TickledPinkandBlue.com: ONLINE PREMIER STORE SPOTLIGHT Q&A

It’s all about online shopping these days. Many moms (and most that I know) are running around all day – from taking their kids to school to fitting in after school activities and sports to bedtime stories and more…what better way to relax and do a little e-shopping with one of our favorite online premier boutiques – www.TickledPinkandBlue.com. We are obsessed with this online children’s clothing boutique and their mission is to provide their customers with high quality products at affordable prices and superior customer service – Le Top can vouch for that! We were able to sit down and talk to co-owners, Katherine and Ashley, this week and get the scoop on their website, how they decide what to buy for their products on their site, their tips on online shopping, and sweet deals if you sign up as a customer on their website. Read more to find out about TickledPinkandBlue.com!

 228.697.5192

www.tickledpinkandblue.com

CHECK-IN and JOIN
TickledPinkandBlue.com’s
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1.     Tell us the inspiration behind the name Tickled Pink and Blue? How long has your online store been around and what was your inspiration behind launching the website?
Tickled Pink and Blue is owned by two friends, Katherine and Ashley. We wanted to come up with a name that was playful, fun and whimsical and expressed how we feel about children and our personalities. We’ve both always loved children and were looking forward to starting our own families and dressing our children in today’s beautiful and adorable fashions. Ashley had just become a mother to her beautiful daughter, Ava, and we were “tickled pink” to have Ava in our lives. After brainstorming and chatting, as women do, we came up with Tickled Pink. We wanted to, of course, include boys in the name of our online boutique, so Tickled Pink and Blue emerged!

Our online store has been around since the summer of 2011. Our inspiration behind launching our site was to find beautiful, well-made clothing that is affordable and share them with moms, grandmothers, aunts, and others shopping for the just the perfect outfit or dress for their special bundles of joy. We are very good friends and were teaching together at the same school; however, we were looking for something to do that we could have fun with, would be able to spend more time with our children, would be flexible, and more importantly would allow us to dress up our little ones, and all our friends’ and families’ little ones, in all the latest fashions.

Ashley's daughter, Ava, in one of her favorite outfits (Le Top Tiny Bubbles).

2.     What do you look for in clothing/accessories companies when buying for the boutique?
First and foremost, we look for affordable prices for our customers. We feel that it is important to offer quality clothing at great prices. We also look for a wide variety of styles from traditional smocked clothing to casual playwear to soft and comfortable sleepwear, with a keen eye on items that we would dress our own children in. We also try to keep a well-stocked inventory with the current seasons hottest items and our best sellers. For this reason, it is important to us to work with companies that have a flexible and easy reorder program and good turn-around times and delivery windows.

3.     What advice would you give to parents shopping for their children? Do you find that most parents take the same stylistic approach with dressing their children as they do with themselves?
The advice we would offer to parents shopping for their children would be to purchase items that are of good quality. We would also encourage parents to look for items that they love and make their children comfortable.

We find that parents’ stylistic approach to dressing their children differs considerably. Some parents dress their children in more traditional or classic clothing and feel nostalgic when their children are wearing some of the very same long-lasting brands. Others tend to dress their children in trendier styles, while other parents choose a combination of traditional styles and trendier styles when dressing their children. Whatever the parents’ stylistic approach, Tickled Pink and Blue hopes that every parent can find something at our online boutique that they would love to have and purchase for their children.

4.     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 online shopping for warm weather items?
Our top three clothing items would be Le Top’s Sun and Sea Ocean Print Jumpsuit, any of the ruffled bubbles by Petit Ami, and short sets for boys by Rosalina and Mud Pie featuring smocked or appliquéd designs. Any of these items would be perfect to dress your child in to enjoy the upcoming summer fun!

5.     Any special events that you have planned at your online store for spring? Tell us the inside scoop about any special events and especially the fun deals we can expect! Do you list any deals on your great Facebook page?
We often have great discounts for our valued customers. As an Easter gift to our customers, we are offering 10% off our new spring and summer clothing until the end of April. In order to take advantage of this offer, you can register as a customer on our website and use the code “EASTER10” at checkout. Yes, we do list any special promotions or sales on our Facebook page, so we would like to remind everyone to “Like” our Facebook page, so you don’t miss out on any of our great deals and fantastic promotional events!

