Chic Simple Moms

Back to School: Monday AM Edition

Three items on this AM's List:

For Mom (or dad--or your favorite college student headed off to school)

I am a Rickshaw Bagworks Fan. A HUGE fan to say the least.  Their bags are smart, stylish, functional and eco-friendly.  As the mom of two boys under the age of 5, I am constantly on the go and I am at the point where I want to carry my own purse in addition to the diaper bag I still keep at arm's length.

The Mini Zero is the perfect bag for me. It holds my wallet, keys, a diaper if need be, Blackberry, my Flip (see below for review), and a bottle of water. It's actually a bit strange using a bag that doesn't have a zillion compartments but a nice change!

There are two options to choose from, the Valley Forge collection of prints such as Magenta Maze (the bag I have pictured to the left) and the Solids collection. Priced at $40 and $35 respectively, the Valley Forge collection is constructed of 100% polyester (many of the prints are 100% recycled polyester) and the Solids collection is constructed of 100% cordura nylon in Rickshaw's SF factory.

Locally made with a minimalist approach that doesn't sacrifice quality, style or your bank account, the Mini Zero is a perfect accesssory for any mom or gal who needs a little pick me up for Fall.

www.rickshawbagworks.com

I am one of those moms that uses her cell phone as camera and camcorder but the latter has started to change since I got a Flip UltraHD. With dimensions of 2.19" x 1.17" x 4.25", the Flip UltraHD is compact, light and portable with 120 minutes of recording time. I love the battery option--the rechargable Flip battery--or 2 AA batteries.

Mine is now a constant companion in my bag or jacket pocket (now that Fall has seemingly arrived in the Windy City) and the Flip is easy enough to use that you can hand it off to someone else to use (hubby in my case) without a tutorial beforehand. With a built in USB connection and software, it's brilliantly designed for portability. No extra disks or cables to carry so you can take it on trips and download video to your laptop in minutes. The video quality for the size of the camera is impressive and I've captured everything from the end of camp talent show to the 1st day of Pre-K without a hitch. This upcoming school year will definitely be captured on my Flip.

Priced at $199 for the HD and $149 for the basic model, it's a definite mom (or dad)-have.

Visit www.theflip.com for additional specs and retailer information.

For the Kidlets:

With families being more budget-concious this year, back to school shopping is much more calculated these days. There are some areas that are a no-brainer, especially for the younger ones, that quality is a must and children's shoes definitely fall into that category. Pediped's fall line fills the need nicely with shoes that will last the school year.

Their fall collection is cute and practical, and as I've found, boys shoes in particular either go the direction of gym shoes or dress shoes. Pediped's JAKE (see photo to the left) is the perfect happy medium. Dressy enough wear with khakis but durable enough to wear to school and satisfy the basic footwear needs of an active (and shoe-picky) 4 year old.

The girls collection features Mary Janes, again in practical but stylish colors with rubber soles that will make any little girl and mom happy.

Prices start at $32 for infant shoes. Visit www.pediped.com for a retailer near you.

The art of the note:Coyne & Pinckney Stationery (+GIVEAWAY!)

As much as technology has become part of our daily lives, there is nothing better than a personalized note.  Many schools encourage putting a note as a surprise in your little one's lunch box, especially their first year of school.  Notes are still a great way to communicate an early dismissal, a play date, a change in schedule with teachers and other parents alike.

Coyne and Pinckney has made writing notes fun again!

Their collection of simple but preppy stationery is sure to please anyone who appreciates the art of the handwritten note. Emails are great, but let's face it, I still love getting a card in the mail vs an e-card when it's possible for the sender to do so.  Something about a stamp, envelope, and penmanship that come to mind!

Started by a couple in  South Carolina, Coyne and Pinckney is a reflection of Southern Tradition with a twist.  There is a children's line of flat note cards and thank you notes--perfect for teaching the little ones a tradition that has seemed to have gone the wayside of emails and text messaging.  

