little willow - simply natural baby

6 months later...

2009-09-18T14:20:00.002-05:00

We've decided to start selling some of our merchandise again on an appointment only basis. We will be selling a basic selection of cloth diapers as well as a few styles of baby carriers.

Please feel free to give us a call if you are interested in setting up an appointment.

732-889-4401
or email
littlewillowbaby@yahoo.com

Saturday is our last day

2009-03-25T11:29:00.002-05:00

Saturday, March 28th will be our last day open.
We will be open this week Wed - Sat, 11am - 5pm.

HUGE SALE

Baby Carriers 40% off
Cloth Diapers 20% off
Everything Else 50% off!!*

*a few select items excluded

sad news, we're closing

2009-03-08T08:44:00.000-05:00

we're sorry to announce that for personal and economic reasons, we have decided to close our shop in Red Bank.

we have enjoyed meeting all of our wonderful customers over the past year and a half, thank you for your support!

on sale now
clothes - toys - gifts
up to 30% off

updated store hours

2009-01-26T08:18:00.003-05:00

New store hours (beginning Tues, January 27)

Wed - Sat: 11am - 5pm
Sun, Mon, Tues: by appointment

We live nearby and welcome appointments if you can't make it during scheduled store hours. Please call the store during operating hours or send us an email and we can set up a time to meet.

Phone: 732-889-4808
email: littlewillowbaby@yahoo.com

holiday and post-holiday hours

2008-12-22T16:26:00.002-05:00

little willow will be closing at 3pm on Christmas Eve.

We will be closed the week after Christmas from Christmas Day through January 1st - we will re-open on Friday, January 2nd at 11am.

Starting with the new year, we will now be open on Sundays by appointment only. Please feel free to set up an appointment by calling 732-889-4808 during regular business hours.

Hours (starting Jan. 2, 2009)
Tuesday through Saturday, 11am - 5pm
Sundays and Mondays by appointment

cloth diapering class this Saturday

2008-12-11T16:01:00.004-05:00

Join us Saturday, Dec. 13th at 10am for Cloth Diapering 101. Cloth diapers offer numerous benefits over disposables - they are much less expensive, they don't contain nasty chemicals, and they don't fill up the landfills -- not to mention they're adorably cute, soft, and cuddly.

Please join us this Saturday, or stop by any time the shop is open for a tour of the various types of cloth diapers available today. We'll work with you to determine your cloth diapering needs and recommend the best system for your family.

Thanksgiving Weekend Sale

2008-11-21T15:21:00.006-05:00

We're having a big Thanksgiving Sale at little willow!

Sale schedule:
Friday - 10am - 5pm
Saturday - 10am - 5pm
Sunday - noon - 4pm

Stop in for big savings on cloth diapers, baby carriers, organic baby clothing and wooden toys. Tell your friends!

Enjoy big savings on:
Toys
10% off all toys

Clothing
20-40% off select clothing

Cloth diapers
10% off Happy Heiny pocket diapers
10% off BumGenius One Size diapers (20% off Size Large!!)
10% off Fuzzy Bunz
20% off Bummis Swim Diapers and Trainers
20% off all wool diaper covers

Baby Carriers
20% off - Hotslings - discountinued patterns
20% off - Zolowear and Oopa Baby Ring Slings - discountinued patterns
30% off - Pikkolo soft structured carrier
30% off - Belle Baby Carrier
20% off - Organic Denim Ergo Baby Carrier

Check out our sale merchandise in the back room for the best deals!

some photos of the new shop

2008-11-12T15:39:00.002-05:00

We've been open in our new space for a few weeks now, and we're almost settled in. Here are a few photos of the new shop:

Stop by soon and visit our new location!

we're open for business

2008-10-24T15:52:00.002-05:00

We've moved into our new space located at 32 White St. and have passed all of our inspections with flying colors. The new space feels so much bigger, it's great! We're still unpacking some boxes, but we're good to go. Stop by and see us soon. Photos coming ASAP.

it's a go!

