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Summer isn't over yet but Americas Basics and Chic Galleria know you are preparing for back-to-school! They have partnered to give away a bundle of back-to-school basics clothing to one Chic Galleria winner! The giveaway bundle is sure to get anyone ready to learn. It includes the following three items: Popular Polo, 100% cotton crew neck long sleeved tee, and crew neck short sleeved tee.

How do you enter? Simply enter a comment on your favorite back-to-school items. We'll announce the winner on August 10, midnight EST.

Also, Americas Basics is offering Chic Galleria readers an exclusive coupon code designated just for you!

BarefootMommies.com, run by Angela Roy and Krissy Carr, is a bright, friendly blog for mothers. The blog spotlights great finds in jewelry, toys, crafts, and more; it also sponsors regular giveaways for its readers.

"I made this blog (BarefootMommy at the time) in November 2008," explains Krissy. "I met Angela through Etsy; I was asking her if she'd like to do a giveaway on BarefootMommy. Of course she said yes, and our personalities just hit it off. Since then, she's been my partner in crime and I don't know where I'd be if I didn't have her. Sure wouldn't have a great blog, I know that. She is one of my best friends and I love her tons!"  

Angela adds, "Barefoot Mommies has grown from just the two of us to a whopping 12 reviewers and five guest speakers. We have worked with so many great companies on our run. We branched our social media into Facebook, Myspace,YouTube, and Twitter, and those were the best desicions we've made. Our reviewers are the hardest set of people i have ever met. We stay up all night writing back and forth about great products. Our reviewers are moms, single ladies, even some high schoolers. We believe that everyone has a point of view, and so should our reviewers."

"We mainly market to moms and women in general," she continues. "We understand they are the prime shoppers in the household, and making the majority of the shopping decisions. What Barefoot Mommies does not endorse are any items not family friendly, or are religious or political in nature. We prefer to stay away from subjects or products that would offend anyone or tarnish our name."

Check out BarefootMommies.com for the latest fun products and e-mail Media@BarefootMommies.com if you would like to be featured on the blog.

Mothers can buy, sell, or give away their new or gently used baby clothing, toys, and more on Handmedowns.com. The site gathers listings from across the Web in addition to its own. If you want to discuss a variety of topics with other moms, you can participate in the site's forum.

Celebrities are getting in on the action too--Gwen Stefani recently auctioned off her kids' used goods on the site; Nicole Richie will be auctioning off items in the coming weeks.

If there's anything you're looking to acquire, unload, or discuss, check out Handmedowns.com.

Linde Balderas, owner of Tailored Tadpole is an adventurer who loves to move around, and have lived in many places. "I attended UNC-Chapel Hill and studied International Relations. Like so many, my actual profession ends up having nothing to do with my field of study. I founded Tailored Tadpole with the help of my business partners, Deanie Madison and Kristina Whitman, in 2005 after the birth of my first child, Marina. I guess the whole idea began brewing even before Marina was born." says Linde.

"Being new to the world of parenting, I had no idea where to look for cool products and couldn't find modern styles for my babe. I was not a fan of the pastel, ordinary designs I found everywhere. I couldn't even find nursery decor that was my style. So I made my own! Curtains, crib linens, blanket, changing pad cover. I was so thrilled, also so huge I could barely reach the sewing machine, but somehow I finished it before she was born. I made my first blanket with my newborn wrapped in the Moby wrap asleep on my chest at the sewing machine. It took me hours. I proudly listed it on ebay, thinking it was the coolest thing ever. Why not start at $.99 bid? Imagine my disappointment when it sold for a whopping five dollars! But I didn't give up, although I admit it has been a challenging experience growing this business. The thing that keeps me going is my true, deep love for what I do."

"My kids are my inspiration. I design what I want for them, as a mom. Soft, washable, stylish designs in wonderful colors with great detail and superb quality. Our entire line is handmade in the USA by women paid a living wage--no sweatshops or unfair labor practices. This is very important to me. I want Tailored Tadpole to be a win/win for everyone involved, not just myself, but the customers and the producers. I have a fantastic team beside me and could not do this without them."
 
