Obsessed with Ambajam!

By Jenny Ford, Contributing Writer

I went to visit my dearest Ali from Ambajam in an emergency situation.  “The son is sleeping with my PINK shirt, the hubs cannot stand it.  He begs me every morning – don’t you have a more neutral shirt he can sleep with?”  “Um, no,” I say “I heart pink and have a lot of it – no man-lies in my closet my dear husband..”  And then *light-bulb moment* – AMBAJAM!!  How could I have forgotten? The cutest, cuddliest, marshmallow-iest of fabrics.  I would love to pad my walls with it (and the hubs  thinks that with my craziness, I could stand to have padded walls). 

Oh how it’s been FOREV since I had been in Ambajam’s studio in Denver.  Oh the bright colors, the snuggly soft fabrics draped everywhere – can you say AH-MAZING?   The warmest place to be, even on the snowiest of days.  I picked two mini cuddles for my mini man – green & blue and brown & blue.  And Oscar has had to pry them outta my hands, I handed them over to him like a loving mother would.  Not only does Ambajam have mini’s, and baby size, they’ve got jumbo’s for the adults too (just for MEEEE!  Or my padded walls).  So many bright and vibrant colors to choose from – anything is sure to suit your fancy. 

Also in their repertoire - more amazing products from hooded towels, cute little appliqué outfits, heirloom pillows and quilts, coin and make up purses, burp and wash cloths (take a breath) and blankets that give back to breast cancer.  AND, I may or may not have seen a prototype for a robe…I’d have to drown you in fluffy softness if I gave you the full story…Adorable, adorable, adorable.  Ali has done an amazing job finding her niche and perfecting her product.  (And she’s an uber-cool lady to boot! Read all about her here).

Ambajam is being sooo generous by giving cupcakeMAG for the Littles an awesome discount code – 20% off, folks!  Go get your own little fluffy cloud now and use the Code: “cupcake20” (valid until 5.15.11)

Friends, make sure you keep up with Ambajam on Twitter and Facebook

Blog Lovin'

We just came across a FABulous blog we love! Centsational Girl is a must-read cupcakeMAG approved site so become a follower STAT! Check out one of her latest post entitled Playroom Art Gallery Wall and see just how she made a simple wall beautiful! We are dying over her creativity - pure genius! 

Head over to her site now to get all the details on just how she did it! 

cucpakeMAG Featured Blogger -- we just LOVE her!

In case you missed our featured blogger today on cupcakeMAG - make sure you check it out. The designer & writer, Jen Ramos has beautiful things with beautiful sites. Check out the beautiful nursery she just featured. We are just in LOVE, completely smitten. But this isn't all she writes about on her blog -- you could read it for days!

Head over to her blog to get all the tips on just how this nursery became soooo beautiful! 

{all images from the Made By Girl Blog}

M.Fredric -- It is the place Denise Richard shops!

Thanks to our chat with Denise Richards on cupcakeMAG today -- we were introduced to M.Fredric! Always wondering where she gets clothes for her girls? Well, now you know! They have some really cute things. We are SO glad she shared them with us. 

cupcakeMAG for Littles picks! 

Stylin' Fedora fro your Little stud

The perfect Spring tee from Splendid 

Need a dress  for tea time? 

Check them out online now - they are having a FABulous sale! 

See Kai Run® Introduces New Organic Sock Line

See Kai Run, popular manufacturer of the perfect first shoe is introducing its own collection of organic cotton socks for the Spring/Summer season. Available in 6 coordinated sets, each is designed to complement See Kai run footwear for a perfect match.

“We’re excited to offer organic cotton socks!” says founder Cause Haun. “In creating our own

collection, we sought to capture the fun, yet classic feel of our shoes, and provide a choice that

was missing from the marketplace. We’ve hit the mark with a perfect pairing – parents have already

responded enthusiastically to our new socks that not only come in colors and patterns that fit with our

shoes, but are healthy and comfortable as well.”

