Joyous Melodies from Olive Juice Kids

Olive Juice Kids has officially welcomed spring - if only we could too - but the weather just isn't allowing us to embrace it. At least we have something to look forward too as they give us vibrant pops of color we just can't wait to get on our kiddies.

The January catalog (on their website here) gives us the perfect ensemble for everyone - whether it is a day at the country club or Easter celebrations - they have given us something for our little guys and gals to look classic & chic.

Stay tuned for our "Muted Neutrals" photo shoot which include great dresses from Olive Juice Kids and some fabulous Etsy finds.

Peek Inside this OH SO CHIC Nursery

A nursery is more than just a room. It is all about making a cozy & chic place for your little one to adore - in our case - a sweet little girl. Take a peek inside this OH SO CHIC nursery and see exactly what makes it the perfect place for your princess.

click on images to take a closer look

You can't have a nursery without a crib so we choose a brand we know & love (and wouldn't get recalled) - Carters by Summer Infant. The Sleep Haven 3-in-1 convertible crib is perfect to feel secure. The simple white crib ($330) is beautifully designed and really enhances the beauty of this nursery - it is a classic design at a price all parents will love. And you don't have to give it up quickly - it converts into a daybed and toddler bed. We also love the all wood construction, hidden hardware and four position mattress adjustments - sure to be the perfect centerpiece of your nursery. Complete the look with the changing table and dresser to match.

Another must is the Sleek&Secure Handheld Color Video Monitor - check it out in detail here. The hip new monitor looks just like a cell phone with great features and lets you talk to baby when you aren't in the nursery - one of the best features besides the 100% digital technology to provide a secure & private connection from up to 350' away. As always Summer Infant is staying ahead of the curve.

Decor: Finishing Touches

The sweet dreams striped plaque from Ladybugs & Lilypads matches the polka dot & stripes theme just perfect - hang it by the pink ribbon or use it as doorknob sign. We also found the perfect rug that doesn't take over a small space. And we LOVE the wooden baby blocks from Elegant Baby that fit perfectly on a white shelf. Polka Dot decals & Pottery Barn Teen Bright Bloom Stickers in pink fill the cotton candy walls.

A little girls room is never complete without bows. And we found the best place to get them - Etsy! The heart hair bow holder from Shinning Star Boutique, a cute store we have come to love along with the blue/green flower loop boutique hair bow. Balasa Designs gets us excited for spring with the adorable tulip flower clip and Pampered Princesses gives us no slip clips we love. Sassy & Sweet tops if off with a cupcake hair clip perfect to sass up your sweetie. And of course, the Sweet Harper ClippyArt is the perfect hanging accessory, complete with Sweet Harper singles & triplet clips for your little one's room.

And let's not forget those lovies! Bundled gives us oh so chic little giraffe rattles you little one will just swoon over. We also love the personalized unique dolls from Sophie & Lili - they have became our favorite doll to snuggle with. For a splash of color on your little ones easy chair -Blabla's Berry-Lee doll is a unique hand knitted find. You can never have enough to snuggle!

Check out your local Homegoods store for the finishing touches for the perfect place. We found great hat boxes, storage trunks and cute little signs to make the room complete. The best part is everything was under $10!

Olliegraphic is just TOO cute

Just the other day we stumbled across the cutest personalized Valentine’s Day cards ever – and we mean EVER!

Olliegraphic sells the most lovable line of printable personalized stationary – we couldn’t decide on just one item!

How Olliegraphic Works: Pick an item, add a name, clothes, expression, skin tote, and hair color to customize to look just like your little one and in return you get a PDF (complete with crop marks showing where to cut for those cutting impaired) so you can print as many as you need & have them forever – they are ready to print & you will never run out. What is not to love about that!

OUR PICK: The hip-retro illustrated version of your child on these oh so cute Valentine’s card - perfect to pass around at school or to family. They are sure to put a smile on everyone’s face.

Olliegraphic also specializes in personalized notepads, personalized note cards and even mommy calling cards! Take a visit to Olliegraphic on Etsy and check out their blog too!

