Last week we had a nice review from our friends over at Design Baby. This blog features the best baby products and we are honored that they featured Polkadot Patch! We have been lucky to work with some amazing bloggers and we are always grateful when a blog wants to feature our store.

If you know of any blogs that would be interested in our products or our store, do let us know!

Super hero capes that are perfect year round!

Eco-friendly backpacks (also a peace sign and recycle sign), good for the Earth, great message for children to protect the Earth.

Matching Mom/daughter bracelets, well, just because I’d love those for myself. Hint, hint!

So even if you don’t get caught up in the whole marketing of Valentine’s Day and just want a special gift that will be cherished by someone you love….our selection is unique, fun, and genuinely full of love.

As a parent, I have ebbed and flowed with media for my own children. Yes, we have been sucked into some popular culture media and yes, my kids DO own some products with media created characters on them. I have always been concerned with the stereotyping of children especially through products (think pink princesses for girls) and have made conscious decisions as a consumer to support companies and organizations fighting this overt marketing.

After seeing this film, I have been even more motivated to protect my children from the onslaught of direct marketing to children. Marketing to children IS allowed in the U.S. (thanks to Ronald Regan when he was president) and this documentary shows how parents have a never ending battle against this 15 BILLION dollar industry. I always think as a parent I have so much control over what my children do, see, experience, and explore…but this film sadly illustrates just how much loss of control we parents truly have.

I’m motivated now to make a difference. Watch this trailer, see the film, and see if it doesn’t affect the way you look at your own children, childhood, and our society!

I’m full of sadness and despair watching the news of the earthquake in Haiti. My heart breaks for the Haitian people and I am urging all our readers and friends to make donations to a charity that will support the Haitian people. Our family has chosen the American Red Cross which has three recommendations for helping people in need:

1. Donate money.
2. Volunteer your time.
3. Give blood.

I’m so grateful that people are helping others both locally and internationally and while I wish I could personally travel to Haiti and provide aid, I’m having to go on with my day, my work, and my life here in VT. Thankfully I can lend my support to an organization that will make a real difference in these people’s lives.

Last week, members of the HTA’s Board as well as some HTA members travelled to Washington to meet with CPSC officials including Inez Tenenbaum to participate in an instructional workshop discussing the ins and outs of where the CPSIA currently stands. From the report on the HTA blog, the round table discussions were very enlightening to not only the CPSC but to the HTA representatives as well.  There the petition was shared with both CPSC Chair Tenenbaum and Commissioner Adler. I think finally, finally, voices are being heard and thank goodness the voices of HTA are the ones being listened to.

In addition, I am encouraged by this recent blog post from Nancy Nord, expresses the hope that many of us feel that Congress will see the ” inflexible nature of the CPSIA has limited the ability of the CPSC to minimize the unintended consequences of the law–hurting product sellers and limiting consumer choice while not advancing safety”. This has been one of the cornerstones about why small retailers and small batch manufacturers are tirelessly fighting for an amendment on this law. She also goes on to say in her blog that *hopefully* by mid-January 2010, there will be exemptions for small businesses for testing and certification….meaning most likely the acceptance of component testing. Boy! It would be a long time coming but those of us dealing with this now for over a year would see this as a victory. It’s been a tough year for those of us in children’s retail and wholesale, but hopefully, yes hopefully, this is the beginning of the end.

So I want to thank the HTA members, HTA board, and big/small companies working to amend the CPSIA. My business will be saved with the work of this amazing organization I am so proud to be a member of….and with the companies working along side with them.

Especially during this busy time of the year, I feel it is SO important to show gratitude and appreciation for those who make a difference. And no doubt about it…. Handmade Toy Alliance (representing SO much more than toys!) is making a HUGE, GIGANTIC, ENORMOUS difference.

We are offering your CHOICE of Zubels toy animals! We have a large selection of Zubels and these make the perfect holiday gift for boys and girls. Handknit toys are the way to go this year and these fun characters won’t disappoint. Check out some of the choices:

HOW TO ENTER:

To enter, just visit Polkadot Patch Boutique and comment below with your favorite item from our store.

And, yes, you CAN get extra entries:
1) Subscribe to the Polkadot Patch mailing list (1 extra entry)–just mention if you are already on our mailing list.

2) Tweet about this Giveaway using @polkadotpatch (1 extra entry-must have over 50 followers)

3) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.polkadotpatch.com homepage (3 extra entries). Please put URL of blog post below in your comments.

4) Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc us at customerservice AT polkadotpatch.com for 2 extra entries (We will NOT contact your email recipients)

5) Become of fan on Facebook! (2 extra entries)

6) Share giveaway on Kirsty, Stumble Upon, or another social site.

OFFICIAL RULES:

Participants must live in the US and be at least  21 years of age  at the time of entry.

No purchase is necessary. A purchase will not increase chances of winning.

Contest begins December 3, 2009 and ends December 13, 2009. We will announce the winner on Dec. 14 and contact the winner via email.

If you haven’t heard of New Moon Girls magazine for girls….you MUST take a look and QUICK. This amazing publication is THE alternative to the girly-makeup-boy crazy-shopping magazines targeting young girls. This magazine is perfect for girls 8 and up and is ad-free! Instead of pushing girls to early anorexia and bulimia, this magazine promotes true self esteem, confidence, and stories from real girls who think life is more about being real and true to themselves than what the “hot” color for the season is.  The magazine describes itself as:

New Moon Girls magazine is about helping girls discover and honor their true selves, engage in meaningful pursuits and dialogue, and express their voices in ways that matter.

This magazine is on the verge of collapse and as a Mother and woman I cannot imagine not having this publication for my daughters! Please consider a gift membership for a holiday gift for a young girl in your life who needs guidance beyond makeup tips and how to kiss a boy…. let her read about strong girls and women who are making a difference in our world! Even consider a subscription to your local library, school, women’s shelter, or a doctors office. Also, see how Mothering Magazine is working hard to save this publication as well!

The deadline is  December 12, 2009.  Please help save this magazine and young girls from trappings of “being a girl”. We need all the strong, independent, girls we can get!

Love this blog for raising daughters.

One of the ways we are supporting Parenting Pink is by offering readers of the blog a chance to win a Baby Mac Cherry Blossom Diaper Handbag. This stylish diaper clutch is easy to use and really great to carry.

Enter and win and support this great blog! And don’t forget to read Parenting Pink while you are at it!

So with that we have added our children’s Christmas and Hanukkah gifts to our store so that our customers can have the time to plan and purchase. Many of our holiday items are personalized and must be ordered by mid-November in order to be received on time for holiday deliveries. So while it IS annoying to see Christmas trees, reindeer, and Santa…I get it as a retailer. That doesn’t mean I like it though.

Check out some of these cute items:

Although I am not gifted in talking like a pirate and had no idea that there really is a Pirate Magazine, I do have to say that we have some of the finest pirate baby gifts I’ve ever seen! Check these out for your favorite Cap’n or swashbuckler: