Owner: The Opinionated Parent URL:http://www.theopinionatedparent.com Join Date: Sun, 04 Mar 2007 10:58:07 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: Giving you the goods, parent to parent. Product reviews, recommendations, roasts, giveaways and more. TOP is 'the new black" of parent review blogs. Site statistics:Click here
Babywearing ~ How Sweet It Is 2007-04-02 13:00:51 The Opinionated Parents are exuberant baby wearing advocates and we’re always on the lookout for fashionable and functional ways keep baby close.
Sweet
Fletcher is a mom owned and run company. Ashley Waldvogel Gaddy started Sweet Fletcher Designs after the birth of her son in 2003. She launched the company with her simple & [...]
As Original As You Are 2007-04-01 13:00:33 Canadian stay at home mom and par.entrepreneur Alli Grosberg is the talent behind Alli’s Original
s. She creates gorgeous personalized custom-made-to-order, hand stamped sterling silver jewelery for anyone and everyone, including the family pet.
Beautiful bracelets & earrings make a great gift for any mom, and Alli’s Princess Charming Collection is such a cool way to [...]
TOP Admin 2007-04-01 03:00:01 We’re getting lots of emails lately thanking us for creating this site. You’re making us blush with all the compliments.
You do need to know, however, that the reason we have such a fab site with great reviews & giveaways, and the reason it’s completely free for you is because of our sponsors. [...] Read more:Admin
What a Way to Play 2007-04-03 21:00:55 Debi Derryberry’s CD What a Way to Play is a nice mix of old favourites and original compilations that will entertain children of all ages. Her child-like voice gets and keeps the attention of little people and doesn’t make the big people’s ears bleed (always a bonus, no?)
Our favourite song on her CD, as [...]
Cozy Hood = Cozy Head 2007-04-03 13:00:44 How many times has your mom told you to “Cover your head!”?
You know you should always listen to your mother.
Keeping your head cozy and warm is both easy and green with Cozy Hoods from SueHavens.com. These warm hoods are made from recycled fabrics by Brooklyn artist Sue Havens.
Choose from the pre-designed [...]
Essential. Really. 2007-04-02 21:00:14 It’s the beginning of picnic season, even in Canada. The Essential
s Blanket from TOP favourite JJ Cole is pure brilliance. It’s truly perfect for the park, the beach, the soccer games and any other location where you might like to sit on the ground. In fact, it’s one of those items that [...]
Vote For Us! Please? 2007-04-02 18:59:46 The Opinionated Parent is entered in a competition to get paid to write full time for a year.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it (and I know you will), is to head to this page (or click on either of the images in this post) and click on the blue link on [...] Read more:Please
Pool Boy Not Included 2007-04-04 21:00:47 As parents, it seems natural to put ourselves last. There are so many people, big and little, relying on us for their every need. It gets to a point, though, when you start to see signs of this self-neglect. Like last week? My skin started falling off. For real. [...]
Hot Clothes for Kids from Dolca USA 2007-04-04 13:00:35 That’s hot as in cool, not hott as in skanky and Bratz-like.
Par.entrepreneur Michelle Seeger is the North American distributor of the Dolca line of clothing & accessories at her site, Dolca USA.
Dolca began in 2001 when Spanish artist Dulce Quesada Magro became inspired to apply her artwork to children’s clothing. Her [...] Read more:Clothes
My Sweet Ba(m)boo 2007-04-06 13:00:03 TOP fave online boutique Baby Dagny has done it again with their newest exclusive product line, super soft Timboo organic bamboo products.
Bamboo is abundant in nature and regrows quickly making it the ideal choice for organic production. It’s also 50% more absorbent than cotton and there are no pesticides or fertilizers used. (Many [...] Read more:Sweet
Ellaroo Mei Tai - Beauty on your back (or front, or side…) 2007-04-05 13:00:14 At TOP we, as you may have gathered, LOVE babywearing and all that it represents. We also love trying out new carriers and supporting those we love, even if it means we each have a collection large enough to carry a whole brood.
Ellaroo is a great mother-run company that produces all sorts of carriers [...] Read more:Beauty
Have a great long weekend! 2007-04-07 06:37:06 We’re on a four day weekend here and will be taking a few days off from posting.
Whatever you’re celebrating this weekend, enjoy the time with your families. We sure will.
(and one of us is currently having a baby!)
