All About Your Baby: March 2009

Bel Bambini 3 Day Only Sale

Bel Bambini is having a 3 Day Only Sale starting Friday April 3 until Sunday April 5. Certain gear, furniture, appareal and more will be up to 80%. The entire store will be 20%, with an additional 25% sale items.

crafting inspiration from the japanese

Sometimes we get in a crafting rut and have to look beyond our little world for inspiration. We thought we'd share a few craft projects and inventions today we found totally ingenious, in case you find yourself in a rut, too.

I know I could use a Baby Mops around my house! Couldn't you? But don't worry, the text says it's not child exploitation. You're just teaching "responsibility and a healthy work ethic" to your baby!

Living in Seattle, I could really use a pair of these umbrellas to keep the tips of my toes dry.

I wonder if I could make this using my homemade butter and an empty glue stick?

The only thing missing is a garbage can for the used tissue. I bet I could attach one to my belt. . .

Perfect for nights when my husband is on call at the hospital. It would only take a half a shirt, so I could make one for myself and friend!

Yes, it's April Fool's Day tomorrow. Just keeping you all on your toes. Hope your day is full of fun!

Now here's a really great product

We recently got the Kaloo Bear Pool Mat and it is fabulous. It serves four purposes: a plat mat, a feeding pillow, a changing mat, and a stand-alone cushion to hold a baby up. Think a boppy plus a play mat combined. The fabric is really soft and great quality. I espeically love how cute the bear head is.

It comes apart really easily (with buttons) and it also folds up very nicely. Doesn't take up much space at all. In fact I have it folded up in the living room corner right now.

It also comes with several very cute activity plush toys and rattles. You can easily put a gym over it for more excitement. And when it comes apart for a sitting baby, more toys can be placed in front of it.

Petit Baby has the best deal on it.

Suri at the museum

Katie Holmes and Suri were spotted at the LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) in Los Angeles on Saturday. Suri wears Ralph Lauren's Illyana Dress.

denim picnic blanket quilt-along - part 1

I'm so excited about the great response we had to our denim picnic blanket invitation! And I'm glad I'm not the only one who's been stockpiling old jeans, just waiting for a purpose. I've been researching denim quilt patterns, looking for something easy and inexpensive, since many of you mentioned you were novice or first-time quilters. While at my friend Deborah's house one day, I asked to see her denim quilt and I was shocked at how perfect it was for our project!

In addition to being lightweight (i.e easy to haul to your picnic site), the virtues of this denim blanket are 1. it uses large blocks (= fast and easy!), and 2. it does not have a backing, so you don't have to buy backing fabric or batting (= cheap!). All you'll need in addition to the jeans are gold jean thread, fabric for binding, plus the vinyl tablecloth and snaps. If you got your jeans for free, this is one super-inexpensive picnic blanket! Thanks, Deborah!

If you aren't as excited about this pattern as I am, you can find another quilt pattern, with or without backing, and get working on it on your own. Then hold tight until we get to the snap-on part of the tutorial. Here's another great tutorial for a true denim quilt if you're looking for something different. But for those who are with me, let's get started!

Denim Picnic Blanket Part 1

What you'll need for part 1 (click here for a list of supplies for the entire project):

*Eight to twelve pairs of denim jeans (adult sizes are best, but you can make smaller blocks using children's sizes)
*Rotary cutter and cutting mat
*Long, see-through quilting ruler
*Vinyl tablecloth (for sizing purposes)

1. Grab a pair of jeans and cut the legs off. Cut as close to the crotch as you can without cutting the back pocket.

2. Lay one of your jean legs out on the cutting mat.

Then adjust the leg so that the outside seam is on the very edge as pictured below. This will be a fairly straight seam (as opposed to the inseam which usually curves at the thigh and calf). Use this seam as a guide for the next steps. Smooth out any wrinkles.

3. Fold your leg in half, keeping the outer seam flat. Smooth out wrinkles again. Lay your ruler on top.

Keep vertical side of the ruler parallel to the outer seam. Keep the horizontal lines of the ruler straight on the fold. Cut off the inseam at the narrowest part.

4. Next you're going to "square up" your block. (Note: the picture below demonstrates a smaller block, but this should be done for ALL blocks.) Line up the horizontal line on your ruler with that straight outer seam again. Cut the ends of the block along the vertical side to make it a 90° angle. Repeat on other sides until it is a square (or a nice rectangle) with 90° angles.

5. Open up your leg. This is your finished block.

6. Repeat with other leg and remaining jeans. Lay out your vinyl tablecloth on the floor and cover with blocks, overlapping them 1.5" on each side, until you have enough to cover it sufficiently. I cut large blocks and smaller blocks to make the most of my denim, and to make it fit the tablecloth better. You can cut them any size you want, but be sure all the blocks in a row are approximately the same length. We'll arrange the blocks and cut them to exactly the same length in part 2.

7. If you want, cut off several pockets from the jeans to sew on randomly when we're done.

That's it for part 1. It's a couple hours worth of work, but hopefully you can find time to do it before I post part two next week. Please feel free to leave a comment with questions and I'll answer in the comments for everyone to see. Now get going!