See Kai Run socks are available in sizes 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 1-2 years and 2-3 years and are sold

in 2-pair sets. The new organic socks join See Kai Run’s largest shoe collection to date, which includes

29 styles as part of its first walker line, sizes 3 through 9. The Smaller® soft-soled baby bootie line sized

from 0 - 24 months features 20 styles.

What else is new this season? More choices! See Kai Run is offering more colorways in its shoe

collection. And in response to customers, sandals have been increased for boys and girls with more

closed-toe options, and more styles with added adjustable straps. Other design highlights include the

use of bright, cheerful, saturated hues inspired by a renewed sense of optimism for what’s to come.

The new Spring/Summer Collection will be available for purchase at retailers, as well as online at

www.seekairun.com beginning in February 2011. Retail prices for Smaller start at $34 and $42 for See

Kai Run. Socks start at $10 per package.

About See Kai Run: See Kai Run footwear promotes healthy development of babies’ and children’s feet with their ultra-flexible soles, soft leather and wide toe box. Our footwear meets the American Podiatric Medical Association’s rigorous standards for foot health and functionality and has been awarded the APMA’s prestigious Seal of Acceptance.

See Kai Run is the idea of Seattle mom, Cause Haun. In 2004, she was on a quest for the perfect first shoe for her son, Kai. Unable to find shoes in fun, sophisticated styles that were suitable for outdoor play and still promoted the healthy development of little feet, she created her own line of shoes that satisfied all these needs. See Kai Run continues to offer products in addition to its eponymous shoe line, that unite style with comfort, quality and safety—including Smaller, a line of soft-soled baby booties, and organic cotton socks. For additional information, please visit www.seekairun.com.

Featured Etsy Designer -- Amy's Button's & Bow's -- plus a giveaway!

The love of cupcakes brought us to Amy's Button's & Bow's on Etsy. Oh, and the so sweet hats.
If you have a Little or know someone that does this is the perfect shop to pick up something for your sweets. They offer great gift sets for the first time bow lover and super cute onesie sets we just adore! Check out the shop and get to know the designer, Amy now. 

She's So Sweet Set, $23 

{1} What made you begin your shop?

I was first introduced into bow making by my sister in-law. I quickly fell in love with making bows and wanted to make matching bows for all my daughters outfits. I heard about Etsy from a friend and loved the idea of selling on a website that was strickly for handmade items. When I first opened my shop I only sold flowers and bows, but then it quickly expanded to headbands, hats, and my new clothing line. 

The designer herself, Amy.

{2} What are some of your other favorite Etsy shops?

I love Heart 2 Handbags, they have the cutest purses for little girls and my other fav is Lil Doodlers, seriously the cutest crayons ever, your kids will love them!!

Amy's FAVE! 

{3} What is your favorite item currently in your shop?

I love the Ultimate Neapolitan 12 piece Starter Pack. The color combinations in this set are by far my favorite and it is a great gift giving set. Check it out here. 

so cute onesie for the STUD in your life! 

{4} What is up next for you?

I will continue to expand my shop. I started with just a mere 50 items and now I am up to almost 200. I just listed my Valentine's collection, including heart onesie's, flower, bow, and hat packages.  I am working on my Spring line and it will be up on the website sometime in February.  I have tons of new items coming and will be expanding my clothing line even more, so stay tuned!
 
And NOW for the giveaway! Read on to win $25 to Amy's super-sweet shop! 

Getting Ready for our Under the Sea Birthday Feature!

We just wanted to give you a sneak peek of some of the FABulous goodies that will featured in our upcoming Under the Sea 8th Birthday Feature for a sweet little girl! Remember the invite here? Well, check out some more of the must-haves from the shoot below!

{1} Atutudes Under the Sea Tutu Set, $24.95

{2} Eisley Rae Mermaid Skirt, $12

{3} Seashells make the perfect centerpiece, $12 for a dozen 

{4} Lori's Place Fish Cookies, $32.99 for a dozen 

Stay tuned for the rest! 

New Sponsor! Caroline G. Bows!

