Have Some Fun!

Come on over to http://www.snanimals.com/ to find some summer fun for your little one!

How about these wild giraffe print maryjanes
and these giraffe print hair clips (yes we have hair clips!)Or, if you'd rather monkey around, how about our Monkey Maryjanes

And our fun monkey clips!

View all at www.snanimals.com (and don't forget our etsy shop - www.jlperillo.etsy.com for deals and steals!

Do Something Good (and your pet will LOVE you!)

Now that I have Sami, I can once again buy all my dog biscuits from http://www.waggies.org/. Run by some pretty special, special needs women, you'll feel good about helping them while keeping your doggy happy! Here's what they have to say:

Waggies by Maggie & Friends are all natural peanut butter dog treats lovingly baked in Wilmington, Delaware by persons who have intellectual disabilities.WaggieBits are kibble size training treats with the same nutritious value and delicious taste as the original 25 and 50 "bone" bags of Waggies. Perfect for small dogs and for training any size dog. Sales benefit employment for Maggie and her friends who need guidance and support as they navigate the world of work.

Cross posted from my blog http://snanimals.blogspot.com

Oh La La! "Beat The Heat" with Corolle Dolls

Week 2 of our "Beat the Heat" campaign features Corolle Dolls. Corolle is a prestige brand known for creating dolls that look and feel as real as possible, and they consistently demonstrate a commitment to safety and quality. Since its founding in 1979, Corolle has won more than 30 international awards for design and play excellence, including two DOTY awards (Doll of the Year) as well as awards from the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Dr. Toy and National Parenting Publications (NAPPA), among others.

Our product of the week is the Paul Drink-and-Wet Bath Baby. This charming all-vinyl baby doll drinks and wets and loves to take a bath! Anatomically correct, Paul is an excellent potty-training aid, too. He comes complete with four accessories: blue potty, pacifier, feeding bottle and disposable diaper.

In my opini0n, Corolle dolls are the most beautiful dolls on the market. Although my house hosts more dinosaurs and pirates than dolls, the three we have are by Corolle, and both my son and daughter love to pretend play with them in between rocket launches and zoo escapes. This week you can purchase Paul Drink-and-Wet Bath Baby and any other Corolle products and receive a 10% discount when you use the code 979HFM at check-out.

Kobold Toys offers a variety of Corolle dolls and accessories. The Corolle Rag Doll is all-cloth and machine washable -- perfect first doll for little hands. Already have a doll lover? Add to the collection with fashionable clothes, diaper bags and a stroller.

A Corolle doll is a wonderful addition to your child's collection of pretend play toys and is a perfect gift for all ages. And, don't forget that Kobold Toys also offers free shipping for orders over $40!

Red, White & Blue

http://www.thetrendybaby.etsy.com/ is the perfect place to find these great 4th of July outfits for your little boy and girl! The dress ($22.50) is made from infant through 12 youth sizes and matches perfectly with this Onesie/Tshirt with tie ($12.00) Newborn - 5 T!

Grand Re-Opening Special!!

For Posh Mamas only! Now through the end of June receive 10% off your entire purchase and a savings card for 10% off your next purchase, too!

Because of an injury to my arm, I had to temporarily close my shop, but am pleased to announce the reopening of The Studio a la Mode this past weekend, after a six month unplanned "vacation." Over the next few weeks I will be adding new items, including bracelets, earrings and necklaces.

I have also expanded my shop to include handcrafted soaps. Don't be fooled by these little chocolates! These low lather treats are not edible. But they make a perfect gift for the chocolate lover who is watching their weight, because they are made with real cocoa and they smell divine!

To receive your discount, simply enter "Discount PM" in notes to seller, and I will send a revised invoice through PayPal. Please visit soon! The special discount for PoshMama's will end June 30!

30% off at Sheeps Clothing

For a limited time only, selected hat styles are on sale at the Sheeps Clothing store.

All pure wool open knit hats, whether it be with the detachable vintage button or knitted flower feature, adult and child sized, all colours, are 30% off until the end of July. Click here to visit the On Sale section of the Shop.

Don't forget to visit our website and sign up to our monthly newsletter and subscriber only special offers.

Ideas for Father's Day

Father's Day is fast approaching, and if you are like me you are trying to come up with an idea that does not involve golf balls, blue shirts, or pictures of the kids on mugs. Shopping for the men on my list is NOT easy. Not because they would not love and appreciate more golf balls, more shirts and more pictures of the children, but because I am bored of the same old thing! The team at Kobold Toys happily offers some new suggestions for the Dads, Pops and PaPas on your list.

For the "Crafty Dad" we recommend the Made by Me Kit. This kit comes with four natural wood vehicles (train, tugboat, truck and tractor) that a child would love to put together and decorate with his/her favorite father or grandfather.

