With a show of hands, how many of you grew up reciting the ‘whoops, bunny!’ rhyme, complete with hand choreography? I have to confess it’s one I had never heard, quite the opposite experience of Maude Humphris who listened to her son recite the rhyme over and over again while on a family vacation - so many times, that the she couldn’t get it out of her head and eventually embraced it as the name for her new company!

Whoops Bunny’s colorful bunny and hand motif can be found hopping across most items in their eco-conscious line of children’s goods. The product range is ambitious including everything from ‘tree-free’ wall calendars to stainless steel water bottles to the adorable rain boots (seen below)

But the product that really caught my eye was their All Natural Make-Up Sticks - five bright colors, biogradable, safe for little faces and even created using wind power here in the US. You may remember my quest last Halloween to find a safer alternative to standard issue children’s face paint - which made me all the more excited to have found the Whoops Bunny alternative that is easily accessible and affordable!

Well the nice folks over at Whoops Bunny have kindly offered three Junior Society member the opportunity to win a set of All Natural Make-Up Sticks. To enter, pay a visit to the Whoops Bunny web site and then come back and share your favorite find by leaving a comment on this post. I’ll accept entries through 11:59 pm this Thursday, October 1st.  Three entries will be randomly selected on Friday.  Good luck!

And as an aside, while I was reading up on the ‘whoops bunny’ rhyme, I came across the following version which is presented as a “quiet game” - AND it was accompanied by animated graphic to illustrate the hand motions.

OBJECTIVE: To discover the hidden action in the chain.

DESCRIPTION: Sitting in a circle, the leader tells the group “YOU MUST DO EXACTLY AS I DO.” with the index finger of one hand, the leader touches the tips of all fingers and thumb of the other in order saying “BUNNY.” Between the index and thumb the leader slides his finger from one tip to the other than goes says “WHOOPS.” After touching the tip of the thumb he does the reverse back: (Baby finger : “BUNNY” ring finger : “BUNNY” middle finger : “BUNNY” index finger : “BUNNY” space between : “WHOOPS” thumb : “BUNNY” space between : “WHOOPS” index finger : “BUNNY” middle finger : “BUNNY” ring finger : “BUNNY” Baby finger : “BUNNY”) Then right after the leader crosses his arms. This should be done discretely since this is the action that the group is trying the figure out.

“This book tells you how a group of boys and girls became interested in safety and what they did to promote safe living for themselves and for others at school, in their homes, and in the community.” And so begins Safe Living, written in 1937 and packed with great illustrations like the one below and at the bottom of this post.

I’ve had this book on my library shelf for a few years and am forever indebted to C.W. Hippler (then director of Child Welfare and Safety Education in Pasadena, CA) and Helen Burr Durfee (a Pasadena elementary school teacher) for their direction in avoiding poorly covered farm cisterns, preventing my fingers from being flattened in the clothes wringer and organizing safety parades with my friends. I jest, but C.W. and Helen really did compile an impressive amount of good advice, some of it just isn’t as relevant today as it might have been in the 1930’s.

Were Safe Living written today you could pretty much be assured it would be twice as long and all of those kids would be drawn wearing helmets. Expectant parents have allot of safety info to process and to consider in transforming their homes into kid-friendly habitats. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, August is the month with the highest number of births - so I imagine right now there are more than a few moms trying to figure out how to install those tricky cabinet locks and considering the merits of wrapping the coffee table in bubble wrap.

Well, the nice folks over at First Alert are taking this opportunity to promote their broad range of home safety products and have bundled together quite a nice little selection of items, wrapped them in a security blanket (pun intended) and shipped them to me for one lucky Junior Society member!

Leave a comment on this blog post by 11:59pm on Friday, July 31st and you could win First Alert’s Security Blanket bundle with the following practical goodies. Good luck!
Thanks to all who entered - the giveaway is now closed and we have a winner.

First Alert would also like to offer up the following smart safety reminders:

So I received a lovely email a few weeks back from JrSoc member Molly, buyer and toy guru for Twirl an amazing toy store and playspace in Taos, New Mexico:

“…today while talking to a vendor it occurred to me that their products reminded me of something I might see on a Jr Society post. The company is Liberty Puzzles, out of Boulder, CO. They laser cut wooden puzzles laminated with classic and contemporary art images, and the shapes of the pieces are almost better than the picture on the puzzle- ladies with umbrellas, fireworks, and dogs fit together with a marvelous audible ’snick’ when you drop them in. They’ve just started producing a kids’ line in the last year or so, and have found some great vintage book illustrations and prints. You really have to put one of these puzzles together to get the idea- they’re on my list of top five most pleasing products I’ve found in three years of buying for the store.”

