Specialty Items – Page 5 – Rockland NY Mom

Santa Sacs- A Christmas Giveback

Posted on November 7, 2014 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Christmas 2014, Crafts, Reviews, Specialty Items, Thoughts.. .

Disclosure: This is an unsponsored post, all opinions expressed are my own.

One give back mission that we are beginning this year will be centered around these custom “Santa Sacs”. I ordered beautiful classic sacs from Doodlebells, if you are interested order fast. Malorie has amazing turn around time (especially for such customized and well made items), but orders will fill up quickly and you won’t want to miss out.

The idea behind the sacs is that “Marvin” will bring them early with a letter from Santa which will provide us with directions. The directions are to fill their sac with older toys that they no longer play with or have outgrown. This will help to make room for the new toys that they will receive and give the kids the opportunity to decide what they can give up. They will then leave the filled Sacs out for “Marvin” to return to Santa. Santa will repair and clean up all of the toys to give to boys and girls who would like to have them this year. This way, removing toys from their collections has a purpose. I will schedule a “pick up please” appointment to have the toys taken away as a donation to those who would like and enjoy them (of course these toys are still in good shape and hopefully will bring joy to other little boys and girls).

I was looking for sacs that looked like they would belong to the man himself. I wanted them to be classic red and white, with “fur” trim, and to be personalized for each of my children. I used their monograms to make it more timeless. Malorie took my request and ran with it. She also had some pretty awesome ideas for other bags if you are looking for something more customized. Her abilities like her imagination knows no bounds. The results are shown below.

The quality of these bags is beyond compare. Much nicer than their mass produced counterparts. Having them made in a classic design means that they will be able to be used as the kids grow up and they won’t be too childish for quite some time.

I am so excited to debut them this year there is no doubt in my mind that these bags will be another magical reminder of the true spirit of Christmas.

To place an order with Malorie you can contact her on Facebook Click Here or you can check out her Website Click Here.

‘Tis the Season!

Posted on October 28, 2014 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Good Cause, Photo Obsessed, Specialty Items, Thoughts.. .

One of the things that I am most proud of on our site is our Photographers Directory. There you can find a variety of styles and price points, along side of these talented ladies (just a coincidence) you will find samples of the pictures that they took of my children or family and a full review. Some of what really impresses me about them is not only their talent, but their personalities, their hearts. I am happy to say that through our interactions I am able to call these artists my friends as well as my associates. Nothing could make me prouder to call them friends than this new opportunity. This season one of our participants STUDIO 3 reminds us what this time of year is truly about and provides you with an opportunity to tackle a few items on your to do list with panache.

“HOPE for Brian”…it’s a holiday MINI-session with a BIG goal and You can be part of it all!

Disclosure: This is an unsponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Last year, during the holiday season I introduced you to Studio 3 Photography who took some unbelievable photographs of my family during one of their famous “Holiday Minis”. Don’t remember? Click Here. The piece and its corresponding article were a big hit, being printed in the local “Pearl River and Orangeburg Life.”

This year, not only are they offering their mini-sessions to you again, but this year there is a bit of a twist. They have decided that in the spirit of the season they will donate $50 of every session booked to the “Hope for Brian” fund. Brian is a handsome little ray of sunshine that the trio was luckily enough to meet during a session. Brian has a rare children’s disease called Atazia-Telangiectasia. Please read the following press release and even if you don’t book a session, consider joining me in making a donation.

Studio 3 Photography Mini-Session Press Release

“Imagine a disease that combines the worst symptoms of muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, immune deficiencies, and cancer. Children with A-T (Atazia-Telangiectasia) are usually confined to wheelchairs by age 10 and often do not survive their teens.” –www.atcp.org

“Did you know there are only around 1000 documented cases of Ataxia-Telangiectasia in the world? 500 of them live in the United States”

ONE is our neighbor.

He is 3 1/2 and his name is Brian…

“HOPE for Brian”…it’s a holiday MINI-session with a BIG goal and You can be part of it all!

What: Holiday MINI Sessions with a BIG goal

When: November 1st – November 8th

Who: “Hope For Brian” fund

Where: Studio Three in Sparkill, NY

Why: Because ‘tis the season to remember the people who allow us to do what we love every day and to help out where we can.

How: Register at http://studio3photographers.com/hope-for-brian/

For more information please contact Caitlin at Studio 3 Photography.

914-629-0068
caitlinfuster@gmail.com

Supermodel for a Day

Posted on October 1, 2014 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Photo Obsessed, Reviews, Specialty Items .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are my own.

