Fancy Friday:BabyMonkeyNY review and giveaway

This weeks Fancy Friday feature is sponsored by Baby Money. This wonderful company offers organic baby clothes, baby onesies, and toddler tees. There are also matching mommy tees! This is a unique company in that it features clothing with Feng Shui features and the organic lifestyle in a humorous way. They use 100% organic cotten for their clothing. Organic cotten is softer and free of chemicals that cause allergies, rashes, and eczema. The clothing is gender neutral so this would be a great shower gift where the sex of the baby is unknown.

I love this company because it recognizes the negative impact of cotton sprayed with formaldehyde, carcinogenic pesticides, and toxic fertilizers. This is a responsible company in that they are concerned about the quality of future soil for generations to come. Organic cotton generally comes from family owned businesses which encourages more fair labor. Organic cotton uses more eco-friendly practices that doesn't hinder workers' health or harm the environment. The company explains that Feng Shui for children is great as little ones are more sensitive to surrounding energy. For more information regarding Feng Shui for children, readers are encouraged to visit the company website at http://www.babymonkeyny.com/onesies.html.

First, let me just say that this tee feels so soft and thick. Even my husband remarked at how well it is made and how well it is stiched. I received the tee that says, "Change my diaper, change my chi". Chi is life energy. A child with a clean diaper, has clean chi. My little girl has quite a little tummy and we have the hardest time finding tee shirts that fit right. Finally a winner! I am not fond of every single item my little girl wears looking exactly the same. I love that this company is unique. The symbols are aesthetically pleasing, but the wording is humorous. Maybe, one of the reasons I love this shirt is the Asian-inspired background. My little girl is 1/4 Asian (grandmother from Vietnam) and though she may not appear to be Asian it is very important to my husband and I to teach her about her culture.

The owner of this company was nice enough to answer some interview questions. You all know how important being nice is to me!

Q: Can you start by telling the readers a little bit about yourself?

I am a first-generation, Chinese-American who was born and raised in New York by a mother who followed the philosophies of Feng Shui. I am currently 8 months pregnant and hope to positively influence my child with Feng Shui as well as an organic lifestyle.
Q: What were you doing before deciding to start your own business?

I followed in my mother's full time wardrobe stylist career for TV & commercials when I finished college. However, I found myself spending more time in front of the camera as a model and actress which included parts in NYPD Blue and commercials such as Wendy's.
Q: How long have you been in business?

Baby Monkey has been in business for one year.
Q: Tell me a little about what led you to start a business selling your items?

As a hobby, I designed tee shirts that had a Feng Shui influence with iron-on's or I crocheted little Asian symbols on onesies. When I started getting requests from my friends who were new mom's for my onesie designs, I realized that I could introduce my Feng Shui background and Asian culture to babies and toddlers by selling clothing with a contemporary sense of humor
Q: Where do you draw inspiration for your creations, products, or services?

I draw inspiration from Asian art, Feng Shui images, and well-known Asian symbology.
Q: What are your best sellers?

My top 5 best sellers are Baby Monkey, Born on an Auspicious Day, Buddha Baby, My Ying is Your Yang, and Change my Diaper, Change my Chi.
Q: What are your favorite designs?

My favorite designs are Baby Monkey, Got Karma and Buddha Baby.
Q: What are your plans for the future?

I am hoping to expand Baby Monkey by adding more mommy tee's as well as incorporating gift sets and Chinese Zodiac Signs.
Q: If you could give a one line phrase to describe your business what would it be? Baby Monkey is a New York based children's apparel company featuring organic cotton onesies and tees printed with playful, humorous Feng Shui and Asian influenced designs.
Q: What makes your business unique? Baby Monkey is unique in that it is Feng Shui inspired and 100% organic.
Q: Where all are your items sold? Website? Ebay? Etsy? Blog?Baby Monkey can be found online at www.babymonkeyNY.com and at Firefly Children's Boutique in New York. The line will also be available at www.happymothers.com soon.
Q: Anything else you would want a potential customer to know?Baby Monkey seeks to introduce Asian culture and Feng Shui to a child early in life so that beneficial chi (energy) can be cultivated from the very beginning. We use organic cotton to further safeguard newborns and children from harmful exposure that could effect their future health.

