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It's almost summer - grab some pine.

A shoe fetish in the summer time calls for amazing looking feet! 

There is just no way those Jimmy Choos will work with dry heels, and un-groomed toes. 

Our client Beauty Feet offers one of the best home care products for keeping feet in “sandal-ously” sexy condition.

Beauty Feet is a remarkable new product just rolling out in the United States. 

It's made from all natural things. 

These include Pinus Sylvestris (Pine) leaf (when was the last time you looked at a Pine tree and saw a beauty treatment?)

The reality is that Pine extract is an amazing skin balancing ingredient that really works wonders. 

Vitamins A & E help stimulate cell rejuvenation, while Aloe Vera and Hyaluronic Acid add moisture and softness. 

Heres a wonderful, easy pedicure for home:

Take half cup of regular sugar, blend it with ¼ cup lemon juice, and a tablespoon olive oil.  Soak feet for a few minutes in warm water to soften, then use the sugar mixture to exfoliate and invigorate skin. 

Then smooth on Beauty Feet and cover with clean cotton booties.  For an extra fabulous treat, slip into a pair of heated lavender spa booties, and relax.

The results will be legion! And you'll be ready for even the skimpiest sandals. 

Beauty Feet is available in a Moisturizing Gel - $16 for 100 cc; and a more intensive Beauty Feet Roll On - $16 for 80 cc's.

What Mom really wants - stress reduction!

Let's face it, being a mom is a lot of work.  Actually, just being alive is a lot of work...forget adding in the mom part.   Moms around the country will be waiting breathlessly next week as Mother's Day approaches for a little relief from their endless house cleaning, fixing and picking up of things, maintaining themselves (tweezing, exfoliating, masking, manicuring, ect), cooking, socializing, bill  paying, and all the other endless things that go into making up a life in this day and age. 

What moms, and all of us, need, is a consistent break from all this stuff we constantly need to do. The list never ends, but a daily vacation from all these demands can be made.   A lot of us take these little time-outs in the form of something not so productive.  My personal favorite is a cookie break in the afternoon - not great for the waistline, or any realistic stress busting benefit.  My other favorite, impulse buying isn't a good choice either. 

A better idea is a daily walk, as TV personality Sophia Dickens does for us here in these shots with our client Orbit Baby's Infant System. 

Unlike jogging (which can be rough on knees, and is a little more time consuming than a 20 minute stroll) walking can be worked into a busy schedule more readily and consistently.  The benefits are colossal, so this Mother's Day, think of giving the object of your gifting, or yourself, a personalized Walking Kit.   Here we've listed what we feel are the most important pieces - you could also include an iPod or even a personalized song list depending on your mom.

 

The Orbit Infant System shown above is $899 at most retailers, and is a great choice for navigating the streets with ease.

And if you're thinking of an exercise program for yourself, consider Lavilin all natural deodorant - use just once for up to 7 days of protection!  $15 at www.lavilin.com

St Louis Magazine loves Petunia's Cross Town Clutch

We're so thrilled St Louis Magazine chose our client Petunia Pickle Bottom's Cross Town Clutch in Blue Danube as one of their Things We Love this month.

Said the magazine:

In the why-didn’t-I-think-of-that category: a diaper bag disguised as a clutch purse. Complete with wipeable exterior and snap-out changing pad, as well as pockets for the gear, this hand-embroidered handful puts “baby” and “efficient” in the same category. For once. Petunia Pickle Bottom Cross Town Clutch, $68. Available at Sweet Petunia, 169 Carondelet Plaza, 314-721-3133, petunia.com

For more fabulous finds, stop by the online page.

Celebrating the horse! Barbaro's Birthday

Magnificent Barbaro would have been 5 years old today - imagine he was only a 3 year old when he won the hearts of racing fans a couple years back and then made a sudden exit. 

Today, on his birthday, the Humane Society of the United States would like to celebrate the spirit of all horses with a national call in. 

The Horse Slaughter Prevention Act has been working its way through congress for some time now. 

The HSUS is calling for horse lovers to phone and email their US Representatives today in an effort to ensure the passage of the act.  I won't regale you with the details about horse slaughter, or the fact that many race horses that don't happen to run as well as Barbaro have been sent to slaughter houses (a dirty little secret of racing), be sure to visit the HSUS page for a background on the bill.

