Violet's Peapod - A Newsletter Blog

2 New Peapods are Launching on December 19th!

2011-12-13T13:13:00.000-08:00

We are excited about the upcoming launch of our 2 new Organic Knit baby sleeping sacks, Happy Hummingbird and Tree Hugs! They will be available just in time for the holidays, so be sure to mark your calendars!

• Happy Hummingbird is a pastel-colored peapod made of high quality luxurious 100% certified organic cotton fabric that is soft to the touch and is eco-friendly. The color is lavender with pink trim, and features an adorable handmade hummingbird appliqué cut from fabric scraps. Sleeping safely had never been so girly, modern & chic!

• Tree Hugs is a gender-neutral 100% certified organic cotton baby sleeping sack that is natural with green trim, and features a modern tree appliqué handmade from repurposed fabric scraps. Violet’s Peapod is donating a percentage of sales for this peapod to Plant-It 2020, a nonprofit tree-planting organization founded by John Denver. Feel good about your purchase and help give back to Mother Earth!

To see a preview of our new peapods, visit our home page http://www.violetspeapod.com/

New Lower Price for our Organic Knit Baby Sleeping Sacks!

2011-12-13T13:10:00.002-08:00

Have you noticed our new lower prices on our organic line? We reduced our regular price for the Organic Knit baby sleeping sacks to $53.95 (formerly $59.95). Over the past several months, we have been looking for a way to stay competitive and reduce our price point without compromising the quality of our products. Since officially starting this small business almost 4 years ago, we have worked hard to maintain a reputation for high-quality, U.S-made, unique baby sleeping sacks. When you touch one of our peapod-shaped treasures, you truly feel the quality difference compared to mainstream competitors. No cheap shortcuts were taken when creating these 2-layer must-haves, with each and every detail well thought out and made in the best way possible. We didn’t want to alter the integrity of our product line, so doing a one layer baby sleeping sack, using cheaper fabric, producing overseas, or taking sewing shortcuts was not an option.

The way we ended up being able to lower our prices was by omitting the largest size (18-24M). Going forward, we will not make these sizes, as they require too much fabric and they aren’t the most popular size. We will still offer the 18-24M size, however, in existing styles until they are sold out.

50% Off Classic Styles!

2011-12-13T13:10:00.000-08:00

What better way to help stimulate the economy than to offer a good, old-fashioned sale! We have slashed prices and taken a further reduction on our Classic baby sleeping sacks. They are now 50% off of retail, selling for $29.99! What a deal!!! We have two adorable styles left, Pink Pixies II and Mandarin Fun.

The Mandarin Fun Classic baby sleeping sack is made with an irresistible print that is almost too beautiful to describe! Mandarin Fun has a cream background and portrays a Chinese boy and girl in traditional attire playing in beautiful gardens, strewn with weeping willows, cherry blossoms, and exotic flowers. Amazing temples, bridges, and boats add to the scene, making this sleep sack unlike anything you have ever seen before…a true masterpiece!

And the Pink Pixies II Classic baby sleeping sack features our unique peapod shape, and is made with our ever-popular Pink Pixies fabric. This very girly print displays dainty little fairies fluttering about, playing with flowers, butterflies and watering cans. This whimsical sleep sack is bound to appeal to Moms and their little daughters alike!

So buy the next size up for your bundle of joy, or shop for a terrific shower gift!

Calendar of Events

2011-12-13T13:09:00.000-08:00

(No events planned at this time.)

Watch our Live Webcast on Abe's Live

2011-09-12T22:24:00.000-07:00

We were very excited on June 21st to participate for the first time in a live webcast for Abe's Market. The segment is called Abe's Live and is viewable via You Tube or on their website: www.abesmarket.com/store/violetspeapod. We were interviewed about our product line, asked questions about sleep sacks, and we even got a second to introduce our family in the end. If you didn't get a chance to watch it live, feel free to check it out now. Notice we have a limited edition sleep sack sold there that is not available on our website. Enjoy!

Violet's Peapod Takes on The Hollywood Breakfast Club!

