Because art doesn't have to be boring...

Raising kids in rainy Vancouver requires parents to be creative with indoor activities, thankfully I found Cedar Works and they did the creative thinking for me! I found Cedar Works online while searching for indoor play equipment for my kids' Christmas present and I just had to have it! It was so simple, I designed my set, received a quote, they shipped it to our door and we put it together in no time! I am very happy with this product and highly recommend them. Here is a picture of my Cedar Works creation.... with a touch of Beetling on the wall of course :)

CedarWorks has designed and manufactured custom swing sets out of Northern White Cedar since 1981.  Since that time, we have increased our product line to include three swing set lines, the basic PlayAround, bold and noble Revelry, and the artistic and stylish Serendipity sets.  Company president, Barrett Brown, likes to tell the story of how the first CedarWorks indoor playsets were born.  "Our twins were about to turn two when my wife, Lynne, anticipating another long Maine winter posed a perfectly reasonable question.  'Could we put a playset inside?'  So, we attached a slide and a ramp to CedarWorks' smallest outdoor playset and put it down in our basement playroom.  Little did we know that we had stumbled upon a big idea."  That's what lead us to create Rhapsody -- a playset line designed with the with the optimal materials, finish, and scale for inside your home.
 
Since its inception and release, Rhapsody sales have exceeded our wildest expectations.  Not only did we have a fun and beautiful product for areas where weather (both hot and cold) can be a concern with young children, we also had a product that is a play solution for even the wee one's.  And, it can grow as your children grow by adding on age-relevant components over time.
 
CedarWorks has recently expanded its manufacturing  plant in Rockland, Maine,  to accommodate the ever-growing demand for the Rhapsody sets.  Each set is manufactured to customers' specifications and delivered, with professional installation availble if requested. Everyone plays a part, every detail is considered.  The CedarWorks Rhapsody sets have found their way into homes across the US and Canada, and into daycare and preschool centers as a wonderfully beautiful piece of play furniture.  Now, with the addition of the Rhapsody bunk and loft playbeds, the Rhapsody line is really holding its own as a well-received CedarWorks product line.  Our customers love it, and we love to design and build these beautiful and whimsical pieces.


You can find CedarWorks online, Facebook and twitter

We had a great time at the Spring Family and Baby Fair in Port Moody (Thank you to Nancy from Baby Vibe) and I want to share some of my favourite finds with you! I had a hard time choosing my top 3 but here they are...

I was so amazed when I flipped through Emma's portfolio that I had to share her artwork on our Blog. Uptown Tots offers a very unique service, hand painted wall decor and accessories, beautiful murals, interior design and custom art sculpted by her Husband. I definitely see a future collaboration between Beetling and Uptown Tots, now we just have to find that lucky girl or boy! 

Ok, anyone that knows me, knows that I adore and respect good teachers, I guess Oprah and I have something in common! This is why Easy Daisies made my top 3. This business idea was hatched when Elaine Tan Comeau started teaching Kindergarten. Elaine had always posted a visual daily schedule for the kids that mapped out the daily routine and made those transitions easier. Parents were also impressed and constantly asked Elaine if she could make something for them to take home... Of course she could! Great product from a great teacher, love it, bought one for my kids.

These books are gorgeous! Barefoot Books was started by two mothers that wanted to show children the world's diverse cultures and allow them to explore with their imaginations, and they have succeeded! I was drawn to the amazing artistry and beautiful display but I fell in love with the great stories and was thrilled to see so many different cultures showcased on 1 shelf. 

If you have ever googled "things to do in Vancouver" I'm sure you have come across one of these sites... babyvibe.ca, kindervibe.ca and maybe even doggyvibe.ca. Their motto is cool vibes for smart famiilies... and I agree! I have written about their site here before and am really excited that Beetling will take part in their first Spring Family & Baby Fair.  Below you can find a little bio about babyvibe.ca from the co-owner, Nancy Owens, and you can find them on twitter and Facebook.... Better yet you can come to Port Moody on May 15th and check them out in person!

With 6000 subscribers, we are proud to be Western Canada's leading e-newsletter for new and expectant parents. Launched in 2006, Babyvibe is a free, twice-weekly e-newsletter delivering pint-sized news and reviews on innovative products and services, expert tips and family friendly events for new and expecting parents. In 2008 we launched Kindervibe (Babyvibe's older sibling), which delivers the best scoop on cool products, services and tips for the bigger kids, with a focus on healthy, natural living!


With both publications, our mantra is: involved parenting, happy kids, healthy community!


