Smart Tips for Back-to-School Shopping & Le Top’s NEW Pre-Fall Styles!

To your kids, shopping for new clothes, gear, and school supplies may be the only good thing about going back to school. Here are some back-to-school shopping tips to get you in the mood for fall clothes in the middle of summer!

Shop Le Top’s NEW pre-fall arrivals and click HERE 

• Start early. If you haven’t already, try to get your child’s school supply list from the school. Or compile your own list of items (backpack, notebooks, pencils, pens, etc.) you think your kid will need right away versus items (calculator, text book covers, Spanish dictionary, winter coat) that can wait till later in the school year.
• Shop at home first. It’s easy to forget in August that you’ve packed away extra school supplies last spring. Try to find as many items on your list around the house before you hit the aisles. Chances are, you probably have binders, colored pencils and highlighters left over from last year. Once you’ve completed your search, gather everything together to determine where you can save.
• Make a list and a budget and keep it with you at all times. You never know when you might stumble onto a sale on your way to the dentist or the grocery store.
• Buy a lunch box. You can save so much money when you send your kids to school with a homemade lunch. Added bonus: It’s likely to be a healthier choice. And you can monitor the cost of your homemade lunch purchases by using grocery store coupons, packing leftovers and reusing water bottles.

Also check out Rabbitmoon’s mix and match styles HERE

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Le Top and Rabbitmoon Casting Call!

We are looking for models for our upcoming photo shoot. If you think your child may have what it takes bring them to our go-see. Click on the flyer for a larger version.

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITES BY CLICKING ON THE LINKS BELOW!

www.letop-usa.com
www.rabbitmoon-usa.com

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It’s a boy for Alessandra Ambrósio

Axelle Bauer-Griffin

Brazilian supermodel Alessandra Ambrósio and her fiancé Jamie Mazur welcomed a son, Noah Phoenix, into their family on Monday in Florianopolis, Brazil just two days after her baby shower.

Today Ambrósio tweeted, “Well, the day just arrived and we couldn’t be more happy!!! Noah Phoenix was born yesterday afternoon and already stole our hearts. Anja is a proud big sister now and we are so thankful he is with us…”

We think little Noah would look so stylish in Rabbitmoon’s “Explore” collection striped footed coverall. The 100% combed cotton would be super soft against his skin.

Rabbitmoon “Explore” Striped Footed Coverall

The couple who have has been together since 2005 are already parents to daughter, 3½-year-old Anja Louise.

Congratulations to the whole family!

This comfy, soft copen blue striped
combed cotton footed coverall features
a green boyish raised felt moto-biker
graphic. Blue paneled shoulders
and footies with racing stripe
grosgrain ribbon trim add racing
hero charm. Button up front and
underneath diaper snaps for easy dressing.

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Hand Cookie Recipe for Kids! Fun!

To all of our loyal readers:

I am sorry I have been a little M.I.A. lately! I am getting ready for my wedding that is in 2 weeks (and counting), and working diligently on prepping and gearing up our Le Top and Rabbitmoon websites with our Fall 2012 collections for you shoppers and fans! I promise to be back with great daily blog posts soon, and appreciate your understanding for our minimized  blog posts the past few weeks. Keep busy with your little ones with this SUPER CUTE cookie recipe…could be a cute idea for mother’s day!! Or to even give to your grandmother’s (as long as they aren’t diabetic)!

 

THE RECIPE!
Yield: Makes 8-10 cookies

Cookies are a perfect-size snack for little hands. This recipe was designed with kids in mind!

Older children can use their hand to outline the cookies, drawing around it on the dough with a skewer and using a knife tip to cut along the line. If your child can’t cut with a knife, make a pattern from a manila folder or translucent parchment works well; it will allow you to see the shape of the cookie through it.

INGREDIENTS:

For Dough

• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, for decorating

For Decorating

• 1 large egg white
• 1 teaspoon water
• Sanding sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg, and beat until smooth, about 1 minute.
3. Add reserved flour mixture, and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Stir in vanilla. Wrap dough in plastic, and refrigerate for about 45 minutes.
4. Make cookie pattern and heart stencil while wrapped dough is chilling. For the pattern, have your child trace his or her hand on a manila file folder, and cut out the tracing. You will lay this on the dough and trace around it with the tip of a paring knife. For the heart stencil, cut a heart shape from a piece of parchment paper, discarding center.
5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. On a well-floured work surface, roll out cold dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out hand shapes. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. Dough scraps may be re-rolled twice.
6. To decorate the cookies with sanding sugar hearts, lay the heart stencil over a cookie. Combine the egg white with the water in a small bowl. Brush the egg wash in the heart, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Lift stencil and repeat with remaining cookies. Bake until edges just begin to brown lightly, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cookies cool on pans for 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

CHECK OUT LE TOP CHILDREN’S PLAYWEAR AT
www.letop-usa.com

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Learning How to Share

The time finally arrived! My three-year old son has learned how to share. This is a picture of him sharing cars with a friend in his Mommy & Me class. I remember last year when he and two other boys would eye the same car/truck/train, look at each other, then dive for the toy as they each tried to yank it from each others’ grasps. Oh, boy! That was a nightmare because all the mommies had to deal with the crying, the fighting and giving our sons “The Talk” about sharing. It’s a good thing we mothers are all on the same page regarding this, and know that we need to teach our children how to play together.

