skipping hippos. GIVEAWAY!

As January comes to a close I find myself longing for spring. The cool breeze, trips to the park and farmers markets. There is nothing like catching glimpses of the first buds appearing on the trees, when the earth feels fresh and new. Skipping Hippos reminds me of spring and provides the perfect poncho for the weather that comes with it, the trips to the park, farmers markets, and evening bike rides.


The simplicity is brilliant. Slide it over your child's head and they're ready to go. The best part, no buttons, zippers or sleeves to deal with. It's on before they have time to wiggle away and take off out the door.

The lightweight fleece keeps your child warm , but not too hot and the ball fringe and embellishments add just the right amount of detail. Skipping Hippos ponchos come in a variety of sizes and colors ranging from 6 months to 4T.

Today Skipping Hippos offers your choice of one of the ponchos (a $46 value) shown above (Evelyn, Apple, Gretta) in size S, M or L, to TWO lucky winners, doubling your chances of winning!

Visit their site and tell us: what is your favorite Skipping Hippos Poncho?

Would you love to win? Be sure to:
*enter a comment on this post-with your name
*answer the question above
*please only enter once
*entry will be open until 8am Mountain Time Monday. {comments posted
after this will not be considered.}
*winner will be announced on Tangled and True on Monday morning.

good luck and thank you Skipping Hippos!

-the Tangled and True team.

{winner!}

Thanks to everyone who participated in the tiny sprouts giveaway. We hope you've had a chance to enjoy their products. Through the end of today or while supplies last you can purchase the kisses set for $20. The perfect outfit for Valentines.


The winner is e who said, "oh! the corduroy dress with the rick rack made me gasp. My girls need matching ones. They pretty much can't live without them :D -elizabeth" Congratulations Elizabeth! Please email us your shipping information and we'll get them off shortly.

sweet hearts.

Valentine's Day is the holiday that gives us every reason to give and receive all things sweet. If you're hoping to spread that sweetness with the most lovely and unique of gourmet desserts, look no further. Dancing Deer Baking Company, straight out of the heart of Boston, offers the perfect gifts: all natural (no preservatives), baked from scratch and Kosher products with innovative and fantastic flavor combinations and artful yet simple packaging. "Straight-up yummy-ness."

We are a company of people who are passionate about food, nature and aesthetics. We are dedicated to excellence in all we do.

The Valentines Sweetheart Tower (pictured above) is a trio of the the most delectable of flavors, featuring a stack of 18 Chocolate Chip Cookies, over 30 hand-decorated Vanilla Whimsy Shortbread Hearts (my indulgence!) and 8 rich Chocolate Chunk brownies. All come packaged in two wooden gift boxes and sealed with a fuchsia grosgrain ribbon. Perfect for Valentine's Day, they must be shared and are easy to enjoy quickly! $44.95

Browse their selection of other dream-worthy treats, from Meyer Lemon Raspberry Ricotta Cake to Peanut Butter Brownies. This is love. And there is sure to be something for every special someone.

Tangled and True deal: receive 20% off ($9 off!) the Valentine Sweetheart Tower using the code: TRUE8

the little seed.

The Little Seed says they are bringing
together the world of furniture, fashion,
products and toys with an environmental
twist. Their goal is to help make our planet
a little greener, and our children's lives a little
healthier.

Co-founded by none other than
Soleil Moon Frye (Punky Brewster) along
with Paige Goldberg Tolmach and Beth
Birkett.

These ladies have created the perfect combination of stylish organic and eco products for your shopping pleasure from clothing to bedding to laundry. Make sure to stop by and see for yourself.

Shadow Puppets

Here's an activity that is sure to please both little and old ones alike. Shadow puppets are a wonderful way to utilize ones imagination and can account for many hours of play.


The Yeti, Fairy and dinosaur are but a few of the lovely puppets you can find at Owly Shadow Puppets. She is currently in the process of restocking her puppet creations, including new pirate themed ones as well as airplanes. Oh I can already think of the many stories that will be made up with these.

tiny sprouts GIVEAWAY!

What do you consider the perfect gift? For me the perfect gift isn't based on the size or quantity, but rather the thought that went into it. I love handmade, vintage or one-of-a-kind among other things. When we came across Tracey Hageman, founder of tiny sprouts, we knew we'd hit on something magical. In Tracey's quest to find something really special for her friend, something she just might like to keep forever, she created a company and product I consider to be a perfect gift.