For the Game and Puzzle Lover...anything from Ravensburger! The Earthball is a unique three-dimensional puzzle that inspires a world of wonder among both kids and adults. It's specially crafted from sturdy, curved plastic pieces that fit securely in place to form a round, smooth ball. Cool! Once completed, proudly display it anywhere using the included sturdy metal V-shaped stand.

Maybe your spouse or parent wants to unleash their inner Paul Cézanne. Start them off with the Faber-Castell water color brush and paint set. Don't forget the water color pad and the art lessons at the local school or museum!

Have a Dad with a need for speed? Give him the 4M Propeller Racer. Dad and child can construct a propeller racer car with this 4M fun mechanics kit and watch as it blazes a path over smooth surfaces.

My husband is very adept at catching flies. It is inevitable that with two small children going in and out to the backyard that a fly makes his way into our home. My daughter and I do not like flies. at. all. Lucky for all of us I am married to a man who rivals Mr. Miyagi (think Karate Kid). If you married a man who is bug phobic, Kobold suggests the Grab-a-Bug. He can catch the bug, pretend to study it, and then happily release it into the wild without touching it.

The good thing about Dads (or at least my husband, my dad and my father-in-law) is that they just love the "love" on Father's Day and any day for that matter! Gifts or no gifts, don't forget to give the Dads in your life a big hug and a big thank you on June 21st!

Have a great week!

Note to family members who read this blog: The adorable PlanToys grandfather pictured here is in no way representative of Pop or Papa C!

Disney Fun at Snanimals!

Welcome Summer! And summer vacation! We've already made our trip to Disney this year and if you're planning to go anytime soon, be sure to scoop up our hand painted minnie mouse shoes for your trip! Now available in pink (at our etsy store- http://www.jlperillo.etsy.com/) or red minnie mouse at both stores (etsy & http://www.snanimals.com/!)

Fun for vacations but for everyday too.

Kobold Toys' "Beat The Heat" Campaign!

Summer is here (unless you live in the DC metro area, then some strange monsoon season is here)! The worst words a parent can hear are "I am bored." To help you and your beloved "Beat the Heat" and have the most fun under the sun in the coming months, each Wednesday Kobold Toys will feature a favorite toy for the week. For one week you can receive a 10% discount on that item as well as any other item from that brand.

In yesterday's blog, we talked about Sleestaks and crystals from the TV show amd film Land of the Lost. We are kicking off our summer campaign with the Crystal Mining Set by 4M.

Since its inception in 1993, 4M specializes in producing creative play things for curious kids. Their team is dedicated to the development of fascinatingly creative and stimulating products which enliven kid's natural curiosity, giving them the opportunity to experiment in an exciting, but safe way; and more important, to inspire children's thoughts and experiences beyond even their own wildest dreams.

The 4M products range in price from $7.00 to $15.99. These are terrific birthday gifts for all ages! This week you can purchase the crystal mining set or any other cool products by 4M and receive a 10% discount when you use the code AVX2GF at check-out. Kobold Toys also offers free shipping for orders over $40!

Have fun learning and check back next Wednesday for the next toy of the week.

Pass the word!

Land Of The Lost -- Yikes!

Although I am one of those Moms that rarely has the chance to see a movie at the theatre, I have definitely been inspired by the summer releases these past weeks. I remember watching the wacky reruns of the TV show Land of the Lost with my brother. I didn't understand the existence of the Sleestaks. They were so slow and so inept at the use of the crossbow, one would have thought the dinosaurs would have devoured them in no time. There was also the strange little monkey boy. A little creepy... The Marshall family also struck me as some odd ducks. I have to admit I preferred the Lost in Space wackadoodles (aka the Robinson family) to the Marshalls. At least Penny was smart, and they had a cool robot. It is true that if a movie date arises, Land of the Lost is not high on the list; however, the summer movie "du jour" does let us celebrate some of Kobold's favorite toys. If you must see the film with your children, you can help revive some brain cells by linking learning to some of the key plot points.

Dinosaurs are prevalent in Land of the Lost. From the move previews I have seen, Rick Marshall is very misinformed about the T-rex. Be a paleontologist, dig and excavate the skeleton of the gigantic animals which hunted the Marshall family with the Dig-a-Dino kit. Assemble the skeletons. Pose it and display it. It's so cool!Each kit contains a plaster block with the skeletons buried, a special digging tool, a brush and display platform with with fun facts about the related dinosaur and Kidz Quiz (10 questions and answers about dinosaurs).

In addition to smoldering volcanoes and the dangerous jungle, the Marshall family also had to contend with giant insect men. Turn your child into a naturalist with the Bug Hut. The Bug Hut makes a beautiful home for any (size appropriate) bug children can find!

