Halloween Shoes

Don't forget their feet this Halloween season! Fun designs from www.snanimals.com to delight! (See our site for cute costume matching ladybug and bumblebee shoes too!)
Scaredy Cat Sneakers are sure to please!

Scary Mary's are great with those cute hallowee dresses!

And the shoe of the month at www.jlperillo.etsy.com is our candy corn maryjane or sneaker (just $15!)

It's a Shure Thing!

Today Kobold Toys' Beat the Heat campaign puts the spotlight on Shure. Since 1992 Shure has been designing products that encourage creative hands-on learning for kids of all ages. From puzzles to the latest ArchiQuest (see Monday's blog!), Shure has consistently delivered products that emphasize excellence in design, exceptional quality and educational merit.

Kobold Toys offers several products from Shure. Puzzles for the younger set and do-it-yourself projects for your older child. Today we are highlighting two of these learning systems from Shure: Mini-Chic Fashion Designer and Wood Burning Creations.

Does your child dream of being a fashion designer and seeing their creations on the runway? Help your child master the art and science of fashion design with this wonderful reference and activity book. The set includes sylish stencils, paper “fabrics,” and illustrated ideas for cool paper fashions and crafts. Your child can also learn about color theory, exciting fashion careers, how to combine colors, shapes, patterns, and textures... and much more. (Age 7+)

The Wood Burning Creations let your child design and burn a one-of-a-kind wooden box, CD case, picture frame, key chains and more! Set includes UL listed wood burning stylus with stand, assorted wooden punch outs, illustrated design sheets, carbon paper, metal key rings and clips, watercolor paints, artist’s brush, craft glue, sandpaper and illustrated instructions. Everything comes packaged in a wooden box with hinged lid and metal clasp closure. (Age 12+)

For the next week, use the discount code F76GUL at checkout on any of the fabulous Shure products at Kobold Toys and have fun learning!

Where in The World...

Mimsi and Papa C left over a week ago for a European holiday with another couple. This is their first big vacation without their children since the 80s, and let me tell you I am annoyed! They are on a cruise ship which whether at sea or in the harbor apparently has no internet service... phones lines are cut... you get my drift. Except for one barely coherent text three days into their excursion, I have received zero communication that would let me know where they are or what they are doing. I have sent them several texts since that seems to be their preferred means of communication, and in return....crickets. Not a peep! I keep thinking this must be some kind of payback for my poor communication through college and my 20s... or my mom's wacky version of Roman Holiday. My only solace is that Mr. K (one of their travel companions) does not take any guff from anyone so I feel pretty confident that if my parents have been attacked by pirates or have wandered off, he has it under control.

I share this little travel story with you because I am in travel mode and have been thinking about all the incredible architecture and culture my parents are hopefully experiencing. This leads me to share with you the amore Kobold Toys is feeling for ArchiQuest, the latest offering from Shure. Archiquest is a collection of a sets of wooden blocks inspired by some of the world's most famous architectural buildings. The heirloom-quality blocks are decorated with motifs of different cultures: Ancient China, Egypt's Wonders, Medieval Europe, the Byzantine Legends, and the Roman Empire. What we LOVE is that each set of blocks is accompanied by a hardbound book of up to 86 pages that explains the significance of decorative symbols and architectural elements. Your child is able to discover the ways in which architecture reflects culture, values and human accomplishments.

Each book also provides illustrated building plans to create the structures of the various cultures and time periods. Explore the fascinating architecture and design of ancient China with Dragons and Pagodas: China’s Treasures. This unique architectural building system promises hours of fun and discovery with a 50-page hardbound educational book, which includes an architectural timeline, building ideas, and much more. In this set 50 heirloom-quality wooden blocks are laminated with unique hand painted artwork featuring motifs inspired by real-life architectural masterpieces such as the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven.

