v 2 issue 10: Holiday Fashion

The Holidays are fast approaching and you may be wondering what to dress your children in. Not to worry, we have you covered! Our current issue is jam-packed with stylish outfits for the upcoming festivities.


Cover by Joy Kaminski







1 Dazzle all her friends with the Posh Party Dress found at Mini Boden. Available in purple as well, the color of royalty and the sparkles will make her shine. Gorgeous at $60.
10% off as well as free shipping and returns

2 Lightning may strike when you see your non-girly girl wearing a necklace, but it is only because it is the super cool Golden Child Lightning & Thunder necklace. A bit pricey at $122, but this necklace combines 14kt gold and sterling silver for its super cool style.

3 For your handsome little man, classics should be a staple. Argyle will never go out of style! We love this Argyle v-neck by GapKids for the preppy-cool look. Pair with jeans or slacks for simple style.

4 Gotta Dress Up outfit from Crazy 8’s is a real stunner, not only for the price but for the versatility of each piece. Pair the Corduroy Blazer, Dressy Sweater Vest, dress shirt, and corduroy pant together to wow the crowd or purchase a few pieces separately to tone it down a bit.

5 The pleated party dress by GapKids is a must have for every little girls wardrobe. The perfect party dress with its sparkles and pleats...we think it is a knockout solo and can be dressed down with an adorable cardi in just about any color.

6 This stunning skirt by Mademoiselle Charlotte is a bargain at its sale price for $80 (regularly $200). Made of 100% silk, it is a work of art with its layers of silk and velvet top. Pair with just about any top to dress it up and down for a play date or party. -Izzyandash.com

7 Piperlime is our favorite online shoe store for kids as well as mom and dad. We found these beautiful Slip on mary-jane Kenneth Cole Reaction shoes that are styled just like mom’s but fit little feet. Beautify stitched and full of detail!

8 We are drooling over Neige's Harlon Jacket. This classic yet sophisticated jacket is crafted from wool blend tweed from France. Your folks will simply adore seeing their little man dressed in this stunning look. $96.50, Aggiehill.com



This weeks Mom tips:
More Christmas Green Tips...

Decorating: Choose super-efficient LED lights. They’re more expensive than traditional twinkle lights, but they burn 80 to 90 percent less energy and are cool to the touch.

Use real plates, napkins and flatware, not plastic or paper that gets thrown away when the party’s over. If you don’t have enough plates, rent them or buy inexpensive ones. You’ll get your money back in just a few years of use.

Burn candles made of beeswax or soy instead of candles made of petroleum products.

Giving & Receiving: Try drawing names or giving only to the children, rather than exchanging gifts with everyone.

Buy as much as you can from local stores and artisans, or order gifts online to save gas-guzzling trips to the mall. Many online shops are offering free shipping for the holidays.

Having your child draw a picture on plain newsprint and use it to wrap a gift.

Don’t throw away holiday cards after you’ve read them. Cut the decorated fronts into squares to make gift tags for next year’s presents.

Set a financial limit:
This stops everyone from going crazy and encourages more creativity.

Ideas for homemade presents:
Handmade chocolate truffles,jams or chutneys,Duvet covers, cushions, table runners, lavender bags, Handmade photo albums or frames, calendars or Christmas decorations.

Make a New Year’s resolution to recycle - and stick to it!


Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas
Everyone loves getting gifts that come from the heart. What shows this better than gifts made by hand? While this may make some people panic at the thought of trying to make something arts and crafts, it really isn't that hard to make a nice gift for someone.

A nice handmade gift could be writing a poem for a family member. Poems don't even have to rhyme. Print it out in a nice font and put it in a nice frame. It's a gift someone will treasure for years to come. You can have kids help write one for different family members. Make it even more special by adding a picture of yourself or your child with the person they are writing the poem about. This could be your background for the poem set to low transparency in a photo editing program or just a small image at the top of page. See example.

Homemade cookies, fresh from the oven, are a great treat. A lot of people just don't have the time to make them. You can make a frozen cookie kit. Mix up a batch of their favorite cookies. Roll them out into balls and flatten them slightly. Flash freeze them by putting them on wax paper on a cookie sheet until they are solid. Remove them from the sheets and place them in a freezer bag. Bake for two to three minutes more than the normal time or until golden brown. They can be baked in small batches, even in the toaster over, or all at the same time.

For kids, a great gift that can be added to is a Dress Up Kit. Get an old suitcase or two and fill it with old clothes that you don't wear anymore. Include hats and shoes. Now and then, add more items to the box. Ask other relatives to contribute to it as well. If you have pictures of family members wearing the clothes, print them out and decoupage them on the outside of the suitcase and then coat with a clear finish.
Our favorite picks- Dad's old ties, Grandpa's hat, Nana's apron, Mom's high heel shoes and costume jewelry.