Dwink It

Our new Dwink boxes came! We've put some serious mileage on our old ones, having ordered them way on back when Roo was about Jasper's age. I really do consider them one of the indispensable products of child-rearing, since they foster independence with their double handled design and also keep your munchkins from squeezing juice boxes (or pouches) all over the place. I was a bit overexcited to hear about their new Special Edition Dwink boxes, which are a lovely BPA and phthalate-free white plastic with a smart die-cut logo and cool dot pattern that makes them extra-grippy.



Even cooler, the net proceeds from sales of the Special Edition Dwink boxes are donated to Raven + Lily, a non-profit design studio dedicated to empowering women through design partnerships and micro-enterprise opportunities. So, yes, there is a good excuse to buy yet another kid-feeding accessory…



New Dwink, old Dwink. Both very useful, in my book.



Disclosure: I bought these with my own money because I really think they're cool. In fact, I saw them on Cool Mom Picks, so I guess you could say they're literally cool, even.

Cool! Grippies

SUPERDUMB BONUS! Get 10% off your order of two or more sheets of Grippies with code COOL10 through June!


***WINNER PICKED 5/22 WITH RANDOM.ORG*** ***CONGRATULATIONS, JenO!!!***
her comment: I would use them on baby socks since we have a decent amount of linoleum in this house. I also might use them on the bottom of some ceramics that were handmade for us, as they need something to protect the furniture, and this would keep them from sliding around, too. :)



Once in a while, I come across a product so simple and ingenious, I immediately ask myself "why didn't I think of that?" This one was dreamed up by two moms on their daily mass-transit commute who wondered why only some of their kids' socks and none of their tights had non-slip soles. Their solution? Grippies are little rubbery shapes that adhere to the bottoms of your socks or tights to provide traction on slippery floors. They come in self-adhesive and iron-on varieties. (I prefer the stick-on version because I am lazy and abhor ironing.)



Grippies are clear so they blend in on whatever they are rendering slip-proof. Each package contains 16 stars and sells for $5, so they are very affordable. Once adhered, Grippies are machine washable, actually becoming even more, umm, grippy. You could also use them on the palms of gloves or on the knees of your beginning crawler's pants or legwarmers. Heck, you could even stick them to non-clothing items that you want to stay in place. Baby dishes, vases, you name it. I am also contemplating trying them in high heeled sandals to prevent slipping in sweaty foot season.



Support mompreneurs and buy some Grippies!

To enter and win a Grippies gift set (a pack of iron-on and a pack of
stick-on GRiPPiES in a handy mesh wash bag), please comment on this post with your favorite use for Grippies would be.

Entries will be accepted through May 21st and I'll pick the winner using Random.org. All readers are eligible, internationally! (As Corrie, one of Grippies' founders points out "It's getting cooler in Australia now, no? Lots of cold tootsies in the house.") Only one entry/comment per person, please.

Make sure you leave an email address in your comment or that you have one accessible on your blog so you can be contacted if you win! Or, you may choose to check for your nickname at Prizey.Fetch, a new site that compiles winners in one convenient place:

Awww…

Gama-Go is at it again with this particularly adorable Tigerlily Canoodle tee, available in grass green and black.



I dig the Beer Nuts, too. It's available in copper and light blue.



Learn more about Gama-Go's quest to open a retail storefront in San Francisco here and don't forget– their awesome hoodies are buy one get one half off through the end of April. Yes even the limited edition ones, like the AMAZING reversible Whoo Loves You.

Gama-Goo + giveaway!

***WINNER PICKED 1/7 WITH RANDOM.ORG*** ***CONGRATULATIONS, JEN O!!!***
her comment:
I love the light blue chicken tee! They have some totally cute stuff!



On occasion, I like to be reminded of the good old days before I, uh, spawned. When I preferred vinyl to dead silence, mission-style burritos and beer to chicken nuggets and juice boxes, all-day thrifting marathons to zoo excursions. When I had a life of my own. Gama-Go lets me be the subversive mommy at playgroup, at least here in Wichita. Their Beatnik-manga-barfly aesthetic is effortlessly cool and always fun. Need a hostess gift? How about an ashtray with a giant Yeti eyeball or a throw pillow shaped like a ham? Oh, yeah, they've got your back.



