Organic Baby Clothes & Unique Gifts

There are so many new babies in my life and I’ve been blessed with being able to spend time with all of them recently. It’s been a long time since my kids were babies, so it’s fun to be on the “auntie” side of things.

One of my best friends has a two month old little darling and I got to see her the other day. It took me back to when my kids were that age. Two months old. She is holding up her head and is so alert and so INTO every thing you do. She is learning to reach for objects, grasping, all that stuff we forget we had to teach ourselves.

Soak in those baby months, they go so fast. My “new” baby niece just turned one. Already? When we had little newborns, people who had been there, done that would tell us “don’t be in such a hurry for them to grow up”. At times, like two-hours-into-the-screaming and who-knows-how-long-since-a-good-sleep times, I would think “I can’t wait until she can talk”.

Funny how now, years later, when I recount tales of the most horrendous drives around town with my “angel” screaming at the top of her lungs, I recount them with a smile on my face. I’m fond of every single day I got to spend with my kids as babies. You forget the exhaustion, you forget the stress, you even forget how many times you lost your temper You just remember the joy of having a little baby attached to your side, the joy of their first smile, even the joy of watching them overcome their first struggles.

So, now that I’ve been there, done that, I just wanted to say “don’t be in such a hurry for them to grow up”.

Halloween is upon us already!! It’s just a few short days away. This year our daughter is going as Cleopatra and our son will be the black Power Ranger (he was happy with anything black). Love it! Both kids are super-cute in their little costumes.

So what about your little bops? Hop on over to the Baby Fabulous Facebook page and tell us about your sweet little baby’s costume. What are you dressing your baby up as this year? BONUS!! Leave a comment on the facebook page to be automatically entered in our random drawing, to be held on November 3, for a FREE organics gift set (one-piece OR t-shirt and matching cap).

Once Halloween is behind us, the big holiday push is on. It is still so crazy to me that we are coming up fast on 2010! Wow, a decade since the turn of the century. Heck, I still find it amazing that my kids aren’t babies anymore and they are both in full-time school now, way past the baby years.

If you are a busy mom or auntie in need of the perfect holiday baby gift, get a head start on your holiday gift shopping and grab a “Groovy Nights” Princess Poncho before they sell out again. Purchase online and a portion of the proceeds is donated to http://artsurvive.org.

The uniquely stylish reversible ponchos are ALREADY the b*Fab “IT” gift this year. Especially, most especially, the “groovy nights” princess poncho. The Princess Ponchos were featured in Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine last winter and this season’s ponchos are way more FABULOUS…

“..the poncho. It also doubles as a security blanket and thumb-sucking aid!” – Brooke Shields.

If you are a new parent, celebrating your first Halloween with your little one, enjoy it to the fullest and don’t forget to take pics; little bitty babies in Halloween costumes has to be one of the cutest things in the world to me. Second ONLY to babies in b*Fab wear, of course.

One quick note to do yourself a favor and sign up for the newsletters. Starting in just one short week, we will send out Wednesday Fab Gabs. Read the Fab Gabs and you are automatically entered to win the weekly drawing for free FABULOUSLY Luxurious bFab prizes. We will keep them short and interesting, plus each Fab Gab will contain an exclusive special just for you!

Have a Fabulous Halloween!

Baby Fabulous products are ALL made in the USA. Having our products manufactured here in the US has never been about NOT having them made in other countries, but always about insisting they are all made here, in our country. Before I was a mom, and before I was a business owner, I worked for a company that was caught in accounting fraud and ended up laying off half the work force. I was so stressed that I was going to lose my job at six months pregnant that I can look back at that time as a defining moment in my entrepreneurial journey. First, it really made me want to start my own company. Second, I made a commitment that I would keep my company and product manufacturing state side. No matter how large or how small we were to be, those jobs would be jobs created here at home.

We also strive to purchase supplies for our products that are made locally or are at least offered by local companies. This has been particularly difficult with organic cotton, but I’m excited to announce that we’ve identified a supplier for the Wao™ collection who guarantees that not only is their fabric spun here stateside, but also that the organic cotton is grown here in the USA as well. ORGANIC….and YES, this is huge for us because now we can offer long-sleeve options for the organic one-pieces and t-shirts..

We made the decision to keep Baby Fabulous products American-made before the really big push to go green, but it’s definitely a *green* choice we make as a company. Both in our purchasing of supplies and manufacturing locally – both choices use considerably less fuel miles than if our supplies or assembled products were manufactured in countries on the other side of the world.

