• Michelle D, the winner of our BABY SKATES!

GREAT offers:

• Nicole Maternity is offering our readers a 10% off code. Use SPILTMILK1 at checkout.
• Mudpuppy is offering SMM readers 15% off all orders using the code “ZZZ2″.

Hide Sites

One of the drawbacks of buying the safest, fanciest infant car seat thatyou can find for your brand new bundle of joy is that it likely isn’t going to be the lightest one you can find. Personally, I was willing to sacrifice the ease and convenience of toting around a light infant car seat for the peace of mind of protecting the health and safety of my newborn son withy a fancier, heavier one. Thankfully, this time around, I have some relief coming my way in the form of the Angel Arm by Baby Henry Co.

When I got the infant car seat out of storage, the impending birth of my second child looming, hoisting it out of the closet reminded me of how awkward and heavy it was to carry around. And with a growing baby in it, it only got heaver and heavier as time went on. Because we were lucky enough to have a stroller travel system where the infant car seat could be installed directly onto the stroller frame, this meant that everywhere we went, we would detach the infant car seat from the car, and attach it to the stroller, and off we’d go!

Of course, we didn’t always have the stroller frame with us, which meant that we had to carry the infant car seat around. And by carry, I mean lug. And by we, I mean my husband. That sucker just got to heavy for me to carry comfortably as my son got older.

This time, as I browsed vendors at a Baby and Toddler tradeshow last fall, it was like the angels were singing to me, church bells ringing, and a light from the sky lit up on the Baby Henry Co. Makers of the Angel Arm, a fantastic and simple device designed to help mom’s like me whose upper body strength (apparently) leaves much to be desired.

The shoulder strap construction of the Angel Arm is designed to take the weight of your infant car seat and redistribute it across your body, making it easier to carry and removing the stress and strain from the baby-toting process. I can recall all the bruising I endured on my forearms from carrying my son in his infant car seat on the crook of my arm, but no more. With the Angel Arm I just place the padded strap over my shoulder and across my body, looping the rest of the strap through the handle of the infant car seat and voila! The heavy infant car seat becomes instantly easier to carry around. This summer, carrying my new baby around in the infant car seat will be a pleasure. No more tortured arms for me!

The Angel Arm can be purchased online for $29.99 CDN and makes a great gift for new parents.

**********************************************************************

Baby Henry Co. is offering a discount on the Angel Arm for our Spilt Milk Moms readers.

To receive the discount, send an email to info@babyhenryco.com with the  promo code SMM0411 and a note telling Baby Henry Co. why carrying your infant carseat is killing you, include your mailing address and Baby Henry Co. will send you the Angel Arm at $10 off . That’s a little bit of heavenly relief for just $19.99! (Orders will be billed through PayPal so include your PayPal email address in your email.)

Hide Sites

hello books are available in robot mission (above right, and the one we were sent to try), princess castle, monkey business, and yum yum bakery (new!) themes.  Each pack contains a 5″ x 30″ accordion book that forms the basis of the ‘story’ (made from FSC-certificed recycled paper) that can be folded back down into a 5″ x 5″ book and is perfectly sized for putting into the mail for that special someone.  Five sheets of removable stickers are also included, and it’s the stickers that make these books different from traditional sticker books.  hello books’ stickers are buildable and abstract, so that your child’s version of a robot will be completely unique – every time.  Luckily for Oliver (aged three and a half) and myself, the packaging of our robot mission hello book gave us some examples of what we could do with all the neat shapes, but we quickly moved on from these to come up with our own cool robots, rockets, planets, and unnamed creatures.  While Oliver is a little young yet to get the actual creation of a story line concept of the hello books, I can see how older children will run with building sticker characters and backgrounds to tell a story.  As for our robot mission book, Oliver has his robot saying ‘hi’ on the cover of his – too cute!

You can purchase any of the four hello books through the hello hanna website for $10.95 USD, or from our favourite Canadian on-line retailer, Raspberry Kids, for $10.99 CAD (use discount code spiltmilk15 at checkout for 15% off of your purchase!).

