Fairfax, VA (June 16, 2008) – Stories passed one from generation to generation are treasured by a few lucky souls. In Virginia, two granddaughters decided to bring their Nana’s charming story character, Nana Star, to life with a picture book series lovingly illustrated, written and published by three generations.

Grandmother Elizabeth Owens, matriarch of the family, created the character Nana Star out of a great love for her little grandson, Vance, with a desire to give him sense of home wherever he was. Today, the whole family hopes to extend that same love and feelings of belonging to children everywhere, in dedication to Vance, who now dances among the stars.
“We developed our grandmother’s vision of Nana Star into a sweet, very simple, very edifying picture book series,” explained Elizabeth Sills, co-founder of the ee (pronounced double e) publishing and production company, the laugh-friendly company®. “The book has a more old-fashioned feel in order to promote traditional values such as kindness, generosity and compassion.” Adds her sister and business partner, Elena Patrice, fondly, “At the same time we wanted to remind children, as our grandmother reminded Vance, of how special and loved they are, no matter what. We hope that the stories cultivate young imaginations and inspire character all at the same time!”

Each Nana Star book includes an accompanying audio CD with the storybook and a sing-along song. To make the book a little more interactive, the authors have included a spelling mistake in each book and encourage readers to find it and send them a postcard with the correction. Children are then eligible to receive an 8×10 photo of the Nana Star costumed character and become an honorary member of the Nana Star Little Twinkles Club. The Club is expanded on its website, www.NanaStar.com, where language arts activities for emerging readers are offered.

Currently, young readers can enjoy two hardback books, Nana Star and second in a series, Nana Star and the Moonman. The books’ vintage-inspired illustrations have been drawn lovingly by Elena’s and Elizabeth’s mother (daughter of Nana) Linda Saker. Each story features engaging characters and old-fashioned values that make Nana Star a grand new classic for children. The adventure begins on an ordinary day when something extraordinary happens to a little girl in a blue princess dress with a twinkle in her eye and a heart full of love to share. She finds a tiny star in a pile of leaves and promises to bring him home – high up in the heavens.

Granddaughters Elizabeth and Elena knew that they wanted to make a difference in the world. Before their first book went to press, they created the Nana Star Foundation. The foundation is dedicated to raising funds for terminally ill children and heightening awareness of the problems facing children attending inner-city schools. The small company also donates hundreds of books to such causes as Toys for Tots and First Book.
The reviews from readers, sellers and parenting panels for Nana Star have been overwhelming, topped by a 2007 iParenting Media Award for its all-encompassing website which hosts the Little Twinkles Club.

Meet Nana Star
Lucky parents and children in the Washington DC area have been able to meet Nana Star when she visits schools, hospitals and libraries to the joy of Little Twinkles everywhere. Nana Star (ee’s own Elizabeth Sills) wears her blue princess dress and conducts storytime, singing, a language arts activity and if requested, a hug! Because community outreach is part of ee publishing & production’s corporate citizenship, Nana Star appearances are gratis. A donation to The Nana Star Foundation in lieu of an appearance fee is gratefully accepted. Visit their website, www.NanaStar.com, for details on booking a D.C. area appearance with Nana Star.

Shop Nana Star
The following items are currently in stock and available by calling 1-877-MY-NANASTAR or at amazon.com. For online ordering at the Nana Star website, click here.

Nana Star

First in a series, this book introduces Nana Star and the lost baby star she stumbles upon, making an ordinary day extraordinary.

Book comes with bonus audio CD that includes The Nana Star Song performed by Nashville singer/songwriter Tricia Walker.

Price: $15.95

Buy It: NanaStar.com or Amazon.com

Nana Star & the Moonman

Second in a series, a comforting message about friendship and faith shines through this book for young readers who may not like the dark or are feeling lonely.

The enclosed bonus audio CD includes The Moonman Song perform

Price: $15.95

Buy It: NanaStar.com or Amazon.com

All boxed up for gift giving, a combination of hardcover book, and a soft Nana Star doll or Moonman plush. A 10% discount when you buy th
Nana Star Plushies Moonman and Nana Star, available now.

Moonman Lovey, a soft character doll whose head glows like the light of the moon and plays music

Price: $19.99

Buy It: NanaStar.com

Nana Star, a plush character doll carrying Baby Star on a branch, just like in the story

Price: $21.99

Buy It: NanaStar.com

A third plushie, Blue Wolf, a plush, stuffed animal that softly howls when his foot is pressed, is also expected later this summer.

To learn more about Nana Star, go to www.NanaStar.com.

Plus, you can use code is FASHIONABLE10 for 10% off through 8/31, on either doll that comes with its book. That means you get 10% off the already-discounted combination price! That coupon code is exclusive to only our readers though!!!

The Fashionable Bambino loves Nana Star! She carries her doll around everywhere and is in love with the story. She even likes to sit and look at the pictures all by herself. I think the stories are wholesome and hold great values. We highly recommend Nana Star!

We had the opportunity to see some fabulous girl’s items from My Princess Closet and we were delightfully impressed.

