Fashion for Kids

Learn the 5 Most Important Sun Safety Tips for Toddlers

“Keep your face to the sunshine and you will never see the shadow.” – Helen Keller… Ah, summertime. I live up in Washington State – which makes most people picture rainy Seattle type weather. But we’re here in Central Washington – Yakima, Washington to be exact – which is totally different. We have a super serious set of four solid seasons, so summertime gets HOT here. Like, tons of 100+ degree days. My dad was diagnosed with Melanoma a few years back, {recovered great} – but it gave me a serious dose of reality when it comes to sun safety. Last year Abby was still awfully little, and didn’t spend too much time outside. But now that she’s almost 2, and ready to play in the pool, the sprinklers, and just run wild around the yard and patio all day – I knew it was time to get serious about Toddler Sun Safety. Ready to learn some great new tips to help you keep YOUR little one safe while they enjoy the summer sun this year too?

“Anyone’s life truly lived consists of work, sunshine, exercise, soap, plenty of fresh air, and a happy contented spirit.” – Lillie Langtry

Last year was our first summer in this new house, with a big in-ground pool, patio, shop, nice yard, and a great big field out in the back for the kids to play. All that outdoor space is an amazing happiness to me – I love being able to have enough room for the kids to spend all day exploring and playing outside in the summer. {Plus, it makes it easier to keep up with housework when the spend most of their time not in it, lol.} But it means I’ve had to learn some new tips for keeping Abby safe when she’s spending so much time getting those bright sun rays on her all day. Here are a few of my fave tips:

Know the Sun:The sun’s rays are strongest from 10am – 4pm each day – meaning that’s when the majority of the harmful UVA and UVB rays are getting to your kids. But, that’s also the main playtime hours of the day too! So – you can do your best to spend time outside before or after those hours – but since that’s not really all that practical a lot of the time, just make sure you take a few extra sun-safety steps during those hours
Sunscreen: I’m a Coppertone Water Mom, which means we’ve learned a TON about why a great sunscreen is important. There are so many great varieties to choose from, so that you can find the perfect potion for your needs. Coppertone has everything from water resistant lotions to my fave – the Wet ‘n Clear spray that cuts right through water, giving kids protection as they move in and out of the water. Awesome. {Get a Coppertone coupon on their site!
Protective Eyewear: According to KidsHealth.com, “Sun exposure damages the eyes as well as the skin. Even 1 day in the sun can result in a burned cornea (the outermost, clear membrane layer of the eye). Cumulative exposure can lead to cataracts (clouding of the eye lens, which leads to blurred vision) later in life. The best way to protect eyes is to wear sunglasses.” I didn’t realize how important this was – I only bought Abby cheap-o sunglasses, because they were cute. This year we invested in better protection.
Drink Water: Kids get dehydrated a lot quicker than we do outside in the sun. Make sure to keep sippy cups or water bottles nearby at all times. {use the Koverz to keep kids drinks cold!} I make homemade ice pops too – with fresh fruit and lots of water- so the kids can eat ’em all afternoon. Whatever keeps ’em hydrated!
Block the Sun, Not the Fun: When you can’t keep the kids indoors, and can’t keep them in the shade – Take advantage of the great protection they can get from fun products from SwimZip.This is a must-have summer brand for us – Seriously cute styles, and the material in the kids swimwear is UV 50+ – which is as good as you can get. Kids get extreme sun protection, look adorable, and you enjoy the ease of full zippers that make the swimwear super easy to take on and off!

The effects of sun exposure during childhood last a lifetime – so it’s incredibly important that as moms, we do the best we can now to protect that sensitive skin from damage. More and more people every year are diagnosed with skin cancer – let’s help ensure that our kiddos do NOT grow up to one of them.

“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you’re looking for some sweet new summertime fashions for your little ones – styles that will keep them safe while helping them look stylish – you have to check out SwimZip. {Get the super cute style that Abby is wearing here – SwimZip in Blue for Boys and Pink for Girls.} They’ve got classic styles, adorable little ruffely sets for girls, and sizes from newborn to 5T. They’re high quality, super easy to get on and off, and the fabric is chlorine resistant too! Seriously cool.

“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.” – James Matthew Barrie

If you want to learn more about this fun summer-safety line of fashions, visit SwimZip online to see all of the newest styles, and follow them on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated on the newest products and promotions. And – if you’d like a chance to WIN your own favorite style, check out my great Summer Must-Haves Giveaway Package too! If you’re looking for more info on how to stay safe in the sun, check out these great sun-safety printables and kids activities, perfect for making learning sun safety tips fun.

SwimZip’s Mission:

SwimZip’s mission is to develop stylish, fashionable, and functional sun protective products that allow people to enjoy life in the sun. We design, manufacture, and market a range of quality sun protection products including sun protective clothes, SPF clothing, sun hats, sun protection swimwear, and rash guards.