In Love with Miravos

A new brand. A fresh face. A love affair with nursing clothes we never saw coming. The perfect eco-chic pick me up for those ready to pop and who plan to breastfeed - we found the perfect collection for you - Miravos.

You will love putting on the Chrystie ¾ sleeve shirt ($39) – it is casual chic at its finest. Perfect for layering and great over jeans the classic v-neck top makes nursing on the go so easy with simple lift-up access.

We also couldn’t survive pregnancy & nursing without the Liberty Sleep Dress ($79). You won’t want to take it off. It is our favorite nightgown to stay cozy or a simple dress to run around town. Another fave is the super chic & stylish Madison Maxi Dress ($139) - perfect spring/summer style that offers all the support of a bra plus the graceful halter tie gives even extra lift –we love that! In the under portion of the bandeau there is a full slit which allows for discreet nursing and a place for nursing pads.

What makes the line stand out? Miravos is manufactured in New York City from sustainable bamboo. As we know, Bamboo grows without pesticides and has a natural anti-bacterial agent called "bamboo kun" which remains in the fabric even after fifty washes!

Quality, comfort, stylish & chic -- a few words to describe the tops, nightgowns and dresses that should be filling your closet.

A note from Miravos owner: Maud Maron

Miravos is very very new--under a year at this point. The homepage photo (above) on my website is my daughter Clara and I at home. The idea for Miravos came to me as I was looking for chic, natural fabric nursing clothes after my first child--my son Lucio--was born. It was not easy to find clothes I liked or fabrics that I wanted to wear. By the time Clara was born she and I were road-testing all of the styles--so I know they work

Get shopping: http://www.miravos.us/index.php

Stay updated: Become a Miravos fan on Facebook and follow them on Twitter!

Oh La La --- Bravado Designs! -- plus a giveaway!

It is far from your average nursing bra. It holds you up, holds you in, and everything in between. We now see why Bravado! Designs is known for some of the most comfortable nursing bras on the market.

Just last week, Bravado! Designs sent us two brand new incredible styles for nursing moms; the Sublime and the Allure. Not only do they look attractive, they are extremely comfortable and we LOVE the matching underwear. No need to sacrifice style with Bravado! Designs. We also can’t get enough of The Essential Nursing Bra tank – it is beyond a must in your pregnancy and nursing wardrobe.

The Sublime Nursing Bra ($45) makes you feel incredibly feminine and doesn’t make you sacrifice lingerie. The cotton lining in the cups keep you comfy while the delicate lace shows of your style and giving you all the easy nursing features you need.

As for the Allure Underwire Nursing Bra ($54) – prepare yourself to become obsessed during pregnancy, nursing and even after – you will not want to take it off so we suggest buying a few.

A few words to sum up the Allure: fabulous, innovative, stylish, superior comfort, high quality, perfect fit, amazing support, super soft, easy features…..and the list goes on!

What makes it so amazing? Supple-Fit design, offered exclusively by Bravado. This proprietary fusion of design elements results in an underwire nursing bra that blends style with good breast health. Click here to see just what these Supple-Fit^TM design elements include.

Complete the set with a pair of Allure bottoms – the gorgeous boy short (non-scratchy!) lace panties ($22) that are super soft. They give you great seat coverage and won’t ride up.

Let’s not forget……Bra + Tank = The Essential Nursing Bra Tank ($45) that is…well, essential!

With a full bra inside and stunning style, The Essential Nursing Bra Tank was designed to make you feel fabulous inside and out and it does just that! It is perfect for around the house or easy nursing outside of the house. It is fitted to your body in high quality cotton/spandex that is comfortable against the skin as it provides remarkable support while giving you a beautiful shape. What more could you ask for?

Click to see the Tank featured in In Style Magazine, Practical Parenting Magazine, and American Baby Magazine.

Bravo to Bravado! We’re in love and seriously crushin’……

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS*

Bravado! Designs’ is giving our readers a chance to win your favorite item from their site! Head on over to Bravado! Designs and tell us one item that you feel is essential in your wardrobe – whether you are expecting, nursing, or just a chic - momma in need. This is mandatory to be entered! And please, make sure you are a follower of Cupcake Mag & Sprinkles.

