Back in August my family and I made our annual summer trip to New York. It was jam-packed full of family, friends, the aquarium, the beach, and the New York International Gift Show. Every time we go to NY it seems I miss a major trade show by a few days (infuriating!), and so when I saw that the NYIGS was going to be at the Javits center when we were there I did a little jump for joy (okay, it was a squeal and a big jump!). My sister used to own a craft store and had been to the show before, so when I told her that I was only going for one day she looked at me like I was crazy. Now I know why: it took me 6 hours to make it through the Baby & Child division alone. By the end of the day my feet were aching and my head was spinning, but it was soooo worth it. I found several new product lines and some truly unique items that I am really excited to share with the Happy Bambino community. And with the way I timed it, there should be new stuff in the store each week from now until Thankgiving . Here’s a look at whats arrived so far…
Cloud B: Twilight Turtles, Twilight Ladybugs, Gentle Giraffes, and Sleep Sheep are all designed to help your little ones relax and fall asleep using light or sound. The turtles and ladybugs project stars and a crescent moon on the ceiling in your choice of three colors and automatically shuts off after 45 minutes. We’ve had a Twilight Turtle in my 4 year old’s room since he transitioned into his toddler bed, and it is wonderful. Parents who are concerned about their toddler getting out of bed and playing until all hours can use the Turtle or Ladybug to help – “let’s see how many stars you can find.” I especially love the automatic shut off – no need to sneak in to turn it off.
If you’re like me and my boys, you need a little sound help to get to sleep. Their bedroom windows face a busline, so we’ve always had some sort of white noise going in their rooms. The Gentle Giraffe and Sleep Sheep each offer four different soundscapes to help your kiddos settle down and drift off to sleep. We’ve got the On The Go versions which are slightly smaller than their full sized buddies, and each have a velcro strap so they can be attached to a crib or stroller. They are also equipped with 23 minute and 45 minute timers and a volume knob – an invaluable feature since most toys with sound are annoyingly loud.
Mr. Ellie Pooh: Coloring books, picture frames, and greeting cards that are as beautiful as they are purposeful. Elephants, like the ones in our logo, are routinely hunted and killed in Sri Lanka. Mr. Ellie Pooh is trying to change that by using elephant dung to produce paper and paper products like picture frames and note pads. Yup, I said elephant dung. The coloring book actually tells the story of how the dung is processed into paper and how communities are changed and elephants are saved. These handmade items are beautiful, unique, and free of any poo smell whatsoever!
ReSnackit: reusable snack and sandwich bags in fun and quirky fabrics. We’re always looking for ways to make back-to- school shopping more green, and these certainly fit the bill. Large enough for a sandwich and easy to clean, ReSnackit bags have a velcro closure providing easy access for little fingers. The fabric patterns range from cute (but not too cutesy) to pretty and sophisticated and would look good in your kiddo’s lunch or your own.
Emily Green: Imagination Mats and Doodle Sticks for creative little hands. The laminated surface of these bright and cheery placemats make them ridiculously easy to clean and highly durable. The other side is left blank for imaginations to run wild over and over again with the washable Doodle Stick markers.
Jelly Cat: super soft and oh, so special stuffed animals to delight your senses. I saw these right at the entrance of the show and simply couldn’t resist. I mean really, what’s cuter than a hot pink, courderoy, long-tailed kitty with a matching board book? There’s a family of jungle animals with the sweetest of faces, a pair of bashful farm friends, richly hued dinos, and even a hippy-dippy musical pony.
Little Twig: organic baby lotion, body wash, bubble bath, and baby oil from California. Available in in Unscented, Lavender and Tangerine, Little Twig donates 1% of all sales to 1% For the Planet and has been certified cruelty-free by PETA.
Plus, right now you can gear up for winter (it’ll be here before you think) with Cozy Elf Onezies and matching booties, mittens, and hats from Zutano, fair-trade sweaters and animal hats from Minga Imports, Swedish moccasin-socks from Nowali, and kooky and snuggly hats from Tuff Cookie (some are even big enough for an adult – I tried!) .
We also have a new line of organic woven wraps from Dolcino. These beauties come in two sizes and are great for wearing larger kiddos. For those looking for more advanced wrapping techniques, we’re running an Advanced Baby Wearing workshop during International Baby Wearing Week this October.
We’ve also recharged our diaperbag department with new bags from Skip Hop and Ju-Ju Be. With new fab patterns and bag styles, there’s sure to be one to suit any mom or dad’s style and budget.
And there’s plenty more on the way: all natural rubber teethers from Nova Nature, innovative toys from Kid-O, Hape/Educo, and Topozoo, new trucks from HB favorite Green Toys (hint: think PINK), organic rompers from PARADE…shall I go on?
So, as you can see from the pictures, I’ve been a busy little bee filling the store up with all sorts of sweets. Drop in and see for yourself!
-Carolynn
) we’ll be celebrating. Whether it’s a Music Together demo, free class passes, awesome sales, or free schtuff – we’ll be wishing ourselves a very very Happy 7th Birthday. So keep an eye here on the blog and over on Facebook!