2008-10-22T18:08:00.002-05:00

We passed all of our inspections, and will be open for business at 11am tomorrow (Thursday). We can't wait for you to see our new shop!

moving update - light at the end of the tunnel

2008-10-21T18:05:00.003-05:00

cross your fingers, we have re-scheduled the fire inspection tomorrow and hope to open the new shop at 11am on Thursday!

red tape delay

2008-10-21T09:26:00.003-05:00

Due to a miscommunication, we missed our fire inspection yesterday and are having some trouble re-scheduling. Unfortunately, we can't re-open the shop until this inspection is done, so we'll be closed until we pass the inspection. Cross your fingers that the inspector can squeeze us in ASAP. We'll post as soon as we know when we can open.

sneak peek...

2008-10-17T17:44:00.000-05:00

the plan is still to move on Sunday and Monday, wish us luck!

moving update...

2008-10-16T05:56:00.003-05:00

So, cross your fingers, we are scheduled to move this coming weekend, on Sunday October 19th, and hope to be open in our new location down the street at 32 White St. starting on Tuesday, October 21.

Note: We will be CLOSED on moving day, Sunday, October 19th. If you really need us, we will be around, but it will quite chaotic!

Photos of the new shop, coming soon!

free happygreenbee photo shoot - Monday

2008-10-03T13:59:00.002-05:00

Calling all moms, babies and kids!!

You and your child, aged newborn to 3 years old, are invited to attend a FREE happygreenbee photo shoot session! A professional photographer and stylist will create a portrait of your child dressed in the colorful happygreenbee organic cotton clothing for kids. You will receive a free gift from the happygreenbee organic cotton clothing collection, a savings coupon for your happygreenbee purchases on the day of the event, and your child will have a chance to win a $100 savings bond for being voted the happiest baby of the day!

The photo shoot will be held:
Next Monday, October 6th, 11am - 4pm
Little Willow, 64 White St, Red Bank, NJ 07701

To schedule an appointment, please call Mari at 877-994-7399 (she'll be working this weekend!)

finally fuzzibunz

2008-09-03T21:14:00.004-05:00

After over a year of trying to add fuzzi bunz diapers to our collection, we have finally achieved success! FuzziBunz pocket diapers with snaps rather than velcro offer a high-quality, easy to use alternative to disposable diapers. FuzziBunz' ultra soft fleece and trim fit keep baby dry, happy, and healthy.

FuzziBunz is just the newest addition to our line of eco-friendly, cost-effective, adorable and soft cloth diapering collection. Please stop by the shop for a free cloth diapering demonstration any time during store hours.

a big sale at little willow

2008-08-21T15:40:00.006-05:00

Stop by Little Willow over Labor Day weekend for big savings!

Save 10-40% on organic baby clothing, baby carriers, and natural toys and gifts.

Receive a free gift with any cloth diaper purchase over $50.

Sale runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 29-31.

Hours:
Friday and Saturday: 11 am - 5pm
Sunday: noon to 4pm
We will be closed on Monday for Labor Day.

Some Cloth Diapering Basics

2008-08-12T15:16:00.004-05:00

All-in-ones, pockets, pre-folds, fitteds - these aren't your old school cloth diapers!

Old-fashioned cloth diapering systems consisted of a plain flat diaper pinned at the corners with a scratchy plastic cover. Today's cloth diapers come in a variety of more convenient styles and include adorable prints and colors, soft and cuddly fabrics, and simple and easy diapering solutions. In fact, cloth diapers come in so many varieties that parents who are new to cloth diapering often feel overwhelmed when trying to purchase their initial stash.

In addition to the aesthetic benefits, cloth diapers are environmentally friendly, chemical-free, and are less expensive than disposable diapers in the long run. Although many people are reluctant to use cloth diapers due to a fear of additional laundry duties, with the proper cloth diapering set-up, you only have to do 2-3 extra loads of laundry a week.

There is a broad variety of cloth diapers on the market today. Some people enjoy the economical benefits of a pre-fold cotton diaper (a multi-layer cotton rectangle that you fold around the baby's bum and fasten with a Snappi diaper fastener (these have replaced diaper pins) and a water-proof cover. A start-up kit using this system can be purchased for under $100. Additionally, if you're lucky enough to have a cloth diaper service that delivers to your house, you don't even have to deal with the diaper laundry.

A similar solution to the one described above is using an absorbent fitted diaper (similar to a pre-fold but shaped like a diaper rather than a rectangular cloth, and fastens with velcro or snaps) coupled with a waterproof. It's more expensive than pre-folds, but it is a nice solution to add a few fitted diapers to a stash of pre-folds for when you need a quicker diaper change, such as when you're out and about.