We work so hard to get our kids on the right track from the start. Breastfeeding, or choosing the BEST formula that we can find. Making our own baby food, buying organic, BPA Free products and so on. As a society we have even learned to treat ourselves (yes the adults) better. One thing that is finally starting to emerge is all natural/organic makeup. IN the past our makeup has been made of, well, let’s not get into that. Think about it, what’s in your nail polish??

Denise at Facewear uses all natural/organic makeup in her applications. She even has an all-natural manicure that she does. What a great little date for you and your little princess. Some other services that I love that she does? She does makeup lessons…. No need for your daughter to learn on her own that less is more, or how to apply eye liner Denise can show her.

The most popular services of course are her applications which she does for so many different occasions, bridal, prom (senior and junior), homecomings, photo sessions, sweet sixteens, you name it. She also has tons of specials that she runs so you will want to check back with us, and on her website or Facebook page to keep current.

I barely ever wear makeup. I know I should ( I am not getting any younger) but it takes so much time, and I would need some time in the bathroom by myself to accomplish it. Up until two years ago I was still using the makeup I had purchased for my wedding (in 2004). I finally purchased new stuff two years ago when I was attending a wedding. Yes, I am aware that 2 years old is also old, but I really only wear it to special occasions. One thing that keeps me from applying often is that I worry for my skin. As a teen I had terrible acne. I live in fear that what I use will clog my pores and I will look like that again.

I am even more nervous about having someone else do my makeup. I don’t like looking “made-up”. When I apply my own, I put it on, and then wipe a good amount of it off (something my husband found very interesting when we first started dating). The fact that I was willing to have someone apply it really means that I trust Denise. So we made a date, for our next website review of a photographer, Denise would do my make-up so that I had some pictures of the family and I would have some nice makeup done for it (let’s face it moms, when we plan these photos, we still don’t get a whole lot of time to make ourselves pretty for them, it’s more about what everyone is wearing, your kids hair etc.). This time it’s a little about me too. Which is important. We want these memories to be special, how often do most people have pictures done (I’m the exception because I am obsessed)?

As nervous as I was I was put completely at ease the moment I was in Denise’s chair. She is warm and inviting, and wants your opinion. She isn’t just going to “cake” on some make-up (thank God) and when I repeated for the third time that I don’t usually wear make-up and wanted to look natural, she said,” no problem and if you get uncomfortable, we can scale it back.” The air brushing was lite and relaxing, the whole process completely painless and when I opened my eyes? I felt like a supermodel. I was truly amazed with the outcome. I look like me, just a better version. Which was the goal.

A close up of the beautiful job Denise did on my makeup.

As adamant as I am about taking family photos and displaying them (and if you follow me you know I am. It’s important that you take the opportunity to make yourself feel happy and pretty. Although as a woman I am still very critical of myself (especially since I know that all of you will see the pictures), I am not the least bit worried about how my face looks. I trust Denise to do my makeup any time. The true testament? I have recommended her to numerous friends and family, have already planned to purchase some gift certificates for family for the holidays (she has these amazing face firming packages), and added her to my mental list of professionals that I would use if I was planning my wedding over again (come on you all have one).

You will have to wait to see the family photos until I post my review of Stefanie Murphy Media Later this month, but here are the pictures of my face from the session before the family pictures were taken. See for yourself, I actually felt beautiful, and I think my face reflects that.

Modeling in front of the Facewear sign. It was nice to take some time for me, and feel pretty for a change.

Denise at Facewear
91 West Nyack Road Nanuet, NY
845-512-8874 (work) 845-304-4268 (cell)
facewearmakeup@gmail.com
www.facewear.net and like her on FaceBook to stay up to date on her current specials!

To Want a Root Canal

Posted on September 17, 2014 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Money Momma, Reviews, Specialty Items, Uncategorized .

Disclosure: This is an unsponsored post. All opinions are those of Jamie our ‘Money Momma’.

We see so many questions and posts about where to find a good dentist. People are inquiring all over the boards. It’s those frequent posts paired with Jamie’s amazing experience that she had just had with Rothstein Dental that prompted this one.

Terrified does not even begin to describe how the dentist makes me feel. I have no idea why or how this fear came to be. Nothing bad has ever happened to me at the dentist…ever. Nevertheless, the terror crept in when one of my back, right teeth began to hurt so badly that I was forced to make the dreaded call to the man with the drill.