Crystals are a very important feature of the Land of the Lost TV show. I never understood why. Maybe if I had the 4M Crystal Mining Set I could have had a deeper appreciation of their role. The crystal mining set contains 1 plaster block with 8 natural crystals buried inside, 1 specially designed digging tool, 1 brush, 1 magnifier, 1 set display case with cover and base card, 1 pouch bag and detailed instructions with fun facts.

I referenced the strange monkey boy and the Sleestaks. All I can say is they were very interesting creatures. If your child likes the "strange," then try the Mudpuppy Monster Magnetic Toy. With mysterious backgrounds like haunted houses and alien planets and over 40 imaginative monster parts, you have everything you need to create scary, funny, and totally crazy monsters (like those that dominated 60s and 70s television shows).

Rick, Will and Holly Marshall found themselves in the Land of the Lost after a routine expedition went awry. Adventure is fun- but it can be short-lived if you don't have the necessary skills and knowledge to stay alive! Have fun learning!~ Ashley

No More Spoiled Fruit & Veggies!

You’re grocery shopping at the store and they have some Beeeee-utiful fruits and veggies that look so good you feel guilty about eating them. Great produce prices and before you know it, your cart is stocked full of a colorful array of apples, grapes, peaches, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and more…

A few days later you go into your fridge to grab a juicy apple and WOW! They no longer look nearly as fresh, in fact much of the produce is rotting in front of your eyes. A few black spots on the lettuce head, bruising on the apples and mushiness in the grapes bag. Now you can see all of your produce savings going right into the garbage can and you say NEVER AGAIN to stocking up on fruit…… Over and over this scenario repeats itself and you end up tossing hundreds of dollars each year and wasting perfectly good food.

We’re SUPER excited to introduce a solution we’ve tried personally and fallen in LOVE with… our new Extra Life Produce Preserver Disks. A little green disk with an active (nontoxic and healthy) ingredient inside which slips into your crisper bins in the fridge and they TRAP & NEUTRALIZE the excess ethylene gas produced by your fruits and veggies as they ripen. This slows down the ripening process and allows you to DOUBLE THE LIFE OF YOUR PRODUCE!

The active ingredient in these disks, zeolite & potassium permanganate has been used by grocery produce managers for years to help control the ripening process of fruits, but now its available in smaller disks for your fridge at home! Each disk lasts for 3 months in your fridge and you’ll see right away how much longer your fruits & veggies stay fresh and edible… saving you lots of wasted food and wasted $$$.

Find out more details and order your Extra Life Produce Preserver Disks today and enjoy FREE SHIPPING on them (and your entire order!)

Run Dunkirk! Run!

Before the Kentucky Derby, I read the names of the horses racing aloud and asked my daughter to pick the winner. She confidently chose Friesian Fire. Crestfallen, but not deterred when Mine That Bird won, she again selected Friesian Fire for the Preakness. She stood on our sofa, pumping her arms in the air, screaming “Faster Friesian Fire, Faster!” After a few crocodile tears, she decided she was happy that a “girl horse” won. Friesian Fire is not running in the Belmont Stakes, and my daughter has decided that the winning horse will be “Dunkirk. Or the winner may be Brave Victory. It is going to be close.”

Here are a few of my daughter’s favorite horse facts learned in preparation for her career as a part-time cowboy, part-time space ranger:

*A horse typically sleeps two and half to three hours a day.
*There are about 75 million horses in the world.
*Horses sleep longer in the summer than in the winter.
*A zedonk is the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. (She wants a pet zedonk).
*A horse is measured in units known as hands. One hand is equal to four inches.
*A horse's average lifespan is twenty to thirty years.
*Horses cannot vomit.
*Mine That Bird flew to New York. (I include this fact because my daughter is still trying to figure out where horses are allowed to sit aboard airplanes, and the queries have been pretty funny).
*Jockey Calvin Borel does not wear his teeth when he races. (This is not a confirmed fact, but we have it on good authority from Kentucky friends that this is true. My daughter thinks this “fact” is hilarious too).

Kobold's Trifecta Picks of Pretend Play Toys for the weekend are:

1. PlayMobil Horse and Trailer Set. This cute set is perfect for those who love animals, and horses in particular. It includes a figure, a truck, a horse trailer (whose roof can be removed), and a horse. The back of the trailer has also a ramp to let the horse in and out of the trailer

2. Neat-Oh Zip Bin Country Stable Playset. This soft-sided horse barn converts to a rider’s delight. The playscape features two barns, a pond, a training paddock and ample corral. This is a must have for every horse lover. Softie Bins are padded and shaped for more fun and easy clean-up. Mat is 29 x 33 x 74 inches.

3. Papo Riding Girl Set. This beautiful Riding Set will make a great addition to a figurine collection. Your child will never play with a finer quality figure! Papo's riding set is hand-painted, finely detailed, and sure to be fun.The set includes a riding girl, Andalusian horse with saddle and farm dog. Kobold also recommends the Papo 3 Pinto Set and Papo Rodeo Rider.