6.     What are your top 3 children’s movies or books and why?
Ashley: For babies to younger toddlers, I love Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.  My daughter who is 19 months just loves this book. For children a little older, I think the Fancy Nancy books by Jane O’Connor are just precious. Little girls love to dress up and wear pretty, frilly things, so it is a lot of fun to read these books and look at the adorable illustrations. My favorite book for all ages is Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. I think we all remember reading this as a child. I still have memories of actually getting to eat green eggs and ham in pre-school after my teacher read us that book.  It was such a fun day! 

Katherine:  American Girl collection of books (and they come with dolls…who wouldn’t love that!) and The Polar Express (remains a favorite of mine today and reminds us all to keep the spirit of Christmas alive in our hearts:)).

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

Katherine and Ashley at their website Launch Party last June

Ashley:  Well, I do have one thing that I always said I would try to do and that was to have my kids sleep in their own beds. So far, my husband and I have stayed pretty true to that except for a few occasions in which she was sick or not feeling well. 

Katherine: My husband and I are expecting our first children. Yes, that’s right, children! We’re having twins, and we couldn’t be more excited. One thing that is really important to us, as parents, is to make sure we don’t lose ourselves once we have children and make time for each other as a couple.

8.     What are the hottest trends for kids’ clothes right now?
The hottest trends for kids’ clothes right now are bright colors with fun patterns and of course, polka dots! Paisley print items have been very popular with our customers this season as well. Outfits accented with appliqués, ruffles, and grosgrain ribbons are also a really big hit.

9.     What Le Top or Rabbitmoon Spring 2012 collection is your online store’s favorite and why?
We actually have three favorites from Le Top’s Spring 2012 collection.  We love the bright colors of coral, aqua, orange, and lime green featured in the Sun and Sea Collection. In Tiny Bubbles, we fell in love with the dot print sun-suit top and ruffle panty. Who doesn’t just love polka dots! The Love Bug Collection pairs our two favorite colors together, which are pink and green. The floral and striped patterns look just perfect together, and the grosgrain ribbon and embroidered flower add just the right amount of sweetness for your little girl. All of these collections have adorable, fun styles that make you look forward to all of the activities that you will get to enjoy with your children this summer. 

Le Top "Love Bug" Sunsuit Top & Striped Panty

Tickled Pink and Blue

 A Children’s Clothing Boutique
228.697.5192

www.tickledpinkandblue.com

CHECK-IN and JOIN
TickledPinkandBlue.com’s
Facebook page and click HERE

 

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Top Baby Names of 2011 & Meanings

I have tons of friends having their 2nd wave of babies in the next few months. What’s the topic of conversation? Baby names – what is cool, not cool and what would be cute! Here are the top baby names of 2011 and their meanings. Seems like the film Twilight had quite the effect!

The list is put out by the Social Security Administration (who has to have something fun to do with all those birth records), and they have a feature which shows the change in the popularity for names, giving some limelight to those who did well for themselves without making it into the Top 10. The two with the biggest jumps were Maci and Bentley, just like the young mother and young son featured on Teen Mom, following their stint on 16 and Pregnant. Another fast-riser was Knox, the name of one of those seemingly thousands of kids in Brangelina’s family entourage. Tiana, the name of the princess in The Princess and the Frog, saw a surge, as did Kellan, a name shared by Kellan Lutz, another actor from Twilight.

