The summer is winding down and it's time to start thinking about school again. Start making your lists of all that you'll need for your kids to start the year off in style, but within your budget! SophiasStyle Children's Clothing Store has all that you'll need to fill your little girls closet with trendy, hip girls clothes and at affordable prices. Every time I visit their website I get so excited about all the adorable girls clothes and great prices too! My girls love wearing their new boutique fashion and their friends' moms are always asking where I got their adorable outfits. I love telling them about the great deals I got. I usually check every day because they're always getting new things in. I even found the cutest backpacks for each of them along with some new outfits by Lipstik. I already purchased the girls their outerwear, what a deal on Rothschild coats!
You'll love their selection and prices. Visit SophiasStyle.com and start off their school year in style.
I am Sophia’s grandma. Yes, that Sophia, the young lady who was the inspiration for Sophiasstyle.com. Sophia is the oldest of my four granddaughters and, having grown up in a family of brothers and then a son, there is nothing more delightful than granddaughters. Not that I don’t enjoy my brothers and my son. They are great, but girls, little girls – granddaughters – they are delightful.
I don’t live near my granddaughters. I live in Arizona while they live in places farther north but I see them as much as possible and I do enjoy shopping for them. It will still be hot in Arizona when the girls visit us toward the end of the summer. I like to have something for them when they arrive so I did a quick check with the Mom’s and then ordered four pairs of flip-flops in various sizes, a couple of the blue Zutano dresses for the toddlers, a very sporty outfit from Coco Bon Bon for the four-year old and one of Sophia’s Style Trendy Fashion Dresses for the six year old. All are part of the Summer Clearance Sale. When it’s time to dress the girls and head off to the children’s museum I will be ready and they will be – delightful!

Get any free accessory with purchase of STOKKE® XPLORY® stroller



Stokke is running a special promotion right now through August 15. When you buy a Stokke Xplory anywhere, you get one free accessory of your choice after registering the stroller at their website and showing proof of purchase. Pick from any and all accessories, including travel bags, car seat adaptors, diaper bags and more.

gDiapers



I posted about actress Alyson Hannigan and her daughter Satyana a few days ago, but I missed the gdiaper she was wearing. The earth friendly flushable diapers are also loved by Julia Roberts.

Tori Spelling shops with kids in Malibu



Tori Spelling was spotted at the Malibu Country Mart with her kids yesterday. One of her stops was 98% Angel.

First Birthday Party - Baby's Birthday Party Invitation Idea


We have started a family tradition to throw a big party for our children's first birthday. When my youngest daughter turned 1, I had a sneaky suspicion that the abundance of attention given to the 'first birthday girl' could create some sibling envy for my oldest daughter, who was 5 years old.

In order to avoid the anticipated sibling rivalry to rear its ugly head, I elected to thrust the 'big sister' into the role of throwing the best birthday party for her little sister. Her main responsibility was to design the birthday invitations. Together, we decided that the theme of the invitations would be 'Why I Love my Baby Sister.' Big sister had a blast brainstorming all of the reasons why she truly loved her little sister (some were touching, some funny and a few that were amusing). She then colored a picture to be used for the invitation.

I used our printer to make copies of her picture and the poem, so the invitations cost only pennies each to make. Here is the list:

I love my sister because:
she loves me
I get to feel her in my heart
I get to see her all the time
sometimes I get to have stuff without her
I have a real good time with her
she’s a real good little sister
she always wants me to play with her & I want to too
she laughs real funny and real loud and it’s so cute
she takes naps alot
we love each other


Sophias Style girl's clothing store offers a huges selection of birthday dresses, birthday shirts, party hats and more, all perfect for those cherished moments to be remembered forever!

What are your ideas for birthday invitations? We would love to hear!

Also, please share your birthday photos (featuring your birthday girl in Sophias Style clothes) on our Facebook page, and get a chance to win a $50 gift certificate.

Bel Bambini Customer Appreciation Days



Expecting and new parents and parents with toddlers are invited for Bel Bambini Customer Appreciation Days - two fun-filled days of pampering, exclusive discounts, gifts with purchase, hourly door prizes and a chance to speak with parenting experts at the unveiling of the newly renovated Bel Bambini store in West Hollywood.

The event will be held Saturday, July 18, 2009, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, July 19, 2009, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. For more info, check out their website.

New Boon Colors



The Boon feeding line is adding some color. In addition to orange and pink, the items will now be available in bright sky blue with a splash of fun green. The new colors will be shipping to retailers in early July.

almost handmade - jewelry


None of the Three Birdies really know much about jewelry making. So when we found these cool pendants from Plaid's Fresh line, we thought, hey, we could do that! Any of their pendants would be beautiful just on a plain chain or piece of ribbon. They look really fancy, but they take about two seconds to put together. So even though you didn't make the pendant, you still technically made the necklace. We like to call this method "almost handmade." We're actually kind of pros at "almost handmade." You know we like simple!

