Review and Giveaway: Pony Sisters Ponchos

Last week we got something in the mail that I was so so excited about. Pony Sisters Ponchos turned my sweet Little AG into the most adorable version of little red riding hood EVER! We got this awesome red fleece poncho for Little AG to try out and we just love it (and she loves how it flies behind her when she runs!). Even though the product was developed in Seattle (brrrrr) the fleece is actually the perfect material for our relatively warm weather year-round here in Louisiana. Rare is the day when we need something other than a light jacket (it's SO depressing, really) so this is the perfect way to keep her warm. She can't take it off, but it also doesn't bother her like a jacket would because it's not bulky and doesn't get in the way. Oh, and have I mentioned how irresistibly cute it is? I'm just sayin'.

Some cool things about Pony Sisters Ponchos that you should know: It is a mom-owned, mom-developed, and mom-run company (I love Mompreneurs!). The idea for their ponchos came about because the owner's daughter hated to wear jackets. Her mom sewed her a fleece poncho to wear to keep her warm, and they started getting stopped everywhere they went to ask where they got it. (Because, as I have already mentioned, it is so stinkin' cute!) It was one of those "ah ha!" moments, and the idea for Pony Sisters Ponchos was born.

Oh yeah, it even has pockets on the inside of the poncho to keep little hands warm. Even cooler, the pockets aren't visible from the outside of the poncho, so it makes you feel all secret-agent-like. Little AG has just recently discovered the joy of pockets, so this has provided lots of entertainment for us.

The ponchos are extremely well made and look very professional. I can say with 100% certainty that I know you will love these ponchos as much as we do. When Little AG grows out of her small, we are promptly buying a Medium, and then the rest of the sizes. I can already tell that this will be one of our wardrobe staples!

Ok, gush gush gush. Gushing is complete. How about winning one? Would you like that? I thought you might. Just follow these easy-peasy rules below to enter:

• Head over to Pony Sisters Ponchos and pick out your favorite poncho. Then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me which one you would love to have for the little poncho-wearer in your life!
  
• Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
• Blog about this giveaway and link back here. Tell me about it in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my RSS feed via email or in a reader and tell me about it in a separate post.
  
• Stumble my main webpage (www.chicshopperchick.com) and leave me your Stumble Upon name in a separate post.
• Favorite Chic Shopper Chick on Technorati (there is a "Fave this Blog" button in my right sidebar) and let me know about it in a in a separate post.
• Add me to your blog roll. Not just my button in your sidebar, I'd love to be on your blog roll! Let me know about it in a separate post!

That's it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.

Oh, and psssst -- have you heard about our Pink Dyson Giveaway? There is still time to enter! You can also win a copy of the Naked Brothers Band Season 2, or a complete Holiday Card Package from Tiny Prints.

US entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you'd like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contests ends at 11:59 pm CST on October 30th, 2008.

Tees for Change

I'm in love with this line of eco-friendly organic cotton and bamboo tees that are simultaneously inspirational. Tees for Change are adorned with messages such as "Today Matters", "Choose Happiness", and "Embrace Change".

I also love this organic baby onesie that says "Dream Big".

Even cooler, Tees for Change has partnered with Trees for the Future to plant a tree for EVERY eco-friendly tee that they sell. Check them out at the Tees for Change website -- they come in a variety of cuts and colors, and they retail for $32.

Want it? Tees for change is offering Chic Shopper Chick readers a coupon for 15% off through August 31st. Just enter code CHIC at checkout.

Rock On!

I love fun and funky children's clothing. Not that the adorable dresses from Carter's don't have their place, because Little AG owns quite a few of them -- but wouldn't it be nice every now and again to dress your kids in something a little less cookie cutter?

Enter Crib Rock Couture, a clothing line that is anything BUT cookie cutter, while still conveying the essence of kids. My ultimate favorite is this Lemon Crush Crib Rock Tee for toddlers, that is an advertisement for the "Wag Your Tails Tour" -- presenting "Sheep are Bo's Peeps!" I love it -- how clever! Celebs also love this great line -- this shirt can be seen being sported by Apple Martin -- the daughter of Gwyenth Paltrow and Chris Martin.

The sizes for these tees start at 0-6 months and go up to 4T. They retail for $34.