2011-09-06T14:02:00.000-07:00

Last month, Violet's Peapod took part in an exclusive celebrity gifting experience called The Hollywood Breakfast Club. Event founder and organizer, Jayneoni Moore, is known for her largely successful baby & toddler Boom Boom Room Pre-Emmy & Pre-Oscar Celebrity Gifting Suites. Jayneoni personally invited Violet's Peapod to participate in this celebrity gift basket event and said, "I am so excited to work with you, as you know you are one of my favorites"

Twelve celebrities received peapods for thier little tots and babies. Here is the list: Jessica Alba, Denise Richards, Mariah Carey, Kourtney Kardashian, Heidi Klum, Jewel, Matthew McConaughey, Victoria Beckham, Ivanka Trump, Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman, and Tori Spelling. We hope each and every one of them enjoy their baby sleep sacks (and tell all of their friends about us)!

Enjoy your baby sleep sacks and be sure to tell your friends, celebs!

Congratulations to our Peapod Giveaway Winner!

2011-09-06T13:50:00.000-07:00

Please join us in congratulating Nanci von Schriltz on winning this summer's peapod giveaway! Nanci gave us her feedback on what she liked most about Violet's Peapod baby sleep sacks. She was randomly selected as our lucky winner. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us - and enjoy your prize!

Calendar of Events

2011-09-06T13:35:00.000-07:00

Baby & Kid SAMPLE SALE
Saturday, September 17th, (12-4pm)
Sports Basement
610 Old Mason St (across from Chrissy Field)
San Francisco, CA

Appel & Frank - Babes & Babies
Sunday, September 25th, 2011
JCC San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
http://www.appelandfrank.com/

San Francisco Birth & Baby Fair
Sunday, October 2nd, 2011
Fort Mason Center
San Francisco, CA
http://www.birthandbabyfair.com/

Prego Palooza
Sunday, October 16th (11am-3pm)
Santa Clara Hyatt
5101 Great America Parkway
Santa Clara, CA 95o54
http://www.pregopalooza.com/

SF Green Festival
November 12th and 13th, 2011
SF Concourse Exhibition Center
635 8th (at Brannan), booth 466
San Francisco, CA 94104
http://www.greenfestivals.org/

Violet's Peapod Cares

2011-06-03T13:59:00.001-07:00

Here at Violet's Peapod, we care about many things. We care about the planet, supporting the local community, and being charitable, to name a few. Did you know I repurpose scraps of fabrics by personally designing and handcutting them into appliques? It's true - I cut by hand each and every bird, wing, whale and apple myself , so a bit on me goes into each of my organic sleep sacks. I do this because I have never been into wasting, and I don't want to add trash into landfills unnecessarily. What fabric scraps we don't use are donated to quilting groups that do charity projects. We use minimal packaging - you won't catch us using poly bags or wasteful packing supplies. We also are as paperless as possible, only printing out what's an absolute must. We feel good about supporting the local economy by having our goods made here in the San Francisco Bay Area, also minimizing our carbon footprint. Violet's Peapod also gives back to the community by donating to local charities, national nonprofits, mother's groups and schools of all kinds.

And last but not least, we care about babies sleeping safely & naturally - the way they should be. Thanks for supporting us!

Store Spotlight - Abe's Market

2011-06-03T13:45:00.000-07:00

We are very excited to now sell our organic sleep sacks on Abe's Market (www.abesmarket.com) ! Haven't heard of this great online retailer that specializes in natural, green and organic goods? If not, we are glad to make this your first introduction. They are wonderful at promoting products from small batch and custom produced manufacturers. They even have a feature called Abe's Live, where you get to see interviews with the owners of the buisnesses. Rumor has it that I might be interviewed on Abe's Live later this month, so feel free to tune in. Abe's Market is the only online retailer to carry my limited collection Apple Jax organic knit baby sleep sack, which is gender-neutral orange with green trim. I don't have Apple Jax on my website, so if you are intersted in it find it on Abe's Market.

Enter to Win a Free Sleep Sack!

2011-06-03T13:31:00.000-07:00

We want to hear from you! At Violet's Peapod, your voices are always heard. And since we are a tiny microbusiness with open ears, your feedback could actually turn into changes in the business. We want to know what you love best about our baby sleep sacks. By giving your opinion, you will be entered into a drawing for an Original Baby Sleep Sack of your choice. One entry per household, and all entries must be received by July 1st, 2011. Simply respond to the blogpost or email me directly at info@violetspeapod.com.