Baby Monkey has been generous enough to sponsor a giveaway. I know the winner is going to LOVE this shirt. I like it so much that I plan on purchasing one like it for my little girl. The giveaway onesie is sized 6-9 months. It is a Got Karma onesie like the one featured below. It is adorable!
Official Rules:*
1. Leave a comment on this post telling us what your favorite product is at http://babymonkeyny.com/. Please do not just say something generic like "onesie"; Please say the style you like best, such as "Got Karma onesie". Please be sure to leave your email address IN THE COMMENT if you are not using a Blogger ID.
2. For a second entry, you MUST first complete #1 (leaving a comment on this post). If you want a second entry, subscribe to my RSS feed. Let me know you've subscribed. If you are already subscribed, you are eligible for any contest as long as you reference your subscription by email or comment.
3. For a third entry, you must have completed both steps one and two first. Leave a comment on any of the posts on this blog. After making the post, send me an email candiceowrey@gmail.com letting me know you made a post.

You are allowed only one entry by commenting to this post. Additional entries will be deleted.
This contest is open only to those with a United States Shipping Address .

This giveaway begins 10/03/2008 and ends 10/18/2008 11:59 PM Central Standard Time.

If a Blogger ID or email address is not included in your comment posting, you will not be entered into the contest.

Fancy Friday**SewCuteByMe**Review and Giveaway

I am so excited about this week's review and giveaway. This giveaway is sponsored by the company Sew Cute by Me Designs. This company carries beautiful heirloom quality products that one can cherish a lifetime. This company's specialty are their tooth fairy pillows. Every single tooth fairy pillow is handpainted and hand pieced together! The owner embroiders the name of your child on the pillow. This is the perfect gift for a little princess! The owner also makes cute little pillows for the prince in your life. On the back of the pillow is a little pocket with a small bag to hold a little tooth. It comes with a wonderful little note to the tooth fairy that reads: "Dear Tooth Fairy, In this pocket you will find a teeny, tiny tooth of mine. So while I sleep where dreams are made, lets see if you can make a trade. In this pocket I will lay the little tooth I lost today. Please dear fairy, tonight as I sleep leave me a coin. My tooth you can keep. Love____".




The pillows are made with a ribbon so that it can be hung on a bedroom door or bedpost, which is so much easier for the tooth fairy to gather the tooth. Buyers can personalize the fairy's hair color, hair style, and skin color! These pillows are so beautiful I wouldn't dream of only using them when my daughter loses a tooth. With the little ribbon, they are perfect to hang all year long. These pillows have been featured in Baby Swag bags, for celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez. When a little one loses a tooth, it is a special moment for both them and their parents. Do you remember how sweet it was as a child to believe that the tooth fairy would be visiting you? I think these beautiful pillows add even more to the experience. I've seen other tooth faerie pillows in the market, and they simply do not compare to sewcutebyme. The fairies aren't just printed on a material-they are handpainted art!





Here is a picture of my daughter's tooth faerie pillow, personalized with her name. When I opened the package containing the pillow, I was in absolute awe. The quality of sewing is exceptional. This is an item that she can keep for the rest of her life. I imagine that this will be an item she will keep her entire life and be able to pass down to her grandchildren. Wouldn't it be special to have a customized item that was made for your grandmother when she was a little girl? It is not just an item to go in a room-it is absolutely art. This would make the sweetest gift for any little boy or girl.
The company doesn't just make tooth fairy pillows, but many other wonderful products as well. Some of the products that I love include the prettiest faerie wings I've ever seen, personalized handpainted plates, beautiful art prints, customized bracelets, handpainted wall art, and personalized blankets.



Be sure to check out SewCuteByMe's new site at www.FrogsAndFairyDreams.com.
The owner was gracious enough to answer a few interview questions I had for her:

Q: Can you start by telling the readers a little bit about yourself?

I am a working mom with three great children and a wonderful, supportive husband. I love to sew, paint, design, and spend time with my family. I won a contest here in my hometown for some mural/faux painting work, and have been sewing for a little over 10 years.

Q: What were you doing before deciding to start your own business?

I was an accountant for my parents family owned business in the construction industry. Being raised in a family business environment made it easy to follow my dreams of starting my own business.