For extra entries, please leave a separate comment for each entry letting us know!

1. Follow Bravado! Designs on Twitter

2. Follow Cupcake Mag on Twitter

3. Tweet about this giveaway and include @cupcakemag

4. Write a blog post about this giveaway on your blog!

Please comment below with your email address. We will select a random winner on Monday Feb. 1st! Start commenting now and good luck!

etsy chic-mom pick of the week

Even though we featured hair accessories last week well, we just couldn't help but feature another Etsy designer we have fallen in love with - the designer, Tracy, who has the sweetest personality to go along with her oh so sweet bows was something we just couldn't wait to share.

We were sent a sprinkling of her goodies that we LOVE. Among our favorites - the new "MOM" flower stretch headband that holds hair back perfectly (without adjusting 25 times a day!) - we can't stop wearing it! Look for it soon on her Sweet Harper etsy shop!

As for the sweet girls in your life - the ClippyArt ($22) a perfect place to organize all you their hair accessories with style! It is our favorite way to hold hair barrettes, snap-clips, and of course Sweet Harper hair clips. It holds approximately 50 clips! We love the classic, modern, fresh look to add style to your sweet ones room. Custom colors are available to perfect match her stylish space.

Of course, you have to have some chic clips to go along. We love the simple yet stylish look of Sweet Harpers clips - not to mention that fact that they REALLY stay in your sweet gals hair. We call it PCPP; perfect clip at the perfect price.

Want to see more for your Sweet Girl?

Connect with Sweet Harper on Twitter, Facebook & the newly launched Sweet Harper blog - were you can enter for the latest giveaway!

C R A V I N G of the M O N T H

Etsy is the perfect place for finding unique items paired with great customer service and quality – a perfect match. If you are a frequent reader of this blog - you know just how found we are of the designers we feature.

So, when we came across Babycakes & Decor and a super bubbly little owner - we couldn't wait to share the sprinkling of goodies we received from her Etsy Shop. From sweet little cupcakes and yummy lollipops to onesies that make a statement - you are sure to find something to just awe over. Not to mention - the packaging it arrives in is so cute - you may have to stare at it before opening - it is just that adorable!

A Note from the Designer:

I love cupcakes...and I love babies! So I put the two ideas together and came up with a sweet little gift! I try to put myself into each and every piece that I send out with all of the fine details that make opening a package from my little shop a lot of fun! I started making gifts for friends and family and it spiraled into a full time business! I love my job and wouldn't want to do anything else! Hopefully you might find a little treat in my shop too! Come and peek inside my window at www.babycakesanddecor.etsy.com!

xoxo,

Heather

Ps. Thanks so much Casi and Cupcake Mag for loving my lil' cupcakes too! I appreciate the feature!

Warm Up Those Buns with Prince Lionheart’s Wipe Warmers (plus a giveaway! --- or three!)

Our diaper changing station would be quite naked without Prince Lionheart's Wipe Warmer line - our one & only brand in our nursery & in our diaper bags.

The Premium Wipes Warmer ($34.99) is perfect for your little one’s buns – it takes the chill right out of diaper changing! It features the patented Ever-Fresh System to keep baby wipes ever so fresh, moist and free from discoloration. It is molded with an EPA-approved anti-microbial additive to inhibit the growth of bacteria and microorganisms. It is the best way to keep wipes the freshest for your baby’s sensitive and delicate skin.

Warmies Wipes Warmer ($34.99) is a eco-friendly, anti-microbial,non-browning wipes warmer that is enhanced with a 3-part heating until that provides better warming and a Ever-Fresh System that keeps wipes fresh and moist by an evaporation and condensation process. Specially designed for Warmies Reusable Cloth Wipes the patented Ever-Fresh System helps keep your wipes the freshest as they soothe your little one’s delicate skin. Both the Ultimate Wipes Warmer ’s tub and the Ever-Fresh pillow are treated with an EPA approved additive to inhibit the growth of microorganisms that may cause spoilage, odors and mildew. Four warmies are included.

