Fresh Find for Valentine Inventory

An imaginative artist captures the “cute” in a playful collection of jewelry and artwork inspired by his original pop art.

Looking for that one last Valentine’s Day find sure to capture the hearts of little girls- and their moms at the same time? Oakland CA, USA-based artist Mark Poulin combines his passion for metalworking and pop art to create a quirky, modern twist on the classic charm. From dogs and cats, groundhogs and squirrels, to stars and Martians, his playful sterling silver charms are hand-cast from wax models of his original drawings.

The Mark Poulin Jewelry collection is a real find- a modern, affordable assortment of handmade rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets, coupled with unique plaques and prints featuring cartoons of endearing animals and bold graphics created from his original sketches, kiln-fired into enamels.

Mark’s work also features bright, bold colors in unique shapes and designs, perfect for any age. With four distinct looks:

Charms – affordable sterling silver treasures

Cartoons – sketches of favorite creatures

Botanical – a modern slant on nature

Modern – simple bold color for men and women

My designs express two distinct sides of my personality.

-Mark Poulin

Mark Poulin’s work is featured in jewelry, children’s and art stores, including SFMOMA and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Available wholesale.

Skylar Luna débuts at ENK Children’s Club

Designer Wen C. Reese is débuting Skylar Luna, an in-stock, organic pajama collection for Fall 2011, at ENK Children’s Club -offering retailers year-round availability.

“Through my experience in children’s wear, I know that value is key for retailers today. With Skylar Luna, retailers get a high‐quality product at reasonable prices.”

-Wen C. Reese

She describes the line as “soft, organic cotton washed in a sophisticated palette using simple designs,” choosing organics because children wear pajamas close to the skin for many hours each day. “I wanted a product that was as pure as possible.” The collection is available in sizes 12‐18 months to size 8 for both boys and girls, and meets CPSC guidelines. Features snug‐fitting, two‐piece bodies constructed of yarn‐dyed,100 percent organic cotton and flat seams. Each set packaged in reusable linen pouches. The launch collection features stripes in eight color combinations including a holiday-themed combo perfect for Christmas pajamas, a bubble print and a hand‐drawn robot motif. New colors and prints released twice a year, wholesaling for $17. “Because we ship all the time, stores can try the collection out right away with minimum risk and easy, immediate reorders.”

Wen also owns and designs the Skylar sportswear label, a family business, and like it, Skylar Luna is produced in the family factory in China. This arrangement ensures the line is always delivered on time and offers consistent, superior quality.

See Skylar Luna at booth#2211 during ENK Children’s Club July 31-August 2.

Safe in the Arms of Love

“The perfect gift for the families of newborns. A timeless classic!”

-DEEPAK CHOPRA, M.D.

For the over four million babies that are born in the United States each year, nothing is more important than creating a strong bond with their parent. Yet with demands of modern life, many of today’s parents are not sure just how to create that bond.

Safe in the Arms of Love combines beautiful, intentionally designed music, heartwarming lyrics and an accompanying book full of essential and easy to understand information on the importance of how healthy attachment builds a secure emotional foundation for a child’s entire life.

Endorsed by leading authorities such as Deepak Chopra, M.D., Christiane Northrup, M.D., Dean Ornish, M.D., Marshall Klaus, M.D. and Phyllis Klaus, MFT, LMSW, the music and book package is the first release from producers Resonant Sounds, LLC, which creates products utilizing Positive Intention Music™ to help parents experience healthy bonding with their baby.

Developed by sound healer and songwriter Lisa Rafel, Emmy-winning composer Gary Malkin and clinical psychologist Dr. David Surrenda, the book and CD are designed to relax both parent and child, allowing them to form the deep heart connection that is the essence of the bonding experience.

“The music is intended for use during pregnancy and after the baby is born, while nursing, putting the baby to sleep, or to create a moment in the day that is just between the parent and the child,” Lisa, who is also founder of Resonant Sounds. “The lyrics were written from a place of deep love and connection, and are meant to evoke those emotions within the parent as she or he interacts with their infant.”

The music in Safe in the Arms of Love was intentionally composed to facilitate bonding using Positive Intention Music™. “By utilizing psychoacoustics and sound healing principles, we are helping to create a peaceful, attentive, heart filled atmosphere where both parent and baby can become emotionally connected,” says Gary Malkin.

FYI – Dr. David Surrenda is also CEO of Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health -the largest retreat center in the US- and one of my favorite places for learning and growing.