Please rank from 1-7 what you like most about our baby sleep sacks (1 being what you like most and 7 the least).

__Designed by a Mom
__Made in the USA
__Constructed of natural and organic fabrics
__Unique design (peapod shape)
__Sizes that go up to 18-24M
__Whimsical Prints
__Cotton/wool combination

Good luck and thanks for your feedback!

Calendar of Events

2011-06-03T13:30:00.000-07:00

Appel & Frank - Babes and Babies
Sunday, September 25th, 2011
JCC in San Francisco
www.appelandfrank.com

Big Online Stores are Taking Notice!

2011-03-01T13:35:00.001-08:00

Since the opening of our dream business over three years ago, it has been very challenging trying to get the attention of large stores. Constantly being compared to mass-produced, cheap imported goods, our locally-made, heirloom-quality, all-natural baby sleep sacks have been a bit of a “hard sell” to larger-scale retailers. So most of our retail customers have been local specialty baby boutiques, who cater to customers that are used to paying more for unique, high-quality merchandise. We are ever-thankful to these customers, as they continue to be loyal and very supportive of our tiny, mom-owned microbusiness.

We had a new type of adventure while doing our very first tradeshow in Las Vegas last Fall, when we had the fortunate experience of meeting a representative from CSN Stores, a large online retailer from Boston. We were personally able to tell CSN Stores our story, explain our selling points, and elaborate on what makes us stand out from the competition. They must have liked what they heard, because they added us as a vendor and we are now on several CSN Stores websites: CSNBaby.com, CSNStores.com, AllModernBaby.com, AllModern.com Sears.com, Strollers.com, and Buy.com to name a few!

We are thrilled to be able to finally have the opportunity to shine in front of the “big guys”. Wish us luck with this wonderful endeavor!

New Organic Knit Baby Sleep Sack Launches March 15th!

2011-03-01T13:34:00.001-08:00

The arrival of our brand new Organic Knit Baby Sleep Sack, Jolly Whale, is right around the bend! Yes, on March 15th, we will officially launch our newest addition to our collection. This 2-layer must-have is made of high-quality luxurious certified cotton fabric that is soft to the touch and is eco-friendly. The fabric is made of cotton that is organically grown and milled in India without the use of pesticides and chemicals. The fabric conforms to the GOTS standards and meets social criteria as well. The color is natural with orange trim, and features an adorable handmade whale appliqué (that is hand-cut by me). This sleep sack is gender-neutral and is bound to win the hearts of modern moms and their babies alike. And, of course, it’s made right here in the San Francisco Bay Area.

So whether you are looking for something new for your own bundle of joy, or if you are searching for the perfect “Welcome Baby” gift, Jolly Whale is bound to make a splash!

Social Networking Sites

2011-03-01T13:33:00.000-08:00

Do you follow Violet’s Peapod on Twitter? Have you joined us on Facebook? We have maintained profiles on these social networking sites for a couple of years now, but haven’t really emphasized them to our valued customers as of yet. Today we’d love to invite you to join in the fun. Find out the latest with Violet’s Peapod, get tips from me, and receive exclusive Facebook and Twitter offers. Do you want an incentive for signing up? Sure, we’ll give you one! The fiftieth person to sign up and follow us on both Twitter and Facebook gets ½ off their next baby sleep sack! I will contact the winners personally with the details. Sound good? Then get started!

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/Violetspeapod and join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Lennore-Merz/1380344356.

Calendar of Events

2011-03-01T13:31:00.000-08:00

Prego Palooza
Sunday, April 10, 10AM- 4PM
Pleasanton Marriott
11950 Dublin Canyon Rd.Pleasanton, CA 94588
www.2FriendsEvents.com

3rd Street Warehouse Holiday Sale!

2010-12-02T13:15:00.000-08:00

This weekend, we are participating in a great event - the 3rd Street Warehhouse Holiday Sale!

60+ Bay Area based designers and manufacturers selling discontinued inventory, samples or product overruns. This is a great opportunity to get all of your holiday shopping finished in one day. Vendors are offering great discounts on luxury bath robes, home accessories, watches, jewelry, natural pet products, pet accessories, men - women's and children's clothing, Sally Spicer bags, candles and a lot more!

