Special 2 day feature as we’re taking Friday off for a long weekend before school starts!

It is my absolute pleasure to promote and feature this brilliant shop as we all know and love the owner! Our beloved Babyluxe founder, Sarah Masci, is a busy little bee with not just Babyluxe but also a career, a family, a LIFE, and with Paperluxe Studio!

It seems like every time I turn around, there’s another shower to be thrown, more thank you cards to write, birthday parties to plan and attend; having a large family and extra large friend base makes for never a dull weekend! Paperluxe Studio has been a part of every special event in my life for the past few months, and every purchase made with Sarah has been custom made and super perfect! For example, instead of making out a zillion boring thank you cards or buying a birthday card for every gift given, {seriously, we’ve had 6 gifts and parties in the last 2 weeks and just received 2 more invites}…needless to say buying a card each time can get expensive, why not purchase Family Stationery from Paperluxe Studio. Write a little note to the gift recipient or a thank you for the housewarming/birthday/baby gift on beautiful note cards personalized for your family.

This precious stationery is my favorite!

{Thumbprint Vignette}

What Paperluxe Studio is best known for is its personalized stationery favors. For the next bridal or baby shower you host, why not give a favor that is practical and usable, yet gorgeous and chic! Sarah will work with you to design a favor that goes along with any theme you have {or pick a design from her ever growing portfolio}, for as many attendees you have. Each guest will receive a favor they will actually love! Trust me, soaps shaped like hearts or dinner mints wrapped in tulle are quite boring.

You can also be quite a hit at your child’s next birthday party too! Let Paperluxe Studio design your next party invitation! Don’t forget to get matching stationery for thank you cards! For older children, especially girls, give stationery favors. And what about giving a set of personalized note cards for gifts? How about teacher or nanny gifts, think Birthdays or Christmas…it’s right around the corner!

Endless designs, endless options, be creative with your next event! Get your invitations, your thank you cards, your favors all at one place!

Announcements too!

Want to see this beautiful stationery in person? TRY YOUR LUCK AT WINNING SOME! Comment back to us by August 21st what you love the most about Sarah’s business Paperluxe Studio…the favors, the invites, the thumbprint vignette {my favorite}, a specific design, etc…, for your chance to win a set of 24 personalized note cards. Good luck!

Taking a day off from writing today…one day out of the entire summer is good right?

So we want to leave you with some shopping to do at Pure & Honest Kids!  Great sale going on now on Caden Lane and Serena & Lily for the entire month of August!  Go check it out!

Have a fabulous Wednesday!  We’ll be back tomorrow for a special 2 Day feature with yet another fantastic giveaway!

Las Vegas! Not a place you think we would promote on a baby website site right? WRONG! Las Vegas is actually very much a place to take the whole family; {sure it’s more fun to go with the girls for a bachlorette party weekend} but now that we are all moms, vacations must include everyone and we must take our vacations where everyone will enjoy themselves. NineBlue Travel Guides is here to help make your next family vacation a success!

NineBlue’s eBook is exactly what you need to make Las Vegas a memorable experience for the entire family. Bring the kids, bring the grandparents, there’s something for everyone to partake in! From family friendly hotels and attractions, the best shows and dining for families {discounted or free meals for children}, and advice on how to get around the “Strip” with kids, it’s all there in the NineBlue Las Vegas Travel Guide. With this guide at your hands, you’ll be sure to stay clear of any inappropriate activity and events.

Let me share two points of view for you on Las Vegas for families and whether or not this guide can help. Coming from me, someone who has never traveled to Las Vegas before, I can honestly say I never considered bringing my children there. I always thought it would be a 20th, 25th, so on, anniversary trip for my husband and I once the kids were older and gone. But as I read through this guide, I realized that a trip to Las Vegas with the kids would be like any other trip with the kids. Wherever you go with children, rules must be followed to ensure safety, cultures are always different and need to be respected, and negative areas and influence are always around. As long as you and your family are aware of your surroundings and plan accordingly, any trip can be a memorable one! NineBlue does a very thorough job acting basically as your family friendly travel agent, in paper form. Over 70 pages dedicated to giving you the insight to all Las Vegas has to offer; it’s not all gambling and adult venues like I always thought it was. There’s museums, circuses, aquariums, arcades, and cinemas. Fabulous hotels with child care services and child friendly activities. Way not eat at the Cheesecake Factory, what kid doesn’t love a big old piece of Oreo Cheesecake while on vacation!

Our friend Jennifer gives us another point of view as someone who has traveled there will her children just recently: “I have been to Vegas several times and I think this guide from NineBlue is great for families. I know there are plenty of things for families to do there but no one seems to know about them. Everybody thinks that Vegas is only for adults. That was the case in previous years when we were growing up. But now the hotels are awesome for everyone! I have taken my kids every time we’ve gone in the last several years. And I would definitely recommend this travel guide!”