(Update: Congratulations to contributing writer and TOP web guru Raechelle ~ Baby Ethan was born on [...]
Meal Makeover Moms 2007-04-12 12:00:47 Registered dietitians Liz Weiss & Janice Newell Bissex are the chefs & the brains behind Meal Makeover
Moms.
Their book, The Mom’s Guide To Meal Makeovers (Available from Amazon) is full to overflowing with great ideas for bringing nutrition back to the family dinner table (and lunch box).
With the use of fast food, takeout, and convenience meals continuing to rise in North America, this cookbook should really be a staple in the family kitchen. It includes a 5 step meal makeover plan - the how & the why behind the makeover. The Best of the Bunch is a chapter dedicated to improving the convenience foods we use & love (or love to hate). They’ll tell you which brands are the most nutritious and tasty, and give you some quick fix tips to make them even more nutritious. See a sample here. Check out some of their great recipes free ~ There are over 120 in the book!
You can join their free Mom’s Club for a helpful bi-monthly e-newsletter and more. And
Wanna Dwink? 2007-04-11 13:00:12 Necessity is the mother of invention. Or maybe it should be mothers invent out of necessity. Either way, Yvonne Huang has hit the proverbial nail on the head with her invention of Dwink - the universal drink box holder.
Designed to fit standard juice boxes as well as soy, mini and pouches, the Dwink originally appealed to me because of the horror of hot lunch day in my classroom with 20 juice boxes being inadvertently squirted on the floor. As if the caretakers didn’t already hate me enough…
We don’t drink much juice in our house aside from the occasional organic blueberry juice as a treat - we’re water folk - so I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the Dwink also holds the Rubbermaid litterless juice box and allows my infant son to drink his water independently without getting himself and the carpet soaked. The Dwink is dishwasher safe, easy & comfortable to hold and has a non-skid bottom.
They’re available in 4 colours for only $5. So
If you can’t say something nice, then wear it. 2007-04-14 12:00:46 Donna Bottari is the owner and designer behind TOP fave Il Cocco di Mamma. She designs her own line of signature onesies that are as soft as they are expressive. In line with her store’s goal of promoting & celebrating languages, cultures & people, these unique (and did I mention SO soft) onesies are the perfect gift when you’re looking for something
unique. You’ll be asked where you got it, but this time it will be so the lucky recipient can buy more (and not so they can return it behind your back). Available in Italian, Spanish and French popular sayings for $22-$24. It’s a small price to pay for something so cute & original ~ and you’re supporting an indie business at the same time!
Il Cocco di Mamma is currently offering FREE SHIPPING in the US and Canada, and always offers free gift wrapping with every purchase. Now that’s service!
Enter to win one of two Il Cocco di Mamma onesies - a 6 month “C’est la vie!”
Get Wet. Or Not. 2007-04-13 00:00:37 A favourite of opinionated parents everywhere, Vincent Shoes has got your puddle jumper’s tootsies covered this spring. Their great selection of rainy day boots makes me wish for a downpour - and that’s saying something.
What’s better than the freedom to jump in puddles with the knowledge that you’ll not only be dry but you’ll look fashionable at the same time. Have a daughter? The new Blomma style is adorned with romantic flowers for those dainty-ish puddle hops. The H2O and classic Vincent models are my favourite for little boys. The decorative laces add a fun touch - not that you’ll need any added fun once your little one dons these great boots. Our product tester for these boots, a picky seven year old boy, says “They’re comfortable, they’re not dorky and my feet are warm and dry. They totally pass. Can I go now?” From a seven year old boy, it doesn’t get any better than that.
(See our Previous review of Vi
Tummy Talk 2007-04-15 12:00:51 When you’re expecting, the talk is all about the tummy. It’s all you can focus on and that growing baby monopolizes all the conversations. Suddenly, when the baby is born, he or she becomes the focus of all the attention (that’s a good thing!) and the tummy memories slowly start to fade (that’s a bad thing). Even if you, like me, took weekly belly shots and kept a pregnancy journal, there’s something lacking about a box of pictures and a book. I even tried to scrapbook my photos but it was too hard to narrow it down and fit everything I wanted to say into one book.