Most of all, it matters to me as a mom that we can put the “Made In the USA“ label on our hang tags. I know that there are plenty of reputable contract manufacturers in countries all over the world, but there are also still a lot that use child labor. I just have too many control issues to try to run a business with products that are produced thousands and thousands of miles away…I could never feel completely confident that all production followed all the laws. Maybe I can’t guarantee that here either, but I can drop in unannounced and see what is going on where our products are produced.

If you are a parent looking for products that are made in the USA for your children, Baby Fabulous apparel is a great option. If you are a retailer looking for “made in the USA” products to offer in your boutique, send us an email and we can answer all of your questions about setting up a wholesale account with Baby Fabulous. We have low minimums for your first order, organic options that are always in-stock and ready to ship, and numerous testimonials about the incredible sell-through rate…contact us to start your fabulous experience today.

So, for the time being, we will continue to support local contract manufacturers and local suppliers by demanding American made products and making our own products in the USA.

I waited way too long to actually get out and buy some reusable lunch containers for our kids‘ school lunches. However, in the two short weeks since we started using Tupperware-type items for the sandwiches and snacks, I would estimate that we’ve saved no less than 50 sandwich bags. Isn’t that amazing? In just two weeks?! Imagine the impact my little four-person family will make by the end of the year; heck, by the end of elementary school.

I know, we use more water to wash the reusable containers, but we’re still doing the same ONE dishwasher load of dishes a day, so the water usage hasn’t really changed at all. I feel good, nah, GREAT, about this change. AND – the kids have even been good about bringing home the containers (I’m mildly surprised by this fact).

As a mom, it really matters to me that our family is making green changes where we can (we have so far to go!). I also want to get straight to what other mom’s recommend. So, naturally, when I decided to switch to reusable lunch containers, I put out a call on twitter for recommendations. Thanks to everyone that replied, I found some really fun sustainable options for school lunch kits- and no one says you‘ll be boxed in. There are some fun, funky, and ultra-chic eco-friendly school lunch options on the market.

Check out these lunch kit bags: http://kidskonserve.com/

Stackable Oots lunch box: http://healthygreenschool.com

Or these fun print boxes from lunchopolis: http://lunchopolis.com

So, you’ve fallen in love with the “Name in Brights” personalized blankets, but are waiting to purchase until your perfect color combination is available?… Don’t wait!! Send us your color request and we will help you to design the personalized baby blanket of your dreams – the same way we helped Veronica create the “Sydney” combination shown below (read what she had to say below).

“Thank you for working with me to find what I think will be a fantastic gift for my boss! I really do appreciate your help and assistance and your flexibility in all this. Having such a busy schedule I often find it difficult to shop for something, because it all takes so much time. The fact that I was able to do this through email and get what I wanted I just have no words of gratitude. Thank you again and trust me when I say I will be telling all my friends about you” – Veronica R. Los Angeles, CA

The images in this post are examples of custom personalized blankets that we created for customers. We do not have these fabrics available on the website, but in both cases, we received a custom color request. (Sage green and fuschia in the case of the “Molly” blanket, and “Pastel stripes” in the case of the “Sydney” blanket).

No extra cost for the custom design services!!

Every blanket must be created from scratch, so there is no extra cost to you for our extra special design assistance services. Once we’ve received your request, we will email you at least three options to select from. Once we have a commitment on the order, we work with you to select the best plush and ribbon color. It’s really, really, a very painless operation.

Get your custom color combination started today, here’s how:

• Email us: info@babyfabulous.com
• Tweet Amber: http://babyfabulous.com/twitter
• Call us: 888-565-5255

We LOVE to make you happy and we will respond to your request asap.

Yes, it matters. All my little lifestyle choices matter. As I stood doing dishes this morning, I was thinking about the label on the dish soap bottle. My all-natural-no-harm-to-the-environment dish soap bottle of the 7th Generation brand. I didn’t need to look at the label closely to recall that the company name derives from the philosophy that the choices we make now will have a lasting impact seven generations from now.

In particular, I was thinking about this as I was running the water to clean the pan I don’t put in the dishwasher. I was wondering if I was making the most *green* decision possible. I was thinking – one pan, what is the best approach? It’s probably to let the pans pile up until I have an entire sink load, but this goes against my recent drive to keep things picked up.

