Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from all the ghosts and goblins at Le Top! 

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Halloween Darling of the Day: Marley

Photos by Krysta Lynne Photography

We just had to share photos of this beautiful child. Though she was a Rabbitmoon Columbus day drawing winner (where she received this Savanna dress) what made her the perfect choice for today are these photos of her in the Le Top Roary the Lion costume – it doesn’t get ANY cuter!  Have a fun night of fright and frolic, Marley!  No one will be able to resist giving you all the best candy.

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Pumpkin Carving Time

Paulo is wearing a long-sleeved shirt from the Imagination collection and 5-pocket jeans from the Guitar collection from rabbitmoon's 2010 fall/winter collection.

Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins… I just love fall! After going to the pumpkin patch to select our pumpkins, it’s time to carve them into Jack-O-Lanterns (a few days before Halloween so they don’t rot away too early). It’s always so interesting to see what faces we come up with each year. Miranda, being 6 years old, considers herself an expert pumpkin carver with two years under her belt. She even showed me the “templates” she drew for her round orange pumpkin and for her white ghost pumpkin. So cute! I didn’t even realize she knew what template means.

My favorite part is smelling the fresh aroma of the pumpkin as you cut open the top. Mmmm! It smells so sweet. My daughter’s favorite part is taking out the seeds. I think she likes feeling the slimy mess inside. As for my husband, I think he likes the power he feels when he uses his drill to poke holes in the soft flesh of the fruit. (Men!) And my 18-month old son… as long as he has his little pumpkin, he’s good.

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DoodleBug’s Children’s Boutique: PREMIER RETAILER Q&A

We loved the oodles of doodles of facts that Misty Reynolds, owner of children’s boutique, DoodleBug’s, gave us about her store in Arkansas. She gives us the facts on first mommy and daddy essentials, what she swore she would never do as a parent and how she loves the fact that she gets to live the old quote, “Do something you love, and you will never WORK a day in your life!” Le Top loves DoodleBug’s and is proud to feature them as this weeks’ premier “Store Spotlight.” Enjoy and cheers!

 

1.    Where did the name DoodleBug’s Children’s Boutique come from? What was the inspiration behind the name?

Misty: The boutique was named DoodleBug’s when it was founded over 11 wonderful years ago by a previous owner.  It is a nickname that many, many parents and grandparents call the little ones in their lives.  It refers to sweet little children learning to crawl and walk around.  In the more than 4 years I have owned the store, I have had many customers and tourists stop and ask for one of our gift tags or large gift bags with the name “DoodleBugs” on it because that is their child’s nickname!! 

 

2.    Describe the neighborhood where your store is located. Did you grow up in the local area? Is it the same as it was growing up?

Misty: DoodleBug’s Children’s Boutique is located in a wonderful resort town! We are on the very busy and ever-growing Central Avenue in beautiful Hot Springs, Arkansas. We have a very diverse town with a wonderful historic downtown area that consists of original bathhouses and great shops and restaurants. We are a lake town so we get thousands of tourists that own or rent condos on the lakes. I did not grow up in Hot Springs, but have lived here for 6 years. I grew up in a very small town in south Arkansas (population 700) where my husband and I have owned a grocery store for more than 15 years. Having those very-small town roots, I believe, prepared me for owning a boutique. The boutique experience should be very personal!! My store is only about 900 square feet, but it is packed with lots of goodies that are ever changing! Owning a business in a small town instilled in me that knowing each and every customer, their names, and their children’s names is so crucial to building a good customer base. Every day, as I come to work, I honestly get to do something that I love. I get to visit with all my wonderful customers who I consider my closest friends. I love the fact that I get to live the old quote, “Do something you love, and you will never WORK a day in your life!” I agree! I love what I do!

 

DoodleBug's display feature Le Top outfits from the "It's a Dog's Job", "Bumper Cars" and "T-Rex Touchdown" collections

3.     What would you suggest as the top 3 essentials a busy, working new mom or dad should buy to make her life easier from your store?

Misty: 3 things that I tell parents in my store that are crucial items to make life easier, simple and inexpensive are…Firstly, I believe a good-quality knit shirt, long or short sleeved, depending on the season. The basic colors I keep for my daughter are black, white, pink, and brown! They make many clothing items work better. They are great under a vest, sweater, or sleeveless shirt/dress. They also look great under jumpers! Same for boys. A nice white shirt can be worn under a sweater vest or a little john-john outfit!  Another item is leggings for girls! Get as many colors as you can! They make dresses wearable at all times! Even at school when cartwheels are a mode of transportation on the playground! Kids will be kids, so we should make life easier by using leggings most of the time! One more thing that is so important to make mornings go smoothly are great shoes! Pick a casual pair and a dressy pair! Grab your basic colors like a nice black and brown for boys, as well as a pair of tennis shoes! For girls, go for mary janes in a black and a brown. Don’t forget to get a silver shoe that can go with anything! Dress it up or dress it down!!  Easy, easy!