Molly was kind enough to not only share this fantastic find (thank you Molly!), but to pass along my info to the nice folks at Liberty Puzzles. They in turn sent me one of their amazing puzzles (thank you Liberty!). I had a ‘Christmas morning’ moment and immediately dumped the pieces onto my desktop and set about fitting the jigsaw together. The noted skill level on the box is 5-8, but I’ll admit as a 30-something that I had a few challenging moments. I’ve never seen such amazingly fine pieces (courtesy of the laser cutter) and the ‘whimsy pieces‘ definitely make the puzzle something special. Spend a little time browsing the Little Liberty section of their site to see their entire line of childrens puzzles.

Because one act of kindness deserves another, I propose a Little Liberty giveaway! If you have or know a kid in the 5-8ish age range, leave a comment on this post by 11:59pm Friday, July 24th. I’ll select an entry at random and ship the Dish Ran Away With the Spoon to the winner!
Thanks to all who entered - the giveaway is now closed and we have a winner.

Oh friends, we all like a good giveaway and I have a great one to share with you. My pal, the talented Christina Platt of Bamboletta Dolls is currently holding a contest, the winner of which will walk away with the lovely Sally pictured above. To enter, please leave her a comment on this Bamboletta blog post by November 30th. A winner will be selected at random from the entries and contacted directly by Christina. Please note! You have to leave a comment on the Bamboletta blog not on this JrSoc post.

“Bamboletta” means ‘little doll’ in Italian and is the term of endearment this doll artist’s father used for her throughout her childhood. From the Platt family headquarters in Cobble Hill, British Columbia, Christina has built this labor of love business and acquired quite a following in the process. And it’s no wonder given the quality materials (from organic cotton interlock skin to clean carded wool stuffing, custom dyed wool hair to red beeswax blush), thoughtful details and skilled workmanship that is evident in every doll.

I think it’s smart to invest in fewer high quality playthings for children and a hand crafted Bamboletta doll would be a great choice. Having worked with Christina for the past couple of years I can tell you that it’s wonderful to know that the person behind Bamboletta is as lovely as the dolls she creates. Visit the Bamboletta site to learn more about these special customizable dolls.

Many thanks to all who entered the Bumkins giveaway!

…and the winner is…

Claudia!: “Awesome, awesome, awesome! I am going green with cloth diapers with my 2nd baby coming in March 09 and this will be the icing on the cake if I win.”

Claudia, please send me a quick email with your mailing address and I’ll get your goodies shipped out. grandpoobah@juniorsociety.com

And a warm thank you again to the folks at Bumkins for the giveaway goodies!

When I was a kid and during my baby-sitting years cotton diapers were standard issue. (Yes, I’m just that old.) I’ve also drawn enough blood from my thumbs courtesy of baby pins and laundered enough soiled specimens to fully appreciate the appeal of disposable diapers. However with the advent of Velcro and the plight of our landfills, I know many parents are reconsidering the idea of cloth diapering. Not sure? Here’s another consideration to place in the ‘Pros’ column - they’re now making fitted, Velcro closing, incredibly soft, eco-friendly diapers out of bamboo.

I just got used to the idea that milk could be made from soy and now some genius has figured out how to make fabric out of bamboo. Go figure. But why diapers? Bamboo is 60% more absorbent than cotton and naturally antibacterial and anti-allergic. It’s also incredibly silky soft - a trait that only improves with repeated washings. Bamboo is also easily cultivated and thrives without the use of fertilizers or pesticides.

One of the companies making these wonders is Bumkins. And the kind folks who work there have sent a beautiful bamboo care package to the clubhouse - and you know what that means - giveaway! Leave a comment on this post by midnight this Thursday, August 7th and one randomly selected member will win the following:

• A bamboo fitted diaper with removable booster insert, size large for babies 22-35 pounds
• A three pack of bamboo booster inserts
• A very cute cloth diaper cover

Many thanks to all who entered the Lark & Loon giveaway!

Congratulations to:

Elizabeth M.: “I’d like the boys’ tee if I should win. That is one of the coolest tees I’ve seen in a long time! Thanks for the giveaway.”

Helen: “Hooray for giveaways! I like these Lark & Loon and it would be awesome to have one of these 2-3 y.o. girl t’s! I have a 2y.o. lady that would love to be the queen of the butterflies!”