Boys

1. Jacob: Has come in and out of vogue for over 100 years. Landed at No. 1 for the first time in 1999, knocking Michael off the top after 38 years. In the Old Testament, Jacob was born holding his twin brother Esau’s heel. Namesake Jacob Grimm, the German linguist and writer, was the author of “Grimm’s Fairy Tales” with his brother Wilhelm. Jacobus is the Latin form of the name.
2. Ethan: Biblical name of the third king of Judah who reigned for 41 years. Popular among the Puritans in the 17th century. More common in the U.S. prior to the turn of the 20th century. A favorite Jewish name.
3. Michael: Extended form of Micha, meaning “Who is like God?”. Numerous namesakes found in the Bible. The most notable is a minor prophet who predicted the fall of Jerusalem and the coming of the Messiah. A book in the Old Testament bears his name. Late-comer to the charts in 1959, but becoming a prevalent name because of its strong Hebrew connection.
4. Jayden: A combination of the names Jay and Aiden that’s seen a sudden burst of popularity during the past 10 years. The son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, who appeared with his dad in the 2006 film, “The Pursuit of Happyness.” A unisex name.
5. William: Used as a royal name in Great Britain for nearly one thousand years starting with William the Conqueror. Had seen a steady decline until 1982 when Prince Charles and Princess Diana named their first son William. In the U.S., William has remained among the top 10 for the past 125 years. Namesakes include four United States presidents. Actor Willem Dafoe uses the Dutch form of the name.
6. Alexander: This fun surname evokes a playful, widely liked bon vivant — he might be equally comfortable pursuing quiet, bookish activities and joking around with his pals. Shortens easily to the cute nickname Sandy.
7. Noah: A biblical name for one of the Apostles who was also called Bartholomew. Listed among the top 100 in 1978, peaking at No. 61 in 2000 and 2001.
8. Daniel: A form of the Hebrew name, Kohen. A new addition to the popular chart. A favorite among Jewish families.
9. Aiden: A form of the name Aodan which  means “Fire”. Used by several early Irish saints. Irish American actor Aidan Quinn has brought attention to the name.
10. Anthony: Derived from the old Roman family name Antonius. Associated with early saints and an Egyptian hermit who founded the monasticism. Listed among the top 100 names since 1881 and the top 50 since 1936. Influenced by the long career of Welsh actor Anthony Hopkins. Puerto Rican-American singer Marc Anthony is a famous bearer of the surname.

Check out Le Top’s Children and Baby Clothing by clicking HERE

Girls

1. Isabella: The Portuguese and Spanish form of Elizabeth. A literary name for the heroine in the Henry James novel “Portrait of a Lady” published in 1881 and adapted into a film in 1996. The name has been in popular use since before the turn of the 20th century and hit its peak in 2003 at No. 83.
2. Sophia: Derived from the Greek word that grew in popularity during the 17th and 18th century in England, most likely influenced by the heroine in Henry Fielding’s 1749 novel “Tom Jones.” Italian actress and academy award winner, Sophia Loren, brought attention to the name during the 1960s. Sophie is the French form of the name.
3. Emma: Possibly the Latin feminine form of Aemilius or a combination of Emelia and Amalia. The name has been used for the title character in the novel “Amelia” by Henry Fielding and for a character in the book “Vanity Fair.” Associated with Amelia Bloomer a 19th century women’s rights and temperance advocate and famed aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, who became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
4. Olivia: Lavinia may mean a “woman of Rome” but the name carries the alluring, exotic beauty of an Eastern European supermodel. She’s also a gentle but tragic character in Shakespeare’s “Titus Andronicus.” With a similar sonance, this name could be an alternative to uber-popular Olivia.
5. Ava: Of uncertain origin, its possibly a variation of the medieval names Avis or Aveline, a phonetic variation of Eva and Evelyn, or a form of the Hebrew Chava. Actress Ava Gardner whose film career started in 1941 largely influenced the name. Numerous celebrities have chosen this name for their daughters, including Reese Witherspoon, Heather Locklear, Kevin Dillon, Jason Priestley, and Mia Hamm.
6. Emily: The feminine form of Aemilius that’s sometimes confused with the similar sounding Amelia. The name has been in popular use for over a century and is currently among the top 500.
7. Abigail: The name of the third wife of King David in the Old Testament who referred to herself as David’s “handmaid” which paved the way for its use in literature for a lady’s servant. The name has steadily climbed in popularity since the 1940s, breaking into the top 100 in 1989. First lady and wife of former president John Adams is a namesake. Known today as the pen name for advice columnist Abigail Van Buren.
8. Madison: The name was derived from an English surname associated with former president James Madison and his wife Dolley. It was influenced by actress Daryl Hannah in the 1984 film, “Splash,” whose character adopted the name after seeing a street sign for Madison Avenue in New York. It debuted on the popularity chart in 1985.
9. Chloe: A variation of Channah which is the Hebrew form of Hannah favored among Jewish families; The feminine form of Chayim derived from the Hebrew word “chai” that carries a prophetic meaning for a newborn child.
10. Mia: Associated with the Roman goddess of spring who gave her name to the fifth calendar month of the year. In Greek mythology she was the mother of the god Hermes. Popular use of the name began in 1996.

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