Q: How long have you been making the tooth fairy pillows?

I Started the tooth fairy pillow line when my son lost his first tooth, about 7 years ago. I wanted something special to mark the occasion and couldn’t find anything quite right. After designing his pillow, I listed a few on eBay. They sold immediately, and I haven’t stopped making them since that day.

Q: Your portrait/dress up items are beautiful as well! How did you get into them? I have searched the world for other talented women, and found Shanna’s beautiful portrait/dress up items. Her gorgeous items fit perfectly with our site and we are lucky to have her.

Q: Your site also offers beautiful children paintings. Who does the paintings?

Bea, in British Columbia, offers prints of her adorable, whimsical children’s art. We are in the process of finishing a children’s story explaining what the tooth fairy does with all the little lost teeth. The story will be illustrated with Bea’s wonderful fairy artwork.

Q: Do you make custom jewelry?

I have two talented custom jewelry designers... Becky makes most of my children’s items, including the sterling name bracelets, crystal princess bracelets, and baptism keepsakes. Christina specializes in the new tooth fairy bracelets. The tooth fairy leaves a pearl dangle charm to be added to the crystal bracelet for each tooth lost.

Q: You offer so many beautiful items. What items did you start with? The tooth fairy pillows and secret diary pillows were our first creations, followed by decorative pillow shams and personalized blankets.
Q: Tell me a little about what led you to start a business selling your items? It was an episode of the Martha Stewart show that put me on the road to starting my own business. Shortly after I had created the tooth fairy pillow, she aired a show discussing how to sell craft items on eBay. I sold on eBay for about 5 years before starting on my own website.

Q: Where do you draw inspiration for your creations, products, or services?

My children and my customers’ children are my biggest inspiration. I receive feedback constantly from parents letting me know that their children are thrilled with their new keepsakes. When I was a child, I had a doll named Kaye, who made especially for me. Her face was hand painted, with my eye color and her yarn hair was stitched in my hair color. Knowing she was hand made just for me meant the world to me. Kaye was the inspiration behind the hand painted fairy prince and princess’ in my products. Each item we carry is custom created just for your child and is designed to be cherished for a lifetime.

Q: What are your best sellers?

Tooth fairy pillows are our biggest seller, with over 3000 sold so far both on the internet and in boutiques across the US.

Q: What are your favorite designs that you make?

I love the products with our signature hand painted fairy princess. Each fairy princess is hand painted to order to resemble your child. She is then hand pieced together and appliquéd onto each product.

Q: You have been featured in magazines and your products have been in swag bags for celebrities. You must be very proud but does that mean the items are too expensive for non-celeb moms to afford?

We are very proud of our accomplishments, but do still keep our prices as reasonable as possible. We put as much love and care into each customer’s products as we do the products featured in celebrity baskets.

Q: What are your plans for the future?

I have several goals for the future… the first is to expand my business, hiring more talented moms, giving them the opportunity to work from home and raise a family (which we all know isn’t easy!). Second, as a volunteer at a local counseling center that specializes in domestic violence, I would love to incorporate a way to empower women to look inside themselves for creative ways to make a living while raising families on their own. Third, I live in a new urban neighborhood with shops and dining all within walking distance. I would love to have a boutique around the corner. I’ll grab a cup of coffee as I walk to my shop, spend the afternoon working on orders and chit chatting with customers… that sounds so nice. Finally… I would love to be a guest on the Martha Stewart Show to share my story. I wouldn’t be on the road I am without the episode I was lucky enough to have watched. I saw a quote the other day… “You risk nothing by dreaming… and everything by not.” That is my new motto.

Q: If you could give a one line phrase to describe your business what would it be? Sew Cute by Me Designs specializes in tooth fairy pillows, decorative pillows, and other children’s keepsakes and personalized boutique items designed to be cherished for a lifetime.

Q: What makes your business unique when compared to others online boutiques in this category? Everything we sell is hand made, mom created, custom and/or personalized. Love and care is put into each and every item, wether it be for a celebrity or the mom next door.

Q: Where all are your items sold? Website? Ebay? Etsy? Blog?

