Keep Kids’ Knees Protected with Crawlings

Two-year-old company Crawlings makes infant and toddler accessories, including kid-friendly kneepads.

It’s a Wobbly World Out There! Sisters and new moms Tina Dowden and Hailey Kim started their New York-based company out of a need to have what they call “fun and sweet utilitarian designs.” Available at Crawlings.com and retailers in the U.S., the UK, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the UAE, the company’s collection of kneepads give your child that extra protection while they learn to navigate the big and sometimes wobbly world in style.

As our babies were learning to crawl, their knees were always red, bruised, and scratched from the carpet, tile or hardwood floors. We tried to find a product in the marketplace that would protect their little knees without hindering their mobility. After months of searching, we decided to design and make exactly what was needed to help our babies as they became more mobile.

Made of premium cotton, EVA foam and spandex, Crawlings kneepads are soft, stretchable and breathable, designed to move and grow with the child. Perfect for indoor use and the rough ‘n tumble great outdoors.

Designed to protect in a super stylish way, the fun embroidered designs keeps kids standing tall, exploring what’s under their knees, and come in an adorable star-covered box, perfect for baby showers and birthday parties.

Crawlings also supports MiracleFeet, a nonprofit international organization to help children with clubfeet get the simple, affordable, and effective treatment they need to walk, run and play like every child deserves.

Thank you, Katie Hammond of 9SPR for introducing me to Crawlings!

Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

Enter the Organized Mom Awards 2012

Starts Today – enter The Organized Mom Awards and you could win $1,000!

Attention all moms in the U.S. and Canada! Care to share how you stay so organized? Here’s your chance to be recognized –and win for your efforts!

Nominate a friend in The Organized Mom Awards 2012. She could win $1,000 –and so could you! Nominate yourself, and you could win $1,000 plus $1,000 will be donated to your favorite registered charity!

It’s not about being the perfect mom, it’s all about moms sharing the tips and ideas that make them feel the most organized.

Here’s all you need to do. 1) Visit the Organized Mom Awards Facebook Page 2) Tell us what makes you or a friend an organized mom, and 3) Share the Top 3 Tips that help keep you or a friend so organized.

Once you or someone you know is nominated, invite friends and family to join in on the fun by casting a vote on the OMA’s Facebook Page. The 10 nominations with the most votes become the Top Ten Finalists, and a Winner is chosen by the OMA’s judges. But don’t go away … 30 runners-up with the most votes win prizes, too!

Want to be in the running to win daily spot prizes? Share your top organizational tips, recipes and parenting advice on the OMA’s Facebook Page for your chance to win.

Runs July 11-August 23. The Organized Mom Awards 2012 are brought to you by Stuck on You, makers of very cool personalized labels for moms –and kids. Here’s a list of important event dates:

Award Nominations Start – Wednesday, July 11, 2012 @ 12:00 pm PT

Award Nominations End – Sunday, August, 19, 2012 @ 11:59 pm PT

Finalists Announced – Monday, August 20, 2012

Winner and 30 Runners Up Announced – Thursday, August 23, 2012

Be a frequent visitor to OrganizedMomAwards.com and check out regular posts from mompreneurs, bloggers and moms from all over the U. S. and Canada, sharing their Top Tips, Favorite Things and Fun Stuff.

And stay tuned to Children’s Retail Today -here and on Facebook– I’ll be featuring the folks behind all this fun, plus nominating a few of my own favorite organized moms, too!

Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

Lullabies a la Lady Gaga

Kids everywhere can enjoy Soothing Lullaby Arrangements of Songs Made Famous by Lady Gaga -the newest addition to the Baby Blanket Music collection.

The distinctive Baby Blanket Music collection for children features unique lullaby arrangements of favorite songs from favorite artists, like Madonna, Michael Jackson, Elton John, Billy Joel, John Mayer, Simon & Garfunkel, Garth Brooks and The Beatles. And now, Lady Gaga joins this list.

As our line continues to expand, we are excited to introduce the songs of Lady Gaga. Arranging these edgy, contemporary tunes in a way that holds true to the Baby Blanket Music sound has been a welcomed challenge and pleasure.

-Josh Rutt, founder and CEO

New York-based teacher, composer and performer Josh Rutt created Baby Blanket Music in 2009. Josh developed his distinctive line of music designed to appeal to babies, parents and grandparents alike with guidance of a wide range of doctors, teachers and child development specialists.

Incredibly musical, always theatrical and undeniably relevant, Lady Gaga is be one of today’s hottest stars, and her catchy songs have captured the imagination of audiences worldwide. Baby Blanket Music’s album features instrumental arrangements of hits such as Just Dance, Poker Face, Bad Romance and The Edge of Glory.

