The Voice of Mom

I love bags. Small bags, big bags, travel bags, makeup bags … I am a sucker for a pretty, nice, sturdy bag to dash out of the house with. So when Nankeen offered to let Cate and I try products from their line, I was totally game. Cate recently reviewed the Nankeen Accessory Bag, a striking and roomy bag perfect for traveling. As for me, I tried out the Shire Tote Bag.

Before I get into the bag, let me tell you about the company. Nankeen is a family-run business that started several years ago after the Page family discovered a textile called Blue Nankeen in the French Concession of Shanghai. (Read more about the textile and the process of manufacturing it here.) That textile became the crux of the company’s creations, which range from purses to ties to pillows and everything in between.

The Shire Tote Bag is a blue on blue design with leather handles and a 100 percent cotton lining.

The GOOD: The Nankeen Shire Tote Bag is made from a beautiful, soft, sturdy fabric and has an equally sturdy lining. The 100 percent leather handles are soft and supple. The bag is spacious and can fit everything you need for a busy day around town — even legal sized documents and notepads. There are two generously sized pockets inside the bag as well. If you are a commuter, you can purchase a matching computer sleeve ($45) that fits inside.

The BAD: The price point is on the higher side, though it’s certainly less than bags from makers like Coach and Dooney and Bourke. Nonetheless, you should be sure this bag speaks to you before shelling out the cost of ownership. (more…)

When my six-year-old son was born, BPA-free was not a buzz phrase that everyone was talking about like they are now.  A lot changes in a few years.  Basically, you want to use products that are BPA-free, particularly for your baby, because otherwise there is a chemical in the plastic that can leach into the drinks and food.  Not cool.  With the interest in BPA-free products, it was the perfect time for Babylife to reintroduce glass bottles … with a twist.

The GOOD: These glass bottles have a silicone sleeve that make a good gripper so the bottles don’t slip out of baby’s hands, and prevents the glass bottle from breaking.  The silicone sleeve is 100% plastic and is toxic-free.  The ring, plug and cap have no polycarbonates and are food grade and FDA approved.  Both the sleeve and the bottle are dishwasher-safe, making for easy cleaning.

The BAD: They are more than a little pricey.

MONEY MATTERS: The 9 oz bottles retail for $17.99 each and the 4 oz bottles for $11.99.  If you order six or more bottles (and enter the code SIXORMORE upon checkout), you will receive free shipping within the United States.  They can be purchased online at Babylife’s website or on Amazon, or at these retail locations.

The MOM VERDICT

Cate says: I’ve got to say, I’m not a big fan of glass baby bottles.  I just worry that they’ll break.  But with these silicone sleeves, it quickly puts that worry to rest.  The sleeves protect the bottle and make it very easy for babies to hold the bottle themselves.  A nice array of colors, it’s good to have an alternative in the BPA-free marketplace.

Drink water.  Drink water.  Drink water.  We’ve been hearing it for so long, and practicing it, that for a lot of us, it’s pretty much second nature.  But unfortunately with so many of us on the go, go, go all the time, it’s easy to grab bottled water as we’re heading out the door.  But we know that bottled water isn’t always better than tap.  And all those plastic bottles certainly aren’t that cool for the environment.  So now we have to recondition ourselves to get in the habit of using reusable water bottles.  Enter Tappening.

The GOOD: I’m partial for clear bottles.  I like being able to see inside and see how much drink I have left.  These blue and green bottles from Tappening are huge and the colors pop.  These are also BPA-free.

The BAD: The bottles have a flip-top as opposed to a pull-top or screw cap, so you’ll need to be extra careful that nothing accidentally pops them open.  They are only available online.

MONEY MATTERS: They retail for $14.95 each and shipping is a reasonable $3.00.  They can be purchased right on Tappening’s web site right here.

The MOM VERDICT

Cate says: The size of these bottles is very generous - they’re huge!  When I pour myself a drink, I like to fill the cup with ice and then start the liquid.  With a lot of bottles, that doesn’t leave me much room for my water.  With these Tappening bottles, there is plenty of room for tons of ice and tons of water - love that.  They are durable and perfect for those on the go.  Have a health or exercise nut on your holiday list?  These would be perfect.  Pop the top and stuff in some exercise-related goodies inside, wrap a bow around the middle and you’re set.

