The Magical Mrs. Iptweet and Me

Mayfield Media launches an Etsy Shop of original fine art and kids lit by Barbara Mayfield.

Barbara Mayfield is a child’s treasure. A gifted artist, painter, performer and children’s author/illustrator who not only does improv, “the biggest surprise in a life full of surprises has been becoming a professional puppeteer,” she says. Through her company Mayfield Media, Barbara’s work “engages, inspires, encourages and educates audiences through humor, hilarity and riveting stories not to be forgotten” – not the least of which is her award-winning children’s story, The Magical Mrs. Iptweet and Me.

Reading Mrs. Iptweet gave me the same feeling as having the sweetest, most imaginative grandmother in the world.

-Jillian Brasch, fan

The first in a series of pre-teen fiction, The Magical Mrs. Iptweet and Me tells the story of Prudence Fish Hornby, a nine-and-a-half-year-old with a curious name and a broken heart. All of life looks dull and sad and hopeless to Prudy, until a certain artist-gardener-Parade Specialist moves into 406 Durham Street –that would be Mrs. Iptweet. The enchanting, whimsical, funny story is Barbara’s first, which she also illustrated, published by Santa Fe, NM-based Azro Press, and winner of several industry awards, including the 2009 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, Barbara lives in Santa Fe and studied writing with esteemed children’s author and teacher Jennifer Owings Dewey. She’s working on several more Iptweet stories, planning e-books. “Mrs. Iptweet, in Book 2, will be very interested in star-gazing and astronomy,” she tells her Facebook fans.

A graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Barbara recently opened a shop on Etsy.com, where fans can buy her original artwork and her children’s literature.

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!

Elephants on the Wall

Do you ever look at the walls in your house and think, “What can I do with this blank canvas?” Award-winning designer Patti Newton does, too.

Patti is creator of Elephants on the Wall, a company that designs paint-by-number wall murals. Now, you can transform your blank walls into magical worlds full of swashbuckling pirates, safari adventures, princess parties and more, by creating life-size illustrations yourself. You’ll be thrilled with the results.

Fun, Easy and Rewarding. Patti’s specially designed system has only has three steps: 1) tape the transfer paper to the back of the pattern paper and attach it to the wall; 2) trace the design and then remove the paper; 3) start painting. With paint-by-number wall murals you can 1) reuse it as many times as you like; 2) reverse the image to fit perfectly in your space; 3) repeat the image -or just part of it- to get the desired effect.

Great for expectant moms, your kids’ rooms and even for yourself, Patti has over 175 mural designs to choose from, including customized designs. Crafty types will love the challenge and those with no artistic experience will find it easy and rewarding. This just in: Elephants on the Wall was honored as the 2012 Kid Product of the Year by Creative Child magazine!

Made in the USA. Elephants on the Wall combines all of Patti’s passions – graphic design, themed environments, lots of color and love of sharing her talents with others. As a designer for Walt Disney Imagineering, she created themed signage and graphics that’s seen all around the world. Once an instructor at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA, she’s also created five floats for the City of La Cañada Flintridge that were presented in the Tournament of Roses Parade. There’s nothing you can’t hand-paint on the wall, with Patti’s help – from sports to sea treasures, jungle landscapes to geometric beauty -even the occasional elephant!

Another ChicExecs 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!

Samantha Conner Designs

From Stay-at-Home Mom to Work-from-Home Mompreneur, this spunky Texas-based designer is making it in the USA.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Samantha Conner has always had a passion for creating beautiful things. So after her first child was born prematurely and she needed to stay home, her passion took an unexpected turn.

Six years after selling her first hair bow at local craft fair -a hobby she started during her children’s nap time that blossomed into a successful home business- she’s taking her love of fun fabric combinations and bright style to the next level, and launching her own girls clothing line.

Made in the USA. Beautiful clothing and hair accessories for girls size 2T-6, Samantha Conner Designs (SCD) is a fresh take on girl’s fashion, featuring bold pattern, rich colors and lots of playful details. Created with what Samantha describes as “the busy girl” in mind, her first collections embody the idea that style and comfort go hand-in-hand. Her two daughters inspire her designs -and now, she’s noticed even they have an eye for fabric, and are learning to sew!