Thank you to our LATEST sponsor Caroline G. Bows! It isn't just about bows with Caroline -- it is about giving back! Caroline G. is committed to giving back to organizations that empower young girls and women as 10% of the profits from each hair bow will be donated to Girls Inc.: girlsinc.org. 

So head over now because buying a bow makes a difference at Caroline G. 

Coral Glam....LOVE IT!

We don't have much to say as this outfit pretty much speaks for itself.....we are just loving Gymboree's Coral Glamour for your Little! 

Get the look HERE!

cupcakeMAG approved! Close to Famous -- A FABulous oh-so-sweet book!

"I'm just going to make the world a better place, one cupcake at a time."

"Everyone needs to feel like a kid again. This is why God made cupcakes."

Of course we simply adore anything with cupcakes so when we recently came across Close to Famous By Joan Bauer we were thrilled to share with our Littles. Yes, we did read it in just a few hours and fell in love with this feel-good tale that totally warms the heart. Going on sale Feb. 3rd from Viking Children's Books (Ages 10&Up) is the perfect oh-so-sweet treat.

Readers will discover Foster - the strong & feisty heroine who loves to bake and dreams of starring in her own cooking show. One can practically smell and taste the delicious cupcakes she bakes wafting from the pages.

"Foster's making the world a better place -- one cupcake at a time!"

cupcakeMAG approved: what we love about this book?

Foster the strong, problem-solving character has a passion just like our every day kids can relate to these days - cooking! As we all know The Food Network is very popular among children as it teachers many valuable lessons about determination, practice, ambition, and sharing happiness with family and friends, all of which Foster embodies.

Author, Joan Bauer is the bestselling author of nine previous novels for young readers. Her awards and honors include a Newberry Honor and a Christopher Award for Hope Was Here and the Los Angeles Book Prive for Rules of the Road. See just what inspired the book, her favorite part about writing the novel and your very own cupcake recipe from Foster!

Read the Q+A below and snatch up a FABulous cupcake recipe!

What inspired you to write Close to Famous?

I am fascinated by certain kids who have so many odds against them, but manage to respond to life again and again with resilience. Foster McFee in the novel is one such kid. She has a special yeast in her that keeps rising when life gets impossibly hard. When I was growing up, my mother, sisters, and I went through some very difficult times, but my mother always managed to find times of celebration in the midst of the madness. We never missed a holiday or a birthday. There was a cake, there were cookies, cupcakes. And it really helped. My mom's gift of celebration was a big inspiration for this story.

Food and cooking plays a big part in this novel..why did you make Foster a young baker who dreams of having her own cooking show?

Oh, that's my love of baking coming through - I baked when I was little, I bake now -- it's something that has always given me joy. When I was young I watched Julis Child on TV - I so wanted to go to her house and have a meal. And today's TV chefs are so wonderful to watch and learn from. There's an intimacy in a kitchen, a warmth when people are making food for others. So many young people love to bake and watch TV chefs, so it seemed like the perfect connection.

What was your favorite part about writing this novel?

Exploring baking as a survival skill for life. I thought I knew all about cupcakes when I began this story -- there's more power packed in them than I ever knew. A fine cupcake can take you places you can't imagine.

What is your favorite baked good? Favorite cupcake?

I adore coconut. If anyone hands me a large piece of coconut layer cake with an embarrassment of frosting, I'm in heaven. My all-time favorite cupcake is made with a great deal of maple syrup and pecans and it's piled so high with maple frosting it almost tips over. I actually make a praline and stick it on top. You must have a moment of silence before biting into this cupcake.

Foster's Cupcake Wisdom & Recipe

"In the cupcake world, anything is possible."

"Sometimes a cupcake just has your name on it."

"You don't know the power of a cupcake until your life depends on it...."

"There's something about a cupcake that gets inside of people and helps them be the best they can be."

