InspiRED

" A room without any red is like a woman with no lipstick"

I read a quote this morning in a home design magazine and it inspired this morning's theme! Interesting enough - on feeling inspired - I noticed the very last three letters in the word. Enjoy a little inspiRED from Cute-ture.


Alimrose flags (bunting), Alimrose bumblebee stroller ties, Dippy Dop's The Little Reindeer


Oobi Baby Apparel and Dippy Dop's Little Reindeer


Australian designed red charm bracelet from Riley Burnett


The most gorgeous Alimrose Designs doll in red polka with Empress Arts burberry inspired Red Mocassins


Adorable Alimrose Designs dolls, red and pink knitted baby overalls and the best rattles in the world - Alimrose Monkey Rattles in Red and Navy Stripes.

New Site Up and Running

Our new site has arrived!!

www.cute-ture.com

Guaranteed arrival by December 23 for all orders made before December 20, 2009.
That means you have six days left to shop!!!
In addition to 20% off (valid until January 1, 2010)
 Enter the code FREESHIP until December 20th, 2009 for Free Shipping within the USA.

Shop Now.

Not Valid on previous purchases. Promo code must be entered at checkout to receive free shipping. Only one use per customer.

Little Posers

I adore Lana Bell's photography. She specializes in newborns and she is amazing. I am 100% in love with her images and wanted to spread the word.

Warning - these are so gorgeous - it will make you want babies!!!

















And if that's not enough - check out her incredible work (lots more images on her blog) at Little Posers.

Winner of Bunny Rug Giveaway from December 1st: Vicki from Fargo!

Totally Cute

Yesterday I posted and mentioned how much I love kittens and then today I saw this....so so cute and worth the 30 seconds it takes to press watch.

Inspiration

Our new site is going live in a matter of days and working with the colors and images for the new site has really been inspiring me lately. Below are some of the lovely palettes and gorgeous products you will find at cute-ture.com in coming days.



We found this gorgeous model Makena who is the perfect fit for our range. We adore all of the images of this cutie pie. We have new Alimrose squeakers and rattles and maybe its the girl in me but I love the kitties and bunnies.



Quilt's and fluffy teddy bears. Nothing says comfort and cuddles more! Just makes me want to melt into a big bed in front of a fireplace.



Two seats! One for falling into with a great book and one for bouncing on like a bunny rabbit! Great gifts for the holidays.

We Heart Chasing Fireflies

Check out the cutest Cute-ture at Chasing Fireflies!! Seriously cute.

Free Shipping Tuesday

Free Shipping Tuesday

Hurry
Free
Shipping
on Any Order!

Offer ends Tuesday night November 24th at 11.59pm Pacific Coast time.
enter QUICKSHIP at checkout.
 

Shop Now.

Not Valid on previous purchases. Promo code must be entered at checkout to receive free shipping.

Does Mommy Love It? Let's ask?

Cocoon Couture from blog Does Mommy Love It?

Does Mommy Love it are holding a competition to win a beanbag courtesy of Cute-ture. See their blog below and click here to read the entry rules!

I never imagined a beanbag could bring so much delight to my little toddler. Cocoon Couture vintage fabric beanbags is one of son’s favorite objects in his room. They are structured to adjust into a chair-like position as you sit in them. Because of this, it is now used as “the spot” for reading books. When I sit there, my son gallops quickly onto my lap and assumes the position for story time! This beanbag has provided such a wonderful bonding time for us.




When it isn’t being used as a reading spot, my son enjoys prancing on it with giggles and smiles. We have the sandy owl appliqué on our beanbag, which is absolutely adorable. I love that the 100% cotton pinwale cord cover is machine washable. The beans are sold separately making this a bit pricey. However, the safety lining makes for longevity and durability.

Cocoon Couture designs the most luxurious accessories for children. Another one of my favorite products is their height charts. They are printed on cotton linen with three wooden pegs to write your child’s name on to keep track without marking the wall hanging. So adorable! Cocoon Couture products are definitely a must-have. You can purchase these from this site.

First Give Away of the Holidays

Enter to win a Oobi Blanket (Striped Bunny Rug) in stripe print! Comment
below and share the name of your favorite children's holiday story or a memorable holiday moment. You may be the one curling up under this soft and snuggly blanket with a good read of your own! Enter before 6pm pst by December 1st, winner selected randomly and announced evening of December 1st.

Remember to leave your email with the comment (we remove this before it posts - its just so we know how to reach you). Good luck!!