Manufactured locally in Garland, TX, SCD recently launched wholesale at the Dallas Market Center and is available in children’s boutiques all over the US and online. She continues to maintain a custom handmade shop at Etsy.com. Future plans for SMD include growing the business through online sales and local trunk shows.

If I can do it, then anyone can. I feel lucky that I have had the opportunity to pursue my passion. I hope that I can help others do the same by sharing my story.

Crafty Texas Girls. Want to know more about how you can live an inspired, creative life? Follow Samantha’s blog, Crafty Texas Girls, where she documents her journey of balancing motherhood, creativity and running a small business, following her dreams and turning a hobby into a thriving business.

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! SCD Photography by Erin Morman of Splendor Photography and Kristis Mills Photography.

Desigual

This Spanish sweetheart of fashion continues to amaze and delight.

Stop by any children’s trade show, market center floor or showroom these days, and one word seems to dominate buyers’ conversations:

Desigual. With that unusual “s”.

Pronounced de’-zē-gwal and roughly translated from Spanish to English as “different, unequal,” this global apparel company for people of all ages continues to take the children’s market by storm – thanks to a characteristically different, optimistic, uninhibited approach to clothing and accessories. The company’s eye-popping colors and innovative designs dress kids in all shades of happy. The company even teamed with Cirque du Soliel on the Rainbow collection, an artistic line for little ones inspired by the magical world of the circus.

Headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, the company makes clothes that touch the emotions. Producing at sites worldwide, carefully selected for their exacting ethical codes, Desigual designs surprise attendees each year at events such as MAGIC Marketplace Las Vegas, Bread & Butter Berlin, Who’s Next Paris and more –it’s now available for children’s buyers at The Rose Garden in New York … not to mention shoppers everywhere.

Quality of Life Clothing. Thirty years ago, Swiss-born founder and creative director Thomas Meyer envisioned a future where people dressed in a different way, in clothes that helped generate positive feelings, affordable to all. Ever since, Desigual – the business and the brand – emanates positivism, commitment, tolerance, constant improvement, innovation and fun. Today’s huge staff encompasses at least 30 different nationalities. For those that work – and wear – it, Desigual is a state of mind, as reflected in Desigual Kids’ optimistic, carefree mood – a kids collection that’s been introduced every season since 2004.

Desigualization. Desigual already enjoys a significant presence in the American market -and this is just part of the company’s future focus: to ‘desigualize’ the world. Perhaps it’s the fact that the company is wholly committed to the customer, creating experiences for them and getting them to share in the evolution of the brand. Or maybe it’s the founding philosophy inherent in each new collection.

Whatever attracts kids and parents to Desigual, it’s working.

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! Portions re-purposed from Desigual – A Global Sensation, written by Beth L. Gainer for HUDSON’S Childrenswear Review.

Jammy Jams

Giving the standard lullaby a modern day makeover, for the little rocker in all of us.

Once upon a time in another life, Jeff Bradford played drums for rock bands, touring throughout the US – most recently with Baltimore, MD-based Hollowboy. His music love began at the age of five, when he picked out a drum set for his birthday, making music in the suburbs of Washington, DC -where he was born and raised- rockin’ out whenever he could.

Yet fatherhood can change a lad, and in Jeff’s case, re-imagine what one loves the most. Three years ago, inspired by his new baby son, Rollins, Jeff came up with a way to keep the music playing.

Feedings of Inspiration. All those late nights tending to little Rollins gave Jeff the idea to take his musical career in a different direction, developing lullabies that could not only soothe and calm baby, but entertain sleep-deprived parents. “I called my Hollowboy band mate, Tim Phillips and asked him to be a part of a new project,” Jeff says. Over the next six months, the two arranged and recorded fun, modern lullaby versions of songs originally performed by bands and artists ranging from Dr. Dre and Run DMC to Lady Gaga and the Fray. In October 2011, they released three albums under the Jammy Jams brand, which has grown to include nine albums, with more on the way. Jammy Jams is recognized worldwide, garnering press in countries like Germany and available in the US, UK, France, Germany, Japan, Denmark, Norway and Australia.

Lullabies That Rock Your Baby To Sleep. Jammy Jams tunes feature the soothing sounds of vibraphone, marimba, xylophone, piano, blocks and more that are performed and arranged by Jeff and Tim. Each album also has its own original character who’s a big fan of each music genre: the original DJ The Bear loves hip-hop and prefers the classic style; Lady Ducky is quite the little diva, and loves dance and pop music; Les The Lamb is a very spiritual loves rock music; among others.