Rothstein Dental has very convenient hours, sometimes opening early, sometimes closing late. I waited until 9:00 when I knew someone would be answering the phones and was told that since I was in pain, I should go ahead and come over right away and they would get me in at 9:10. This was one of many ways Rothstein Dental impressed me. Unfortunately, I was not able to take them up on their accommodation because 2 year old (S) cannot be dropped off at camp until 9:15. Not to worry. They understood and set me up with a 10am appointment with Dr. Michael Rothstein.

I arrived at 10am terrified as usual. They took me back right away and even tried to help me relax by offering me bottled water and soft music. I barely had time to press play before Dr. Rothstein was in the room beginning the exam. After some X-rays and a thorough exam it was determined that the tooth would need a root canal. HERE is where the real fun began. I was in the office on a Tuesday. Root canals are done by Dr. Blum, the root canal specialist, on Wednesdays (standard practice in most offices), and we were leaving for a 10 day beach vacation that Friday. Talk about bad timing!!

It’s dangerous to let a necessary root canal procedure linger more than a week or so because there is a risk of infection. Since I was not going to be in Rockland county the following Wednesday, they got me in to see Dr. Blum the very next day. There wasn’t even a hesitation to accommodate my vacation. The very first thing they said was “we will get you in tomorrow”. In addition to needing to be seen immediately, I also had a VERY small 2 hour window in which (S), my 2 year old, would be in camp. In order to fit me in, they had to rearrange the entire next day’s schedule. This meant calling every single appointment Dr. Blum had the next day and changing the time. I was seriously impressed but more than anything just so grateful for how accommodating everyone in the office was. That was no easy feat.

For the record the root canal itself, it was a totally painless procedure. They were aware of my dental fear and without my even having to ask took great care to make sure I was totally numb, understood what was happening, and knew exactly what the follow up care should be. I left without pain less than 90 minutes after I walked in the door. Dr. Blum gave me some pointers to keep the pain at bay. I can happily say I ate all the food I wanted on vacation without any pain in my tooth.

We are now excited to tell you all that Rothstein dental is offering an exclusive deal for all RocklandNYMom.com readers of 50% off any teeth cleaning booked during the month of September and 10% off any cleaning booked thereafter. Rothstein Dental takes most insurances and can be reached to make an appointment at 845-634-8866. Visit http://www.rothsteindentistry.com/ for more information on Rothstein Dental.

Where do you want to go today?

Posted on September 11, 2014 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Out and about..., Specialty Items, Thoughts.., Uncategorized .

Disclosure: This is an unsponsored post. All opinions expressed are my own.

I love to travel, do to things. I would schedule every minute of each day that we are on vacation. RNYD, not so much. He would prefer to stay closer to home, and likes to relax (we balance each other well). Recently, (A) has asked about going to Disney (ok for almost a year now) but we were hesitant to spend the money since he and (E) were so young. We are thinking that this coming spring/summer would be a good time because (A) will be 5 and (E) will be 2. My crazy Type A personality wants to research and plan everything, I of course already have a Pinterest Board dedicated to it, but there is just too much information. I have so many questions. Did you know that you need to book your trip at least 6 months out so that you aren’t closed out of character breakfasts and other great opportunities??? I haven’t been to Disney since I was 13, I have no idea where to start. I am completely overwhelmed. That’s where Scott Walters comes in.

It seems so simple, but often deciding on where to go on vacation can become very stressful. There is an amazing amount of material available on the internet, from TV and so forth, but there are so many advantages of using a travel agent. In fact, all of the information out there may become overwhelming and daunting, especially if you don’t get to travel often. A good travel agent will start with a needs assessment to determine what kind of vacation style you have. This assessment will address important questions to aid them in their planning.

Such questions include:

Do you prefer all-inclusive resorts, cruises, theme parks, cities, the country, beach, mountains, maybe historical sites?
Do you travel with the whole family?
Would you like to get away for a romantic weekend?
Do you want to stay close by but still not be at home?
Do you want to travel with a group or do you prefer to be alone?

A travel agent will work WITH YOU to give you the best offer. Most importantly, a travel agent will understand your budget, and work within it to offer you an amazing experience at the best value. Scott is a full service travel agent with specialized training for Disney, Universal, Carnival, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and many land based resorts throughout the world. He has traveled throughout the US, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and China and offers you his expertise at no charge. He will even throw in a thank you gift for booking and have a referral program for friends, family and even enemies.

Feel free to call Scott at 845-558-1225, email me at scott@madhatteradv.com, or go to my Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/scottatmadhatter?ref_type=bookmark. He looks forward to working WITH you to make sure you have the vacation that will have memories to last you a lifetime.

