Let Them Wear Clippies

When girls are little, it's so much fun to put pretty little clippies in their hair. I know when my daughter, Ivy, was small, she was better dressed than me most days and had the most fabulous hair accessories. I sure wish I had known about Sally's Clippies back then. So let me just tell you that Sally's Clippies are handcrafted, pretty darn cute and very affordable.

Take a peek yourself and you can enter their very own giveaway. Then come back and enter ours. Although if you can't wait to find out if you've won, you can go ahead and order some for yourself at Sally's Clippies use code "One Chic Mama" for 20% off your next order.

Exclusive for One Chic Mama Readers
Enter to win one headband and four clippies of your choice. Simply go to the Sally's Clippies website and come back here to leave a comment telling us what your choices would be. Deadline is Midnight EST July 6, 2008. Please note, all comments are moderated and may not appear immediately.

Mad For Madras

When I was growing up, I went through a big preppy phase (didn't we all?). I loved wearing my madras plaid bermudas, madras watchbands, purse covers, etc. Yet when madras made an appearance this season, I wasn't quite ready to embrace it again. I mean, here's something that I wore, ahem, twenty-some years ago. I'm just not sure I can embrace it with the same gusto as I did back in the 80's.

After a trip to the beach with family last weekend, I was inundated with madras. During the course of the weekend, my mother sported a madras skirt and both my cousin and uncle wore madras shorts. After initially proclaiming that I just wasn't loving the madras, though, I've had a change of heart.

Madras has its roots in India, a country that I truly admire for beautiful textiles (among other things). Traditionally, it's a loosely-woven fabric shaded with vegetable dyes and designed to fade with time. It sounds like the perfect fabic for summer. So after taking a look at madras beyond the trad shorts and skirts, and seeing the fab creations out there from the French company, APC, among others, I have fallen head over heels for madras in the form of accessories, shoes, handbags and dresses.

I'm loving this Madras Patio Dress from Gap ($55), which would be oh-so-perfect for a July 4th BBQ. Or these fabulous Pink Madras Flats from Bettye Mueller ($206) that would add playful sophistication to a yellow top and a pair of white capris. Don a fun pair of Madras Flip Flops ($20) or a Madras Raffia Ribbon Hat ($36) for a casual look by the pool. Just keep it fresh and original, with a less is more attitude.

Because too much madras can be T.T.F.W.*

* Too Tacky For Words, definition from the The Official Preppy Handbook.

Space Treat: Books - Love 'Em or Leave 'Em

Every week I meet at least one new client whose treasured book collection has taken over more than it's fair share of space. Sound familiar?

Round 'em up and move 'em out - here's how to go about it:

1. Determine how many shelves you will allocate specifically for your books. Only keep the quantity of books that will fit on these shelves.

2. Get yourself 3 boxes. Put a "donate", "sell" and "recycle" label on each one.

3. Edit: Review the titles on the book's spine and pull out only the ones that you will let go of and keep only the ones you really love. You may have to be ruthless with yourself in order to weed out enough books. As you remove a book put it into the appropriate box.

4. Donate, sell and recycle: Your local library, shelter, community center or charitable location would love to receive your cast-offs. If you want to make some fast cash sell them on half.com or amazon.com. The only catch with taking the "for sale" route is the books have the potential to become yet another procrastinated project. If this tends to be your style, just recognize it and save yourself the trouble by bringing the books directly to donation. Some books like medical, health and computer technology tend to become outdated fast. If you have these genres and they are paper-back, most communities will recycle them along with your other paper like newspapers and cardboard.

Space-tacularly,
Erica
The Spacialist
212.924.4383

Note from One Chic Mama: We just discovered the best site called BookMooch where you give away your unwanted books. In turn, you receive points that you can redeem for books from other readers. So you get to clean out your bookshelf, then add new books (for free) that you'd like to have. The only cost is shipping your books out to other readers. Sounds like a win-win to me!

Friday Blog Roundup

On Boston Mamas: Time-Out Mama. 'Mothers Need Time-Outs Too' seeks to motivate moms to give themselves the time-outs they need and deserve.

On Car and Caboodle: Win a Bugaboo Frog . Baby or laundry? What's in your stroller? Submit an entry to our Dashboard Confessions.

