With Christmas just around the corner, our search for the very best toys has kept us just as busy as the big man in red and his pointy eared elves. We are proud to add Schylling Toys to our list of the crème de la crème in toy companies. And can we just tell you that they are giving Santa’s Workshop a run for their money! Schylling Toys offers a huge variety of things that your Christmas morning will not be the same without!

Schylling is known for their classic vintage toys but also offer fun new ideas for your little ones as well. Boys will flip over their great selection of toys featuring classic characters like Thomas the Train and Curious George. Our favorites are the Thomas Humming Top and the Curious George Jack In The Box.  These two toys are timeless classics made with exceptional quality.

The Small Miracles dress up costumes are something every little guy must have and the quality is everything us Moms want!  The Firefighter costume in particular caught our eye.  The quality is so amazing that we think it could even be used as a rain jacket!  Check out Schylling’s website for even more durable dress up costumes at great prices.  Even the big guy in your family will appreciate their vintage die cast toys! From the assortment of airplanes to the good ol’ Ford Woody Wagon, the die cast vehicles that Schylling sells are a great gift for the collector in your life…no matter what his age!

Don’t think for a minute that Schylling forgot the girls either!  Just as their boys collections are fabulous, they leave the girls without any room for disappointment.  We adore their tea sets and classic Flatsy Dolls the most.  They make a great variety of tea sets – surely an appropriate set for any child from the Curious George tin set to the Madeline porcelain set and even the elegant silver-plate set that looks like something that absolutely every little princess ought to have.  They have a lovely little line of jewelry boxes complete with music and pirouetting ballerina inside, just like we used to have when we were little moms!  We also loved the play cooking set in blue enamel which again, has a real retro feel, and the vintage baking set – absolutely perfect for any little June Cleaver in the making!!!  The products themselves are super cute at Schylling, but the packaging is so special too, keeping with the vintage look of almost everything.  Details, details, DETAILS!!!

Any little musicians out there?  We found a perfect source for great little instruments as well from pianos and xylophones to accordions (our Favorite!!) and slide whistles!  Schylling has it all!  They also have lots of more gender neutral items that any kid would love like their exclusive Sock Monkey Collection, Curious George Collection and of course the ever-useful Thomas The Tank Engine!  What little boy or girl doesn’t just love Thomas?!?! Schylling has it all at prices that will never break the bank (something not so easy to come by around these parts, no:)?!?!?).  Their incredible variety of products is perfect for the Holidays from stocking stuffers to fabulous play tents!  Birthdays for the playdate pals are sure to be a breeze from now on too!!  Whew!

Best of all, you can shop Schylling easily with their Shop Online feature where you can search over twenty categories and quickly order the toys of your choice! You can not compare standing in line to buy cheap toys from the every day toy stores with the easy online ordering of quality toys from Schylling!  Trust us, you’ll LOVE us for finding them!!!

This week we’re swagging one lucky reader with our Favorite Dolls and Strollers from Corolle!!!  It’s a $250 value that ANY little princess will simply adore including a Bébé Chéri Doll, a Mon Premier Calin Candy Pink Doll, a Navy & Pink Carriage AND a Floral Umbrella Stroller!!!

To enter, go to www.Corolle.com and take a look at their products. THEN simply comment on this post saying what you love most about their products, their website or their company.  Entries without suitable comments will not be counted out of respect for our fabulous readers and our wonderful sponsor. Your feedback is valuable to our sponsors and is one of the reasons we are able to provide such amazing info and prizes for you!

You may enter once per email address per day as usual and EXTRA ENTRIES are available as always for blogging about us, referring new confirmed subscribers, and/or adding our button to your blog or website. Just leave a comment telling us how you earned that extra entry (plus any relevant info like your blog address or referral’s email address).  Please do leave separate comments for each, as your comments are your actual entries.