"For me there are two great rewards. The first comes when I can dress Marina or Soren, my son, in one of my designs and see it come to life. This is so gratifying to me! Maina comes home from preschool every now and then and tells me she told someone that her mami made her dress. It always makes me smile. Second, to see someone else made happy by my clothing or blankets. I participate in a fundraiser every year for the Junior League of Raleigh in North Carolina. It is so amazing to see the pregnant women I met the year before come in with their babies dressed in Tailored Tadpole lounge sets or wrapped in our blankets. People rush up and grab the display pillow gushing to their friends how much they love the one they bought last year. I can't describe this feeling. I am so glad to be able to add a little more joy to the wonder of parenthood by providing parents with styles they are proud to carry."

As far as plans for the future, Tailored Tadpole's first full clothing line launched in October for the Spring/Summer season. It is for boys and girls ages newborn to size 6. They also debuted Tailored Tadpole ECO, using colorful organics and eco friendly fibers. Linde concludes, "I plan to expand this over the next few seasons. We are also expanding our wholesale reach to take Tailored Tadpole to local boutiques across the country. As my children grow, I want them to continue to wear my designs, so I plan to expand the line beyond size six eventually. But for now, I have my hands full and am loving every minute of it."

Visit www.tailoredtadpole.com  Suffolk, Virginia  View Spring catalog at www.tailoredtadpole.com/catalog2.htm.

Basmatie Littles graduated from the High School of Fashion Industries and attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. She has interned at several fashion showrooms as a Buyer's Assistant, as well as worked in numerous fashion shows dressing fashion models in New York City. "I got involved in every other business than my calling," says Basmatie.

I was not passionate about any of those businesses, therefore I lost interest.  I felt as if I was going in circles.  I felt as if I was in a maze that had no exit and every turn I made, I could not get out.  I just saw dollar signs and saw how other people were making lots of money, so why not give it a try.

I would go down every other road, except for the road that I was passionate about and it was staring me right in my face. I thought to myself, it is right in my face, what am I doing?  That was my wake-up call. I finally realized why I was failing at the other businesses, and that was because I was not passionate about those businesses.  I got tired of failing and was very frustrated, so I decided to re-evaluate what it was that I wasn't doing right.  I made a list of everything that I was passionate about, and that was when I finally found my calling, and went down the path of my success.     

I have always envisioned my own clothing line, therefore my vision for Karma Kidz became my dream come true. My son is my inspiration behind designing a children's clothing line.   

Where do you draw inspiration for your business?

I came up with the name "Karma Kidz" because I am a firm believer of "Karma", and being that my clothing line is catered to children, I thought it would be cool to incorporate the two.  Our Karma Kidz Designs are unique, trendy, and sends out a positive message. For example, our "Karma Kommandments Onesies" sends out a different positive message on each onesie.  Karma Kidz is meant for every nationality.

When designing my logo, I wanted to send out the message that Karma Kidz caters to all races that is why I feature the different nationalities of babies as part of my logo. Karma Kidz does not discriminate.  It's all about Karma.  It's Karma Baby!

My beautiful husband, son, and my friend Jenny are my inspirations. My husband is supportive in all of my visions and goals. He is my motivator, confidant, best friend, my rock, and everything else. Looking at my son brings tears of joy to my eyes. He is my inspiration behind designing a children's line. He is truly a blessing and a gift that can never ever be replaced. There are days where I feel so exhausted, but knowing that this little person depends on me and looks up to me makes me push even harder towards achieving my dreams.

Jenny is a friend that is one in a trillion. She is like my on-call consultant, except I could never repay her for every piece of advice and every idea that she has blessed me with. I would be in debt to her. I could email her a million questions, and she always has an answer for me. She is always there for me. She is always supportive of me, telling me how proud she is of me, and always tells me to not give up. I greatly appreciate, value, cherish, and most importantly, trust her friendship.

Describe your best selling items and favorite experience?

Our best selling items are: Signature Karma Kidz logo Onesie, Meditating Teddy Bear - It's Karma Baby Onesie, Bath & Body products, Maternity Tees, among, many other Karma Kidz items.

My favorite experience is when our customers tell us how much they love our products. That is always a great feeling.

