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!

From the Farm to the Store

On Sunday, Joey and I went to look at some double hung wooden windows that we had found on Craiglist as potential ‘old for new’ windows in our garage which is currently under construction. In addition to the gorgeous windows, we found an amazing young couple who are urbanites with country hearts – much like us. The minute I saw their Silkies (aka fluffy little chickens) I knew we had found two new friends!

Silkies are one of the most popular and loved breeds of backyard farmers given they are the lap kitty of the chicken world – super cute and fluffy with a sweet temperament. My favorite thing about the silkie though is that they are such wonderful mother’s that they are known for being willing to adopt baby ducks that have lost their moms. Seriously how cute is that!!!

I went searching for information on where to get chickens in Los Angeles and found this incredible site. Who knew you could buy chickens by mail!

So for all moms, today’s inspiration comes from the farm! Enjoy.



Farm Style

I was so saddened when Shabby Chic filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy so was very happy to find Rachel Ashwell is back and fighting. Her blog will keep you up to date on the happenings of Shabby Chic! Her style is perfect for city farm girls like myself! Though with all that white, I am thinking an outdoor tub would absolutely be necessary for a wash before heading inside!





Farm Toys

Have you heard how kids don't know where milk comes from these days (no not the bottle - but the cow)? Hard to believe. We carry some super cute animal toys (horse and cow rattles and also bedding) and Minimink's organic 3-piece outfits and onesies which are all perfect for playing farm at home. Need inspiration - look no further than the toy box.


Don't forget to sign up to win!! Monthly give-aways including certificates for spending spree's instore!!

Weekend Warriors

I am so excited about the weekend! Yesterday, my husband arrived back from a trip to Australia and my father was with him. My two favorite men in the world both back here in Los Angeles!! When dad visits, it means a whole lot of work on our house so I am ready to get out the shovel and into the garden.

Friday's is our Etsy inspiration day and I found these adorable designers online perfect for a weekend of outdoor time with the kids!

Your Super 'Little' Garden Hero


It's your little one soaring into their imagination and perhaps off your couch to the great outdoors! Help your little one expand their adventures with a one of a kind Little Hero Cape. These capes are made from high quality materials with high quality They come complete and unique with your child's initial placed prominently and dare I say POWERFULLY, on the back. Designed by Discovery Denim on Etsy

Every Kid Needs A TeePee!



Mother of twin girls Fran Bath (who is also a landscape designer) and perhaps deserves one of our superhero capes - makes these incredible tents for her store Little Birds Boutique!





Alimrose Bunting - perfect for indoors and out!

Having a party? Need some flair for your child's playroom? This fabric bunting is the perfect thing to spruce up any party or home! Looks absolutely adorable in the garden for a children's party.


Garden Tools to help Mom and Dad

Now these are FANTASTIC and I want one in my size! Made from 100% recycled post consumer plastic bottle felt! Eco felt, made into fun play belts for kids. Two pictured, tool belt and garden belt. Best of all - no little fingers can get hurt with these tools! Visit Asher82281's store!

More Cocoon Couture Bean Bags Show Up on You Tube!

Cute-ture Review on You Tube!

Read, Recycle, Give

I have been in super drive lately and woke up one morning with an idea for how Cute-ture can do two very important things:

1. Provide more $$$ to charities
2. Get kids reading

And I also thought that my friends – those of you out there who are family, Cute-ture shoppers or just really good people – could help!

As of TODAY I am launching Cute-ture’s Read, Recycle and Give program.

You can donate your children’s books that are in good condition to Cute-ture and we will resell them. The entire profit of each book sale will go to the charity we are supporting that month (see below some of the charities we support).

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 day one) so please bookmark it and keep coming back. Read, Recycle, Give

The charities we support include the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and Global Green USA (and many more)

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation seeks to prevent pediatric HIV infection and to eradicate pediatric AIDS through research, advocacy, and prevention and treatment programs.

Global Green is working to address some of the greatest challenges facing humanity. In the United States our work is primarily focused on stemming global climate change by creating green buildings and cities.

Internationally, Global Green and its affiliates are working toward:

* Eliminating weapons of mass destruction that threaten lives and the environment
* Providing clean, safe drinking water for the 2.4 billion people who lack access to clean water

Summer Fun for Kids (and grown ups)

Joey and I went to a wonderful dinner some time ago at movie director Alex Zamm’s home. Alex has directed movie’s such as Inspector Gadget 2 and Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts.

