• ab. Bellaziza on Twitter!
  • b. Bellaziza on Facebook
  • c. Bellaziza on Technorati
  • d. Bellaziza via RSS


Pages

Categories


  • Amazon


Copy and Paste into your HTML:

Copy and Paste into your HTML:

  • a Juliette Sunshine
  • Amazon

Twitter Feed

Follow on Twitter

  • 6Juliette Sunshine

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Subscribe to Bellaziza's
Favorite Things by Email

    • a Bellaziza
    • Aalice
    • Amazon
    • giggle
  • bCamp Creative Group
  • Bellaziza Baby Barrettes
  • Pink Olive Boutique

Archive for November, 2009

Our Favorite Blocks by Naef of Switzerland!

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

From the moment that I laid eyes on the Cella, I was in love.  Surely, I thought, these MUST be the coolest blocks ever.  If there were such a thing as a block aficionado’s dream, Naef is it!!

They’re not just blocks or puzzles though.  They’re all feats of engineering!  Every angle and every line is so precise!  They are perfection.  You can really see this when you start playing with them though.  They slip together seamlessly and balance effortlessly.  This makes for some pretty amazing play.  Click here to take a look at Naef Toy… our first choice, though it was very hard to narrow down!!!  Pictured below as one set, it’s even more amazing with a few sets combined!

Did I mention the puzzles?  Oooh, the puzzles!!!

One of the things that I love most about Naef Toys is the family interaction that they facilitate.  These toys aren’t just for kids!  It’s something the whole family can enjoy together… and for a long time, making it worth the investment.

Have someone difficult to shop for on your list this season?  You can find Naef Toys everywhere from the desk of Mr. Fortune 500 to your little one’s Montessori classroom, so relax.  Give NaefUSA.com a visit and see for yourself!

PS – Naef makes THE coolest baby toys… ever.  Check them out!

Disclosure: We purchased some Naef Toys for our family and love them so
much that we just had to let you know!!!

Moments Captured by American Girls!

Saturday, November 28th, 2009

American Girl dolls have been a lovely and traditional gift for every little girl for a while now.  Every little girl should have one, right?  We think so!  The detail of these dolls is just stunning and they really are made to last.

We recently received Rebecca for review and are so pleased with her not only as a doll, but even more so for her ability to connect with children and teach them about her culture and history.  This is the essence of the American Girl collection!

“As a girl growing up in New York City in 1914, Rebecca celebrates treasured traditions passed down through her Russian-Jewish family. With a little creativity, Rebecca learns how to stay true to her heart as she follows her dreams in the big city.”

I love rich cultural heritage and the American Girl dolls capture this so beautifully!  There is also a series of books to compliment each of the various dolls and a gorgeous selection of clothing and high quality accessories.  So tasteful and a great way to encourage your children to connect with history and tradition, which is a gift in itself.

Check out AmericanGirl.com for more information on Rebecca and the entire American Girl family of dolls!

Our Favorite Easel & Art Kit by P’kolino!

Friday, November 27th, 2009

So you’re looking for the perfect gift for your little artist this holiday season?  Look no further than P’kolino!  They have the coolest and orange-est easel out there, and it’s totally our Favorite!  It’s only $100 too!!!  We looked at all of the easels currently available and this one is definitely the best, from its high quality and durability to its lovely design and accessories.  It can be used as a chalk board or even a puppet theater too!  (Also comes in white)

Want accessories?  P’kolino has the BEST!  They have an incredible line of crayons, colored pencils and more available that really are worth some excitement all on their own!  They’re all very well designed… and what more could you ask from your crayon that to be well designed?  Yes.  We love the details too.

Don’t forget to take a look at their signature Art Kit that includes a Play Kit to fit perfectly into the easel for useful storage too!  We found this great set at Giggle (one of our site sponsors!) where you can get the Play Kit, a roll of paper and a variety of crayons and colored pencils (as seen below) for only $28!  That’s a pretty big savings and the perfect addition to your little Van Gogh’s holiday wish list.  The Play Bin itself retails at $24, the paper roll at $10 PLUS you get the coolest colored pencils and crayons ever to boot.  IT’S A DEAL!!