And the simplest (though most expensive) solution is the all-in-one diaper. This is a diaper where the absorbent insides is permanently sewn into a waterproof outer cover. This is by far the easiest diaper to use, but it gets expensive when you purchase the small, medium and large sizes. Another complaint heard occasionally is that these diapers take a bit longer to dry.

But by far the most popular system these days is the pocket diaper. These diapers consist of an inner layer of soft fleece, fastened to an outer water-proof layer. The two layers are attached leaving an opening at one end, allowing an absorbent insert to slide into the diaper. These types of diapers are easy to put on, and take a lot of the intimidation out of using cloth diapers for many new parents.

The diapers that are flying off the shelves these days are the one-size pocket diaper by companies such as BumGenius and Happy Heinys. These diapers are designed to fit newborns to toddlers up to 30+ lbs, creating a simple-to-use and very affordable solution. A starter stash of one-size pocket diapers will cost around $400 (24 diapers will last for about 2 days for a newborn), but disposable diapers average around $75 a month, so the cost savings catch up quickly. And if you plan to use the diapers for multiple children, the cost savings go up even more.

There are many benefits to using cloth diapers and not many drawbacks. We're pleased at the increased number of parents that are considering using cloth diapers over the past year as they are environmentally friendly, chemical-free, super soft, and just so darn cute...as illustrated below!

We encourage anyone to stop by Little Willow for a free cloth diapering demonstration. We are currently the only retail store in New Jersey that sells a selection of cloth diapers and offers guidance and suggestions in choosing and using your cloth diapers.

Additional resources:

The Joy of Cloth Diapering - Mothering Magazine

The Real Diaper Association - diaper facts

BumGenius

Happy Heinys

Breastfeeding support group - Aug. 1 - 7

2008-07-31T15:42:00.001-05:00

Objectives of World Breastfeeding Week 2008

1. To expand awareness of the need for and the value of providing support to a breastfeeding mother
2. To disseminate updated information about support for breastfeeding mothers
3. To create optimal conditions for the provision of mother support in all circles of support.

WBW homepage: http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/index.htm

In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, we are holding a free Breastfeeding Support Group from 5pm - 6pm every day during this event (August 1 - 7). Please join us at Little Willow in Red Bank to share your joys and frustrations, your questions and suggestions about breastfeeding. Expectant mothers are welcome! Babies are invited, too. Father's are welcome as well, if the group is comfortable with it. The breastfeeding groups will be facilitated by Judy Osman, lactation educator and doula. Please contact the shop if you have any questions: 732-889-4808

bumGenius Organic One-size diapers

2008-07-22T09:56:00.003-05:00

The bumGenius organic one-size diapers have arrived in the store. This affordable organic diaper allows for organic, natural fibers next to your baby’s bottom. This new "no-stuff" design makes it a snap to use this diaper. The one-size liner is 6 layers and allows for quick drying.

Stop in to see a demo of the new organic bumGenius one-size diaper, or take a look at some of our other brands. We carry Happy Heiny diapers, Kissaluvs, Thirsties, Bummis Super Whisper wrap and more. We carry the largest selection of diapers in New Jersey!

4th of July Hours

2008-07-04T11:50:00.003-05:00

We will be closed on Friday, July 4th and will re-open Saturday at 11am to resume our regular hours. Have a great holiday and enjoy the fireworks!

was it only a dream?

2008-06-28T13:29:00.002-05:00

I'm pretty sure that three cases of bumGenius 3.0 diapers arrived in the shop earlier in the week. Somehow, there seem to be only 5 pink diapers left on the shelf! What happened!!?? I've never seen diapers fly our of the store so quickly, I'm stunned. I would be happy except...I'm out of diapers...again! Clearly I should have ordered more, but who knew??

Anyway, I'm sorry to anyone who missed this batch. I have multiple cases on order and if you would like me to hold some for you when they arrive, please email me at littlewillowbaby@yahoo.com.

the bumgenius are coming, the bumgenius are coming!

