Baby Friendly L.A.

Classy Kid Part 2

From bibs to the potty Classy Kid has thought of it all

I love Classy Kid. I loved them before they ever contacted me. I gladly wrote about their amazing placemats and I am happy to write about their other awesome products as well.

Shortly after my first post about their Classy Kid Keep Me Coloring Creative Germ Defense Placemat, Classy Kid sent me an email asking if I would review a few more of their products. They sent me a wonderful batch of goodies and I must say, the Classy Kid company does does not disappoint. They have products for so many baby-needs- on-the-go and I was sincerely impressed with their line.

Their Keep-Me-Clean Degradable Poly/Cotton Bibs make dining out a bit easier. They are waterproof and have a handy drop pouch or "crumb catcher" for all of those missed bites. They are also extremely lightweight, which Ava likes. She's always tugging at her bibs or ripping them off, but because they are so wafer thin, she almost forgets she's wearing it.

Classy Kid also sent us their Public Potty Protectors. As the name suggests, these ingenious seat covers are a must have for germ defense in public bathrooms. We have just begun the fun process of potty training and these super soft covers are sure to be a big part of our lives. They are extra large in size so they drape over the sides of the toilet where small hands grab on.  They also have adhesive strips to keep them in place for even the most unstable potty user. Love this!

They also sent us samples of their changing table covers. While I don't tend to change Ava's diaper in the public, pull down changers any more, a few of my friends have small babies and rely on them regularly. These changing covers are thin and compact yet spacious in size; they do not take up much room in the diaper bag and they are disposable so when you are finished they can be tossed away.

The bottom line, Classy Kid has a number of products (and plenty more not listed here) that are well thought out on many levels. They think for the comfort of babies and for the convenience of parents and that's what makes them so… well… Classy!

www.classy-kid.com

LA Kids Consignment SALE

Times are tough and kids are expensive.

The Spring LA Kids Consignment Sale is happening this weekend, March 27 – 29th. Over 20,000 gently used and new children's products will be on sale at a massive warehouse location in the San Fernando Valley. From cribs to strollers to toys and clothes for babies through pre-teens - it can all be found at this tremendous sale that happens only twice a year. It's a great way to get the items you need at an incredible bargain – and who couldn't use a bargain right now?

Here are the details:

WHEN:
Friday, March 27th - 9am-5pm
Saturday, March 28th - 9am-5pm
Sunday, March 29th - 9am-2pm - 50% off most items

WHERE:
City-Art
7733 Hayvenhurst Ave.
Van Nuys, CA 91406

NOTE:
The sale is CASH only.  Children are permitted to attend, however it is encouraged to find a childcare arrangements since it can be overwhelming and the lines are long.

www.lakidsconsigment.com

Mascara Monday

Loreal's new Double Extend Mascara is totally tubular.

A few weeks ago the hubby and I finally found some time to watch a bit of television we had been saving up on the DVR. As most busy people do these days, we tend to fast forward through the commercials, however this night we were a little slow on the trigger. To my surprise a commercial came on that not only caught my eye, but made me hit the rewind button.  It was a commercial for Loreal's Double Extend Beauty Tubes that says it will lengthen your lashes by 80%.

There are so many mascaras on the market that claim to lengthen, strengthen, volumize, moisturize, curl, fatten, thicken, plump and basically give you eyelashes from another dimension.  This one makes promises as well, however Double Extend demonstrates its "beauty tube technology" which actually adds "tubes" to your lashes creating salon-like extensions (yes, you can actually get lash extensions just like hair). This was the first time I had heard about this new style of mascara and I was intrigued.  80%? Tubes? I had to try it. I ran out and bought some later that week.

This mascara has a two part process. You first apply the "white" wand to nourish your lashes which make them look as if they are tipped with snow flakes. Then you flip to the second wand and apply the standard, black coat. This is where the "tubing" and lengthening magic happens. But wait... there's more... Another bonus to this mascara – no more raccoon eyes. I'm not sure how or why, but this mascara doesn't seem to bleed, run or smear all over your face like most others.  All it takes is warm water and you can literally see the tubes rubbing off yet they do not flake or hurt your eyes. It's kind of weird, but it's also pretty cool.