Ladies, please send me a quick email with your mailing address and I’ll get your goodies shipped out. grandpoobah@juniorsociety.com

Also, a quick note to let you know that Lark & Loon are booking trunk shows for this fall. So, if you’re interested in having a party with friends, supporting the arts and earning some cash & clothes email them at nest@larkandloon.com!

‘Mtoto’ is the Swahili word for child and the inspiration for the name Toto Knits, a wonderfully imaginative kids knitwear collection ethically produced in Kenya by a group of local women. The cotton is locally grown and spun, and the wool is hand-spun and dyed. Toto Knits provides an opportunity for Kenyan women to gain financial independence while learning new skills and working in a flexible way which fits around their commitments to their families. I love the design, ethics and story of this mom-run company.

“Erin Brennan Allan and Mary Wambui met in 2002 when Erin moved from New York to Nairobi, Kenya to fund-raise for a school for children with special needs. Mary was teaching Arts and Crafts at the school and persuaded Erin to pick up a pair of knitting needles and get creating.

When Erin had children she became aware of the importance of employment opportunities that would allow women to work whilst still nurturing their families, particularly in Kenya where women are often unskilled and marginalized.

After some lengthy discussions with Mary, who had raised her three sons single-handedly, Toto Knits was born. With Mary’s knitting know-how, Erin’s love for all things baby and their years of friendship it was a perfect partnership. Mary now trains and manages a group of twenty knitters (with help from her son Cyrus) while Erin works on the designs and marketing.”

Erin was kind enough to send a sample all the way from Kenya of Toto Knit’s amazing cotton Lion Cardigan and I want to pass it along to a Junior Society reader! It you have a 2T sized kiddo at your house, leave a comment on this post by Tuesday, May 27th at 11:59 p.m. and I’ll pick a winner at random to be announced the following day.

Are you sitting down? Here are a couple of great giveaways that give you and your kiddo the opportunity to win a fabulous new place to plant your toochis.

First up, I (in my role as proprietor of Mahar Drygoods) have partnered up with our pals at OhDeeDoh (the new moniker for Apartment Therapy: Nursery) to giveaway a Chick Chair and introduce the charming new line of furniture from Roebuck Studio - the brilliant collaboration of husband and wife team Kate and Barret Roebuck, both talented designers and landscape architects. Their furniture is beautiful, functional, affordable, and durable created in an environmentally responsible way. Visit OhDeeDoh to enter - and hurry, you only have until midnight eastern time this Friday, December 21st to enter.

And then we’ve learned that our friends at MomFinds are hosting a giveaway for a gorgeous Luca Glider by Monte. Featuring an ergonomic arm height for late-night feedings, high back for proper head rest and removable lumbar pillow for extra support, the Luca is the perfect place to nurse, rock baby to sleep, snuggle up with a good book or just sit down and relax. It will fit beautifully into your nursery or any other room in the house. Visit MomFinds now to enter, you must enter no later than Thursday, December 20, 2007 at 9:59 AM Eastern Time to be eligible.

Posted in Club Meeting, Giveaways! | 2 Comments »

Thing-a-majig

Sunday, August 19th, 2007

Every now and then I come across an idea so smart it makes me go “Doh!” (think Homer Simpson) “I wish I had thought of that!” Such is the case with Thing of the Month, a site packed with subscription based clubs in an excellent (and ever growing) selection of interest areas. Take for example the 12 month Flying Objects Club - once a month for an entire year a package arrives at your doorstep containing some freekin’ fantastic flying toy, be it a bird glider, a frisbee, a kite, a rocket, an airplane - all of which can take to the air and fly. Most of the clubs are kid-focused, although I tell you there are several I would love to subscribe to. Whether your passion is crafting, science, board games, robots, paper automata models or great toys for your toddlers there is a club for you. Come on, what kid (big or little) wouldn’t love receiving mail like this every month!

Depending on the interests of the recipient and the size of your pocketbook, you can select from 4, 6 and 12 month clubs or buy the items individually. OR if you’re a little impatient and want, say, all of the kits in the 6 month Origami Club right now - there’s an express option just for you. Below is just a partial sampling of the available clubs:

To whet your appetite, the fine folks over at Thing of the Month are offering one Junior Society member the opportunity to select any one of the beautiful animal model sets seen below from their Animal Families Club free!
Simply leave a comment on this blog post by 11:59 pm this Wenesday the 22nd. I’ll select one member at random and announce the winner on Thursday. Easy, right?

Posted in Arts & Crafts, Education, Entertainment, Giveaways!, Musicology, Playthings, Technology | 14 Comments »