On Coochicoos: Calm and Peaceful with DeNai Jones. Check out a great new nursery inspired by elements from nature.

On Mom Finds: Win a Tag Reader Pen & Book from LeapFrog. School may be out, but that doesn’t mean learning has to stop. This week we’re giving away the new Tag Reading System, a very cool touch reading system that brings reading to life like never before.

On The Nest Baby: Boppy Nursing Pillow Giveaway. We're giving away four Boppy nursing pillows! To enter, just tell us the strangest place you've ever nursed.

Earth-Minded Picnicking

With BBQ and picnic season upon us, many a disposable plate will be used this month. Why not try an alternative to disposable from Verterra. With a name derived from Veritas Terra, which means “true to the earth”, Verterra creates chemical-free, non-toxic, and biodegradable dishware made from sustainable and renewable resources. Crafted from pressed, fallen leaves, these are microwave and refrigerator safe, plus they're reusable AND compostable when you're finished with them. Wow, all that and they look cool, too. Available in shapes ranging from bowls to platters at Verterra, they range from $8.99 - $12.99 for packs of 10 - 12. Going green has never looked so good!

What Girls Want

Those years of being a 'tween, just before the teens hit, can be a fun age. Girls are still full of innocence, haven't yet discovered boys or shopping and can really lose themselves in an action-packed adventure book. This must be why JoAnn S. Dawson's award-winning Lucky Foot Stable series has been such a hit. Offering up good, clean fun and secret missions to faraway places, Star of Wonder, Lady's Big Surprise and A Star Discovered make for wholesome summer reading for girls ages 8 and up.

These books are beautifully illustrated with line-drawings throughout and promise to take readers along on exciting adventures including a cow funeral, the mysterious Secret Place and a horse show. With their very own ponies, of course. Which is what all girls really want.

Win It
We're giving away a set of 3 books from the Lucky Foot Stable series, including Star of Wonder, Lady's Big Surprise and A Star Discovered. To enter, simply leave us a comment telling us your favorite summer reading suggestions (for kids or adults) and don't forget to include your email address. Deadline is Midnight, EST, July 2, 2008. Please note, all comments are moderated and may not appear immediately.

Get Your Tan On

Now that summer’s here, it’s time to get your tan on. Today’s modern tans are the healthy kind that come from a bottle, not from overexposure to the sun’s damaging rays. But before you start all that slathering, take some time to do a little prep work to ensure an even, natural-looking tan.

The best time to apply your self-tanner is a couple of hours before you go to bed. Plan to shave your legs the morning that you want to apply it. You’ll want to do this ahead of time to achieve maximum smoothness, but not too far in advance or you’ll be left with razor stubble. A great razor to use is the Schick Quattro for Women ($15). With four blades and soothing strips containing vitamin E and aloe vera, you’ll be left with one smooth shave.

When you are ready to apply your self tanner, take a quick bath or shower. Use a soft cotton washcloth ($6) all over to help smooth out dry skin. You first inclination may be to use a loofah – but don’t! Loofah’s can actually create rough spots and will work against achieving smoothness. Stick with a good cotton cloth that will be gentle on your skin.

The next step for prep is to exfoliate. Do this by using a gentle scrub on your face and neck, then on the rest of your body (including your hands). Try a natural Citrus Facial Scrub from Burt’s Bees ($8). Enriched with ground almonds, oats, pecans and rose petals, this scrub will gently exfoliate your face (don’t forget your neck area too) and leave you will a revitalized glow to complement your summer look. Follow suit for the rest of your body using a scrub such as Dermalogica Exfoliating Body Scrub ($30) or Energizing Sugar Body Scrub from Neutrogena ($10).

After exfoliation, towel off and you're ready to begin your self tanning application. With a little patience and preparation, your healthy self-applied tanner can look just as amazing as the real thing! Happy Tanning!

This article was reprinted from Posh Mama, where One Chic Mama is a weekly Beauty and Style contributor.

Good, Old-Fashioned Summertime Fun

Wth the kids out of school, parents are always looking for something to entertain the kiddos between summer camp, trips to the swimming pool and the next family vacation. Instead of letting them veg out in front of the TV or with video games ad infinitum, stimulate their senses with some good, old-fashioned fun.