Designed to soothe while enhancing the enjoyment and cognition of music, Baby Blanket Music features familiar baby sounds like vibraphones and music boxes paired with a full medley of rich, classical instruments including strings, woodwinds, pianos, harps and soft percussion.

Thanks, Hilary Abbott, for letting me know about Baby Blanket Music’s news! Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

The Zen of Nested Bean’s Swaddle

This new swaddle design provides the one thing a child craves to fall asleep restfully: a mother’s touch.

After her second child was born, Manasi Gangan spent many sleepless nights trying to calm her fitful boy to sleep. Unlike her older son, nothing worked more effectively to encourage slumber than holding her new baby close throughout the night. “I discovered that a mother’s touch is an essential part of soothing new arrivals, aiding their transition from the womb into the world,” Mansai says, “so I created a swaddle of sorts that simulated my touch. Slowly my son started to drift off and stay asleep with little help from me.”

Protection of a mother’s warm embrace. Mansai’s invention has evolved into the first swaddle uniquely constructed to harnesses the proven power of a parent’s touch to soothe and comfort a child, combining it with the traditional benefits of swaddling, and providing a time-tested, truly safe and secure environment for your baby. Made from 100% cotton and containing non-toxic filling in parts, the Zen Swaddle™ system fastens with Velcro® closures and uses custom accessories to create the effect of a warm embrace: The Peaceful Touch uses gentle pressure like that of a hand resting on your baby’s chest, while The Loving Embrace surrounds your baby on either side, from torso to thigh, with the comforting, reassuring feeling of resting in your arms. Trials with babies show that using the Zen Swaddle enables them to self soothe through minor disturbances, increasing the duration of sleep.

What I learned through extensive research with medical professionals, research scientists and childcare professionals is that touch is integral to babies’ sense of wellbeing. Babies find restful sleep in the Zen Swaddle™ because it provides them with the calming benefits they receive from their parents’ touch.

Passionate about Parenthood. Last year, Manasi founded Nested Bean Inc. with a mission to manufacture the best, safest products that cater to babies’ needs -and provide parents with peace of mind. The Zen Swaddle is the company’s inaugural product. “I gathered a team of professionals with a wide range of experience -juvenile product design, engineering, marketing, retail and management- to join in this mission,” Mansai says. “Several ideas were created and discarded until we developed the Zen Swaddle, the one design that met all of our goals to perfection.” Designed for babies weighing seven to 14 pounds, the Zen Swaddle has undergone rigorous safety testing at CPSC-accredited labs. “The Zen Swaddle is close to my heart because I helped with product development and branding,” says children’s apparel expert Caletha Crawford, who introduced me to Nested Bean. “It will be available at some great stores, such as like Tottini in Seattle and Magic Beans in Boston, at the end of July.”

Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

Get Your Fireworks On

Be a star and shine bright!

Happy Fourth of July from Children’s Retail Today

Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

Wee Ones – a company on the move

Back in 1973, when Barb Agatstein started making bows for her daughter Betsy, little did she know her home-based business would take off, becoming one of the most respected and well-known brands in the girls hair accessories market today.

Classic American Success Story. Missouri-based Wee Ones® makes high-quality hair bows, headbands, clips and other fashionable accessories for babies and young girls. Family-owned and award-winning, the company continues to turn heads for its design excellence, recently adding Sana Shucart as product designer. “Sana has done a lot of different things in the shoe industry,” says CEO Miles Faust, “and she’s excited to learn our business and find ways to apply what she’s learned to help Wee Ones grow.” A product development executive with an impressive track record, Sana is an expert at developing stylish and innovative brands for many major retailers across the country. And she’s excited to be looking at the world of fashion through the eyes of -well- a wee one. “It’s all about creating designs that the Wee Ones girl and all of her friends want to wear,” Sana says.

We believe we have something for every little girl, and moms have looked to us for our selection for almost 40 years.

The Wee Ones Girl Defined. Found in stores all over the U.S., and select retailers in Canada, Mexico, the UK and Korea (as well as the company website), Wee Ones is known for the classic, premium hair bow. The company also designs a line for tweens called Deidra & Kiki, and recently launched a new line for girls ages 10 thru 18 called Apres les Petites, which features sophisticated accessories that move beyond the Wee Ones bow. In addition, Wee Ones distributes Knot Genie, an amazing detangling hair brush for kids.

Big, Bright and Fashionable. Sana and founder Barb Agatstein –who still holds the title of chief design officer- work together closely on all aspects of design and product development. Wee Ones designers spend months studying the seasonal nuances and materials, to offer on-trend designs of the highest quality.

Glitter is our favorite color.

