Month: September 2013

The Matching Dots & KNOCKOUT Tees


Be cool. Be glamorous. Be spotted! Our motto has this fun double meaning: wear spots and be spotted. Our customers are unique and original, and we make them noticeable!

090413_TheMatchingDots_02Made in the USA. Polka dots have made a royal comeback, thanks to Princess Kate being “spotted” leaving the hospital with newborn Prince George. And dots are being done in a fun, modern way right here in the US by The Matching Dots, a company that specializes in polka dot prints, featured in designs for girls and their dolls, as well as their moms and their little dogs, too!

090413_TheMatchingDots_04Fe Read and Augusta Justen have made their childhood dream of owning a business come true with their socially responsible clothing line that’s not only Made in the USA, but making a difference in the world.

“Our unique and exclusive coordinating designs are proven to strengthen family relationships,” Fe tells me, who bonds with her own little girl wearing their coordinating Matching Dots dresses. Fe, who lives with her family in North Carolina and serves as managing director of The Matching Dots, has a background in business management working for non-profits, and has a soft spot in her heart for helping kids in need. “Philanthropy is a big part of our organization,” she says. “For every dress we sell we feed one hungry child in partnership with Stop Hunger Now.”

090413_TheMatchingDots_03Augusta also studied business management, but she decided to follow her passion to fashion early on, studying in Italy, London and Brazil before moving to the Portland, OR area and becoming the creative director of The Matching Dots.

“Behind each one of our designs is the desire to help strengthen family relationships,” they say. “We are very passionate about what we do and we feel delighted with the possibility of being part of your special moments.”

I’m tickled by the team’s explanation of why “dots” are so special –especially the notion that many believe something intrinsically “divine” or “perfect” can be found in circles.

090413_TheMatchingDots_KnockOutTees_01TEE Parties. Fe and Augusta are also the minds behind KNOCKOUT Tees, a line born soon after The Matching Dots with the goal is to help “knock out” hunger, child abuse and neglect, malnourishment, poverty and violence.

A percentage of profits automatically goes to address the needs of children, so by supporting both The Matching Dots and Knockout Tees, you are helping children in need. The company puts together events called TEE PARTIES every year to raise funds for specific non-profit agencies throughout the US.

Giada De Laurentiis’ Recipe For Adventure


The New York Times bestselling author and Food Network star cooks up a little something for the kiddies –and for their moms.

090313_RecipeForAdventure_NaplesGiada De Laurentiis knows a little something about travel. Not only was she born in Rome, growing up in Los Angeles where she now lives with her husband, Todd and their daughter, Jade, she attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris and works for a television network based in New York’s Chelsea Market.

Giada also knows a thing or two about how to fill the hours riding on a plane. In addition to perhaps working out new recipes for her incredibly popular television series, Giada at Home, she’s written a few stories about two kids who travel the world, learning about food and culture.

090313_RecipeForAdventure_ParisOn Sale Today! Giada De Laurentiis’s Recipe for Adventure children’s book series transports readers to famous food cities around the world. The first two books in the series, Naples! and Paris!, go on sale today; a third, Hong Kong! is also available.

090313_RecipeForAdventure_HongKongIllustrated by Francesca Gambatesa, the books introduce kids to Zia Donatella, who comes to live with the Bertolizzi family. And when she does,  little do Alfie and his older sister Emilia know what’s in store for them. Zia Dontella is determined to show the kids how a home-cooked meal is better than even the best take-out pizza or burrito. And when Zia’s plan actually transports Alfie and Emilia to famous food cities around the world, they learn first-hand how food can not only take you places but can also bring you back home. Each book includes recipes for those home-cooked meals.

Available on Amazon.com.

090313_RecipeForAdventure_GiadaLogoA Little Something for Mom, Too.  With the recent launch of the digital publication Giada, the very popular chef is re-imagining the very notion of a weekly lifestyle publication, with an editorial package that allows for on-the-spot content and is responsive to reader input.

The new media offers a blend of original and curated lifestyle content focused on food, beauty, fashion, home décor, health and fitness, travel and family life. In addition, there’s  Giada’s “hotlist” -what she’s listening to, reading or watching and  “Feel Good Food,” her weekly column devoted to her secrets for eating well and staying fit (she’s also written a new book by the same name, coming out this fall).

090313_RecipeForAdventure_GiadaIn addition, each issue will include recipes that readers can collect and save in a personal “Recipe Box” and share with friends via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and email, as well as tips to up their style quotient and ideas for places to visit and products to buy. Upcoming issues will feature reader-generated content as well as editorial features created in response to reader feedback, making it a truly interactive experience for subscribers and Giada’s fans.

Giada has always had an exceptional level of engagement with her fans through social media. By publishing weekly and in a digital format, Giada is able to deepen that engagement, providing a more immersive experience for her highly mobile audience while maintaining the authenticity that is a hallmark of her brand. Giada is redefining what a magazine can be by creating an experience that has the immediacy of a social platform with the functionality of an app. We are thrilled that she has chosen to explore this exciting new space with us.”

-Pam Krauss, Senior Vice President and Publisher, Clarkson Potter

The inaugural issue of Giada is free. Available now for downloading from Newsstand on iPad; iPhone and web-optimized versions will be available later this fall. Future issues will be published every Thursday. Giada is powered by Paragraph’s publishing platform, that lets authors, publishers and other organizations create beautiful magazines for tablets, mobile devices and the web.

I bring all this up because I know a lot of my Children’s Retail Today readers are exceptionally creative and innovative –and Giada’s new products can really inspire new business opportunities!