For those Lilly Pulitzer lovers out there, their Summer Shift card is a definite must have! Production time on my personalized cards was within 2-3 business days so there is plenty of time to order your own before school starts! Their price point is a no brainer: 50 cards for $35.00. You can't beat thatfor a smart, classic personalized card!

Coyne and Pinkney Cards are budget chic and Mama chic--what a great way for me to get excited about the school year!

To get everyone else excited, Coyne and Pinckney will be giving away a set of personalized cards to a lucky reader! You get to pick the style/color. Just comment below.

CONTEST HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9th and is open to those 18 and over in the US and CANADA.

Fun with Frito Lay!

I was scouting Target this morning for the last few items on my son's Pre-K supply list when something caught my eye. A pencil case made of a recycled chip bag at the mere price of $1.00.

How cute, how quirky, how smart. How ECO-CHIC!

Frito-Lay has partnered up with TerraCycle to create cool bags that minimized waste and are made thru the collective effort, literally of schools and organizations that collect chip bags and get paid for doing it. Imagine making money for your organization by collecting everyday lunch items that will wind up in a landfill someplace, making money for doing it and then seeing what you've collected on a store shelf near you.

What a great way to teach kids how to recycle and have the opportunity to see an end product from their efforts!

To find out more about the complete line of TerraCycle's products and programs, visit them at www.terracycle.net.

Get Ready for Back to School! Getting Organized

Ok, back from our vacation to PA which was so much fun and time to get ready for the upcoming school year.

ALREADY?

In our household, that means getting for a new school as well with an earlier start time, earlier pick up time and different activities for both myself and the kids.  As a WAHM, getting organized is a challenge.  As a WAHM mom with ADD, it's even more of a challenge! But, there is hope in sight!

My (3) top picks to help get organized for the new year:

1. The Scoolio-Von-Hoolio school supply line at Office Max.

Brightly colored supplies that are easy to spot and reasonably priced.  $5.99 for a drawstring bag that is perfect for a change of clothes and snack in for an afterschool playdate or activity. Prices range from $.99 to $5.99. What more could a kid or mom ask for?

For some great organization tips, check out the blogcastfeaturing Peter Walsh, organizer extrodinaire. It aired this afternoon and featured real people with real organization needs.  Simple, straightforward.

http://www.officemaxsolutions.com/btsblogcastgcast

 

2.  For those of you who love your Moleskin journals, check out this MUST HAVE from my hometown, San Francisco. Rickshaw Bagworks has done it again with with their Moleskin Folio. I love my "Bottles to Bags" folio which holds pens, business cards and my Moleskin journal inside. (I have the exact pattern as the photo, Bottle Bank Thorn Apple). The "Bottles to Bags" line is fabricated from 100% post consumer water bottles on the exterior so that awesome print on the outside used to be a bottle of Evian at one point! Eco-friendly, great for travel and just a smart idea.

$50 at Rickshaw Bagworks. 

3.  The Fridge Grid. Keep track of EVERYONE'S schedule without having to hand out PDA's! (I admit, I have one, I love it but still haven't synched my Outlook Calendar with it yet! Guess what I use instead!)

 I reviewed this once before, but it deserves a repeat, especially before the school year starts. The Fridge Grid is undated, has space for (7) people which means the entire family, sitter, and the family pet can get on the schedule with their own space.  52 weekly pages, (3) hole-punched so you can put it in a binder and it's very reasonably priced at $12.95. 

To purchase, visit www.busybodybook.com and check out their other great school year organizers!

YOTTA BARS

Looking for a nut-free granola snack that is tasty and healthy and the kids will like? Look no further! The Undercover Vegetable Company has developed YOTTA Bars which contain vegetables, no refined sugars and are both healthy and yummy.

The Undercover Vegetable Company was started by Timothy and Melissa Ewing who needed to find a way to infuse more vegetables into their family's diet when their children were young. They tried hiding pureed vegetables in their meals and baked goods but nothing quite worked until they came up with the Yotta Bar in their kitchen. Yotta Bars contain healthy ingredients, enough of them to meet the FDA's criteria of being labeled a "healthy food."