2008-06-22T13:41:00.002-05:00

Well, it's been around 2 months now since we've had any bumGenius diapers in the store. They have become very popular lately, and the company just can't keep up with demand. The good news is I just received notification that my order is on the way! 3 lovely cases of bumGenius 3.0 one-size diapers should be here this week. I will be emailing the people who are on the waiting list as soon as they arrive at the shop.

Phew! I hated having to tell people that we were all out of these diapers, so happy they're on their way.

today's cutest customer award goes to...

2008-06-03T11:17:00.001-05:00

Basil in a Basket!

bamboo dresses? so very soft...

2008-05-28T10:55:00.003-05:00

We recently received some wonderfully flowy dresses made from bamboo fabric. Bamboo is a sustainable fiber with natural antibacterial properties and it requires no pesticides in the growing process. Bamboo also has a natural wicking ability that will help keep baby warm and dry and feels so wonderfully soft and smooth next to your baby's skin!

Bamboo is an eco-friendly fresh new fabric that is being used for a variety of items this season. In addition to the adorable dresses, we will be receiving coveralls in a springy green color shortly for the little boys. We also have warm, soft, fuzzy bamboo blankets that make fabulous gifts.

Stop in soon and check out this great new fabric.

Red Bank Celebrates...

2008-05-27T15:43:00.004-05:00

The season is picking up in Red Bank with back-to-back (to back!) celebration weekends. Two weeks ago, Red Bank celebrated its 100th birthday with a grand parade. This weekend was Memorial Day, and next weekend brings the Red Bank Jazz and Blues Festival - which brings 150,000 people to our bustling town!

Throughout the summer, Red Bank offers an array of activities including live music around the town on Saturday nights, concerts on Friday evenings, and movies in the park on Tuesdays. We hope you can come down and enjoy our fun little town on the river.

viva las vegas!

2008-04-30T21:41:00.002-05:00

We are off to Las Vegas for the weekend! We have hired a wonderful employee to run the shop for us while we are gone. If you come into the store this weekend, be nice to her, she's new.

Just a note on cloth diapers -- we're a bit low on the bumGenius 3.0s, but they should be arriving in about a week or so. If you are looking for a large quantity (a dozen or more), give us a call before you come in so we can make sure we have enough on hand.

Earth Day at Little Willow

2008-04-18T16:55:00.004-05:00

Celebrate Earth Day on Tuesday, April 22nd at Little Willow. Stop by and hear about all the benefits of cloth diapers, and learn why organic clothing is better for the Earth and better for baby!

Save 40% organic cotton onesies from Awakening Organics during Earth Day week!

hoppy easter!

2008-03-21T15:48:00.003-05:00

Looking for a last minute Easter gift? Stop by the shop and pick up a cuddly bunny for your little one! Big, colorful fleece bunnies with long floppy ears, super soft grabbing towel bunny in sweet blue gingham, or a cute pink organic cuddly bunny - something for everyone!

FREE Cloth Diapering Class

2008-02-28T11:00:00.003-05:00

All-in-ones, pockets, pre-folds, fitteds - these aren't your old school cloth diapers. Paul and Kristin, the owners of Little Willow - simply natural baby, invite you to a free cloth diapering demonstration on Sunday, March 30th at 2pm. Come see (and touch!) cloth diapers from BumGenius, Bummis, Kissaluvs, Thirsties, Happy Heiny and others.

Old-fashioned cloth diapering systems consisted of a plain flat diaper pinned at the corners with a scratchy plastic cover. Today's cloth diapers come in a variety of more convenient styles and include adorable prints and colors, soft and cuddly fabrics, and simple and easy diapering solutions. In fact, cloth diapers come in so many varieties that parents who are new to cloth diapering often feel overwhelmed when trying to purchase their initial stash.

In addition to the aesthetic benefits, cloth diapers are environmentally friendly, chemical-free, and are less expensive than disposable diapers in the long run. Although many people are reluctant to use cloth diapers due to a fear of additional laundry duties, with the proper cloth diapering set-up, you only have to do 2-3 extra loads of laundry a week.

Little Willow would like to give you the opportunity to take the mystery out of cloth diapering and to come check out the cloth diapers in person. We have learned from personal experience that a few minutes playing with cloth diapers in real life beats hours of internet research.

If you are unable to attend the event at the scheduled time, please feel free to stop by or give us a call to set up another time for a free consultation.