Halle Berry and Nahla Visit Bel Bambini

This picture was taken before the below actually. Halle Berry and daughter Nahla were spotted heading into Bel Bambini last week in Los Angeles. No word on what they bought.

tots and tails winner and a reader appreciation package!

We have our winner for the Tots and Tails photography package giveaway! The prize package goes to. . .

Tamis of the marks 5!

Yea for Tamis! Please send us an e-mail with your contact info so we can get you in touch with Haley.

So what about the rest of you? Just going to sit around and mope because you didn't win? No you're not, because Tot and Tails was so flattered by all your sweet comments that she's offering our readers a fabulous package as well!

Little Birdie Package:
$150 for 2 hours, plus an 8x10, as well as the CD of your images.

Just mention you saw it on Little Birdie Secrets when you book your session. You will love working with Haley--she is a sweetie. Thanks for such a great deal, Haley!

Halle Berry & Nahla

Halle Berry and daughter Nahla were spotted in Beverly Hills on Thursday. Nahla wears Lili and The Funky Boys embroidered dove grey blouse and foam dove grey bloomers.

More pictures at Celebutopia.

Parminder Nagra's baby shower

ER's Parminder Nagra did a photo shoot with US Magazine where she talks about her baby shower that is coming up. One of the gifts is a pair of Toms Tiny White Canvas Baby Shoes.

Living Green with Your Kids | Don’t Just Stand There, Plant a Tree | Sophias Style | Louis Robinson

It is a pretty common school of thought that habits taught to your children when young, will translate into habits they practice when older. If we do our part to conserve the earth now with strong teachings of green living, we can knock out two goals at once, and I’m going to tell you how.

The first objective is to teach our kids strong conservation practices. Maybe you can start with something that will enrich the earth and your child’s mind. Get outside and plant a tree! Nebraska is the home of Arbor Day and we are all about increasing the amount of trees. Head to your local nursery and pick up a small tree that you and your children can plant together. Not only will you be doing something inventive and fun with your children, you will be doing your part to conserve the environment.

Other great outdoor activities range from the obvious sports and games, to some other not so obvious activities like nature camps and fun science projects. With spring finally here, you could start a leaf hunting project. Collect different types of leaves out at whatever local forests you can, and have them organize and identify them all.

The secondary goal of all this is to get kids up and more active. By providing them with fun and nature oriented activities, you are encouraging your children to get outside and be active! With the growing amount of overweight kids, it is more important now than ever before to encourage active healthy lifestyles!

Get online at http://www.sophiasstyle.com/ and check out all of our new girls spring clothes. Find new girls spring outfits and all just in time to send your kids outside in the sun!

make your own granola

I love granola. What I don't like is how expensive it is. The boxes of granola cereal are usually the most costly cereals at the store. A few years ago when I got this granola recipe and loved it, it was the end of store-bought granola for my family. Not only does it taste delicious, but it is very inexpensive. And in this economy, who isn't looking to save some money? I make this granola fairly regularly for my family and we all love it. Most of us just like to eat it plain as a snack, but it is also delicious as cereal with milk poured over it. It makes a really large batch, so if you don't think your family can eat it all in a few weeks, then you might want to half the recipe. Try this granola out for yourself and see if you don't want to say goodbye to the store-bought stuff too!

Granola
7 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup oil
1 cup honey
1/4 cup water
2 T. vanilla
1/2 T. salt
1/8 cup cinnamon

Mix all of the ingredients together and spread out on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Stir and bake another 15 minutes. Scrape the bottom of cookie sheet as soon as it is done to prevent sticking. Cool and then store in an airtight container.

Fit Pregnancy Buyer Guide 2009

Fit Pregnancy has posted their 2009 Buyer's Guide. You can see it in their latest magazine or check it out on their website.

Citibabes Free Trial Week- For Scrasdale Families

Citibabes Scarsdale, which is opening in August, is offering all potential members a free taste of Citibabes. For this year's Spring Break (April 2-April 12) you can get a free trial at their Soho Location. Contact the Soho location for more details.

Sophias Style Girls Clothing Store | Sophias Style Fit Tip

Mandy

As a fitness instructor I am always looking for great new articles, or learning fit tips from others that are involved in this industry. I came across this article and thought to share it with you all.

Sophias Style Fit Tip- Since fitness levels can be hard to measure, many schools and local YMCA's follow the President's Challenge, a federally supported program for kids ages six to 17, to gauge physical fitness in kids and motivate them to get fit. The challenge offers five assessment tests to measure a child's level of fitness in the areas of endurance, strength and flexibility. Through your child's school or on his own, she can win awards of achievement, active lifestyle, and more. Visit www.PresidentsChallenge.org to learn more. Encourage your child to practice to improve and reach the fitness targets for each test.

The Push-Ups Assessment Test:
This test measures your child's upper body strength. Have her lie on the floor, face down, hands under shoulders, fingers straight, knees bent (or straight). Instruct her to lift her body, keeping knees/toes on the floor until her arms are straight. Lower down until her elbows bend at 90-degrees to complete one rep. See how many she can do in a row.