The Dangerous Book for Boys is the quintessential book for boys. Chock full of all sorts of information ranging from project ideas (learn to make a treehouse or a go-cart), to history (the Battle of Lexington, or a time-line of American history) to simple games your kids can play in the car (five pen-and-paper games or paper football), this book is a wellspring of useful and fascinating information that your boys (girls, too) will enjoy. Created by brothers, Conn and Hal Iggulden, The Dangerous Book for Boys is meant to put a little bit of risk back into playtime. Nothing serious, mind you. Just a bit more than they'd get sitting in front of their Playstation. Plus, it's what boys are hard-wired for, so giving them a creative outlet for risk can help offset some of the danger.

For busy kids on the go, The Pocket Dangerous Book for Boys: Things to Do is a quick and easy reference guide for boys to carry with them everywhere. Excerpts from The Dangerous Book for Boys are included with a focus on activities and projects. Help your son learn the "five knots every boy should know", "fishing" or "basic coin tricks". By the end of summer he'll have a wealth of knowledge up his sleeve and some great memories of his "dangerous" summer.

Win It!
We're giving away one copy of The Dangerous Book for Boys. To enter, leave us a comment and tell us what your son's (or nephew's, grandson's, etc) favorite "dangerous" activity is (don't forget your email!) Deadline is Midnight, EST, July 1. Please note, all comments are moderated and may not appear immediately.

Save on Britax

It was a few years ago before I first discovered Britax car seats. My sister turned me on to one when I was giving her daughter a ride. I knew Britax were well built carseats with a great safety rating. What I didn't know was how easy they were to install. Using the latch system, these pop in and out with so much ease that my jaw dropped. After having a first carseat that took what seemed like hours to install, I was flummoxed! Why can't all car seats be this easy? Well, I don't have the answer for that, but I can let you know that right now you can save 15% on all your Britax purchases at Dreamtime Baby - plus get FREE SHIPPING! So enjoy your summer fun without having to worry about the hassles of carseats. Let your child go with the neighbors for ice cream, or to the park with grandma with a simple-to-install, and very safe carseat from Britax.

Show Off Your Tan with Twisted Silver

With summer here many of us will be rocking a nice tan. Whether it's from a bottle or the real thing, show off your golden glow with some pretty jewelry from Twisted Silver. These lovely antique-inspired pieces strike a chord between a vintage and modern sensibilty. Twisted Silver was selected for a celebrity swag bag for an Extra TV Emmy event, followed by a GRAMMY, and several other high profile events, making Twisted Silver a well sought after line.

Designer, Debra Mitchell, is the mother of three, as well as a very talented artist. She draws inspiration from the use of vintage and salvaged elements, raw metal designs and intrinsic parts to craft designs that are nothing short of striking!

So this season, when you want to show off your skin, try a piece of Twisted Silver. Loved by celebrities from Oprah to Maria Shriver, and found in boutiques across the country, Twisted Silver will add a little effortless chic to your wardrobe.

Heck, we'll even give you some ourselves to let you see how fabulous these designs are. One lucky winner will receive this Beatnik Bracelet ($30 value). Simply visit Twisted Silver and come back to comment on this post. Tell us whether you'd like the silver or gold finish and what your favorite style from Twisted Silver is. Don't forget to leave your email address. Please note, all comments are moderated and may not appear immediately. Deadline is Midnight, EST, June 29.

Ready or Not, Swimsuit Season Is Here

Ok, it's official. Summer is finally here. While I am excited about the start of swimsuit season, though, I can't say I'm all that jazzed about wearing a swimsuit. Seems that after hitting the big 4-0 earlier this year, and after the birth of 2 kids in the last 5 years, wearing a swimsuit just isn't as much fun at is once was.