Every little girl needs the perfect doll (or maybe just a few), right?  We definitely think so.  We are of the opinion, as with everything else, that it’s always better to buy the best first and not just accumulate more ‘stuff’ in our lives.  It’s one of the main ideas behind Bellaziza’s Favorite Things actually: one or just a few of something that is truly unique, beautiful, and really well-made is ALWAYS better than a collection of whatevers that barely get played with or used individually. It is not only usually more economical in the end, but more environmentally friendly and promotes a healthy respect for all things and a pride of ownership in the hearts of our little ones.

Corolle is certainly no exception to this frame of thought.  Their lovely line of dolls and accessories is unsurpassed in both quality and beauty.  The detail and quality of each doll is magnificent from their signature vanilla scent to their clothes and accessories, they really are toys to be treasured.  We’re not the only ones to feel this way either.  Little mommies Suri Cruise, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt and Violet Affleck are all big fans of Corolle and have been seen with their babies everywhere from the French Riviera to the exclusive boutiques of Madison Avenue!

Our Favorite Corolle Dolls are the Bébé Chéri Doll (20″) and the Mon Premier Calin series of dolls (12″).  We also are completely in love with the Navy and Pink Carriage and the darling little Floral Umbrella Stroller. 

We found incredible deals on all of these products for you at 30% off retail or better on Amazon.com that even qualify for FREE SHIPPING!  Don’t you just love Amazon?!?!  Just click any of the links to take you right there.

The Bébé Chéri Doll, Suri and Shiloh’s Favorite, measures 20″ in length and actually fits into real baby clothes in size 3 months!  It is definitely life-like with it’s blinking eyes and real baby clothes.  It comes in a lovely little smocked jumper and is one of those toys that is sure to be loved and cherished for years to come by your little mommy.  It is recommended for children ages 3 and up.

The Mon Premier Calin line of dolls, Violet’s Favorite, are dressed in a variety of beautiful outfits and measure 12″ in length making them perfect as a first doll for your little baby doll!  Corolle offers a complete line of clothing, accessories and even nursery furniture and baby gear for this line of dolls that can be purchased separately and is sure to delight. They are recommended for ages 18 months and up.

We just love strollers here…big surprise, right?  When we saw Corolle’s  Navy and Pink Carriage it was absolute love at first sight…just like the first time we saw our family’s much loved Bertini 905 Bidwell Carriage!!!  The classic styling and real life-like features of this doll stroller are the absolute best and it is sure to please even the most discerning little mommies in their quests for the hottest and absolute best strollers…just like their mommies.  It includes a lift-out carry bed and converts to become a stroller (again, just like it’s older sister the Bertini:)!!!)  SO cute, trust us!!!

Now it’s not the Navy and Pink Carriage, but sometimes you need something a little more sporty and lightweight for those quick in-and-out trips around town!  Corolle’s Floral Umbrella Stroller is absolutely perfect for those days when your mini mama just can’t be bothered to drag the carriage out.  Sometimes less is more, right?  It’s perfect for the Mon Premier Calin dolls and even doubles as a great dog-chaser (so do warn Fido!).

Click on the links provided for more info on discounted pricing as well as the free shipping offer that applies.  For more info on the dolls themselves and all fo the other great accessories that Corolle offers, check out Corolle’s website, www.Corolle.com.

Also, check out their beautiful and innovative new Marie Doll in our 2008 Holiday Gift Guide (TOYS page 6)!

Marie is a 17-inch soft-bodied baby doll with hair to brush and with a special feature that enables her mommy to record and share messages of up to 1.5 minutes in duration!  How cool, right?

She says 2 sentences in 6 languages (French, English, Italian, German, Spanish and Dutch) to invite her mommy to record a message and to brush her hair.  She is dressed in the sweetest little pink and white dress with little pink bloomers underneath.  She’s the perfect gift for those jet-set tots with all of her international flair!

Brought to you by our definitive 2008 Holiday Gift Guide, may we present THANKSGIVING SWAG!  It’s a collection of our Favorite Things to get you and your little ones merrily through your travels this Holiday Season, valued at over $500!!!