My products are sold at http://www.sewcutebyme.com/, Ultimate Tooth Fairy Online, Etsy.com and boutiques in the US. Also she has a new website at www.FrogsAndFairyDreams.com.

Q: Do you do custom work? I love custom orders. If you don’t see exactly what you are looking for, just send an email. It does occasionally take a bit longer for custom, but it is almost always available.
Q: Anything else you would want a potential customer to know? I am constantly updating http://www.sewcutebyme.com/ with new products and ideas. New tooth fairy gifts and other items are added weekly. Check back often for new designers, products and sale items!

I am really impressed by the owner of this company as she often gives back to the community. She has donated products to domestic violence shelters, for example.

This week's giveaway is the summer floral princess tooth pillow. It has bright summer floral fabric, with green, yellow, and pink accents. It has the most beautiful white chenille on it as well. The pillow measures 7"x9". Rather than a personalized name, this pillow features the word "Believe". This giveaway is valued at $34.95. In the meantime, all blog readers of SuperFunMama are eligible for a 15% discount! Simply enter SuperFunMama as the Discount Coupon at checkout. Is this sponsor fabulous or what?

Official Rules:*

1. Leave a comment on this post telling us what your favorite product is at http://www.sewcutebyme.com/. Please do not just say something generic like "pillow"; Please say the style you like best, such as "Summer Floral Tooth Fairy Pillow". Please be sure to leave your email address IN THE COMMENT if you are not using a Blogger ID.

2. For a second entry, you MUST first complete #1 (leaving a comment on this post). If you want a second entry, subscribe to my RSS feed. After subscribing, send an email to candiceowrey@gmail.com with "I'm subscribed" as the subject line.

3. For a third entry, you must have completed both steps one and two first. Leave a comment on any of the posts on this blog. After making the post, send me an email candiceowrey@gmail.com letting me know you made a post.

You are allowed only one entry by commenting to this post. Additional entries will be deleted.

This contest is open only to those with a United States Shipping Address .

This giveaway begins 09/26/2008 and ends 10/26/2008 11:59 PM Central Standard Time.

If a Blogger ID or email address is not included in your comment posting, you will not be entered into the contest.

Weekly Product Review and Contest: Mypreciouskid.com/

Recently, I was given the opportunity to do a product review for the wonderful company, My Precious Kid (http://www.mypreciouskid.com/). One of the greatest gift we can give our children is protection, which I wholeheartedly believe this company helps to do. Her wonderful store is full of innovative and truly beneficial products. The store has been featured on the "Today Show" and she has won the "2006 Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom Award". I was given the opportunity to review two of her products: Personalized Labels and Personalized Allergy Labels.

Personalized Allergy Labels: If you have a child that is allergic to certain foods, this is the product for you! As the relative of someone who is deathly allergic to olives, I know the real benefit of this product. Wouldn’t you feel more comfortable sending your child to daycare if you knew she was less likely to receive a food product that she is allergic to? These allergy labels are a bright YELLOW warning to others and the best part is that they are waterproof! By the way, you aren’t just getting a couple of labels but SIXTY labels that list up to FOUR allergies, for only $16. They are personalized and with your child’s specific allergies. Is this a great product or what?

The second product I’ll be reviewing today is Personalized Labels for your Children. These are a WONDERFUL product for all parents. No more mixed up sippy cups or bottles! The labels are personalized with the name of your child on them. The best part is that they are waterproof, microwave safe, and dishwasher safe! They are guaranteed not to smear, smudge, or fall off. You get to choose between stick-on labels or iron on labels. The product comes with a set of 12 blue, 12, yellow, 12 white, 12 green, and 12 purple for only $16.

Though the review is on the products featured above, I would like to just mention a few items in the store that really caught my attention. One of those items is the travel wristbands, which I think is a great idea to have when attending highly populated events or when traveling. She has a really neat product that I plan on ordering in the near future that is a teddy bear child safety alarm. Have you ever had a moment when you turned your head for just a moment and your child was nowhere in sight? Wouldn’t you love to be able to locate your child quickly? I also have great interest in the Sippy Cup Holder as my daughter really enjoys watching me play “Mommy Pick Up”. Recently, I used a toddler harness backpack like the one on her website while traveling with my daughter and it was a lifesaver. I can’t imagine trying to carry her and all my luggage at the same time! The Angel Guard is a neat product that I haven’t seen anywhere else that keeps a child from unbuckling their seatbelt. I think her “Guardian Safety Game” sounds really unique as it makes learning safety fun and is definitely something I plan on ordering in the future.