On another more upbeat note, Barbaro's brother Nicanor is coming up the ranks.  Check out this recent shot of him and notice how similar he looks to Barbaro.  Thanks to the Bloodhorse, a gallery 

of images are available of the gorgeous colt.  Nicanor, who just turned 2 on March 15 is owned and trained by the same group as Barbaro. 

If you want to get ready for Saturday, watch Barbaro in 2006's Kentucky Derby below, and then head over to Kentucky Derby.com to take  a look at this year's field! 

The most thrilling 2 minutes in sports goes off the first Saturday in May.

sneak in some green

Parents of picky eaters may get a little break from unsuccessful attempts at getting their kids to eat their vegetables. 

Sunkist Naturals, maker of exceptional smoothies and juices, is introducing Glorious Greens.

Made with broccoli, cabbage, kale, dulse,  echinacia, wheat grass, flax seed, spirulina, and green tea (among other ingredients) the flavor is sweet and delicious. 

The key is mixing these nutrient packed veggies with apple, kiwi, mango, and pineapple. 

The result is a healthy dose of superfoods high in vitamins, antioxidants and Omega-3 EPA & DHA.

While Missy Lapine and Jessica Seinfeld have excellent recipes for making cakes from beets, and  brownies from broccoli, we think opening a bottle of juice is a lot more time efficient for busy parents.   The convenient 15.2 fl oz size fits in a diaper, gym, or hand bag quite easily.

Sunkist Naturals Glorious Greens is vegan, and features no added sugar, preservatives, artificial ingredients, or GMO.

The Sunkist Naturals collection of smoothies and juices is currently available in Florida, and Southern California.

Fun idea:  whirl Glorious Greens with a little ice to make a cooling treat for a summer's day.   

Tori Spelling and Orbit Baby on Celebrity Baby Blog

How lovely is this photo of Tori Spelling and our client Orbit Baby's travel system?

This shot, along with a gallery of other celebrities pushing their Orbit's, can be found on Celebrity Baby Blog in an indepth review that was posted today.

Lavilin a Q on the Atlanta Journal Constitution's Where Can I find It? page

Over the weekend Sabine Morrow, columnist for the Where Can I Find It? section of the Atlanta Journal Constitution was queried by a reader on the best place to buy our client Lavilin's fabulous natural deodorant. 

Q: I don't want to use deodorant with aluminum, and I don't want to use that crystal either because work for me. There's a cream deodorant without all of the bad ingredients. It's called Lavilin. I can't find anywhere. Can I order it?

BERNICE AXTON, via e-mail

A: Lavilin is a hypoallergenic, natural deodorant that works with herbal extracts and no harsh chemicals. You don't need to use it daily and, according to the manufacturer, it doesn't lose its effectiveness after you shower or bathe. A 0.34-ounce jar costs $14.95 and is supposed to last five to eight months.  It's available through www.vermontcountrystore.com. 

trend: recycling baby and kid gear

The Los Angeles Times ran a great article and accompanying video yesterday about baby and kid gear sales that have been springing up over the past several years.   The particular sale they zero in on in this piece is in Van Nuys, California.   

"In just the first year of a child's life, it costs $6,655 to outfit him and his room with brand-name products purchased at retail prices, according to a survey of 1,000 parents conducted by Denise and Alan Fields, who co-wrote "Baby Bargains," a shopping guide now in its seventh edition. Four years ago, the prices began to irritate Kristin Nelson, a stay-at-home mother of two who couldn't find an affordable ExerSaucer for her 5-month-old son. Scouring garage sales with an infant in tow was out. So was dealing with strangers on the Internet. So the former marketing executive started her own baby bazaar."

The article goes on to state baby gear sales:

"Fueling the boom in baby gear resales is a more-than-doubling of annual U.S. retail sales, from $4 billion in 1995 to $8.9 billion in 2006, according to the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Assn. This doesn't include infant and children's clothes, which topped $17 billion in sales in 2005."

These sales are a fabulous way to recycle the mountains of plastic that go into the manufacture of toys and other gear that kids use for just a short time. 