The Famous Frosted Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

1 1/2 cups cake flour

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter softened (stick)

1 large egg

2 large egg yolks

1 1/2 cup coconut (for moistness)

1/2 cup milk

In one bowl, sift cake flour with baking powder and salt. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar with mixer. Beat in eggs and vanilla until creamy. Add cake flour mixture a little at a time with milk until well blended and fluffy. Fold in coconut. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Makes around 15. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Let cupcakes cook on rack. Pile on vanilla frosting. 

Vanilla Frosting

1 box confectioners sugar

1/2 cup butter softened (1 stick)

3/4 tsp milk o, if you want it extra special, instead of milk add 3 1/2 tbsp half and half

1 tsp vanilla

Combine all in a bowl, and beat with your mixer for two minutes until creamy!

ENJOY! 

Details on the book:

Close to Famous By Joan Bauer

On Sale February 3, 2011

Hardcover | Young Adult | Fiction

Ages 10up | Grades 5 up 

250 pages | $16.99

All we can say is pre-order it now. We are way over the age of 10 & we truly LOVED this sweet book. Your Little will adore it! 

Daily LOVE!

 

Ever looking for that one thing to entertain your Little on a rainy day? We found it!

Lemon Tree Studio makes the cutest ever wooden matching memory game. It is so not your average memory game! It comes in a very handy, handmade drawstring back for easy pick-up and storage. 

It is get for travel & the perfect gift too! Best of all -- it's HANDmade with LOVE!

 

Of course we are partial to the cupcakes but they also have the perfect sets for the little man in your life! 

Check out Lemon Tree Studio now! 

Sneak Peek: Under the Sea Birthday Party

As you know we are busy planning two FABulous birthday party features to share with you and we wanted to give you a sneak peek at what we are working on. 

This is one brilliant invite right? The colors are perfectly matched with the picture and the theme is just what we wanted. That is what you get with Anders Ruff Custom Designs - an invitation that really is a masterpiece. Yes, we have it framed & can't stop looking at it - if you were wondering. 

Stay tuned for the full party details & photo shoot! In the mean time visit the Anders Ruff blog, LOVE them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter & get your shop on on Etsy. 

Carousel Designs Launches Design Tool

Easy to Use Application Allows for Design and Visualization of Virtual Nursery in Minutes which allows parents to ceate the baby bedding of their dreams! 

Carousel Designs, a contemporary and trend-setting leader in the baby bedding industry for more than 22 years, announces the launch of “Version 3.0” of its popular Nursery Designer®, the company’s unique interactive design tool.  The new version will offer expectant parents more options than ever before for designing and decorating their nursery.

Carousel Designs is the only baby bedding company that allows parents to design their own crib bedding, see it online, and choose other elements of the nursery to preview the room before making a purchase.

With the Carousel Designs Nursery Designer®, customers can mix and match fabrics and component styles, change the color of the nursery walls, choose a crib finish and pick flooring to design a virtual nursery.  An expanded range of crib colors and flooring options are offered with Nursery Designer® Version 3.0, allowing for customers to experience a more accurate visualization of their nursery.

“For more than two decades, Carousel Designs has been committed to providing expectant parents with products that create a stylish and nurturing environment for their babies,” said Allan Sicat, President, Carousel Designs.  “No matter what their style or skill level, Nursery Designer® will give parents endless possibilities to make their dream nursery a reality at an affordable price.”

Highlights of Nursery Designer® and Carousel Designs Custom Baby Bedding Collection include:

-A new feature that allows customers to visualize nursery wall and trim colors online using actual Benjamin Moore® paint colors.

-No more guesswork in matching and coordinating baby bedding.  Nursery Designer® offers a blissfully simple way for anyone to begin designing their own baby bedding.  If a customer has fallen in love with one particular fabric, they can start there.  Pre-selected coordinating fabrics will be automatically loaded into Nursery Designer® to make the design process simple, easy and fun.

-Through the company’s baby registry, friends and family can view a loved one’s bedding designs to share input or to purchase items as gifts.

-Carousel Designs offers a selection of more than 300+ high quality fabrics.

-The company offers quick turnaround times with orders fulfilled in days, not weeks.