Please RSVP by phone - 732-889-4808 or email - littlewillowbaby@yahoo.com as space is limited.

pretty as a picture

2008-02-23T10:43:00.005-05:00

Some more new items came in yesterday. These wonderful prints from The Seesaw Gallery are based on classic children's tales. The stretched canvas prints are 8" by 10" and can be hung alone or grouped together. The canvases also have the artist's information on the back of each print, making them a unique and creative gift. We have five different styles at Little Willow, here are two of our favorites:

winkin, blinkin and nod

out of the everywhere

Closed Tues and Wed of next week

2008-02-14T14:24:00.001-05:00

Little Willow will be closed next week on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 19th and 20th. Please stop by another day, we look forward to seeing you!

more cute stuff!

2008-02-14T14:19:00.003-05:00

I recently attended the NY International Gift Fair and found lots of neat stuff. These unique dolls are hand sewn according to fair trade guidelines by Aymara Indian women in Bolivia and Peru. I thought they were just adorable!

Cute new organic jumpsuits

2008-02-14T14:03:00.001-05:00

We've just received a new shipment of adorable Kate Quinn organic jumpsuits. They are available in purple or green, and are sweet as can be!

baby, it's cold outside!

2008-02-01T11:29:00.001-05:00

Seems like it's going to stay cold for a while longer now...keep baby warm and cozy in hats, scarves and mittens from Lapsaky Organics. These items are made of snuggly warm Eco Wool (65% recycled fleece/35% wool) and organic cotton.

Organic Babylegs keeps baby warm and cozy!

2008-01-29T10:42:00.001-05:00

We just love the versatility of cozy Babylegs! They're great to wear with a onesie (protects the knees and makes diaper changes a breeze!), they look adorable under dresses, and they add an extra layer of warmth under a pair of pants. They're particularly handy when wearing a baby in a carrier to protect the space between the riding-up pants and the falling down socks!

We have a variety of colors, but our favorite Babylegs are the natural colored organic cotton and wool ones. Keep your baby comfy cozy this winter!

Cloth diapers in Time Magazine

2008-01-13T08:09:00.000-05:00

Cloth diapers going mainstream? Well, sure, they're good for the environment! As "thinking green" is becoming more and more popular these days, cloth diapers may be swept up along with the trend. A new article - Diapers Go Green - is set to come out in the Jan. 21 issue of Time Magazine. Cloth diapering has hit the big time! (no pun intended...)

We're quite excited about this article as we carry diapers from three of the four companies mentioned in the story -- BumGenius, Kissaluvs, and Happy Heinys. We are also hoping to pick up the fourth company - Fuzzi Bunz - if they ever start responding to our emails...

Cloth diapers have been readily available online for years, and we don't really try to compete with this market. We encourage people to come in to the shop so they can see the diapers in person, and we will walk customers through the complexities of cloth diapering (these aren't your gramma's cloth diapers!). Cloth diapers come in a variety of styles, colors, and sizes, and it can be overwhelming at the beginning. But don't worry, we'll walk you through it! And the benefits are great - on top of being environmentally friendly, they are less expensive than disposable diapers, they don't contain nasty chemicals, and they are soft and come in tons of colors and patterns - so cute!

A new service we offer is our traveling "diaper library" that we will ship to your home for a small fee. If you can't make it down to our shop, we will ship out a collection of cloth diapers that you can touch and see in person. Please contact us for details.

it's a sale at little willow!

2007-12-27T11:07:00.000-05:00

The after-Christmas sale is now in progress at Little Willow!

Save 20-40% off organic cotton clothing, natural toys, and cloth diapers!

Here are the specifics:
Christmas items - 40% off
Clothing - 20% off (onesies are 40% off!)
Toys (including HABA) - 20% off
Cloth diapers - 20% off
Belle baby carriers - 30% off
Melissa and Doug toys - 30% off

We hope to see you soon!

Sale ends January 11, 2008

safe natural toys from HABA

2007-12-11T11:58:00.000-05:00

We have recently recieved some new toys from HABA that are made in Germany. These safe and adorable toys make wonderful Christmas gifts! Below you will find a few of the toys we have in stock. We also carry a wooden cash register, a basket of wooden food, adorable rolling turtles, and more!