The Voice of Mom is highlighting the best gifts of 2008. We’ve tested dozens of products and reviewed them to pull together our gift guides with the best products out there.

For more gift guides, check here.

It might be tempting to run out and buy some fun games or massive sets of dolls and all their accouterments, but that really isn’t the ideal gift for infants and toddlers. Here are a few great ideas for gifts that the infant and toddler in your life will love.

The Pottery Barn Anywhere Chair is a great addition to any living room or playroom. The soft, durable construction is ideal for toddlers on the go. And with the optional personalization, it makes this an extra special gift for an extra special kid. Plus, Pottery Barn has recently re-released the chair insert in a more ecologically friendly material. Covers come in a variety of patterns and fabrics including twill, denim, solids, stripes and polka dots. [Review] [Buy]

Robeez shoes are a great fit for the tiniest feet and new walkers too. With fun designs geared towards boys and girls, you can’t go wrong. And check out there awesome line of winter booties, sure to keep those little tootsies warm when the temperature drops down low. [Review] [Buy]

If you want to spoil the infant or toddler in your life, then Bath by Bettijo Organic Baby Gift Set is the way to go. The set includes mild organic baby wash/shampoo and lotion as well as an oh-so-soft-and-thick onesie that says “Ask me about my compost pile.” Too cute. The products are a treat for soft baby skin and since everything is organic, you can be assured that they won’t harm baby. [Review] [Buy] (more…)

Looking for Miza is a new release from Scholastic, and is the true story of a young gorilla that escapes from the safety of her family along with her mother.  The folks at WildlifeDirect started the Looking for Miza project to accomplish three goals:

1. To raise awareness. This book is currently in English and will be translated into a number of languages including native languages in Africa where it will be distributed. The Scholastic Junior corp of journalists from Rwanda will be helping to deliver messages across East and Central Africa and to the rest of the world through the Scholastic website.

2. To help people get involved in Gorilla conservation. Wildlife Direct saw how this can work in New York on Friday when children in in the USA and globally were involved in the launch of the book and submitted hundreds of ideas to the website. Scholastic will continue to provide opportunities for involvement through their website.

3. WildlifeDirect also aimed to raise funds for Gorilla conservation and already US$ 150,000 has been set aside to support rangers in the Virunga National Park from the Owen and Mzee Foundation. This should help to support many rangers over a one year period.

The GOOD: The story follows Miza and she somehow gets separated from her family.  A bittersweet tale, the book brings to life what the day-to-day routines of the gorillas are, their own daily plight and struggle to survive and how they rally together to help one of their own.  Gorgeous color photos throughout from photographer Peter Greste, it is a captivating story about the gorillas and the Congolese mountain rangers who work tirelessly to protect their survival.  Beyond just a wonderful children’s story, this goes far past that. “Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, will launch an in-school, standards-based educational initiative that will make elementary and middle school children, teachers and parents aware of the mountain gorilla crisis and the mission to save them. A specially developed curriculum and online portal produced by Scholastic will be distributed to approximately one million students to teach them about the gorillas, their habitat and the Mountain Rangers, and will empower them to become advocates for the gorillas. In addition, www.Miza.com, created jointly by Turtle Pond and Scholastic, will offer students up-to-date information on the gorillas brought from Wildlife Direct’s field-based blogs written by the Mountain Rangers and other activities and resources. Students will be encouraged to share ideas about helping the gorillas.”

The BAD:  Absolutely nothing. (more…)

My one-year-old daughter hates socks. She grabs then and rips them off her feet whether it’s 70 degrees or 7 degrees. She just doesn’t like them … unless, of course, she’s wearing shoes. Nine times out of 10, if she has shoes on, the socks will stay on too. Go figure.

But the shoes have to fit her narrow little feet well to keep the socks on. Robeez makes shoes that are designed to stay on and naturally adjust as feet grow. And just in time for winter, The Voice of Mom checked out the Robeez Fashion Booties with Hearts.

The GOOD: The soft soles let little feet point and flex freely as babies crawl or begin to walk. The faux fur is super comfortable for baby feet. The elastic ankles is good for keeping the booties on little, active feet. And no need to worry about baby slipping, the soles are slip resistant.