What are your plans for the future?

Wow!  I see endless visions for Karma Kidz.  I am overwhelmed (in a good way J) just thinking about it.  Karma Kidz is growing everyday.  I envision big dreams for Karma Kidz J

We are full of surprises.  A magician cannot reveal her secrets, J. 

Visit www.ItsKarmaBaby.com.     Charlotte, North Carolina

Karen E. Spaeder, Founder and CEO of Rain Frog Apparel, now has baby and kids' bamboo ringer tees. She donates at least 1% of annual sales to environmental charities through my membership in 1% for the Planet and is currently a finalist in the latest Idea Cafe grant competition.  I asked Karen to share some information about herself and her Rain Frog Apparel business.

As a regular contributor to Entrepreneur magazine, I had decided long ago that I wanted to start my own business and use it as a way to benefit the environment. The idea for Rain Frog Apparel first took shape when my son spouted off the Pledge of Allegiance one day and replaced the last words with the following: "With liberty and justice for frogs." I pictured it on a T-shirt, and then I researched fabrics that are ecofriendly. Bamboo was a natural choice, as it is naturally organic, grows and regenerates quickly, and benefits both the environment and the person wearing it as a textile. Hence my tagline: "Good for you. Good for the planet."

It's only natural for me to want to keep the earth in good shape for future generations, including my son. Although running a business is hard work, it's worth it if I can make a difference in the world. My membership in 1% for the Planet means that a percentage of annual sales go toward environmental charities. For 2008, I'll be donating to the Wetlands Initiative to help restore crucial frog habitats in the Midwest.

The "Simplify" tee is a best-seller; many people can relate (or want to relate) to this simple saying. Yesterday at a holiday shopping boutique where I exhibited, one gal who bought this shirt said this was to be her mantra for 2009. I love the idea that words can become thoughts, and thoughts can become reality if we put them into practice. The new Racerback Bamboo Tank is also a big hit - very sexy and versatile. I enjoying educating consumers about the benefits of bamboo and showing them how soft is is, as most people still associate bamboo with wooden sticks or flooring.

I will be expanding my children's line and building a wholesale program. However, I also plan to build my online store and continue selling direct to consumers. No one but me can best communicate the message of my company, so I plan to stay entrenched in the retail aspect of Rain Frog Apparel (at least until I find a successor!).

Visit www.shoprainfrog.com   Fullerton, CA
www.rainfrogapparel.com
http://rainfrogblog.blogspot.com

Robyn Johnson owns a brick and mortar and online children's clothing boutique called Dragonflies and Ladybugs Boutique.  They sell a variety of designer fashions for infants and children to age 10 years both boys and girls.  They also sell some gift type products such as Noodle and Boo baby care products, Bla Bla Dolls, Monkey Toe Shoes, and a few more MOM creations in our brick and mortar boutique. 

Robyn started her business in December 2004 after she had her second daughter.  I wanted to originally do something from home.  Before I realized it, I had a full-fledged business venture.  We incorporated in 2005, and we opened our Brick and Mortar here in Reno in September 2007.

After doing this business for four years, I have carried and stopped carrying a lot of different brands of clothing over the years.  I actually draw inspiration from my customers.  I have a lot of loyal customers that recommend designers to me, and if I like the look and feel of the clothing and prices are good, then I usually will try them out for a season or two.  For example, the brand I carry now Misha LuLu was recommended by a customer of mine last Spring, and so I tried out a few pieces of her clothing in the store, and it was a HUGE hit.  So now, I have grown very fond of Karen and her husband Joe, their story, and their design philosophy, so they are one of my biggest clothing lines in the store.  Other brands are "staples" I know they are made very well, the prices are good for boutique style clothing, and they always sell well from year to year.  I try very hard to cater to a variety of customers by carrying something from each end of the spectrum in boutique fashion and affordability, then I usually try to do  a middle of the road conservative style.  This way I have something that will fit any little personality out there.

