussion, animated stories and music, the kids are taught not only what different emotions are but also ways to express them.  When I showed my kids this video package and said we were going to watch it, they were not interested.  I mean, where were the trucks and legos?  I put it in to watch by myself, but after just a minute or two, both of my boys came over to watch.  Both boys were quiet.  As the show played on, I laid down my youngest to change his diaper, much to his dismay.  He looked right up at me and said, "I'm frustrated."  HA!  I wasn't sure, at 2 1/2 years old, how much he would pick up.  But obviously he was getting the message.  A few minutes later as I sat on the couch with my oldest son, I turned toward him to see if he was enjoying the DVD.  As if in answer to the unspoken question, he said, "I'm happy."  I thought the DVD and calm pace would not interest him (he's a rocker through and through) but it absolutely did.  

Watch the trailer!!

Cute! Right?!  What caught my eye initially at their Blogher booth was their design aesthetic.  Clean, modern but with whimsical touches, it was something that I was glad to share with my kids.  There is no need to sacrifice good design just because it is a kid's show. And they certainly haven't. 

The 45 minute DVD is made up of small segments.  From group discussions (none of the kids are scripted to ensure honest answers) to animated music segments the message is reinforced throughout.  I especially loved the 'Garden Theater' with this adorable family of snail puppets.  The shot above is from my TV screen.  The words on the bottom are from the 'Pop Up Parenting' option.  With that feature on, corresponding information for the parents pops up to further explain the emotional development of the child and other tidbits that might help us to make better parenting decisions.  It is awesome.  

And how freaking cute is Ruby, played by Kelsey Collins???  Does she remind anyone else of the adorable Emily Henderson?  As a host she is sweet, caring and likable.  And her hip, vintagey style is child appropriate and fashionable at the same time.  Similarly, the overall design of the set is pretty awesome.  The set is kind of like a big loft with exposed brick and vintage touches.  An alcove with a ceiling covered with all white, different sized paper lanterns is totally whimsical and cool.  A discussion area is amazing with bright colored designer chairs.  And the music is totally kid friendly without being too cutesy.  This is very important to me.  I feel like children's music should not be dumbed down for the kids and this is not.  Job well done.   

I really liked this DVD, available for purchase through their website or at Whole Foods.  The Mother Company also has an amazing newsletter and website full of helpful parenting information.  Be sure to check it out.  I'm so glad that I got a chance to meet this great team at Blogher.  I wish them huge success!   

And also look for more DVDs to come out later this year!  

Sharon

Last 2 pictures are mine, all others from The Mother Company

I've never been camping but I think Suburban Camping is the only way to go

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I have never said this before, but why, oh why don't I live in New Jersey?  I'm so jealous of my husband's relatives who live there!  And it has nothing to do with the shore or juice-head gorillas.  It has everything to do with this adorable company called Suburban Camping Co.  Oh, and I totally love his family too, but I may love them even more in one of these tents. 

Suburban Camping Co. is basically an event planning company that sets up little (to quite large) backyard campouts.  That is SO perfect for me.  I have never been camping and know that I would appreciate all the amenities of my home found just feet away instead of the middle of the woods.  There are different themes you can choose and you can even add on an outdoor movie component to your set up!  Just check out their site to see all the gorgeous vintage pieces they use! 

Hello Girl's Night Out-Doors!  Barbie chandelier anyone?!  

So here's the deal.  You need to go vote for them in Daily Candy's Start Small, Go Big Contest.  They are a finalist in the "Home" category and they need your votes.  If they win, they will win a trip to New York City to attend an "academy" and have a chance to get advice and encouragement from some business heavyweights {Jonathan Adler and Stacey Bendet to name a few!}  I know all of my entrepreneurial ladies know the benefit of something like this so do your part to help another small business out.  

You can vote for them once a day and voting ends in 20 days!  It literally takes seconds to vote.  Winners to be announced September 16!

I really can't remember how I came across this company.  I am sure that I saw it somewhere but I can't, for the life, of me, backtrack to it...If you already posted about them, please let me know so I can give you credit! 

GO VOTE!

Then follow them on Facebook!

And check out their blog too! 

Sharon

All photos via Suburban Camping Co.

Non-Toxic and Amazing Colors: What more could you want from a nail polish!

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I am in love with Scotch Naturals nail polish.  I've seen it in a few magazines but never had the opportunity to try it out before.  Little did I know that my fingers would also be getting a make over from Mom's Fashion File.  Ginny, who IS Scotch Naturals, was on hand to do the manicures.  This polish is water based and totally non-toxic!  As is the remover.  How cool is that? {If you missed the makeover recap go here}   

While Ginny dressed our digits, I got to talk to her about the company.  Now I don't know exactly what her background is, but she is all science-y and stuff.  She talked of formulas, etc.  Of course I pretended to play along like I knew exactly what she was talking about.  :)  As I mentioned my fingers were painted a beautiful, sparkly black but I was kind of silently trying to talk them in to this amazing Navy shade.  These polishes are perfect for pregnant women and anyone looking to keep all those yucky toxins away from them and their fetus.  Oh and EVERYONE else too.   

Now I don't want this next part to come off too shallow, but it is the colors that really put this line over the top for me.  Sure I appreciate her concern for my health, but love that I absolutely don't have to sacrifice my style over it.  The colors are so saturated and gorgeous.  When I mentioned this I was told that because of the natural ingredients and pigments they use, the colors come out very brilliant.  And you know that I am a party blogger at heart and you can bet your hangnails that I am going to be using their site for color inspiration for upcoming parties and designing.  Go to their website to check out their full range of colors.  I just know you will love them too!  

And I don't have little girls of my own, but I will certainly be buying their Hopscotch Naturals line for many a gift in the future.  First of all, how perfect is that name?  How cute is the packaging?  And what an awesome way to teach youngsters about what they are putting on and in their bodies! Find out where to buy Hopscotch Naturals {here}. 

You can plug in your zip code to find a store in your area or purchase straight from their website.  If you are in Orange County, it looks like Seed People's Market in Costa Mesa is your best bet {ps, they have a baby/kids section with great gift items!!}  

I'm so grateful to Mom's Fashion File for that makeover experience!  They put together an amazing group of sponsors! 

Follow Scotch Naturals on Twitter and Facebook!

Sharon

Photos by Amy Winkelmann for Cupcakes and Cutlery

I was not paid for this post.  I was given a Scotch Naturals nail polish after my manicure but the choice to post about this brand was all mine.  And I love them. 

Mini and Maximus - Sale Time!

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YOU. GUYS!  My fave kids t-shirt company, Mini and Maximus, is having a really great sale.  For real.  You simply must rush over and pick some up for back to school.  Well, I guess you should only do it if you want your kid to be the coolest one there and totally best dressed.  If you want them to be boring and lame then don't even bother looking at this site.  My kid will be the one in the cool "eye" design.  

Here is my son leading a marching band singing Happy Birthday to his great grandma at her 90th bday party

(do you hear that grandmas...that is the only one I bought - feel free to choose any other design except for the "don't grow up" which we already have.  O is a size 8.  But no pressure)  

Go.  Now! 

And then check out their ridiculously awesome and inspiring blog.  

Sharon