Celebrity Favorites

baby Jack blankets


A child’s first blanket, handmade with love – creating comfort for little ones.

“Our products are all about the senses,” says Kelley Legler, owner and resident Mom of Wisconsin-based baby Jack blankets. “Vibrant colors, textured ribbons and two fabrics – a Silky Satin top coupled with a Minky dimple-dot fleece back.”

071113_babyJackblankets_Yellow Circles Bulk OrderMade in the USA. Kelley and her mother-in-law Nancy hand make these custom blankets with ribbon accents, sewn shut into tabs to prevent a child’s tiny fingers from getting entwined. The design leaves one ribbon open as a “link loop,” to attach a pacifier clip or toy. They specialize in baby- and child-size blankets, and are happy to accommodate larger sizes on request.

“We welcome all custom orders, as I love to create a blanket to fit any person’s personality or match a nursery,” Kelley says. “I find these blankets to be perfect baby shower gifts, all at a low cost, too!”

071113_babyJackblankets_TwinsiesCelebrities Love ‘Em. Kelley also tells me the ribbon tabs provide a safe means of tactile play and sensory stimulation for little ones. Make sure to monitor your child closely during use, please!

baby Jack blankets can be found in boutiques throughout the U.S., as well as many zoos, hospitals, Harley Davidson dealerships, botanical garden gift shops, and on Yoyo.com. Allow two to three weeks for delivery.

071113_babyJackblankets_FlagLoveyIf you are interested in carrying baby Jack blankets in your store, please contact Kelley for wholesale pricing at babyjackblankets@hotmail.com.

Madpax


052313_MadPax_01‘Funk’tional backpacks that are the talk of the town.

Mike Cordovana and Tina Huber make ultra cool backpacks for creative kids … and their parents! The team experiments with ways to construct backpacks that make them stand out in a crowd.

MadPax backpacks are like no other –the cutting edge, origami-inspired designs scream individuality in a unique and wildly fun way!

Each creation conceived enters the ‘fabratory’ as a double dare of design and possibility. We add the punk, passion and purpose, dab out the drab and add the rad.

052313_MadPax_02Is it creature, myth or magic? A huge celebrity favorite –count Britney Spears, Hugh Jackman, Naomi Watts, LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian as customers- MadPax packs are available in a range of sizes, including Full Size, Half Size, Nibbler (a name I really love), a fully-insulated lunch pack and the Mighty Bite, to stash the small stuff.

052313_MadPax_03Once the creator behind custom homes, Mike Cordovana is the company’s math and manufacturing wizard; Tina Huber adds the funk as “sorceress of sales and marketing.” This duo has plans for additional Madpax -including halfpax, packs for littles under five, lunchboxes and accessories.

Pax on, I say!

SoYoung


Lifestyle bags and products with a celebrity following.

052113_SoYoung_backpacks_02Canadian mom Catherine Choi is the founder of SoYoung, a line of diaper bags, lunch boxes, cooler bags and accessories designed for the modern family. The line is characterized by clean lines, elegant functionality, tough-yet-tender fabrics and lovely silkscreen graphics, which come together with great urban appeal.

In the instant we meet our child for the first time, we are transformed by the sudden expansion of our hearts in a way we never thought possible. SoYoung is about acting on this inspiration. It’s about the pursuit of possibility and watching an idea blossom into reality.

Catherine’s Aha Moment. With no previous background, Catherine simply decided to design a better diaper bag! The process took four years to bring to market, but for her, it was a profound conviction, a sign you could say.

052113_SoYoung_lunchbagscoolersThe name of Catherine’s company –SoYoung- is actually her Korean name, one she tried hard to leave behind, yet became the nature choice for a business name of her own.

“Our products strive to add beauty to the everyday moments of life with children,” she says. “We treasure the unexpected moments of joy and laughter set against the backdrop of raising a family.”

052113_SoYoung_logoThe Toronto-based company with a celebrity following –like Halle Berry and Heidi Klum- is launching a new collection of waxed canvas bags and a new diaper clutch, available this August.

Sold across Canada, the United States and internationally in Australia, New Zealand, Kuwait, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Luna Leggings


051513_LunaLeggings_04Adorables for fashion-conscious, high-spirited young girls … and their legs!