Tummy
Talk’s founding partners and best friends Angela Horiuchi-Yvkoff and Karen Vardeny saw a hole in the market and filled it beautifully. They’ve developed the perfect (and I don’t use that term lightly) journal to preserve your pregnancy memories with elegance & style. The book is 10 ½” x 10 ½” and is hard bound with a durable, pewter spiral binding in a suede
Puddle Stomp In Style 2007-04-17 12:00:56 Spring has sprung, and with it comes puddles. Lots of puddles. DLL Rainwear are specialists in…um…rainwear, and their great selection makes puddle jumping even more fun! Rain can be depressing if you’re stuck inside, but invest in the right gear and it’s no less fun than a sunny summer day. Maybe a little messier, but no less fun!
Check out their great mommy n’ me boot sets. I’m loving my Red Fire Chief set ~ perfect for girls or boys (pictured). They’re mid-calf height, 100% waterproof with a comfy moisture absorbing lining and they retail for only $50.95 for the set. And they’re bright red!!
DLL Rainwear (also known as Diane’s Little Lambs) has it all. Boots just for you and boots just for them. They have some pretty adorable adult rain clogs too.
Opinionated Parents - that’s you - use coupon code TOP upon check out to receive 15% off (not including shipping) through July 31, 2007.
Enter to win a Mommy n Me red Read more:Puddle
, Style
TOP Shops: Nina and Tom 2007-04-16 12:00:13 Looking for something different in a shirt? Sick & tired of your kid looking just like everyone else’s?
Nina and Tom Family Fashions to the rescue!
As a solely owned and operated husband and wife business, Nina and Tom are everything we’re looking for in a great t-shirt company. They design and screen-print all of the shirts themselves, which is pretty darn cool if you ask us. Nina and Tom shirts are of exceptional quality. They’re all 100% cotton and many are organic cotton, which all opinionated parents approve of since we’re all about responsibility and eco-conscious living. They also use low impact water-based inks. I think I’m in love.
Need more proof that these artists offer a quality product? They vary the image size relative to the garment size, which is something you won’t see very often. If you ask nicely, they’ll vary the colour combinations and even the language used just to make you happy. It’s reminiscent of the Read more:TOP Shops
Peek a boo Peekaru 2007-04-18 12:00:50 I’m a fairly dedicated wearer of the child, but up here in the great white north it gets a little chilly at times. The very awesome Nori Peekaru Vest designed by par.entrepreneur Melissa Radcliffe & her company Together Be is a great solution.
The Peekaru is a fleece vest that zips over a soft baby carrier to keep you and your child warm. It fits comfortably over all carriers, including Baby Bjorns, Hotslings, Ergos, Mei Tais, and Wraps. We tested the Peekaru with a Bjorn, a ring sling & a mei tai and it worked perfectly over all of them. Available in five colours, the Nori Peekaru is a perfect accessory for the baby wearing crowd. It’s made of comfortable stretchy fleece (which I noticed makes it easy for the squirmy child to squirm comfortably) and has a hole for baby’s entire head or face to peek out of. The Peekaru can be worn with the carrier on your front or back. It can be worn with a coat over top (undone) to add warmth, and even in Canada I&r
If you’re gonna have a tantrum, make it big. 2007-04-17 23:00:38 Engaged couple Felix Sheng & Maria Jaramillo are the founders of the up & coming alternative tot clothing company Big Tantrum. With bold colours and fresh characters pulling in Asian pop culture, they’re sure to be a huge hit in the niche market of the PWHP club (Parents Who Hate Pastels). And it’s a big and ever growing market.
Maria’s designs and Felix’s business sense bring some great funk & fashion to the table. Check out their great Year of the Pig design. It comes in 6-12 months for the babies born this year and 12-24 months for the older or larger piggies in your life & retails at $25.
For an alternative to the girlie girl licensed characters from the big box stores, check out the little red riding hood tees. Not that they’re just for girls. All of the designs in the Big Tantrum introductory line are perfect for both boys and girls.
We’ve got a white 12 mos. BT shirt for the edgy kid in your family. To enter, email t Read more:gonna
, tantrum
Please tell me that a nap is in my near future. 2007-04-20 12:00:59 Chinese takeout has never been so cute. Fortune Tee has hit both Hollywood and trendy parents everywhere by storm. Launched three years ago by LA based Australian Carla O’Brien, this line of hip tees featuring fortune cookie messages and lucky numbers are full of wisdom & whimsy. The sayings on the shirts are a twist on the proverbs found in fortune cookies.