Simple and timeless, who wouldn't want to dress their child in these soft cotton essentials? Each piece is hand-dyed in the color of your choice and embroidered by Tracey in her own quirky lowercase style. Seeing these hanging in the girls closets brings a smile to my face. There is no one else out there with the same thing, and yes, they are something I will keep forever.

I have even decided that when the next one comes along the tiny sprouts welcome home ensemble will be the first gift my baby receives from me, it truly is perfect for coming home from the hospital.

Today Tiny Sprouts offers one lucky + random winner their blanket AND a tee and pant set (a $70 value). You'll get to choose the color, thread (my favorite is the mixed fall) and customized saying.

So whether you're gifting yourself or someone you love, tiny sprouts offers something you'll hold on to for a lifetime. Yes, the perfect gift indeed.

What is your favorite tiny sprouts style?

Would you love to win? Be sure to:
*enter a comment on this post-with your name
*answer the question above
*please only enter once
*entry will be open until 8am Mountain Time Thursday. {comments posted
after this will not be considered.}
*winner will be announced on Tangled and True on Thursday morning.

Good luck and thank you, tiny sprouts!
-the Tangled and True team.

honeywear.

I love knowing of new and improved baby gear. The essentials done responsibly but equally beautifully is my constant search. My latest favorite is Honeywear: a company "founded upon the nurturing of children and the environment, our two most important and precious resources." Simply, they've designed a baby sling that's "easy to use and elegant." Even more, all Baby Bee Slings are made of 100% natural fabrics and lined in 100% organic un-dyed cotton sateen (the best of the best).

What makes the honeywear sling so different?
Our unique design and quality construction can only be found in a honeywear sling. The adjustability with the pull cord system on the pouch creates the ability for any child to be comfortably carried by his or her parents. The buckle on the shoulder strap allows for easy transfer from parent to parent without disturbing a sleeping baby. We use only organic and all natural fabrics. We believe in top quality products and strong family values.

my choice: razz mauve silk dupioni, $120

I have to add that the padded shoulder straps and complete adjustability for many different holds and stages (think newborn to 30lb toddler) makes the idea of baby-wearing convenient and comfortable. See the 11 unique fabric options here.

Thank you, Christen.

green salad with pear vinaigrette.

Ryan would prefer to eat Caesar Salad before every meal. I prefer variety. In my quest for variety I find myself dividing salads into two categories, winter salads and summer salads. This is definitely a winter salad and a great one at that. enjoy!



for the salad. . .

a nice combination of lettuces,
radicchio, spinach or other wild greens
thin slices of pear
thin slices of sweet red onion
crumbled gorgonzola cheese
a handful of toasted hazelnuts

for the vinaigrette. . .

1 ripe pear
1/2 c. white wine (can substitute with apple juice or water)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1/4 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. fresh thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 c. olive oil

Cooking Instructions

To make the vinaigrette, peel the pear, cut it into quarters and remove the core. Place the pear pieces in a small pot iwth the wine. Cook over medium heat, turning the pear pieces to ensure even cooking, until the wine has mostly evaporated and the pear is quite soft. Transfer to food processor.

Add the garlic, mustard, rice wine vinegar, thyme, salt and pepper and blend thoroughly. While blending, drizzle in the olive oil slowly until you achieve a thinkc, emulsified dressing.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the greens with several tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Arrange the greens on a large serving platter. Lay the slices of pear and red onion on the greens in an attractive manner. Top the salad with cheese and nuts and serve.

*This is also really good with a Raspberry Vinaigrette or Brianna's Poppyseed dressing. If you're feeling really adventurous combine the two and it's just as good as the pear vinaigrette with half the effort.

Binki Love

Nine. Nine is the current number of pacifiers we have in our house. With that large number of them floating around you would think we'd be able to find one when needed. This wonderful binki holder eliminates that problem. It helps that it can also act as part of the decoration in the baby's room.


Also on their site this beautifully colored and simple rag blanket. My children were always infatuated with the tags on their plush toys or blankets. This "rag" is perfect in satisfying that love. "The Thilde Rag is an educational security blanket for the baby. Colourful and boldly shaped, the unique laundry care labels are inviting. They stimulate the baby's fine motor skills and curiosity."

sneak peek: Sayer's nursery.