And let’s not forget the recipes for homemade wipe solutions! Here is a great recipe that works best for yeast diaper rashes known as “Soothing Baby Wipes” – the vinegar and essential oils discourage yeast growth.

Soothing Baby Wipes

1/2 cup Distilled Water
1 teaspoon Vinegar
1/4 cup Aloe Vera Gel
1 tablespoon Calendula Oil
1 drop Lavender Essential Oil
1 drop Tea tree Essential Oil

Using a container or spray bottle with a tight lid, mix all ingredients, cover and shake to blend. Place wipes in a container and pour solution over them, moistening wipes. Store any extra solution in refrigerator.

Last is the one thing we can't leave home without - the travel wipes warmer keeps wipes on the home or on the go! Perfect for cleaning baby and all the sticky messes we encounter. It is the best in it's class and holds up to 30 wipes - the largest capacity travel wipes warmer on the market. The advanced top-down heating and insulation keeps wipes moist and fresh on-the-go and is available in blue, pink and green. It also includes both AC and car adaptor.

*GIVEAWAY*

Prince Lionheart is giving our readers a chance to win one of each! Yes, you read correctly – we are giving away one of each of the wipes warmers.

Like always, become a follower of Cupcake Mag & Sprinkles and post a comment telling us which product you want to add to your nursery. Also, please visit Prince Lionheart’s facebook page and become a fan as an extra entry too! Please comment below with your email address and letting us know you have become a facebook fan along with choosing a product. We will select a random winner by 6pm (EST) on January 23rd! Start commenting now and good luck!

oompa toys gives us eco-chic

As momma-istas, we love pretty things - which means so do our babes. So when it comes to toys and keeping them busy, we only pick the best - the educational yet fun toys that look "pretty chic" in the play room. That about sums up our love for Oompa Toys.

Nothing but LOVE for Oompa Toys

Winner of Creative Child’s 2008 Preferred Choice Award – (1) Sakrada Building Blocks ($25.99) from Haba is an entertaining collection of crazy patterned blocks in fun shapes and bright colors that your child will love.

One of the easiest toys to clean up is the (2) Wooden Numbers Stacking Board Rings ($30.99) from Bajo – you don’t have to worry about losing any of the rings because they are all attached to their post via a long string with a balled end! It is a great toy to help your toddler with their counting skills and color recognition while having fun. Why we love Bajo? These beautiful European toys are made of locally grown apple, cherry, alder, maple, birch or walnut wood, and are finished with child-safe, non-toxic lacquers.

The (3) Eco-Friendly Tea Set from Green Toys ($24.99) is a terrific addition to your child’s collection. Created with the Earth’s well being in mind the tea set is perfect for a tea party or even great to play with in the bath! This tea set was crafted out of 100% curbside collected, recycled plastic – soft colors and durable make both our children and our planet happy.

For those tiny little hands we treasure the (4) Snail Wooden Book ($9.99) from Chelona is great to help develop fine motor skills. We love the unique creation of the book not because of the cute 3D snail but because of the joy it brings to children. Your tot will be captivated in letting the snail glimpse through peepholes on each page.

And for one of the best “Green” Dollhouses out there – the play room wouldn’t be complete without (5) Green Dollhouse ($239.99) from Plan Toys – complete with recycle bins and all! Plan Toys has introduced their new eco-themed line of toys and we are thrilled as they help kids learn how to live in harmony with the environment. The dollhouse is filled with fun features and furniture for hours of imaginative play.

These are just a few of our items we crave from Oompa Toys – this truly is just a sprinkling of eco-chic toys. Head over to Oompa Toys and start filling up the play room.