Available as CDs and MP3 downloads, the Jammy Jams’ latest, Lullabylooza, is described as ’90s Alternative Goes Lullaby, featuring lullaby versions of songs originally by Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots, Edwyn Collins, Oasis, Spacehog, The Cure, Faith No More, Nirvana, Toadies and Pixies.

Rock on!

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!

Red Tricycle

The buy local/shop local movement has inspired a cottage industry of resources to help you find what you’re shopping for locally.

From trend to craze to legitimate movement, buying local is catching on and fast becoming a preferred way to shop. With this spirit, this week I’m focusing on a few children’s specialty resources in my own locality.

Local Family Fun. Described as a digital city guide for parents, Red Tricycle is an online resource for parents. CEO and founder Jacqui Boland and her team are dedicated to helping parents have more fun with their kids, delivering a hot list of local things to see, kid-friendly places to eat, fun ideas for family experiences in the neighborhood and more. The free bi-weekly email newsletter is dedicated to a neighborhood, in fact –in my case, Seattle- as well as Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, SoCal, Chicago, New York … and counting. The company is on its way to becoming “the leader in local family fun in every major metro market,” expanding to almost a 500, 000 readership and poised to offer a mobile app.

For Jacquie, Red Tricycle originally filled a need to connect with other parents who were experiencing the newness of parenthood. The company is always looking for those must-have recommendations from “hip people who happen to be parents, too” – from where to stage fun birthday parties to ideas for kids rooms, travel, Moms Night Out, Daddy DIY and Crafty Mama projects, where to eat, recipes and more.

Known for the Totally Awesome Awards –where users can nominate their “favorite kid everything,” and win prizes, too – Red Tricycle was named the Best Parenting Web Resource, Seattle Magazine in 2007.

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!

Little Quadoo Consignment

Search the words, “shop local” “buy local” and you’ll find quite the populated list of results on your computer screen.

From trend to craze to legitimate movement, buying local is catching on and fast becoming a preferred way to shop. The movement has inspired a cottage industry of resources to help you find what you’re shopping for locally, too –from the aol.com partner Patch.com to local campaigns from RelyLocal.com, ShopLocal.com and more. And moms have led the cause.

In the spirit of buying local, this week I’m focusing on a few children’s specialty retailers in my own locality.

Do you Quadoo? Established in 2010, Little Quadoo Consignment is located in downtown Renton, WA and offers “one of the least stressful kids shopping experiences you’ll ever have,” say the folks at red tricycle, a local resource for parents, which recently gave Little Quadoo the 2012 Totally Awesome Award as Sensational Resale Store. “They have quite a thorough item acceptance policy, so moms won’t have to worry about quality being second-rate.”

Owner Danielle Gould has filled a real need in the Renton area, with a specialty kids shop where customers can consign and purchase children’s merchandise. With over 800 consigner accounts, Little Quadoo focuses on gently used, high-quality children’s clothing and accessories up to size 10, and carries a wide range of other things like shoes, gifts, books, toys and maternity. The store has also built a nice online community on Facebook, too –where neighbors connect with Danielle and her team, finding out about everything from sales to particular items for sale.

Custom Orders. Looking for a unique birthday gift? Little Quadoo fills orders for custom-made capes. Retailing for just $14, you can pick the color and the super hero letter, too.

Danielle tells the Renton Patch that the “quadoo” in Little Quadoo is a made-up word her son Nathaniel uses for garage doors.

Little Quadoo Consignment, 601 S 3rd St., Renton WA 98057, 425-572-6261

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!

Creative Mom Toys

From trend to craze to legitimate movement, buying local is catching on and fast becoming a preferred way to shop.

Search the words, “shop local” “buy local” and you’ll find quite the populated list of results on your computer screen. The movement has inspired a cottage industry of resources to help you find what you’re shopping for locally, too –from the aol.com partner Patch.com to local campaigns from RelyLocal.com, ShopLocal.com and more. And moms have led the cause.

In the spirit of buying local, this week I’m focusing on a few children’s specialty retailers in my own locality.

Creative Mom Toys. Owner Cheri Saburi opened Creative Mom Toys in Renton, WA’s The Landing on Black Friday 2010. Located south of Seattle, the store is a treasure trove of educational and developmental toys for children of all ages, including their parents.