Base ingredients in a Yotta Bar (the italicized ingredients are what vary):

INGREDIENTS: Baby oats, brown rice syrup, honey, pear juice concentrate, dehydrated vegetables (peas, asparagus, broccoli, sweet potatoes, celery, green pepper, corn, spinach, parsley), crisp rice, rolled oats, evaporated cane juice, dried apples, natural flavors, canola oil.

There are three varieties to choose from:

• Apple Cinnamon
• Cherry
• Orange

   

All three flavors were DEVOURED by my picky three-year old (and his not so picky little brother) and were at hit with the parents I recruited to try them as well. The texture is perfect for a little one to handle—moist but not crumbly and they are the perfect size to throw in your diaper bag, school lunch or an adult lunch. They're Mama Chic, Papa Chic and Everyday Kid Chic as they're something everyone can agree on! A must have snack in everyone's pantry!

 

Yotta Bars are available at most Whole Foods Stores. For more information, visit www.undercoverveg.com.

Chic Simple Food Kickoff: FIRST JUICE

First Juice was started by a dad who got frustrated with having to dilute his daughters' juice and clean up the sticky mess juice boxes made when they were on the go. His solution, great tasting, organic juice for infants and children that contain 50% less sugar than the leading juice brand and are packed in reusable, BPA free plastic bottles. The 8oz size has a spill-proof sippy cup top that is perfect for little ones to manage, even in the car! Oh imagine being able to keep a few bottles in the car for road trips or those times when you've left the sippy cup at home and not have to worry about someone losing a straw or squeezing juice all over the backseat!

Currently, there are four different varieties to choose from:

• Apple & Carrot
• Peach & Purple Carrot
• Banana & Carrot
• Blueberry & Purple Carrot

Yes, you read that right! PURPLE CARROT! Purple carrots originated in ancient Persia. The orange carrots we see today were a cross breed of a pale yellow carrot and a red carrot by a Dutch scientist. since the national color of the Dutch, the scientist created this carrot to honor the House of Orange and the carrot became a royal vegetable!

Now, more importantly, how does it taste? My taste testers devoured their juice quite happily and want to know when mom will be stocking up on it (in our case, stock piling and hiding it from the kids!). I personally thought all four flavors tasted great and I'm definitely a fan! Since this juice was invented by a dad, I have to add a new category: Papa Chic! It's also Eco-Chic and Everyday Kids Chic as well as Mama Chic since the company is run by a group of moms!

First Juice can be found at your local Whole Foods or Toys R'Us. To learn more about First Juice, visit their website at www.firstjuice.com.

 

 

 

Chic Simple Green: Softress Body Oils

My younger son has had Eczema since he was an infant and since we discovered he has a peanut allergy just over a year ago, his skin has cleared up quite a bit but the Chicago winters will cause havoc with anyone’s skin.  Softress Body Oils are making our winter a little easier this year.

Their E-Blend™ Winter Formula and Softbaby™ formulas are completely fragrance, alcohol, chemical free and nut free making them perfect for the most sensitive of skins. In addition, they don’t use essential oils in their products because they can cause skin sensitivity issues, especially in young children. The packaging is simple, reusable and safe and the 2oz sizes are perfect for travel.

 

Softress was started in a New York City apartment by Nina Birnbaum who is also a breast cancer survivor.  She needed to find a solution to her multiracial daughter’s dry sensitive skin and dry curly hair after experimenting with every product on the market. Her kitchen became her lab and Softress became a reality. These products are definitely Chic Simple Green and a must have in everyone’s beauty essentials, especially for the winter months.

To order, visit www.softress.com.  In addition, be sure to check out their Eczema resource page at http://www.softress.com/eczema_information.php. It’s both informative and easy to read and provides some great tips for anyone who has a child suffering from eczema.

Holiday Gifts: Chic Simple Kid Friendly Items

With 5 shopping days until Christmas, the shopping rush is on. Still need gifts for the kids in your life? Look no further. These items are a no-brainer.

