No matter what, all moms want is the best for their children; but as we all know it sure ain’t easy to find the best. With hundreds of brands in the market, art supplies are NOT the easiest things to go shopping for, especially when you’re worrying about what harmful chemicals, dyes and additives might be in them. Natural, fresh and real. Clementine Art promises to fulfill all these expectations as they introduce quality art supplies that are all natural, certified non-toxic, eco-friendly (80% of Clementine packaging is made out of post consumer recycled and reusable material!), and most importantly fun for your children to use. After exploring all that Clementine Art has to offer, my inner-child yearned to have had these products when I was younger. It certainly would have been easier letting my 10 year old imagination run wild if I didn’t have the constant worry of “putting that in my mouth!” or “rubbing it on my clothes!” as expressed by my mom. Clementine Art supplies are made for children, encouraging them to create real art with real tools.

Clementine Art Natural Modeling Dough, $13.99

Strawberry, lemon and lime fresh! Sounds yummy doesn’t it? Clementine Art’s Natural Modeling Dough comes in three delicious scents and promises to be crumble-free. They can even last up to 12 months, as long as you don’t succumb to their fruity scents and gobble them up!

Clementine Art Natural Paints, $19.99

Available in a set of six colors, Clementine Paints are all natural, free from chemical dyes and petrochemicals and just fantastic for finger painting.

Clementine Art Natural Markers, $8.99

In a set of four colors, these quick drying markers are colored with plant and mineral pigments and as always, free of chemical dyes and other harmful additives.

Clementine Art Natural Crayon Rocks, $8.99

Clementine Crayon ‘Rocks’ are made to fit comfortably into your little ones’ hands. This innovative new coloring tool comes in nine rich colors, the perfect tool for your little artist.

Clementine Art Natural Soy Crayons, $8.99

If your child is growing out of their ‘rocker’ faze, have no fear as Clementine Art also creates Soy Crayons (chemical dye and additive free of course)!  The perfect alternative to crumbly traditional wax crayons.

Clementine Art Natural Glue, $9.99

Clementine Natural Glue, the name says it all. This clear drying, washable art glue holds strong and works on even the toughest surfaces (even wood)! But here’s the twist, once dry this glue is completely reversible with water and washes off completely (now experiments will never go wrong)!

When in doubt, mix and match and create a gift set that is the perfect starter kit for your budding artiste!

Crystal
–
Raspberry Kids Workshop Elf

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We so love the thrill of the hunt and while we find a ton of amazing products, certain ones stand out and Hopscotch Kids is one of those products that just jumps off the (web)page for us!

Hopscotch Kids eco-friendly nail polish now available at Raspberry Kids

This is especially interesting because I am not a girly girl and barely wear make up myself.  I can count on one hand the number of times I wear mascara in a year and I typically don’t get manicures (my hands are generally a disaster) but I must admit, I feel great when I have had a pedicure and love showing off my gorgeous toes.

I cannot even remember how I stumbled upon Hopscotch Kids but it was love at first site.  The name, the packaging, the colors (wow!) and of course the eco-friendly nature of this otherwise typically toxic laden product.

We contacted Hopscotch Kids owner and founder, Ginny Cardenas and arranged to have a few samples sent to us.  We had tried other products on the market and found them to be clumpy, difficult to use and generally unappealing.  As a result, we wanted to do our homework so we used the sample products and we asked a few others to do the same.  The results were overwhelmingly positive.  I was especially impressed with the ease in which it was applied and of course I put it on my own fingers and toes (the things I do in the name of research!).

I did have a very hot shower and found that the finger nail polish washed off quite easily but that was likely aided by the shampoo and using my hands to wash my hair etc.  My daughter’s finger nail polish lasted longer, likely because her bath water wouldn’t be nearly as hot as my shower and she wasn’t using soap and shampoo.  Our toes both lasted really well.

Since I consider nail polish to be more for a special occasion, party or as a treat for my 5 year old, I am OK with it lasting for a shorter period of time than if I were to pay $50 for a manicure at a salon.  The most important thing for me is to know that when she puts her hands in her mouth and occasionally still sucks her thumb, she isn’t ingesting harmful chemicals.

Ginny also explained to me that our nails need to be conditioned and the more we use the product, the better our nails will react and the longer lasting it will be.

Hopscotch Kids Water Colors, is a water-based nail polish that is produced without toluene, dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde, acetone, or heavy metals. There are no noxious fumes or odors and no yellowing or drying of nails.  It is safe, non-toxic, hypoallergenic, eco-friendly and + 100% biodegradable.  Hopscotch Kids truly feels that they have the safest nail polish on the market for children!