But did you know that Gama-Go spawned, too? The discerning baby can sport the same snazzy threads as mom and dad. Gama-Goo features a range of onesies and tees with Yeti, Tiger Lily and the rest of the gang. (Aside from Dirty Bird who possibly smokes too much to be emblazoned on kids' clothes.) There's even limited-edition Goo Gear, on occasion, although there isn't any listed right now. Baby blankets and pillows made, patchwork-quilt-style, with old Gama-Go tees and even tooth fairy pillows. Awesome. I am still sad that the blankets appeared and sold out between my two pregnancies, when I couldn't justify buying one…



Jasper was lucky enough to receive a Yeti Monster Truck tee and it is every bit as soft and worn in as your favorite band tees of yesteryear. It makes me smile just looking at the little goofball:





My one complaint about Gama-Goo is that the line only goes up to 18-24 month sizes. It is absolutely criminal that the Tigerlily Rock tee isn't available in a 4T for Roo. It would be so adorable on her.



To enter and win a Gama-Goo tee or onesie of your choice (a $24 value!), please comment on this post with your favorite item on Gama-Go.com. Entries will be accepted through March 26th and I'll pick the winner using Random.org.

US readers only on this giveaway, sorry Canucks. Only one entry/comment per person, please.

Make sure you leave an email address in your comment or that you have one accessible on your blog so you can be contacted if you win! Or, you may choose to check for your nickname at Prizey.Fetch, a new site that compiles winners in one convenient place:

Hey There, Georgie Boy… giveaway

***WINNER PICKED 11/5 WITH RANDOM.ORG***

***CONGRATULATIONS, SHAMA-LAMA MAMA!!!***

I'll admit it. When we found out the baby-that-turned-out-to-be-Jasper was a boy, I was sort of sad. I had visions of buying cutesy sister outfits and, of course, reusing much of Roo's vast outgrown wardrobe. When I resigned myself to having a little boy, I was startled to discover just how much less fun it is to shop for boys than girls.

Holy cow! I couldn't believe how hugely lame 99% of boys' clothing is, even on the boutique level. Bob and I are not organized sports lovers, so that knocks off half of the available boy clothes right there. The rocker thing is sort of cool, but can come off costumey, and is pretty overdone at this point. I'm not even going to address sailor collars, smocking and monograms. Eeek.

Then I came across Georgie World in a review of the Bubble trade show on My Mom Shops.



Here, at last, was clothing for cool little boys who don't need to pretend to be little men. Wearable, cute (not cutesy!), and altogether fun, Georgie World is a breath of fresh air for parents sick of making do with their sons' wardrobes. Their slogan tees are smart, not snarky, and are illustrated by the amazing S. Britt. Here is the one that I first fell in love with:



It turns out Georgie World founder/designer Bethany had similar issues when shopping for her own boys. Check out her great Squidoo Lens on the best boy's clothing lines. She has also graciously provided an entire outfit (!) for one lucky reader's little boy, including a long sleeved Daddy-O top and Lil' Man trousers in black, sized 12 months, and a Snow Monster tee in size S (2):





This super stylish outfit is worth more than $130!

To enter, please leave a comment on this post with the answer to this question: How many Georgie World outfits are shown in the Dress Up Time! section of Bethany's Squidoo Lens? Let us know which is your favorite Georgie World item, too!

Entries will be accepted through November 4th. US/Canada readers only, please. Make sure you leave an email address or that you have one accessible on your blog so you can be contacted if you win!

FYI: A great selection of Georgie World clothing is available online at The Polkadot Platypus!

Adventures in Babywearing is having a contest where you can win a $50 gift certificate for Vincent Shoes.

Here is the first style I would choose, the Tanja:



Do you like the leopard or the zebra better? Roo's first name actually starts with a V so they would be useful as an alphabet tool, too. Uh huh.

Another bunk bed I want for myself

Price still TBD (never a good sign...) but so many color options for the cabinet doors. Isn't it great? I love the see-through cubbys.

Prices listed online as of 5/25/07:
$3,290 with trundle and trundle mattress
$2,890 with drawers

Read more about it at Nurseryworks.