On May 15th, join us at our first annual Spring Fair, a fun, fabulous and free event, happening in beautiful Port Moody, BC. More information can be found here.

I love Granville Island Toy Co. and not just because they are Beetling supporters, because they stock some amazing products and staff some awesome people! This is why I am really excited to say that we will be setting up with them at this year's Vancouver Children's Festival at Vanier Park. If you haven't been to one of their locations, you should really check them out! Even Greg Harper from Breakfast Television stopped by for some tips and a little play time for himself. Come by Vanier Park May 17th to 24th and have some fun!


"We don't cease to play because we grow old, we grow old because we cease to play." - G.B Shaw

Kristy and Debbie Travis met recently at a design show where they had a chance to chat a little and Debbie wrote us an incredible compliment in the Winnipeg Free Press and I had to share it with you! 

The Vancouver Olympics are over but I hope we can keep our "Go Canada" spirit going and support Canadian business. After I came across the 3/50 project a while ago i have been a lot more conscious about what I am buying and where I buy it. If you don't know about the 3/50 project, it is a movement challenging each us to spend $50 at 3 different locally owned businesses every month. This was originally created to boost the local spending in Maple Ridge but I think this should apply to all of us in any community. Can you think of 3 locally owned businesses you love and would hat to see go? How about just 3 Canadian spots? Well, I know of a great place called Beetling in Coquitlam :) I also have 2 great suggestions about how ANYONE can start!

Groceries! I think it is really great that the large big box grocery stores are stocking a lot more organic produce and baby food, but that convenience is keeping us from shopping at our local farms, or growing our own gardens. There are some great little farms in the lower mainland and you can have fresh organic food delivered to your door! Try Lady Bug Organics they deliver anywhere from North Vancouver to White Rock and they have an open market in Surrey.



Babies! If you don't have kids yourself I am sure you have friends and family with little ones you love to spoil. There are so many local artists, stores and locally made baby products out there. I usually look for kids products on Babyvibe.ca where I recently found some really great locally owned companies that sell locally made or at least Canadian made products. Natural Pod sells natural wood toys organic clothing and a lot of great stuff you should really check out. Bamboobino sells baby clothes and accessories made from my favourite material... BAMBOO! If you haven't tried it you need to take a look at their website, it is the soft, clean and eco friendly. Ripe Baby Food sells organic baby food in frozen cubes or bars and everything is wheat free, dairy free and nut free for those little ones with sensitive tummys or allergies. All of the food is grown in Canada and prepared in a small commercial kitchen, and it is really delicious!


These are just a couple quick suggestions from me and I hope we can all take some time and search for a local grocer, coffee house, toy maker or whatever you need and spread the word to your friends. 

I came across Parentville during my online search for great products in New York, and I love this site! You can find real reviews from real moms (and Dads) with great taste and you can post requests for product advice. If you are looking for that product that does it all in the colour you love, ask the parent villagers and I am sure someone will know what it is and where to get it. There are a lot of online communities available that do the same thing, trust me I belong to most of them, but Parentville.com offers a more personal touch and genuine interest in providing sound advice to their members. Oh, and did I mention they showcase Beetling Design in their weekly picks newsletter? I told you they have great taste! 


Here are some of the great products I found, most of them available at Pink Olive in NY owned by Grace Kang... Look her up on Parentville.com she is great!

Momma's Jewels Baby Teethers

Recommended by Nicole Bohorad, Chief Marketer for Parentville.com, this product will make you wish you thought of it, and possibly would have saved some of your jewellery and a few hundred teethers. Their slogan is... "for you to wear... for your baby to love" and they design sterling silver jewellery that doubles as a cool soothing teether for your baby. Stylish necklaces and bracelets made from fine silver with rattling beads inside, looks great on mom and safe for baby to chew on. More info on mommasjewels.com

Scribbles coloring book by Taro Gomi

I am a huge fan of creative play for kids, but not a huge fan of colouring books with the same disney characters and over detailed pictures. This is the perfect solution! This book is not only for colouring but for doodling an I love the fun and simple pictures and easy to follow instructions. This is a great example of how to go back to the basics and teach our kids to put their imagination on paper and not to worry about the lines. this book is available at Pinkoliveboutique.com and Chroniclebooks.com

I posted this on our wordpress blog a while ago and I wanted to share it again! A few reasons why I think Beetling decor is amazing, what do you think?