Tracey

It's the Holidays...almost

I have a nice long break coming up in December and for some reason I am trying to remind myself that my holiday hasn’t started just yet.

I am walking around the office singing holiday jingles “its beginning to feel a lot like Christmas….” and feeling rather jolly rather than crazy busy like I usually feel.

Maybe its because my dad is in town visiting and I always feel like his little girl when he is around. We have our first big holiday celebration this weekend – the annual ‘pre-Thanksgiving’ dinner with all of our friends in Los Angeles. We are having 70 people over for a pot luck Thanksgiving feast! Yummmy!

In my holiday spirit I thought that today’s blog should include a photo of our newest model – my nephew Jeff Junior who is super adorable in his overalls and with the reindeer hopper. Actually he is just 100% adorable no matter what he is wearing but add some Cute-ture and he becomes edible!

Happy Pre- Holidays!

New Products Arriving

Our new arrivals have been rolling in and it is so adorable seeing the designs come to life. Check out the new apparel and toys for spring and summer!



I love this doggie squeaker! I am addicted to gingham (maybe its the country girl in me)!



The Bunny Play Set is so cute!! And you should see the matching bloomers.



This little handsqueaker called Winnie is perfect for baby's self entertainment. Its really easy to hold and squeak and is totally baby safe!

Right Bank Babies Store Opening

Through tradeshows we have made some lovely friendships and one of our favorites is with the gorgeous gals from Right Bank Babies! We started our businesses around the same time and it is so lovely to watch them blossom and go from success to success. They are opening their first store (and their gorgeous apparel is in lots of other stores) tomorrow in the Hollywood and Highland complex in Hollywood!

So we invite you to come to their opening where you can find loads of delicious kids apparel and of course a lot of Cute-ture toys and hoppers. They are also stocking the Cocoon Couture bean bags and bookends and lots of other wonderful items.

Saturday October 24, 3pm to 9pm, Store #117
Hollywood and Highland Center
Los Angeles, CA

Come for champagne, hor d'hoeuvres, games, music and lots of treats for kids. We will see you there.

T xx

Baby it's getting cold outside

Drover our Shih Tzu got up early this morning and did his morning whimpering at the base of our stairs (he doesn't know he can climb them) which has become our official alarm clock. At 6.22am it was VERY chilly and I had to find my woolly boots before heading downstairs.

There is nothing quite like warm comfy shoes on a cold day and it made me think about our Minimink booties and how delicious it would be to wear them! Unfortunately they only come in two sizes 0 - 3 months and 3 - 8 months. Hmmm - wonder if I can get a sample done in a size 9....

It's A Zoo In Here

Monkeys, giraffe's, bears and cows have rattled their way into Cute-ture this month. We have all new updated rattles from Alimrose Designs that are soooooooo adorable. Vintage inspired in bright modern fabrics that are baby safe and the perfect cuddle toy.

Our office looks like a zoo with so many cute critters making themselves at home.

As always all orders over $50 include free shipping! And there is lots under $20!

Fairy Bread

I grew up with this very special sandwich and it was always a childhood favorite! Mum served this incredible feast at birthdays and special occassion's for the kids and it was always good.

What I didn't know was that its an Australian thing! Who knew. In the USA the colored dots are called 'sprinkles' and in Australia we call them 'hundreds and thousands'. Cute huh.

So how do you make Fairy Bread - its SO complicated.

Take a piece of white bread
Add butter
Add hundreds and thousands (sprinkles)

And voila - delicious!

Healthy Food for Kids

I saw the documentary Food Inc on the weekend and it really re-opened my eyes about the very thing our bodies need to survive! How on earth have we allowed food manufacturers to get away with adding things to our foods that have been genetically modified and include using cloned animals and major pesticides that don't have to be labelled!

The first step Cute-ture is taking is to make parents aware that food standards for school children have not been updated since the 1970's - I kid you not!

Check out Moms Rising website and add your voice to the call for change.

"We believe that federally funded nutrition programs should provide all children with the healthy food they deserve. This includes low fat and safe dairy, fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Schools should be soda and junk-food-free zones and serve food that complements and furthers parents' efforts to feed their children healthfully."

We Are Moving!

This weekend we move to our new offices which are almost finished being built! That's right....almost! With the lease of our current building finishing on Monday, we have run out of time and hence rain, hail or shine we load up the trucks from Friday and start loading our office and warehouse ready for their new home (and our new home).

I have no doubt by Monday we will have a lot of new bruises to show and hopefully we will be up and running online (that is if the electricity goes on)....