Chic Shopper Chick Giveaway: Kat in the Hat Custom Tees

This contest is now CLOSED! Have you ever come across a product or website that is just so neat, so cool, so completely you that you don't understand how you didn't know about it's existence? That is how I felt the first time I clicked over to Kat in the Hat Designs -- an online store with all sorts of products that have customizable, original artwork on them. You'll find custom invitations, T-shirts, announcements, aprons, as well as artwork all to purchase. I am especially in love with the page where you can customize your own patchwork tee with your choice of artwork and name -- you can even chose the color or colors of the patchwork that you would like.

Hubby and I clicked around the Kat in the Hat website for over an hour, trying to decide on the perfect T shirt for Little AG. We eventually settled on one the new Patchwork Tees (seen above) with her name on it where each letter was a different patchwork pattern. It is even more adorable than I thought it would be, and the t-shirt itself is very soft. Just in time for the holiday, I'm also a fan of this adorable, customizable 4th of July shirt:

I also really like these t-shirts for a child that has recently gotten a new sibling, they say "I may no longer be the only but I'll always be the first." How cute is that! You can customize this one by putting the child's name on the back, if you'd like.

And I also like these extra-special birthday shirts that declare the wearer as the extra-special birthday person!

I'm sure that now you understand why I had such a hard time choosing! They are all so adorable and different than your typical personalized kids products, don't you think? You can find these designs and SO many more at the Kat in the Hat Website. The T Shirts start at $27 and go up from there, depending on the options you choose.

Win it! Kat in the Hat Designs has generously offered THREE Chic Shopper Chick readers any one of their unique, customized baby, toddler, or kid t-shirts. To enter, just follow the easy-peasy rules below!

• Go to the Kat in the Hat Designs Website and look around. Then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me what t-shirt your would choose if you won, or if you choose a customized t-shirt -- tell me what it would look like!
• Please leave a valid email address if you would like to be contacted if you win. Otherwise, winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch.
• If the winner does not respond within 72 hours I will choose a different winner.
• US entries only please!!!
• Earn extra credit! Choose one of the following for ONE extra credit entry. Any further attempts to woo me will be disqualified!
• Write about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.

That's it! This contest will end on July 10th, 2008 at 11:59pm CST and the winners will be chosen via random.org. Good luck!

Dress pretty

I'm in the process of preparing for our trip to Europe, where the three cities we will be in (London, Paris, Nice) range in temperatures from 65 degrees to 95 degrees. I decided the best way to go as far as packing would be to purchase a bunch of summer dresses, so I've been gathering them up for a while as I found ones that I like. Today I found two new ones that I really like at Target! I'm a firm believer that being Chic doesn't have to cost a fortune.

I got this dress, in Sea Green, about which hubby said "That's a pretty color" (I almost fell over that he noticed)! I really like it, it is so feminine and TALK ABOUT COMFORTABLE! Being chic and comfy at the same time makes me a happy gal!


And I also got this Cap-Sleeve Print Dress in a Dot Print. Hubby made up for his thoughtful "pretty color" comment by saying that I looked like I had a bunch of "amoebas" all over me. Whatever, I really like it and it's cute on, plus it is also really comfy -- which is important when I'm walking a million miles per day like I know I will be.


The Sea Green Dress retails for $22.99, while the Dot-Print Dress retails for $24.99. I found them both in the store, but you can also find them on www.target.com.

Stewart+Brown: Organic Pioneers

If I were to write a description of myself, fashionista would be a word that would slip in. I do enjoy fashion, though I find myself more on the Charolotte end of the spectrum, rather than the Carrie end, if you catch my drift. My style is classy, classic, and comfortable, with a hint of trendy.


That being said, I was quite enamored when I came across the Stewart+Brown website. The first thing that caught my eye were the amazing clothes! All of these beautiful pieces, so many, in fact, that I had a hard time choosing favorites. I clicked on over to the organic cotton clothing, and I eventually settled on this beautiful jersey dress in "pomegranate" (I love that they didn't call it "red", don't you?). It is fitted at the top, seamed into pleats that unfold as they go down, creating a soft, girly look and a dress with lots of movement (I'll admit it, I twirled in it. C'mon, don't act like you haven't done it.) I was a little nervous, just ordering by the size chart online, but when I received it, it fit perfectly. Not to mention that it was the most comfortable thing I've ever worn. Seriously, I didn't want to take it off. The organic cotton is so soft that I insisted that hubby "feel" the dress. Even he was impressed, and that is hard to do.


