The Daily Stroll

Bon Amies

If you are a mom, aunt, grandmother, Godmother, or special friend to a little girl you are probably aware of what they wish for on the market these days. Those commercials with those dolls (not naming names but you know who they are), and toys focused on beauty not brains are what they want from 3 to 13, but is that what you really want them to want? What you want them to aspire to? What you want to spend your hard earned money on? I didn't think so.

We want to build strong women. We want them to value themselves and their bodies and brains. We don't want the plastic doll circus scattered throughout our living room (not to mention we don't want to see her perfect size zero with giant boobs figure laying naked on our kitchen floor before we have had our first cup of coffee). Let's start a movement to move away from that and find products that our kids and tweens can really use.

Kids love dogs, and tweens love great colors, dogs, skulls, argyles and mixing them all together. They love cool laptop covers, chic coin purses, and toting their first real wallet. Preschoolers love a first backpack, and we love AMIES Circle for creating a positive product line that does not set out to start a frenzy of eating disorders and questions like "how come the Bratz  and Barbie dolls (okay I named names) get to wear half shirts?" How about a super cool question like "hey aunt Liz, can I please have a cute laptop sleeve?". "For $20 why yes you most certainly can" will be my answer and somehow I know that it will be yours too.

AMIES Circle is the brainchild of Jubily Boy. A San Francisco based designer and mom who is pairing children's love of animals with great style, great prices, and safe products. Her lead free line of bags and stationery is super cute and addictive. Pick your favorite character and grab up everything in the line. I like Sir Louie. He seems smart but tough. Perhaps you like Donnatella or Bingo? You will have to see for yourself. Also checkout the page of fun downloads for kids such as coloring pages and color posters. Jubily Boy really has something here and we are so thrilled to help her spread the positive word.

designer:: AMIES Circle

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Good Enough To Eat

Sure there are many barrettes out there but there is only one Cakie. This delectable confectionery treat (direct quote) is good enough to eat, but wait- don't! Felt tastes furry and besides your little fashionista needs this for her hair and if you eat it you are depriving her from being stopped on the street and told how adorable she is. What's that? You need one too? Oh you are in luck, now there are Mama Cakies. There are also "rock on" clips, cakies to clip to your lapel, and sweet mums popping up from the whimsical garden that is the brain of designer Ruby Ellen Bratcher.

Mom of True and Brave, and adoring wife of Benny, Ruby is on the verge of big things. Busting down the doors of boutiques everywhere and wowing us with her layers of sweetness.

designer:: MyCakies

Alternative To Your Easter Bonnet

How is this for an alternative to your Easter bonnet? At Clips4ACure 10% of all proceeds is donated to the American Cancer Society. Plenty of hats and clips to choose from. I love the preppy ribbon mixed with traditional crochet on this one.

designer:: Clips4ACure

Unlock My Sanity

Funny thing - keys that is. They hold the power. They unlock the house, they unlock the car, they keep you trapped somewhere all day when you can't find them.

It is not like we are guys. We don't have these big pockets on our pants that look appropriate when stuffed with wallets and keys. Women are actually supposed to remove our pants pockets according to some stylists as it makes the pants fall better and removes those "lines" that make our butts look bigger. We are also expected to carry more than one child in our arms, a diaper tote, push a stroller, manage our beverage, hold our toddler's hand, all while making a phone call and trying not to lose our sanity keys. Last time I looked I had only two hands. Last time I looked, I couldn't find my keys either.

This is why I am so excited about Wriskey™. It may bring me back from the brink. Not to mention that I feel that I need one in every color. What is it? A stylish wristlet key chain. Keep your hands free to hold  your kids and kid paraphernalia while remaining the ultimate fashionista that you are. Other moms will stop you in the street and think that you are so cool. Then you will tell them about Wriskey™ and how you saw it on The Daily Stroll.

Say goodbye to pocket bulge, and hello to your keys. Now the hard part is choosing which Wriskey™ you want. I am warning you. This could take all day. Another thing just to make it more difficult- they are only $12 each.

designer:: wriskey

daily stroll readers use code: dailystroll for 10% off. expires 3.31.08.

you design it

We received this note from a loyal reader:

You have a great sense of style (that I envy) so I wonder if you can help find some cool handbags that don't look like "diaper bags" and still hold the items that we tend to accumulate (crayons, little dolls, jewels, little cars, etc.) plus the stuff we really do need in there. Thanks! Heather

Well here you go Heather- and all of the other readers wondering the same thing-

Guess what? I designed this bag. Yup- all by myself. Well okay... with the help of the super cool software and huge fabric selection at 1154 LILL Studio! This is the DONNA and I chose these fab fabrics to coordinate with my mood this fall. I call it "mod-floral explosion". The 2 fabrics that I chose for the main bag are much like tapestry and it reminds me of a hip version of Mary Poppins carpet bag. The only thing is that I can't pull a lamp and full size mirror out of it but it does do everything else. The straps are a nice navy sateen and they support the DONNA nicely.

