Baby Friendly L.A.

Holiday Gift Guide

Unique, Off-beat and Original Shopping

If you are anything like me, giving a gift that is truly unique is special and exciting.  I love discovering something different, something off-beat, something original or with a story behind it.  I love it when someone says, "Where did you find this?"  Here's a list of uncommon ideas, original products (many mom created or eco-friendly) and cool boutiques to help take your holiday shopping from "same-old-same-old" to extraordinary!

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Sarah Pinto Journals: www.sarahpinto.com
Beautiful calendar journals/weekly planners created from high-quality recycled paper and soy-based ink. Created by one amazing mom on a mission with inspiration from her son, Charlie, who was born with a heart defect.  These high-quality, stylish journals are the perfect gift for moms on the go and a portion of the proceeds from the Pink Tapestry Planner go to CPMC Pediatric Cardiology. $25

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The Grandparent Gift Company: www.grandparentgiftcompany.com
One-stop shopping for the sentimental gift giver. Yes, they do have many beautiful gifts for grandparents, however you can find heartfelt items for your sister, aunt, mother or dear friend. I fell in love with their Mirror Message and plan to give one to my mother this holiday season. It's a special way to tell her how much she means to me.  And for BFLA readers they are offering a FREE gift with purchase.  Enter coupon code (CUST09) and by using this at check-out it will entitle the purchaser to a free Grandparents' Little Idea Book - A $9.95 value with any size order.

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Eye Can Art: www.eyecanart.com
This is so cool. A complete art project in a can! And we're not talking crayons here… This set shows you how to make dramatic-looking collograph printed images, multiple-layered drawings on melted wax and Japanese-style brush paintings. You can even make an accordion style book! This is by far the most interesting and unique art set for any budding young Rembrandt. $24

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Zen-Baby DVD: www.zen-baby.com
Need a little peace and well-being? Then check out Zen-Baby DVD and CDs. They are soothing, captivating and sure to help calm your little one. Zen-Baby encourages children's natural sense of wonder by combining creative images and calming, original musical compositions.  Long nights are a bit easier with a little Zen in your life (just ask Ava!). DVD $14.98

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Simple Salutations:  www.simplesalutations.com
Handmade Holiday cards.  If you are looking for something different this year, check out Kris and her sister, Shea's designs at SimpleSalutations.com.  She offers a wide range of cards and will work with you for that personal touch.  Prices vary

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Curly Q Cuties: Design Your Own Monster www.curlyqcuties.com
If you are looking for something truly unique and one-of-a-kind, why not make your own monster? Curly Q Cuties came to life this year by mompreneur, Stephanie Estrin, as an alternative to impersonal plastic toys manufactured overseas. Not only do you get a cute little monster buddy to love and cuddle, but you actually get to design and create your special friend.  I can't wait to make one for Ava! $25 per monster

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I Am Not a Paper Cup: Reusable Coffee Mug  www.nubiusorganics.com
My husband doesn't know it yet, but he's getting this as one of his holiday presents. I love that this "not a paper cup" looks just like the real thing - complete with white, protective lid (perfect if you have a snoozing cat on your lap). These cups are eco-friendly, reusable, washable and a great way to keep your coffee warm. $19.95

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Stacey Jean Sock Monkeys: (Etsy) www.staceyJEANonline.etsy.com
Who doesn't love a sock monkey? These adorable little plush animals take the old fashioned "sock monkey" to a new level. Safe for babies, they are sure to be a favorite! $30 - $40 range depending on monkey

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Whimbrella: (Etsy) www.Whimbrella.etsy.com
What a wonderful way for little artists to carry their supplies around (and keep them busy too!). These happy little bags are handmade and also come complete with crayons and a coloring book. They measures 6x6 - the perfect size for little hands and are offered in a variety of fun fabrics.  Not bad for $12.50!

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Streamline Rocking Animal Frames: www.peanutgallerygifts.com
If you think your kid's photo couldn't get any cuter, think again. Thanks to www.FunFindsForMom.com I discovered these funny little photo frames that turn your loved one into whimsical animals such as an owl, monkey or penguin. And for $7.95 your wallet thinks they're pretty cute too.