Very cool.  Very chic.  Absolutely P’kolino… and absolutely one of our Favorite Things this holiday season!

#SWAGALERT: Big Eye Dummies…Different, Fun, Dumb!

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

SWAGbigeyedummies

When our Big Eye Dummies came, my first thought was “This is weird and strange and well…dumb!”  My boys’ first thoughts, “WOW!  This is SO cool!  Look!  You can change the face around!  AWESOME!”  So much for what I know.

Big Eye Dummies are a great way to get your kids laughing and being silly.  It’s a designer plush toy made with high quality materials and these really cool magnets that hold on the interchangeable eyes and mouth.  They come with extra eyes and mouths so there is endless mixing and matching of the face…which, I warn you, leads to fits of silly faces for countless hours!

So much more fun than your average stuffed animal, Big Eye Dummies are sure to make any kid happy.  And parents are happy too that they meet American and European Toy Safety Standards!  So don’t worry, be happy…Dummy!

SWAG ALERT: We;re giving one lucky reader their very own set of Big Eye Dummies!  You know how it works and what to do.  This SWAG ALERT will be open until we say so.  Good luck to all and have fun with our newest ways to gain EXTRA ENTRIES!!!

EXTRA ENTRIES for this SWAG ALERT:

Make sure to enter all EXTRAS as a comment on this post or include the #SWAGALERT hashtag so we can track on Twitter!!  We always want to make sure that we get all of your entries!

V.I.P. #SWAGALERT: @Teutonia, the Mercedes Benz of Strollers!!!

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

SWAGteutonia

Let me just start off saying that Teutonia is, without a doubt, the highest quality stroller I have ever seen.  The quality was immediately apparent from the moment that I opened the box.  All of the parts are very durable and feel incredibly solid.   Assembly was a snap and took almost no time at all too. When compared to other strollers there were substantially fewer parts, which just makes life easier, right?  It’s nice to have something with fewer parts, seeing as how you have SO many other things to remember (and forget!) with your new little bundle in tow now.

The car seat attachment was easily installed and worked very well with our little Honda CRV.  Detaching and reattaching the base to the car seat and the stroller are also easily accomplished thanks to the simple and effective design.  Gotta love the Germans!  All of the release levers are bright blue, and therefore are quite obvious.  Simply squeeze a lever and it releases!  Merely slide the pieces until they click into place to attach them securely again.  Easy and effective!  What’s not to love?

teutoniaoptions

Speaking of design, the stroller looks amazing and there are SO many customizable options.  Matching diaper bag?  Yes!  Hand warmer for mom and dad anyone??  Yes!  Only one on the market, and too too cute.  You’ll be so posh in your Teutonia!  Best thing about it?  The customizable features.  You just don’t see strollers like this everyday!  The fabrics are all very high quality, but it really is the unique modern design of the stroller itself that will turn heads, and turn heads it does!  The aircraft grade aluminum alloy is gorgeous and absolutely sets it apart from most other strollers that you see.

When it comes to comfort, well the best I can say is something a friend of mine said when they saw it: “That thing looks more comfortable than my couch!”  The nice padded seat ensures your child’s comfort.  The handle on the t-300 (the chasis that we reviewed) is completely reversible, which enables you to quickly change the way your child is facing so they will be protected from the sun, wind, rain, or just get to see a better view.  The canopy is easily adjusted to protect your baby from getting too much sun, and the canopy on the t-stroller seat pulls down to completely cover your child. The fabric includes UV protection and is water resistant, so you can be sure that your little one is safe.

The stroller is a little heavy, but rightfully so.  The particular frame we chose – the t-300 – is not one I would suggest for someone who will need to do a lot of lifting of their stroller. For us, it is perfect because we can fold it and load it into the back of our vehicle and drive to the mall or the park or wherever we need to go. However, for someone who needs to ride the subway in a city, etc., it definitely would not be ideal, I would have to suggest one of their smaller frames like the T-100 or t-200 for that.

Lastly I can’t forget to mention how well this baby handles. I think the shocks are better than what I had on my first car. The ride is so smooth that I could hardly believe I was on gravel walking around the mall at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. (all the other strollers there were like rickety old wagons compared to my Mercedes Benz ride)!