In addition to all those wonderful attributes, they have some beautiful colors that will appeal to girls of all ages and some very cute names for the different colors including: Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum in a Dish Pink
Eenie Meenie Miney Moe Green
Heads up, Seven Up Green
Ice Cream, Soda Pop Pink
Ink a Bink a bottle of Ink Blue
Miss Mary Mack Black
Red Rover, Red Rover Red
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Pink
Three Sailors Went to Sea, Sea, Sea Aqua
Say Say Oh, Playmate Purple (Coming in August 2010)

Hopscotch Kids Eco-Friendly Nail Polish, now available at Raspberry Kids!

We think Hopscotch Kids make an excellent choice for party favors, dress up, Halloween, a rainy day activity or for DIY mom and me spa fun!

and just so you know, even though the brush is designed for little girls, it worked just fine for me too

Sue
–
Sue Sinclair
Chief Executive Mom, Raspberry Kids

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We are very pleased to bring Kinderville products to Raspberry Kids.  This was a direct result of a customer request who asked us if we had seen this product and if so, would we consider selling them at Raspberry Kids.  We had seen them and really liked them but the interest shown from one of our customers encouraged us to pursue this line more quickly than we would have otherwise.  We organized a set of samples and got them into the hands of our customer who kindly tested the products and provided feedback.

We communicated this information to the manufacturer and based on her findings, we decided to add this great product and we are so excited to carry the entire Kinderville range, especially the popsicle molds that are just in for summer.  Of course we had to buy a set and test these out too and have had great results and some really delicious popsicles, including some adult flavoured ones!

Kinderville products provide a safe, easy and toxin-free way to serve and store food.  As parents, the founders of Kinderville were frustrated by the abundance of plastic and other toxic food systems. Out of this frustration, the quest for a safe alternative began. And, Kinderville™ was born.

Kinderville offers innovative, functional and toxin-free products for babies and toddlers. With a focus on quality and the use of safe materials, all Kinderville products—including feeding and food storage systems, bowls, bottles, sippy cups, utensils, and more—are thoroughly safety-tested and are BPA-, Phthalate- and Lead-free.

Kinderville Popsicle Molds $24.99

Kinderville products are perfect for use around the home, to send with your little ones to daycare or for use when the family is on-the-go. Safe, resilient and easy to clean. Not only are they a great alternative to toxic plastics, but they are dishwasher, freezer, refridgerator and, best of all, microwave safe!  Kinderville is committed to delivering safe, stylish and innovative products for your little ones.  Kinderville products include popsicle molds, cups, bowls, large storage jars, small storage jars and freezer trays.

Kinderville Silicone Cups Set of 4, $18.99

We hope you love the Kinderville range of kids feeding products as much as we do and we sincerely thank our customers for showing interest in these products and for being a key reason we have added them to the Raspberry Kids line up.

Here’s to anything that makes meal time and food storage easier and safer!
Bon appetit,
Sue
–
Sue Sinclair
Chief Executive Mom, Raspberry Kids

Subscribe to our newsletter or become a fan of Raspberry Kids on Facebook for your chance to win a prize pack valued at a minimum of $1000!

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Our latest newsletter:  http://www.raspberrykids.com/newsletter-apr21-2010

We wanted to tell you a story about a wonderful new product we have welcomed into the Raspberry Kids collection called Vapur.

Vapur 16 oz Reusable Water Bottle, 5 colors to choose from $11.99 each

We often get excited about products we discover (or our incredible customers discover for us … you know who you are!) but Vapur has us extra excited.  Vapur is revolutionary and has the ability to change the way we consume water and it gives us the ability to eliminate the need and use of disposable water bottles.  Period.  Full stop.

We have long been fans of brands like Klean Kanteen and several of our products like goodbyn, lunchbots and soon to be introduced Kinderville (coming in a few weeks) that promote the concept of reuse.

How Vapur is different than other reusable water bottles is the ability to fold it and put it in your pocket and take it with you anywhere.  Other bottles cannot be minimized when you are done with them and can take up a lot of space in your backpack, purse, diaper bag etc.  Vapur can also be frozen and act as an ice pack to keep other items cold.

When we received our samples and began testing this product, we have been approached by others to find out what it is and how it works.  They then immediately think of situations or applications they could use it for in their daily lives.  For example, one individual suggested they would take the Vapur to sporting events and fill it up when they are inside the venue.  This not only saves them money but it means one less disposable bottle in the landfill.  Think picnics, soccer games, hikes, walks, kayaking or for every day use.  The possibilities are endless.

Vapur is made in the USA and is BPA free.  Vapur is a member of 1% for the Planet and they work with local communities to make drinking water more readily available.  Raspberry Kids is very proud to be one of the first Vapur retailers in Canada.