To my surprise, this mascara delivered on many levels. Most importantly I tolerated it really well. It did not irritate or aggravate my sensitive eyes with or without my contacts in. I was also really pleased with the look. My lashes did appear longer and thicker. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but I liked what was blinking back at me. In fact, I liked it so much I decided to blog about it here and share it with you. So while this may not be my typical baby product review, it does pertain to something important to moms and women everywhere – feeling beautiful. Loreal's Double Extend Beauty Tubes truly are tubular. I'm happy I hit rewind.

L'oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara 575 Blackest Black on Amazon.com

Classy Kid Placemats

A placemat that has thought of it all

We've all eaten out with our little ones. And we've all tried countless ways to entertain them before their food arrives.  I'm sure you've seen or even tried the disposable, stick down placemats.  You know the kind… the Saran Wrap-ish, "table topper" mats decorated with a favorite character such as Elmo or Dora that barely sticks to the table with pasty strips on two sides.  Ava will get bored in matter of minutes and thinks it's fun to pull the mat off of the table defeating the whole purpose.  And then I found the Classy Kid Keep Me Coloring Creative Germ Defense Placemat. 

These mats essentially do the same thing – they give your child a clean place to put their food. Only this multi-tasking mat rocks.  First of all, it sticks down on all four sides as opposed to just two. But not just all four sides… it's made to wrap around the front edge of the table making it an even cleaner, more secure surface and more difficult to for your child to pull it off.  I don't know what they use in their gummy paste, but it sticks. Yet at the end of the meal it easily comes off with no trace of it left behind.

And the mat keeps getting better. Each one has a design with either cute little barnyard animals or sweet looking creatures from the sea. All are in black and white so your child can color, scribble and doodle all over them. They can color with crayons right on this mat. Brilliant. Four crayons are included in each pack. But the Classy Kids people thought about things in even greater detail. Their crayons are triangular so they won't roll off the table. Again, brilliant.

So these super secure, wrap-around, adorably decorated, coloring placemats with the triangular crayons can't get any better can they? Yep, they sure can.  They are waterproof. You can put "wet" items down on it such as grapes, oranges, carrots marinating in soups... and then wipe it off and the child can still write on it. It's amazing. It's so cool that it must be bad for the environment, right? Nope. According to their website, these mats are made from environmentally degradable calcium material.

Ok, so with all of this you would think these placemats would be far more expensive than the plastic, flimsy kind. But they are actually less expensive. Babies R Us carries packs of 20 for around $9 – about the same price as the 16 pack of the others. You can also find these mats at grocery stores such as Ralphs. I never thought I would love a placemat, but Classy Kids lives up to their classy name with this ingenious design.

www.classy-kid.com

December 18th is FREE Shipping Day

Here's hope for all of us slackers

December is a hectic month. It's been a crazy one for me between preparing for the holidays, opening my new Etsy shop and of course taking care of Ava – who lately has decided to give us a sneak preview of what the "terrible twos" might be like.  It feels like I'm behind in everything these days.  I hear people saying how they finished their holiday shopping weeks ago. Their presents are wrapped and under their tree which has been up and twinkling since Thanksgiving. Their cards are all meticulously signed mailed out.  I want to be one of those people this year, but it just ain't happening.  So if you are like me and still have a mile long to-do list, here's some hope. We're not too late…

Announcing FREE Shipping Day on December 18th! Mark your calendars and get your net surfing fingers ready. Free Shipping Day will help you get your shopping done and delivered on time.  December 18th is a coordinated day for a long and growing list of merchants such as Target, Nordstrom and Apple who are all offering - you guessed it - free shipping and guaranteed delivery in time for the holidays.

 

Click HERE for a direct links to the participating vendors. Check back often as new merchants are being added daily as December 18th approaches.

And if you still end up waiting until the very last minute, here is a list of absolute cut-off dates for over 250 merchants to get your packages there in time.  And keep in mind, Hanukkah starts on Wednesday, December 21st this year.