This store is for parents who want to give their kids ‘toys with a purpose.’ Everything has been carefully selected for both its entertainment and fun value. Great toys and online store!

-Thomas K, Renton

Engaging Creativity. Cheri says the mission of Creative Mom Toys is to encourage children to play without the need for modern technology. “We know how hard it is to find rich and engaging products that stimulate, educate and enrich the minds of our children,” she says. Shoppers can find wooden toys, entertaining books and more from top notch companies such as Haba, Melissa and Doug, Automoblox, Manhattan Toy, P’Kolino, Plan Toys, Back Alley Traders, Workman Publishing, Kathe Kruse, Vilac, Seedling, Green Toys, Uncle Goose, Eeboo, Mudpuppy and others. She’s always excited to learn about new products, too -especially from her customers. “Send us an email explaining what you’d be interested in and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.”

In 2005, Cheri started her store online while living in Japan –and with its success, opened her first brick-and-mortar storefront based in the U.S. Since then, Creative Mom Toys has received the Parent Best Toy Store Award of 2011 as well as being honored as a finalist in Red Tricycle’s 2012 Totally Awesome Awards for Best Toy Store.

Cheri’s career specialty is education, having spent time working in several local school districts before taking time to raise her own children. Kids and parents can also enjoy custom birthday parties and other special activities and events held in Creative Mom Toy’s fun and colorful space. Shop for bags and children’s accessories, too.

Creative Mom Toys at The Landing in Renton, 840 N. 10th Pl. Suite A, Renton WA 98057, 206-388-3940

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!

keekoo’s New BID2WIN Events

Beginning February 1, keekoo.com is launching an exciting new event for baby gear.

New Jersey-based keekoo.com, the flash-sale website devoted exclusively to providing discounted premiere bump to baby products, is launching a new daily bid event called BID2WIN.

“Necessity baby gear such as strollers are notoriously difficult to find in discount online or brick and mortar stores,” says keekoo co-founder Scott Whitley, “but keekoo’s BID2WIN events allow every shopper the opportunity to win baby gear at great prices.” Launching Friday February 1 (that’s tomorrow!), members can make a bid on a plethora of top-quality baby gear such as strollers, high chairs, carriers and more. The team at keekoo takes the offer to the manufacturer in real time, and if accepted, awards the gear to the shopper at their offer bid or better.

What’s more, the first BID2WIN STROLLERS event also includes free shipping on all strollers won by shoppers!

Become a registered member of keekoo today, using this special invite from Children’s Retail Today, and get it in gear with a winning bid, starting February 1. Membership is free – and remember, members enjoy up to 80% off fabulous maternity, beauty, nursing, baby apparel, gifts, accessories and newborn gear during special sales events created just for you.

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!

Good For You Girls

All natural, organic skincare specifically formulated for the special needs of young skin.

“Good For You Girls® is a line of all-natural skin care for the beauty beginner,” owner Kim Grustas tells me. “Meant to be a girl’s first skincare routine, our products help moms teach healthy habits while keeping girls away from chemicals during a crucial time in their bodies’ development.”

Since 2008, Kim’s Connecticut-based company has been making a complete line of personal care products such as the Skin Care Starter Kit, Gel Cleaner, Blemish Wash, Purifying Toner, Moisturizer, Body Wash, Body Shimmer Lotion, deodorant and more using formulas created from the finest blends of organic extracts and natural botanicals.

True beauty comes from within. Respect yourself and take time to see the beauty in others.

Made in the USA. Kim tells me the Good For You Girls skincare line is the safest, most effective product line out there for young skin -a leader in fact. This means NO parabens, sulfates, phthalates, propylene glycol, mineral oils, silicone, synthetic fragrance or dyes. Products ARE gluten-free and vegan-approved, though!

We believe beautiful skin is natural skin. We are committed to making truly effective skincare without harmful or questionable ingredients.

Chemicals found in standard skincare products enter the body through the skin, and can be irritating as well as harmful. Committed to the belief that health should never be sacrificed for beauty, Kim and her team are taking responsibility for educating children about these dangers, making products that contain good-for-your-skin ingredients that are both beneficial and beautifying. “Good habits start at a young age,” Kim says. “We hope to give girls the confidence to face the world, knowing how truly beautiful they are on the inside and the outside.

Available online and in select stores.

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!