All and all I was blown away with this stroller. From a design standpoint there is nothing like it and you won’t find a more comfortable ride or better handling. We highly recommend the Teutonia line of strollers to anybody and are very excited to announce them as this quarter’s sponsor for V.I.P. SWAG!!!

V.I.P. SWAG ALERT: One incredibly, stupendously, amazingly (…) lucky reader is going to stroll away with their very own custom Teutonia!  Want the infant car seat?  DONE!  Want the pretty pink fabric?  DONE!  Want the Rolls Royce style T-300 chassis or the more compact T-100 sports car version?  DONE!  Your wish is Teutonia’s command!  Unlimited options!  JUST FOR YOU, our FABULOUS readers:)!  (You KNOW we love ya, *MWAH*!!)

To enter, FIRST, you must be a Bellaziza V.I.P.! This is done by subscribing to our updates via email. Most of you already are, but without subscription and that V.I.P. status, you will not qualify to win this SWAG. You can CLICK HERE to sign up.

Teutonia has asked that you, our fabulous readers, let them know what you think of their products, company and website! Maybe suggest what you would like to see included in their products, their website or any other efforts made by this incredible company. How would YOU suggest they improve? To enter, please visit www.TeutoniaUSA.com and comment on this post answering their request.

This V.I.P. SWAG ALERT will be open for daily entry until Sunday, January 31, 2010 at midnight PST. We will announce the big winner on Monday, February 1st, 2010. Our same fabulous SWAG ALERT rules apply, including EXTRAS for referring new confirmed subscribers only. If you need a refresher on the details just CLICK HERE or visit our “SWAG INFO” page by clicking the tab at the top of this page.

#SWAGALERT : Peg Perego by Polaris ATV’s!

Monday, November 16th, 2009

SWAGpegperegoATV

We just love Peg Perego’s adorable and very much life-like line of ride on toys.  Recently though, they decided to PINK IT UP a little!  We of course had to be there for that!

Peg Perego has again partnered with Polaris (Yes, the same Polaris that makes the mommy and daddy sized toys!) and they’ve come up with every little princesses’ absolute dream of a ride.  It’s called the Polaris Trail Princess and it is actually a pretty serious little piece of equipment.

The Trail Princess is a high performance rechargeable battery powered 12 volt 2-speed kid friendly all terrain vehicle.  (Wow that was a mouth-full.)   Oh, and don’t laugh at the ‘high performance’ part either!  This baby goes as fast as 5 mph and even does reverse!  It holds up to two of the kiddos… or one adult, although I’m NOT mentioning any names here though for my dear husband’s sake… Would a pink kids ATV harm his image?  I think not;).  As a father of two girls, this is a perfect toy in his opinion and naturally one would need to try something out before feeling comfortable enough to call it “THE PERFECT TOY”.  I digress.

It has 4 wheel suspension and also a first and second speed with a lock so that you can lock them out of the faster one… if speed becomes an issue, or if they are just too little for that mind-bending five miles per hour.

Got boys?  No problem.  Peg Perego also has the Trail Boss in cool colors that will make those little men happy too!  Click the links in this post to check out their entire line of battery powered vehicles!!!

Best price we found was $339 for either the Trail Princess or the Trail Boss with FREE SHIPPING!  We LOVE Amazon!  That’s a huge savings since these puppies originally retailed at $499… and these puppies also require a lot less work and make less messes.  We most definitely like these puppies as opposed to your traditional Christmas puppy for sure.  I digress again:).

SWAG ALERT:  One lucky winner is going to take one of these puppies home!  Peg Perego is giving one away… maybe to you?  Tell us what you love about them and we’ll enter you in for a chance to win one in your choice of Trail Princess or Trail Boss!!  We’ll even try our best to get it to your door before Christmas!

You know how it works and what to do.  This SWAG ALERT will be open until we say so.  Good luck to all and have fun with our newest ways to gain EXTRA ENTRIES!!!

EXTRA ENTRIES for this SWAG ALERT:

Make sure to enter all EXTRAS as a comment on this post or include the #SWAGALERT hashtag so we can track on Twitter!!  We always want to make sure that we get all of your entries!