Vapur’s features include:

* Capacity: 16 oz (473 ml)
* Ultra-durable BPA-Free polymer
* Stands when full – rolls, folds or flattens when empty
* Carabiner attached for easy carry
* Writable text area for personalization
* Dishwasher safe (top rack)
* Freeze it, use it as an ice pack, and drink it as it thaws

Their fold & go design makes Vapur the most portable and convenient water bottle on the planet.  Their hope is that this simple idea will help put an end to the use of bottled water.  Now if that isn’t “Happily Ever After”, I don’t know what is.

I’ll drink to that (in my new Vapur that is),
Sue
–
Sue Sinclair
Chief Executive Mom, Raspberry Kids

Subscribe to our newsletter or become a fan of Raspberry Kids on Facebook for your chance to win a prize pack valued at a minimum of $1000!

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Our latest newsletter:  http://www.raspberrykids.com/newsletter-mar17-2010

Fellow mompreneur, Karen Randall from New & Green Baby cloth diapering asked me to write some content for her recent newsletter about gift giving considerations this holiday season and I thought I would share it with our blog readers as well.

Humming and Ha-ing this holiday season?  Here’s some tips we hope help you:

The main questions I ask when considering a purchase is “who makes it”, “where is it made” and “what is it made from”.  I have to feel good about the answers to each of these questions before I will proceed with my purchase.

I definitely look for items made in Canada or the US but will consider products that are ethically made or have been made with consideration to the environment as well as Fair Trade products from around the world.

Packaging is another huge consideration with a “less is more” preference.  I avoid plastic and twist ties like the plague and opt for no packaging or eco-friendly packaging and make sure all of the packaging is recyclable.  I also look at creative ways to wrap presents by re-using wrap from years gone by or getting creative with using gifts as packaging.  For example, wrapping another present in a backpack, or giving a piece of jewelry in a lunchbot or goodbyn container and the like.

Lunchbots Uno & Duo

Having seen lots of products since the birth of my eldest 4.5 years ago, I really look to buy less “things” and opt for higher quality (ie. usually a bit more expensive) items whether it be clothes, feeding products and toys because the old adage “you get what you pay for” still rings true and these items tend to last longer, wear better and can be passed down to future generations.  This cannot be said of all products on the market so definitely keep an eye out for good quality as it is worth it in the short and long run.

Another great way to reduce waste or unwanted gifts is to create and share a wishlist.  Make sure to include items in a variety of price ranges but this helps to channel those that mean well and want to get something for you or your children but at least this way, they are buying something you need or want.  Electronic gift cards are a really good option as well and are especially good for those that leave their shopping to the last minute!

It’s December 1st tomorrow.  If you haven’t started thinking about Christmas, my last tip would be start earlier rather than later.  We have already seen some very popular toys sell out for the year!

Have a fresh, healthy & fun day,
Sue

Sue Sinclair
Chief Executive Mom, Raspberry Kids

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Wondering what to get the Super Moms on your list?

She is the quarterback, the Jill of all trades, the CEO of the family, the Chef, the Chauffeur, the milk factory, the referee, the tutor and the housekeeper.  Let’s face it Moms, have a lot on their plates!

And for just that reason, we have come up with a list of gems just for Moms this holiday season:

1.  The Quoteable Kid.  OK, already, I know you are asking what the heck does that have to do about Moms but if you are like me, you get a huge kick out of all of your hilarious Out Of The Mouth Of Babes (OOTMOB’s as we like to call them at Raspberry Kids) moments and this wonderful book allows you to capture each of them in an organized fashion.  This is a much better option than jotting these newsy items on bits of paper or a restaurant napkin.  These books are small enough to keep in your purse or diaper bag and in a pinch, you can use the quotes for a quick status update on Facebook or Twitter or as a conversation starter at your holiday parties.

My Quotable Kid, $19.95

2.  We recently connected with a local mom who designs some of the prettiest jewelry around, Christine from BLUSH designs.  Check out the pieces she has made exclusively for Raspberry Kids including earrings, bracelets and necklaces.  Considering the lack of sleep we get, we need to replace the sparkle in our eye with something!

BLUSH Designs bracelet, $19.99

3.  Long before we launched Raspberry Kids we were fans of Canadian designed espe products and now we are so pleased to sell them in our store.  The range includes so many funky, adorable and modern designs in a range of colors so there truly is something for everyone.  From wallets, to lunch bags, to luggage or laptop bag tags, to shoulder pouches, to card holders and notebooks, these make an excellent gift for Moms or others (think Caregivers, Teachers, Hostess gifts).

espe Sol short wallet in Pink, $21.99

4.  Momiji Secret message dolls aren’t just for young girls to collect.  I bought my first Momiji doll called Sister for myself and have sent these to others to help brighten their day.  Can you think of a Party Girl or a Funny Girl or perhaps someone who is having a Very Big Birthday or likes to Dance, Dance, Dance or maybe someone who qualifies as your Favorite Person, Best Friend or who deserves a Thank You.