3rd Street Warehouse Holiday Sale
Saturday, December 4th, 2010, 9am - 4pm
2575 3rd StreetSan Francisco, CA
www.3rdstreetsale.com

Hope to see you there!

'Tis the Season for Markdowns!

2010-12-02T13:13:00.000-08:00

We have taken another markdown on our reversible Original Baby Sleep Sack, bringing the price down to a very affordable number: $29.00. That's 52% off retail prices!

So whether you are looking for the perfect toddler holiday gift, or you want the next size up for your own little bundle of joy, be sure to shop soon as these won't last!

Also, we plan on starting the new year with a bang by taking a first markdown on our Classic Baby Sleep Sack in January. We are sure these deals will put you in a festive mood, so be sure to tell all of your friends!

Merry shopping and Happy Holidays to you all!

These Are a Few of Our Favorite Things...

2010-12-02T13:08:00.000-08:00

The holidays are right around the bend, and if you are like us, you are just starting to get your shopping done. If you are looking for gift-giving ideas, here are a few of our favorites that I think you’ll appreciate, too! You may even want to treat yourself to a few these treasures. Enjoy!

1) Large scarf 183 by Afghan Hands $95. http://www.afghanhands.org/ This intricately hand-embroidered scarf is amazing, with its floral detailing and neutral color. Afghan Hands is owned by a dear friend of mine, who has a heart the size of this planet. When he is not doing celebrity makeup, he is devoting his time to his life project – Afghan Hands, a non-profit which teaches skills to help Afghan widows of war gain independence, literacy, and earn livable wages. The gift recipient will absolutely love this scarf, and will feel good about wearing it.

2) Pio Pio Fuchsia Suede shoe $45.50. http://www.livieandluca.com/ Violet and I have been very loyal to this brand of toddler shoes, as we love their flexible soles and their non-mainstream appliqués, plus their super-cute originality. The business is owned by a local mom who I admire greatly and have known for years. I believe in supporting small business owners who have big dreams and spend their days doing what they love, fueled by their passion to provide unique products to the world.

3) Listen, Listen board book $14.99. http://www.barefootbooks.com/shop/ This if one of my children’s favorite books to read for wind-down-time. It’s gorgeously illustrated and teaches kids about the wonders of the 4 seasons. At the end of the book, you get to search for things found in nature, making it interactive and fun. I discovered Barefoot Books at a fair a few years back and have since been hooked on these literary treasures!

4) Vine 1 circle earrings $46, http://www.mollymdesigns.com Made of lightweight bamboo, suede, and oxidized silver. I was lucky to meet Molly M herself at a fair in Hayes Valley, as my son and I had a booth right next to her. Once I saw the oodles of customer lining up to view her latest designs, I knew that I was onto something special. Molly used to work as an architect, thus mastering the skill of cutting wood models with a laser machine. She then went on to making her own amazing jewelry line. You will simply fall in love with each and every design.

Violet’s Peapod Hits Los Angeles at Pre-Emmy Celebrity Gifting Event!

2010-09-10T13:51:00.000-07:00

On August 28th, Violet’s Peapod participated in a pre-Emmy celebrity gifting suite in Los Angeles. It was a fun-filled event, and unlike anything we have ever done before. We were able to tell celebrities in person how wonderful our baby sleep sacks are. The feedback that we got was GREAT, and many thanked us for making such a nice-quality, well-needed product! A few members of the press were there, too.

Some of the celebrities that we gave our precious peapods to are listed below...

· Joey and Chandie Lawrence
· Samantha Harris
· Nicole Sullivan
· Jodie Sweetin
· Erik Palladino
· Salli-Richardson-Whitfield
· Sean Patrick Thomas
· Kevin Frazier
· Tracy Hutson

I asked each celeb for feedback, and within 2 days I got this great testimonial:

Lennore: I just wanted to take a minute to Thank You for the Pea Pod that you gifted us this weekend at the Boom Boom Room! I tried it last night and my little Libby slept so great! I am going to invest in you because it is so great that I can sleep sound and let her roll around and not worry about the extra blanket in the crib! Thank you so much for creating such a fabulous product! Best of Luck to you with everything!
Take care and have a great week! Joey and Chandie Lawrence

Yay! Let’s hope Joey and Chandie tell all of their friends about Violet’s Peapod! Check out our press page to see photos!