Over the river and through the woods…oh if it were just that easy! It’s more like stuck in traffic and delayed flights and wiggly little behinds! The most traveled holiday of the year is upon us, but don’t start pulling your hair out just yet! We have put together a list of items that are sure to keep your child safe and happy for your Thanksgiving travels and beyond! Whether you are loading up the minivan or traipsing everything but the kitchen sink to the airport, your trip will go smoothly with some of our Favorite Things for travel in hand!

Don’t walk out the door until you have packed this Favorite of ours! The Fisher Price Kid Tough DVD Player®! It’s a real DVD player designed just for kids. Your child can drop this thing as many times as their clumsy (yet adorable) little hands allow and it keeps on going! Our Favorite Things about this DVD player… 1) the fact that it can be taken with you anywhere, 2) it can be taken away unlike built in headrest options in cars and 3) the incredible anti-skip protection! Don’t worry about any turbulence or wiggly bottoms disturbing your little sweetie’s entertainment! And talk about versatile, it even plays CDs, too! Our SWAG giveaway includes the Accessories Kit and since we know that you can’t have the hottest new thing without a hot bag to carry it in, the carrying case is coming your way too!

“Can I take a picture of the turkey, Mommy?” If that sentence makes you cringe, then you need our next FAVORITE THING! I know when my little shutter bug wants to take pictures with my digital camera it’s a near meltdown, for both of us. But with their own Fisher Price Kid Tough Digital Camera® in hand, cringe no more! This is a real digital camera that’s tough enough and easy enough for kids to use all by themselves. Your child will be so proud to be the Thanksgiving photographer and you will be proud of yourself for making this one of your Favorite Things!  Click here to see a great video review of both these products by Dallas Fox 4 / KDFW .

Whatever you do, do not get even close to an airport without the Trunki!! At 3.8 pounds this ride-on (yes, I said ride-on!) suitcase for kids is a necessary part of your jet-setting family! Your kids can pack all their favorite things , sit on and ride their own luggage while the carry-on size makes it easy to carry and store in overhead luggage compartments. Not only is this amazing product convenient and a steal at only $39.99-$59.99 (or less!) (Click Here to purchase), the ingenious makers of Trunki have safety covered too! It has a built in soft rim to prevent little fingers from getting caught while shutting the case AND it has designed stabilizers to prevent children from easily falling off. We LOVE that!

So you’ve got your Trunki in tow and have made it to your gate. But what about that annoying car seat that you had to schlep through the airport! With your carry-on in one arm and the car seat awkwardly in the other, it’s a nightmare! No more! CARES is an innovative child restraint designed specifically for aviation use for children age 1 and older who weigh between 22 and 44 pounds. It weighs just one pound and fits into a 6″ bag! That’s right, girls, you can be safe and stylish because it will easily fit in your handbag! CARES is simple to install, and FAA approved. Click here to purchase for just $74.95 (or less)! What could be better? Safe, easy, fits in your handbag…a frequent flyer mommy’s dream!

Dance your way through your trip with the best of children’s music singing in your ears! The soundtrack for your journey will be fun, upbeat and jazzy with Kinderjazz’s new CD “The One For Me” (Click here to purchase) and really rockin’ with The Jimmies new CD “Make Your Own Someday” (Click here to purchase).

Without further ado, we would like to present to you, our FABULOUS readers our Definitive 2008 Holiday Gift Guide!  Please check it out and stay tuned over the next 6 weeks for some of our best HOLIDAY SWAG ALERTS ever as well as many EXCLUSIVE discounts, tips and tricks!!!  Please make sure to sign our guest book, too, at the bottom of the page, and tell us what you think!

Happy Holidays from your Favorite Elves!!!

Many thanks to Tasha L., one of our fabulous readers, for this great find!  It really is such a great idea and the perfect gift for any little artist!