We have built the new location from scratch so are really excited about our new digs which are basically a blank canvas ready to be Cute-ture'ed! Best of all, its so close to our home, that we literally have a 30-second walk to work. Yipppeeee. The downside is that its very close to home...

Stay tuned for photo's of the move and our new Cute-ture home!

Tracey, Joey, Drover, Amber and team

Monkey Business (well technically its an ape....)

The Space Hopper World Record - lets break it!!!

We also have new photo's of the gorgeous Gibbon's baby that I will post tomorrow! Stay tuned and getting ready to bounce your way into the record books!

Even Baby Ape's Love FLATOUTbears

Some time ago my father was visiting me in Los Angeles and I had signed up to do some volunteer work at the Gibbons Conservation Center and happily he came along. We spent the afternoon clearing brush away from the enclosures to keep the gorgeous singing ape's safe from any fire outbreaks.

I fell in love with the Gibbons and their gorgeous antics while there so was especially touched to see this photo which Prue (the FLATOUTbear founder) sent me!

About Gibbons

Native to the dwindling rain forests of Southeast, South, and East Asia, gibbons are arboreal and considered to be among the world's greatest acrobats. They have the ability to swing from tree to tree distances of 50 feet, at speeds of up to 35 mph, while in trees 200 feet above the ground. This mode of locomotion--swinging under branches while suspended by their hands--is called brachiating. Gibbons are one of the few monogamous primates, and whether on the ground or in the trees, they are known for their dexterity and ability to walk upright. Often referred to as the "songbirds" of the primate family and the most musical land mammal, gibbons can project their voices up to 2 miles through the dense rainforest canopy. Unfortunately, their natural habitat is being destroyed at the alarming rate of 32 acres per minute! This destruction shall guarantee the disappearance of their melodious songs as well.

For more information on Gibbons and how you can help them - visit the Gibbons Conservation Center

Additionally - if you order a FLATOUTbear from Cute-ture.com during August - we will donate 100% of the profit to the Gibbons Conversation Center!

Dancing Babies

I love babies and this commercial just makes me laugh!! I think its a great way to start the week after the holiday.

Enjoy

Celebrity Inspires Charity

I was saddened this morning when I heard the Farrah Fawcett had passed away after a very challenging and public battle with cancer. She really fought to the end and her beauty both inside and out will be remembered by many.

As such I am dedicating this months profits (July 2009) from our Read, Recycle and Give program to the Children’s Cancer Research Fund.

READ, RECYCLE, GIVE

WHAT KIND OF BOOKS

1. We need books in good quality so that they will get bought. Any books that are damaged will not be sold on the site but will be donated to foster homes, children’s homes and homeless shelters.

The golden rule is: If you wouldn’t want them on your living room shelves, very likely nobody else will either so please help us by sending books that you would buy.

2. Cute-ture focuses on children’s lines, so the books should be for children (from 0 up to 12 years old)

3. Send the books!

Simply mail the books to:

PO Box 575
Beverly Hills, CA, 90213

Each month, we will do a random draw from those who have donated that month, and you could win a wonderful item from Cute-ture's site.

4. Check out our recycled book list regularly as each purchase will go 100% to charity!! Voila – you have helped us full cycle. This is the link - but as you will see - there is no books yet (since this is the first week) so please bookmark it and keep coming back. Read, Recycle, Give.

Weekly Give-away

Today we are giving away ONE fantastic toiletry bag from a New York Designer. All you have to do to for an entry and chance to win, is either of the following (or do both if you want to double your chances)

1. Get two friends to become FANS of Cute-ture on our Facebook and email me the names of those two friends so I can confirm they did. What's in it for them (other than all the lastest news on the cutest things ever) is that they also automatically entered.

2. OR – leave a comment on our blog about what has inspired you this week (friends, pets, shopping etc) and/or made you smile. Don't worry - your email address will not appear on the blog.

Its that simple!!

OMG - Its my Best Birthday EVER!!!

I am speechless today - its my Birthday and my brother and his family surprised me with an incredible gift - a Janet Hill Studio original painting.



That was right after a delicious lunch with my friend Jasmine who made me the most scrumptious birthday cake!!

I feel very spoilt.

So because this day has been so special for me - I am going to offer everyone a special day for my birthday and offer 25% off our Cute-ture.com site for the next 24 hours. Happy Birthday!! (to me...) Just use the code: CELEBRATE to get your discount.