I love all the clothes that I carry, especially now that I too am more experienced in buying the clothing lines.  I love going to Los Angeles or Dallas and viewing each new collection, and now having the confidence in myself to make the right choices for my store.  But I would have to say my favorite experience is always the beginning of each season when my repeat customers say to me..."your new collections are Gorgeous!" or "You did a really good job this season".  Then I love when I get the NEW customer that will email me and say "I love your store, it is so cute and I love all that you carry"  Even if they don't always purchase... it makes me feel good to know they are looking and love to "window" shop even if it is online.  That is the MOST rewarding for me.

What are Robyn's plans for the future? I would love to do this forever, as it is fun and stressful.  The stress keeps me young and on my toes... and it brings a little bit of excitement into my life.  However, since my husband deployed with the Army to Iraq, and I am now a single mom of two girls in school.. my life has taken a bit of a turn.  My main focus is my girls, so I am not sure what will happen come Fall 2009. 

I would LOVE to become a sales rep for designers and sell to other boutiques someday too, or possibly write a book on "how to" own your own boutique, whether it be children's or women's clothing.  I think I made every mistake that you could possibly make in this business, and I have already helped and advised newer owners that are just starting up.  I have no problems sharing my knowledge with other women, as that is the only way we can grow.  I wished that I had someone four years ago that would mentor me in this business.  So those are thoughts that I toss around in my head.. consulting, buyer, or writer... I would like it to revolve around this business though, because I think I am good at it and I love it.  That is what is important.

Visit www.dragonfliesandladybugs.com. and http://dandlboutique.blogspot.com.   Reno, Nevada

Alison Vliet is a former teacher turned stay-at-home mom of two small children who made a hat for a friend's daughter years back.  When her daughter, Charlee, was born she made another hat. Soon people were commenting that the hats were so cute and she should consider selling them. From this idea, she formed Charlee Kat*z Creations.

I never gave it much thought, but then my husband and my best friend really started hounding me and I decided to give it a go.  Two and a half years later, here I am. I resell in several online boutiques as well as a small number of brick and mortar boutiques. (And on my own site of course.) The hats and scarves are 100% chenille and come in three sizes (infant, child, and mommy) and 16 colors. They are all handmade by me; no one else.

I personally own a Charlee Kat*z hat!  I bought it last year from Alison's website and I can't begin to tell you how many compliments I receive when I'm wearing it.  I actually had two woman chase me in the mall to ask where I bought it.  Alison, your hats are fabulous!

Visit www.charleekatz.com. 

Carole Lindstrom, owner of Hippos Toes, has taken an experience in her life and changed the lives of many.  Carole spoke with me about how she started Hippos Toes, the woman that inspired her and her goals for the future.

Hippos Toes sells fair trade children's fashions that are made in South Africa.  I got started in this when my husband and I traveled to South Africa a couple of years ago.  We were very affected by the disparity in income of some of the local people there, but especially the mom's that are the main source of income for their families.  They really have very limited income opportunities there and when we came back it was our mission to do something to help them provide a better life for their families.

While we were there we came upon a small shop that sold adorable children's clothes.  At the time they were not selling in the US because the costs of shipping and customs was so high.  Recently I contacted the company again and they were interested in having me carry their line.  What really sold me on the clothing, aside from the fact that it is adorable, very well made and that it changes each season, was the fact that the ladies that made the items were local women that badly need the income.  I feel like I am directly helping them through the sale of the clothing and that is something I am very passionate about. The clothes are made from 100% combed cotton.  They typically have a nature theme to them to inspire an awareness of the environment, another important feature to me.  I am very proud of this clothing line and I am happy to bring it to you.

My inspiration is the fact that women/moms in underprivileged areas in South Africa are able to support their families through the sale of these adorable children's clothes.  I am also inspired by the uniqueness and the whimsy that this clothing line brings.  I think the clothes are very well made and because the designs are one of a kind, they are something that I feel comfortable dressing my toddler in.  I know that they aren't something that everyone else will have.

My favorite experience is knowing that these wonderful ladies that make the clothes are making a fair wage and work in very good conditions.  They are able to provide for their families and that gives me joy.

My future plans are to continue to get the word out about Hippos Toes and bring these whimsical and unique clothes to people in the US.

Visit www.hippostoes.com.  Alexandria, Virginia