Fortune maternity tees are a great way to announce your upcoming arrival (A baby boy/A baby girl/Twins are in my near future) or, my personal fave, to make people laugh and perhaps fend off some of the stupid yet inevitable pregnancy comments (Sleepless nights are in my near future).
You’re sure to get a laugh of appreciation when you present the expectant parents with the Kung Pao Combo. Lounge pants and the top of your choice packaged together in a large takeout box - with the requisite fortune cookie of course. Make those old ladies in the grocery store gasp (A surprise will appear in my pants) laugh (A ti Read more:Please
Parade Organic 2007-04-19 12:00:05 When Parade
launched 4 years ago & decided to offer a full baby line, founders Bernard & Laura wanted it to be produced in a socially & environmentally responsible way and so the decided to go with 100% organic cotton. Grown without chemicals & pesticides, organic cotton is not only better for the farming communities where it is grown but it’s softer and longer lasting than processed cotton. All Parade clothing is made in sweatshop free environments through Fair Trade practices and they’ve also just started to manufacture some of their line right at home in Vancouver.
We love the innocent & environmental theme of their designs. They seem to have hit on all the names we call our babes-in-utero that carry over into life outside, like Bean & Peanut. The Parade Organic
line of newborn kimonos are absolutely adorable (seen on the little peanut above) - and new parents quickly learn that anything that doesn’t have to be pulled over the head is s
TOP Shops: Zoë B Online 2007-04-21 12:00:45 Par.entrepreneur Valerie LeCoeur thinks that pregnant women are beautiful, and so do we. Inspired by her daughter Zoë to start her own company, the aptly named Zoë B online boutique was born.
With Zoë B maternity shirts & tanks, you no longer need to dread the question “Do you know what you’re having?” (Duh. A baby.) Let your shirt tell them instead!
Zoë B maternity t-shirts are 100% cotton and designed for a snug fit — no loose, hiding-the-belly tees here. (Why do people do that anyway? Are they trying to look like they’re wearing a parachute?) All Zoë B products are guaranteed sweatshop-free & come in cute gift-bag packaging.
Also check out the Zoë B baby tees & onesies. Cute overload warning.
TOP readers save 10% at Zoë B online with the code oparents.
You’ll find Zoë B in the TOP Shops
where we feature permanent and exclusive discounts just for you!
I’m especially missing my big pregnant belly today - It’
We’re all from the same planet. 2007-04-23 20:00:48 Planet Mom is my new favourite place to be. Being a mom is awesome. It’s hard, confusing, stressful, and downright freaking awesome.
Two long time mommy friends Elise Nappi and Eileen Schneidmann are the founders of Planet Mom T-Shirts, a cheeky line of apparel for moms (and for dads, but mostly moms). These tees will make even the non-parental crowd laugh and our peers in parenthood will nod in agreement.
Motherhood, when you take it lightly, is one big inside joke. Make sure you’re in on it with Planet Mom t-shirts.
Every morning when I’m seeking my tall, dark & rich…
cup of coffee, I’ll think of all the rest of the moms on the planet
with a chuckle. We’re all in it together, and we’d might as well laugh about it.
Make sure you check out the pants & hats, too. And don’t forget about Mother’s Day! (Hint Hint. May 13.)
Enter to win a ‘Secretary of Transportation’ shirt (size L) valued at $36 USD (sho
b.delicious (and b.super cute too!) 2007-04-23 12:00:14 Artist turned mom turned par.entrepreneur (whew) Jennifer Talbot is the founder & creative director of b.delicious - an online store full of the softest cotton onesies & tees featuring hand cut ultra-suede designs. That’s right - hand cut. Each and every piece.
For infant girls and boys, Jennifer has designed some truly adorably sweet (and delicious!) appliqués like the purse and gumball machine pictured here. She’s also got a super toddler line and she hasn’t forgotten about the mama! Her line for women is understated and original, like the splat tee. If you’re going to have goopy things on your shirt anyway, why not make a statement with it?
Everything from b.delicious is as cute as it looks on the site. Cuter, even. Totally sweet…in a totally non-cavity inducing way.
Enter the code URDelicious for $5 off a purchase of $45 dollars or more until June 15, 2007.
We’ve got a boys gumball onesie (6-12m) and a girls purse tee (18-24m)
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