Get it Sold with Sohn!

Posted on August 29, 2014 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Specialty Items .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, all opinions expressed are my own.

Navigating the real estate world sometimes feels like that scene in Alice in Wonderland (Eat me, Drink me). Which door? Which Key? Which size?? You need someone you can trust.

We’ve all been there (if you aren’t yet, wait you will). Just married tired of paying rent, helping someone else pay their mortgage. We need a first home. Maybe it’s a condo or townhouse, maybe it’s a house. Maybe your first place just got too small (as mine did the moment I brought home a Chocolate Lab Puppy), and you need a larger living space, yard and a few bedrooms. Maybe your children have all grown up and are beginning the process on their own (so not ready to even thing about that yet). In all of these cases we need help and the person to call is Sheri Sohn. While Sheri’s office can offer all of the bonuses of any larger real estate agency, she also offers one thing that others sometimes do not. That personal touch. Personal attention. A smooth transaction that feels more like fun and family than a large money transaction (and let’s face it, if you didn’t have the urge to pass out when signing those papers I bow to you and your self-control), it would be nice to have someone there that you can trust is working in your best interest.

Sheri has been in the real estate business since 1991. She went on to open her own company after only 4 years with another company. With Sheri being licensed locally as well as in Florida, Sohn Real Estate Corp. has proven to be a strong and viable competitor in the industry today. While other companies are downsizing due to the current market climate, Sohn Real Estate Corp. is thriving because of its customer oriented service.

This introduction to Sohn Real Estate will be the first of several follow up articles that will be written with the help of Sheri. In the subsequent articles she will address buying your first home, upsizing, downsizing, as well as selling your home. Keep an eye out for this valuable information! Have a real estate question you need answered? Send us an email at RocklandNYMom@yahoo.com.

My Sweet Pea- Keeps Getting Better!

Posted on August 11, 2014 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Classes for Kids, Out and about..., Reviews, Specialty Items, We're Having a Party .

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are my own.

If you love good service and quality as much as I do, then you are already a big fan of My Sweet Pea Children’s Boutique in New City (click for my account of my first visit). If you haven’t been there yet, go the next time you need a special gift for that special little one and you won’t be disappointed. In fact, tell her I sent you.

They have such a good thing going that the owner Sheri has big plans, starting this September (2014). Would you like to be in on the secret (or not so secret since there is a big sign out front)? My Sweet Pea is moving to a larger location, yes you heard correctly, larger. At the boutique’s new address (14 N. Main Street, New City; the Dunkin Donuts/Carvel Shopping Center) Sheri will be able to carry MORE wonderful merchandise (including Halloween Costumes!), while still providing you with the type of personal attention that you have grown to know and love. In addition to the expanded product line, there will also be more accessible parking, a more spacious, comfortable store, and expanded availability (7 days with more hours). Sold yet?

A sneak peek at the new store!

In addition to the amazing services that My Sweet Pea already provides (cakes, favors, customization, personal shopping, theme décor, registries, extended hours when necessary to name a few), there will be children’s arts and crafts classes, and cake decorating classes for mommies and daddies!

My Sweet Pea Boutique presents Classes by Katy, a series of project-based craft and cake-decorating workshops for children and adults (and yes we will check both of them out, letting you know what we thought). Children ages 18 months -14 years are invited to select from craft workshops focusing on projects from silly hand-made creatures to personalized wall art (schedule to come). Cake decorating classes will cover basic to advanced decorating techniques, for both children and adults. These will be taught by a certified Wilton instructor. Classes can be purchased either individually or in multi-class packages. Have a Girl Scout Troop that needs a badge, or a birthday party to plan? Yeah, they can do that too. Please call for more information 845-638-BABY (2229), including class dates, times, prices, and themes.

A little tease of the room where the new classes will take place!

With the new store coming along all we can do is sit back anticipate all of the new goodies we will find when we get there. The “soft” opening will be sometime in September and the “hard” opening will be in October, just in time to pre-order your Holiday gifts. They are currently still open at their old location 159 S Main through August as they begin to prepare for the move so don’t fret if you need something, Sheri and her staff are always there!

As a side-note Sheri’s other business SOHN Real Estate (845) 639-HOME (4663) will be moving along with My Sweet Pea (see below) but more on that later :o).

Out of Time…

Posted on July 29, 2014 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Reviews, Specialty Items, Thoughts.., We're Having a Party .

Disclosure: This is an unsponsored post, all opinions expressed are my own.