Don't get me wrong. I may be getting older, but I feel I am in the best shape I've been in for quite some time. After working out with a personal trainer for the past month, and a lifelong history of healthy eating, my bod isn't anything to be ashamed of. But after having children, things just seem to reposition themselves and my tummy remains a little squishy for my liking - especially for a bikini. Thank goodness there are such great options out there as Shape fx Swimwear from Newport News. These figure-flattering suits are crafted with a built-in power mesh lining designed to slim you all over, or just in targeted areas. Soft bra cups help to support and define your bustline, not flatten it as many suits do. Priced from $39 - $99 (an on sale right now!), Shape fx swimwear comes in styles ranging from bikinis to tankinis and swimdresses to maillots. For stylish swimwear that leaves a little something to the imagination, these styles come in a colorful assortment of animal prints, bold brights and muted tones. I'm going for the tankini and maillot options. With their support coverage, I'll look sleek and will be swimming in style.

This post was written for the Balanced Living and Parent Bloggers Bikini Blues Blog Blast.

Manners Can Be Fun for Kids

As parents, we know that teaching our children manners and good grammer can oftentimes seem in vain. Try as we might, our kids seem to let it go in one ear and out the other (although I am often pleasantly surprised when my daughter goes to a friend's house and I get a good report - she is listening after all!) So when I came across How to Speak Politely & Why by the late children's illustrator, Munro Leaf, I snapped it up thinking it would appeal to my now five-year old daughter.

Immediately after I gave Ivy How to Speak Politely, she began reading it out loud. As a beginning reader, she enjoys books that are easy for her to read and this fit the bill. Not only easy to read, How to Speak Politely speaks in a tone that kids can relate to. As a reprint that was originally published in 1934, How to Speak Politely helps kids to understand the difference between the ambiguous "uh-huh" and "un-un" versus the clear "yes" and "no". It also addresses ain't, gimme and got, as well as the confusing usage of "can" and "may", one of the most commonly used words in a child's vocabulary. Leaf's method addresses grammatical errors that have become commonplace in the English language though simple and humoroous stick-figure drawings and captions.

Kudos to Leaf for writing this book, and kudos to the publisher for reprinting it and making such an easy to understand book on grammer for kids available again. It just goes to show, everything old is new again. How to Speak Politely is surely not an oldie, but a goodie!

Spa Baby Tub Giveaway

With all the hoopla recently about BPA's, most moms I know are trying to avoid any and all plastics containing these harmful estrogen-mimickers. So it's great to know that there is a choice out there when it comes to bathtime for your baby. The Spa Baby European Style Tub from Generation Orange is a wonderful, European style bathtub that bathes babies in water up to their shoulders to keep them comfy and warm. Free from BPA and PVC, this cool tub can actually be recycled, once you run out of uses for it. But before you do, the Spa Baby European Style Tub, can be used as a clothes hamper, a toy basket, even a laundry basket.

Exclusive for One Chic Mama Readers
Win a Spa Baby European Style Tub ($45). To enter, just go to Generation Orange and tell us what your favorite product is. Come back and leave a comment, along with your email address and you'll be entered. The deadline is Midnight, EST, June 26, 2008. Please note, all comments are moderated and may not appear immediately.

Friday Blog Roundup

On Classy Mommy: Little Scholastic Giveaway. Win Little Scholastics Summer Goodie Bag full of 5 Books!

On Clever Parent: Get Beach Ready With Rachael Ray.

On Boston Mamas: Looking for a natural craft dough, but don’t have the time to make it from scratch? Then check out the fabulous eco-dough (also available gluten, soy, or dairy free) by green art supplier Eco-Kids.

On Modern Moms: Modern Moms Groups are launching across the country to offer women a community of like-minded moms offline. We hold regular Mom's Night Outs, events + more.

On Mom Finds: Win a $100 Cabana Life Shopping Spree. Be stylish and sun smart with Cabana Life's sun protective clothing line.

On The Nest Baby: Personalized Charm Necklace Giveaway. We're giving away a one-of-a-kind Lisa Leonard charm neckalce, personalized with your loved ones' names. Just give us your best summertime travel tip to enter!

Space Treat: So Long Sunburn

Summer is officially starting tomorrow, so here's a quick tip to keep your sun-block lotion organized and your sunburn at bay.

Instead of schlepping around an entire bottle of sun-block, keep a little bit handy in a contact lens carrying case. It holds just enough to cover your face, it won't spill out and you'll always have it when you suddenly find yourself taking that 3 hour long lunch break in the park. No more sunburned noses ratting you out with this tip.