******************************************************************************************

hello hanna generously provided us with a monkey business hello book to give away to one lucky Spilt Milk Moms reader!  Thanks hello hanna!To Enter: Go to hello hanna’s website and then leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us which hello hanna hello book you think your child would like best and why. Once you’ve entered by leaving this mandatory comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @annehellohanna and @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” Enter to #WIN an @annehellohanna monkey business hello book for your creative child! http://tinyurl.com/3pp9szm @SpiltMilkMoms #giveaway “ and leave us the link for extra DAILY entries.
• If you ‘Like’ hello hanna on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• If you ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog and leave us a comment with the link for one extra entry.
• Subscribe to Spilt Milk Moms by RSS or Email Subscription and leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
  

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Friday, April 22nd, and the winner will be selected using Random.org.  The winner will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before another winner is selected.  This giveaway is open to both US and Canadian residents.  Good luck!

Hide Sites

I was excited when I was asked if I would test the Rain Poncho and Pants from Baby Polar Gear.  The Rain Poncho and Pants are made in the USA from highly technical, extreme weather guard fabric Polartec Power Shield.  The company claims that you will be amazed at the water shedding properties of the fabric, so of course I was intrigued because I live in the wettest city in Canada, not counting the snow and wind (we can get wind gusts up to 100 km per hour ).  With a one year old son (pictured above) and a rambunctious dog, I am always outside, rain or shine (sadly, more rain than shine).  We own a fabulous Bugaboo Frog, and with its great rain cover we are outside for at least two walks a day, but there are times and places when a stroller just won’t do, so we rely on our back or front carrier, leaving my poor little guy to brave the elements.  This is where the Rain Poncho and Pants by Baby Polar Gear comes in extremely handy!

This Rain Poncho and Pants is perfect for layering. I tested out the 18 month size, and at a year old my son is 22 pounds and 30 inches long, so there is plenty of room to grow.  What I did not expect was that he would be dry and warm crawling around in it.  At almost a year, my son has zero interest in walking, but he is lightening fast at crawling and often does not want to be held.  He gets very frustrated when we are outside and he doesn’t understand why I can’t put him down on the soggy moss that those of living in a rainforest call a lawn.  So today, with him clad in his Poncho and Pants, I decided to put the suit to the ultimate test.  He happily crawled around our yard in the rain checking everything out, and even sat and watched the birds eat out of the feeder for a few minutes.  When I took him inside and removed the suit, he was dry and warm underneath!  Now that was one happy baby (and Mama)!

The Rain Poncho and Pants are easy to clean, too. I used a tad of liquid laundry soap on a cold cycle.  Because of the ability of Polartec to repel water, the suit was practically dry when I removed it from the washer and definitely did not need any time in the dryer.  Lightweight and not bulky, the Poncho and Pants fit nicely into my diaper bag or into the basket of the stroller, just in case.  I even put it in my purse the other day.  I would definitely recommend Baby Polar Gear’s Rain Poncho and Pants to other parents, though at $34.95 USD for each piece (comes in black only – it would be nice to see other, brighter and more visible colours available in the future), the set is a tad pricey but well worth it, especially if you live an area that gets a lot of rain or wind.

Aside from the company’s Rain Poncho and Pants set with its impressive water shedding ability, Baby Polar Gear has a wide range of products available for outdoorsy families, from car seat covers, bunting bags, hats, mittens, and blankets to jackets, pants, booties, and towels!  To find out more about this great Portland, Oregon company, check out their Facebook page or follow Baby Polar Gear on Twitter.

******************************************************************************************

Enter to WIN a Baby Gear Polartech Powersheild Rain Poncho or get 20% off of your rain gear purchase until April 14, 2011.  To win the Rain Poncho, leave a comment on the company’s Facebook Page providing either feedback about any of their products OR telling them why you would like to win the Rain Poncho.  For 20% off of your rain gear purchase, simply enter code RAIN20 at checkout through Baby Polar Gear.  Please share with others by Tweeting, ” #WIN a @BabyPolarGear Rain Poncho for your child or get 20% off at http://tinyurl.com/6fhzvh4 @SpiltMilkMoms #giveaway #contest “, and good luck!

Hide Sites

When I was a kid we always had a special pyjama bag to put our pjs in during the day. This meant that (a) they weren’t just lying around and (b) we always knew where they were when it came time for bed. I know it’s been a while since I was a kid, but when I hit up our friend Google to try and find one for Maisie I was at a loss – I came up empty time and time again. I turned to Etsy in hope that someone creative had similar childhood memories, and that’s where I discovered DesignLaboratoire’s PYJ-AMIS.