-Janet Muniz

Hello, the house!

Newly listed! A chic dollhouse for kids ages three and older!

The Emerson House draws inspiration from Richard Neutra‘s Desert House and an A. Quincy Jones-designed house for actor Gary Cooper. This modern child’s toy house is the perfect home for the modern toy family, with a living room, kitchen, library/office, master bedroom, bathroom and child’s bedroom. Dolls can enjoy year-round sunlight in its large, open floor plan and floor-to-ceiling windows. It features many distinguishing architectural details such as glass corners, two fireplaces, including one built with cut stone, scored hardwood floors, recessed LED lights powered by solar panels and sliding glass doors. Assembly required.

Designed by Tim Boyle and measuring 30 by 21 by 18 inches, the Emerson House is built using only non-toxic and lead-free wood stains and paints and real CARB-certified woods by Brinca Dada, (BREEN-kuh DEY-duh), an exciting new toy company “that delivers the best thinking in modern aesthetics and innovative play-value to create toys that kids love to play with and parents love to look at.” This team believes that toys don’t need to be noisy or flashy to be exciting; that toys can be beautiful and fun. The company is helmed by founder/CEO Douglas Rollins, who is inspired by his love of design and toys. Doug spent nine years Toys”R”Us and ToysRUs.com in marketing, new concept development and buying, as well as launching several different start-up companies.

Pretty impressive, right? So is the price: over $300. Yet, it’s a magnificent find for that modern family.

-Janet Muniz

lollacup

Easy to use & clean, safe and Made in the USA!

Mom Hanna Lim was surprised to see her daughter drinking from a straw at nine months old. Her pediatrician suggested weaning her to a straw instead of a sippy, so she immediately purchased several toddler straw cups, but realized that her daughter could not get a sip out of any of them. “After talking with other mothers, I learned that some of their children find it so difficult to sip from toddler straw cups that they are turned off from using straws altogether,” Hanna says. “That’s when lollacup was born.”

The entire experience inspires Hanna to develop the lollacup, a stylish and functional, BPA- and phthalate-free drinking cup with an innovative patent-pending design. A flexible, valve-free straw with a weighted end allows children to drink effortlessly from it, even when reclined at an angle.

And all parts are manufactured, assembled and packaged in the USA, in an ISO 9001 certified facility that carries an FDA Device Manufacturing License from the California Department of Health Services. CPSIA compliant, too!

-Janet Muniz

Babymio Collection

“These highest quality baby bitties are built to last for a lifetime of hugs from the softest Minky fabrics.”

-owner June Wong

Débuting last summer, the Babymio Collection is a line of blankies, BaBa Loveys, booties and slippers, bibs, robes and plush animals for infants from birth to 24 months featuring six animals: Millie the Giraffe, Jax the Tiger, Mooky the Cow, ChiChi the Cheetah, Mellven the Moose and Kona the Monkey. Purchase separately or in gift sets. The company started in a spare bedroom by a mother and daughter team last July, and it’s growing quickly. June recently moved into a 2,000-square-foot warehouse in Sunnyvale, CA and the collection is selling in 50 stores across 16 states.

-Janet Muniz

Silly Souls

Still looking for that irreverent retail stocking stuffer?

The concept known as Silly Souls is the silly brainchild Shelley Foster. Originally branded as babygags, Shelley’s “baby” is now supported by a network of sales representatives in U.S. and Canada and international distribution partners in Europe and Asia, serving over 1,000 boutique customers and key online retail partners. In 2009 the company launched its own online retail store which ships to customers all over the world.

For this holiday, Silly Souls and publisher Condé Nast partner on The New Yorker Baby Collection, which features cartoons from The New Yorker magazine. The line includes baby bodysuits, beanies, bibs, booties, melamine dish sets and t-shirts. Each product features a delightful baby- or kid-themed cartoon brought to life in kid-friendly colors. Dishes are BPA free, FDA and CPSIA tested/pass. Each set comes in a window gift box that can sit on a shelf or hang on the wall. Packaging includes care instructions in English and French. Sign up to order online here. Or email info@sillysouls.com / fax 415.615.0073 / call 415-615-0073 the order form here. Be a silly Santa; order today!

Silly Souls is the original irreverent funny line of apparel and accessories for babies. The company evolved to a more whimsical silly style and rebranded as Silly Souls after launching a baby shoe line. Silly Souls’ goal remains to inspire laughter and the sunny funny side of parenthood, and the silly personalities of each precious child.