It was a fun dinner with a group of their friends with lots of laughter and great conversation. But the dinner became brilliant when it was time for dessert! Denise, Alex’s wife pulled out two things that I instantly fell in love with!

An ice cream maker and a s’mores kit!!!

I now have my ice cream maker and after two disastrous attempts, I have finally figured out that if I keep it simple, it is SO easy. Actually making ice-cream is so easy that you don’t even need an ice-cream maker!

So here is my recipe to kick summer off.

Chocolate Coconut Banana Sorbet

I have been eating RAW lately in order to kick off my summer healthy eating and came up with this recipe. Perfect for kids since it has NO added sugar.

Ingredients:

2 Thai Coconuts (open and use only the coconut water) chilled
4 banana’s frozen in pieces
2 tablespoons or carob or chocolate powder

1. Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend to smooth.

If you have frozen the banana and kept the coconuts in the fridge it should be a nice cold blend which can go straight into the ice-cream maker.

If your mix isn’t cold then you should put it in the fridge to cool before putting it in the ice cream maker.

2. Pour into the ice-cream maker, it should take 20 – 25 minutes to have your delicious summer chocolate banana sorbet!

Now if you don’t have an ice-cream maker, or just want to have the kids do this step as it is so much fun here is how you make it without an ice-cream maker.

First of all HALVE the ingredients above (even halved you can probably then use the mix for 3-4 kids for the following step)

PER CHILD (see note below)
6 tablespoons rock salt
1 pint-size plastic food storage bag (e.g., Ziploc)
1 gallon-size plastic food storage bag
Ice cubes

1. Fill the large bag half full of ice, and add the rock salt. Seal the bag.
2. Put ½ cup of blended coconut water, banana and carob/cocoa in the small bag, and seal it. Leave a little room for it to shake.
3. Place the small bag inside the large one, and seal it again carefully.
4. Shake until the mixture is ice cream, which takes about 5 minutes.
5. Wipe off the top of the small bag, then open it carefully. And voila – you have ice-cream!

Note:

A 1/2 cup mix will make about 1 scoop of ice cream/sorbet. But don't increase the proportions more that that -- a large amount might be too big for kids to pick-up because the ice itself is heavy.

If you give this a try let me know - and if you have any fabulous easy summer recipes to share - send them in! Bring on the BBQ's and S'mores!

We've Been Bee-zy!

Pink Polkadots and creamy buttery yellow - scrumptious yummy colors! Cute-ture is in the middle of a makeover and our new look blog is the first part to launch. We have a new look monthly newsletter and over the weekend our website revamp will go live. Its so exciting for the team (like getting back after a holiday) and has given us lots of new idea's for products that you will also see soon on Cute-ture!! We are doing monthly give-aways to our subscribers so don't forget to sign up so you receive our very first newsletter.

New on our site we have the adorable buzzy bee pull toy!! Seriously this is super cute and I have had to put one aside for our future bambino!

This sweet little honey bee from Empress Arts is a vintage-style pull toy. Made of solid wood and painted vintage yellow with speckles of flowers along the belly, with a head and tail on springs to bob. It is absolutely adorable and so cute.


This retro piece is a Cute-ture team favorite and will look fabulous on a shelf in the nursery until your little one is old enough to pull it along.

The pull toy comes in a great box, perfect for gift giving. Cute-ture also offers gift wrapping and this little Bubby Buzzy Bee Pull Toy makes the perfect gift!

Suitable for ages 3 and up. Best of all - it has no toxic paints and is child safe!

Meet Bubby Buzzy Bee here!

Just How Big Are You

I can remember when I was much younger, standing in the kitchen with my brothers and my mum lining us up against the wall to measure us with a ruler over our heads and mark in a pencil our height on the wall. If only she had these adorable height charts back then. Cocoon Couture has the most fun designs that are both colorful and practical and always environmentally and child safe!

The cute characters on their height charts - which are available on our site - mirror the characters they have on their bean bags, shoulder bags and backpacks.

I am in love with the Early Bird which is ironic since an early bird, I am not. I also love that the design includes the squirrel and owls and all the lovely critters that are in all of the children's books right now. The height charts come with a number of pegs (pins) that attach to the side against the height and you can either add your different children's names to the pegs or the dates of the measurement.

Seriously cute.