HUGE Gucio Sale

I'm a huge fan of Gucio shoes. They're handmade and high quality, they're healthy for my children's feet, my children can get them on by themselves, and let's face it, the style can't be beat! So when I saw an amazing sale this afternoon, I quickly bought them up in every color and size. Geez, I hope my husband isn't reading this...sorry Mr. Mugga!

So now that I'm more than well stocked, I'm passing along the deal to you: Shoes that retail for (and are worth every penny of ) $58.00 for only $23.30! Quickly visit bebebabble.com...I have a feeling they won't last long! And then prepare yourself to be stopped by an inquiring parent on every outing you take while these shoes are on your son or daughter's feet...I know from experience!

Hank & Cheef

My children and I have been sick this week and it's got me thinking about all of the Kleenex we've used. So I've done some research. Did you know it takes 90 years to grow one box of tissues? And that purchasing one alternative to disposable tissues can save 17,000 virgin trees? I didn't either until recently. But now that you have the information, I'm sure you'll want to add action to that knowledge. And for that reason, I present to you Hank & Cheef.

Hank & Cheef is not your grandfather's handkerchief! These reusable facial clothes are as fashionable as they are useful, cost efficient and eco-friendly! There are so many styles to choose from, each with bright colors and cheerful graphics. Perfect for your child to keep in their coat pocket when out building snow forts and for you to keep in your desk drawer, diaper bag, or car glove box! They're also perfect for allergy season.

Visit hankandcheef.com to see their great designs...I have the tree 7-pack and there isn't a single design I don't like! I also love the robot single!

LeapFrog Text & Learn

Yesterday, I read a piece on nydailynews.com that stated LeapFrog is set to unveil a new product this summer in the United States...the Text & Learn ($21.99). It is designed to teach spelling and computer skills through playing games, navigating with arrows and texting (although it does not hook up to the Internet).

What are your thoughts? Do you see this as a great product that will hopefully entice your child away from your own BlackBerry? Or do you see this as yet another step towards stripping childhood from our children?

Post your comments below...I'm anxious to read your take on this new toy!

Pink Cheeks

Pink Cheeks (formally known as Pillow Monsters) is a wonderfully creative Etsy designer and seller. She creates imaginative characters...and writes a detailed story for each one.

Seen here is Allison. "Allison is a secretary in a fancy, fast-paced ad agency in a huge city with buildings taller than the eye can see. The people who Allison works for are usually dressed in black and white and have mouths that rarely curl up at the sides to form a smile. Most days Allison will quietly make xeroxes, coffee and answer questions, but on some days Allison simply can not tolerate the seriousness, so she wears her bear hoodie and her polka dot tights and then counts how many mouths she can make curve upward."

See what I mean? Imaginative, descriptive stories for adorable little characters. I wish my daughter were in the market for a lovie because I'd enjoy Allison tagging along on our daily outings. Although if I'm being honest, I'll admit I really want her for myself. Would it be wrong to purchase Allison and have her sit on my bed and for me to answer "no" each time my children asked to play with her? : )

Visit Pink Cheeks's store at etsy.com to see Allison and all of her handmade friends.

Dreaming Spires Willow Playhouse

My husband and I are planning on building a playhouse for our children this Spring and in my research, I came across this amazing Dreaming Spires Willow Playhouse on Etsy. I'll give you the price right off the bat: $2,300.00! Yes, it's a whole lot of money...and out of my price range. But I'm inspired by the organic design, simplicity and creativity it demonstrates, so I thought I'd share. Below is an excerpt from the description on Etsy:

"If you're looking for a playhouse which will look great in your garden, which your children will love, which is made from natural sustainable materials and which is almost fully recyclable.... may I suggest the Dreaming Spires Willow Playhouse.

I designed it when my daughter was two and I just couldn't contemplate having one of those ghastly plastic wendy houses in our garden!

The curvy lines and arched windows give the house a fairy tale quality. The twin spires and forked flags swinging gently in the breeze put one in mind of a knight's encampment. Its ambiguous form transforms effortlessly from cottage to castle, wigwam to igloo.