“In summer, the song sings itself.” – William Carlos Williams

{Disclaimer: This review is part of the Summer Must-Haves Promotion from Mompact.com – I received a complimentary SwimZip for Abby to try out, so that I could give you guys my honest view on the quality, style, and function. I only share products here that have passed our set of standards – I love the SwimZip, and know you will too! Photos are a combination of my own personal shots and shots from SwimZip’s shoots – used with permission.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on June 28, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 8 Comments

Rock Star Hoodies that Transform into Animated Animals

Mouth Man, The Original in Animated Apparel – Have you seen Mouth Man hoodies yet? These are seriously the funniest idea, and I’m surprised that more brands haven’t done something like this. Mouth Man hoodies call themselves “Animated Apparel” because when you place your arms together in the right position, you turn a plain printed shirt into a ton of fun. Seriously.

Mouth Man was Founded by Ross Valory – Founder of the rock band Journey

How awesome is this, right? Here’s something else awesome – “Mouth Man hoodies are patented, custom designed, and printed in full color with sharp detailed graphics. Printed with eco-friendly inks on recycled fabric, 100% Polyester Sport Fabric.” Love that they take the care to use materials that are safer and better for the environment. {The fabric is actually made from plastic bottles. I would NEVER have been able to tell that!} Here are a few other reasons why these hoodies rock:

Rock Star Designed: Invented by rock band Journey founding members Ross Valory and Prairie Prince. Watch the Youtube video here to see the story for Valory’s inspiration.
Fabric is UPF 50: These hoodies are super lightweight, and it’s a moisture-wicking type of fabric. This makes it a great option for a cover-up by the pool, or for outdoor athletes. {What is UPF? It’s similar to how SPF measures the protection factor for sunscreen, but UPF measures it for fabrics. And 50 is the best you can get.}
Made in the USA: You don’t see that very often anymore, right? These hoodies are created in two California locations, and include Ross’ in-factory recording studio—you never know when the mood to jam may strike you! Cool place to work….

Sounds just about as awesome as you can get, I know. Made by a rock star, right here in the USA, from recycled materials, with safety and durability built right in. And – they look cool too. Want to see it in action? Here’s a clip {it’s just a few seconds long – I accidentally deleted the longer one, and my nephew left the hoodie at his moms….} but you can get a quick idea of why these shirts are so entertaining…

“There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million.” – Walt Streightiff

Can you tell that he looooooves this thing? The minute he put it on he figured out what it was all about, and started chasing everyone around rawr-ing. He loved it so much, that when it was time for him to go see his mom, he INSISTED that he wear it and show her – {even though I wanted more pics? Auntie Blogger here is never done taking pics! Lol.} And he’s been wearing it non-stop ever since. If you have a kiddo in your life – you have GOT to get one of these too. They will love you for it.

“What is a home without children? Quiet.” – Henny Youngman

There are so many other designs to choose from – T-Rex, Sock Monkey, Cobra, Frog, Tiger, Dragon… But one of my favorites for summer has got to be this Shark style hoodie. How fun would this be out by the pool? I can see the kids having a TON of fun with this one – and will have to get both of the boys one of these asap. What’s also super cool is that you can get Mouth Man hoodies in sizes for the whole family – they start at a 2T for little ones, a full range of kids sizes, and adult hoodies for men or women up to a 2XL.

Want a Mouth Man Hoodie Too?

You can find all of their awesome styles on their website – MouthMan.com . You can also check them out on Amazon too, if you’re the type who racks up a lot of free Amazon Gift Cards like I do. You can see this style – Kids Raptor Hooded Shirt, or scroll through all of the other styles on the page too, to find your fave. These are sure to be a hit – and make awesome gifts for birthdays and holidays!

Shopping & Selling on LoobaLee.com

Fun New Way to Buy & Sell Kids Clothes

Kids clothes are expensive. And kids grow faster than they can wear things out. This is especially true if you’re one of the first to have a baby in your family – You’ll get so showered with gifts of baby clothes, that you’ll end up with piles of brand new items that your little one outgrew before having a chance to show off. {With Abby, sometimes I’d just do a ‘baby fashion show’, and dress her up in outfits all afternoon, just to get pictures of her in them, lol.} So – what to do with all of those great pieces that are no longer needed? And, what’s the best way to stock up on gently worn pieces to build an affordable wardrobe that your child needs now?

Smart Solution for Busy Moms

Well – It’s LoobaLee to the rescue! Ok, I know what you’re thinking – “Aren’t there already tons of ways to buy and sell used kids clothes?” Yes, there are. And I’ve used many of them – We’ve picked up some amazing, brand-new baby items at yard sales, and I’ve sold many of our unneeded and outgrown pieces on Craigslist. But these aren’t always convenient or practical – Yard Sales are only a few months a year here, and it’s not easy to search for a specific item. Craigslist is a popular way to sell stuff – But I don’t always like dealing with the strange people who respond to our ads. LoobaLee takes the best parts of all these other options, and combines them into one great solution site that I’m totally in love with!