I also chose this beautiful collar scoop shell top. It is made from 100% organic cotton, and has the most intricate embroidery detail and also has a silk screen detail on the mock sleeves that I love. It has a great fit, and is long enough for me -- which is a rarity on my 5'8" frame -- it seems like every top I that like is too short.


Lastly, I was fortunate enough to try out two of their fabulous totes. The Clover Purse tote in Pomegranate (when I unwrapped it I promptly dumped my stuff out of my other bag and placed it all in this one -- it's gorgeous) has beautiful detailing on the outside inspired by iron work that one of the owners/founders of Stewart Brown saw on a trip to Portugal. It is made from a surplus hemp blend and lined with organic cotton.



The other bag that I'm currently lovin' on is this Green Heart Tote that I fully intend to use to tote my groceries in. It is made from 100% organic surplus cotton, so you can go green by using your tote and know that even your tote bag is helping!

Head on over to Stewart+Brown and check out all of their great products -- you can shop til you drop and help the earth at the same time!

Happy Hostess

When hubby came home yesterday I had a surprise for him -- I was prancing around with one of these adorable Dorothy Aprons from Carolyn's Kitchen over my jeans and t shirt. When I saw these awesome aprons on Carolyn's Website, I fell in love with the Pink and Black one shown here. Don't worry, it's not all about fashion with me. This apron is fully functional -- it covers the necessary parts of clothing, and isn't lined, so it allows me to stay a heck of a lot cooler than those heavy, traditional aprons that make me sweat. The little pocket on the skirt of the apron is a really nice touch as well.

I also received the set of matching gloves, which are so nice! They are smooth white dishwashing gloves on the outside, but are lined with cloth on the inside, and trimmed in fabric to match my apron. I actually despise touching dirty dishes, even if it's my own, so these will get a LOT of use.

I do enjoy playing hostess to friends for dinner parties, so this will be perfect for those occasions, as opposed to my old beat up, burned in several places apron. What a nice change!

Hubby did ask the million dollar question when I was cleaning up last night in my new apron -- "Will this apron make you want to clean more?" NOPE. That would require some sort of re-wiring in my brain. But at least I will look cute while I'm not cleaning!

Grab one of these aprons in the color of your choice, or check out some of the other awesome apron designs over at Carolyn's Kitchen. This apron retails for $48 and the glove set retails for $22. Happy Hostessing!

I wanna Rock!

Need a last minute Father's Day gift idea? Check out these cute lap tees from Lil Nola. They say "When I grow up I wanna rock like my dad". Hubby would love to see Little AG in something like this. He is a drummer and would love nothing more than for her to be a little rocker chick one day.

You can grab one of these or browse the other great Father's Day gifts at Lil Nola. It's a mom-owned and run boutique, which scores major points in my book! This tee comes in sizes 6 months all the way through 4T and they sell for only $13.99.

Super Suit!

I am, quite simply, smitten with this amazing bathing suit.

Of course, you already know that I'm heading to Europe in roughly a month, and that includes 3 days on the French Riviera. Yes, I realize that some people sunbathe topless there, but since I'll be holding on to my top, I need an appropriate swim suit.

I don't know why, I can't explain it, but I am just swooning over this suit. It's swoon-worthy.

I hope that if I buy it, it looks ok on me. You know how that works, you get sooooo excited about something and then it's all WHO PUT THE FUNHOUSE MIRROR IN THIS DRESSING ROOM?

Anyway, if you like this, or you want to see some other cute bathing suits that have a little more, erm, coverage -- then check out the Modbe catalog onlne.

Hmm, I think I need that hat, too.

Little Boy Blue

I don't have a little boy, but I always think that boys got the short end of the clothing stick. It seems like it's so hard to find an adorable outfit for them, because there aren't many options, wheras girls have tons of options. So, I've gotta ask you -- how adorable are these patchwork shorts from Georgie World? I think they are fabulous! I love it when little boys dress preppy -- I can't help it -- they look so sweet! These shorts fall at upper calf and have an elastic waistline so that they can adjust with your little man! You can snag a pair for the darling boy in your life at Georgie World for $37.