However, knowing that some of you like things a little more elaborate, we got Stacy's cousin Megan to help us dress these pendants up a little. She knows her stuff when it comes to making jewelry. She already had a ton of beads to choose from, so we just started by picking out some coordinating beads. Check out her bead design board that helps you lay out the beads so you can see how they'll actually look (without trying to keep them from rolling away!). Very handy.



Megan did the fancy footwork on the chain and clasp. Definitely something you could learn in a beading/jewelry class at your local bead store. And here's our finished product! Cool, huh?



The Fresh line has so many other cool resin pendants to choose from, like these.


We have some other great ideas for the Fresh jewelry line, so watch for more "almost handmade" soon. . .

Jacadi has Winter items already up



Kind of early for them this year, but Jacadi already has their Winter collection up for purchase. This is the French website.

Tori and Kids



Actress Tori Spelling was spotted on the beach in Malibu with Liam and Stella on Sunday. Stella wears Splendid Littles's Pebble Ombre Tunic Cropped Legging Set.

we're guest blogging today!

Make and Takes
We're so glad you stopped by today, but you'll have to go here to check out today's post! We recently partnered with one of our favorite blogs, Make and Takes, and every month we'll be guest blogging over there! Make and Takes has tons of great handmade ideas for kids and families. But we'll be supplying some "grownup" crafts for their readers. So check out our post, then check out the rest of the Make and Takes blog. You will love it. Just don't get lost and forget to come back here once in a while!

Right Start coming back



Well some good news now. The Right Start is coming back. The website will reopen later this month and the following stores will be reopening soon. No word on Babystyle yet.


Manhattan Beach - Opening July 8th

Santa Monica - Opening July 8th

Walnut Creek - Opening Mid July

Sherman Oaks - Opening July 8th

San Francisco - Opening Mid July

Pasadena - Opening July 1st

Chicago - Opening Late July

Houston - Opening Late July

Dallas - Opening Late July

"hip" cover up for girls

I think these are a brilliant idea. They're perfect for hiding underwear and muffin tops that are often visible with today's lose-rise jeans, without having to wear a t-shirt or tank. Unfortunately, these hip cover ups are for grown woman. Anyone with a tween daughter will know that younger girls could use this too. Why, oh why do clothing companies make low rise or ultra low rise pants for little girls? Sheesh! I didn’t want my sweetie showing the world her underwear every time she bent over so I decided to make one just for her.







"Hip" Cover Up Tutorial

Supplies:

*You will need a stretchy knit fabric. You can find this in the apparel section of your craft store or next to the dancewear fabric. I think I got mine for $3.99 a yard. I only bought half a yard and still had a ton left over.

*Stretchy sequins or lace (optional). My daughter wanted to make her cover up a bit snazzy so we also bought some stretchy sequin trim. You can also purchase stretch lace. The stretch part is really important. Regular lace and sequins will not work. The lace or sequins need to be able to expand over your child’s hips.

*Matching thread and sewing machine

Step One: Measure your child’s waist. My daughter’s waist was 23 inches. Then cut your fabric how tall you would like it. I used a good 10 inches. So my measurements were 23 inches by 10 inches.


Step Two: Cut your stretch lace or sequins one inch longer than your child’s waist measurement. I cut mine at 24 inches since my daughter's waist measurement was 23 inches. You can skip this step if you are not interested in adding this.

Step Three: Sew the two short sides together. I used my serger, but you can use a sewing machine. Be sure to use the appropriate needle for knit fabric.

Step Four: I left the top of the cover alone since it is a knit and will not fray. It may roll down a bit, but should be just fine left alone. You can fold it over and hem it if you like.

Step Five: Roll the bottom of the cover up ¼ to ½ inch (whatever you prefer) twice to make a nice hem. Pin in place. This is where you will attach your stretch lace or sequins so pin them down too, overlapping and tucking them in so you don't see the ends.


Step Six: With coordinating thread sew the hem and lace/sequins down.



Now layer it under a favorite tee. One simple cover up.


These are perfect for expectant moms who want to make a belly band so they can wear their normal jeans a little longer. . .

we got to meet judi of judikins!

Celebrity sighting! Guess who we met at the Redmond Ben Franklin store? A true papercrafting celebrity. She's an amazing artist, and we got to see her creating beautiful works of art in person. Her name is Judi Watanabe, and she is the genius behind the company JudiKins. We've touted her Diamond Glaze in the past (it's a staple at our jewelry classes!), but her product line is so much more than that. JudiKins makes rubber stamps, inks, and tons of other cool papercrafting and art supplies. She is uber talented and totally spunky--so much fun to watch! We asked her that day if we could post about our meeting, and she was so sweet to pose with us!


We were lucky enough to see her demonstrate her Mica Gloss inks with a brayer and some stamps. So cool!



Here's a link to a video of Judi playing with Mica Gloss, which is metallic pigment inks that come in a bottle. I love how the colors are so rich and lustrous, unlike anything you get from a regular stamp pad. Check out this how-to video from her Web site to see how she does it! She is a great teacher, always mentioning tips to make things easier.