As parents we search relentlessly for those revolutionary toys and DVDs guaranteed to stimulate babies brains, but is it possible to achieve the same results through decorating? I have done some research on this and have found many articles describing how different colours and textures affect mood and brain development. Primary colours stimulate cognitive processing and development and babies can perceive bright primary colours long before pastels, does that mean those powder blues and soft pinks aren’t a good choice for the nursery? Not necessarily, bright red, blues and yellows are fun and stimulating, but babies also need a calm comforting place to ease them into that deep sleep which is also very important for brain growth. Don’t get discouraged, I have found some simple tips on how to achieve the “perfect” balance between sleep, work and play.

Sleep

This area will usually consist of the crib, night table and a nursing chair and is very well suited for those soft pastels we all love. A baby or toddler needs to feel safe, comfortable and secure in their cribs and it is important to inspire the mind to dream. It is a fact that babies feel comforted by faces, whether it is mommy, daddy or their favourite animal, so this is the perfect spot for wall decor that is lifelike, well visible and still maintains that soft colour pallet. A couple good examples from our collections would be, our Baby Giraffe or our Hey Diddle Diddle nursery rhyme set.

Work

The work space is probably better known as the diaper station. This spot will need to be safe and functional for you and your baby, and a great place for some bright accents. This would be a perfect spot for a mirror to visually entertain or something with texture and dimensions for baby to play with. I think a perfect example of this is our monkey mirror. It is one of our newest additions and it has all of the nurturing qualities a baby needs at the change table: bright faces, texture and of course a mirror to discover themselves.

Play

This will probably be the most important part of the room because it will have to grow with your child for years, and will probably become the most used area in the home. This spot is perfect for bright contrasting colours and fun decor. Babies learn and develop by using their senses so it is important to use safe products that are engaging and at eye level. Imaginative play is proven to play a major role in brain development so this space is much more than just toy storage. Decorate this space to inspire your child and bring life to the room. Our Safari Series and Dinosaurs are designed with all of the ingredients necessary to create a fun and educational environment that will grow with your child.

Viola!

You can combine decorating and nurturing together to develop a room that will stimulate your baby’s brain by designating specific a spot for each of your baby’s needs. More important than this, you can give life to the room that brings you and your baby together for affection and play time, and in my opinion, that is real organic parenting. But is this as effective as the latest DVD or flashy toy? Most importantly, will the room be a fun place for them to play with the box that "super toy" came in?

Angela Orfei is a fan of Beetling and I am a fan of her! She works with Discovery Toys and I wanted to share her story... Who doesn't need a little more play time??

About Me

Almost 2 years ago my husband and I decided to move away from the hustle and bustle of big city living in, Calgary, AB and settled in the beautiful family friendly city of Fredericton, NB.  

My husband and I both changed careers, he moved into a great new management position and I officially became a SAHM.    

I felt very fortunate to have the opportunity to stay home with my children but soon realized that just being a mom and wife wasn’t quite as fulfilling as I had expected.  I found that I missed the feeling of accomplishment that comes with working outside of the home.  

As a SAHM I often felt like I wasn’t accomplishing anything but rather just maintaining the order in my home.  It’s true, I was at home taking care of my children, playing with them and nurturing them, which is a VERY significant accomplishment, but I wanted more. I wanted to find something that would help me retain my computer skills, something that allowed me to be creative, and I wanted to interact with adults as well as kids.

My mother-in-law from Calgary first introduced our family to Discovery Toys Educational Products.  She gave my son a set of Measure Up Cups when he was 2 and a Discovery Toys Water Rocket this past summer.  We loved the toys and it was my mother-in-law’s suggestion that I look into selling them.  I took her advice, like every good daughter-in-law should, and ordered the Success Start Kit in August 2009.  

That was when my LOVE affair with Discovery Toys Educational products began…

Why I LOVE Discovery Toys

I LOVE the fact that my children can play with these toys independently but can learn SO much more through interactive play with me 

I LOVE that the majority of these toys do not need BATTERIES!!  In fact, only 2 toys in the entire catalogue use batteries.  I find that “no batteries” encourages my children to become more engaged in play and involved rather than just be a spectator (active play rather than passive play)

I LOVE the Discovery Toys Unconditional Satisfaction Guarantee!  The DT head office offers me as an Educational Consultant AMAZING customer service.  I in turn can offer No Hassle returns/refunds & exchanges! 

I LOVE the fact that Discovery Toys are so reasonably priced, yet they still have GREAT monthly promotions and sales!  Even better, I can offer busy parents so many different shopping options!  You can order from me online, at a Shopping Party or via email/phone.  