For the little ones (ages 3+)

 

Plan Toys Melody Xylophone is eco-chic and budget friendly. Colorful and well made, the curve base allows it to produce real music note and parents can use the 3 musical cards included ("Jingle Bells", "Ode to Joy", and "Mary had a Little Lamb") to start developing sound recognition and foster music appreciation.

Founded in 1981 in Thailand, Plan Toys has been using non-toxic water based colors since 1994 and preservative-free rubber wood since 2004. They are innovators in both toy invention and environmentally friendly manufacturing practices.

Because of the small parts, this item is recommended for children age 3+. For a younger child, check out their Oval Xylophone which is recommended for children 18 months+. With the Melody Xylophone priced at $25 and the Oval Xylophone priced at $19, these are no-brainer gifts that will keep your children busy and happy and will last for years to come.

For the little car buffs:

Another Plan Toys favorite at my house, their Racing Car is propelled by a gear box and zooms forward when pulled back and released. It's the perfect sized stocking stuffer and fits easily into a little one's jacket pocket or a diaper bag. Because of the small parts (all securely attached), it's recommended for ages 3+ and at $5.00 it's another no-brainer gift or gift addition.

To purchase, visit www.plantoysusa.com to order online or to find a retailer near you.

For yourself or anyone looking to keep bath toys in check, Kuster's Bath Toy Store is perfect for tub time and looks great in any bathroom. To purchase go to www.goores.com.

 

 

For the tweener on your list…

Nintendo DS makes me smile. Back in the DAY, it was a single game—in my case, Donkey Kong. Now, Nintendo DS is a mini/portable gaming system and nowadays, the games available are family appropriate, rated "E" for everyone.

The Ener-G Horse Riders game is one of these games. For the budding equestrian in your life, this is a no brainer game allowing the player to choose from several horses and choose their own equestrian challenges. It's a non violent game so your littlest one can be looking over the player's shoulder without worry about them seeing anything inappropriate. Ubisoft has a number of casual, non-violent games that will keep both a tweener and any set of parents happy.

Visit www.ubisoft.com to purchase or to find the nearest retailer near you.

Holiday Gift Guide: Geek Chic

Fabulous Geek Chic Gadgets (and Giveaways!)

 

Itzbeen: For the mama to be or any mom is sleep deprived and needs to keep track of baby's sleeping, feeding, diaper changing schedule. Also great for moms with toddlers who are trying to get them back on a schedule and need a timer to set a limit for a single task (countdown to bath time, limiting TV time).

Awarded a JPMA (Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association www.jpma.org) 2007 Innovation Award and invented by a mom (and dad), it's a no-brainer at $26.99. www.mom4life.com to purchase and check out their site for more mama chic, mama invented products.

 

Days Ago digital counter: Tired of hiding your permanent markers from your little ones but need to keep track of what's been in the fridge for how long? For anyone watching their food budget or concerned with food safety these are no brainers for their fridge or pantry. Originally developed by two moms to keep track of how long leftover baby food had been stored, it's also great for keeping track of medications, aquarium/pet cage cleanings and garden watering. Attaches easily to containers with a suction cup, band or magnet and has a replaceable battery.

Set of (2) for $10. There is also a special edition in Pink with 10% of the proceeds going to breast cancer awareness. www.daysago.com

                

(Giveaway Item!) For the Apple/MAC user in your life, Bento 2 is a user friendly organizer that will make any digital mom happy. Made by Filemaker, it's got the complexity of a traditional database but the simplicity and grace of a MAC program. Organize any aspect of your life ranging from your child's birthday party to vehicle records. It's a database program without a complicated database feel and for the diehard Apple fan; it's integrated with the iPhone and MobileMe mail.

Can't beat the price point at $49.00 and for a limited time you can download the free Holiday Pack from the Filemaker site to help organize your cards, gifts and end of year donations.

Visit www.filemaker.com/products/bento to purchase.