A year later, I stand in the classroom with pride (and with my camera) as I listen to my son say, “Do you want this car?” and proceed to play nicely with his friend. He’s growing up!

Paulo is wearing the rabbitmoon “discover” striped zip hoody. For this comfy cotton layering piece and more mix and match stylish kid’s clothing go to www.rabbitmoon-usa.com.

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Happy Birthday Billie!

Photo: FameFlynet, INFPhoto.com

Beautiful Billie Beatrice Dane, turns 2-years-old tomorrow, Saturday, March 3rd. Have fun celebrating with mom, Rebecca Gayheart, Grey’s Anatomy star Eric Dane, and new baby sister, Georgia Geraldine.We think Billie would look picture perfect in rabbitmoon’s “Summer” collection sleeveless dress and capri pant with ruffle cuff. Enjoy your big day!

Tiered rows of diagonal ruched ruffles across the bodice sit atop a playful sunlit yellow and sky blue kaleidoscope patterned sleeveless sundress.Crafted with soft stretch cotton for dreamy comfort. Super soft stretchy cotton makes this summer sky blue pant comfy while offering versatile daywear style. Contrast yellow and blue kaleidoscope print ruffle cuffs add sass and flair.

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Bellybum Boutique: PREMIER STORE SPOTLIGHT Q&A

This week we headed to the mid-west to interview one of the chicest baby and children’s boutique’s in all of Chicago Illinois – Bellybum Boutique? Never been? Trust Ellen Sternweiler, store owner, on her killer instincts and excellent taste for children’s products, clothing, accessories and toys…your kiddo is sure to be styling and dressed to impress! She gave s the inside scoop on her store’s upcoming events and sales, the best items for parents shopping for a warm-weather winter vacation, and her favorite Rabbitmoon collection for spring! Read more below! 

Bellybum Boutique

4347 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618
773.868.0944

www.bellybumboutique.com

CHECK-IN and JOIN Bellybum Boutique Facebook page and click HERE

 

Owner, Ellen Sternweiler

1.    Tell us the inspiration behind the name Bellybum Boutique? How long has your store been around?
I was trying to figure out a good name for a store that would specialized in everything for pre & postnatal moms and cloth diapers…hmmm…mama bellies & baby bums! Perfect 🙂

2.    Spring 2012 styles are coming into stores and brightening up any family’s winter wardrobe. What are your top 3 items (clothes, toys, giftables, etc.) for any parent shopping for warm weather items for a nice holiday vacation this winter?
Of course we always love receiving our new Rabbitmoon Collection — and this season will not disappoint (so cute)! We also just received a gorgeous new line of organic toys, blankets & clothing from Finn & Emma. Swaddle Designs blankets make great gifts: Soft and cozy, these 3-blanket cotton/fleece sets are perfect for any cool spring day. No mama’s ensemble will be complete this season without one of our gorgeous cardigans from Splendid! Lastly, I bet any sleep deprived parent can figure out why our “On-the-Go Sleep Sheep” are a must have…

3.    Any special events that you have planned at your store for spring? Tell us the inside scoop about any special events and especially the fun deals we can expect!
We like to have fun and surprise our customers…That said, you can expect more fun, and sometimes silly, Spring/Summer sales and events in addition to our current Winter Clearance sale. We are planning a big event in the Spring to celebrate the opening of our new Sensory Kids™ Store, and we are sponsoring the Autism Speaks Walk in June. Stay tuned for more information about walking with “Team Bellybum.” And, of course, if the weather continues to astound, we will surely bring back our ever-popular “Temperature Sale.”

4.    What is your “go-to” baby shower gift in your store for boys and girls?
Padalily car seat handle pads (for moms), Apple Park Organic Plush Rattles & Toys (for Babies), and Moby Wraps (for parents) are hands down customer favorites!

5.    What are your top 3 children’s movies or books and why?

• ChittyChittyBangBang (still great after all these years!)
• Jungle Book (who wouldn’t love Baloo?)
• The Phantom Toll Booth (Read this! Then read it to your young children, then let them read it again when they can, then re-read it yourself…you’ll get something new from this every time. I promise)

6.    Tell us…before you “had kids or grandkids, what is one thing you swore you’d never…?”
Nurse or use cloth diapers. Now I own a store that specializes in those things. Go figure!

7.    Describe the neighborhood of your store location in Chicago, Illinois? Did you grow up in the local area?
I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. Now, after 20 years in Chicago, I finally consider myself a Chicagoan (though I’ve gotta admit I’m still an Indians and Cavs fan). I love the Lincoln Square/Northcenter neighborhood where my store is located and where I live. It’s the perfect mixture of old and new and committed to being the ‘greenest’ neighborhood in Chicago. It’s a terrific place to raise a family with beautiful parks, as well as plenty of hip stores and great restaurants.