Momiji Secret Message Dolls, from $11.99

5.  Last but certainly not least are the wonderful products from Klean Kanteen.  We’ve long used the water bottles in our family but were absolutely over the moon when they recently came out with Klean Kanteen wine Karafes, available in stainless steel or merlot colored.  For someone who likes the outdoors, walks, hiking, picnics and who also loves red wine, this item is a must have under your tree.

Klean Kanteen Wine Karafe, from $29.99

Hints for Moms reading this:  How do you make sure you get what you really want this holiday season?  You either drop some very obvious hints (including URLs, magazine clippings taped to the mirror with big circles drawn around the item you desire) or you pick up a little something for yourself while you are running around like a mad woman leading up to the holidays.  If you want it done right, you gotta do it yourself

From Raspberry Kids to you and yours, we wish you a fresh, healthy & fun holiday season!

Sue
–
Sue Sinclair
Chief Executive Mom, Raspberry Kids

On the Web:  http://www.raspberrykids.com
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Raspberry Kids Warehouse will be open to the public for some in person seasonal shopping hours:

Raspberry Kids has recently moved into fresh new digs down near Granville Island. Our new address is #204-1540 W. 2nd Avenue.

If you live in or are visiting Vancouver in the next couple of months, we want to invite you to come and see us on the following days and times when we will be opening our warehouse doors for some in person shopping:

November: 14, 21**, 28 from 12:00 to 5:00 PM

**We will be open until 7PM on November 21st and are co-hosting a Stella & Dot jewelry party on site.  25% of Stella & Dot sales are donated to BC Children’s Hospital.

December: 12, 19, 20 from 12:00 to 5:00 PM
December: 21, 22, 23 from 10:00 to 4:00 PM
December: 24 from 10:00 to 2:00 PM

We are also co-hosting special events with Felicia Lee from Usborne Books:
Sunday, November 22nd from 2:00 to 6:00 PM
Tuesday, November 24th from 6:00 to 9:00 PM

We are also booking private shopping events for you and your family & friends. Please email shopping@raspberrykids.com for more information and to check on availability.

For those of you that live afar or prefer to shop online, obviously we still welcome your online orders and remember we can ship to 3rd parties with enclosed gift messages which makes for a HASSLE free shopping experience!  Save yourself the time of running around, parking, finding the perfect gift, enclosing a gift message and then racing to the post office to ship it.  Let Raspberry Kids and their elves do all the work for you this holiday season!

You can also take advantage of our new electronic gift cards that you can email to yourself or directly to someone else!

We are trying to make it as easy as possible for you this year and we hope to see you in person or online.  We have an incredible selection of toys, stocking stuffers, books, clothes, gear and more!

We thank you in advance for considering Raspberry Kids for gifts for the little ones in your lives!

We hope you have a fresh, healthy and fun festive season.

Sue
Chief Executive Elf, Raspberry Kids

Check out our great selection of Stocking Stuffers, Toys & Books for the upcoming holiday season!  Shop early for best selection.

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I do tend to get excited about a lot of our products but I get especially excited when I find products that I think moms can really use and appreciate.  Products that are well designed, have a nice aesthetic yet are functional.

No I am not talking about the latest and greatest binkee clip, blankie or burp cloth, this is not a feeding product or a toy that will amuse your child for hours.  It could well be better than ALL of that!

Enter the 27 oz. Klean Kanteen wine Karafe. (Cue music, lights & applause)

Klean Kanteen wine Karafe in Silver & Burgandy, from $29.99

The Wine Karafe™ is designed to hold a standard, 750ml bottle of wine and is made from high quality, 18/8, food-grade stainless steel that’s totally free of BPA and other toxins. Because stainless steel itself is safe, they don’t need to coat the inside of the bottle with a plastic or epoxy lining, which is one of the main differences between a stainless steel Klean Kanteen™ and aluminum bottles.

Whether it’s up a ridge to your favorite picnic spot or along a beachside trail, replace that glass bottle with a lightweight, shatterproof Wine Karafe™. When you get there, make a toast knowing that the glass of wine you raise retains its true flavor and because let’s face it, you deserve a little wine for having to put up with the other kind of “whine” sometimes.

Become a fan of Raspberry Kids on facebook, comment and you could win a klean kanteen wine karafe!  Hurry, the contest is only open until October 15th, 2009.

Consider this as a great gift this Christmas for yourself or others!

Cheers,
Sue
Sue Sinclair
Chief Executive Mom, Raspberry Kids

On the Web:  http://www.raspberrykids.com
Tweet with Us:  http://www.twitter.com/raspberrykids
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More details:  http://www.raspberrykids.tel