Sophie, the designer and creator behind PYJ-AMIS (a play on pyjamies & “amis”,  French for friend) was born in Paris, studied fine jewelry for four years in Lausanne, Switzerland, jewelry design in Geneva, and industrial design in Zurich. To say that PYJ-AMIS are well designed is an understatement! DesignLaboratoire were kind enough to send me a little bunny PYJ-AMIS for Maisie to try and it was an absolute HIT. Not only is the bunny design incredibly cute (its little cross-stitch nose is the epitome of cute), but Sophie added Maisie’s name making it personalized cuteness personified. (Maisie’s full name is very unusual and I’m positive we’re never going to find it alongside regular personalized items, so being able to add it to items like PYJ-AMIS makes them even more special.)

PYJ-AMIS come in seven different designs – Sooree the mouse, Foosh the Frog, Swing the seahorse, Boon the bunny, Pingoo the penguin, Kooky the koala and, the newest member of the PJY-AMIS menagerie, Piggy the pig. Each of the animals are available in six different colours (kiwi, raspberry, ocean, gold, oatmeal, and rich cream) with contrasting features and a hanging ribbon so that the PYJ-AMIS can be hung at the end of the bed or on a hook. They are even cuter in person than I imagined, and as soon as I showed Maisie what it was for she immediately insisted that ALL of her pyjamas go into the bunny. I think this would make an awesome birthday gift and if you are as big of an organization freak as I am, you HAVE to get one.

PYJ-AMIS cost $35 USD – add an additional $5 USD for personalization for that special little one but right now, as an Easter special you can get FREE name printing with any order of a “Boon the Bunny” Pyj-Amis during the whole month of April!

******************************************************************************************

Sophie from DesignLaboratoire has very kindly provided the opportunity for TWO readers to WIN their choice of personalized PYJ-AMIS (one each).

To Enter: Visit the DesignLaboratoire Etsy store and leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us what your favourite item is. Once you’ve entered by leaving this mandatory comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” #WIN 1 of 2 personalized PYJ-AMIS pyjama bags from DesignLaboratoire & @SpiltMilkMoms http://tinyurl.com/4ppu6pl #giveaway #contest “ and leave us the link for extra DAILY entries.
  
• If you ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog and leave us a comment with the link for one extra entry.
• Subscribe to Spilt Milk Moms by RSS or Email Subscription and leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
  

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Wednesday, April 6th, and the winners will be selected using Random.org.  Winners will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before other winners are selected.  This giveaway is open to both US and Canadian residents.

Hide Sites

I first came across Look Who’s Growing’s personalized growth charts at a trade show last fall. The gloriously bright colours instantly caught my eye and when I found out that not only were they beautiful decorative pieces for kid’s rooms, but they were also functional growth charts, I knew I had to have one for my son. The charts come in 2 widths (6 or 12 inches), are printed on durable vinyl material and come in the most beautiful colours and designs you can imagine. You can even personalize them with your child’s name, birth date and picture! Fantastic!

Look Who’s Growing was kind enough to send me a sample chart for my son’s room and I chose the beautiful Giraffe design because really, what toddler doesn’t love giraffes!  When I took it out of the box the look on my son’s face when he saw the beautiful image was priceless! Hanging it in his room was a bit of a challenge because he wanted to take it down and play with it. And getting him to stand still long enough for me to take his measurement against it is was whole different story entirely, but once we work the kinks out it will be great!

The best thing about the personalized growth charts from Look Who’s Growing is that they are completely portable! We just moved last week and unlike back in the day when you’d have to leave that closet door frame with all your kid’s growth marks behind, Look Who’s Growing’s charts are completely portable and can be moved from one home to the next as the years pass, serving as a great keepsake for kids and parents alike!  And since this chart measures to over 6 feet tall you can bet that I’ll be doing my best to measure my son for as long as he’ll let me, or until my husband tells me that measuring my 6 foot tall kid against a giraffe chart is getting to be a bit much. We’ll see who wins this one!

Thanks to Look Who’s Growing for sending me the beautiful sample, I’m definitely going to have to get one for my new baby who’s due next month. I’m totally going to place that order once this kid is born. I’m so excited! For both the birth of my second baby and for the new growth chart I get to order! Now the big decision of which design to pick this time….