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Blue Bird Lane:  Vintage Gift Tags (Etsy) www.Bluebirdlane.etsy.com
To top off your perfect present, check out Blue Bird Lane for sweet, decorative gift tags reminiscent of the Victorian era. Prices vary per item. Around $4 - $10 range

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Times and Chimes: Bird Houses & Bird House Ornaments (Etsy) www.timesandchimes.etsy.com
There is something so charming about a birdhouse. And these bird houses are offered in a variety of sizes and shapes – including snow covered ornaments - perfect for the LA gal who is in need of a little white in her 80 degree Christmas. They are beautiful, different and sweet. Prices generally range from $4 - $16.

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EDM Designs:  Steampunk Jewelry (Etsy) www.edmdesigns.etsy.com
If you have a hard-to-shop-for hubby like I do, check out EDM Designs on Etsy. Specializing in the Steampunk style, many of their designs are created out of vintage watch parts and other unique materials. Very cool, edgy and definitely different. Prices vary per item $50+

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Jennifer Boston: Paper Designs(Etsy) www.jenniferaboston.etsy.com
Stocking stuffers, gift bags, unique boxes… Jennifer Boston's designs are the special touch to top off your holiday gift giving. My favorite are the Mini-Matchbook Notepads (above).  Tiny, adorable and useful too! Prices vary per item. $3-$30 range.

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MiChiMa: Stuffed Felt Toys www.MiChiMa.etsy.com
I love creative ways to teach the alphabet and what better way than through handmade felt letters? MiChiMa also makes adorable felt creatures and box sets.  Affordabe $7-$30 range.

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Fierce Hugs: www.fiercehugs.com
If plain ol' onesies just won't due for your little one, check out Fierce Hugs organic baby clothes. This eco-friendly line is made with organic cotton - or sustainable agriculture which means the farmer doesn’t use harmful pesticides and chemical fertilizers. In addition to being "green," Fierce Hugs has amazing artists contributing their talents to create truly special clothes for little ones. What's not to feel good about? Cryptia Dragon Bodysuit (above) $24

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Little Things Boutique: (Etsy) www.littlethingsboutique.etsy.com
I fell in love with these little rattle balls when I discovered them on Etsy. Ava had plenty of balls that jingled about, but nothing as unique and cute as this. Whimsical patterns are sure to make this gift a parent pleaser. $10

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Tag Toys: www.tagtoys.com
Created right here in Los Angeles, Tag Toys are old-fashioned wooden toys that are practical, durable and a happy alternative to plastic toys. Their adorable see-through banks are sure to make saving fun! Wooden Cat Bank (above) $29.95

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Here are some creative Los Angeles ETSY stores:

• Whimzeeebaby Boutique: Sweet baby clothes and more made by two LA mommas

• Morning Glory Cottage: Beautiful Antique Looking Jewelry

• Peganders: Bags, Totes and Fabric Gift Pouches

• Dolci Baci Boutique: Adorable & Unique Baby Clothes

• Washable Art: Soap that is almost too cool to use (and affordable too!)

• Charm Design: Gorgeous Handbags (For those of you who know me and my handbag obsession… Who says you can't buy yourself a holiday gift too?) ;)
  

• Cheshire Farm:  Finger Puppets! – 10 for $10 (and other rustic gifts)

• Very Happy Chair: Beautiful jewelry by an amazing artist and illustrator. She also offers custom, hand painted furniture and other delightful creations

And the Winner Is...

The Treasures Par Avion contest winner (chosen by Ava) is...

HANNAH!!

Congratulations, Hannah! Thank you for participating and I hope you enjoy your pendants!  And thank you to everyone who entered and took a peek at my new Etsy store.

Stay tuned for the BFLA Holiday Gift Guide coming this week...
xoxo,
Ro

CONTEST: Win a Pendant set!

Celebrate my new Etsy store with me!

I'm really excited about my new Etsy store, Treasures Par Avion, where I take recycled Scrabble tiles and once traveled, vintage postage stamps and turn them into jewelry art.  For more on how this random project got started, read here.

In celebration of my new hobby-turned-Etsy-shop, I'm giving away a PENDANT SET.  You'll have a chance to win a set of THREE different pendants plus an 18" silver plated chain. 

The set will include this one-of-a-kind vintage stamp (1953) pendant from Portugal of a medieval knight on his mighty horse. In addition to the postage pendant, I'm including two other non-postage pendants - this happy little flower and a sweet pendant of adorable little Asian kids.