Chic Shopper Chick Giveaway -- "Freckle Face" New Baby Gift Package

You've already seen my blogs about these fabulous Natursutten Pacifiers and the oh-so-sweet and safe Sophie the Giraffe teether from one of my new favorite online stores Freckle Face Boutique. The owner/founder of Freckle Face, Deanna, and I have since become email buddies, and she is graciously offering one Chic Shopper Chick reader (that's you!) to win this amazing "new baby" gift package worth $130. (I am itching to call it a gift basket, but would that require an actual basket?)

This awesome "package" would be an awesome gift for anyone with a new baby in their life! It includes:

1. An organic, kimono-style, stripe onesie in green, by Fig. Size 6-12 months.
2. The one, the only, all natural and safe -- Sophie the Giraffe! (Read my review of Sophie here.)


3. A "Baby Light and Clip" Lighted Clipper (so that you can see exactly what needs to be cut! This is really quite brilliant!)

4. A terry hooded towel and washcloth by Pixie Lily, with the Pram embroidered on the hood of the towel. I think these are just adorable!5. And two adorable and stylish Freckle Face T shirts, one for mom (a women's large) and one for baby (size 12-18 months).
Ok, so now that you've seen all of the awesome prizes up for grabs, here is how you can enter:

Here are zee rules!

• Shoot me an email at contests@chicshopperchick.com with "Freckle Face" in the subject line. Go check the Freckle Face website and and answer the following two trivia questions:
• Which Freckle Face product not mentioned here do you love the most?
• What is the event that Freckle Face participated in most recently? (hint: answer on the Freckle Face Blog)
  
• Can Deanna at Freckle Face send you follow up email? If not, that's ok, just indicate it in your entry.
  
• US entries only.
• Would you like extra credit (as a teacher I don't give this out, so be thankful). Choose one of the following for ONE extra credit. Any further attempts to woo me will be disqualified!
  
• Write about me and send me the link.
  
• Subscribe to my feed.

Contest ends May 11th at midnight CST. I will choose a winner at random using http://www.random.org and will post and email the winner on May 12th, 2008! Best of luck!

Go, now, enter! Tell your friends! :)

Repopulate NOLA

I happen to have a sense of humor (I'm sure you hadn't noticed) so I laughed out loud at this adorable Maternity T Shirt from Lil Nola. It says "Helping Repopulate New Orleans". Being a big fan of NOLA (since I, um, live here) I think this is precious. After all of the heartbreak and sadness, it's time to be happy again. This shirt would be appreciated by all around here, and anywhere, really. The best part is, Lil Nola is a mommy-owned and operated boutique -- she is a young local gal and I love supporting local talent! Go click around Lil Nola and if you are interested, pick up this fabulous Maternity T for $26.99. My other fave? "I'm making a human, what did you do today?" Perfect!

Heavenly Hostess

So, a few things I am good at: choosing the perfect birthday gift, planning trips to anywhere and everywhere for a reasonable amount of money, speaking French and teaching others, applying amazing eye makeup.

A few things I am not-so-good-at: cleaning and cooking.

Knowing the latter, is it terrible that I am dying to have one of these adorable aprons for myself? I mean, I do cook, just not frequently. And when I do, I usually just open boxes of stuff and dump them together. Ok, I can make a decent lasagna and a fabulous Hummingbird Cake, but honestly, it's not like I made those recipes up myself. I stole them.

And it doesn't just end there. Oh no, it's not that easy. I want a matching one for Little AG. But, she doesn't walk yet, you're thinking. I don't care. She will look just as cute crawling around in this. Then we can not cook together, and look amazing doing it!

Well, if you cook, or hey, if you don't -- check out these halter top, extremely adorable and fashionable aprons out at Heavenly Hostess. You can get them in mommy-sizes, or kid sizes. The kid ones are $62 and the mommy ones are $78.

I want both.