The Look Who’s Growing personalized growth charts come with a wooden dowel at the bottom and two grommets at the top for easy wall mounting. They are available for purchase online starting at $34.99 CDN.

******************************************************************************************

If you’re in the Toronto, Ontario area, Look Who’s Growing is sponsoring a fantastic mommy’s day out at the Sweet Grass Spa on May 29th! Click here for more information on The Great Mommy Escape and sign up to take advantage of some great spa pampering deals!

******************************************************************************************

To Enter: Go to the Look Who’s Growing Website and then leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us which growth chart design you love most.  Once you’ve entered by leaving a comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @lookwhosgrowing and @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” WIN a Personalized Growth Chart THX TO @lookwhosgrowing http://tinyurl.com/473zz5l @SpiltMilkMoms #giveaway #contest ” and leave us the link for extra DAILY entries.
• ‘Like’ Look Who’s Growing on Facebook, leave a comment there letting them know that the Spilt Milk Moms sent you for one extra entry.
• ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog and leave us a link in the comments for one extra entry.
• Subscribe to Spilt Milk Moms by RSS or Email Subscription and leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Go to http://www.lookwhosgrowing.ca to sign up for their newsletter for one extra entry.

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Friday April 1st, and the winner will be selected using Random.org.  The winner will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before another winner is selected.  This giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only.

Hide Sites

Silkberry Baby was founded by Carrie Shan, who started the company because of her daughter’s allergic reaction to synthetic fibers and polyester filled bedding.  What’s unique about Silkberry Baby’s line of products is that they are made using  mulberry silk floss, which is the highest quality of silk available on the market.  Mulberry silk floss is:

• 100% natural, odourless, and hypoallergenic.  Natural materials like silk and cotton result in less allergic reactions, and both my three year old son and 18 month old daughter have incredibly sensitive skin so this is really important to me.
• Soft, light. and durable.  When the Toddler Comforter arrived, I couldn’t believe how light the bedding was given its generous size (117cm x 102cm).  And soft … I can’t even begin to tell you how incredibly soft the comforter is!  It was such a big hit upon arrival that Charlotte and Oliver fought over the blanket all afternoon, alternately laying on the floor snuggling in it and exclaiming, “It’s SO soft, Mama!”
• Breathable and comfortable.  My children sweat like crazy when they sleep, so I was excited to learn that silk filled bedding absorbs moisture and releases it into the air, which regulates body temperature and keeps babies and toddlers from feeling too hot or too cold during the night.  Sure enough, after testing it on my son for a few weeks, I can honestly say that he is no longer ‘sticky’ at night and wakes up having slept much better because of the even body temperature the comforter provides.
• Eco-friendly and sustainable.  Silk floss comes from renewable resources as it is produced by silkworms, the farming of which leaves little ecological footprint compared to the production of petroleum-based bedding products.

I am absolutely thrilled with the quality of the Silkberry Baby Toddler Comforter.  It is incredibly soft and unbelievably well-made (so well made that I had trouble finding the well-hidden zipper to see how the silk filling could be removed).  I love how it keeps my son or daughter (depending on who wins the fight to sleep with it) warm but not overheating at night, and that it is light and portable yet durable and easy to clean.  Also, I cannot say enough about the charming art work adorning the company’s products – how cute is the sheep on the Toddler Comforters or the elephants on the Sleeping Sacks?  Adorable!

Silkberry Baby has a great range of Eco-bedding products for children including Comforters, Sleeping Sacks, Silk Fleece and Bamboo Blankets, and Cuddly Pillows.  The company also has a mulberry silk-filled Candy Pillow and a line of Eco-friendly bathing products coming soon!  Purchase Silkberry Baby Eco-bedding through the company’s website, or from the following retailers.

I am so delighted with the Silkberry Baby Toddler Comforter that I’m heading to my local retailer to pick up one of their amazing Baby Sleeping Sacks with removable silk filling for my daughter this week!

Silkberry Baby has TWO fabulous promotions on right now!  Get a FREE Cuddly Pillow with the purchase of a Toddler Comforter (valid until April 26, 2011) or get FREE SHIPPING with the purchase of a Sleeping Sack (valid until March 31, 2011).  To take advantage of either of these great offers, make your purchase online through www.silkberrybaby.com and then email the company at carrie@silkberrybaby.com (for the free Cuddly Pillow, use subject line ‘Buy One, Get One Free‘).