The BAD: The soles of these booties are almost white, which is impractical for active kids because they get dirty so quickly. (more…)

Kids keep you bustling and work keeps piling. Sometimes it’s all you can do to run a brush through your hair and dash out the door.  Kelly Ripa once said that she washes half her body one day, and the next day, the other half.  As moms, we can totally relate.  No sooner do you close the bathroom door and turn on the shower faucet do the little fists start banging on the door.  So when you have time for a long, relaxing, steamy shower, you have to take it. I certainly do.

But I don’t often indulge in bath products to make that shower extra special. I am certainly not opposed to them, but to find ones that make you feel as good is tough. Companies love to make promises, but too often they don’t live up to those promises.

Recently, Sumbody contacted The Voice of Mom, asking if we would review their line of bath products. We were game … after all, what do we have to lose?

A beautiful package arrived with several of their products, including Sex on the Beach Sugar Scrub. So, how does it work?

The GOOD: The scrub gently scrapes away dead skin cells, while adding a soft layer of buttery lotion to your skin. It dissolves easily. The scent is intoxicatingly good, though you needn’t be 21 to try this Sex on the Beach sugar scrub.  The scrub is very smooth and not gritty, unlike a lot of other scrubs.

The BAD: I wish there was a way to get this out of the jar without digging my nails through it. And beware — you might be tempted to use it all at once.  On a more serious note, it made the bottom of the tub and mat very slippery.  Like dangerous slippery. (more…)

Once the holiday season is here, excess is in full swing and thoughts of cutting down and going green seem like distant relatives.  But they don’t have to be.  The folks at Hunter Douglas have shared with us a few tips on how to go green during the holiday season, easy suggestions that you can implement painlessly.

• While wrapping presents to go under the tree, save any extra ribbon and use to “gift wrap” throw pillows like packages to give your sofa a festive feel. Adorn your walls with indoor wreaths made from scarves and a little boxwood to create a nice scent that brings you a taste of the outdoors while you stay warm inside.

• Use recyclable, colorful paper when wrapping presents to create an inviting atmosphere with a rich color palette for your living room. After the presents are opened, either save the paper and ribbon to re-use next year, take all used paper to your local recycling center or throw extra scraps into the fire to save on trees used for firewood. (more…)
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It used to be common for young children to have special jewelry of their own. Diminutive rings, necklaces and cuffs were heirlooms passed from generation to generation, worn by babies and toddlers. You don’t hear or see that as much these days so the tradition has fallen by the wayside for many families who have set other priorities.

Nonetheless, the idea of having special jewelry pieces that a daughter can someday pass to her daughter is a nice one. Enter One Pearl.

One Pearl is a special line of jewelry with distinctive design. The line was conceived by a mother, Theresa Wing Hines, who was going through a challenging time with her son. She realized that the transformative life experience her son was going through was much like the development of a pearl. Thus, One Pearl was born.

The company lines for little girls and a line for women.

The GOOD: This beautiful three-strand signature necklace and bracelet has a unique design with the signature one pearl of another color. The signature line is elegant and feminine. Both pieces can be adjusted to fit baby to kid wrists. It is packaged in a handcrafted silk pouch from Cambodia that is made by a nonprofit organization that trains women to weave. The profits from the organization go to funding medical and educational care.

The BAD: The short length of chain to adjust the bracelet could be a bit problematic. It could be very tempting to tug on for toddlers, so the bracelet might be best for infants and older children. (more…)

The women on the cover of Cosmo are always luminous, glowing women. They have perfect hair and flawless skin. You couldn’t possibly recreate that captivating beauty at home, could you? Cosmo says you can, and it’s all a matter of just knowing the tricks and techniques.

Cosmo’s Sexiest Beauty Secrets: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Gorgeous aims to arm you with everything you need to know to look like you just stepped from the cover of a glossy magazine. Released on November 4, the book is filled with step by step instructions, tips and photos.

Is it worth buying?

The GOOD: From great updos to perfect shaving, this book has it all. Did you know that all the colors in eye shadow quads are actually meant to be used together? Cosmo’s Sexiest Beauty Secrets: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Gorgeous tells you how. It even has tips for camoflaging a bad beauty decision (like cutting your own bangs … been there done that.

The BAD: The writers use the term ‘chick’ in a few places in the book. Perhaps it’s the feminist in me, but I was a little turned off by that. There are hundreds of better, more sophisticated way to refer to women. (more…)