CONTEST RULES:
It's easy! All you have to do is visit Treasures Par Avion and find a favorite pendant in the shop.  Then come back here to this post and leave a comment telling me about your choice. One comment per entry. Enter with as many comments as you like!

The winner will be chosen by a random drawing on Tuesday, November 25th and notified via email. If the winner doesn't respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be selected.  Good luck!!

www.TreasuresParAvion.etsy.com

Getting Crafty

The romance of vintage postage meets a modern day hobby

So I've been a little busy lately. You may not believe this, but I actually turned off my computer and starting creating projects with my bare hands. No email, no text, no programs. Just me and my ten fingers.  I enjoy crafty things. I appreciate them and I often envy other people's creativity, I've just never made the time or commitment to try and hone one myself.  Until now.

I have been on the hunt for unique, handcrafted or mom invented items for my upcoming Holiday Gift Guide when I discovered these adorable little pendants made out of recycled Scrabble tiles.  I thought to myself, "These would make great gifts and this is something I might actually be able to do myself!" So I gave it a try. After a few practice runs and several trial and errors, I finally got the hang of creating glossy, glass like pendants with sweet little images on them.  Then I had an idea.

There is something very romantic about reclaimed, vintage postage stamps.  They are historical, beautiful and small enough to place on these little, ¾" Scrabble tiles. I love the thought of imagining where in the world a stamp had traveled. Was it on a love letter to mistress? Or perhaps it carried important documents or vital news?  Maybe a vacationer sent a postcard to a good friend telling them of their journey? I guess we'll never know, but now this lovely little stamp gets a new life as a piece of jewelry art.  And that's how "Treasures Par Avion" was born (par avion is another term for "air mail").

I am totally addicted to this new hobby of mine. Checking the mail is generally a chore since it's usually just bills and credit card offers. Since I've started this new project, I'm now excited to see what the postman brings me. I love receiving packages of international stamps from a bygone era and sorting through them on the hunt for little gems. I never paid attention to stamps before and I really know nothing about them, but I find them filled with so much romance and beauty.  (Maybe I should do a little more homework since my husband is convinced I'm going to acquire a priceless stamp, cut it up and sell it for a few bucks.)

Thankfully there is Etsy. I can't seem to stop the pendant madness now that I have started so I'm grateful there is a place like Etsy to set up shop and share my creations. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy making them. I have more stamps coming soon from 16 different countries including Italy, Israel, the UK and Spain.  While stamps are my main focus, I also create other whimsical, non-postage pendants and I'm taking on custom work (babies, family, pets, etc.). 

Stay tuned for my premiere Treasures Par Avion launch contest and the BFLA Holiday Gift guide coming next week.  Wishing you all the best, Ro

My Etsy Shop:  www.TreasuresParAvion.etsy.com

SusieCakes Bakeshop

Cupcakes make everything better

Tonight was Babies R Us night which means we made a trek out to Calabasas to pick up the necessary supplies (oh how Saturday evenings have changed). We decided to grab a bite the area since the shopping center next to BRU is enjoyable.  We can't however, say as much for dinner.

Ava was in a mood. Maybe it's the time change, maybe it's being cooped up this week as we under went some remodeling or maybe she was just plain crabby. Generally Ava enjoys eating out. She knows how to say, "mo peeez" (more please) and, "tank eww" (thank you) and someone always comments on how cute she is.  Not tonight. Tonight she tossed noodles over her shoulder as if they were not good enough to grace her place mat and how dare they be in front of her.  Tonight she screamed for "keys!" and had a mini meltdown at the dinner table. Tonight was not fun.  Daddy whisked Ava away as I slurped down a few more spoonfuls of soup before I cleaned up, packed up and headed outside to join them.  Dinner was a bust. 

Outside I see baby and Daddy heading in my direction.  In one arm he carried a very happy Ava (who seemed to have a set of keys in her mitts) and in the other hand he had a brown bag.  Little did I know that bag held a secret treasure… cupcakes.  My husband rocks.

