Just Buzzin' By

So this morning as I was feeding my daughter breakfast, and by feeding I mean her throwing the spoon on the floor and getting cereal EVERYWHERE I thought, there has to be something to protect my floors.

I went onto the Just Buzzin' By website to check out their gear. I was looking for and found nfant and toddler meal time accessories thatare FUNctional, fashionable, and non-toxic. Their products are free of PVC, Phthalates and lead.

The splat mats are a great size, especialy when your little one is discovering gravity! Celebrity moms that enjoy Just Buzzin' By's products include Halle Berry who sent a thank you note when she recieved a bib from them!

Z'fina: babywearing for mom & dad

We are such fans of babywearing in our house. The two slings I owned though up until now had been a little too feminine and not sized correctly for my husband. So, when we got to try out the man sling™ from Canadian company, Z'fina we were intrigued.

These baby slings are designed with men in mind and are made with athletic breathable fabrics - perfect for daddy and baby. My husband loved wearing our baby around the house and out and about. It created a closeness and specialness for both him and our baby. He was able to take out our toddler and baby easily (as we all know that can be a challenge!). He said he felt, "confident and cool"babywearing and all the mom commented how amazing it was that he was wearing his little one.

The man sling™ from Z'fina is well made and durable. The fabric wipes down easily so cleaning your sling is quick. Z'fina is carried in many stores in Canada and you can buy online.

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Congratulations to Vicky from Newmarket who won a Z'fina man sling™

Simply Colors

Simply Colors is a company that creates personalized, colourful clothing for newborns up to 8 year olds. They have 11 trendy colours in t-shirts, onesies, rugby and polo shirts, hoodies, dresses, pants, baby hats, socks and tights. Most of the clothing can be personalized using a selection of 13 different fonts and 14 different font colours.



The Simply Colors website is extremely user friendly, allowing the customer to view their product exactly how it will appear on their final purchase. The products are shipped within 1 to 3 business days of receiving the order.



I would definitely promote using Simply Colors to create meaningful, personalized clothing as gifts for new babies and children. Their service is unique and their products will be proudly worn!

Clippo hair clips from Clippopotamus

I'm new to this whole little girl thing, with matching outfits, ribbons and bows! At first I wasn't sure about it but I am starting to have fun and accessorize my little one!

I am really excited to have found another amazing mom-run company located in the GTA that is doing great things. Clippo hair clips from Clippopotamus are super-cute hair clips for babies, toddlers and mommies alike.

Like their tagline says, " Like hippos in the wild, Clippos may look cute, but their bite is fierce" And they mean it. I used a teeny clip one my 6 month old and despite having pretty much peach-fizz still the clip stayed in! I can't tell you how many people commented on the cuteness of the clip while out last week.

We love the fact that there is a size and colour for every age and that Clippopotamus is now offering a range of other very stylish accessories.

With prices starting at just over a dollar... that's right a dollar(!) for something handmade Clippos are going to be big news in this wild maket of baby & kids products. They accept custom orders as well -- so if you need a special design just contact them and they'll get back to you fast!

Gorgeously Green

Green is the new black! Many us don't want to compromise fashion and style, but also want an eco-friendly and healthy lifestyle. While I've read many other books on green lifestyle, Gorgeously Green, by Sophie Uliano is the best one by far.

The best part about Gorgeously Green is that Sophie points out problems and gives you real world solutions and products that fix the problem! This is above and beyond any other book on the subject!

Case andGorgeously Green point; Sophie points out that the chemicals we are using to clean our house are in fact making us sick and then suggests eco-friendly alternatives to cleaning including brands and names so you can shop with ease. She also includes are recipes to create your own safe cleaning products!

You can still wear make-up and be eco-fabulous. Sophie suggests lines and products that are safe to wear! From foundations, to shampoo, to fair-trade shopping and everything in between


Sophie's book is genius! I mean, if you can get Julia Roberts (touted as a real eco-friendly star!) to write your forward then you must be doing something right. Whether you are Julia Roberts in Hollywood or Julia Smith in Richmond Hill or if you are a newbie in this whole 'green' world or an eco-holic this is a excellent book!

More resources to help you...

* Green Mom Finds

* Gorgeously Green

• Canadian Resource - Green Mom
  

• Campaign For Safe Cosmetics

• A must-visit site! Skin Deep - The Environmental Working Groups's Database
• Type is a product and you can see what chemicals are in it and on a scale of 1-10 of how harmful these chemicals are.(Check out the baby bath products or what about diaper cream)
• The EWG's Safety Guide To Children's Personal Care Products
  
  • Parent's buying guide
  • Printable PDF guide
  • Brand buying guide
  • Ingredients to avoid

Neat Solutions

Though we are all trying to be more environmentally friendly, sometimes convenience becomes a necessity as a parent. Neat Solutions is a company with many convenient products for parents on the go.
They sell table toppers, potty toppers and floor toppers, to name a few.

What are toppers, you may ask? They are disposible (we recognize that this is not the best choice for our environment, but at times are a necessity for our childrens' safety) "toppers" that cover a surface to protect your child from harmful germs, for example, restaurant tables and public toilets.

Neat Solutions products are convenient and easy to use. They are practical for the busy, on the go parent. Their products are colourful and durable.

We had the opportunity to test out their disposible bibs, xl changing pads, all-in-one meal kits and table toppers.


The all-in-one meal kits contain everything a parent needs for a meal away from home, including a Sip Cup & No-Drip Spout, a Table Topper® Stick-in-Place Placemat, a Bib with Crumb Catcher, an Elmo Fork and a Big Bird Spoon. What an exciting surprise for your little on when they are eating out!


The table topper has convenient peel and stick lines to secure the placement to the table and is a large size in order to cover a large surface area for spills and food that misses the plate. My daughter loved the fun designs on the placement. This kept her happy until some food came along to distract her.


Neat Solutions bibs are leak proof and have a crumb catcher to contain messes. They are resealable and have colourful designs. We tried ours out on our 2 1/2 year old and it stayed in place beautifully, covering her entire front side. It was perfect when we went out to a restaurant and left our regular bib at home. I keep these in my diaper bag in case of "emergencies".


I am really not one for disposable anything. I try really hard to be conscious of what I am using and buying and why. But, I have made an exception! I have been using disposable change table covers from Neat Solutions when using public change tables. These have come in really hand a few times when I didn't want to put my change mat down on the table. I am able to change my baby quickly, easily and hygienically while out and about. These are a really 'neat solution' for day trips or when you'll be visiting public and unfortunately not-so-clean restrooms.

Storyboards by CANE Innovations

I love finding up and coming companies to share with York Region Parent readers. An on Sunday I attended the Mompreneur Spring Trade Show in Toronto and found that company! Storyboards by CANE Innovations is an amazing new family run company that creates handmade growth charts with a difference! These are not just any growth charts -- they are Storyboards of your child's life. The Storyboards are 5 feet tall and handpainted, with a place to hold precious keepsakes including

• child's first tooth,
  
• lock of hair,
  
• and hospital bracelet.

AS well as a place holder to hold your child's first shoes, a customized tag with their name and 4 picture frames adds a personal touch.

On the back is a growth chart to mark through the years and places to record their milestones, including their first words, birth weight and height, time of birth, age for crawling, walking and talking.

Cogatulations to CANE Innovations! You can visit them this weekend at the Babytime show.

Today's Parent Babytime Show

Fri April 11, 10am to 6pm

Sat April 12, 10am to 6pm

Sun April 13, 10am to 6pm

International Centre

6900 Airport Road

Booth 520