Congrats to Winners of Pregnancy & Newborn Giveaway!

2010-09-10T13:50:00.000-07:00

We were thrilled to get an editorial spot in Pregnancy & Newborn magazine last month. Each time we get written up in a national magazine we get tickled pink! Our organic knit baby sleep sack was featured on page 15, and we gave away one Sweet Tweet sleep sack to four lucky winners! Congratulations to the following ladies…

Jennifer Woosley from Louisville, KY
Alicia Minow from Omaha, NB
Erin Jorgenson from Vancouver, WA
Clarisa Lau from San Francisco, CA

Enjoy your peapods!

Violet’s Peapod Now Offers Organic Hand-Appliquéd Tees and Caps!

2010-09-10T13:49:00.000-07:00

We do lots of local fairs, and at these events we have started offering hand appliquéd organic tees and caps. The response has been good, and several customers have asked if we could offer these super-soft, adorable creations online.

We are fans of Etsy – the place to sell all things handmade, so we have opened a small Etsy shop to feature our organic tees and caps. We also sell on the site handmade rice packs, which we make using scraps of fabric leftover from our sleep sacks. These rice packs are wonderful, as they can be heated in the microwave and used on tired, achy muscles, or they can be placed in the freezer and used as cold compresses.

Check out our Etsy shop here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/VioletsPeapod. We hope you like what we have to offer!

Calendar of Events

2010-09-10T13:46:00.000-07:00

ABC Kids Expo
October 10-13, 2010
Las Vegas Convention Center, booth 5034
Las Vegas, NV
(210) 691-4848
http://www.theabcshow.com/

East Bay Baby & Kids Fair
October 24th, 2010, 11 am - 4pm
Scottish Rite Center
1547 Lakeside Dr.
Oakland, CA
http://www.eastbaybabyfair.com/

Christkindlmarkt
Sunday, Nov. 28th, 10 am - 4 pm
Hermann Sons Hall860 Western Ave.
Petaluma, CA

Mill Valley Parks & Rec's 2010 Holiday Craft Fair
Saturday, December 4th, 2010, 10am - 5pm
Mill Valley Community Center
180 Camino Alto
Mill Valley, CA

Violet’s Peapod Takes on Vegas w/Their Very First Tradeshow!

2010-06-04T12:29:00.000-07:00

We are very excited to share with you that we’ll be taking part in the ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas this October! All of the amazing and well-trusted mamapreneurs that I have gotten to know over the years have said that if you want to get your brand known, a tradeshow is an absolute must! ABC Kids Expo is one of the largest, most well- attended baby/kid events in the country. And it’s the perfect venue to place ourselves proudly in front of the buyers of the world and let them know how fabulous Violet’s Peapod sleep sacks really are!
We are currently trying to get into as many stores as possible, but schlepping samples with toddler in tow limits us to our own back yard - the SF Bay Area. We are convinced that doing this tradeshow is JUST what we need to have our business flourish and thrive the way it deserves to!
Wish us luck! And if you know of any ultra-adorable baby boutiques in your area that might be interested in our line, please do share!

Cool Website for Bay Area Moms – Hilarie’s Helpful Hints

2010-06-04T12:28:00.000-07:00

Recently, I have had the pleasure of meeting Hilarie Hsu, the organizer of a great mother’s online resource called Hilarie’s Helpful Hints. If you are a Bay Area Mom and looking for fun, family-oriented things to do, plus you want to take advantage of great discounts from local merchants, check out her info. & website below…

Hilarie’s Help Hints is an informational and free website filled with monthly family activities for the expectant parent, new parent and toddler parents. Hosting several monthly playdates, highlighting local events, child friendly restaurants, & sponsored discounts and savings from many local vendors, with a discussion board supported by parents, this is one website that was “Created by Parents, Endorsed by Parents and For Parents In the Know.” http://www.hhh.bayandbee.com/

Membership Information: http://www.hhh.bayandbee.com/membership.html
Sign up for email updates today at http://www.hhh.bayandbee.com/ or contact Hilarie directly at hilarie_hsu@hotmail.com.

Cast Your Vote for Your Favorite Appliqué!