It also helps parents budget for things they really need, and spend less on smaller items.

The sale in Los Angeles is very organized:

"To participate in Nelson's sales, sellers register at her website (www.lakidsconsignment.com) and use an online program to get their stuff ready. They enter each item on the computer and give it a price. Next, they print out tags and attach them to the items. Then they're assigned a time to drop off the goods, which are inspected for stains, holes or other defects. Sale owners are picky about which items they accept, both to ensure their sales' reputation for quality and to help overcome the stigma often attached to large sales of used items."

These sales are destined to become more popular as time goes by, changing the nature of marketing baby gear to one in which not only the end product but the shopping experience at name retailers is taken into account.  I would also imagine "resale value" will start to come into play (as it does with Hermes bags ... see our post below) in the decision making process when picking one baby gear brand over another.

Sunkist Naturals Rolls Out in Florida with Big Taste Test

The sunshine state will be drenched in juice soon thanks to a generous tasting program Sunkist Naturals is undertaking this week to introduce the region to its new collection of all natural drinks.

More than 33,000 bottles of Sunkist Naturals juices and smoothies will offered to the Miami public over the next 10 days. 

Through a program called Healthy Body Healthy You, Sunkist Naturals is offering participating Miami area health clubs and spas a chance to pour complimentary smoothies and juices for their customers.

The aim of the Sunkist Naturals Healthy Body Healthy You Program is to not only introduce the Miami area to Sunkist Naturals Juices and Smoothies in a very enthusiastic way, but also to educate the public about healthy lifestyle choices.

"We believe that a better life can be achieved through smart lifestyle choices" says Mark Shaw of Sunkist Naturals.  "These include maintaining a diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients found in fruits and vegetables."

Included in the tasting will be Sunkist Naturals Orange Cream, Golden Mango, Strawberry Dream, Valencia Orange, Glorious Greens, Sunshine Carrot, Berry Blue Bountiful, and Berry Cherry Bountiful.

Healthy Body Healthy You will through April 25th, 2008. 

Some of the Miami area health clubs and spas participating in Healthy Body Healthy You include: The Biltmore Hotel Spa, Don Shula’s Athletic Club, Ocean Water’s Spa, Trump Palace, Olympia Fitness Center, Armando’s Day Spa, and the Maui Spa.

Organic Cotton Baby Slings from Petunia - the ideal baby wearing accessory.

They're comfortable, fashionable, and 100% organic cotton.

The new Sojourn Slings from Petunia are an earth and baby friendly choice for those who love to tote their babies.

The Sojourn Sling collection is available in 4 styles, India Ink, Corsican Blue, Sparrows on the Seine, and Morning in Mumbai.

Each 100% organic stretch cotton sling is reversible, and is available in sizes S, M, L.

These pouch slings are particularly comfortable -- moms can simply slip them over their heads and they're ready for baby.  No adjusting of straps or winding fabric at awkward angles is necessary. 

Another perk of these Petunia slings is moms can pick matching diaper bags to go with each design.

Each Sojourn Sling fabric is offered in a matching Boxy Backpack, Touring Tote, and Cross Town Clutch.

 

fling into spring with NYT narrated slideshow

The New York Times has a lovely slide show all about spring in New York on their site which is enthusiastically narrated by reporter Bill Cunningham.

I love the way the Times produced this hybrid of narration juxtaposed with still photography.

Artful, but personal.  A great way to demonstrate a collection of ideas without getting too elaborate or technical.

If you really want to get into a spring mood - check out Cunningham's narrated video on spring hats.

publicity stunt: file this under something I'll never try

Dinner in the Sky has been publicizing this ridiculousness as the "latest dining craze"  and alleges that they charge around $38,000 each for this experience.  It's a great photo opp but it's anyone's guess where they go from here.   

Orbit Baby and Petunia Pickle Bottom in US Weekly

Be sure to pick up a copy of US Weekly and flip to page 83 for a chance to win an Orbit Baby Infant System, and a Cake Bag from Petunia Pickle Bottom.

The gorgeous diaper bag and wonderful stroller-car seat system will go to a lucky winner later this month.