Their girly website is whimsical and fun to browse. Perfect place to shop if you have a little princess in your home. They have wonderful gifts and adorable clothes in many sizes. You are sure to find something you’ll want and even something for your friends.

Here are our favorites:

What: Princess by Jack & Lily

These shoes are so adorable and such high quality too. They are great crib shoes that your child will want to wear from birth to 2 years old. They’ll appreciate them more than bulky, uncomfortable shoes when they start walking too!

Price: $26.00

Buy Now: Click Here

What: MellyMello Baby Dress Set

Price: $96.00 $62.40 (That’s 35% off!)

Buy Now: Click Here

What: Princess Pacifier Holder

Here at home, The Fashionable Bambino loves her little pacifier clip, not only because it helps her locate her own pacifier easily but she loves holding the clip and playing with the string. And it helps me know that when we’re out, we’re not going to drop her clean pacifier on the floor!

Price: $12.00

Buy Now: Click Here

We highly recommend My Princess Closet! So go take a peek at their store and see what you find today! Plus, you can use coupon code BAMBINO for free shipping!!

Seattle, WA (July 2008) As a result of the matching event held during June, See Kai Run, popular manufacturer of the perfect first shoe for new walkers, will donate over 8,000 pairs of shoes to Soles4Souls. For every pair of shoes sold during June, See Kai Run is making sure a pair also goes to a child in need.

Soles4Souls is an international charity dedicated to providing footwear to disadvantaged people around the world. The June matching event included both sales made online at www.seekairun.com as well as through our retail partners. With this donation, See Kai Run will have shared over 24,000 pairs of shoes to children who need them the most.

“We want to thank everyone who has helped make this event a success,” says Cause Haun, Founder. “We’ll continue to plan future philanthropic events that can be powered by our customer’s enthusiasm for See Kai Run. Soles4Souls makes it extremely easy for footwear manufacturers to get their shoes to the children who need them the most. We’re grateful for the work they do.”

About See Kai Run

See Kai Run shoes are hand-crafted from supple sheepskin with padded collars and a breathable leather lining. Soles are constructed from extremely flexible rubber, allowing new walkers lots of freedom to move while protecting their feet on all kinds of terrain.

See Kai Run is a family-owned and operated business located outside of Seattle, Washington. The idea was born when owner Cause Haun was on a quest for the perfect first pair of shoes for her son, Kai. Unable to find shoes in fun styles that still promoted the healthy development of little feet, Cause and her husband created their own line of shoes that satisfied all of these needs. In just three and a half years, See Kai Run has seen sales expand from a few boutiques, mostly in the Seattle area, to stores all around the country and worldwide. Please visit www.seekairun.com for additional information.

About Soles4Souls

Soles4Souls facilitates the donation of shoes, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide. Everyone from shoe companies to retailers and individuals can donate footwear (both new and used). The Soles4Souls team has used the gift of shoes in the relief efforts for the Asian Tsunami and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. More than 900,000 pairs were collected for these disasters. For more information, visit www.giveshoes.org.

Does your sweet little baby have an uncomfortable diaper rash? It happens sometimes, even though we try so hard to prevent it. And it seems like once it’s there, it’s so hard to get rid of it.

Not if you have Desitin Diaper Rash Ointment though! There are so many different brands and it could take several children to find the best one, so we’ve done the hard work for you. If you want to cure your child’s diaper rash quickly and easily, follow these 3 easy steps:

1. Change diapers 2x more often than normal. If you usually change your child’s diaper 6-8 times a day, step it up to 10-12 times a day.

2. After gentle cleansing, let the area dry completely before applying a thick layer of Desitin Diaper Rash Ointment.

3. Take child outside into the sunshine with no diaper on for at least 10 minutes a day until diaper rash clears up. Sunlight helps heal the skin and dry out infection.

Angelina Jolie birthed her twins, a boy Knox Leon and a girl Vivienne Marcheline, late Saturday night.

We can’t wait to see pictures of her new babies!

What: See Kai Run Shoes - Indria

Why: Want shoes that are healthy for your baby’s foot? Then look no further than See Kai Run!

See Kai Run and Smaller promote healthy development of babies’ and children’s feet with their ultra-flexible soles, soft leather and wide toe box. Our footwear meets the American Podiatric Medical Association’s rigorous standards for foot health and functionality and has been awarded the APMA’s prestigious Seal of Acceptance. [more…]

Our little bambino is wearing the cute Indria style shoe. Silver stars splash across these white open-toed sandals creating a look that is breezy and casual, but with a sparkle dressy enough for special occasions. She’ll want to wear these versatile sandals everywhere! They are just so cute and super high quality! I definitely recommend these shoes to ALL moms!

Price: $34.00

Where: SeeKaiRun.com or Zappos.com

Seattle, WA (May 2008) Strongly committed to the healthy development of little feet, all See Kai Run footwear products now carry the American Podiatric Medical Association’s Seal of Acceptance. This includes the new line of soft-soled baby booties, Smaller, available in August.