 

4.    Tell us…before you “had kids or grandkids, what is one thing you swore you’d never…?” Please share!

Misty:   I swore I would never let them pick out their own clothing while they were still young! Wow, eating my words is hard! My daughter Abby (8-years-old), and son Noah (11-years-old), love total comfort! Luckily, Le Top fit that bill perfectly when they were younger! They got total comfort, and I got the satisfaction that the outfits were so adorable and easy to take care of!! I share that information with parents on a daily basis. Le Top is one of the main brands in our store because it is truly for meeting function! The pictures speak for themselves!

 

5.    The holidays are around the corner – what are your top 5 items (clothes, toys, giftables, etc.) for any parent shopping for the holidays at your store?

Misty: We love gifts at our store. I absolutely love to wrap presents. We offer free gift wrapping services all year round and with every purchase. I love beautiful wrapping paper and big tulle bows. Some fun, easy gifts for the holidays include:

1.  Hairbows and hair flower clippies

2.  Squeaky shoes in fun colors!

3.  Fun holiday clothing for school and pictures

4.  Cool piggy banks

5.  Tutus for pictures and play, of course! 

 

6.    What’s your favorite Halloween candy and why?

Misty: I love mini Twix bars. Caramel, chocolate, and a cookie!

 

7.    If you could give a toddler a makeover – Describe the perfect fashionable and functional outfit you would dress a boy and girl in.

Misty: Toddler years are my favorite! They are experienced walkers and talkers! They look adorable in their little clothing. For boys, I think you can’t go wrong with khaki cargo shorts or pants! Dress them up or down depending on the shirt! Church or playground, I love khakis for boys! For the girls, I think they need any type of casual long tunic tops or comfy dresses. Grab a pair of leggings and a big hairbow and you are out the door quickly and looking very sweet!  

Le Top outfits from "Dottie Scotties", "Lavender's Blue", "Haute Dog" and "Santa's Helpers" collections

 

8.    What’s on your agenda for the holidays for your store? Any special events or fun holiday traditions at your store?

Misty: We are preparing for our Holiday Open House on the night of November 8. Food, cocktails, and fun! We will have door prizes and special savings storewide! Great time to get to visit with my customers and get in the holiday spirit!

 

9.    What collection or piece from Le Top or Le Top Baby line or Rabbitmoon do you love from the Fall/Holiday 2010 collection?

Misty: My absolute favorite collection from Le Top is actually in the fall collection this year. It is called “Haute Dog.” It is deep red and features Dachsund Weinee Dogs in a sweet brown color. It has been a hit with customers of all ages. The kids love it, as well as their parents and grandparents! I grew up owning weinee dogs! Brings back memories! We have sold out of the collection in both boy and girl. We are currently waiting for some more pieces to come in. Great fun, and of course, soft and comfortable. Just the way children like it!   

 

DoodleBug’s Children’s Boutique
 3832-C Central Ave.
 Hot Springs, AR 71913
 501.525-5700

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Happy (early) Birthday Willow Smith!

Happy birthday Willow, daughter of actress and actor Jada and Will Smith – the big 1-0 today! Wishing you a great birthday day from the Le top family.

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World Series Fever! Go Giants!

For those of you who may not know Le Top is located in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area.  Things are pretty exciting around here right now – our home team is in the World Series!  Today was “Giants Day” in the office – with an explosion of Orange and Black clothing – Orange Cupcakes and Cookies and the low hum of dedicated sports fans discussing the series.  We snapped some photos – so the world will know where we stand:

GO GIANTS!!!

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Double Darling of the Day: CJ

CJ is wearing the stripe bodysuit and french terry tracksuit from our sister brand rabbitmoon – the warm tones were inspired by the desert colors around Sedona – and the group is aptly named ‘gecko’.  I don’t think CJ will be laying still and basking in the sun for too long…he looks like he is determined to make his mark on the world! Congrats to this bundle of joy for being our Le Top Darling of the Day!

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Mariah Carey and hubby Nick Cannon Expecting!

Getty

FINALLY! Confirmation on The Today Show that actess/singer Mariah Carey is pregnant! Nick Cannon commented that ‘the greatest gift on earth is having a child.’ The due date is still not revealed, and we can’t wait to hear the sex of the baby! Cheers to the couple! Since we don’t know the little bundle of joy’s gender on the way, we think this Le Top baby ‘Little Lamb’ collection would be perfect as a neutral baby gift.



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Darling of the Day: Andrew

Watch out for Andrew the Dragon! Although he has a handsome face and a charming smile, we’ve been told this lad has a very ferocious roar! Andrew’s mom sent us these adorable pictures of her little Londoner in our Duke the Dragon costume and we just had to share them. Seeing Andrew in his costume is certainly a Halloween treat! Congratulations on being our Darling of the Day, Andrew, and we hope your Halloween celebration is a roaring good time!

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Happy Birthday Francesca Nora Bateman!

They say it’s your birthday! Cheers to Francesca Nora Bateman, daughter of actor Jason Bateman. She turns 4-years-old today! Which outfit do you think she would love most from Le Top?

 

Gentle Giraffes                         Botanical Garden

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