The owner of the store that sells these wonderful products was gracious to complete an interview with me:
Q: Can you start by telling the readers a little bit about yourself?
A: I am 49 year old. I am wife to Russell ( 30 years). I am mom to Melissa 25, Jordan 23, Allison 21, and Haley 8. Our 2 oldest are married and we have a delightful granddaughter Madison, almost 2. We live in Oregon where it is always green.

Q: What were you doing before deciding to start your own business?
A: I was busy being a wife and mother. I homeschooled my oldest three through high school.

Q: How long have you been in business?
A: Nearly 8 years now

Q: You offer so many useful items. What items did you start with?
A: We started in 2000 making personalized ID cards for children.

Q: Tell me a little about what led you to start a business selling your items?
A: My homeschool kids needed ID cards for admission to events. And our youngest was adopted at birth and I wanted an ID for her when we traveled. My teenage son helped me design our first ID cards.

Q: In 2006 you won the Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom Award for two safety products. What were those two safety products?
A: Our CHILD SAFETY PACK and WEARABLE ID Pack. These are two of our original products http://www.mypreciouskid.com/child-safety-pack.html

Q: You are also an author, correct? Care to tell us about your book?
A: I wrote a homeschool book back when I was homeschooling. It was more of a resource book for parents just starting out homeschooling.

Q: What are your best sellers?
A: All of our ID bracelets
Our personalized DOG TAGS
Our personalized sippy cup label NAME BANDS
Our door and window ALARM
And our Child Safety Pack

Q: What are your plans for the future?
A: Months ago we moved the business from my home to a retail location. So now 4 employees and I are busy getting orders our each day. We continue to increase sales each and every month. So the plan is to increase products as we have space and the need. I am always looking for the best in child safety products.

Q: If you could give a one line phrase to describe your business what would it be?
A: Child Safety & Baby Gear Store

Q: Where all are your items sold?
A: Online at http://www.mypreciouskid.com/
Locally at 5th & Baseline St in Hillsboro OR 97123

Q: If a parent could only afford to buy one safety product, what one would you recommend?

A: Child Safety Pack PLUS. It is a great assortment of products

Q: Can you talk about the products you have for special need children?
A: Our wearable ID products are great for all kids but especially kids with special needs that may not be as verbal. It helps authorities reunited kids and parents if they get lost.

Our $10 door alarm is also a best seller for families with special needs kids that may go out unnoticed

Q: Do you offer items other than safety products?
A: We offer a full line of safe baby gear including product for sleeping safely, feeding, potty training, baby sign language, and car seat safety.

Q: Can you tell us a story where your products helped to keep a child safe?
A: We have had several stories from families whose child got separated from them and the ID product helped another person to call them on their cell phone and reunite them quickly

Q: Anything else you would want a potential customer to know?
A: I would be happy to offer a 10% off coupon code for your customers first purchase at MyPreciousKid.com. It expires 12/31/2008

My overall review of this business is extremely positive. I love that there is a store with all the safety products someone could need in one place. I am going to direct all parents I come in contact with to this AMAZING site that could potentially save a life!

I have spoken to the owner, a couple of different times and she is a very sweet woman. She offers wonderful products and has been gracious enough to sponsor a giveaway for all of the blog readers. I have TWO packets of the allergy labels to give away (each valued at $16.00). I have one packet of the Personalized Labels also valued at $16.00

Here is how it will work. To enter, simply leave a comment here related to a product at the site that you found interesting, why you’d like to win, or any comment that is related. Note if you want entered for the allergy labels or personalized labels. Please put an email so I know how to contact you!

If I haven't been able to reach the winner by 10/01/2008 prize will be forfeitted and the next to be drawn will be the winner. Remember there are 3 products up for grabs! The contest will end September 26 at 11:59 pm. Please only enter ONE time. Additional entries will be deleted.

Also, when ordering online enter voucher #112087654 and you can get 10% off your first online order!