Art2Believe takes your child’s original artwork and recreates it into a doll, pillow, or even does custom work to whatever you would like!  Take a look at www.art2believe.com and you will see lots of beautiful examples of their work.  What better way to preserve those precious little drawings or to show your little Picasso just how great you think their masterpiece is?

Oompa Toys is our absolute FAVORITE place to shop for the best toys ever and we wanted you to know why.

We all love those adorably unique Euro toys, but finding a really great selection like theirs just seems impossible.  Oompa has made it so easy now though to shop from our side of the pond over to the other side and beyond!  They even have a little search feature on the side where you can shop by country!  Now how cool is that?!?

You’ll find all of your favorites there from Plan Toys, Italtrike, Haba, Djeco, Vilac and SO many more!  It’s truly an experience, so go check it out, explore and enjoy!!!  BONUS: Spend $65 or more and SHIP FOR FREE right now too!!!

Matt Damon and his wife Luciana recently welcomed Gia Zavala, baby girl #3 into their family.  Matt must feel a little overwhelmed by all of that estrogen from our guess, but absolutely elated as well!  Congrats Matt and Luciana, and welcome little Gia!

Baby, we’re sure that there were tons of gifts, but we recently got some insider 411 on a nice little surprise that was sent from the uber-chic celeb favorite MilkShop.com!  The package contained some beautiful things and we thought we’d pass the info along just in case any of you have your own little new arrivalettes that need a little something extra special.

Arriving at Chez Damon: a Piggy Doll by BlaBla, a Pasha Silk Kurta in pink by Leaves of Grass, an ultra luxe Larucci Leopard Blanket in cream, the entire Kiehl’s Baby Product Collection, and last but not least, an absolute necessity for any little princess, a Mason Pearson Child’s Hairbrush in pink.

Hatley is one of our absolute Favorites for that indispensable genre of clothing that might not fall into the extraordinary every time, but that none of us can live without…Everyday Clothes!  Hatley’s new colors and patterns for this fall are beautiful and so much fun!  They are of course in keeping with their Nature theme, apples, horses, dinosaurs, the ever popular moose, and this time around there’s even some alien action!

Hatley’s new backpacks and lunch totes are pretty impressive.  They of course are made with the high quality that we would expect form all things labeled Hatley, but they spare no expense in the design and production departments!  It’s so great when something works and functions as well as it looks, right?!?!  That’s typically Hatley!

The backpack is very roomy without being oversized, and makes great use of its’ compartments.  The lunch tote fits very neatly inside too!  The zippers are made for kid-use and the canvas that they are constructed of is absolutely made for loads of loads and multiple washings.  We love the apple print the most but were a little concerned as it is mostly white…hmmm…SCOTCHGUARD, GIRLS!  It works fabulously and will keep people in wonder and amazement of how you could be that good to keep your little sweetie in a white backpack that always looks new!

The Lunch Tote is fabulous too and makes a great little travel cooler as well if your set hasn’t reached school age yet.  Again, it washes quite well and you can keep it looking new forever with a little Scotchguard.  The inside is lined in plastic, and there’s an elastic tether to keep things from bouncing around inside.

The Backpacks are $30 and the Lunch Totes are $20 and are available to ship immediately.  Check them out online to browse or place your order, CLICK HERE or on the button below to see their website.  All items ship from Canada, so give a little extra time for shipping.

Also, stay tuned for our upcoming reviews of their fabulous new outerwear collections including matching Rain Essentials (raincoats, rain boots, and the weetest little umbrellas you’ve ever seen) and Snow Essentials (fluffy snow jackets, snow pants and matching snow boots fit for the Canadian cold!).  They are all absolutely adorable!!!

Aren’t these dolls just the cutest?  Where do you get them?  You make them yourself and it’s really simple even if you don’t really sew.  It’s a little something we found on MarthaStewart.com and we are so in love with the idea.