2010-06-04T12:27:00.000-07:00

We are in the process of brainstorming about our next organic handmade (by me) appliqué that will be launched next year. The finished sleep sack sample will be taken with us to the Las Vegas tradeshow to display to all of the potential buyers. Many of you have fallen in love with our adorable bird appliqué that is in our current collection, and its modern design has gotten a good response from the public. Continuing along the same lines, we’d like a current, contemporary new appliqué design which is gender-neutral, semi-easy to sew, and super-adorable.

These are some of our ideas so far...

Whale
Dragonfly
Fish
Owl

What do you think? If you like these appliqués or if you have any other ideas, we’d love to hear from you! Now how cool is that…getting to help design our next sleep sack?? Now that is something you’d NEVER get to do by shopping with our mass-produced mainstream competitors! :o)

Calendar of Events

2010-06-04T12:26:00.001-07:00

San Francisco Birth & Baby Fair
Sunday, June 6th
99 Marina Blvd.
San Francisco, CA 94123
http://www.birthandbabyfair.com/

Baby Fair & SAMPLE SALE
Sunday, July 25th, 12-5pm
Sports Basement
1881 Ygnacio Valley Road
Walnut Creek, CA

ABC Kids Expo
October 10-13, 2010
Las Vegas Convention Center
Las Vegas, NV
(210) 691-4848
http://www.theabcshow.com/

Violet's Peapod Launches New Line March 15th!

2010-03-01T13:11:00.000-08:00

We are overflowing with excitement about the launching of our new line on March 15th! Three new funny bone-tickling prints and one organic cotton knit version is about to come your way and we can’t wait for you to see them! Here is a verbal sneak peek…
· Sweet Tweet - Go Green! This 2-layer baby sleep sack is made of the most luxurious knit cotton fabric that is buttery-soft to the touch and is eco-friendly. The fabric is made of certified organic cotton that is sustainably grown without the use of pesticides – PLUS the fabric is milled right here in America! The unisex color scheme is natural with lime trim, and has a super-adorable handmade bird appliqué to boot. Tres eco-chic!
· Summer Bliss – This yellow uebercozy peapod-shaped sleep sack is bound to make you giggle! This precious sleep sack will have little boys and girls dreaming about summer all year long!
· Whoo Knew? Owl, owls, and more owls! This green uebercozy peapod-shaped sleep sack is bound to be a hit with little ones and their parents alike. This sleep sack will make any boy or girl want to bond with nature!
· Bedtime Stories - If you are one of those people who are well versed in Nursery Rhymes, this is the sleep sack for you! This pink uebercozy sleep sack has a pink background and features lots of cute retro-style pictures, ranging from Hickory Dickory Dock and Humpty Dumpty to Little Miss Muffet and Hey Diddle Diddle. Your baby or toddler will be tickled pink!

Our New Pricing Demystified

2010-03-01T13:10:00.000-08:00

When our new line is launched on March 15th, you will most likely notice that our prices have gone up a bit. Our new sleep sacks, as well as our existing inventory, will have a new price point of $59.95 instead of the usual $53.95. Please know that we had sound business reasons for making this decision. BUT when opting to do this, we also chose to make it easier on our customers by lowering our Priority Mail shipping fee. We currently charge $7.50 for our standard flat rate 2-3 day shipping. As of March 15th, we will charge only $2.95 (that’s as cheap as Overstock.com’s shipping :o)). So, essentially, you will only be paying $1.45 more than you did before when you buying one sleep sack online. We are also lowering our international shipping rate.

Here’s the math using an out of state scenario:

Old pricing:
Sleep sack $53.95
Tax: 0
Shipping: $7.50
Total: $61.45

New pricing:
Sleep sack $59.95
Tax: 0
Shipping: $2.95
Total: $62.90

We truly hope that this $1.45 price increase won’t alienate you, our dear customers. Please know that Violet’s Peapod values your patronage immensely, and without you we wouldn’t be in business at all. We promise to offer you an occasional discount via a coupon code and… don’t tell anyone…but we’ll be having a sale on our Original reversible sleep sacks at the end of April. Happy shopping!

Violet's Peapod Turns Two!