Learn Some Tips on How To Dress Your Kids for Less

Learn Why LoobaLee Rocks:

The whole look of the site is so bright and fun, and everything is so well put together. This is quickly becoming a new favorite of mine – I’m always excited to check each day and see what’s new!

Cost vs. Value: As I mentioned the last time I was shopping for my little fashionista – When buying kids clothes, it’s not just about cost – it’s more about value. Like the video above shows – many times a cheaper price means a cheaply made item. And at LoobaLee, so many of their pieces are from amazing designer brands. They carry loads of older lines from Gymboree – from back when they had really incredible quality standards. There’s a reason that these items still look brand new!
It’s Simple: This is NOT an auction site. Everything is sold at an easy to understand fixed price, with no extra hidden fees. Shipping is super simple to calculate, and all purchases are safe and secure. And, unlike a site like Craigslist – there is NO spammy junk ads on LoobaLee, just great quality kids gear. Read their Community Code of Ethics for more info.
Similar to Retail: There’s a great return policy, ensuring you get what you’re expecting. The check out process is very standard, like a traditional online retailer.
Simple Selling: This is THE easiest site I’ve ever seen when it comes to listing your items for sale. There’s an easy to fill out template, layers of protection to ensure you get payment, and great options for different ways to sell your items. LOVE it.

There are so many other cool features, once you get started you’ll just keep finding new things to love, the more you use. Promise!

How to Get Started

Follow these quick steps – and you’ll have an account that will allow you to start shopping and selling in just a few minutes!

Click to get started. Once you’re on LoobaLee.com it takes only a minute to set up an easy peasy account. Make sure to tell them that I sent you!
Start browsing! They make is super easy to shop – You can search by size, style, color, gender, and more. This search ability means you can quickly find just what you’re looking for.
Set up your first listing. You can sell individual pieces, or set up batches of items to sell a bunch of lower-priced items quickly.
Check out their blog. They’ve got so many helpful tips for building your child’s wardrobe on a tight budget. It’s called “The Conscious Kid’s Closet” – helping moms save cash and the environment, one outfit at a time.

I’m very impressed with the quality of the items for sale, the ease of both shopping AND listing, and the fun feel of the whole site. I think you’ll love it too!

Enter to WIN!

Since I’m such a big fan of LoobaLee, I’m very excited to offer you guys a chance to win this awesome prize, so you can do some fun spring shopping for your family! Use the Rafflecopter form to enter – and if you’re feelin’ lucky, enter to win the other great prizes in the sidebar too!

Have Fun & Good Luck!

{Disclaimer: This sponsored post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own. All prizing for MSM giveaways is handled by a third party unless otherwise noted. For this reason prize fulfillment can take up to 90 days after the winners information is received.}

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on March 19, 2012 Filed Under: Giveaways, Shopping | 6 Comments

DIY Design It Yourself Tutu Shirts

“I wanted so badly to study ballet, but it was really all about wearing the tutu.” – Elle Macpherson

Doesn’t every little girl love a tutu?? There’s just something special, and magical, and so super fun about them. You no longer walk when you put on a tutu – You prance, you dance, you twirl around. Heck, I’m a {mostly} grown-up girl, and I still love tutus! So – When I learned about Tutu Pour Mon Deux, I was instantly hooked. Their site gives you some easy peasy tools to build your own totally custom-made tutu-style shirt for the special little lady in your life. How cool is that, right?

They don’t just look good – They DO good, too!

You can read the full story behind Tutu Pour Mon Deux on their site – I totally connected with it. My brother suffered from a major heart defect as a child too, and underwent several surgeries as a kid, ending with a major open-heart surgery at Seattle Children’s Hospital to replace a defective valve. So, learning that they donate a portion of proceeds to the hospital that helped their family – Children’s Hospital Boston – made me proud to support their already awesome business!

Our tutu t-shirts aren’t just for ballerinas. Girls everywhere are pirouetting in the hippest tutu t-shirt out there. With every tutu sold, Tutu Pour Mon Deux has pledged to donate one-third of the proceeds to Children’s Hospital Boston.

What a creative way to give back to the people who helped her family through a difficult time! When Abby was born, she was taken away right away, to the NICU for a week. I remember vividly how very scary that was, and what a difference the kindness of the doctors and nurses there made. I think that what Tutu Pour Mon Deux is doing is amazing.

Tutu Pour Mon Deux’s DIY Tutu Shirts

When you visit their site, you can first browse their gallery full of adorable tutu ideas, or get started right away using the cool online tools to create and customize your very own DIY Tutu design. You can choose from sleeveless or long sleeve top, and pick your favorite colors for the top and the tutu skirt. Then pick from dozens of pretty ribbons and fun patches to embellish it, and BAM! – You’ve got your own one of a kind Tutu Shirt that is as original and unique as the special girl wearing it!