Sample this guide yourself on the NineBlue website. Let them assist you in everything from packing to eating, from where to stay to where to play {with the kids that is!}

NineBlue offers family travel guides for destinations all over the world! Pick up a copy for your next vacation, maybe Vegas?!

Only two more weeks until school starts back up here in Charlotte; summer sure flew by! Now it’s time for the mad dash to buy everything a first grader needs: school clothes, a new back pack, lunch bag, and EVERYTHING on the classroom supply list {which this year seems incredibly long}. Cross two things off our back to school list thanks to Oompa Toys!

Bet you didn’t know that one of your all time favorite toy stores had a Back To School section? And a very trendy, “cool” Back To School section at that! Oompa Toys has the best wooden toy selection AND, also, backpacks, lunch bags, art supplies, pencil cases, desks, etc… We received the, from what my son exclaimed with glee, “Bestest Bag Ever”; the Allerhand Ergo Mini backpack {pictured below}, which has not left my son’s back since it arrived! Take your pick from all the great brands, Allerhand, Crocodile Creek, Sigikid, Dante Beatrix, and more.

To go along with the perfect backpack, the perfect lunch bag of course! And again, Oompa Toys has plenty to choose from. The Fleurville Kid’s Lunch Pack was our pick for this year’s lunch bag; this specific lunch bag can either be thrown in a backpack OR worn as a backpack itself. This will definitely be used outside of school…I think camping this Fall! I may just get one to take to the office with me, it’s so spacious!

Already bought your child’s back pack and lunch bag? Trust me, you can find something else they need for back to school at Oompa Toys. If your child is going to Kindergarten or Preschool, how about adding a “school” touch to the play room with a new desk or art supplies for when they are home? They will need somewhere to do their “homework” right?

Okay fine, so you just have babies at home, stick with the TOYS! Toys, toys, and more fantastic toys!

The best part of Oompa Toys, this fabulous giveaway!! Winners pick of a backpack/lunch bag combo! Just comment back to us which backpack and lunch bag you would pick {and feel free to let us know what else you love on their site} by August 18th. Good luck!

Extra credit for extra entries: {email hello@babyluxedaily.com with any links}

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

Blog about this giveaway

Tell your networking pals about us {facebook, twitter, stumble, etc…}

KidLuxe Edition

We can hardly believe it, but with the arrival of August, back to school is right around the corner!  To make matters worse for me, we are headed out on one last long family vacation this week; which means when we return, school will literally be just days away!

Have I gotten Colin anything for back to school yet?  Of course not!  But just in the nick of time, The Silly Wagon has come along to save the day.  With over seven pages devoted to back to school products, The Silly Wagon has everything you need to get your kids stocked up for school.

Check out their super cool, retro lunch boxes, by EmTanner Designs which come in a plethora of colors & designs.  Personalize it with your child’s name or monogram, or even a fun saying.  Each lunch box is custom made to order, so get it any way you want it!

Do you have an airplane lover in your house?  Check out this amazing silver airplane backpack by Zid Zid Kids.   In addition to being an awesome preschool back pack, how cute would this be as your child’s first “carry on” luggage?

Looking for something simple & sweet for your little girl who’s heading off to kindergarten?  Check out these hip backpacks by Room it Up.

My son Colin, finally at nearly 4 years old, is starting to express himself through arts & crafts as well as imaginative play.  I know he would just love to have one of these “knight” art folio’s to take along with him wherever he goes.

The Silly Wagon is offering 15% your entire order, with the code “funkyme”.  Just enter it at checkout!

Enjoy.

Tell me, what do you get when you cross super convenient Crayola carrying accessories with luxurious {& celebrity famed} baby, toddler & kid clothing and baby scrubs? Oh, I know… You get Princess Linens adorable collection of goodness for your entire broad.

I recently received a whole bundle of goodies in the mail from Princess Linens owner, Kathryn Orr, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to share them with you. Whether you are looking to outfit your child for their birthday or the birth of their sibling, or you’re looking to purchase a delightful birthday or big sibling gift, Princess Linens has something for you.

Complete with personalization, check out their amazing clothing collection, which consists of Bon Bon dresses, Bon Bon John Johns, Garden Princess dresses, The Hamptons John Johns, Hand Smocking & My First Scrubs. Each one of these collections come in a variety of color combinations & can be monogrammed or personalized. When Miss Suri Cruise is spotted sporting a Garden Princess dress, you just know it must be good!