2010-03-01T13:08:00.000-08:00

On Valentine’s Day, Violet’s Peapod turned two years old! We (me and my unofficial support staff – my family- that is) started this business with my life savings and an entrepreneurial dream. On Valentine’s Day 2008, Violet’s Peapod’s website was officially launched and a dream was born. It has been a joyous two years – a true labor of love. They say that if a small business can make it through the first two years, then they have a good chance of staying in business. Yay – we made it!!! In honor of our second birthday we’d like to offer you a gift – 20% off of any sleep sack purchase online now through March 7th (use coupon BIRTHDAY @ checkout. Not valid with any other offer). It’s our way of thanking you for fueling entrepreneurial spirit and for keeping dreams alive! A heartfelt thanks to all of you!

Calendar of Events

2010-03-01T13:03:00.000-08:00

Capsule Festival
Sunday, May 23, 2010, 11am-6pm
Octavia & Hayes Streets
San Francisco, CA 94102
http://capsulesf.com/

San Francisco Birth & Baby Fair
Sunday, June 6th, 2010
99 Marina Blvd.
San Francisco, CA 94123
http://www.birthandbabyfair.com/

Violet's Peapod Goes International!

2009-12-01T13:20:00.000-08:00

We are excited to announce that we have gone international! Just last month, we sold our precious peapods to an ultra-hip baby boutique in Vancouver BC, Canada!
This adorable baby shop is called hip baby™ and has been helping parents through all the moments of baby's day since 1995, and they will soon be launching their online store. Many thanks to our new customer! This is the start of something beautiful.

Today we’ll take on Canada and tomorrow, the world! :o)

Press & Celebrity Gifting

2009-12-01T13:19:00.000-08:00

We are very proud of our unique product line, and have recently gained much exposure through editorial in national magazines. These heart-melting creations have been featured in Woman’s World Magazine (October 2009), Pregnancy Magazine (October 2009), Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine (May and July 2009), and in BabyTalk Magazine (September 2009). Numerous mommy blogs (like Charlotte Smarty Pants, Droolicious, Mogul Baby, and Cool Mom Picks) have also taken notice of our refreshing new addition to the sleep sack market and have given their “thumbs up”.
Our great baby sleep sacks have also taken on Hollywood by participating in celebrity gifting for such stars as Jennifer Garner, Gwen Stefani, Angelina Jolie, Molly Ringwald, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Heidi Klum. Tisha Campbell-Martin and Nancy O’Dell were also very impressed with these adorable sleep sacks when given one personally by me earlier this year.

Favorite Holiday Gifts - Handmade Toys & Locally-Made Creations!

2009-12-01T13:13:00.000-08:00

This year, wouldn’t it be great if people shifted their focus away from mainstream chain store gift buying, and bought mostly from crafters and small businesses who have their goods made right here in the United States? There are oodles of adorable, whimsical, imagination-inspiring gifts that are made available by those who advocate for the rights of small businesses.

Here are a few of my FAVORITE HOLIDAY GIFTS from members of the Handmade Toy Alliance…

1) Sabine Poncho from Skipping Hippos ($46). These San-Francisco-made, irresistibly fun ponchos will make your heart leap! No poncho out there gets more attention. http://skippinghippos.com/

2) Felt Gingerbread House Kit ($59). Check out this wonderful, calorie-free gingerbread house that will surely be a hit with the entire family! http://www.craftsburykids.com/

3) Children's Biplane Handmade Wooden Toy ($88 on sale through 12/20/09). This gorgeously-designed airplane will bring out the inner child in everyone! www.GrecoWoodcrafting.com

4) Red + green handmade flower hat ($28). Any baby girl would love to sport this festive handmade gem! http://www.blueskyrocket.com/

5) Colored Twig Pencil Set 5”pencil set ($12.95). This is a truly unique gift set of 10 colored pencils made of Tamarind branch twigs. http://www.atoygarden.com/

Here’s to supporting the local economy, while fueling entrepreneurial spirit & feeling good about your purchases! Cheers. Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Calendar of Events

2009-12-01T13:12:00.000-08:00

No events scheduled at this time.

This holiday season I have decided to not overload my calendar with 1-2 events per week. Instead, I’ve chosen to spend more time with my dear family, work on my new line (which will launch in March 2010), and reconnect with my twin brothers who I haven’t seen in 30 years! May the year 2010 be filled with even more miraculous happenings!