Lanie -- A girl's best friend inspires to go outdoors

AMERICAN GIRL’S NEW 2010 GIRL OF THE YEAR INSPIRES KIDS TO CONNECT WITH NATURE THROUGH OUTDOOR PLAY -- and partners with the National Wildlife Federation Supports Initiatives

With television a main attraction for kids now a days childhood play has officially moved indoors as convincing research shows that today’s children spend less time playing outdoors than any previous generation, leading to inactivity and increases in childhood obesity, attention deficit disorders, and even depression. We were more excited to see American Girl has once again stepped up their game by helping reverse these trends and encourage girls to get outdoors, American Girl is proud to introduce Lanie™, the 2010 Girl of the Year ®, a thoughtful, energetic girl who discovers the world in her own backyard. Available for only one year, Lanie will launch with two books that tell her story, a golden-haired 18-inch Lanie doll, and an array of fun accessories.

She is the perfect fresh faced girl for the new year. Her cute accessories & fun clothes in bright colors are perfect for exploring the outdoors.

And to further inspire girls, American Girl is introducing Lanie’s Backyard Photo Contest, free classroomcurriculum materials, and a partnership with the National Wildlife Federation® (NWF), a national nonprofit that has more than 70 years of experience fostering a connection to nature in Americans of all ages.

American Girl is supporting National Wildlife Federation’sBe Out There™ (http://www.nwf.org/beoutthere/ campaign), which by connecting families to the outdoors aims to help them raise healthier, happier kids and encourage a life-long appreciation of nature. This year’s Lanie-inspired nature tees for girls and dolls is American Girl’s way of supporting NWF’s mission to inspire kids to view the outdoors as their favorite play space—where they can explore, imagine, discover, and daydream, just like Lanie. And to deepen an appreciation for nature, American Girl and NWF also created free downloadable curriculum materials for grades 3 to 5. The curriculum is designed to educate students, through fun activities and discussion, about elements of different habitats. The free curriculum materials are available at americangirl.com/girloftheyear.

About Lanie

Written by acclaimed author Jane Kurtz, the 2010 Girl of the Year books—Lanie andLanie’s Real Adventures—introduce readers to ten-year-old Lanie Holland. Lanie loves wildlife and the outdoors, but her family prefers to do things at home—and inside. When Lanie’s adventurous and outdoorsy aunt comes to stay with them, Lanie finds a kindred spirit and learns to connect with the natural world around her. Through everyday experiences—growing a garden, bird-watching, camping in her backyard, and creating a butterfly habitat—Lanie discovers how everything in nature is connected and learns there’s a wide, wonderful world right outside her door. To further engage readers, a section at the back of each book includes letters from real girls who, like Lanie, are looking for ways to enjoy the outdoors.

Bringing the new 2010 Girl of the Year character to life is a beautiful 18-inch Lanie doll, featuring curly blond hair and hazel eyes. Lanie’s outfits and accessories consist of everything she needs for her outdoor adventures, including a gardening outfit, a set of furry wildlife friends, a hammock for lounging on summer days, and a camper and gear to explore the great outdoors. Lanie Dress Like Your Doll® outfits are also available.

Starting on January 1, 2010, the Lanie doll, books, and accessories will be available for one year or while supplies last through American Girl’s catalogue, at www.americangirl.com, and at all American Girl retail locations. To request a free American Girl catalogue, call1-800-845-0005

About American Girl

American Girl Brands, LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NYSE:MAT, www.mattel.com), the world’s leading toy company. Since American Girl’s inception in 1986, the company has devoted its entire business to celebrating the potential of girls ages 3 to 12. American Girl encourages girls to dream, to grow, to aspire, to create, and to imagine through a wide range of engaging and insightful books, age-appropriate and educational products, and unforgettable experiences. In meeting its mission with a vigilant eye toward quality and service, American Girl has earned the loyal following of millions of girls and the praise and trust of parents and educators. To learn more about American Girl or to request a free catalogue, call 1-800-845-0005 or visitwww.americangirl.com

About National Wildlife Federation

National Wildlife Federation is the nation's largest conservation organization, publisher of award-winning children’s magazines Ranger Rick®, Your Big Backyard®, and Wild Animal Baby®. National Wildlife Federation educates and motivates more than five million members, partners, affiliates, and supporters to seek solutions to reduce global warming, protect and restore wildlife habitat, and connect people of all ages with nature. For more information, visitwww.nwf.org.