Rave & Review

Here Comes the Easter Bunny - The Steiff Dossy Bunny

I just love Easter – egg hunts, family dinners, baskets filled with candy, and little kids in their Sunday best – it is the perfect ingredients for a picture perfect day.  Now that I’ve got a little one of my own, of course I’m thinking about what I can fill her Easter basket with and what kinds of Easter traditions I would like to start with her.

 

The first tradition I would like to pass down is the plush Easter bunny sitting atop the Easter basket just like my mom did for us every year.  All five of us kids had one special bunny that would emerge around the holiday and remain out for the weeks after Easter before the decorations were packed up.  I was positive I wanted to do the same thing for my kids, and am so excited that I found a company where I can buy a special bunny as we add more baskets around the table, with each addition to the collection as unique as their recipient.  Of course, I am talking about Steiff, the makers of classic plush animals since 1880.  With their famed “Button in Ear” (or, rather “Knopf im Ohr”) and their supremely collectable nature, Steiff animals are the perfect thing to surprise anyone on your Easter list. 

Since Steiff has introduced the adorable Dossy Bunny for 2010, I thought this was the perfect time to get my little one started on our Easter tradition.  Dossy is the perfect mix of cuteness and realism with her seated pose and spotted fur, and is a good huggable size.  Of course, she is also super soft and cuddly and is perfect for playing Easter all month long.

I love that Steiff has limited edition animals and each of their pieces are created mostly by hand with an attention to detail you just don’t find with other plush companies.  This is the reason I have been a huge Steiff fan since I was little and why there was no other present I thought fitting for our daughter’s first Christmas other than the 2008 release of the Classic Mohair Teddy in pink.  Since that Christmas morning the pink Steiff teddy has had a place of honor on her shelf.  The pink Mohair Teddy has since been joined by a small collection of the Steiff mini mohair animals we’ve picked up in our travels and gave to our daughter for her first big holidays.  I love that each animal is representative of a certain season or specific time and my daughter loves that they are the perfect size for playing with in her doll house and in her fairy garden set.

    

 
Once I found the Steiff website, I had fun perusing the online catalogue and looking up all the little Steiff friends we’ve acquired throughout the years and creating a wishlist for future holidays.  I loved that a good portion of our collection had a specific release date listed, which made it easy to remember when we bought each one and is a great feature if you’ve collected a large number of plush pieces throughout the decades. 

 
If you’re looking to expand or start a Steiff collection, you should start your browsing at http://www.steiffusa.com/

 

To find a retailer near you, you can check out the Steiff Store Locator here - I will warn you that this is by no means a full list of retailers, since numerous stores near me carry the Steiff animals but only 5 come up on this list for the entire state of Washington.  You will typically find Steiff animals in high end retail shops and boutiques, but a large selection can even be found at FAO Schwartz and other big retailers as well as online. 

 

A huge thank you to Steiff for expanding our collection of special critters by sending the Dossy Bunny to be loved and snuggled.  No monetary compensation was received for this Rave Review - we just love Steiff and couldn't resist sharing one of our top Easter picks!

 

Hoover at the Home + Housewares Show in Chicago

All of the Rave and Review crew have been in Chicago this past week as guests of Hoover at the International Home + Housewares Show where we got to see firsthand all of the new products for 2010. Hoover was celebrating the unveiling of their newest vacuums and cleaning units, as well as announcing their partnership with the Cleaning For A Reason Foundation, a non-profit organization that offers house cleaning services to women with cancer all over the US and Canada.

Everyone knows how tough it is to get up and clean when you have even just a simple cold, so imagine how hard it would be to keep a household clean while fighting cancer. Knowing what an impact on your attitude and mindset a clean house can have, the Cleaning For A Reason Foundation set out to give that gift to women who are fighting for their lives. To contribute to the cause, Hoover has generously donated both money and cleaning tools to the help even more women have access to these services.

To get involved with Cleaning For A Reason, you can visit their website and find out which cleaning services near you are participating. By choosing a cleaning company off of their list of participating cleaning providers or by encouraging the cleaning service you currently use to partner with Cleaning For A Reason and donate their time and energy, you will be helping to make Cleaning For A Reason available to every woman who needs their services. 

We were lucky enough to not only meet the representatives from Cleaning For A Reason, but also to attend a dinner with them and Hoover where we heard about this exciting partnership and what an impact the Foundation has made in its short history. The representatives from both Hoover and Cleaning For A Reason were also on hand as we visited the Hoover showcase at the International Home + Housewares show.  