Last year, Wee Ones introduced an exclusive glitter ribbon featured in the WeeSparkle collection, hand-crafted from a unique grosgrain ribbon with a glitter-infused coating that does not rub off. Great for dressing up, dressing down, playgrounds and pools, the WeeSparkle collection comes in show-stopping colors perfect for girls of any age.

For the Fall/ Holiday 2012 season, be on the lookout for glam, glitz and glitter to complement every style, from bows to Banditz -the new fashion craze sweeping the nation.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

The Début of ARTIFACT

“I don’t know when ‘re-purposing’ became a word,”

says Molly Gaddy-Walters, self proclaimed glue gun expert, geek-of-anything-crafty, and freak of anything vintage. “I always thought it was cool to find hidden beauty in someone else’s treasure.”

Molly is also the owner/shopkeeper of ARTIFACT –a unique boutique, consignment shop and event space-featuring one-of-a-kind re-purposed and up-cycled home furnishings, clothing, gifts and more. “We specialize in helping people find beauty in the worn, torn and discarded,” Molly says, “or we give their personal artifacts a needed artistic touch.” The Las Vegas-based retailer is scheduled to open to the public on Saturday, June 30 in Tivoli Village with eco-conscious merchandise that’s Handmade in the USA by talented artisans found locally and across the United States. “This is one of the most talented, artistic and inspirational groups ever assembled; a true ensemble of creative genius, and I know together we are going to take the world by storm.”

ARTIFACT looks at retail differently. It has a story and purpose. Each unique object in ARTIFACT is like a lost treasure only to be found. Any kind of work that touches us on an emotional level -that brings us joy or happiness, tears or laughter- is art. Molly Gaddy-Walters has created an artful masterpiece in ARTIFACT. It is gift for all of us, to not only shop, but enjoy.

– Gina Gavan, founder and CEO of marketing development firm Tribal Minds

Making the ordinary art. The store is organized with several departments, including Scribble, the place where kids, babies and their parents can shop for fun, cool, trendy and classic finds that are re-purposed and up-cycled. There’s an organic market with handmade baby items including cribs, blankets, nursery décor, books and toys that have been re-purposed or are green. Scribble also features a crayon bar as well as The Trading Post, named for the historic North American place where folks exchanged goods, met, discussed current events and shared ideas. The Trading Post at ARTIFACT is for kids to meet and exchange toys in a safe environment.

Other ARTIFACT departments include Purpose, featuring vendors and artisans who create special custom orders; Masterpiece, furniture and decorative accessories; Portrait, clothing and jewelry for men and women; and Landscape, full of rare and unique found objects such as books, signage, outdoor/indoor fixtures and large art pieces.

Classes, events and more. Molly and her team plan to hold classes that focus on “the Art of ARTIFACTS,” as well as special ones that celebrate a birthday, birth of a baby or wedding. ARTIFACT also offers Green Chic Party Planning that works with a customer’s ideas and makes them green, including kids parties.

The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.

-Pablo Picasso

As one of her favorite quotes, Molly takes the words of Pablo Picasso to heart every day. After years of working in the high-end retail world, Molly stopped to stay at home with her kids –and started living with re-purpose. The family motto was “use it up, make it last, or do without,” she says. It didn’t take long for her to realize that re-purposing is not only a way of life, but a freedom –to express ourselves and define our personal style. “Trips to the thrift store seemed to unfold like a story book. I looked around and saw all the beautiful potential many of the items had. I felt the need to repurpose them in a way others would treasure.”

So it’s not hard to image that the début of ARTIFACT will bring back that very best of shopping experiences –finding something super special at an affordable price.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

Reservations on UrbanSitter

This online reservation service for local babysitters recently attracted $1.75 million from investors.

In the fall of 2011, UrbanSitter launched in San Francisco CA, giving moms and dads throughout the Bay Area the ability to book a qualified babysitter by leveraging members’ trusted networks to match families with caregivers.

Unlike other quality childcare services available online (I introduced you to NannyPro.com recently), UrbanSitter lets parents view sitters they know -as well as sitters their friends know- and book them in real-time.

We think that UrbanSitter is to babysitting what OpenTable is to restaurant reservations.

-co-founder Lynn Perkins

UrbanSitter was founded by a group of Internet veterans who wanted to use technology to power a faster, more personal babysitting service. Lynn Perkins, mother of twin boys, used her background running online clothing retailer Xuny.com, and convinced her three friends (Daisy Downs, an interactive media producer at ad agency Goodby, Silverstein and Partners; Andrea Barrett, a product manager at travel site TripIt; and Hadar Wissotzky, CEO of interactive digital agency Streamline Social) to help her come up with an answer for her outrageous question: Why is it that I could book an online restaurant reservation in minutes, yet had to spend hours calling and e-mailing around to find a babysitter?” Good question.