I am very type A (in case you hadn’t figured that out yet). I like to do things, lots of things, and all on my own. There are times that I have bitten off more than I can chew and still somehow pull everything off. There are times that I have to leave something by the waist side and the only person that it matters to is me, because no one ever even knew that it was supposed to have been done.

I am never more crazed than during the end of the year. Not only am I a teacher who has final exams and paperwork and meetings to complete, but both of my children are born at this time. Exactly seven days apart. I will go into more detail on my crazy planning stages and the things that I have done for them this year in a later post, but this one is specifically about (E)’s highchair.

One thing you may want to know about me is that I also love old stuff… well sturdy stuff… I constantly search for old furniture, they just don’t make it like they used to. I prefer to buy old and refurbish than waste money on new (unless is upholstered, that makes me a little nervous). My favorite pieces are those that I have found and given new life to, even when it took me several months to find the right drawer pull to match a set I had…. But I digress…

I had two highchairs, one Graco one that matched my other baby stuff and also a wooden Eddie Bauer chair that was a hand me down from a friend. I used one in the kitchen and one in the dining room. With the addition of another child though I had to put the leaf into my kitchen table and all of the sudden the Graco one was too big for the space. Glad to remove some stuff (crap) from my house I sold the highchair and made some room by replacing it with the Eddie Bauer one which is sturdier and has a much smaller footprint… The only problem was that I never liked the color of the chair being a light wood, it did not coordinate with my kitchen décor.

A before picture, see the test strip, that’s when I chickened out…

So, being the type of person that I am I purchased some chalk paint and decided to paint it myself. I did a test strip one night, but then I ran out of time to work on it. Well, next thing you know I am two weeks away from (E)’s first birthday party and she has a partially painted high chair for her first birthday party. UNACCEPTABLE! I had no idea what to do and since (A)’s birthday was before hers I knew I didn’t have enough time to paint it, even as crazy as I am. So I did what any good manager would do, I outsourced.

I have been a big supporter of Underground Finds & Furniture because I really don’t think that they make furniture the way that they used to anymore. I hate walking into a furniture store and feeling like a strong wind will knock down a dresser. I love the old lines of pieces even if I don’t love the finish. I have so many older pieces in my home, which I have repurposed in one way or another (in fact just this week I got in trouble at the local Habitat for Humanity Restore where you can find old sturdy furniture that others donated). That is exactly what Mary does. She takes old pieces and gives them new life.

Knowing that I wanted a distressed finish for this piece I called Mary and got a quote for having it painted white, with some dark distressing ( I love that old world shabby chic look, which of course just happens to be the theme for the first birthday party). The price was so much more than reasonable so I agreed to have it done. Mary had it painted and back to me within 3 days and it’s beautiful! It is exactly what I had envisioned when I first set out and purchased chalk paint. Mary painted it and tried out some of the distressing and then sent me some pictures for approval. At first she and I decided that it needed a little less dark wax (there is a fine line between distressed and dirty looking) but after she tweaked the recipe it came out amazing! I am so glad that I didn’t try to do it myself, because I am not sure that I had the time or patience to get it looking just so! It coordinates so nicely with my kitchen and also my party theme (see pictures).

A close up of the craftsmanship. I absolutely love this aged look (if you aren’t a fan, Mary has clear wax as well).

Here is the chair with the custom new cover that I ordered from Etsy (sewingsillysister).

The side view of the chair.

A picture of the chair in action, from (E)’s birthday bash.

Overall I am so very pleased with the whole process. Mary was so sweet with tons of communication. She made sure it was exactly what I was thinking of. It was done in a super timely fashion (thank goodness because I didn’t have a chair for her birthday unless it was!). It is also well done. You can see the time and effort that Mary put into the chair with each stroke or brilliantly placed waxing. I love it and I highly recommend her services.

Have an old piece that you love, but it doesn’t go with your décor? Looking for something special and having difficulty finding it? Contact Mary at : mdm441@gmail.com or on her facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/UNDERGROUNDfurniture.

A Special Deal From Cultural Care Au Pair…This weekend Only!

Posted on July 25, 2014 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Specialty Items, Uncategorized .

Need Childcare? Looking at all your options? THIS WEEKEND is the PERFECT time to consider signing on to host an Au Pair. For approximately $360 a week you receive 45 hours of in home childcare plus assistance with laundry, light housekeeping, meals, errands, arts and crafts, plenty of play time and personal attention to your family and your family only.

