Check Out One of Our Upcoming Shows: Part II

Holiday Shopping Soiree

Shop the hottest local boutiques while enjoying complimentary wine and appetizers! Fabulous swag, raffles, free gifts and event only sales.

Monday, December 7th, 6-8:30 pm
Me Too! Cafe
16755 Baseline Rd. #102
Beaverton, OR 97006

Get all the details by checking out the blog dedicated to this event:

www.holidaysoiree.blogspot.com

Check Out One of Our Upcoming Shows: Part I

Young Life Holiday Boutique

Please join us for the 4TH annual YOUNG LIFE HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE! It will be an amazing afternoon of holiday shopping for handmade items made by local artisans! Don't forget -- 15% of all sales will be donated to Young Life in addition to the proceeds of some silent auction/raffle items provided by some of the artisans.

Sunday, December 6th, 2-6 pm
NLF Conference Room:
717 Tacoma Avenue South
Tacoma, WA 98402

ARTISTS THAT WILL BE SHOWING:
Hum Designs Jewelry (Semi-precious stones set in sterling silver & 14kt GF)
by Shannon Stewart
http://www.humdesigns.com

Plum Tot (Unique Baby Essentials)
by Ami Roberts
http://www.plumtot.com

Bow Dacious (Designer Hairbows and Headbands for Girls)
by Anna Petree

CandleDance (Handmade Soy Candles with Autumn, Christmas & Aromatherapy scents)
By Crystel Raines
http://www.candledance.com

Hand Maid Foot Prince (Baby Blankets & Spats)
By Linda Hannigan
http://www.handmaidfootprince.com

Lillibelle (Felted Purses, Scarves, Accessories & Children's Clothes)
By Abby Schuette

Whimsical Wireworks (Tea Light Lanterns & Fused Glass)
By Lisa Caldwell

Carol's Bakery Basket (Gourmet Treats & Retro Aprons)
By Carol Lockman

Petal Custom Floral Design Raffle
By Casie Swanson

Towne House Creations (Gift Items & Home Decor)
By Sheri Towne

Hand Made with Love (Hand crafted greeting cards, note cards, monogrammed cards, invitations, announcements and more)
by Sandra Kuharic and Joan Whitlock

Tiny House (Unique gift items such as pin cushions, crayon rolls, pouches, bobby pins for girls etc.)
by Jessie Keating
http://atinyhouse.blogspot.com/

Polka Dot Ink. (Handmade Earrings)
by Grace D and Sarah J-F

New Favorite Resource for Kid Crafts

I am creative. I am crafty. I also spent years in my former, pre-mama life as an elementary school teacher. Despite all this, I still seem to find that I need inspiration for projects and activities to do with my little guys. Crafty Crow to the rescue. I just stumbled on a wonderful blog for child craft projects that has so many lovely, inspiring ideas I can hardly stand it! The Crafty Crow has a huge archive of projects and so many different categories (age, event, medium just to name a few), you are bound to find something perfect for everyone. I also love that there are projects for even the littlest of hands. (Plus they have awesome giveaways.) Check them out!

P.S. --I know I've been absolutely terrible about updating this blog. I've got lots of posts from recent plum tot newsletters to add and some great post ideas that have just not made their way here...yet. Check back soon. They'll be here-I promise.

Hugs and Kisses for Mary Murphy

I Kissed the Baby! by Mary Murphy has been a favorite book of both my boys. It's got simple lyrical text, bold and contrasting illustrations, and a warm lovey feeling emanating from it's pages. A perfect shower gift (matched with a Plum Tot bib, perhaps?)

Check it out here.

Shopper's Guide to Pesticides

We do out best to buy local and organic produce whenever possible but I find there are times when I don't have that option. I'm often wondering about which types of produce to avoid and what is considered safer for my family and especially for my young children. The Environmental Working Group has created a Shopper's Guide to Pesticides that outlines "the Dirty Dozen" --the 12 most pesticide laden types of produce along with the "Clean 15" --the 15 kinds of produce with the lowest amount of pesticides. Click here for a wallet size print out and for more information about produce and pesticide use.

Here's the list:
Dirty Dozen (Produce with the most pesticides)

1. Peach
2. Apple
3. Bell Pepper
4. Celery
5. Nectarine
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Kale
9. Lettuce
10. Grapes (Imported)
11. Carrot
12. Pear

Clean 15
(Lowest in pesticides--ranked with the very lowest first)

1. Onion
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mango
6. Asparagus
7. Sweet Peas
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Papaya
12. Watermelon
13. Broccoli
14. Tomato
15. Sweet Potato

Look, Look! Our New Favorite Book!

Just the other day, my youngest son grabbed this book off our bookshelf, toddled it over to me, and, in his little baby way (a series of earnest grunts) insisted that I read it to him. Look, Look! is perfect for even the littlest munchkins with it's bold illustrations, simple text, and high contrast pages in black, white, and red. It's definitely a favorite in our house.

For a look at "Look, Look!", look here.

Flower Pressing

I had a flower press when I was a kid. From time to time, I'd unscrew the knobs and look through the different layers to see all the paper thin memories from summers' past. Many of the flowers and leaves that I'd pressed were from my neighborhood walks and from my backyard. This year, my oldest son and I plan to press some flowers from our backyard garden.

If you's like to press flowers with your child, you will need:
*tissue or blotting paper (construction paper can also work)
*cardboard
*large, heavy books for pressing
*an assortment of flowers and leaves

Lay a sheet of tissue paper over a piece of cardboard. Arrange your flowers and leaves on the tissue. It's also fun to include a small note tucked in with the flowers detailing where they came from to help your child remember what you collected and why. Cover with another sheet of tissue paper, a piece of cardboard and a very heavy book (or two). Leave pressed for at least two weeks and up to six months. The longer the press, the better the preservation.