We love Kristin Loffer Theiss here at Tangled and True. She's authentic, friendly and exudes incredible talent and vision. It's been exciting to follow her pregnancy just a bit via emails, receive the announcement of her beautiful son, born on January 11th, and finally get a peek into Sayer's fantastic nursery. It's inspirational, as is everything I've seen Kristin create. She says,

"The idea of Sayer has been my inspiration for all of my klt:baby collection. Now that he is here, we are able to utilize all of my previous daydreams in creating his nursery. Here is a little glimpse into his world."

"FAVORITE ITEM: ipod holder for the crib: Sayer has many playlists (view his current "day playlist" here) and loves to listen to music. This ipod holder is awesome!"

"The very unique "house changing table" is a creation from the '70's. My husband updated and tweaked an old dollhouse that my dad made me when I was little. It worked into a perfect changing table once the shag carpet, unicorn posters, and wall paper was taken out."

For more information about the products pictured, they're listed here. The Black and White Flights of Fancy mobile might stand my favorite.

Congratulations, Kristin! And welcome, little Sayer.

soak - sola.

Amy Butler's fabrics have been a long standing favorite of mine. When she opened a shop on her site I was thrilled. It took the guess work out of the situation and I could have something beautiful with just the click of a button, rather than a huge mess, seam ripper, and hours of frustration.
One of the latest additions to the shop is something I count as brilliant. Soak - SOLA.

"Soak Wash is a biodegradable, phosphate-free, rinse-free fabric wash & SOLA is Amy's signature fragrance. Sola is a soft, comforting fragrance with clean, earthy notes reminiscent of a breezy evening in the garden. Inspired by Amy's love of natural beauty this collaboration brings you a new & modern fragrance that is a fresh take on fiber care."

potty training.

Tara recently wrote in with the question below and although it kicked me into gear in a bit of a frenzy (her daughter and my son are the same age.. I better get moving), it's been good to start searching for answers.

Dear T & T,

I don't think you have covered this subject yet but I am excited to hear what you and others have to say on the subject of "Potty Training".

I have of course looked at all the gear but I would love advice on what you (or others) have found successful. For instance, is it good to use a little potty or should you start out on the real thing with a kid sized topper? Or, I know accidents will happen but is there any way, other than keeping my child on a tarp, to protect my carpet?

Anyway, I am full of questions and would appreciate any advice or guidance from T &T. I am sure some of you are about to embark on this fun adventure too and we could all benefit from the info you can provide!

Thanks! Tara

Boon Potty Bench, Baby Bjorn Potty Chair

Kabooster step stool,
Cookie Mag's step stool "round up"

We thought that we could learn most by hearing from all of the experts- you, the parents that have been there and done that. So.. please share: your favorite gear (chairs, stools, trainers, undies), the tried and true methods, how to best prepare, and what to do about those inevitable mishaps. Comment away... please.

Stone Soup

The classic and award winning book Stone Soup is a story of three soldiers who upon entering a small town and inquiring for a meal, find that all the food is hidden. The story unfolds and in the end the three soldiers along with the towns people enjoy a large feast.

As a little child I remembering reading this story with my Mother and of course making our own "Stone Soup" for dinner that night. This tradition has been continued with my little family and has created not only lasting memories and a lesson in sharing, but also a love for reading.

mairzey dotes.

In decorating I find myself mixing in vintage pieces here and there for added character. I am no different when it comes to dressing and accessorizing my girls. Mairzey Dotes blankets combine modern and vintage with playful color. Soft chenilles mix with 100% cotton prints making for a unique blanket you and your child will love.

Be sure to order by January 31st to enjoy free shipping with code "ship4me" at checkout.

Enfant Terrible

Handmade or knitted toys will forever remain a classic. Enfant Terrible offers such lovely items that will surely become a favorite in your home. All items are handmade and many items are knit in the homes of indigenous families at a women's cooperative in Bolivia.

"Enfant Terrible hopes to become a firm mainstay of understated and quiet elegance in an environment over saturated with tastelessness and noise. Enfant Terrible is conscious of our collective impact on our ecology and our sociology, and operates with absolute respect for and responsibility of the wider ecological and social effects of our acts, reaching beyond the immediacy of the present moment."

chopstick kids.