We had the lucky opportunity to see the My First Scrubs first hand, and it is just the sweetest little “uniform”. Alex loves to parade around the house in his Scrubs & they are super comfy for nap time! My first Scrubs make a fabulous outfit for the new big brother or sister to wear to the hospital to meet their little sibling, and they are also perfect for children of doctors, nurses, veterinarians & other scrub-wearing pro’s, to pretend they are like mom & dad. When personalized with your child’s name, it will read “Dr. Alexander” which makes it that much more fun!

If clothes aren’t your thing these days, check out their wonderful line of Crayola licensed Doodlebugz products; the Crayon Keeper, Crayon Apron & Toolbelt, Crayon Purses, Doodlebags {my personal fave}, Chalk Talk Table Mates & the newest item, Chef Apron & Hat set. Each of these wonderful items is designed with the child in mind, and is meant to carry & maintain a nice set of crayons or chalk on the go {or even at home}.

We are excited to offer a super special Princess Linens giveaway here on BabyLuxe today! Simply check out the site, then comment back here with you love about this brand & you’ll be entered to win a Doodlebag {pictured above}!

For those of you interested in all of the other goodness at Princess Linens, we have a special discount for you as well! Simply enter “BABYLUXE” to receive 15% off!

Earn extra contest entries : : : 1 point for each : : : email giveaways@babyluxedaily to send us the links!
- Subscribe to our daily email!
- Blog about our giveaway!
- Share this giveaway post using any of the links below {kirtsy, twitter, stumbleupon, facebook. digg it, etc…}

Contest ends in one week, on August 6th! Good luck to all!

KidLuxe Edition

With all the green awareness that is amongst us, it was only natural {no pun intended} for a line such as The Sweet Line, to exist! They feature hand embroidered names & simple sayings & designs on your choice of 100% cotton or organic wardrobe staples for babies & kids, along with some fun accessories like totes & aprons.

I love this last one, “ideas grow”!

The Sweet Line has an extremely user friendly web site, where you can simply select your garment, and all the details for your order, in one quick & easy form. Choose to have a name embroidered on the garment, or a sweet saying like the ones above . Select the thread colors that you’d like & whether or not you want a picture embroidered as well. They will even accept requests for custom designs!

Standard shipping is always free, so go ahead & get a bunch!

The Sweet Line is offering a fabulous winner’s choice giveaway to BLD readers: which means you can select anything from the site! To enter, simply check out the site, and comment back to let us know which is your favorite, and what you would select if you won!

Additional ways to get bonus entries - 1 for each:

- Subscribe to our daily email!

- Blog about our giveaway!

- Share this giveaway post using any of the links below {kirtsy, twitter, stumbleupon, facebook. digg it, etc…}

FOR ANY OF THESE OPTIONS, BE SURE TO SEND US THE LINK {giveaways@babyluxedaily.com} SO WE CAN ENTER YOUR NAME THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIMES!

Contest ends in one week, on July 30th! Good luck to all!

Kidluxe Edition

Story time! My family is always on the look out for the newest, most exciting, and educational books on the market. Going to the book store and library actually excite my kids {I know that will change as they grow older}, but for now I’m enjoying the time reading and teaching them. I would like to share some new favorites with you!

Immedium publishes 4 new titles a year written by a few select authors. My boys and I have sampled several of these books, if only I had video taped the squeals coming out of my 2 year old as I began reading “Timmy and Tammy’s Train of Thought”! It was hilarious to watch him get so excited over a book, obviously he loves trains! Mommy on the other hand got excited over the brilliant illustrations and attention getting story line. {A MUST when you are reading to 3 kids, any book that keeps them in their seats goes to the top of my list!} Each book we sampled from Immedium was not to long, not to short, excellent for different age groups. I think “Timmy and Tammy’s Train of Thought” has replaced Thomas the Train in our house!

“2008 is The Year of the Rat”. Each year {annual Chinese New Year} Immedium comes out with a new “The Year of the…”. {2006 was Dog, 2007 was Pig, and I can not wait for 2009…Ox!} What a great collection this will make! We sampled The Year of the Pig, what a cute story! And again, bright and colorful pictures with a terrific story line.

I am a huge fan of FUN ABC books! It’s such a reward to watch your child read along with you and begin to point out and recognize the letters! “The Adventures of Wonderbaby from A-Z” is fantastic! Not your typical A is for Apple and B is for Boy kind of story! Instead WonderBaby “Drools like a Dog” and “Wiggles like a Worm”, much more engaging and entertaining for the kids.

As I mentioned, my kids and I have read through several books published by Immedium, not one of them will get shoved to the back of the shelf anytime soon!

Right now at Immedium, Buy 2 copies of WonderBaby, get a free poster!