For more information on Free Shipping Day, visit www.freeshippingday.com.

I'll also join in the fun and offer free shipping for all purchases in my store, Treasures Par Avion.  If you have a boutique or shop and want to offer free shipping on 12/18 as well, leave a comment below and I'll create a separate posts listing all of our stores. Happy Holidays!

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

Now Accepting Gift Guide Submissions

Baby Friendly L.A. Holiday Gift Guide Submission

The holidays are fast approaching and Ava and I are compiling a shopping list of our favorite things and unique places to find that perfect holiday gift.  If you would like to submit a product or boutique for review and possible inclusion, send us an email with the following:

• Tell me all about your fabulous product!  What makes it special? I'm looking forward to hearing all about your creativity! Send emails to info@babyfriendlyla.com
• Please write GIFT GUIDE SUBMISSION in the subject of the email.
• Your website. If your product has a website, please include it in your email. If there is any other important information, please include that as well.
• A sample.  Please let me know in the email if you are interested in sending a product sample for review and I will email you the mailing address.
• If you are interested in a contest, give-away or % discount for BFLA readers, please state that as well. Contests and promotions are always a lot of fun and a great way to promote your line.

I plan to feature the BFLA Gift Guide in mid November, so please send your email for Gift Guide submissions by November 7th for consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon! Thank you!
XOXO,
Ro & Ava

Safe for Baby Hands

Wet Ones^® Sensitive Wipes

Wet Ones has a line of alcohol and fragrance free wipes for sensitive skin. They are designed for the hands and face claim to be "pediatrician tested to be safe for babies." Their website states:

• Alcohol free and fragrance free formula
• New Non-Sticky formula
• New Dura Strong™ fabric
• New canister designed to fit in car cup holder
• Enriched with cucumber, chamomile, and moisturizing
  complex containing Aloe, Vitamin E and Pro-vitamin B5
• Hypoallergenic

I'm loving these wipes! The rectangular shape of the travel pack fits conveniently in the wipey case of my Cross Town Clutch and I feel good about using them on Ava after messy lunches.  Best of all, you can find them at any grocery store.  Just had to share!

Yummy, Healthy Snacks

Brothers-All-Natural Fruit Crisps

I have to share my latest snack obsession… Brothers-All-Natural fruit crisps are an amazingly yummy, healthy treat. These freeze dried fruit snacks are 100% pure and natural. They contain only fruity goodness and no other added preservatives or chemicals. And they are only 39 calories per bag. Sweet!

I don't think these nutritious munchies were designed specifically for babies, but they are the perfect snack for little ones. The freeze drying technique has made the fruit crisp, yet soft and crumbly once in the mouth. Toddlers can easily bite, eat and swallow these treats. And they are so healthy which is the best part of all.

The fruit crisps come in a variety of flavors, but I have only tried the Fuji Apples and the Peach. They can be found at Costco in a large box of 20 containing both flavors. Both are excellent, but the Apple is my favorite and I think Ava would agree as well.

As a parent always on the look out for healthy treats to throw in the diaper bag, I feel good about her eating these naturally delicious snacks.

Safe Driving - Free Headsets

California's new hands-free law begins on July 1^st

We knew it was coming… No more driving and talking on the phone. No more long conversations while parked on the 405 freeway - at least not without an earpiece or headset. Lucky for us there's a web site that's willing to help out chatty drivers by offering free headsets for your cell phone. Yep… that's what I said, FREE. All you pay is $3.94 for shipping. Not a bad deal.

Freeheadset.org was referred to me by my friend, Blair – another fellow mommy with a beautiful three year old named Molly. She is awaiting her order now and will give me the run down once she receives her headset. I plan to place an order as well and will let you know if you really can get something for almost nothing.

In the meantime, I thought it was worthwhile to post. Their website says their efforts are all in the name of safe driving and they have given out over 200,000 headsets so far.  Check out their latest press release.  

If anyone has received a headset from here, please post a comment and let us know about your experience. It's for a good cause. We all need to put safety first – especially if we are driving our little ones around.

www.freeheadset.org

CA DMV website