We grew up on authentic, homemade Chinese food. (My Dad lived in Hong Kong for several years.) It's created in me an affinity for Asian food: Thai and Japanese, and I dream of Cole growing up and loving sushi. It's in his blood. But I still have trouble taming my chopsticks. For the children, these look fantastic: washable, food-safe hinges, food-grade silicone boy and girl topper and kid-sized melamine chopsticks all included. $6.00

orange beautiful.

Looking for a cheeky valentine? Their products are as delightful as their blog. TAFN.

arte bebe.

I love shopping online boutique-style for Cole. Arte Bebe is a collection I'm thrilled to know about: one that offers the beauty and adventure in every day things. But also a collection of brands that are new to me. I love their unique philosophy of bringing a "global outlook and aesthetic" to their store, with "products from brands around the world, ranging from New York to Argentina, Italy to LA." It's how I want to life my life: with a global perspective.

This Russian Motorbike Jacket by Devi Baby is the item in Cole's wardrobe with the most character, yet an equal amount of functionality. It's made of incredibly soft cotton, with a zipper front (a party for a 2 year old!) and a lovely fit. Plus the motor bike theme is pretty popular in our family (his paternal grandpa is a die hard). Machine washable. And on sale for $58 (sizes 2T-6).

owl hoodie by Lucky Jade (new!)

magic tree dress by Milk On The Rocks (20$ off!)

Be sure to browse their winter sale (it's still freezing here) among the these just in items. A couple of my favorites are pictured above. And since we love dishing out the deals, Arte Bebe has been so fantastic to offer 10% off (sale and non-sale items alike) to each of you by using code: TANGLEDBEBE. Enjoy!

amby baby.

My girls never suffered from colic, but I've seen countless friends and family members struggle with this seemingly un-treatable condition. If I do have a baby pre-maturely, that suffers from reflux or with colic this is what I will be turning to.

With it's womb like design and attention to every detail your baby will be safe, secure and best of all sleeping. Every parent that has struggled with colic knows that bouncing and swaying can work wonders. The constant motion and upright angled position helps with natural sleep, colic and reflux.

Amby also provides a warm swaddled environment, prevents flat head and allows for flexible sleeping arrangements. Yes please.

Once Upon a Time Design

Every little child should have one of these. A magical fairy door will bring hours of fun and imagination to your home. Each door is made to fit the "style" of the fairy residing inside.

"The fun begins in discovering what kind of fairy has moved in; will it be a travel fairy that leaves you travel plans and tickets for fun outings or will it be a cleaning fairy who will stop by periodically to inspect your home and leave treats when she’s pleasantly surprised by how clean your home is (and maybe notes when she’s a little disappointed)? A library fairy or a junk food fairy? The possibilities are endless. Maybe it will be a fairy that adores your family and leaves special gifts on holidays and other special occasions. No matter what kind of fairy moves in, it's sure to add a little magic to your home."

happygreenbee.

More and more, we’ve been reaching for organic fruits, vegetables and other items while making our way through the local grocery store. For many of the same reasons, it makes sense to choose organic clothing, especially for our kids.

happygreenbee, maker of organic kids clothing, was created by Roxanne Quimby, the founder of Burt’s Bees. Bright, bold colors, in bee-striped patterns along with the use of soft organic cottons combine to create simple, comfortable, playful clothing. Mix and match their stylish designs to create endless combinations for infants and toddlers alike.


happygreenbee has a simple philosophy: clothing that is comfortable, colorful, playful and ecologically responsible. “We created Happy Green Bee so that a child can be a child, first and foremost,” Quimby explains.

I have to say, I love it. The cotton really is soft and the colors vibrant and fresh. The tags are attached with bright diaper pins that you could use again and a fun bee patch is attached to the back of each clothing item. Seeing the girls in these bright, fun clothes laughing and playing really does brighten the winter days and besides I’m all for taking a step in making a difference in the environment our children live in. Are you?

growmodern.

Here is great news: growmodern is officially announcing the launch of their online store with a sale on select Nursery Works pieces.



Like this incredible storytime rocker for 40% off. (Yes. It seats two.. for storytime. Such a beautiful idea.)

Even if you're not in the market for the most fantastic and clean of modern nursery furniture, be sure to browse the site. It's refreshing. And it's gathered all of my favorites. It was "founded on the belief that good design should be enjoyed by the entire family."