Any small child would be enchanted to find such an intriguing structure in their garden and will quickly make it their own.

Handmade in England from natural english willow, the playhouse has impeccable environmental credentials. Willow is a material which is annually renewable and which will gradually degrade over about 4-5 years - which is about the length of time a child will remain interested in using a playhouse. At the end of its life, rather than needing to go into landfill, it can simply be recycled in your own garden. You could use the willow as kindling if you have a fire; you could put it in the compost bin or you could shred it and use it as garden mulch. The base is made from untreated pine. It too will gradually degrade but will be much safer for children to sit on than pressure treated timber. At the end of the playhouse's life, the base timber can be reused for a garden project or converted to firewood."

So, there you have it...an amazing playhouse to perhaps inspire you to build something to inspire your child! I'm hoping my children will spend many creative hours in theirs when it's complete later this year...and if it's anything to look at I'll post photos. But please, lower your expectations after seeing this piece of art!

Ringley Natural Teething Toy

I've read that if adults went through teething, we would not be able to handle the pain...it's that excruciating! I've always felt so helpless when my children were in pain from their teeth pushing through. I've purchased every teething product on the market: toys that vibrate, teething drops, water-filled toys, and Tylenol, of course. But I've recently come across a natural teether that I'm confident will assist my new little one, who is showing the first signs of teething.

Ringley is a natural teether that combines two efficient teething tools: untreated Canadian Maple and 100% organic cotton terrycloth. These materials provide two very different textures that enable children to satisfy their teething needs. The great design allows your child to easily grip the ring and cloth...and it can be used wet or dry!

There are two different styles as shown in the photo: knotted and straight. Both are handmade in Toronto, Canada. Mine arrived this weekend and I'm happy to say the wood is silky smooth and the terrycloth is soft. I can see my daughter using this as a comforter as much as a teether!

Visit ringleynaturalteethingtoys.com for a list of online retailers.

Lollipop Valentines

I just came across this lollipop Valentine's Day craft on Skip to my Lou. I am excited to make these with my children...and to see their friends' faces when they receive them!

You can either take the idea and make your own handmade flowers or use the PDF templates for the flowers and the leaves. Either way, your Valentine is sure to heart their thoughtful treat!

And for an extra-special sweetie, perhaps your spouse or child, you could stick a few of them in a small pot! Or give a larger arrangement to a family of friends! What a sweet way to show you care!

Lotus Linens

When a package arrived from Lotus Linens last week I was prepared to feel some ultra-soft garments (I knew they were made from bamboo). But when I opened it, I immediately called my family to come and feel the outfit for baby Hazel as well...I wanted to give them the opportunity to feel something soft.

Super soft. Softer than the softest thing you can imagine. Amazingly soft. Like a cloud in a dream. And it just so happens that the outfit features rose-colored clouds...it's soft and adorable!

Lotus Linens are made from a blend of 70% bamboo and 30% cotton, so in addition to being soft they're also quite eco-friendly. Bamboo is naturally sustainable and antibacterial and requires no chemicals during processing. It also keeps the lucky wearer warm in cooler months and cool in warmer months.

Those lucky wearers can be infants, children and pregnant women as they offer amazingly comfortable maternity shirts, clothing for babies (up to 2 years) and pajamas for children. I can't even imagine the night's sleep I'd have in their pajamas...those kids are lucky ducks!

To learn more about one of my new favorite clothing companies, visit lotuslinens.com.au.

A Win For Saving Handmade Toys

I received the following email and wanted to share it with all of you who have done your part to save handmade toys:

"Hello Friends - We finally had some good news on Friday evening. The CPSC issued a one year stay of enforcement for testing and certifying children's products for lead and phthalates. We are all still required to sell only children's items that do not contain lead or phthalates, but we do not yet have to pay a third party to test for these toxins. We still have a lot of work to do to convince Congress of component testing and natural materials exemptions, but this does give us all more time! The information released by the CPSC on Friday evening is as follows: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09115.html. Thank you all for your continuing support in saving handmade toys!"

Wonderful temporary news! I'll keep you posted as important updates come through. Thanks for all of your help thus far!