Go west and experience the engineering advances and architectural masterpieces of ancient Rome with Empire and Arches: Rome’s Magnificence. Build your own Coliseum (possible last sighting of Mimis and Papa C!) or Roman Temples. Maybe you want to have access to all of the great architural feats- then try the Deluxe World Fusion set which contains 218 blocks that showcase details from 6 different architectural stylings reflecting the times of pharaohs, czars, kings, dragons, mosaics and arches. The heirloom-quality wooden blocks are laminated with unique hand painted artwork featuring motifs inspired by real-life architectural masterpieces such as Beijings Forbidden City, St. Marks Cathedral in Venice, the Great Pyramids of Egypt, and many more!

The blocks come in a solid wood box with sliding lid, handy for storage. Each block unit is made of solid pine and has been coated with a protective Permaseal laquer finish, preserving them for generations. Appropriate for ages 5+. To learn more about this line from Shure or to explore more about architecture, visit http://www.archiquest.org/.

These blocks are on the wish list of any budding architect, world traveler, and art lover. Archiquest epitomizes Kobold Toys' mantra of Have fun learning! as these blocks and books inspire learning and adventure, and we are excited to offer these wonderful blocks to you and your family.

Have a great week and please let me know if you see Mimsi and Papa C anywhere....

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Shaklee Independent Distributor

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Holy Cow!

This is too cute to pass up and will make a great gift (especially when you pair it with our shoes!)

Organic little scrapper hat, made with fabric that stretches to fit (so it will stay put!) In sizes newborn and up, j ust $16! http://www.benoitdesigns.com/

Now imagine the little hat with a little pair of our pink cow sneakers and you've got yourself a fabulous baby gift (or how about the start of a great halloween costume!!) Too cute!! http://www.jlperillo.etsy.com/ (on sale for August!!)

Shake, Rattle and Roll

Babies learn and develop through play that stimulates their sense of sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. Infant stimulation can improve your baby’s curiosity, attention span, memory, and nervous system development. Research also suggests that babies who are stimulated reach developmental milestones faster, have better muscle coordination, and a more secure self image.

Kobold Toys offers a selection of infant play toys that are safe, facilitate development, and most importantly, create giggles! Here are some of our favorites for your baby or for your next baby shower:

We love the all natural wooden rattle by Maple Landmark. The truly natural rattle has ends that are made from sustainable harvested local (Vermont) maple and have a whey-based finish. It is small with little bars that make it easy for little fingers to hold. The rattle is 2.5" long and the oval ends measure 1.5" X 2.5". The bell floats freely for maximum sound.

Lilliputiens remains a favorite for high-quality, luxurious toys that stimulate. The Leo the Peacock Activity Chain is made of 4 magnetized rings in different geometric shapes. Baby can rearrange the order of the rings to his liking. Each ring stimulates the senses through the colors, fabrics, noises and magnets. The Basile Activity Mirror (pictured above) attaches to the playpen or the bed. This funny monkey is full of discoveries, stimulating touch, vision and hearing. Making silly faces in the mirror will definitely delight baby and the rest of the family will enjoy watching too!

Everyone knows the award-winning Winkel by Manhattan Toy. Kobold Toys believes this is the perfect baby rattle! What makes is perfect is that those tiny fingers can easily get a hold of it and hold it and rattle it for hours. If put in the refrigerator, it becomes a great teether as well. Stunning colors give this perennial favorite a lively look.

A new favorite is the Calico Ball Chime. This soft ball with contrasting cotton print has old fashion whimsical charm. The bright patterns stimulate your child's visual awareness. Its small size is perfect for little hands to grab and roll with you.

Our final suggestion is the wrist rattle by HABA. In either a car or flower shape, these soft companions for the wrist and ankle will not get lost. Adorable!

Have fun playing with your baby and watching him learn. It is amazing how the little things you do now to stimulate their minds will reap incredible rewards later. When shopping for your beloved, don't forget Kobold Toys has an extensive selection of baby gifts from rattles to playmats!

Shake it Baby!