Disclosure: We did receive a Trail Princess to try out ourselves.  We
love it!  Also, the links to purchase are through Amazon.com and do
benefit our site if you are so inclined to purchase anything there by
clicking through that link.  It's a great way to support our site and
also get a fantastic deal with free shipping!  Of course it really was
the best deal around that we found too:)!!

Boston Bloggers Brunch with Bellaziza!

Friday, November 13th, 2009

We had a great time last weekend at our big event at Kenzie Kids and K-Girl in Wellesley, MA!  Many thanks to all of you who helped promote it on Twitter and who came out to see us!   It really was so nice to put faces to all of the comments, emails and tweets!  I had a blast!

IMG_3790

First of all the store, to which I had never been before, was…. aahhhmazing!!  My personal heaven, perhaps.  So many of my Favorite European kiddie fashions and a few new ones that you will soon be hearing more about!  Estelle Colgan, the queen bee at Kenzie Kids and K-Girl was absolutely so much fun and I was really so very happy to be able to support her businesses.  All of you know I’m a big believer in small business, right???  YES.  I most certainly am:).

Speaking of small biz, I also met Johanna Parker of Kaya’s Kloset who brought some of the cutest little no slip slippers ever for everyone from little babies to adults!  Let me tell you, Isabella loves hers; in shiny pink sequin, if you must know!  Definitely check them out and buy a few pairs:).  (Great stocking stuffers and totally affordable!!)  We also have a custom pair coming for Camilla.  Baby’s first custom shoes… awww!  ;)


IMG_3784

It was of course nice to be able to trunk-show-it-up with Bellaziza, but my Favorite part (beyond that aubergine Charabia dress that I’m still dreaming of!) was definitely the connection with the other moms and bloggers!  Of course Christine Koh of BostonMamas.com was there with her little sweetie pie (pictured above).  It was so nice to meet Christine IRL (That’s Blogger for In Real Life…ahem.)  Not many people know this but Christine gave me one of my first little pieces of press with Bellaziza shortly after I first started out.  It was a while ago, but some things are just special and this is one of them for me.  Support.  It means a lot.  Small business… remember?

JodiCrista

Then in came Jody Grundig who I personally, was really looking forward to meeting.  I really enjoy her writing and her humor on the sites that she writes for.  You know, one of those people online that you just know you’d really get along with IRL??  Like someone that you could really be friends with?  Yes.  I was right.  She’s fabulous and a very classy lady.  I’m sure we’ll be getting together again at some point (but in the mean time she’s slotted to be Favorite Tweep O’the Week on Twitter next Friday for #ff… but shhh because she doesn’t know.)  (Oh!  If you’re not on Twitter, that’s just my way of sending her a little extra love and some smiles;).)  …and now I’m laughing… :) .

So you’re probably wondering who was the youngest person there?  Who is our youngest reader in the Boston area who would come out to visit?  Little Liam, that’s who.  He has the sweetest mom too.  (You should follow her on Twitter too)  Yes, and little Liam was only three weeks old, yet felt the need to come out and represent… or “REPRESENT!” as Isabella says.  He was definitely our youngest attendee and the cutest too I think, for that matter.  Spitting image of his father too, just in case you were wondering, hehe!  (Silly me forgot to take his picture.  Drat!!)

I was so happy to have met so many of you and definitely felt the Boston love!  It was great meeting Eli and Sheri Gurock from Magic Beans, Kim of @KimWorld and all of the other wonderful people that came out.  Thanks for coming and supporting me, Bellaziza, Kenzie Kids, Boston Mamas and our other wonderful sponsors!  Like I said, some things are just special and this is one of them for me.

Congrats!

Friday, November 13th, 2009

Congrats to our winners of THREE different SWAG ALERTs!!!  Winners are as follows:

Right Bank Babies: Ava in TX

Juliette Sunshine: Laurel in LA and Lisa Savage

Invisibelt: jph3, Desi, kgentz13, jazzyrae, and xenia

We have contacted the winners and are gearing up for a great series of some seriously fabulous SWAG!  Stay tuned!  More V.I.P. SWAG coming up too!!!

Our Favorite Outerwear: Polarn O. Pyret!!