SusieCakes Bakeshop is located in the Babies R Us shopping center tucked away at the opposite end next to Coffee Bean.  Their tagline is "Celebrate the neighborhood bakeshop!" and they do not disappoint.  In addition to their cupcakes, they offer a wide range of desserty goodness including specialty and custom cakes, cookies, pies and puddings. If the rest of their desserts are anything like the decadent, frosting filled peanut butter cupcake we experienced tonight then folks, heaven is in Calabasas. Tomorrow we will be devouring the lemon and mocha goodies waiting for us (we already tasted the frosting and yum yum!).

Here is a quote from SusieCakes website:

"We specialize in an array of sentimental dessert favorites, which conjure up the sorely missed flavors and aromas of childhood."

"Our classic, all-American treats are sure to transport you back to a more carefree time and place. Everyday our in-house bakers use the freshest and finest ingredients to create luscious desserts entirely from scratch."

SusieCakes has two other locations, one in Brentwood and Newport Beach.  I have a feeling we may no longer buy our diapers in bulk since more trips to Calabasas just might be necessary.  ;) Oh and Ava, I never thought I'd say this, but your tantrum was actually worth it in the end (but don't make it a habit, ok?).

www.susiecakesla.com

Kegels Done Right

Heather Jeffcoat tells us how to exercise those muscles

Heather Jeffcoat, a physical therapist based in Encino is back with us again offering tips on how to properly do those darn "Kegel" exercises. Heather wrote a previous article for us on how to get those six-pack abs after delivery.  For more information or to reach Heather directly, visit her website, www.thepilatespt.com.

Kegels Done Right
By Heather Jeffcoat

You're a new mom, and you've been hearing since your pregnancy that you should be doing Kegel exercises.  You even tried them a few times.  They sound easy enough, but Kegels are actually much harder to perform than you think.  A study published in the American Journal of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (Bump, et al) looked at the performance of women doing Kegels after brief verbal instruction.  When they were re-tested at a follow-up visit--only 49% were doing them correctly!  Even worse, 25% of the women were performing a Kegel in such a way that it would actually promote incontinence (involuntary leakage of urine or feces).

So, what is a Kegel?  A Kegel is a contraction of the pelvic floor muscles (often referred to as the "PC" or pubococcygeus muscle).  The collective group of pelvic floor muscles encircles the urethra, vagina and rectum.  When a Kegel is performed correctly, these "openings" of the body should close.  There should be no outward sign of effort with an isolated Kegel.  All you should feel is a lifting of the muscles inside and a slight tensing of the lower abdominal muscles.  It really is a "secret" exercise!

Here are some tips to isolate a Kegel:

• Begin with lying on your back.  Imagine you are closing the opening of the urethra (bladder tube).  Do not squeeze your legs together.

• Lying on your back, slowly draw up the muscles around your rectum, like you are trying to avoid passing gas.  There should be no tightening of the larger muscles in your buttock area.

If these don't work for you, just try gently pulling in you navel to your spine.  Especially focus on the lower abdomen as you do this. Do you feel the Kegel contracting automatically?  This may be easier for you to feel if you lie on your stomach or in an "all fours" position (on your hands and knees).

Once you've isolated the contraction, begin with holding them for 2-3 seconds and do 2 sets of 5, 3 times a day.  It's better to do fewer at a time and spread them out during the day when you are just getting started.  As you get stronger, add "quick flicks", where you squeeze for one second, let go for one second.  Start with 8-10 repetitions, 2 times a day.  Then progress to doing your Kegels while seated or standing and holding for longer periods of time.  It's also great practice to do a Kegel everytime you pick up your baby, squat, or go up/down stairs.  60 Kegels a day is your goal.

One of the biggest errors I see once women learn to isolate a Kegel, is performing too many repetitions or holding for too long.  For example, many women will say they do 10-second holds right off the bat. That's like running a marathon for your pelvic floor muscles, especially right after childbirth.  And over-exercising can lead to a decrease in muscle performance, which will make incontinence worse.  But, of course some women under-exercise, which isn't going to build strength either.

Learning to perform Kegels correctly can sometimes be frustrating, especially if you are trying to eliminate incontinence as a result of pregnancy or childbirth.  If you are unsuccessful, ask your physician, nurse practitioner or midwife for a referral to a Women's Health Physical Therapist.  A Women's Health PT can give you additional training to learn how to properly isolate a Kegel and give you an individualized program for success.

www.thepilatespt.com