Welcome To The Future

We are in travel mode this month. Monday I spent 14 hours traveling from Massachusetts to Virginia. Thank you for your sympathies. The good news is that Miss E will wear earphones while the movies play so I only have to listen to her belt out lyrics from High School Musical and not the entire cast. While traveling in luxury at 1 MPH through New York City at rush hour, I was thinking about the Jetsons and my lost hope in the hovercar. What is a traffic-addled mom to believe in when the promise of jetpacks and space travel seems to be fading fast. I am grateful for Tivo, but where are the technocratic travel wonders for which I have been hoping?

Well, there is hope, people. Automoblox = inspiration. The Automoblox cars are cool. And I mean really cool. and simple. and fun. The wooden collection of cars and trucks has a mix-and-match design system that puts your child in charge of the finished product. Designed to inspire young engineers, each car comes apart into interchangeable components, so your child can combine them to dream up new vehicles while building problem-solving, shape-matching, and creative thinking skills.

Kobold Toys wants you to Beat the Heat and celebrate the creativity of Automoblox. Use this week's discount code 5GFQC5 to save 10% on the Autoblox X9-X Green Sport Utility. This fabulous wooden sport utility vehicle defines off-road chic. Equipped with running boards, front and rear skid plates, roof rack and spare tire, this "king of the road" has an increased ride height over the X9, not to mention deep grassy accents and rugged charcoal wheels.

You can also use this code on any Automoblox available at Kobold Toys. Check out the mini line which is a scaled down version of the full sized Automoblox. They fit in the palm of your hand!

And for all you August travelers... a Beat the Heat favorite quote: In America there are two classes of travel - first class, and with children. ~Robert Benchley

Happy Travels!

Kindergarten Rocks!

Yes, you've seen these in those children's magazines for more but buy them here (www.mypersonalizedtshirt.etsy.com) for just $12! Pink or blue, kindergarten or any grade (personalized too!) Definitely a deal not to pass up, great for back to school (and super fast shipping too!)

While perusing Etsy, stop by our store at www.jlperillo.etsy.com for back to school deals, Halloween previews and more!

Fish Are Friends!

I can not believe that this is the first week of August - where is the summer going! I have not even had the chance to take the children to the beach this year as all of our vacation destinations have been inland. This past weekend we took a family day to the National Aquarium in Washington, DC. (Note to Washington DC visitors: you will feel like you paid to much for this little aquarium. It is a great distraction and intimate enough to keep the smaller set entertained as my one year old loved doing laps and grabbing human tushies (!) along the way. Make time for the National Aquarium in Baltimore if you want to be impressed). Miss E is a shark lover so we went to celebrate shark weekend. Now as someone who grew up in the Jaws generation I have a healthy fear of sharks and because of this I don't really think about them too much in my day to day life. There are around 400 different types of sharks and they are found in oceans all over the world. There are very small sharks, like the spined pygmy shark, and sharks that are bigger than a bus, like the whale shark. I did learn some sobering statistics. Almost 1/5 of all sharks and rays are critically close to extinction. Did you know that 250,000 sharks die each day? Miss E was NOT happy, and is very concerned about her favorite Hammerhead friends (we even ended up with a large, plush hammerhead shark named Alex Fred, Junior.).

So today we celebrate summer, the shark, and our other underwater friends.

My son's favorite sea animal is the turtle, and the aquarium had an adorable sea turtle for him to ooh and ahh over during his laps. If you have a turtle lover, Wild Republic offers the Sea Turtle Belly Bunch. The Sea Turtle is made of soft plush, with a "belly bag" that holds other animals (a crab, two different kinds of sharks and a sea turtle) that share her environment. This is a great "take along" toy to the doctor's office, a restaurant, or a long car ride.