Weekend Inspirations

Every Friday I like to prepare for the weekend by doing two things:

1. Make a short and concise list of the things I need to do (priorities only)
2. Think of things that inspire and motivate me so I am energized

This way I go into the weekend in a great frame of mind, rather than being tired and too exhausted and I know what my priorities are.

I always get inspired at tradeshows and events and so when I don't have those to attend and set the brain in motion, I love to visit sites like Etsy where the most incredible and talented creative designers sell their wares. I am always looking for new finds for Cute-ture on Etsy.

Here are my Friday inspirations!



Lemontree77 have wonderful eco goodies including pencils and stamps. I just want to write a letter when I see these!

Moddottextiles has fabric purses and clutches. My last purse from a retail store fell apart and I have one of Mod Dot Textile designed clutches now in the most fabulous chintz.



Viemoderne has the most fabulous hair accessories. An incredible stylist from Australia called Sarah Laidlaw used beautiful red feathers and crystals in my hair for my wedding and I have been addicted ever since. I have no doubt Sarah would love these too.

Janet Hill Studio's original artwork and prints are sooo dreamy. I almost didn't blog about her because I want to keep her a secret!! She sells her prints from her original designs on Etsy and also has one original painting go up each day. I cannot wait until I can get an original (in fact I would love a house full of originals).



This is so adorable. It would be a complete fight in our house between Drover, Roadie and Bob as to who would get packed! We may need 3 suitcases. I found this adorable bed at vintagerenaissance's Shop on Etsy. They believe in recycling, upcycling, repurposing and reviving older styles to work for design today. Yipppee. We love that.

Have a great weekend and I will see you Monday (my birthday!!)

Tracey xx

Win Semi Precious Earrings! Be Inspired!

I have to let you in on a secret….its pretty awesome being married to a guy who designs jewelry! I have my own endless supply of fabulous earrings, bracelets and necklaces and in every color possible!! As a woman it doesn’t get any better than that (oh..maybe if he added bags to the collection it could…)

Here are some of the incredibly talented husbands designs.



We are giving away a pair of Cute-ture’s earrings today!! To enter simply following the instructions below. There are two ways to enter and you can enter in both ways to double your chances!

Visit Cute-ture’s website and pick at least 2-4 items that you LOVE and using tinyurl.com link to them in your comment. If you do not comment with your wish list, you will not qualify. Please make sure you sign in to comment using a valid email address so that if you win I can contact you (your email address will not be visible, only to me). Only one entry per person, per household.

The other way to enter is to visit us on Facebook and become a fan! Once you are a fan - send us a message on Facebook about your favorite Cute-ture.com product. Click here for our Facebook fan page!

Ready? Set? Go… And make sure you come back here to comment as your comment is your official entry!

We have been very busy with house renovations lately. Our Queen Anne (they do exist in Los Angeles) is 108 years old and we are doing our best to bring the lady back to her former glory. Even the ghost has gone quiet – which I think means she is happy with what we doing.

While checking out magazines for idea’s I was totally inspired by the following from Australian Notebook Magazine and Better Homes and Garden .

I love the vintage elements in these and need to find out where enamel pastel buckets can be found!! Divine.



We recently build a deck in our backyard which is very similar to this one - the tree's in boxes at the end are totally an idea I will use. Keeps people from pushing chairs back to far and also green's up the deck.



I am in love with wallpaper right now and this vivid blue with the pink and yellow flowers would make me happy every day!

The barrel may seem strange but its to collect rainwater! We don't get near enough in Los Angeles so every drop counts.

Finally - don't forget to enter to win a pair of Joey Vieira earrings today!!

How to find and prepare for a Tradeshow

How to find and prepare for a Tradeshow

Shared via AddThis

FLATOUTbear Mania

The FLATOUTbear was our very first product and after three years in the USA market it still stands up against all other cuddly bears given its simplicity, quality and speed at becoming a child's favorite toy.

Not only do my nephew and niece love their FLATOUTbears (named Roady, Honeybear, Roady 2 and Rosie) but so do my cats and dog! Drover (our 8 month old shih tzu) sleeps with his bear and during the day, Roadie our cat steals the bear and cuddles up with him. Seriously this little flat bear is just divine.

I found this clip on YouTube from a store in Spain and I love that they are calling it FLATOUTbear mania!








Alimrose Designs - Super New Cute Shoes Coming Soon

Alimrose Designs makes the most adorable rattles, handsqueakers and toys and now they have baby shoes as well!! These are so cute and I cannot wait to get them in!!! Let me know if you love them like I do!