Inspired by her daughters’ love for bright color combinations coupled with a mutual respect for flowers, trees and edible gardens, designer Jennie Hearing transformed their carefree and creative style into Luna Leggings, adding spice and whimsy to any girl’s wardrobe.

The line of organic cotton tights and leggings for girls ages 0-8 is made of high-quality organic cotton, in a wide range of colorful designs and graphic patterns that appeal to the most creative of fashionistas.

We’ve created versatile styles and hip designs that fit well and wear well- they are not your ordinary tights!

051513_LunaLeggings_05Durable and functional, styles feature footless or footed leggings -some with attached tutu skirts- in bright, bold nature and edible garden-inspired designs. “Using the perfect blend of high-quality organic cotton enables us to produce ultra-soft, long-lasting leggings,” Jennie says. “Nylon stitching and seams maximize stretch and strength, while a wide, reinforced waistband adds comfort and stay-ability.”

051513_LunaLeggings_SJPTwinsJennie and her team have a close relationship with the small, family-run knitting company in India, where Luna Leggings are manufactured. “Spending time with the owners, their children and grandchildren, and sharing meals at their home in India, has greatly enhanced the working relationship and helped to create a close bond across continents,” she says. “We’ve hosted the owner’s daughter in our home; she actually dressed my girls in the very first Luna Leggings!”

Available at over 60 stores nationwide as well as Liberty in London, Luna Leggings also has a huge following from celebrity moms such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Alessandra Ambrosio, Jennifer Garner and Alyson Hannigan.

051513_LunaLeggings_02The Oakland, CA-based company donates 10% of profits to the Edible Schoolyard Project (founded by chef Alice Waters of Chez Panisse fame), dedicated to getting middle school students involved in all aspects of farming organically, then preparing, serving and eating food to teach the value of nourishment, community and the land. “We make thoughtful and conscious decisions to support and respect our environment – our kids make us more aware because every decision effects more than ourselves, and we know that our actions today effect generations to come.”

  • Thanks, Teri Akahoshi of Dana Dramov PR, for introducing me to Luna Leggings! 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!

Elegant Baby: high-style, high-quality design


The folks at Elegant Baby® like to say that babies deserve style just as fresh and unique as they are.

And if you’re a trendy, hip and stylish parent, chances are your kids are trendy, hip and stylish, too. And … you’re exactly the kinds of customers who love Elegant Baby.

From baby blankets and baby clothing sets to piggy banks, picture frames and rubber ducks, this family-owned American business gives style-conscious families the choice of affordable baby gifts featuring the very best in quality, design, craftsmanship and tradition.

Our beautiful keepsakes, stylish fashion apparel, baby blankets, nursery items and more all feature the hottest patterns and colors inspired by runway fashion and interior design.

Celebrity Favorite. Famous faces like Angelina Jolie, Tiger Woods, Gwen Stefani and Tom Cruise give Elegant Baby gifts to their children, but so do everyday moms all across the country.

Founded in Burlington, NC by Fred V. Hooper, Elegant Baby was designed to serve the higher end of the baby product industry. Its parent company, Baby Needs, Inc., has been around since 1967, and is known for the Grow Time brand of children’s products. Since 2002, Fred’s son Yates Hooper had led his family’s company, bringing years of experience in the international fashion industry and his own unconventional vision to Elegant Baby. Now, the company is known for affordable, sophisticated baby necessities that are stylish and fun.

The collection has taken off in a really exciting direction, but we’re still honoring tradition. We’re going to make sure Elegant Baby® offers the best of both worlds – the old and the new.

  • Another Rachel Florio PR client! 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!

Denise Richards loves the Ba


Actress and author Denise Richards signs on to endorse The Original Baby.

Denise Richards may be a popular actress and author, but first, she’s a mother of three. And she discovered the Ba –made by The Original Baby– about a year ago, when she adopted baby Eloise.

I couldn’t help but be drawn to the design. It was this color-popping, cool and easy-to-grip addition to Eloise’s standard bottle that made it fun for her, and easy for me because she is in control -as a baby.

Denise and Eloise appear with the Ba in a recent video and pictures shot by renowned photographer Yu Tsai for The Original Baby. “Working with Yu Tsai was a very real experience. He captured us -Eloise and me and the way we interact, our relationship,” Denise says. “It was an experience with my baby, and it was captured, beautifully.”