Safer Children's Sunscreens, Just in Time for Summer

Both my boys have inherited their mother's sensitive skin issues so I've been on the hunt for safer sunscreens that work on their skin without harmful chemicals. Check out Safemama's Sunscreen Cheat Sheet to find a list of safer sun options for your little one (and yourself).

Blog Love

I just love, love this blog and thought I would share it. Check out Inhabitots.com --a blog devoted to eco-friendly design for the next generation. I always find great product and design ideas for children and feel especially inspired by their commitment to sustainability.

www.inhabitots.com

Blocks and Books all Rolled into One

Dylan, my ten month old, has recently discovered the colorful box sitting on the playroom bookshelf. Inside there are 26 little board books representing each letter of the alphabet. The books are perfectly sized for little hands and can be stacked, grabbed, and chewed, in addition to being read. Check out ABC Block Books for your little one.

Goody Bags for...Well, Goodies!

These bags are perfect for small treats or used as an alternative to paper gift wrap. They're also reusable and super easy to make!

You will need:.

*Fabric and ribbon scraps
*A sewing machine (unless you want to spend hours sewing by hand)
*Pinking shears

Cut two pieces of fabric in a rectangle size of your choice. (I made a variety of sizes but began with a 6"x 9"). Place them print side in and stitch around three sides leaving one side open. Turn the bag right side out and finish by cutting the top edge with pinking shears for a fun and easy finish. Fill and tie with a ribbon. Voila!

Marble Painting-- Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

I'm always looking for fun things to do with my kids. I found this project idea from FamilyFun.com.
This project is a lot of fun for little ones and looks beautiful with bright colors!

You will need:
*A handful of marbles
*A sturdy (non-breakable) plate or flat-bottomed container with a lip
*A muffin tin (or small dishes) and tempera paints
*Paper
*Spoons

First, trim a sheet of paper to fit on your plate (or in your container). Fill the cups of a muffin tin with different colored tempera paints. Show your child how to gently drop a marble into the paint and roll it around with the bowl of a spoon. When the marble is well coated, transfer it by spoon to the paper-lined plate. Use a gentle wrist action to swirl the marble around until the paint wears off. Or try using two or three marbles simultaneously. To preserve the hues, use a different marble for each color. Lift the artwork from the paper plate to dry.

Baby Books for Spring

These two little books are made their way into my youngest son's Easter basket. I'm a total sucker for children's books and these are two of my current favorites.

In My Nest is one of those books that looks like a piece of art to be displayed on a child's bedroom wall. Only it's a book about a little bird and it's nest. A bluebird finger puppet peaks through on each page and adds a unique tactile element to this book.

Busy Chickens is part of the "Busy" series of animal books and is geared for little ones. It's got wonderful photos of chickens in action, great vocabulary, rhyming text, and a hint of humor (My personal favorite, "chicken zooming" cracks me up every time I see it.) I haven't read any of the other books in the "Busy" series, but I'm willing to bet they're high quality as well.

Product Tip-- Hooded Towels

After drying off your little one in our hooded towel, try flipping the towel and hood inside out and snuggle your baby in the plush velour on the back side. My boys both loved this!

Let us know what you think of our products. Email us with your comments or tips and you could be featured on our website or in our newsletter!

Science for Munchkins

Rainbow Flowers

Introduce the concept of osmosis with flowers, water, and food coloring. I found this activity on the National Geographic Little Kids page and thought it would be a perfect--if not a little messy--science experiment for preschoolers. (If you missed my Little Kids Magazine rave, read it below.) Instead of typing it out in my newsletter, I've provided a link to the directions, which are complete with pictures and notes for parents (so you can look extra smart).

Check it out here.

A Magazine for Wee Ones

National Geographic Little Kids

'Santa' got our oldest son a subscription to Little Kids Magazine and let me tell you --what a hit! His latest issue came yesterday and we were both thrilled. He loves getting mail just for him and wants to read through the whole thing right away. I love it for the content--great photos, a non-fiction emphasis, vocabulary building, pre-reading skills, logic activities, science experiments, a multicultural focus, etc. I could go on and on.... It's geared for the preschool set and just won a Parents' Choice Gold Award in 2008. The only downside? It only comes out once every two months.

Skin Deep Cosmetic Database

Ever wonder what is in your skin care products? If so, check out Skin Deep, a cosmetic database that details more than 41,000 personal care products. They list all kind of product information about makeup, sunscreen, baby care products, men's products and more. Here you can find out just how safe (or unsafe) the personal care products your family uses are. If you find that what you're using is unsafe, you can easily find a safer alternative on their website. Phew!

Go to www.cosmeticsdatabase.com for more info.

Our New Wish List Registry

Having a baby? Got a preschooler who's birthday is coming? Just love our stuff? We've got a new feature for you. We've had a number of customers ask if they can register for Plum Tot products so we've added a wish list page to our website. Interested? Simply email us with your name, contact information, and list of goodies you're wishing for. If you want to tell us who the goodies are for, we like that too. We will keep your information on file and post your name with your wish list on our website for shoppers to see. The rest of your information will remain confidential and will be used for shipping.

All that's left to do is let all your friends know and cross your fingers.

Wall Art

Some of you may have already seen the wall art I've made recently. For those of you who've missed them--here are a few photos with some examples. I haven't put them up for sale yet on my website but I'm definitely curious about what people think. I just added a couple shelves in my oldest son's room and I'm loving how the prints look displayed with his favorite books.