Continuing to run the water and clean the pan, I jumped to thinking about recent laws that have passed enabling *green* runoff water to be re-purposed for landscaping reasons. This is cool, but how do I get started? I think I heard there are kits available. My dad is remodeling his place and he has already planned the rooms so that the green water runs out of his sinks and waters his trees. He has the advantage of a fresh start. Green runoff water requires green soaps, like my bottle of seventh generation dish soap.

Seven generations from now, my choices will matter to the children of my kids’ kids’…am I making the right choices right now? I feel like I need to make these choices as both a parent and a business owner. Both arenas of my life will have impact on future generations.

I will always be proud to say that we strove to use eco-friendly, organic, and sustainable fibers in our baby clothing. We use water-based inks (no dyes to rinse) in our heat transfers and we promote local production and manufacturing (less fuel miles baby!). We print on recycled paper and recycle all of our cardboard, plastic, and paper that is allowed. But, we still use too much paper, I have no doubt about that! I think, on any given day there are a zillion choices we make that will matter seven generations from now. What matters the most is that we start where we can and set a goal towards constant *green* improvement.

In the first of our series on mom-entrepreneurs (woman business owners who are also moms at the same insane time), we get to meet Carrie Furet. I first had the pleasure of encountering Carrie on twitter, where her username caught my eye (@eBabyPlannerSD). I was intrigued by the “Baby Planner” part, and I’m sure you are too.

I figured an interview was the best way to introduce you to her wonderful, and very unique business.

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your business

I’m proud to be the mom of my 2 year old daughter, Camille, here in San Diego and the founder of Essential Baby Planner. The idea of a baby planner is a pretty new concept to most folks. I usually start off by telling them to think what a wedding planner did for their wedding a baby planner will do for the coming of their baby. So, basically from shopping to showers we handle the essentials so busy, hard working moms can relax and simply enjoy the journey.

2. What inspired you to start your business?

My business came about from my own experiences during my pregnancy. I was working 50 hours a week, coming home around 7pm and just feeling too exhausted to do all the things I felt necessary to prepare for the coming of my baby. I thought, ‘There’s got to be a better way’ and afterwards decided to put all my long hours of research to good use by offering to help out other parents who may find themselves in a similar situation. This is the one time in a mom’s life where she should feel relaxed, secure, happy and stress-free. I’m here to make that happen.

3. What are the top 3 things you are asked for help with from soon-to-be-parents?

The most asked for service would have to be helping new parents build their ideal registry. I always have them fill out a questionnaire to help me focus on their specific needs, their style and their budget. The second most asked for service would be helping to find childcare after the baby’s born and mom’s going back to work. And the third would have to be shopping! I have had some parents who simply don’t want to do all the shopping that it’ll take to get ready for baby. And that’s ok. I’m here to take care of everything parents don’t want to do.

4. What is the most exciting part of your job?

The most exciting part of my job would have to be meeting my clients for the first time. They are so happy to be pregnant it’s catchy. Then they have this other side to them of being completely overwhelmed by the avalanche of stuff they have to do to get ready for their baby. They need help and it’s wonderful to be able to give them a little peace of mind.

5. What is the most challenging aspect of owning / running your own business?

The most challenging aspect of being a business owner is trying to find a balance between business, family and me. I always tell everyone my full time job is being a mom. But finding a way to be the mom I want to be without losing out on those other parts is hard. Sacrificing one for the other just isn’t the way to do it. Successful MOMpreneurs have found their ideal balance.

6. I know from our connection on twitter that you are involved in the planning of Operation Showers of Appreciation? Can you tell us more about it and any way that our readers could be involved?

Operation Showers of Appreciation is a great cause which I feel honored to be a part of. They organize baby showers for expectant wives of military members who are away from their families and are in need of items to help take care of their babies. They want our military families to know that their many sacrifices, of both the families and military members, are appreciated. Everyone can be involved. People and businesses can donate items, funds, and time. We need all we can get.

Visit Carrie’s Baby Planning Website
Follow Carrie on Twitter: http://twitter.com/eBabyPlannerSD

As many of you know, we’re big on Baby Sign Language, which is just American Sign Language (ASL) taught to babies. One of the most useful signs that we taught our babies was the sign for “more”. In fact, it was the first sign our daughter learned how to use on her own.

How to sign “more”

The video above demonstrates the proper use of the ASL sign for “more”. When our daughter first used the sign on her own, she was aproximately 9 months old and she had her own slight variation on the sign. But it didn’t matter that it was a little different! All that really matters is that she was able to communicate – was able to tell us that she wanted “more” of something – months before she was able to say it in words.