Kidluxe Edition

“Traveling with kids; leave the luggage behind!” Since the airlines have decided to start charging you to bring luggage, here is the perfect solution! Instead of bringing everything your kids need and things to keep them occupied on vacation, try staying at a Hotel that offers it all!

Azul Hotels by Karisma, a premier collection of Gourmet Inclusive^® properties located throughout the Riviera Maya, Mexico, feature a variety of Gourmet Inclusive offerings catering specifically to families such as kids clubs, teens clubs, kids splash park, face painting, piñata parties, fishing at the pool, kids’ playground, DVD library with free popcorn, and babysitting services, among others.

Azul Hotels by Karisma, recently announced the launch of its new Family & Friends Vacation Planner (FFVP), part of the Gourmet Inclusive program, and its Free Family & Friends Vacation Planner Package, beginning June 15, 2008. The FFVP team will orchestrate perfect agendas for families and groups to enjoy relaxing, fun-filled vacations at Azul Beach Hotel by Karisma, Azul Sensatori Hotel, and Azul Fives Hotel. To celebrate the FFVP launch, Azul Hotels by Karisma presents its Free Family & Friends Vacation Planner Package that includes room assignments, a personalized itinerary given at check-in, one dinner reservation with a set a la carte menu guaranteed for up to 20 people, constant communication informing the family of trip updates, and brochures for each attendee with a welcome letter for each guests, introducing the hotel and destination. Guests can also take advantage of additional offerings including spa parties; private cooking classes; round robin tennis tournaments; private Olympic games; personalized polo shirts, hats and beach bags; beach barbeques; and cocktail receptions. The FFVP Package is valid with a reservation of five rooms or more.

Azul Beach Resort by Karisma is designed especially to bring families together. Azul Beach Resort has conjured every possible amenity for the entire family including in-room play pens, child size bath robes, professional nanny service, strollers, bath toys, an exclusive kid’s only pool. Toddlers to teens will be thrilled to spend their family vacation at Karisma’s Azul Beach Resort, and parents will enjoy the relaxing vacation they deserve.

At Azul Sensatori Hotel by Karisma – opening Oct. 1, 2008, families will enjoy Luxury 2 + 3 = Family with suites that comfortably sleep two adults and three children, or three adults and one child, with guaranteed connecting rooms for groups traveling together.

Azul Fives Hotel by Karisma – opening Dec. 1, 2008, offers families one, two and three-bedroom suites accommodating up to eight people. Azul Hotels by Karisma also provides parents with strollers and cribs, monitors and bottle warmers, baby bathrobes, and Gourmet Gerber for babies and toddlers.

Azul Hotels make certain that mom and dad enjoy an unforgettable vacation without worrying about what they forgot to pack.

Kids Spa Treatments

There are no rules about playing with food on a vacation at Azul Hotels by Karisma, as there is a wide selection of spa treatments for kids including Chocolate Massages. The 50 minute Chocolate Massage will provide all the fun without the consequences for children as they enjoy a unique mixture of pure chocolate and almond oil that not only revitalizes the skin and replaces lost nutrients, but also has a positive affect on their mental state and brings about good humor.

It’s so refreshing to see luxury hotels gear themselves more towards families. You MUST check out this site to plan your next vacation, no matter what the vacation is for, wedding, honeymoon, family getaway, etc…, Azul Hotels=Paradise!

Kidluxe Edition

A messy kitchen is a fun kitchen! My children create some of their best master pieces in the kitchen, and not just with food! Between painting and crafts, Playdoh and art sands, their activities can turn the kitchen table into a disaster zone! My floors and table cloths may be ruined but their clothes remain clean thanks to one brilliant and mess-free product!

Bella Tunno offers some of the best creative and fresh products for babies and kids! The favorite in our house right now is the Wonder Boy Smock. Our 6 yr old of course uses it for baking his personal pizzas or helping crack the eggs for mom’s tasty zucchini cake. But it’s the best when used to cover his clothes while he shows off his artistic skills! {He’s also used it to keep himself dry while he washes the dishes, WASHES THE DISHES…how excited am I that he wants to wash the dishes!} These smocks are laminated, so easy to wipe down for small messes or completely washable for the bigger messes. The two large pockets in the front are perfect for holding anything from utensils to paint brushes or for catching more mess!

More creative products from Bella Tunno range from bibs and burpies, binkers and butties, Diaper Ditties and Designer Diner chalk mats. All made from fabulously modern fabric designs, no boring colors or patterns here! Best of all, Bella Tunno donates a portion of every sale to a charitable causes!

Babyluxe readers can take 20% of their purchases at Bella Tunno with the code babyluxe20.