 

(Giveaway Item!) For the photo enthusiast, Corel's newly released Paint Shop Pro Photo 2 Ultimate is a great addition her software library. It's packed with features that allow you to edit, manipulate and fix photos and provides support for 250 camera formats. My personal favorite is the background remover which allows you to change the background of a photo (think being able to create your own "Find Waldo" with your kid's photos). Create away with this software that allows you to look like a professional and have fun in the process!

$79.99 online at www.corel.com for the full version and $49.99 for the upgrade.

 

The Aura Mobile BT by Spracht is a must-have for any mom. The Bluetooth enabled device turns any phone (mobile, cordless, pc/VOIP) into a high quality conference call phone. It's small enough to put in your purse or diaper/laptop bag and works with a wired connection as well. It also has echo and noise cancellations so it's perfect to use in the car even when the little ones are bickering in the backseat. Best of all, the unit comes with everything you need and there's no software to install so it can be used right out of the box. It's small, sleek and definitely geek chic for any mom on your list!

$99.00 at www.spracht.com .

 

(Giveaway Item!) For all you mommy bloggers out there, the Clickfree Automatic Backup drive is a MUST HAVE! In minutes, it backs up all your files ranging from photos to documents and all you need to do is connect the device to your pc or laptop with the USB cord. No additional software needed and it's small enough to fit in a purse or laptop bag. What makes it so smart is it automatically finds and backups your files, separating them by category (i.e. photos, documents, music) and by PC. The 160GB version is large enough to backup files on 10 different PCs and there are now 250GB, 320GB and 500GB versions available.

For those who prefer to have a hard copy backup, DVD backups are also available and like the drive are "click free"—no additional software to install.

Again, a must-have for anyone who relies on their pc or laptop. Snap one up BEFORE you experience a crash!

$119.99 for the 160GB drive at www.clickfree.com. DVD backups start at $9.99.

 

Sleek and chic best describe the Jawbone Bluetooth headset. Normally I am not a fan of headsets because they all look so…conventional but I love the Jawbone!

This well designed device looks and feels more like a piece of jewelry or a fancy barrette that you won't be afraid to wear even to the glitziest of holiday parties (just in case the babysitter calls…). Better yet, it charges quickly, comes with several ear loops and ear buds you can get the proper fit.

$129.99 with free shipping from the Jawbone website at www.jawbone.com.

Giveaway Items

1. Pick one item (NOTE: ONLY the items with (giveaway items) before their title are giveaways!)
2. Comment on why you think it's Geek Chic (note, for the Clickfree, the giveaway will be a 250GB Drive!)
3. Let me know who you'd give it to (yourself is fine!)

Contest runs from Friday, December 5 to Sunday, December 14 at midnight CST. Winner will be picked via Random.org and must be 18 or over and a US citizen to enter. Need not be a blogger to enter so pass the word around to your family and friends! Good luck!

 

Olive Smart Bags

I'm one of those well-meaning people who tries to remember to put the bags back into the car after I've unloaded the groceries, but alas, it never happens. So instead, I have a pile of brown paper bags filling up one of my kitchen cabinets and a host of grocery store bags hanging downstairs by our jackets and boots. I thought I'd never get it together with bringing my own bags to the store.

Until now.

Olive Smart Bags has come to the rescue! Six bags that conveniently fit into a drawstring sack that is designed to fit into the cup holder of your car, a purse or diaper bag. Six bags that are well made, look good and handle all my shopping needs. Great to take along as an extra bag on a trip or toting toys to the park and best of all, they are machine washable. I love the fact that they have a catchy name ("all live smart"), are smaller sized (20lbs) and they fold up small.

Get home, unload the groceries, refold the bags and back into the diaper bag they go. Easy, simple, smart and chic!

Olive Smart is the brainchild of two moms in Woodside, California (just south of San Francisco) which makes them both earthy-chic and mama-chic!

$39.00 for the set of six bags makes them a great gift for yourself or someone else (babysitter, teacher, co-worker). Click on the Olive Smart logo below to purchase and get 15% (until December 15^th) off your purchase by entering the code BLOSSOM2.