Designing was easy (well except for the part where you have to really make up your mind about what fabrics you want to use), and now my "DONNA" bag and I go everywhere together. It is big enough to use as a diaper bag and it is so soft and flexible I can smush it down in the stroller basket when I need to but usually I prefer to show it off by wearing it on my shoulder!

Inside each DONNA bag that you can create you will find a nice bunch of pockets that runs along the length of the bag. This spot is perfect for my Blackberry, baby "e"'s pacifier, my chapstick, etc.

Design your own at 1154 LILL Studio! Design a bag from their assortment of styles for your mom, sister, babysitter, best girlfriend. You don't have to go with a big DONNA bag- you can go with a clutch, a tote, you decide! You decide everything!

1154 LILL Studio recommends dry cleaning your bags.

designer:: YOU (at 1154 LILL)

15% off for daily stroll readers! The 15% discount is good towards one of 1154 LILL’s Signature Styles (offer good for one item). Enter “Stroll” in notes section upon check out (discount will be taken at LILL HQ and be reflected on your credit card statement). Offer only good for online purchases and cannot be used towards gift certificates. expires 12.3.07.

BeanPickleSprout

Bibs have become an actual accessory in our home. A necessity too. Elkë is a spitter and a drooler and it won't slow down anytime soon. I like her bibs to be a reflection of her unique style (or mine) and since she doesn't have a favorite band or the ability to dye her hair yet, her bibs can be an expression of her individuality.

BeanPickleSprout (love the name) designs bibs just like I would imagine and wish for. I heart this one the most. I am pretty sure it is because they took the time to embellish the fabric with a simple flower sprig design. Many designers use the same fabrics as everyone else these days, and really- sewing together a popular fabric in the shape of a bib is not "design" and I am over it.

I need uniqueness and style and so does my Elkë. This designer must be a mom to a spitter too as she put an extra layer of absorbency in the bib, she must be a mom of a feisty baby to have sealed the deal with a pearl snap not a flimsy Velcro, and she must love for her baby to have the best as she put a soft baby wale corduroy backing on the lovely bib.

designer:: beanpicklesprout

Organic BabyLegs

I am going to be completely honest here. I have yet to write about Babylegs and the company has been in business and wowing the juvenile product industry for quite some time now. I just really didn't like the way they looked and when I can't wrap my head around something or if I don't like it- it doesn't make it on to the virtual pages of the Daily Stroll.

I thought they were kind of "thigh high" looking and too sexy for kids. I thought- what is the big deal- my kid doesn't crawl so I don't need them. My kid doesn't get diaper rash so no point. Then I had another baby. 

It is true. Ruby never crawled so giving her a soft knee on the hardwood floors wasn't an issue. She never had diaper rash so letting her bum be diaper free while keeping her legs warm really didn't enter into my mind. When Elkë came along it was another story. She is already a tummy girl at almost 3 months. I think she will be crawling soon and I am not kidding. She has diaper rash quite a bit as I have never seen a baby have more wet diapers in a day (15 or so is that normal??). This is because she actually eats. Ruby? Not so much.

Babylegs are growing on me. I like to let Elkë go diaper less when I can and Babylegs keep her warm. I also have tall children who have what I like to call "short pants syndrome" a lot. Whether it is because they are in a carrier and their pants ride up or because they are just simply growing like a weed- they need something to keep them cozy. I also like to blame their dad who is 6'7" tall.  Another thing that I like about Babylegs is that they help keep tiny shoes on. I sort of slouch the bottom of them down over the baby's shoes and it really helps. Of course my friends and family have made various "Flashdance" comments but hey- I think they are just jealous.

Now with the great organics collection and the unbelievable color and pattern selections Babylegs is really becoming an addiction. I love the reds and pumpkin colors! I think we have over a dozen pairs and the girls share them since they are 1 size fits most. I do have to say that because Ruby is so tall ( 3 years and 40") that it would be great if there was a "tall" size. Do you hear me Babylegs? Ruby loves to wear them but on her they really do look a bit too sexy for a 3 year old since they only go from ankle to mid thigh. Maybe it's just me but  Just a few more inches would be great! I just don't want to hear grumbles on the playground.

designer:: babylegs

do your children wear Babylegs? What do you think?

Silly Knit Hat

Besides being the cutest photo I have seen this week, this knit hat by a designer in the Netherlands is just perfect for the toddler in your life. Of course wearing it over his eyes is totally up to the mood.

Super knitting talent and a lot of silly went into making this hat which also features a button for that loop in the event that your kid wants to take the silly down a notch.

designer:: ballee