Sunday, March 28, 2010

Deadline extended till 10 April - Pupsik Baby Pouch Contest!!

We will be extending the deadline for entries to 10 April as I know some of you need a little more time. So if you have not sent us a pic of your little one, please do so NOW! Please send the pic to pupsikbaby@gmail.com. xoxoo

It is with very great excitement that I announce the search for our Pupsik baby in a pouch this year! This is the second time we are organising this. To be honest, we love doing this again cos we get such a big kick and utter satisfaction out of you sending us pictures of your adorable babies in our pouches that is hard to let the opportunity pass by this year!


If you were following this search last year, you would know of our lovely winners - Baby Hannah, Baby Jey and Baby Raeann, (above from left to right). This year, we will again have 3 lovely babies to walk away with a bunch of prizes that even I (the organiser) would like to win. The prizes includes photo packages generously sponsored by creative photostudios specialising in children/family photography such as Pink Elephant Labs and Studio Loft. In addition the winners will get to walk away with a new pouch of their choice from our new range of reversible pouches (launch date TBC) and a bunch of other prizes from our partners this year.



And if you are in need of a little persuasion to enter your little one for this contest, let me give you 3 good reasons why you should:

1. Everyone is a winner! Unlike the usual big magazine contests when you send in a picture and never hear back, you can be sure that everyone is a winner in this "contest". All entries will receive a $10 gift voucher that you can use to redeem from our store (terms apply).

2. You decide who wins! Call this our own version of American Idol if you like but we would like you, the mommy/daddy/grandma/grandpa/friend/uncle...to vote for our winners this year! Since this is more for fun, rather than creating unneccessary competition, the actual results of the voting will be confidential and we will only be announcing the winners with the highest number of votes . So, if you have a lot of computers, family members, fans and friends rooting for your kiddo, I say your chance of winning is incredibly high. =))

2. In the name of fun! We will be sharing the pictures (unless you do not want us to) in an online photogallery that we are creating. Not only will this precious and intimate moment of you and your child be captured together with us for a long time to come, this is also a fun and great way to share your babywearing journey with hundreds of others who have yet to discover the joy and benefits of babywearing!

I hope the above will convince you to join us this year! If so, please email your favourite picture(s) of your little one in a pouch to us at pupsikbaby@gmail.com with the subject heading "Pupsik in a Pouch 2010". Please let us know you and your baby's name. It will be great if you could include a few words with your entry to tell us why you like our baby pouch carriers.

You can be as creative as possible and send in as many pictures (funny, sweet, adorable, memorable) of your little one in a pouch. There is no age limit and if you entered last year, you can enter again this year as long as you are sending in a new photograph. If you have submitted multiple pictures, we will select one photo for the final voting exercise.

The deadline for entries is 30 March 2010.

I hope everyone can make this as fun as possible again this year. Thanks again and let the pictures roll! xoxo

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Truffel Tree

I was really excited when Xin of Truffel Tree contacted me a few weeks ago to tell me about her lovely handmade plushies. I fell in love instantly with the simple aesthetic and whimsical nature of her soft toys. Xin is a Singaporean mom living in the UK and she had bought a beansprout pillow from Pupsik Studio previously.