Baby Scrubs

Know any moms who insist (before ever even meeting their children) that their kids will be a doctor? Or perhaps you have a little one who is fascinated with the medical profession? How about these adorable baby scrubs? I almost laughed out loud when I saw these because I think they are fabulous! They come personalized with the child's last name in Embroidery, and the addition of Dr. in front, or RN or M.D. behind the name. I just can't resist! Pick up a set of these baby scrubs for $35 (that includes personalization) at Baby Box! Sizes are newborn through a 6.

Sweet Summer Dress

I was fortunate that when Little AG was born, she came home to a closet packed with more clothing than mine (and that's an accomplishment, ask hubby). Since then, I've had to buy very few pieces of clothing for her, thanks to my MIL who keeps her closet stocked. I'm quite happy, actually, that I never have to worry about finding the right clothes for the season, but every now and then I get the urge to splurge (oh, that was cheesy, but it's staying because it's SO me) and I want to buy her something pretty.

That's where this adorable dress comes in! I found it, on sale, at Garnet Hill Kids. It's by Ralph Lauren, and it's called the Tory Anne Dress. Regularly around $60, it's on sale for $35ish (depending on size). I'm not sure if I can resist this one -- it's so sweet. Though I must say, it would be cuter on a toddler who actually "toddles" -- Little AG has yet to make a concerted effort to walk. Oh well, maybe I'll buy a size up for next summer!

Grow Baby Grow

Little AG is our first child, and in her first year we took something like 9,000 pictures. Every day warranted using the camera, and monthly "birthdays" were celebrated with a mini-photo shoot at home. Then, for her 1st birthday, I put 12 pictures on the invitation, one from each month!

So, when I ran across these, I thought "what a cool idea!" Growth Sprouts makes a set of 12 onesies for baby's first year! You can even be put on a list to have an email reminder sent to you to take baby's picture every month! Apart from being perfect for pictures, they will also save you from having to answer the eternal question "How old is she?" (or he, if you are the parent of a boy).

You can get the entire set of 12 onesies for $75 dollars at Growth Sprouts.

Baby Bunch

Ahhh! Aren't these the cutest things ever! What a smart idea for a baby gift -- it will look "fresh" for as long as they choose to keep it wrapped! It provides the sweet look of flowers with the practical use of baby onsies, sleepers, hats, socks, etc. I can just imagine bringing one of these as a baby gift to a baby shower -- so many ooos and aahhhs would ensue when the mom-to-be pulled this out!

I really just can't get over how smart and adorable this is. I wish I had thought of it...

They aren't cheap, at $49, but would be nice gift if you were willing to spend that much. You can check out all of the options at Baby Bunch's website.!

Ruffin' It

Ok, so I cannot resist this hilarious t-shirt from Hatley Nature! It has a picture of a dog camping and says "Ruffin' it". I honestly laughed out loud when I saw it and promptly came here to blog about it! Oh, aren't you glad I have a sense of humor?

Wanna hear the really cool part?

(I knew you did)

It's completely organic cotton.

Equally as cool?

It's ON SALE, and oh, how I love a sale! Grab one, heck, grab a couple for $9.99 each at Hatley Nature, for the men in your life. (Or, for yourself, if you, uh, happen to be a man.)

Lucky Bubble (Skirt)

I adore these 100% organic cotton skirts from Lucky for Baby! I think bubble skirts are so sweet on little girls (whereas I just look like a cupcake if I try to wear one) and I miss the one and only "bubble" dress that little AG ever had, which she has now outgrown. The fact that this one is organic totally sweetens the deal for me, and makes me feel better about the $39 price tag. I totally couldn't decide if I liked the skirt in "pool" (blue for us non-artsy types) or "plum" (I think it's more like pink, but whaddaeyeno?) so I posted both pictures! If you love these like I do, consider picking one up for the princess in your life at Lucky for Baby.

Modest and Modern

I have been searching high and low for reasonably priced dresses that I can wear in Europe this summer. They are easy to pack, easy to pull on in the morning, and look incredibly classy and chic, allowing me to do my best to blend in with those impeccably dressed French women! However, I've been running into the problem that everything I seem to find is strapless, halter topped, or spaghetti strapped, and honestly, I'm just not comfortable wearing that in general, much less as my everyday style. So, when I came upon this dress at MikaRose, I was really excited! Actually I'm excited over their entire website, which features fashionable and classy modest clothes at equally modest prices! My favorite is this Emily dress, only $59 at MikaRose's website.