Compatible with most baby bottle brands, the Ba’s design encourages the simple steps of grasping and feeding as early as three months old. It is also designed affordably, retailing at just $14.99.

Founded in 2011, Portland, OR-based The Original Baby makes the Ba, which was initially invented by rock-n-roll dad Travis Hendricks, who wanted something to help his daughter better hold her own bottle. Travis sought the help of three other dads –a designer, a lawyer and a single father- in producing The Original Ba, recipient of multiple awards including the 2012 RedDot Design Award -one of the world’s largest and most distinguished design competitions- as well as the Bronze IDEA 2012 Award.

Committed to designing unique, functional products, this innovative company is now working to improve other important baby accessories including utensils, pacifiers, bottles and others.

These self-proclaimed dad-preneurs are creating products to make life a little easier, and a lot more fun, for both parent and child.

Thanks Lisa Orman, for introducing me to The Original Baby!

  • 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!

Drool Monkey – 100% Certified Organic Cotton


You learn something new every day.

When Kam Corkin introduced me to her young company, I learned not just one, but two things. 1) what a “lovie” is and 2) how easy it is to be drawn to a product with such a cute name.

Kam is founder/CEO of Drool Monkey Organics, makers of fine-quality, eco-friendly baby products, and specializing in organic hankies and teething lovies. What’s more, the heirloom-quality lovies are made from a custom-woven wicking fabric that helps prevent drool and teething rash. Simply knot the corners to give your baby relief from those growing pains, too.

Kam designed the first Drool Monkey as a practical solution for her drooling baby. “When my first child was three months old and started putting everything in her mouth,” she tells me, “I knew I had to find a non-toxic solution that was easy to keep clean.” Her organic and sanitary products quickly became sought after by all her friends,  so she started her Monterey, CA-based business right as her second child was born. “It’s been a roller-coaster trying to launch a product during such a busy time in my life, but it’s been magical to watch my son use the product that I invented for my daughter three years ago.”

We also just had our first celebrity sightings. Selma Blair has been photographed using her Drool Monkey. Ali Landry just tweeted a photo of her son, Marcello, snuggling his Drool Monkey.

I’ll let Kam tell you what makes Drool Monkey so unique:

  • Made from custom-woven organic cotton fabric, it is amazingly luxurious and soft. The best part is that it can be washed and dried every day to keep it clean and sanitary without any piling.
  • Multi-purpose Cloth Teether, Burp Cloth, Sleep-Aid (absorbing Mom’s scent), Blankie and even a Nursing Cover or Sun Shield – all in one.
  • Teething Relief – Tie a cube of ice in the extra fabric for baby to chew on (works like a mesh feeder but doesn’t get baby wet); tie knots in the corners for baby to chew on – it even comes with two removable ribbon tethers
  • Each Drool Monkey comes packaged in an organic cotton snap front wristlet bag complete with a free gift tag.
  • A gift that Mom will find extremely useful from the newborn stage all the way into the toddler years.
  • Designed by a Mom for a Mom

My own two kids are kitty-kids … but I’m convinced even my cats would appreciate a Drool Monkey. I know I would!

  • 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!

Shine On with Little Trendstar


In one of my other lives, I produced marketing campaigns for Xena: Warrior Princess, creating the much-loved, often-repeated tagline, Battle On!

And if you know anything about Xena and her passion, you know that’s exactly what she does.

That’s the thing about taglines – the good ones are shorthand for the true essence of a brand, capturing the heart as well as the imagination.

So it is with Little Trendstar®, the much-loved (especially celebrity-love!), often-talked-about children’s brand of designer clothing, created for kids and babies to Shine on!

My two little boys inspired me to start Little Trendstar® since they love the spotlight. I wanted to create tees that were worthy of their ‘look at me’ personalities!

-Nicole Worth

Demand a Second Look. Owner Nicole Worth and her team are creating t-shirts and baby one-pieces made from 100% cotton, and the look-at-me graphic designs are printed with non-toxic, water-based inks that contain no phthalates or PVC. Part style icon, part rock n’ roll and all trendy, the designs let kids capture the spotlight –as they so love to do- with fun and fashionable clothes that are as “stage-worthy as their one-of-a-kind personalities.”