Ever since I got Alexi last year, I have been searching for suitable friends to join him and the rest if the gang on the shelf. I hence asked Xin if she could make me a toy to be named after my one year old, Nadya. I happily sent her a picture of Nadya as a "design brief" for the soft toy.
Immediately after sending the pic, I wondered if I was asking too much of Xin in sending her the photograph of a human baby and asking her to "make a soft toy out of it". Anyway, to cut a long story short, an envelope arrived from the UK 2 weeks later with a cotton sleeve and I literally squealed in delight when I saw what was inside!
Xin had transformed the picture I sent her of Nadya into a thumb sucking elf in a bear suit. She had also sewn a magnet in the paw of the elf and the mouth so you can actually detach the hand from the mouth. How clever!
The elf, named Plum, came with this note: " Look who's fallen under the truffle tree!...Plum has been a very busy elf, playing hide-and-seek with the big scary bears. Good thing she has her magic flying cape with her - having an imagination can be exhausting".
Plum even has a back pocket that is designed to hold little memories. I am printing a small picture of Nadya in the bear suit and sticking it in the pocket together with Plum's little friend.
And Xin was so sweet to send me another of her beautiful creations called "The Anonymous Rabbit". This gorgeous rabbit is made from soft, plain white calico cotton and firmly stuffed with new polyester filler. It has a simple fine embroidery thread running along the entire edge of the rabbit. I love how simple this rabbit looks with all its thoughtful intricate details and how soft (yet firm) it feels and stands on its own. Xin also embroidered the butt of the rabbit with my daughter's name!
So here is is, the new gang on the shelf! Looks like there is space for at least 2 more friends up there! Thanks Xin for these wonderful creations! xoxo

"Plum" and "The Anonymous Rabbit" are now available on Xin's etsy store, Truffel Tree. Do visit and support her beautiful creations!

ps: Xin and I are working together on a new toy that I hope will be available under The Fair section of Pupsik Studio soon. Stay tuned!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Tip Toey Joey

Being a mom of 2 girls (one of which just only learnt to walk), I have to say that it is not very easy finding a good pair of walking shoes in Singapore that is comfortable and simple/versatile in design. I have been hunting for the pre-walker (age 1-2) equivalent of Birkenstocks or Ecco as I know how important it is to have comfortable shoes when the little one is just learning to walk. I finally found my answer in Tip Toey Joey...

Tip Toey Joey shoes
are high-quality shoes specially designed for growing feet with thin rubber soles and “stretching heel”. Arguably the most “healthy” baby shoes on the market, Tip Toey Joeys are soft and non restrictive all over to support and protect baby’s very soft and malleable foot bones – bones that grow faster during baby’s first three years of life than at any other time.

Crafted of soft, 100% genuine leather inside and out, they allow baby’s feet to breathe, grow without restriction, flex naturally – and feel deliciously comfortable! But unlike other leather baby shoes, they feature a contoured design to match the shape of baby’s feet, an exclusive stretching heel for ease and fit, and a thin rubber sole that gives new walkers grip and protection while still allowing them to sense irregularities in the ground – something that’s essential for the natural development of foot muscles, balance and posture. Plus – elastic laces that never come undone, and allow the shoe to custom-adjust to baby’s foot.

These are high-quality, eye-catching shoes for those who demand the very best for their baby’s feet. I also love that there is a good range of colours and designs to cater to both boys and girls, whether you are looking for something casual or formal.

Tip Toey Joey are available at $68 on Pupsik Studio. They probably cost slightly more than your average shoe but is worth every cent considering your child will be wearing them much more often than any other clothing item they own, if not every day. You will instantly notice how differently your toddler walks in a good pair of shoes that is designed to give the right kind of support that is comfortable and allows them to feel the ground at the same time. The well constructed leather shoe (ohh...did I mention how wonderful it smells?) also means that it is made to last so you can keep it for your next one or another lucky child.

Product Review - Lil' Rinser

Word got out that I have a 3 year old who hates having her head wet in the shower so I was recently given the Lil' Rinser as a gift recently to help make bathtime a little more fun.

Designed by a dad, the Lil' Rinser has a soft rim that contours to fit a 12 month old toddler's head (all the way to adults). This rim forms a gutter that completely channels water away from faces when you pour water down the head. This rinser comes with a convenient handle which you can hold on easily to. I've seen a few other rinsers out there but they usually look quite flimsy and leaks, unlike the Lil' Rinser that is designed to really work! The video below shows it all.


Vera loves putting on the rim as a hat while in the bath and loves it when the water from the showerhead runs to the back of her head (instead of the front) like magic! 12 month old Nadya loves doing the same when she sees her older sister putting on the "magic hat" in the bath.

The Lil' Rinser is available at $28.50 in a few outlying shopping malls in Singapore.