Mudpuppy's Under the Sea First Puzzle shows a polkadot fish, a seahorse, an octopus, and a porpoise illustrated by Roge. All four puzzles are packed in a colorful box with a handle. Kobold Toys also offers their Color Me Under the Ocean Puzzle Mudpuppy's Under the Sea Color Me Puzzle shows a big blue whale, an octopus, sea stars, a swordfish, sea snail, seahorse, porpoise, jellyfish, and lots of other oceanic life. Design your own sea stacks with Mudpuppy's Under the Sea Constructibles Building Set. Jennifer Yanok has illustrated jelly fish, octopus, sea turtle, seaweed, coral, crab, sea urchin, seahorse, sea star, sea snail--and of course, lots of colorful fish--all on this set of 25 interlocking slotted card pieces in 5 basic shapes. In addition to being fun and a creative outlet, constructibles building sets improve hand-eye coordination, develop fine motor skills, and reinforce principles of balance and spatial relationships.

Although we have yet to encounter a mermaid at an aquarium or on the water, we still believe they exist. Peter Pan says it is so! If your child's favorite sea creature is the mermaid. Consider Manhattan Toy's Maddie Mermaid. She is exquisitely designed from her shell inspired handbag to her polka dotted tail and long, lavender hair. An easily removable tail reveals a playful skirt and legs to take Maddie from sea to shore in no time!

If you have a shark lover, you may want to check out Shark Week at Discovery Channel. The fun/fear starts on August 2nd. I hope your summer continues along swimmingly and that you are all having wonderful adventures.

Have a great week! ~ Ashley

Back to School with Snanimals

It's back to school season already! (I can't believe it!) Get started on your shoe shopping at http://www.snanimals.com/ and let your little ones stand out in preschool!

Have a little panda fun with our sneakers (we can make this in pink too!)

Or how about some monkeying around with our cool monkey sneakers!

But what's more fun than cows? Especially those that come in a choice of colors (pink, blue, green, yellow, purple!)


Visit our snanimals store and use coupon code "freeship" for free shipping!


Want in on some deals? Check out our etsy store at http://www.jlperillo.etsy.com/. Always check my blog at http://snanimals.blogspot.com/ for cool gear!

Gorgeous Baby Toy Giveaway

Kobold Toys is giving away a gorgeous baby book "Vicky the Cow" ($39.99 value).

Check it out at The Dirty Shirt!

Tweet it, pass it along, let your friends and family know!

Have fun learning!

multi buys

The supermarket I frequent seems to have gone into buy two, get the third at a reduced price madness of late. The fact that I now have more tins of tomatoes and sardine packets than I could ever use suggests to me that perhaps as a sales tactic, it works.

Never one to walk away from a good marketing opportunity, I've introduced similar listings into the Sheeps Clothing shop.




Having just experienced a vintage button hair accessory making frenzy (now also available at Red Feathers and a Hula Skirt), I've updated both shops with some new colour combinations, plus new buy three at a reduced price listings. Want more than three pairs? Sure you do. Just let me know and I'll do you an even better deal.

Mama there's a fairy on my dress....

Gorgeous fall clothes arriving now on http://www.gingerlouiseclothing.etsy.com/.

This fabulous fairy dress ($42) is among them. You will love her line!

We just ordered this super stunning halloween dress for Anna (not sure if there will be more of these by the time this posts but she has plenty other styles and fabric choices.) Really fun clothes that are unique. Your girl will surely be noticed!

New clothes arriving each day (and one more beautiful than the last) you won't be disappointed!

While on etsy, stop by my shop at www.jlperillo.etsy.com for shoes to match!

Bear Hugs From North American Bear Co.

Recently Kobold Toys welcomed the fabulous line of products from North American Bear Co. Nearly 30 years ago, North American Bear Company began as a creative business enterprise of a new mother, Barbara Isenberg, starting a family in New York City in the mid-1970’s. Their product line has evolved and while it still includes the loveable and cuddly bears they are known for worldwide, the company has expanded to include play items, like the princess and superhero capes, and "toys to go."