-Incredible pricing starting as low as $79 for the bumper, skirt, and comforter; and as low as $19 for a custom sheet.

-Fabric swatches can be ordered for 50 cents each, with the cost fully refunded when the order is placed.

In celebration of the Nursery Designer 3.0 launch, Carousel Designs will soon announce a Design-Your-Own-Baby Bedding (DYOBB) contest.  Contest entrants will have the opportunity to use the new Nursery Designer tool, choose from the company’s 300+ fabrics and design their “dream” crib bedding set.  The designer with the most votes will win their “dream” baby bedding. 

In addition to offering custom baby bedding, Carousel Designs offers more than 100

pre-designed crib bedding collections.  These designs range from classic themes to more modern, sophisticated designs and meet a variety of individual tastes and styles.  Mini/portable crib, cradle, toddler, twin and full/queen bedding is also available along with coordinating nursery décor including lighting, furniture, rugs, musical mobiles, pillows, diaper stackers, wall art, draperies, rocking chair pads and valances.

From its start as a small family business in 1988, Carousel Designs has grown to become an award-winning national online retailer and trusted brand of premium baby bedding, twin bedding and home décor.  Jonathan Hartley continues the family tradition of ownership as CEO with his business partner Allan Sicat, President. The two dads of young children are both graduates of the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY and are U.S. Army veterans.  Hartley and Sicat take special pride that all Carousel Designs baby bedding products are proudly made in the USA.

As they anticipated fatherhood, both Hartley and Sicat were inspired by how their wives enjoyed spending time in the design studio, playing with fabrics and creating custom bedding for their nursery.  They knew if they could create the same experience online, not only the ability to design the perfect bedding but also to visualize a nursery before making a purchase, they could offer real value to their customers and more importantly, make sure that every mom gets exactly what she wants.  With combined experience in technology, ecommerce, business operations and finance, Hartley and Sicat set out to make sure that Carousel Designs provided expectant moms with the absolute best experience in decorating baby’s first room. 

Carousel Designs products can be purchased online at www.babybedding.com.

About Carousel Designs

Georgia-based Carousel Designs, a contemporary and trend setting leader in the baby bedding industry was founded in 1988.   For more than 22 years, Carousel Designs has manufactured high quality baby bedding, toddler, twin and full/queen size bedding and nursery décor.  Carousel Designs is the only baby bedding company that allows parents to design and create their own virtual nursery online with their Nursery Designer®, a unique, interactive design tool.  The company also offers more than 100 pre-designed ready to ship crib bedding collections and more than 300 fabrics to choose from in a range of versatile styles.  For more information visit www.babybedding.com.

Current Littles & Momma Obsession: Step 2 Deluxe Nursery Center

What Little doesn't LOVE playing Mommy? We know ours just love it. And now, they can follow our every footsteps with the Step 2 Deluxe Nursery Center. Hours of fun, your Little can make believe all she wants in Mommyland!

Why we love it (besides the fact that it is totally adorable) and why our Littles love it too:

- It is study! No falling apart, Mommy can you fix this, put-back-together-ten times kind of product. Put it together & it stays together.

- Wipe clean! This is a MUST for any Mom! You NEED easy-to-clean toys in a playroom and this perfectly fits that category.

- Space saver! The all-in-one Nursery Center fits great in a corner & doesn't take up a ton of space like other large pretend play items. But yet, enough space for multi-child play!

- Fun! It creates hours of fun & you will love watching your Little take over that housewife role in her little pretend world! Everything a little momma needs - changing table, feeding station, sink with "faucet", washer, and storage space for all the bottles & diapers they need! We also love the sweet mobile.

- Teaches! Your Little will learn how to nurture, care & love their sweet babe in every way possible!

Stay tuned, this is one of our best of the best toys & will be featured in an upcoming playroom photo shoot on our new site in April! Yes, it is the FABulous! Your Littles will love it!

Buy It Now: Step 2 Deluxe Nursery Center, $79!

{Dolls & Accessories not included}