Hide Sites

I carry a little notebook with me in my purse so I can write down any fun and cool things I come across in my travels so I can share them with you. The other day I sat down to go through them and to my surprise several of the items kept coming back to the same company Galison Mudpuppy.

I’m going to review both arms of the company but today we’re starting with Mudpuppy. Here’s the first thing you should know – if you have a kid in your life you NEED to know about Mudpuppy. What do they do? Well a better question would be what DON’T they do – they have a whole whack of fantastic kids products from sticker books, to puzzles, to flip & draws, to flashcards. All of the items I’ve seen (in stores, at friends’ houses and with the items they kindly sent me) have been fantastic quality.

Mudpuppy sent me the Painter’s Pallet Wooden Magnetic Numbers and the Sweet Owls Wall Clock (above). The wooden numbers were a hit before I even finished getting them out of the package! Each set holds 40 numbers or symbols: 3 of each number from zero through nine, 3 plus or times signs, four dashes, and three dots (so you make your own division sign!) The set is suggested for ages 3 and up because of the small pieces but I just removed the dots & the dashes for now and the rest of the numbers aren’t of an edible size (trust me – she’s tried!) As much as I love the product I adore the packaging too – the magnets come in a resealable “milk carton” style container which is great for storage & gift giving. And they come with “green” credentials too – the magnetic pieces are made of 80% recycled wood, the package contains 85% recycled paper and they’re printed with nontoxic inks. They retail for $18*.

The Sweet Owl Wall Clock is one of six available clock designs (others include a robot, a monkey, a pirate, butterflies & the Very Hungry Caterpillar). They’re made from fiberboard, come ready to hang and measure nine and a half inches in diameter. They do need one AA battery which is not included but I’ve discovered that being a parent means you always have batteries on hand. The clocks are also printed with nontoxic inks and are phthalate free. Now they are fiberboard so they probably aren’t going to be heirloom pieces that get passed on from generation to generation but they are charming & will add to any child’s room. Oh and the best part? They sell for $20 so they’re an affordable room accessory and make a perfect gift.

I highly recommend checking out their website, especially the (very long) list of award winning products – I’m sure you’ll like what you find!

******************************************************************************************

Galison Mudpuppy is generously giving away each of the items they sent me – the Painter’s Pallet Wooden Magnetic Numbers and the Sweet Owls Wall Clock, one item each to TWO lucky readers.

PLUS Galison Mudpuppy are giving ALL our readers the chance to save 15% on purchases made from their on-line store – all you have to do is enter coupon code ZZZ2 at checkout. This is a great chance to stock up on perfect birthday presents for all the kids on your list!

To Enter the contest: Go to Mudpuppy’s website and then leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us which of their products you love the most. Once you’ve entered by leaving this mandatory comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @galisonmudpuppy and @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” Enter to #WIN fabulous @galisonmudpuppy products & save 15% on purchases! http://tinyurl.com/6fj3ydv @SpiltMilkMoms #giveaway “ and leave us the link for extra DAILY entries. This entry method will count as TWO ENTRIES for this giveaway (leave two comments, please).
• If you ‘Like’ GalisonMudpuppy on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry. If you visit their page be sure to let them know Spilt Milk Moms set you!
  
• If you ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog and leave us a comment with the link for one extra entry.
• Subscribe to Spilt Milk Moms by RSS or Email Subscription and leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
  

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Saturday, March 5th, and the winners will be selected using Random.org.  The winners will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before other winners are selected.  This giveaway is open to both US and Canadian residents.

Hide Sites

Anyone who has been shopping for maternity clothes in the last decade or so knows that you have your choice of 2 different kinds. The frumpy flowery kind that makes you look like you’re giving birth in the 1970’s, and the awesome kind which lets you look modern and pregnant and beautiful.  KSeraSera Maternity shirts are of the awesome variety, making me feel like a modern pregnant girl with fashion sense.

When I first spotted them at a baby trade show last fall I knew I had to have one.  They are super soft and eco-friendly. Made from organic bamboo fabric and organic cotton, the shirts are screen-printed with a variety of beautiful baby themed designs. And did I mention that KSeraSera Maternity is a husband and wife team from Canada? I love buying locally!