She has a ton of other how-to videos with cool techniques and awesome crafts on Judikins.com. I'm only about halfway through them, but my head is about to explode with all the new ideas she's given me! You can also watch older episodes by searching "Judikins as seen on tv-weekly.com" on Google video.



So if you're totally jealous that we got to meet Judi and you didn't (we know, we're cool), you should check out the list of upcoming events on their site as well. If there's an event in your area, we highly recommend you check it out!

And another one's gone




Best & Co. has closed. The Greenwich, CT store has shut down and filed for bankruptcy after 12 years of being in business. Best & Co. was founded by Susie Hilfiger, ex-wife of Tommy, after she decided to revive the Best & Co. brand, which sold clothes in the eastern United States from 1879 to 1971.

Besides the store in Greenwich, Best & Co. also had a boutique in NYC's Bergdorf Goodman. That too is now closed, as is their website. I have no idea what will happen to all the merchandise, but it doesn't look like it will be one sale online. The stores are now closed completely as well.

raw vegetable dip



I know last week I gave you a recipe for apple dip, but I couldn't resist sharing another dip with you this week. We have been BBQing a lot lately and I love a good dip to go with my grilled meal. I may be biased since I grew up on this recipe, but this raw vegetable dip is my absolute favorite veggie dip. I have never found another that compares to it. It tastes great with just about any veggie, so pick your favorite assortment. This recipe would be perfect to try with all your friends for your fourth of July bash!

Raw Vegetable Dip

1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon onion flakes
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dillweed
1 tablespoon bon appetit

Mix together and refrigerate a few hours before serving. You can make it and serve right away, but it is better if it sits for a few hours so all of the flavors can come together.

Sarah Jessica Parker selects Bellini Furniture



Sarah Jessica Parker once again turned to Bellini Furniture to assist with her nursery needs. Bellini was honored to work with Sarah Jessica for James Wilkie’s nursery and is delighted to provide additional pieces for the twin’s arrival. This time she has selected items from Bellini’s Jessica Colection, including the dresser above.

Halle Berry at LAX



Halle Berry was spotted along with boyfriend Gabriel Aubry and their daughter Nahla at LAX earlier today. Nahla rides in a Baby Jogger City Mini in Stone.

Magic Beans Month -Long Raffles and Promotions



At a time when most retailers are tightening their belts, one Boston-area company is doing just the opposite. Magic Beans, Boston’s premier baby gear and toy retailer announced today that in celebration of its fifth birthday it will be giving away almost $10,000 worth of products - for free. For the entire month of July, Magic Beans will be holding daily giveaways on its website www.mbeans.com. These giveaways are unlike anything ever undertaken before, with extraordinary items from brands such as Bugaboo (a Cameleon!), Phil and Ted’s ( a Dash!) , Playmobil (BRAND NEW Egyptian Pyramid Set!), Monte (Ultrasuede Glider!), UppaBaby ( a Vista!), and many more of today’s top baby gear and toy companies.

“We are delighted to announce this unique way to celebrate our fifth birthday. We are proud of the fact that we've reached this milestone, and we really wanted to do something that would be memorable,”says Sheri Gurock co-founder of Magic Beans. “We have been so fortunate to have amazing customers and vendors supporting us over the past five years and we are ecstatic that this monumental giveaway enables us to salute both groups of people. The items we are offering for our daily giveaways represent the best of the best in baby gear and toys. We have everything from strollers, to play gyms, to baby carriers and even some never-before-seen products like the Playmobil Egypt set to give away throughout our birthday month. We know that this is going to be an exciting time for us and for our customers.

The daily giveaway will be announced each day on the company's website (mbeans.com), blog (spillingthebeans.net), and via Twitter (twitter.com/mbeans) and Facebook. To enter, the public should visit www.mbeans.com daily starting July 1, 2009. Winners will be announced the following day, and the company has promised a few surprises along the way, too, including a flurry of giveaways on July 7, the actual anniversary of the store's opening day.

For local Bostonians, July 7th also brings something really special. On that day, Magic Beans will offer a 5% discount on every purchase, in honor of the 5th birthday. Customers can visit any of the three stores in Brookline, Hingham or Wellesley to take advantage of this rare opportunity. Party decoration, cupcakes and party favors will abound as well.

For more information about Magic Beans and its fifth birthday please contact Rosie Mattio, Director of PR, rosie@mbeans.com/ 646-670-8220.

Facebook Photo Contest | Sophias Style Childrens Clothing Store



Facebook is such a growing means of communication now-a-days! SophiasStyle Childrens Clothing Store has a new Facebook page. By becoming a Facebook Fan, you'll receive free standard US shipping!

We're also running a contest now through August 1st. Submit your favorite photo of your little one in something from Sophia's Style. We'll draw the winning picture on Monday August 3rd and the winner will receive a $50 gift certificate towards purchases made on our website.


Fire up those cameras and post those adorable pictures to our Facebook page. We are looking forward to "seeing" your little cuties in our clothes!
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