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

It’s getting cold here.  Winter is setting in.  The kids are bundled whenever we go anywhere.  Are yours?  Yup.  *nod, nod*  Isn’t it fun every year trying to find the perfect mix between practicality and aesthetic though?  …Especially as they get older too from what I hear.  Outerwear of good quality always carries a hefty price tag, but looking nice is important too! We found the perfect line of outerwear this year and have been SO excited to share it with you… Polarn O. Pyret!

You know how we love anything from Sweden, and Polarn O. Pyret is no exception.  The quality and durability are simply unmatched.  These pieces are made to last, yes, but through multiple children!  It’s intended.  Not something that you just end up hoping for.  Lots of thought going into every detail seems to be the theme of the full suit of outerwear that received for review.

What are our Favorite Things about this outerwear in particular?  What set it apart?  Glad you asked!  It’s made with the intention of being passed down from child to child… a few times!  That’s that “buy the best, buy-once” thing that we love around here!  If you buy something that you can really enjoy, the best of the best, and it lasts through multiple kids… that’s economical from our perspective!  Polarn O. Pyret definitely shares that philosophy.

Their coats also have the most amazing cuff.  It’s made of a Lycra Spandex material that resists wear and stains (still working on getting an image from POP).  You know the other material on almost all other coats that wears and stains and pills?  Yes.  That one.  Not on Polarn O. Pyret though!  The cuffs are also wonderfully functional in that they have a thumb hole in the side to help keep the oversize cuffs in place.  They’re extra long!  It keeps the cuffs in your mittens or over them if you wish.  It keeps the snow out and warmth in!  It’s wonderful.

The pants are just fabulous with their removable suspenders and adjustable waistband.  All Polarn O. Pyret garments feature this interior adjustable waist too… even their leggings!  The fit is great with lots of room to grow for sure.  We also really appreciate the detachable hood and pre-bent elbows and knees for best fit and ease of movement.  So smart!!

Their gloves are also a perfect match to the coat and snow pants, as is the neckwarmer.  Practically perfect in every way!  Lots of great things to keep the kids warm over the winter… and many more winters to come, with Polarn O. Pyret!  The only thing we didn’t like?  Yes, one thing… they don’t make sizes for mom and dad!!  Sigh, maybe someday!

Check them out online at www.PolarnOPyretUSA.com and right now, get free shipping with code ” ” at checkout!

Disclosure: We are so happy along with Polarn O. Pyret that one
very lucky little boy in need will be receiving this entire wintry
ensemble to keep him warm all winter long.  We love helping others
and so does POP!

You’re Invited: Bellaziza Trunk Show & Boston Bloggers Brunch!!

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

I’m so happy to announce a great lil’ event especially for you this Sunday November 8th from 10am – 2pm!  If you live in Boston or will be visiting for the weekend I’d absolutely love to meet you!  My bloggy friend Christine Koh from BostonMamas.com will be there too!  The kiddos are welcome and especially babies:)!  We looove babies and Camilla and Isabella will be stopping by for some quality (shopping) time with mommy….:)!

In collaboration with Kenzie Kids, BostonMamas.com and Magic Beans, we’re having a Bellaziza Trunk Show and Boston Bloggers Brunch!  Come eat, shop and enjoy some serious SWAG too!  What would any Bellaziza event be without SWAG:)!?!?  Here’s your official invitation below!  Click it and it will get bigger (so you can read it:)!)  Hope to see you there and feel free to email me with any questions…crista@ you know where.com:).

:) Crista

KenzieEventNov09

PS – I’m not quite a ‘Boston Blogger’… I know.  I love my New York:)!!  I did go to MassArt and live in Boston during the time I was in school there though!  I had to come up with a title people and it worked! Hehe!  Really hope to see you there!

#SWAGALERT: One, Two, Tie My Shoe, For YOU!!!

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

Do you know what I hate?  When you find the cutest shoes for your favorite little feet but can’t (or won’t) buy them because they are tie up shoes.  You know the kind you have to help out with every single time you get ready to go somewhere!  The kind that takes way too much time when you are trying to get out the door in a hurry.  Just one more thing to do before little Johnny can get off to school and out of your hair!  Yeah, those.  And teaching said little feet person to tie those shoes…fuggedaboudit!  Too much drama for this lady!