New Families who register between July 25, 2014 and July 29, 2014 can register for free ($75 value) and receive a $400 program fee discount when welcoming an au pair by October 3, 2014. As an added BONUS, families who select their au pair by August 12, 2014 will receive an additional $400 program fee discount. That’s a total savings of $875! Visit http://mmazzaro.aupairnews.com/ for program information, promo code or to contact me for more information. I am available any time at 845-558-5097 for personal assistance to answer your questions about this promotion or hosting an au pair in general.

As a past host family and currently a local childcare coordinator, I can give your family the information you need for quality childcare at an affordable cost.

Doodlebells Specialized Gifts

Posted on March 8, 2014 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Crafts, Crafts and More Crafts, Reviews, Specialty Items, Uncategorized .

Disclosure: This is an unsponsored post. All opinions expressed are my own.

If you follow my ramblings you know a few things about me.

I have some super talented friends.
I love home-made crafty items.
I have great ideas but am not as talented as many of my friends.

One such talented friend is Malorie of Doodle Bells. I taught with Malorie for several years and we bonded immediately because of our love for crafts and meticulous attention to detail. When friends have children she would also always go out of her way to create something (often more than one thing) for them. Quilts, taggies, picture frames… You name it, she would make it. She made me a beautiful quilt, pillow and taggie for (A) when he was born. He is now 3.5 and he still uses two out of three of them. What has always been apparent is that Malorie’s attention to detail never wavered. She takes into consideration your personality, what your nursery is going to look like, and makes this masterpiece just for you. It’s thoughtful, beautiful, and well made.

I was not at all surprised when she finally made the decision to turn her hobby into a business. If anyone can do it she can. This is how Doodlebells was born. Through her Facebook www.facebook.com/doodlebells page and now her webpage www.doodlebells.com, Malorie is creating well-made custom items from pillowcase dresses, invitations, t-shirts, and tutu’s, to hooded towels, quilts, and taggies. Did I mention everything that she makes? Nope, it’s impossible. Every day I feel like I am seeing something new posted on Facebook. It wasn’t long before I had to order something (did I mention I love personalized items?).

So I ordered a personalized hooded towel for (A) and a pillowcase dress for (E). Well let me tell you how awesome the whole experience was. What is nice is that you can either choose from the items that she has already made, or you can create a custom order. For a control freak like me, the second option is perfect. But what is even better is that I can always see what she has on hand, and grab that up for a gift or something. Doodlebells also takes PayPal so that was very convenient for me. First, I let Malorie know what colors I was thinking for each, she sent me options and I got to choose everything. I wasn’t sure about the dress, so I showed her a picture of one that I loved that she had made previously. She went with the same color scheme as the previous dress, and then sent me a picture to be sure it was what I liked. For the towel, we chose green because (A) loves it. Then we had his name added, along with a truck, he loves trucks.

Once the items were completed I got a “teaser” posted on Facebook. I was so excited! They were just what I had asked for!!! I knew that when I received them I was going to be super happy, but I am even happier now that I actually have them in my possession. (A) was ecstatic to see his towel. He loves that his name is on it, he immediately started spelling out his name and tapping the letters. Followed of course by… “Mommy is that a big rig?!” He insisted on having a bath that night and trying it out.

What I love about the towel:

It’s made with real towel, so it’s absorbent, not like many novelty towels out there.
The hooded part is large enough for him to grow into.
I got to choose all of the design stuff.
The personalization is sewn on and will remain sturdy for my little guy throughout all of his tough wear and tear.
The personalization makes it easy to take on school trips, to a playdate, or camp. There is really no mistaking it.

Then there is the dress. (E) doesn’t talk yet but if she did she would be really excited. It’s adorable. In the colder weather I can throw on some leggings and a sleeved onesie, it’s attractive and easy to get on and off (especially during a diaper change). In the warmer months, it will be great to wear with just a diaper cover, and equally as cute. It’s well made just like the towel, all edges are finished off (with seams hidden), so much attention paid to detail. I am just amazed. I would suffice it to say that it was my first order from Doodlebells but will not be my last. I love what I ordered. If you are a friend or family member, I would not be surprised if a Christmas or Birthday gift came with a tag that has a cute little blue bug on it and the name Doodlebells. If it does, be excited, be very excited.

To see more of Malorie’s work please visit her website www.doodlebells.com or check her out on Facebook www.facebook.com/doodlebells where she often posts her finished products for viewing, or purchase.

(A) shows off his Truck Towel. He won’t let me wash it again, he insists on using it. I guess i’ll have to wash it during nap time.