Just imagine how June Cleaver-ish of you to sit down with your little princess and make her a doll!  OMG, right?!?  There are 3 tutorials to show you exactly what to do and a very simple pattern to download for free!  Go you, Supermom!

CLICK HERE for more info, and thanks Martha!!

Yes, it’s finally here!  After months of waiting we are finally ready to post our biggest SWAG ALERT ever, and just in time to celebrate our 100th post!

Happy 100th Post Bellaziza’s Favorite Things!!!

Enter to win our new quarterly “MEMBERS ONLY SWAG” for your very own Phil&Teds Vibe with Doubles Kit valued at $800!!!  This is in celebration of our 100th post on BellazizasFavorites.com, and also the launch of our hot new MEMBERS ONLY SWAG!  It’s some very sizable swag so we’re going to run it for a while, giving you lots of fun chances to enter!

So here’s the deal:  Just CLICK HERE to subscribe to our updates and as a subscriber, you’re automatically entered to win the Vibe as well as all of our weekly SWAG ALERTs!!!  Subscribe for as many of your different email addresses as you like too!  That’s right!  The source of entries will be our subscriber list and all subscribers are automatically entered to win all MEMBERS ONLY SWAG ALERTs and weekly SWAG ALERTs forever!  The drawing will take place on Tuesday, December 16th and one of you will roll away with a spanking new Vibe for two!

To maximize chances of winning our MEMBERS ONLY SWAG giveaways make sure you’re A.) subscribed to our blog, and take advantage of our EXTRA ENTRIES!!!

EXTRA ENTRIES are available for referring new confirmed subscribers, blogging about us on your blog, AND/OR adding our button to your blog too!  Just send separate emails to swag@bellazizasfavorites.com letting us know what you did for your extras and we’ll make sure to count them in!

Winner will be chosen via random.org and fetched using Prizey.net.  Good luck to all!  Click HERE to return to www.BloggyGiveaways.com.

Boy oh boy, nobody tells you how to weed through all of the “essential” baby products out there like we do!  How many “Must Have” products are really that must have? It’s our mission and we are constantly out there looking for the best products so that you  A) get the best, B) live with less clutter, and C) not waste your time, space or money!

Luna Lullaby is a new Favorite of ours with three of their products – the ball, the blanket and the pillow.  ALL of them have multiple uses to carry you through pregnancy and well into the toddler years without having to buy loads more stuff to do what these three products do so well on their own.  Simply genius!!!

First is the Bounce-A-Bye-Baby Ball.  It’s the perfect birthing ball, pre and post-pregnancy excercise ball, and it also works incredibly as a soothing motion seat – bouncing little Junior into a trance-like state almost instantly!  It really is the perfect parenting companion!  It also comes with its own hand pump for easy inflation and a simple-to-assemble and transport stability stand.  It’s definitely something you don’t want to do without for so many reasons.  Any product that promises to help you through both labor and delivery and then a colicky baby too is definitely a must have!

Luna Lullaby’s Soothing Blankets are another fabulous part of their baby must-have trifecta!  They are made of super chic and breathable cotton muslin and are oversized which is a long-overdue change to receiving blankets for sure!  They are really very soft too and wash beautifully!  We love the fact that they come with a detailed instructional DVD too so that you too can learn to construct the Perfect Swaddle!  (How smart was that?!?!)  You can also use your Soothing Blankets as a sunshade for stroller rides, a lightweight and breathable nursing cover, a playmat, or a great accessory for an always popular game of peekaboo!

The third product that we just love is the Bosom Baby nursing pillow.  It not only functions as a nursing pillow, but again multitasks through pregnancy and beyond starting as a very comfortable maternity sleeping pillow, a great support pillow for baby’s tummy time, and a cozy pillow for your toddler to curl up to their favorite cartoons in.  It’s multi-functionality is really impressive and it’s something that your family will enjoy for now and for years to come.  It is also PERFECT for twins, which most other nursing pillows are not.  It has lots of room and is definitely wide enough to support two at once!