The Silly Souls product line continues to grow and now includes products for kids 0-6 years old including bodysuits, t-shirts, hats, bibs, bottles, dish sets, birth announcements, the silliest socks, the coolest baby shoes and the best big brother and sister “sibling rivalry” gifts.

-Janet Muniz

Got a boo-boo? Here’s a blankie!

Determined to soothe her baby son’s pain following a minor operation, mom Krissy McCoy added a pocket to his favorite security blanket to hold – and hide – an ice pack. As soon as she saw her baby happy and healing, Krissy wanted to use her ingenious Boo-Boo Blankies® design to help other parents in the same situation. These Made in the USA fleece blankets are personalized with monograms and appliqués, and equipped with a reusable hot/cold pack.

“Krissy McCoy is building a very special business by creating a product that helps ease the suffering of children and their families,” says MaryLenore Arsenault of BopStar-PR Inc., a company known for BopStar Baby celebrity baby baskets. “With loving care as its foundation, a Boo-Boo Blankie® is truly ‘the blanket that makes it all better.'”

Krissy has added matching burp cloths, doll-sized blankies, bracelets and keychains to her product line, all handmade to order at the small Alabama home-based business. Her products have been featured on LIVE! with Regis & Kelly among others. And that’s not all.

Krissy launched a charitable division of her company the very say day she opened for business. Her Close to My Heart Charity Projects donates $1.00 from every blankie sold to a Child of the Month, selected from Boo-Boo Blankies® customer nominations. “My heart goes out to those families who spend more time at the hospital than at home,” Krissy tells HCRSourceBook. “I am amazed at the bravery these young children possess and admire their strength. I see this blanket business as a way for me to be able to help other families with children suffering from serious illness or rare disorders.”

Boo-Boo Blankies™ is also a corporate sponsor for AMCSI, an organization that supports families suffering with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC), a rare neuromuscular disorder.

-Janet Muniz

DIY Design

I first learned about Boston, MA-based FashionPlaytes on ABC World News. CEO Sarah McIlroy is interviewed in a story about jobs returning to the marketplace. At the time, she hired two of the start-up internet company’s temp employees full time. Yay!

Sarah and her daughter Maddie

Sarah designed her own clothes as a young girl, learning from her mom. “On occasion, we’d stay up almost all night selecting embellishments and making the outfit ‘just right,” she says. Now, her personal passion is her business.

“I’d like to offer girls the chance to create something unique and build their confidence and self-esteem in the process,” Sarah says. “Our business offers tween girls an opportunity to design clothing and have it produced to wear, at a reasonable price.”

DIY designers use the Fashion Playtes online designer sketchbook to select, customize and accessorize their own clothes. Design instructions are illustrated – and narrated – quite a nice addition! After placing the order, the custom-made threads are beautifully boxed and delivered in about three weeks’ time.

Sarah designed Fashion Playtes as a collaboration between parents and daughters, so moms and dads can be sure their fashionista has a safe place to express her creativity.

Design on!

-Janet Muniz

Holiday Music Especially for Kids

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Looking for some stocking stuffers for your store? Why not consider holiday music CD’s – created especially for the little ones?

My Baby Loves…Christmas is part of the My Baby Loves… CD series, created by husband-and-wife team Charley and Susan Greenberg and distributed by Traffic Entertainment/The Orchard.

Since late summer, the Greenberg’s have released CDs of popular music produced into lullabies for children, including anthologies of hits by Madonna, Michael Jackson and the 80’s, to name a few. “We wanted to make something that parents can love as much as their babies can enjoy,” Susan says.

With kid-friendly versions of holiday favorites like Silent Night, Jingle Bells and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, My Baby Loves…Christmas can warm hearts on a cold winter’s night.

Nancy Stewart is a Washington-based children’s singer-songwriter who creates a plethora of musical moments for kids. Her CD, A Season for Singing, combines holiday classics with original material, bringing a global sensibility to the spirit of the season. “Children are singing all over the world,” she says, and she also offers music for Thanksgiving, Ramadan, Kwanza, Eid and the sounds of winter.

MusicForLittlePeople_XmasFavorites At California-based Music For Little People, founder Leib Ostrow and his team have been creating award-winning children’s audio for over 20 years. Christmas Favorites is the fifth offering of the company’s “right-priced” Favorite Series, with holiday singalongs performed by children and grown-ups – like Little Drummer Boy, The 12 Days of Christmas and Coventry Carol.