Store one in your backpack, gym bag, purse or briefcase.
Space-tacularly,
Erica
The Spacialist
212.924.4383

Clarks For Kids

Many of us already know and love Clarks, the footwear brand known around the world for its commitment to comfort, quality and style. Now our children can enjoy the same high-quality footwear in styles made just for them.

What we love about Clarks for kids is the cute styling. With styles that strike a balance between modern and traditional, Clarks has a wide appeal and easily goes from the playground to dress-up without missing a beat. But knowing that they're built for comfort and are well-made goes a long way with me. I'm a shoe fanatic (along with my toddler son) and have been taken with many a cute shoe for myself at a great price. But when they don't hold up, I'm always very disappointed. With Clarks, I don't have to worry about that. I love their women's shoes and know they're built to last. A must for kids shoes! But what I also fell in love with when we received ours is the fact that the boys' shoes came with a cute little orange truck (my son looooves this so much) and a book that has a wheel that turns. How exciting for the little ones to have toys come with their shoes!

Clarks for kids are available in whole and half sizes to fit children from 0 – 5 years old. These shoes are made to nurture and protect tiny feet – and keep them looking great to boot! Available for $35 - $55 from select Clarks stores across the US. See Clarkskidsusa.com for other locations.

Intimate Infant Massage

Having a baby is one of the most emotional events that can happen in someone's life. It brings out the nurturing instinct in both mothers and fathers. Finding ways to bond with baby and create a close connection has become an important goal for both parents. One great way to do this is with infant massage.

Massage is a wonderful way to soothe baby, while creating a close connection through loving touch. Yet many parents are clueless about how to massage their precious, tiny little creature not much bigger than the palm of their hand. Why not let the infant massage DVD, Baby Baby Oh Baby, teach you a few simple steps to help you massage your baby with confidence?

Baby Baby Oh Baby ($26) is a beautifully made, step-by-step instructional video that will give you the tools you need to massage your baby with confidence. You'll love watching these tender little ones and it will make you fall in love with your own baby over and over again. Just watching it tugs at my heartstrings and almost (almost!) makes me want to have just one more baby. It's a lovely way to learn how to soothe your little one and help them get relief from a gassy tummy, colic or just help them sleep a little more soundly. All while create a close and special relationship with the love of your lives.

Water, Water Everywhere

Kids love water. Give them something to splash in and they're gonna do it, whether dressed in appropriate clothing or not. So why not give them what they really want in a way that won't get their entire outfits (and everything else) soaking wet?

The Sand n' Water Fun Factory from Little Tikes ($59.99) is a great idea for water play in a controlled environment. Fill up the left side with water and your little ones can pour it into the funnels, cogs and gadgets for some good old cause-and-effect fun. Buy a bag of sand at your local home improvement store and fill up the right side of the table to give your kids endless hours of play. When they're done, just open up the drain to let the water out.

This is a great deck-top toy. Although the recommended ages is 2 - 6, our 19 month old simply loves this! He can occupy himself for hours, playing with the water, digging in the sand and running his little cars down the slide on the side, while I sit and enjoy a cup of coffee (or write a blog post). I'd call this a win-win.

What I like about the Sand n' Water Fun Factory is that it's a very entertaining toy, and that it gives kids something they already love in a neat and contained format. It also comes with its own umbrella to protect little ones' sensitive skin from the sun, and the raised lids protect the table from dirt, rain and the elements when not being used.

What a great way to keep the kids entertained this summer and beat the heat too!

Daddy's Playlist

Happy Father's Day! If you're looking for some tunes to help your husband express his fatherly feelings, or a sentimental playlist to burn on CD (makes a great last minute gift!) here are a few suggestions courtesy of Chris Blake:

1. Still Fighting It - Ben Folds
2. Lullaby - Chris Blake
3. Danny's Song - Kenny Loggins
4. Father and Son - Cat Stevens
5. Just the Two of Us - Will Smith
6. Daddy - Beyonce
7. Father and Daughter - Paul Simon
8. Daddy's Tune - Jackson Browne
9. Daddy - Wyclef Jean
10. Daddy - Red Sovine

Listen.com once wrote, ”Chris Blake doesn't hit you over the head with his acute emotional awareness. Like a good artist, he waits by the door, strumming his guitar faithfully and hoping you'll hear what a sweet, insightful guy he really is.”