What kids will do with all this attention is up to them, but making them shine while wearing our tees is us saying be a Little Trendstar®!

Made in the USA. Not only is Little Trendstar Made in the USA, so is the creative inspiration. In addition to being a mom of two boys, Nicole is co-owner of Michigan-based Formcode Design Group, which creates graphic and website design.

In April, photographer AJ Mueller and his team at Streetview Productions hand-built a stage backdrop for the Little Trendstar Spring/Summer collection photo shoot. “We added just enough star quality to really give off a rock concert vibe,” Nicole writes on her blog. The models did a fantastic job performing and letting their inner rock star shine.”

See what Gwen Stefani, Tori Spelling, Kate Hudson -their celebrity kids- and a gaggle of hip mommy bloggers are talking about! Thank you, Rachel Florio PR, for introducing me to Little Trendstar.

  • 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!

Be a Chatfan of Chatman


Cheerful, emotive figure helps make computer time more fun, productive and safe.

Atlanta, GA-based Penny Black Digital, in partnership with Israel-based Rondyo Ltd., introduces Chatman, the first and only artificially intelligent computer friend designed to make online chat sessions, web surfing, games and homework more fun, creative -and safe. This cool, smart and funny friend sits by a child’s computer and interacts with them.

Bright Yellow and Boisterous. For kids ages six to12, Chatman talks, moves eyes, hands and ears, and has a unique animated LED mouth. Just like a friend, Chatman understands language, context and mood, and expresses emotions, recognizing over 15,000 words, with 2,000 movements and 30 moods.

No Stranger Danger. In addition to providing education and fun, Chatman also filters words and web content based on parental controls helping to keep children safe on the Internet. Chatman allows peace of mind for parents by working with and filtering a child’s online conversations on Facebook®, Skype™ and MSN® Messenger. Chatman alerts when inappropriate web searches are attempted.

The internet can be both social and isolating at the same time. That’s one of the reasons Chatman is available -to provide kids with a friendly emotive companion while they spend time online. Chatman has plenty of functionality, but integrates solid parental controls and creates a safe zone that keeps your child safe online, too.

-recent product review

Boom Boom. Chatman received an exclusive invitation to participate in the 2012 Oscars Boom Boom Room celebrity gifting suite as one of the hottest must-have parenting products. Chatman was created and developed by Rondyo co-founders Joseph Levy and Doron Frenkel. Chatman’s migration to America follows its successful debut in Israel in 2010.

  • 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 Beauty of Simply Lana


As a special Mother’s Day promotion, enjoy free shipping with any purchase of Simply Lana towels between now and May 13.

Amanda Sayler recently introduced me to Simply Lana, a line of beautiful, large round towels made with a unique buttoned loop, for easy hanging on almost anything. As sales manager, she’s been keeping me up-to-date on all their celebrity likes, too – such as chef Paula Dean, actor Patricia Arquette and super-mom Giada De Laurentiis, who uses the Little Chick towel in her daughter Jade’s playroom.

“Our towels make a perfect baby shower gift for the mom to be,” Amanda says. “The soft cotton terry is gentle on a baby’s skin, and our unique button loop will make sure the towels never fall down staying clean for your baby.” Made from durable, high-quality100% cotton terry with cotton trim, Simply Lana towels feature contrasting color combos and embroidered embellishments that appeal to everyone. “Because the towel drapes in soft folds, you can dry your hands on one bit, then turn it to get to the next dry section, so it’s always ready for you.”

The towels are super-versatile, stay in place (so stay cleaner) and will be loved and used by adults and children, cooks and golfers, moms and tennis players – everyone you can think of!

Growing up in the former Soviet Union, Lana Hall enjoyed the practical, analytic side of life. Earning several degrees in the medical field, she immigrated to the U.S. in 1994 –and that’s when she received a unique gift from a friend back in Russia: a circular kitchen towel, suspended from a center loop, so it could be hung on a cabinet knob or on a hook. Her scientist mind kept thinking of new ways to make it better –bigger, more absorbent, colorful, even more practical- so, she set about customizing the design, until Simply Lana was born. Her doctor husband –and all of her friends- simply love it!

  • 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!