Immediately upon arriving at the Hoover showcase, we were introduced to the newest in the Hoover family of cleaning products, the Hoover FloorMate Hard Floor Cleaner with SpinScrub Technology that is designed to clean vinyl, tile and hardwood floors using a 3-in-1 system that vacuums, washes and squeegee dries your floors within minutes. The demo even included some caked on chocolate and more than a few ounces of Gatorade spilled across the vinyl and hardwood floors. The FloorMate unit powered through both and left the demo floor clean and shining for the next group of visitors, thus making me wish the unit was making the trip back with us to Seattle.  

Along with the FloorMate Hard Floor Cleaner with SpinScrub, we got to see a variety of carpet cleaners, stick vacuums, canister vacs and more from both Hoover and Dirt Devil, their sister company. It was really cool to be able to ask the knowledgeable Hoover representatives about all the products and get both demos and hands-on time with each of them. While none of the vacuums or cleaners made it into my carry on or checked luggage, I've got a wishlist of items that I'm dying to try out. 

Also on display was the Hoover WindTunnel T-Series, which included the WindTunnel T-Series Rewind Bagless Upright that we reviewed a few weeks ago. If you haven’t checked out the review yet, you should head there before 3/22 so you can enter to win one of these awesome little vacuums for yourself.

As a bonus, you can now get TWO bonus entries into the WindTunnel contest if you comment on this post with a Hoover or Cleaning For A Reason related message and then go to the Hoover giveaway page and let me know you checked out this post (leave 2 separate comments on the giveaway page).  I’m also giving another TWO bonus entries to anyone that is a fan of Hoover on Facebook and lets them know they heard about the Cleaning For A Reason partnership or their showcase at the Home + Housewares show from Rave and Review (leave 2 separate comments on the giveaway page).  That’s FOUR bonus entries you can get!   

My attendance to the Home + Housewares show was paid for by Hoover, which included lodging, transportation and a welcome gift. All opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation in any way.  How could you not want to share something as cool as the partnership of one of your favorite cleaning companies with an organization you truly feel is making a difference?

A Travel Essential: BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light Giveaway

As a family that travels frequently, I am always searching for items that make traveling with little ones easy and efficient.  Often our travels include planes, trains, and small automobiles, so I have a special spot in my heart for items that are made with space and efficiency in mind.  New on my list of must-haves for every traveling parent is the BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light, which is the perfect portable crib and mini play yard for wherever your travels take you, even if it’s just to the family room. 

On our first trip after our daughter had moved to her big crib, we realized that our sweet, snuggly baby was now unable to sleep without flailing wildly in all directions, kicking everyone in her path.  Gone were the days of the three of us sharing a bed when we traveled, because exploring with no sleep is no fun for anyone.  To solve this problem, we tried a pack and play style playpen and were disappointed by the weight, bulk, and the multi-step set up.  Add that to the fact that our daughter absolutely hated them, and we knew we had to find a better solution for traveling as a family.   

One of my first introductions to the Travel Crib Light was through a link to the BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light Challenge which shows parents, siblings and grandparents setting up the Travel Crib in mere seconds.  You can read over and over how easy the Travel Crib Light is to set up, but there is something about seeing it in action that is so compelling.  And even more so is the fact that the BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib literally needs no instructions, the design is that intuitive and easy for just about anyone to master in minutes.  

And, we mastered the set up in seconds, putting the crib together in one easy movement over and over just because it was fun.  Of course, we had to take the BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light Challenge ourselves, timing ourselves setting up the portable crib in our living room.  Our crowning achievement was when hubby set the crib up in 11 seconds… one handed.  Why one handed?  Anyone who has ever held a sleeping baby in their arms and been struggling to find a safe place to set them while they set up bed knows how much this little fact is worth.  The easy set up and clean up makes it perfect for when we’re visiting the grandparents for the day or if she’s coming with me to work for a few minutes, and it’s nice to know that I have a safe and clean place for her to play without having to fully babyproof every place we visit.   

Easy set up aside, the BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light has a list of features that make it an essential travel piece and one of our top picks for baby.  Weighing in at only 11lbs and secured in its own sturdy handled carrying case (24" x 19.5" x 3"), the BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light is incredibly easy to transport around town or to check as luggage for airplane travel.  We found that there was even enough extra room in the carrying case to fit in some minimal bedding of our own and even a small toy or two. 

The Travel Crib Light is made with high quality and machine washable Oko-Tex Standard 100, class 1 approved fabrics that offer piece of mind as well as being soft and comfortable against your little one’s skin.  Unlike other portable cribs, the BABYBJÖRN base is designed to sit directly on the floor with a stable and supportive bottom that is wider than the top of the crib.  This trapezoid design is to prevent tipping from both inside and outside of the crib and makes it safer for siblings and hectic, multi-kid environments.  With a padded top bar, fully hidden hinges, and a sturdy metal frame that cannot be felt from the inside of the crib, I feel completely comfortable with both small babies and active toddlers alike sleeping and playing in the crib.  The ultra comfortable design is complete with a one-piece waterproof mattress that is both plush and breathable, offering a level of coziness that is unparalleled in traditional travel cribs. 