What are your favorite songs for Father's Day?

Space Treat: Crammed Desk?

Often when organizing clients’ desks I discover that although they have all the appropriate supplies like staplers, scissors, post-its, pens, files, a shredder, paper clips, etc., they are still missing one of the key elements – more surface space.

Once you fill a desk-top with your computer, a few papers and a few files (or piles) there often isn’t enough space left for spreading out, doing work and processing papers. Surface space at your desk is actually one of the most important components for functioning efficiently. So, if you’re struggling at your desk, the solution may be just as simple as getting a longer desk.

Space-tacularly,
Erica
The Spacialist
212.924.4383

Friday Blog Roundup

On the Nest Baby: Diaper Bag Giveaway. Tell us about your travel horror stories to win a Retro Stripe diaper bag!

On Moms Buzz: Father's Day and Graduation Giveaway - Win Microsoft® Zune 30GB Bundle! Delight dads and grads with the Microsoft Zune 30GB and upgrade their lives.

On Mom Finds: Win a $150 Shopping Spree at BeanNewYork.com. Find the most charming baby clothes at this chic baby boutique and get them for free!

On Coochicoos: All-in-One Beaba Babycook Here, But Not BPA-Safe? Cool French Babycooker Not BPA-Free.

On Clever Parents: Ella’s Miracle Fundraising Event. Six weeks ago on Sunday, the parents of now five year old Ella Newmiller of Raleigh, North Carolina received a major shock.

On Carand Caboodle: Good Tips & Busted Myths on Fuel Economy. Learn to improve your gas economy

On Boston Mamas: Happy Hooping. For a departure from traditional exercise, try out the fun, unexpected workout provided by Hoopnotica's awesome hoops and hoopdancing DVDs.

Fuzz Buster

With summer comes shorter skirts, shorts and bare legs. Which also means most women are now officially on a quest for the best shave around. Fortunately, I was turned on to the Schick Quattro for Women and my search was cut surprisingly short.

The Schick Quattro is a fabulous razor made for a women's curves. With no less than four blades (hence the name "Quattro"), the Schick Quattro for Women will give your legs one seriously smooth shave at just one pass. So not only do you get a sleek, sexy shave - you don't have to go over each spot two or three times. No, this razor works its magic in minutes flat. And with two conditioning strips, it provides a shave so smooth, you could skip a day or two - who has time to shave everyday anyway? As Laurie so eloquently put it, the Schick Quattro must be made by a leg man.

The Schick Quattro can be found at Cosmetic Mall for about $15. Check your local Walgreens, CVS, Target or Wal-Mart, too. It's an eco-friendly alternative to disposable razors since you just change out the blades.

If you have any questions about the Schick Quattro, or about shaving in general, contact Tubside Assistance for all your answers.

For all you single mamas, check out Schick's Dare to Dream Date Sweepstakes. You can win $1500 for your dream date. Hot air balloon ride over the mountain tops? Dinner at a quaint bistro in Paris? A weekend of snorkeling in Hawaii? Dream up an evening you won't forget and you win it!

What's On U?

Great things come in small packages. And from unexpected places. Like the A Train, for example. Who'd a thunk a fashion stylist, en route to and from shoots in New York, was busy creating her very own line of handcrafted and hand-sewn jewelry during her commute?

Donna Silvestri and her husband Greg toiled diligently into the wee hours, turning out some quite dashing designs. Picked up by the likes of quaint little boutiques, as well as Barneys New York, on u jewelry was fast becoming a full-time gig.

Now located in Richmond, Virginia, on u jewelry continues to turn out modern pieces crafted from new and vintage findings, and creates everything from chic earrings to pretty necklaces - even some bridal designs. These earthy Ringo ($30 - $60) are made from vintage gold rings and are hand-knotted with semi-precious stones.

With an eye towards the future and a hand in the past, on u jewelry blends whimsy with a modern sensibility for a striking effect. And with free shipping on all orders, what's not to love?