Happy Friday- and if you are daring, place a bet on Dunkirk for my daughter Miss E! ~Ashley

and the winner is....

Congratulations to Rebecca F of Western Australia, the winner of the newsletter subscription draw. Rebecca has nominated the above hat as her favourite item in the Sheeps Clothing store and thus shall be receiving this hat shortly.

The first monthly newsletter and associated subscriber only special offer has now been distributed. Each monthy newsletter will contain an exclusive subscriber only offer and if you haven't yet signed up and wished to do so, click here to be taken to the subscription page on the Sheeps Clothing website.

The next newsletter will be sent out early in July.

Summer Giveaways!

Kobold's summer marketing campaign has started! Over the past few months, we have been reviewing the popular Mommy and product blogs, and looking for ways to increase our exposure. As someone new to the blogging world, this has been a daunting task. I have been impressed by the savvy women entrepreneurs I have encountered- it is a wildly diverse and interesting culture.

Right now you can read reviews on Kobold's products and enter giveaways on two of our marketing partner sites. For a video review of the 4M Science Magic Kit and a chance to win one, visit Christine's The Power of Housewife WOM. Christine's blog offers giveaways, product reviews, and insight into life with her two girls (one of whom has cerebal palsy).

Five minutes for Mom reviewed the Neat-Oh Zip bins - specifically the Dino Playset and the Mini Mansion. You can also enter a giveaway to win both the back pack and mini-mansion. The mission at 5 Minutes for Mom.com is to provide an essential, go-to site for moms that entertains and informs, while promoting the online mom community.

If you have a favorite Mom blog, please share it with us! And pass the word about these great products and giveaways!

Yappy Happy

I LOVE this dog license! Actually, Sami is wearing one as we speak. What a cute and clever idea from http://www.yappyhappy.etsy.com/!! Loads of fun and perfect for your little pooch. But I think it is even more perfect for your kids!! That's right, the kiddos can have their own license (think as a necklace in an amusement park for quick identification!) So fun for little kids of all ages, they'll love this!! $20

But if you're looking for your doggy and not the kids, check out yappy Happy's custom indoor dog houses (palaces!) $325 will get you one!

Don't forget to check out our etsy store at www.jlperillo.etsy.com for discounts, samples and sales of our most popular styles of shoes!

Kobold Goes Loco Over Bloco!

Kobold Toys is delighted to welcome Bloco™ to our line of toys that help children explore their creativity and imagination. Award winning Bloco Toys has been making foam construction toys in their native Quebec for three years. With an emphasis on product safety and fun, Bloco is dedicated to "providing highly original, high quality and really entertaining toys."

As with any Bloco construction set you can build the illustrated designs or let your imagination take charge. Each set can be combined with other Bloco construction sets to build even more interesting creatures.

Build lizards, sharks, fish, dinosaurs, birds, and wildcats. Let your child's imagination go crazy with these wonderful additions to Kobold's line of creative play.

Up, Up And Away!

The new Pixar movie Up opened to rave reviews this past weekend. I find it hard to believe that a story about a grumpy balloon salesman who ties thousands of balloons to his home and flies away to South America for adventure would not appeal to the masses. I know my daughter will love it on the next rainy day.

My children love to watch things go "up" - unless of course, it is that single balloon that accidentally escapes the death grip as they make the perilous trek from the car to the house. In honor of balloons everywhere, here are some of Kobold's favorite toys that go up, up and away.

First on the list, airplanes. At our local airport there is a great park where you can sit and watch the airplanes take off into the sky. We always like to take turns guessing where the plane is going. Want to encourage your pilot's prentend play? Then we recommend the PlanToys Airport and the ZipBins Shape Airport.

Today we biked to the Mall and after a picnic took a quick trip through the Naitonal Air and Space Museum. We learned about the Wright brothers, walked through a display on the universe, looked at rockets, and then my darling tomboy ended the visit with a ride on a simulator- the Cosmic Coaster. You can countdown to fun and learning with the Cosmic Rocket ship, This kit by 4M allows your child to assemble their very own rocket, fuel it with a vinegar/backing soda mix and watch it blast off! The kit includes rocket, launch pad and instructions (backing soda and vinegar not included).

My bird lovers enjoy the daring dips and soars of our backyard friends. The Bloco Birds of Prey set celebrates the "high flyers." With its 280 pieces, it provides enough possible combinations to create flockfuls of original flying creatures. The set also includes instructions to build smaller and less complicated birds.

When I asked my daughter, what other things go "up," she answered toast. At our house, the toaster shoots the finished product straight into the sky. The click of the spring and the sight of the toast going up never fails to entertain my son.

Today, ask your child what they like to see go "up" - it may surprise you!~ Happy June 1st!