When I heard about One Two, Tie My Shoe, I just had to try it!  I’ve got two little boys that are just at that age where tying shoes is on the list of things to conquer.  I mean, velcro is SO three year old!  I was happily impressed by how something so simple could make the complex art of shoe tying…so simple!  Even little Charlie (who’s only four) quickly caught on to how to tie his shoes!

It’s really easy.   Just show your little one the basics steps of shoe tying (you know, make an X, push one lace through the bunny hole, make a bunny ear, etc) and then use the little split rings provided in the One, Two, Tie My Shoe kit to hold the loops in place.  Make  another X and whola!  Shoes tied!  No floppy bunny ears to tangle with!  Genius!

Add some super cute shoe charms and shoe tying just got a whole lot sweeter!  The One, Two, Tie My Shoe kits are great for special needs kids, early learners and late bloomers!  The price is nice at only $7.96 with FREE shipping!!  So check then out over at www.onetwotiemyshoe.com and have fun getting those little fingers in the house to take take care of their own little feet!

SWAG ALERT: Follow us on Twitter for random giveaways of more than TEN One, Two, Tie My Shoe kits!!!  It’s our first round of Twitter SWAG ALERTS with many more to come, so stay tuned to @Bellaziza on Twitter!!!  Tweet us and tell us you’d like one… and that’s what you just may get:)!!

SALE ALERT: Got Boots? Vincent Shoes for Kids Fall 09′!

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

We’re big fans of Vincent Shoes out of Sweden, and that’s no surprise to anyone. What’s not to like? They’ve got the European styling of their more expensive cousins, and great quality too! It’s the price that’s different! Much lower; and in this economy, who’s not at least a little tempted by that?!?!  Yeah. We are too.

That’s when we get all warm and fuzzy… when design, quality and value meet all together and have a big party! Vincent’s always good for that for sure.

This season, just like any other, we have our Favorites! There are always a ton of great styles and colors to choose from, but these two little boots just stole our hearts!

Speaking of hearts! These Susan boots are just the cutest. (They also go so very well with practically anything from Lemon Loves Lime’s Fall 09′ collection!) They come in a few different color options too. Velcro is always easy, but what we love MOST are the adorable little shiny hearts and how comfy they are for everyday! Too too cute!

The other style that we love this season is Rudolph. They have the classical styling that goes with anything, but with a little edge! They’re so great too at not showing wear with the textured patent leather finish. There’s a variety of colors to suit any little boy or girl, and they make a great little accessory with jeans or a hip look in the right dress or skirt too! Something unexpected? Yes, they work that way too!

Check out VincentShoeStore.us for more info and to see their entire collection and right now, 10% Off on All Vincent Kids’ Shoes-Coupon Code VIN-DEAL-10

Want to help support our site? Shop Vincent Shoes through clicking the links in this post:)!!

Disclosure Statement: We did receive samples from Vincent and do
receive a portion of the sales generated through this post through
their affiliate program.  We love them of course regardless though!

Tasha Goes Blue: Candy Overload? We Gotcha Covered!

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

So Halloween has come and gone but there in the kitchen is a large bowl of candy…staring at you.  What in the world are we going to do with it all?  We had fun collecting it, but there is no way I’m letting them ingest all of that sugar!  So I had a bright idea.  We got home early from the Trunk or Treat downtown and there were kids trick or treating everywhere in our neighborhood.  I ran out of candy SO fast!  So we grabbed our bags and emptied them out, picked a few of our favorites and re-gifted the rest of the candy!  It’s recycling at it’s best!  My boys had no problem sharing their candy with their neighborhood friends!

If you have way too much candy for your little sweeties, Christina at The Fairly Odd Mother gives a fantastic idea on being generous with your loot!  She suggests sending it on to the troops who are serving overseas.  Great idea, right?!  So visit her site and follow her links for the details.

If you are a candy hog, we don’t judge.  Enjoy every bite and save a Reese’s for me!

:) Tasha

Related Posts with Thumbnails

Shop Our Sponsors

  • Shop Our Sponsors

    • 1BrattDecor
    • 2Saurette
    • 3Bellaziza
    • 4Anka
    • 5RBB
    • 8Recaro
    • 9Belli

Design and development by

This site is proudly powered by