All three products are a dream for any expectant mother and something that would so make the perfect shower gift.  The Bounce A Bye Baby ball sells for $52.00, the Soothing Blankets come three to a set with the DVD for $42.00, and the Bosom Baby pillow sells at $58.00 with extra covers available at $34.00 each.  For more information check out www.LunaLullaby.com and tell them who sent you!

Have you ever been in a bind for a great gift but weren’t exactly sure what to get?  With kids you can just do an age-appropriate toy and call it a day if you need to, but we think that a Custom Made For Kids Book is your best bet.  It’s very unique and appropriate for kids from birth to age 8.  You can purchase a gift certificate for one and then they (or mom and dad) get to have the super fun experience of creating their own!  It will then be printed and sent in the mail which is even more fun – doesn’t everyone just love getting a special package?  It’s also a great answer to a gift for those kids who seem to have everything, without breaking your bank at only $32.95 at www.custommadeforkids.com.  

Books are always a perfect gift.  This book beats all though, truly capturing your child’s memories and personality all in one beautifully illustrated package.  We were also impressed by the creativity of the illustrations, the quality of the paper and it’s durability.  Being that they are made to preserve these memories of childhood, we loved the fact that they were so well-constructed and thoughtfully meant to last throughout the years.

Sarah and Sarah, owners of Custom Made For Kids have created a very unique product, and one that will help capture the memories of childhood for your family.  Until August 31, they are offering 20% off of your own order with code adventures20 too!  Take this opportunity to check out their website and order one for your family.  We really do love ours!

To win your own fabulous Cavallino, email reviews@bellaziza.com with ”ITALTRIKE SWAG” in the subject line and let us know which of the four Italtrike ABC Chocolate Collection products is your absolute favorite and why.

All entries must be received by Sunday, July 27th, midnight, PST.  You may enter once per email address per day.  Winner will be chosen on Monday via random.org.  Good luck to all!

How many of you find that the before and after look of your home is dramatically different once the little prince or princess hits home?  It’s the huge footprint of toys and baby gear left in their wake that gets hard to deal with sometimes.  What used to look like something out of the pages of Better Homes and Gardens, ends up a kid-zone.  We are so happy that someone is finally coming up with toys that are super fun, but at the same time don’t scream childish in your beautifully furnished home! 

The new ABC Chocolate Collection by Italtrike is absolutely lovely.  It incorporates beautifully finished wood and that fantastic Italian design that always gets us all googley-eyed!  Of the four available pieces in the collection, we received the Triciclino and the Cavallino.  (Take a look at www.italtrike.com for more information on the other two pieces in the collection.)

The Triciclino is absolutely the finest tricycle that we have ever seen.  It’s not only beautiful and can work within your decor, but it’s a pretty smooth ride too from what our favorite little toy-tester tells us!  The wheels are made of a soft rubbery plastic which is is big plus.  They grip the floor better and don’t show wear and tear like hard plastics or foams do.  The wheels also have some weight to them which adds stability to the trike.  The pedals are substantial and nicely shaped, making it a great training trike for kids who are learning to pedal.  It’s a fantastic indoor toy – not too big, and looks so nice!  Not something we would recommend for outside use though.

The Cavallino is equally as wonderful.  We love the detail and lines of the collection as a whole, but the quirky little texture on this horsey’s mane is just too cute!  The rockers on the bottom work really well and have a safe slope to them unlike some other rocking horses out there.  They have this great little curve that goes back out at the tips, preventing tips and accidents when your rowdy little sweetie starts rocking too hard…whew!  

The fact that this collection matches the family coffee table might just be enough for you, but amazingly enough they are truly fantastic toys!  It’s so exciting just to think of the living room as just a living room and not another extension of the playroom with toys all over.  All four pieces are recommended for ages 2-5 and retail for between $90 – $150.  Maybe the ABC Chocolate Collection will help you to find something in-between though, since everyone loves Chocolate!