The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) is the premier organization of physicians and surgeons who specialize in foot and ankle health. Their Seal of Acceptance certifies that See Kai Run and Smaller footwear meet their rigorous standards for healthy foot development, functionality and safety.

While pediatricians now agree that barefoot is best for proper foot and muscular development, it is not always practical. Flexible soles are recommended because they are protective for indoor and outdoor wear, yet not restrictive and support normal foot development by allowing a child’s foot to develop naturally. To meet the APMA’s standards, See Kai Run incorporates soft, flexible and durable materials for the soles of our shoes, as well as a roomy toe box, and soft leather uppers.

In our continuing commitment to offering products that are healthy for children, See Kai Run additionally takes great care in ensuring that the leather used for our footwear meets the most stringent U.S. and international guidelines. Testing is done in compliance with guidelines set by the American Apparel & Footwear Association, which ensure that children’s products do not contain harmful levels of substances such as lead.

About See Kai Run

See Kai Run is a family-owned and operated business located outside of Seattle, Washington. The idea was born when owner Cause Haun was on a quest for the perfect first pair of shoes for her son, Kai. Unable to find shoes in fun styles that still promoted the healthy development of little feet, Cause and her husband created their own line of shoes that satisfied all of these needs. In just three and a half years, See Kai Run has seen sales expand from a few boutiques, mostly in the Seattle area, to stores all around the country and worldwide. Size range fits children from six months to three years and retail from $34. Please visit www.seekairun.com for additional information.

About the American Podiatric Medical Association

With a membership of over 12,500 doctors of podiatric medicine, the American Podiatric Medical Association represents the nation’s premier foot and ankle physicians. For free foot health information, visit www.apma.org.

Check out www.spunkysprout.com

Halo Baby is a new video series created just for babies ages three years and under and the Christian parents who love them! Inspirational and informational, Halo Baby incorporates simple faith-based elements into each learning video to sow the love of God into young spirits while keeping their attention with fun pictures, puppets and animation!

Each Halo Baby episode features exclusive “babyfied” classical and orchestrated music by legendary composer and musician Paul Todd. Also, every program features high-tech animation, beautiful babies and fun animal video. High-quality puppets — Angel Gabey, Sammy the Sheepdog, Sarah the Sheep and the Angel Fish — engage babies in an interactive fashion while also introducing them to simple educational elements like counting, shapes and colors. Parents will love that they can chose to watch an entire half-hour program or several short segments if they want to limit baby’s TV time. Bonus features are also included on each video. Halo Baby is a wonderful way to entertain your baby while educating them about God’s wonderful world!

Halo Baby is produced by four-time Emmy award winning producer, Kathleen L. Johnson, President of Sky Angel Productions, LLC (www.skyangel.com) with child development guidance from Leslie S.Holland MSRC, LMHC, and child educator Leslie A. Nelson.

Halo Baby airs on the national children’s channel, KTV-Kids & Teens Television, seen on the Sky Angel IPTV television system and soon the DISH Network satellite television system.

If you don’t have Sky Angel, you can get Halo Baby on DVD!

In “Babies Love Animals”, exclusive “babyfied” classical and orchestrated music by legendary composer and musician Paul Todd is set to videos of adorable animals, perky pets, animal animation and beautiful babies. High-quality puppets — Angel Gabey, Sammy the Sheepdog, Sarah the Sheep and the Angel Fish — educate children on animal basics in an interactive fashion while also introducing them to counting.

Educational skills taught: Animal identification, animal sounds and counting.

We have the “Babies Love Animals” DVD and I think it’s great for babies. Most of the shows on popular kids stations like Noggin and Sprout are too mature for babies and don’t keep their attention. If you have a little one anywhere from birth to 1 year old, they are going to love this DVD. Our little Bambino loved it and I even let my sister in law borrow the DVD for her little boy (6mos) and he liked it too!

You can purchase the DVD right on their website >>

Price: $15

Erin-Kate Lobring, creator of Charlotte’s Bows started her company in 2005 after having trouble finding chic, tailored hair bows for my her daughter. All she found was a whole lot of organdy and floof! Yuck! So she decided to design her own. Her mom-crafted clippie bows were so commented on that she knew she had something special! Bring pared-down style to little heads! And so Carlotte’s Bows was born.

Their bows are affordable and they offer free shipping on orders $7 and above. The bows are handmade, hold their shape and are crafted with non toxic glue. Really, what more could you ask for?

They have so many stylish bows to choose from, you’ll never be able to pick just one! I had a really hard time deciding what 5 I wanted to get!!! I ended up choosing the Preppy Daisy Traditional Bow and the Peony Pink Traditional Bow from the Spring Collection. Plus the Black Polka-Dot Bow, Pink Rose Bloom Clippie, and the ultra adorable Brown/Pink Argyle Grosgrain Bar Bow. So cute!

The order arrived very quickly and I was quite pleased with all the bows! They came in cute packaging and are made with exceptional care to details. I am very impressed and I highly recommend them.

Now I just have to figure out how to get my 11 month old to keep them in her hair…

Price: $3.00 - $4.50

Where: CharlottesBows.com