What I love about these shirts (aside from them being super soft on my itchy pregnant-chick skin) is that they are long enough to cover my growing belly without me having to worry about it shrinking and riding up! A definite must when you’re seven and a half months pregnant in the cold depths of winter! The shirts are warm but the organic bamboo fabric is really lightweight which suits me just fine since I’m usually feeling pretty warm these days anyways!

A big thanks to KSeraSera Maternity for sending me a sample of their Pitter Patter Heart shirt. I just love the tiny little footprints on my belly that remind me of what I have to look forward to in a few short months. Of course these days it’s kind of hard to see the screen-print from my vantage point since it’s below my belly bump, but I know it’s there and I love it!

These fantastic shirts can be bought online at the KSeraSera Maternity website for $20 CDN (short-sleeved) or $25 CDN (long-sleeved) each. They also sell Daddy Tees and Kids Tees for $14.95 CDN each.

_________________________________________________________________________

KSeraSera Maternity has generously supplied us with a PitterPatter Heart Long Sleeve Tee for one lucky reader to WIN!  Thank you KSeraSera Maternity!

To Enter:  Go to KSeraSera Maternity’s  website and then leave us a comment HERE (one per day only, please) telling us which KSeraSera Maternity Shirt you love most.  Once you’ve entered by leaving a comment, you can gain additional entries like this:

• Follow @SpiltMilkMoms on Twitter and tweet ” WIN a Pitter Patter Heart Long Sleeve Tee THX TO KSeraSera Maternity http://tinyurl.com/4ejfubr @SpiltMilkMoms #giveaway #contest ” and leave us the link for extra DAILY entries.
• If you ‘Like’ KSS Apparel on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• If you ‘Like’ Spilt Milk Moms on Facebook, leave us a comment letting us know for one extra entry.
• Mention this giveaway on your blog  and leave us a link in the comments for one extra entry.

This giveaway ends at 12:01am PST on Friday March 4th, and the winner will be selected using Random.org.  The winner will have 7 days to respond to our notification email before another winner is selected.  This giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only.

Hide Sites

Although I already had a cute diaper bag, when I spotted the Funky Skulls Diaper Bag (above) at a local Farmer’s Market the other weekend, I HAD to have it!! Not only is it very me, but it was also bigger than my current diaper bag, with more pockets (eight in total) and an insulated bottle bottle holder. These diaper bags are made to be worn over the chest (messenger style) freeing up both hands for other things, or over the shoulder like a purse. They are also equipped with an adjustable strap to fit all sizes. Maxwell Designs’ bags are made from either Organic Brown Cotton Canvas or Hemp in Black, Army Green, Taupe, Blue or Natural (cream). To top it off, the bags are dye-free, anti-microbial, and Eco-friendly! With all these great features, my (very picky) husband gave it the thumbs up also! Oh, and just in case none of the fabrics suit your desire, you can contact Maggie and work with her to create a custom bag just for you – how cool is that?

Because I was buying a new diaper bag, I decided to get a new change pad as well. Maxwell Designs generously provided me with one of their fab Travel Change Pads to write this review. I opted for the Jungle Black fabric (shown below), and couldn’t be happier! These Travel Change Pads have a cotton exterior with soft cotton toweling interior and a Velcro closure. Easy to use on-the-go or at home, and they are machine washable as well. I like that this Change Pad rolls up nice and small, and fits conveniently into my super stylish new diaper bag.

Not that mom Maggie isn’t busy enough with three kids and her own design company, she also has a web-based store called Toots n’ Tots where she sells everything Eco-friendly that you could possibly need as a mom. Her specialty is cloth diapering, and she even runs cloth diapering sessions. Just in case you don’t already love Maxwell Designs, I should mention that 10% of all Charlie Banana products sold on Toots n’ Tots gets donated back to local various beneficiaries!

Maxwell Designs diaper bags can be purchased online from $44.95 CAD, and Travel change pads cost from $8.95 CAD to $18.95 CAD. For you, our loyal readers, Maxwell Designs has kindly provided us with a promo code for you to save  15% off their Travel Change Pads and all cloth diapers. Use promotional code “Love” until February 19th, 2011 to take advantage of this discount! Thanks Maxwell Designs!!

Hide Sites

Looking for a unique way of expressing your love?  Feast your eyes on this beautiful Tree of Love metal sculpture by Anvil Island Design of Nanaimo, Canada.

