Finally...A plant I can't kill!

I have to pat myself on the back--I have met the insurmountable challenge of keeping alive a houseplant for an entire year! The ZeeZee plant--no it's not a joke. I saw it in Home Depot last December and read the tag. It bragged about the plant loving neglect. Well this had to be the plant for me, so I took it home.
I kill everything green! Palm trees, corn plants, rubber trees, ficus trees, ferns, spider plants... You name it. If it's green and needs any care whatsoever, it will meet a quick end in my house. Even the paperwhite bulbs I was given to force for Christmas met an untimely demise just before they bloomed. They became top heavy and took a tumble in the middle of the night. Marina and I awoke to the massacre of tender roots, new buds, and water-stained wall from mantle to floor. It took a while for her to stop crying about her "flowies."
Anyway, my zeezee has not grown much over the course of 2008. But it survived a lengthy move into a new home, extensive travel, dark unwelcoming corners, and yes...much neglect. But hey, it has faithfully stayed green while every other plant I own (only purchased to stage the home we sold. I'm not completely foolish!) has left me in a haze of guilty resignation as I bid them farewell with a toss into the bushes where they will fulfill their destiny as fertilizer.
Here is a pic of the little fellow, courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens. They state, "This plant is so easy it's almost a challenge to kill it." Well, thanks BHG, but I face enough challenges. Why work at something that just comes naturally?!

FYI--the zeezee plant is poisonous if ingested by kiddos or pets. So keep it out of reach.

Spring 2009 catalog online!

Want to know what's coming for Spring 2009? Well, it's finally here! The catalog is online and can be viewed here. Look for these designs in boutiques starting this Spring. Or, if you can't wait, you can email regarding purchasing online. We love this collection and hope you will too!

Giveaway Winners!

And the lucky winners are(drum roll)....
Kate, Jenny, Sarah, and Rebekah. That's right! Four winners! CONGRATULATIONS! Send me an email girls, with your address and the final size and style selection.
Thanks to all of you who commented on the posts and looked at the site! I would like to offer those of you who did not win, 20% off your tee order. Just email me with the details of the order. Happy Holidays!

Limited Edition Pillowcase Designs--SALE!

On sale at $42 down from $66, these are some of our limited edition designs available for those special "grown-ups" in your life. See post below for details.

Holiday Shopping Made Easy--SALE! 35% off Ultimate Pillowcase

I don't know about you, but I am tired of dragging 2 kids through the crowded stores checking off the Christmas gift list. I spend most of the time making sure Soren isn't pulling things off the shelves as we pass and saying "that's breakable!" to Marina.
So, I am offering you an easier way to complete your holiday shopping. Aunts, Uncles, Parents, friends, teens, college students, for anyone!**
The Ultimate Pillowcase is the perfect gift. They are machine wash and dry and so super soft, you have to touch it to believe it. Everyone needs one! My husband packs his before his clothes when we travel--(shh...don't tell him I told you). They are the ultimate luxury. Just for the holiday season, I am doing a few limited edition styles in more grown-up prints for your gift-giving ease. These are normally $66, but we are offering a one time special of $42! And, if you buy 3 or more, we'll take an extra 10% off! So just email us with the design you would like and we will send paypal invoice or call you to take a credit card by phone. It's that easy! Limited edition designs available are shown in above blog post. Don't forget to see link above for our standard selection also. Happy Shopping!

**It is not safe to give infants pillows, so check with your doctor to see what age is right for your babe to begin using a pillow.

Oops! Major Email Glitch

Disturbing news on the email front--I had a major glitch with the studio@tailoredtadpole.com email inbox and was not receiving emails for some time. It has been corrected now, but I may not have received your email. If you tried to contact me and your email bounced back, please resend. I am so sorry for this error and hope no inconvenience was caused to anyone but me. :0
This is what happens when technology out-smarts its user! I can always be contacted at lindebalderas@gmail.com also. Thank you!

When I grow up...

My 3-year-old daughter, Marina, has said for months that she wants to be an "animal doctor" when she grows up. She insists that she wants to make sick animals better by listening to their heartbeats. However, when I put her to bed tonight, she told me that she wants to be a man when she grows up. Shocked, I asked her why. "So I can cook, Mama."
Guess you know who does the cooking in my house!

And One to Grow On

My sweet baby Soren turned 1 yesterday. A bitter sweet day, I have to say. He is our last, so seeing him grow up is a bit sad...and yet thrilling. He is such a happy, loving, endearing babe, I feel so fortunate to be his mama. So, at one, he is crawling--the same funny crawl that his sister did. He loves balls, rough-housing, big kids, the grocery store cart, climbing stairs, books, his sister, sleeping swaddled, anything he can put in his mouth, bare feet, and saying "that." He doesn't love getting dressed, wearing hats, sleeping alone, or the car seat. He is the boy I always dreamed of, but 100 times better than I could have imagined. His Papi and I are sleep deprived, usually covered in food, up to our eyeballs in diapers, and usually embarrassed in restaurants, but...loving every minute of it!
Happy Birthday Sory! I love you!

photo by: Kristina Whitman

Thanksgiving Giveaway!!!