Baby Sign Language Gifts

Baby Fabulous has a “Baby Sign Language” collection available at the Baby Shop.

The “I love you” infant t-shirts and one-pieces are by far the best sellers – and we couldn’t be happier about spreading all that love! You can spread the love with a unique baby gift inspired by Baby Sign Language.

Fabulous Gift Giving Begins with Baby Fabulous – complimentary gift wrap and always free shipping! Unique and stylish options that are Made in the USA and mom-designed. Enjoy your Way Above Ordinary (wao) experience!

As a mom, I’m passionate about art programs and opportunities for our children. As a business owner, I’ve always been passionate about supporting a children’s non-profit. As a business and a family, we have chosen to support A Reason to Survive (ARTS), a non-profit dedicated to providing a variety of art programs to disadvantaged children in-need, who do not otherwise have access to art supplies and mentoring.

Baby Fabulous is a business built around art and design, from our graphic baby T-shirt designs, to the fabulous prints we choose for the blankets (and pretty much everything in-between). For all the math classes and history lessons we take, we must also realize how crucial it is to provide arts education. ARTS provides a facility where children can be creative to their heart’s content, and even more, where their work is not judged or interpreted.

Art, or creative design, permeates almost every aspect of our lives – from the way we decorate our houses to book covers; from the design of our cars to the clothes we wear. All of these things start with creative ideas, all must be designed, must be created from our imaginations. This is why art is as crucial for our children as science, language, literature, math, and history.

Baby Fabulous has determined that, starting today, July 1, 2009 at least 1% of the Baby Fabulous’ gross online sales will be donated to children’s non-profit organizations. ARTs is the first non-profit that B*Fab has chosen to support because we so strongly believe in their mission statement:

ARTS is dedicated to healing, inspiring and empowering children facing life challenges by providing innovative arts-based programs, education and opportunities.

Children’s Art / Design Contest Coming Soon!
We will be launching an exciting art contest for your children and the winning design(s) will be the newest b*Fab ARTS shirt – a portion of the proceeds will go to ARTS and a portion of the proceeds will go to the non-profit organization of your child’s choice.
This will be a great opportunity to introduce your child to the concepts of:

• creative expression
• product design
• community service
• different art mediums – photography, crayon, finger paints, tissue paper, etc.
• our power to help others
• pride in their work

At Baby Fabulous we are proud to support a local children’s non-profit that directly benefits children in the community. Visit the ARTS website if you are interested in getting involved: http://areasontosurvive.org

And of course, make a purchase at the Baby Shop and your purchase will benefit kids directly: http://babyshop.babyfabulous.com

The most irresistible unique baby gift on the planet is the minky (faux fur) reversible baby poncho. There are so many things that are great about it, but it’s the fact that it’s a completely practical gift, one that the parents will appreciate, that gives this baby the grand prize of unique baby gifts.

The poncho is currently available in the retro-glam fun “mod flowers” print – but the new black-n-white print is about to arrive and it’s even cuter than the last black-n-white print (yes, it is!!).

Our smallest size poncho is the 0-12 months size. Which is another reason it’s a perfect gift for that baby shower – it lasts a long time! The ponchos are available up to a size 6x…so you can still get this uber-stylish gift for your little angel, even if she isn’t a baby anymore.

I’ve had people ask me if this is too heavy for summer. Maybe it’s too heavy for mid-day, but it’s great for cool mornings and evenings. Out here in the west, the coast gets very cool, foggy even, and babies need extra protection.


We got a chance to see our 8 month old niece last weekend, when we had all met up at the beach. As soon as the marine layer started rolling in, her mom pulled out her poncho and threw it on top of her – we didn’t even have to take her out of the towel she was wrapped in. Honestly, she was content immediately – her head and arms were cozy with no hassle whatsoever.

No one hesitated about using the poncho at the beach because it is machine-washable. Which makes it an extra special and extra unique baby gift – stylish, practical, AND machine-washable is almost an unheard of combination these days. Unless it’s by Baby Fabulous!

The poncho is a double-layered reversible poncho made out of a high-grade cotton and a high-grade minky rosebud. The minky, or faux fur fabric, is incredibly silky soft. We hear time and again from moms that the poncho is their baby’s, or toddler’s favorite outerwear.

Make sure you visit the Baby Fabulous baby shop to browse all of our wonderful and unique baby gifts, including the reversible poncho.