I almost never write about things which I do not own or receive, but I’m going to admit that I do not have a Tree of Love hanging on the wall in my dining room (that’s the spot I have picked out).  However, I came to know about Tree of Love from my co-worker, who bought one at a local fair a few years ago and showed me pictures of it hanging in his house (thanks Paul!).  We’re in the middle of saving for ours, so I figure it’s safe to share with you, dear readers, despite not having my hands on one at the moment.

Tree of Love metal sculptures are created by artist Jack Willoughby and are modeled after Japanese maple trees.  This is what the Anvil Island Design website says about this tree: “Usually the focal point in a garden, the Japanese Maple is loved for its elegant, delicate foliage and bright vibrant fall colour. In legend and lore the tree is also thought to tie humanity to the soul of earth and create connectivity with man to nature. Often the central tree in a bonsai garden, the pruning and care of a bonsai Japanese Maple was said to inspire harmony and creativity and evoke a sense of tranquility and peace.“  Mr. Willoughby takes his version of the Japanese Maple a step further by adding the custom carving of initials and/or dates to help people celebrate their love or a special occasion (as pictured above and below).

Purchasing your Tree of Love is a completely personalized experience and there are a variety of options available to select from in the creation of this unique piece of art.  This metal sculpture is available in only one size, 16 ¾ inches high x 35 ¼ inches wide (42.5 cm high x 89.5 cm wide), but you select both the style and finish.  There are two styles – wall mounted (so it can be hung on a wall), or table standing (which comes with a base so it can be placed onto a window sill or bookcase).  Finishes include steel, matte black, or bronze.  You can then decide whether or not you want to add up to two sets of initials and a date (which appears as Month/Day/Year, with the month abbreviated to the first three letters).

Each customized Tree of Love costs $195 CDN plus shipping and handling ($28 for Canadian orders, $39 for US orders – international orders will receive quotes prior to processing) and can be ordered through the Anvil Island Design website.  Happy Valentine’s Day!

Anvil Island Design is generously offering the readers of Spilt Milk Moms a 15% discount on Tree of Love orders!  To use this promotional code, please contact Anvil Island Design directly (do not use the online order form) by phone or by email referencing Spilt Milk Moms to place your order.  Thanks Jack and Anvil Island Design!

Hide Sites

I have been looking for a personalized necklace to celebrate Maisie’s birth since before she was even born. I didn’t want anything that screamed “family necklace” or was too cutesy, and it had to go well with my other day-to-day jewellery (a combination of Tiffany & Co, Hot Diamonds & Joy Everley Designs.) (Yes, I’ll be honest – I’m picky!) Shortly before Christmas, I discovered Naomi Gray Designs and fell head over heels in love with the My Little Angel necklace (above) in silver. This beautiful necklace features a hand stamped heart with an initial, a semi-precious birthstone briolette and the charming little angel wing, all on a delicate rope chain – it was the perfect thing to spend some of my Christmas money on.

I can’t tell you how thrilled I am with my necklace – it is SO beautiful and I get compliments on it whenever I wear it. It’s definitely become my day-to-day necklace and there’s something about having a memento celebrating my lovely girl so close to my heart that makes me smile every time I see it. I seriously considered purchasing the Birthstone Mini Ring Necklace as well – I’m thinking it might be the perfect gift for my mum’s birthday this year. I’ve also fallen in love with the Big Love Ring and may need to send Husbando some serious hints before my birthday. There are so many beautiful pieces in this collection that you really are spoiled for choice!

Naomi Gray Designs has created some really lovely pieces especially to celebrate the season of love. Just look at the Love Necklace and Love Ring – they’re both available in rose gold too which would be so sweet for Valentine’s Day.

The jewelry isn’t the only thing about this company that sparkles, the customer service was fantastic. I was in a rush to receive my necklace before Christmas and Nicole responded to my emails so quickly and then went above and beyond to get the info I needed. And when she discovered that they didn’t currently have shipping options to Canada she set them up specifically for our Spilt Milk Mom readers – how amazing is that?

I LOVE the beautiful simplicity and charm of all their fabulous designs, so I am super duper excited that the fabulous Nicole from Naomi Gray Designs has very generously provided Spilt Milk Moms with a 25% off promo code for their readers just in time for Valentine’s Day. All you have to do is use the code “SpiltMilk25″ at check out! What a wonderful offer (I know I’ll be taking advantage of it!) Don’t miss out!

Hide Sites