Push-Ups Fitness Targets:
7-Year-Olds: Boys 8, Girls 8
10-Year-Olds: Boys 14, Girls 13
14-Year-Olds: Boys 24, Girls 10
17-Year-Olds: Boys 37, Girls 16

Article Courtsey of Family Health and Wellness By SparkPeople

Camilla Alves & Levi

Camilla Alves and son Levi were spotted out and about in Malibu yesterday. Levi has said goodbye to his Orbit and now rides in a yellow Bugaboo Bee.

Sophias Style | Swimming Lessons

Mandy

We are fast approaching the warmer season, a time to play outside! Most of you moms would probably agree that getting out and keeping busy is great, but how do you enjoy your time and keep your baby happy.

Enroll in swimming lessons with him or her. Because you are not able to just leave an infant in the hands of the swimming instructor you will have to take the lessons as well. This is a perfect time to bond with your baby and perhaps re learn those "swimming basics" that you may have forgotten.

You can expect very basic swimming techniques, such as blowing bubbles in the water, and the pre stages of floating. These lessons will help your little one start to feel comfortable in water. Of course you will have to wait until he or she is 6mos old before you begin, but keep in mind this is a great activity to do together while they are still young!
Shop SophiasStyle.com for girls swimwear at discount prices.

how to crochet a flower video tutorial

One thing I love about crocheting is that there are so many ways you can use it to create embellishments. From decorative edging to flowers, you can dress up a t-shirt or a scrapbook page with your hook and just a little yarn. Lately I've been obsessed with crocheting little flowers--maybe because they're so quick and satisfying! I altered a few other flowers I'd tried and came up with my favorite 5-petal flower pattern. I'm sure I didn't invent it, but it came about for me by trial and error and it turns out cute with almost any kind of yarn. Here are a few items I've made recently with flowers. Check out these and more now in my Etsy shop!

If you want to make your own, we've made a short video tutorial to show you just how to do it. I'm a visual learner, so I know some of you out there just need to see it done once to figure it out. Check it out, then find the written pattern below. WARNING: This is not a general crochet lesson. You'll need to know how to do a few basic stitches to complete a flower.

Or, watch it on YouTube. It's a bigger picture, but the picture and sound quality aren't as good.

Mandy's Favorite 5-Petal Flower Pattern

Materials:
Any size hook (depending on what size flower you want)
Any weight yarn

Rnd 1: Ch 5, join into a ring w/sl st in 1st ch.
Rnd 2: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), work 9dc in ring, join to top of ch w/sl st -- 10 sts.
Rnd 3: **Ch 2, work 3dc in next st, ch 2 sl st in next st** five times. Fasten off.

For a different color center, try changing yarn colors after round 2. Experiment with different weight yarns and hook sizes. To layer a slightly smaller flower on top, go down one hook size from larger flower.

Magic Beans March Madness

If you're one of those people who doesn't like basketball (ME), then you can still have fun this season filling brackets in another way. Magic Beans is having a contest to crown the #1 best product for kids. They've put together a "tournament" of their 32 favorite and most popular products. You can vote for your favorites and the winner will be announced April 10.

Throughout the tournament, voters will have exclusive access to special offers and discounts. At the end, any participant who purchased the winning product between now and April 9 will be entered in a raffle to get that item for free.

Heidi Klum shops for kids shoes

Heidi Klum was potted shopping with her family in Beverly Hills over the weekend, stopping at Brooks Shoes For Kids on Canon Drive.

Easter Egg Decorating | Sophia's Style Boutique

Easter is coming!! The folks here at SophiasStyle.com are busy scrambling (pardon the egg pun) to get all the preparations ready for our Easter traditions. I was listening to everyone getting ready to color eggs, and it made me think about the other ways to decorate eggs that do not involve food coloring or vinegar! The cutest idea I found was in Parents Magazine. They call these Sheep-er by the Dozen. Fuzzy white baby socks and felt transform eggs into a fun flock.

What you'll need: Fuzzy white baby sock (0-6 months), scissors, tan felt, pink felt, tacky glue, two googly eyes, black embroidery floss, needle, two 1/2-inch white pom-poms.

Make it: Cut sock to 2 1/2 inches tall. Cut two outer ear pieces from tan felt and two inner ear pieces from pink felt using the templates. Glue the pink piece to the center of the tan piece and repeat for other ear. Once dry, glue ears to the sides of the sock, pink side down. Cut a circle 1 1/4 inches in diameter out of tan felt and glue to sock. Glue googly eyes on the circle and stitch an upper-case "Y" below the eyes with embroidery floss for the nose and mouth. Glue two 1/2-inch white pom-poms to the front bottom edge for the feet.

Make sure to try these for easy and fun Easter decorations. Also, make sure to visit SophiasStyle.com for that perfect girls Easter dress or accessory. Our customer service reps are here to help make your holiday fashion purchasing easy.
Courtesy of Parents.com.