I LOVE Discovery Toys because they are so multifaceted, you can play with these toys in so many different ways.  One of our faves is  Measure Up Cups: These cups are AMAZING, they can be stacked, nested, colour sorted, size sorted, are trilingual, can teach volume, measurement, can be used as stamps in play dough AND show clock positions!  The age range for these cups is 12m-primary, so children can get at least 4 years worth of play out of this toy.  These toys can definitely grow with your children.  Currently my 3 year olds other favourites are Zingo and Motorworks (which is also daddy’s fave)

I LOVE that fact that Discovery Toys has a Parts Replacement Program and you can buy replacement pieces for your toys rather than having to buy a whole new toy.  

I LOVE the fact that Discovery Toys have VERY Strict Testing standards and they have NEVER had a recall in the over 30 years that they have been in business!

What I LOVE the absolute most about these toys is the feeling of accomplishment that I get when I can see that my children are enjoying learning.  I LOVE the proud look on my son’s face as he completes a puzzle or wins a Zingo game.  I LOVE the humungous smile that I receive from my son when I suggest he turn off the T.V. and play a game with me.   

I will admit that as a parent I sometimes forget how important it is to play with my children.  Sometimes it’s hard to ignore the “leaning tower of laundry”, the sink full of dishes or the “crunchy” kitchen floor and make time for play. These toys definitely make learning fun and really encourage parents to spend good quality time with their children.  Through Discovery Toys I have learned to make PLAY a priority in our house.  

Becoming a Discovery Toys Educational Consultant has given me all the opportunities that I was looking for.  I am able to be creative through my business marketing, home shopping parties and planning for events and fairs.  I’ve created a Facebook Fan Page, am on Twitter and most recently started writing my own blog.  I’m extremely busy but I LOVE the feeling of accomplishment that comes with growing a successful home business.  

Instead of just taking care of my family I am taking care of myself and in turn am becoming a better mother and wife, that’s what I LOVE best of
 all.  


To learn more about Discovery Toys contact Angela @


Email
Facebook
Twitter

Michele Borba Ed.D and author of "Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries" wrote an article in Urban Baby and Toddler that I wanted to share with you. She wrote about raising caring kids which I just love because too often I read articles about how to raise smarter faster and stronger kids and I think we as a society are losing track of what parenting is really about. Her article made me think about my own parenting style as well as some of my own childhood experiences that taught me to care.

 A few of Michele's tips that really jumped out were: 

1. Be the change you want to see 
I know this is something we all think about at some point, but what are we really DOING about it. Our kids are little sponges and they learn from our actions as parents-Monkey see Monkey do right? Imagine what they would soak up if we consciously made it a point to help at least 1 person everyday. It could be as simple as opening the door for a struggling mom juggling 2 kids, bringing old toys to a local charity or calling grandma just to say I love you. Ask yourself what you did today that made a positive difference in someone's life and did you share that experience with your kids? I know this works because my 4 year old holds the door open for e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e because he sees us do it and he loves the "thank-yous" he receives from people. I'm going to make this a daily priority and keep track of our "good deeds" and see the positive effect it has on my boys... I hope you do too, and please share some experiences with me!


2. Pause before you praise
This is something I never really paid much attention to, but I am so guilty of over praising! I think it is natural to be very proud of our children and we want to make sure they know how amazing they are, but we can get carried away. If we reward our children for every "please and thank you" or every time they pick up their toys we can create a monster. Michele talks about the fine line between confidence and cockiness and how over praising our children can make them think the world revolves around them. If your child is very impatient or needs to win every race or game, that can be a sign you have a "monster in training" so nip that in the bud ASAP! This is a problem I have right now and I can tell you it is a hard habit to break. I have started pausing and thinking before I praise and I no longer give gifts as rewards, it is hard but I know it will be worth it! 

3. Get your kids to give back
This is my favourite tip from Michele. Pick a charity or organization that would interest your children and get them involved as hands on as possible so they can see the difference they are making. Writing this just brought back a great memory from my childhood. When I was a wee little girl, I had a piggy bank that I would save money for candy or some barbies. One year when I was 9 or 10 my Dad asked me to save up my money until Christmas and give it away. Of course this sounded crazy to me, especially at Christmas, but my dad promised me a reward so I said yes. We all saved money and when December rolled around we picked 3 families in need and put together a basket full of food, some presents and cash then we personally delivered them. I still remember how grateful they were just to see the food. There were tears and smiles and even at my young age I understood we had made a huge difference in their lives, and it felt really good. For my reward I didn't ask for more presents I asked for a bigger piggy bank and we made a new Christmas tradition. 


Most importantly I think we need to relax and realize there is no such thing as a perfect parent or a perfect child and it is our imperfections that make us unique. We aren't raising robots, we're raising little humans!