Inspired by the mogul mom to give back in this Thanksgiving season, Tailored Tadpole is giving away (yeah, FREE!) three LONG-sleeve tee-shirts from our new collection!

1 Rock-It tee
1 LollyTree tee
1 Eli Elephant tee

You have a choice of sizes 6-12 month, 12-18 month, or size 2T. So what's the catch? All you have to do is comment on any blog post. Then tell us which design you would like and who you would give it to. If you post us on your blog, let us know and you will be entered twice! Good luck! Winners will be posted on December 8.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Twig--"Green without envy"

Or should I say, Green with Tailored Tadpole envy? You have to check out TWIG, a fabulous eco-conscious boutique in Chapel Hill, NC! They now are carrying Tailored Tadpole's Organic Lounge Sets (not even available on the website)! Twig is the only place you can currently find these fantastic green designs in NC, so hurry over! They offer a fun approach to a very carefully selected range of unique products for home, pets, garden, gift-giving, and local artsist work you may not find elsewhere. Tell them I sent you!

PeaceLoveMom tee GIVEAWAY!!!

PeaceLoveMom is giving away one of their Grateful Mom grass green thermal tees(a $50 value)! See Boutiquecafe.com and post a comment, then tell what is your favorite thing about motherhood. These are fun, comfy designs for moms. Great gifts too! Have fun!

UrbanBaby New York--Doudou Project

This weekend, you can take your child and his/her favorite "lovey" to be photographed by Davina Zagury. Check out the details here. The event is sponsored by Pomme boutique in DUMBO, Brooklyn. One of NYC's finest boutiques, Pomme will host an exhibit of the photographs.
Anyone going to be close by that loves their Itty Bitty?

The Tailored Tadpole gets a Makeover!

Yes, Tad has been complaining for some time now that he is outdated and needs a facelift, so out of the mercy of our hearts, we have pulled in the big dogs and treated him to a modern makeover. Check it out... You'll be seeing him around.

Daily Candy Kids and Peanut Butter N Jane

Our wonderful Itty Bitty travel blanket received a glowing review from the Philadelphia edition of Daily Candy Kids. Check it out here. Live in the Philly area? Passing through? Find an Itty Bitty for the little ones on your holiday shopping list at Peanut Butter N Jane, a fantastic local boutique.

Tailored Tadpole Debuts Spring Line 2009

You may have heard, Tailored Tadpole is debuting our first full line of boutique children's apparel this Spring, 2009!!!! We are so excited that I could not resist showing you just a few of the designs. Building on the loungewear that we are known for, we have expanded into urban, contemporary designs for girls and boys--skirts, dresses, deck pants, rompers with a twist! Sizes run from infant to size 6. The entire collection will be posted soon, but here's a peek. Look for it in boutiques in the spring! Love to hear what you think!

Monsters Rock!

Check out the coolest thing ever (besides Tailored Tadpole, of course)--customizable plush monsters by Curly Q Cuties! I love monsters for my babe, Soren, so was so excited to find these fun, friendly, guys, handmade by a Texas mompreneur. These will make awesome and unique holiday gifts! Check out the give-away going on at Bloggy Giveaways. Marina helped me design her dream-monster--the noodle body, orange with pink spotted belly and tongue sticking out. Monstrous!

New Lounge Sets!

You've been begging for them, now we are proud to introduce them! 4 new Lounge Sets! These feature fun, vibrant colors, 100% yummy cotton softness, fun & funky designs, comfort kids love and modern styling mom loves. Available for pre-order now! Email the studio at studio@tailoredtadpole.com to order your favorite (or 2!). Your child will be the hippest toddler at the playgroup this fall! Choose from LollyTree, Rock-It, Ellie Elephant (on pink), or Eli Elephant (on chocolate).

News!

So why have we been so quiet for, um, about 7 months? Because our littlest tadpole, Soren, was born 7 months ago and has occupied the biggest place in our lives since then! We are so in love with him! He smiles and laughs and loves to nurse and be held. When he's not in my arms he loves to be entertained by his big sister and cousins. Life is good!

Since I'm up in the middle of the night so often these days, I've had plenty of time to think about Tailored Tadpole and have come up with a lot of new ideas & designs! I'm so excited and can't wait to share all of this with you in the coming weeks. Look for some amazing new designs and a HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT coming soon! We will also be premiering new lounge sets, tee-shirts, blankets, and gift sets, all with the modern style we all love so much.

For now, we are thrilled to introduce 2 exciting things: our little tadpole, Soren, and my favorite of our new lounge sets! Enjoy!