Today's Beat the Heat Campaign celebrates North American Bear and specifically their Hush Little Baby activity book. The team at Kobold Toys loves this activity book! Your child will be delighted to find a surprise toy on every page that corresponds to the characters in the song "Hush Little Baby"; a felt baby with accessories, a bird, a mirror, a little diamond ring, a goat, a cart and bull, a dog, and a horse.

The accordion-style activity book expands and lays flat for easy hanging across the side of the crib. A red-checked ribbon and Velcro tab closures secure the book when closed.

The" rules" for our summer campaign have not changed. For the next seven days "Beat the Heat" with Kobold Toys and receive a 10% discount on the Hush Little Baby activity book as well as any other adorable item from North American Bear Co. Just use discount code 788FFF at check-out. We love the calico hippo, any of the cute handbags (which you can stock up on now for Christmas gifts!), and, of course, the silly old tan bear, perfect for baby.

Stay cool and have fun learning!

Bow To The Princess, Please

As you may guess from reading this blog, my daughter, Miss E, is not into pink or princesses. She was a knight for Halloween last year and insisted that her eight month old brother serve as her pet dragon. She does not concern herself with the woes of the Disney princesses, and she prefers the adventures of the Swiss Family Robinson or SpaceDogs. At our first playdate with a girl from her class, she repeatedly came downstairs to complain that all her friend wanted to do was dress up in girly clothes... the horror!

However, my neice, Miss A, is the epitome of a princess. Miss A is a beauty with the delicate features and demeanor of the most lovely of royalty. When it comes to shopping for Miss A, I just buy the opposite of what I would purchase for my darling daughter. My sister-in-law does an excellent job maintaining her family blog, and Miss A is always twirling, singing, and acting the role of the princess.

Since I am feeling a little fatigued by blue, dinosaurs, and sassy pirate talk, I am going to celebrate pink today and honor Miss A with all things fit for a princess. Here are some suggestions courtesy of Kobold Toys for the princesses in your life!

It is essential that a princess own a cape and hand bag. The Secret Pocket Princess Cape is pink and purple satin and has pockets inside to keep all her personal princess "valuables"! And on the back is a clear pocket to display her own crest or dazzling designs. Pair with the purple princess goody bag (also available in yellow and tan). Très cute!

Every princess relies on a regal pal to help her mind her "Ps and Qs." Princess Seraphina comes ready for the ball or other royal adventure, complete in her beautiful double-layered gown and bejeweled crown. Maybe you have a little fairy godmother in you and want to whip up your own Cinderalla. Consider the Princess Doll Making Kit by 4M. No pins or needles are required- just a quick "bippity, boppity, boo!", tape, glitter, etc. (all included) and you have a princess ready for a name (she also comes with a birth certificate) and a kingdom.

If your royal wannabe has a crafty side, consider the Color Me Puzzle Enchanted Kingdom or the Princess Window Mosaic. Wonderful distractions/projects when the heat is too much or the castle is under seige!

Finally, for pretend play, consider the magical castle by Playmobil. This elaborate castle even comes with a crown for your princess to wear. All you need is imagination! The layout makes it easy for your princess to play with visiting knights and other royal court members. The castle comes with a princess, prince, white horse (naturally!), and many other accessories. Expand the castle with the Royal Bedroom, Royal Kitchen and Royal Nursery. And if you have my daughter coming over for a playdate, you may want to add the Red Dragon for dramatic castle attacks! It may keep her upstairs during a play date!

Have a "pretty in pink" Monday or if you are like me, prepare to face a blue skort and spiderman t-shirt wearing "anti-girls" girl.

Birthday Dress

http://www.josiebeaoriginals.etsy.com/ has this adorable birthday dress that is sure to make your little girl's day extra special. Available in sizes from 6 mos to 6T and can be customized with a name, this sweet dress will definitely please you with it's price ($22!)

And be sure to pair it up with our own hand painted cupcake maryjane shoes. Get this at http://www.snanimals.com/ or http://www.jlperillo.etsy.com/!