Social Yellow Pages. Parents sign up for UrbanSitter using Facebook Connect and can view sitters known through friends or affiliations -including schools, sports teams and parents groups- and can view each sitter’s availability in order to select a sitter for a specific date and time, or plan an outing when they know their favorite sitter is available. Jobs or interviews can be booked in minutes and parents can contribute written reviews, ratings and Facebook Likes to sitter profiles.

Babysitters who sign up with UrbanSitter can post their credentials, as well as availability, hourly rates and location preferences. The ability to see who parents are connected to fosters trust and familiarity and helps sitters decide which jobs to accept. To protect privacy, contact information is exchanged only after the booking is confirmed. And sitters keep all the money they earn and positive reviews posted to the site help them gain more work.

Parents have always found and booked babysitters through friends. UrbanSitter genuinely leverages the social graph to replicate the physical word-of-mouth experience online, and in the process, turns a formerly cumbersome process into just a few easy clicks.

Because UrbanSitter’s success is built on trust, the business took off. Within six months of its launch, San Francisco-based UrbanSitter expanded to New York City, Chicago, Denver, and more, according to Entrepreneur.com.

In January, the company –with 2,000 bookings per month, 2,500 registered babysitters- secured $1.75 million in seed funding. Led by First Round Capital, with participation from Rustic Canyon Partners, Menlo Ventures and several angel investors, the funds have furthered UrbanSitter’s mission, allowing another expansion to San Diego, Napa Valley and Sonoma, Seattle, Boulder, St. Louis and Lake Tahoe. UrbanSitter is also considering its model for use with other types of services, such as tutors and pet-sitters.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

How to Hire a Nanny – NannyPro.com

A safe and easy way to find qualified childcare is only a few clicks away.

NannyPro.com is an online service to help anyone find the best nannies and babysitters, offering advice, tips, and resources for not only families, but the nannies and babysitters, too.

We understand your needs, concerns, and fears, because we have been in your shoes.

“When my wife went back to work after maternity leave, we were faced with the challenge of finding a trustworthy, responsible, and loving nanny for our three children,” says co-founder Ken Myers. This experience has prompted us to found and operate NannyPro.com.”

In addition to providing services that include information on childcare and how to hire a caregiver, NannyPro also has resources on education, health and wellness –even ways to save, pets and kids sports, such as this article, 10 Reasons Big Wheels Have Stood the Test of Time, written by contributor Sara Dawkins.

The folks at NannyPro personally conduct in-depth reviews of each nanny and babysitter who joins the NannyPro listing, including reference and background checks and in-person interviews. site. “We do extensive research using the best background check options on the market and are able to offer our users a Best-in-Class Background Check process,” they say. NannyPro recently expanded by partnering with childcare leader eNannySource.com, a resource for over 15 years. The Buffalo, NY-based business serves the United States and Canada.

Both sites offer a unique experience for families and caregivers to meet and help raise our children.

The Complete NannyPro Hiring Guide. One of NannyPro’s services free with each full membership is a complete hiring guide written by company president Carolin Soldo, full of advice on how to get started, the nanny or babysitter hiring process, templates and forms including interview selection sheets, interview questions, sample work agreement, all you need to know about nanny taxes, and more.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

Hoodebaby Love

One of life’s simple pleasures has got to be a walk in the rain on a warm summer day.

Showers could be fleeting though – and over before you can get the kids into their raincoats. All you could hope for is they’ve got their rain boots on … to puddle-splash, of course. Or … you can get your kids a Hoodebaby.

Slip it on, wrap them up and go. Made for babies, toddlers and kids (and hopefully for adults someday –hint, hint), Hoodebaby is a hooded wrap that blankets children easily from rain and cold. This stylish outerwear is a one-size-fits-all alternative to wearing a coat. Hoodebaby rainwear is crafted of BPA and lead free 100% laminated cotton and double combed cotton flannel, and the warmwear is made from designer micro fleece and soft fluffy baby bunting. Great for walking in the rain, keeping the chill of air conditioning at bay or weathering a beach breeze.

Stuffing a baby into a coat is always cumbersome. The child becomes overheated, car seat straps need to be loosened (which is unsafe) and it is very awkward carrying a child wearing a coat.

Designer/creator Rani Isbell is raising five kids with her husband, and she’s was always looking for ways to make their day-to-day routine less complicated. “Hoodebaby is faster, easier and more comfortable than a coat,” she says. “It will be one of the most useful additions to your child’s wardrobe.”

I especially love the colorful prints – from sandalwood to tart, gypsy, teal pom pom and pink owl, they make Hoodebabies stand out from the crowd. You can tell they’ve cuddly soft and fun to wear.

By the way, the “e” in Hoodebaby honors Rani’s most recent edition to her family, baby Elias.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today! Thanks, Rachel Florio PR, for introducing me!