8.    What are the hottest trends for kids clothes right now?
Cute with a twist: I think people are tired of ‘sophisticated.’ It seems people want kids to look like kids…just the modern version.

9.    Where are the best/essential family hangouts and places to go around your store location?
Jury’s (Best Burger), Julius Meinl (Best Coffeehouse), Wells Park (Sports, Concerts…), The Old Town School of Folk Music, Lincoln Square (Gift Stores, Book Stores, Restaurants…)

10.   What Le Top or Rabbitmoon Spring 2012 collection is your store’s favorite and why?
We LOVE the Rabbitmoon “Summer” sunlit yellow collection!!! The colors are so fresh and who knew yellow could look so good?! The “Pieced Top With Tie Shoulder” is ridiculously cute with the matching hat. OMG!

Rabbitmoon "Summer" Collection A-Line Dress

Bellybum Boutique

4347 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618
773.868.0944

www.bellybumboutique.com

 CHECK-IN and JOIN
Bellybum Boutique
Facebook page and click HERE

 

 

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Casting Call on Friday

The Le Top casting call is just a few days away. If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area and have a child that wears a size between 9month and 3T (unwashed) that loves to ham it up for the camera then read on. Your child could end up modeling Le Top or rabbitmoon clothing. All the details are below. The deadline for submissions is tomorrow!

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Le Top and Rabbitmoon Casting Call Next Week

CHECK OUT LE TOP CLOTHING AT
WWW.LETOP-USA.COM

CHECK OUT RABBITMOON CLOTHING AT
WWW.RABBITMOON-USA.COM

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What is Cyber Monday & Le Top SPECIAL deal for you!

It’s a special (shopping) day today! Cyber Monday! And just in time for your holiday shopping. My best friend is having a baby in February and is extremely stressed thinking about the cost of Christmas gifts on top of buying new baby furniture, baby clothes and kiddo type items to prep her apartment for her new arrival. What a better way to reduce that stress than by taking advantage of Cyber Monday deals today and save on holiday shopping (especially from your home or at work without the hassle of carrying heavy bags and the holiday mass rushes on the streets!). Her question to me, “What is Cyber Monday???” Well…here is a little debriefing, as well as our special Le Top (www.letop-usa.com) and rabbitmoon (www.rabbitmoon-usa.com) Cyber Monday deals and savings!

20% off + free shipping*
on all orders

HURRY & SHOP NOW
www.letop-usa.com

Use online code LETOPCYBERFF11 at checkout.
Ends December 4^th

* Offer valid on letop-usa.com only. Offer is applied at checkout with promo code LETOPCYBERFF11. Offer not valid on phone orders. This offer cannot be combined with any other promotion or sale items and cannot be applied to previous purchases. Offer valid through Sunday, December 4, 2011 11:59pm ET and shipped via regular shipping (5-10 business days). Le Top is owned and controlled by C.K. Enterprises and reserves the right to change or cancel this promotion at any time.

20% off + free shipping*
on all orders

HURRY & SHOP NOW
www.rabbitmoon-usa.com 

Use online code RMCYBERFF11 at checkout.
Ends December 4^th

* Offer valid on rabbitmon-usa.com only. Offer is applied at checkout with promo code RMCYBERFF11. Offer not valid on phone orders. This offer cannot be combined with any other promotion or sale items and cannot be applied to previous purchases. Offer valid through Sunday, December 4, 2011 11:59pm ET and shipped via regular shipping (5-10 business days). Rabbitmoon is owned and controlled by C.K.Enterprises and reserves the right to change or cancel this promotion at any time.

What is Cyber Monday?
Just as Black Friday represents the biggest physical store shoppingday, Cyber Monday is the biggest online shopping day, as people continue their Christmas shopping when they return to work. Mondays are good retail days for any online businesses, and typically, a Monday in December is usually when online retailers see their highest single day profit for the year. Why Monday? Now that over two-thirds of the American population have high speed internet at home, that trend of shopping at work has drastically reduced. People shop at home as well, but it’s still usually on Mondays. In this tough economy, people are looking for deals more than ever.

Background on Cyber Monday:
Despite the fact that Cyber Monday gets linked with Black Friday, it didn’t take off because of any drastic deals offered by online retailers. It was the perception of deals that propelled it. In fact, usually the products offered were those that didn’t sell on Black Friday. However Cyber Monday took off because of aggressive marketing campaigns by various online businesses who wanted to be a part of the buzz mostly conceived in consumer’s minds. Its fame eventually reached shoppers through word of mouth. The process of how Cyber Monday came onto being shows how important it is to relate to online shoppers in an organic way to ensure continued success.

Enjoy our holiday Cyber Monday deal and shop away! 🙂

 

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