As surprised as I was to find that the BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light is not only incredibly easy to use but also answers all the design flaws we found with other portable cribs and play yards, the truly shocking thing is how much my daughter loves the Travel Crib.  She actually asks to be put in it daily and truly enjoys it once she’s been placed in it.  I think the comfortable mattress paired with the solid base contact makes the crib more comfortable than others and resembles her crib more closely, but also I think she sees the Travel Crib Light as a cozy little hangout where she can relax, read books and play in her special little area.  But, whatever the reason she loves it is fine by me, as long as the end result is a happy toddler and a well rested family of travelers, the details of why suddenly become very unimportant.  

Price: $279.95

http://www.babybjorn.com/

And now for the Giveaway...

One lucky Rave and Review reader will win a BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light!

To Enter: You must visit BABYBJÖRN and tell me another product you would love to own. 

And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Let me know you subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count - leave two comments)

2) Go to BabyBjorn Believers and see if you qualify to join.  Click here to sign up. (2 extra entries for signing up - leave two comments)

3) Become a BabyBjorn fan on Facebook and leave a comment on their page letting them know that Rave and Review sent you or that you have signed up for their BabyBjorn Believers Group!

4) Tweet about this Giveaway using @raveandreview and @BabyBjorn and #giveaway after following us both (daily Tweet, just post link here)

5) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage 

6) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website (must have an active link)

7) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways or comment on any non-giveaway post!

8) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

9) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry, just tell me what rank I have)

On April 16th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US addresses only.

Winners, winners!  This giveaway is closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to Alma who won the Travel Light Crib! 

Alma said...

I love the BABYBJÖRN Baby Carrier Active Organic, it looks really safe and it's fashionable. I'd love to own it.

A huge thank you to Baby Bjorn for saving our travel sanity by sending their Travel Crib Light for us to review and for offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  No monetary compensation was received for this Rave Review.

Stonz Wear Booties for Your Little Explorer {PTPA Winner}

 

What do all these images have in common?  Besides being absolutely adorable and making me wish I was babywearing right this second, there is one common theme in all of these pictures: exposed baby legs.  For those of you not blessed with year-round sunshine, you will be happy to note that there is a solution to the exposed leg guarantee that comes along with babywearing, and that the solution is equally adorable.

Stonz Wear is a line of water and wind resistant soft-sole booties that go over socks or shoes to keep kids’ feet dry and warm in any weather.  These little booties are prefect for toddling through grass and grime or for babies that are hitching a ride and just need an extra layer of warmth that crib shoes don’t provide.  With smart adjustments that make them easy to put on and stay on, Stonz Footwear are favorites of both kids and parents alike. 

I love that Stonz are flexible and soft, which is perfect for really little babies as well as new walkers that experts recommend you keep in soft sole shoes while they learn to balance.  The skid resistant sole is great for both indoors and light treks outdoors, although it is recommended that pavement and concrete walking be limited in order to extend the life of your Stonz Footwear.  We found that they were perfect for grass, dirt and other soft surfaces, and they did a great job of protecting her feet and footwear no matter where we roamed. 

The best part is how the Stonz are designed with two unique adjustable toggles at the calf and ankle, which takes the open and roomy design and cinches it to any size foot securely.  This is great for when your little one is alternating between walking and riding and traditional boots would fall off or be awkward and painful to carry for long periods of time.  Instead, you can quickly put the lightweight and flexible Stonz over their socks or shoes and give them weather protection while still offering the greatest range of motion possible.

All Stonz are handmade in Canada and are rugged and durable as well as being machine washable.  If you’re like me and enjoy exploring and playing outside together as a family, you should definitely check out Stonz Wear for their full line of adorable Stonz booties as well as Linerz, Hatz and Mittz that will help your little one stay dry and warm year round.   

Price: $46.95 for the Stonz Booties.  I took a whole day deciding which of their adorable patterns I wanted to try and in the end went with a very safe and gender-neutral tan and brown.  For those who are feeling more adventurous, there are some really cute Stonz designs that are both cute and classic and sure to add just a bit of flair to every outfit.  If you’re on a budget, you will be happy to know that they currently have many styles on sale right now for $24.99. 

http://www.stonzwear.com/ You can purchase the booties directly from the website, or for a list of retailers click here 

Photo credits: SleepyWrap, B'Eco Baby, and ERGO Baby are featured in the babywearing images.  Stonz features are taken from the StonzWear website.  A huge thank you to Stonz who sent their awesome booties to be reviewed.  No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.