We take orders by phone or email, and shipping is $5 anywhere in the US.

Is it live or is it....

2007-11-25T15:17:00.000-05:00

a lovely young lady from the Barbizon modeling school?

Little Willow welcomed two up-and-coming modeling students to our front display window this lovely Sunday afternoon. They modeled two baby carriers - a Zolowear Red Silk Ring Sing and a Baby Hawk Mei Tai. Boy, did they scare the pants off of a few people!

Christmas is here!

2007-11-25T15:01:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving was fun and all, but Christmas has officially arrived in Red Bank! Santa and Mrs. Clause paraded down Monmouth St. Here, mama and Simon (in a CatBird Baby Pikkolo Baby Carrier, hidden by mom's jacket, but see a picture in the post 2 entries down...) enjoy mingling with the crowd while the Santa parade meanders by. We loved the bagpipes!

And here is Simon getting ready for the holidays in his red and green happygreenbee Christmas shirt (he has matching pants and a hat, too!).

launching our virtual store

2007-11-17T23:36:00.000-05:00

We have posted a selection of items from our shop in our new Virtual Store. We will take orders over the phone or through email.

We have been working hard to launch our more sophisticated online store, but this will do for the time being :)

Happy shopping!

nifty new carrier - love it!

2007-11-14T17:36:00.000-05:00

We just got in some Pikkolos - our new soft structured baby carriers by CatBird Baby. I really like this carrier! It's comfortable, easy to use, very supportive, and a cute pattern! They're not cheap (list price is $129), but I can tell this is the carrier I'm going to grab for most of my babywearing in the near future...

Cool, huh?

help wanted

2007-11-08T20:46:00.000-05:00

Little Willow is hiring! We are looking for someone to help out in the shop one day a week, and also work one or two weekends a month.

We are also looking for some babysitting help, hours TBD.

If you are interested in either of these opportunities, please contact Kristin at kristin@littlewillowbaby.com or 732-889-4808.

you've gotta have friends

2007-10-25T15:29:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to share the two new outfits we just got in to the shop. These are handmade by a wonderful WAHM that I met in an online forum (we both had babies in August). She sells through our shop now, but also sells through Etsy at Mountain Aven Baby.

These outfits are so cute!!

Holistic Moms Conference

2007-10-25T15:12:00.000-05:00

The last couple weeks have been big conference weeks for us. A week ago Sunday we went up to North Jersey (Mahwah, the tippy top of NJ) and exhibited at the Holistic Moms Conference. We met a lot of wonderful mamas! This was our first conference, and we learned a lot (like, wear a winter coat, it was 40 degrees in the room when we first arrived!). There were a few other folks there who carried similar stuff to us, but none of them had bricks-and-mortar shops, they were all online vendors.

Here's a picture of our table:

We've already had a customer come in who saw us at the conference, and we hope more will follow!

diapers....finally!

2007-10-03T12:18:00.002-05:00

The good news is that cloth diapering is becoming more and more popular. The bad news is that the cloth diaper companies are having trouble keeping up with demand. The best news is that we have received our shipment of bumGenius cloth diapers and so now have all colors in stock!

Some diapering statistics...

If you use disposable diapers on a child for three years, you will go through approximately 10,000 diapers (ten thousand!!).

The cost of disposable diapers is around $1,000 per year.

$500 will buy you 24 one-size pocket diapers that will last throughout a baby's diapering years...and you can use them for multiple babies!

bumGenius! 2.0 one size diaper

happy day with happygreenbee!

2007-09-17T20:16:00.000-05:00

Today was our happygreenbee photo shoot at Little Willow, and a good time was had by all! Over a dozen babies and kids, ranging from 6 *days* old to 4 years old, enjoyed mugging for the camera during their own individual photo shoot. This event was part of a nationwide tour sponsored by happygreenbee, creators of colorful, comfortable, organic clothing for kids. The happygreenbee staff was cheerful and efficient, they did a wonderful job. We sold a bunch of happygreenbee clothing as well as a few slings and pouches along the way.

Here are a few photos of the event. The professional photos will be available shortly, I can't wait to see them!

Getting ready for the shoot

Strike a pose!

Mentally preparing to be a *star*

Tee hee!

free fun photos!!

2007-09-11T16:46:00.000-05:00

Calling all moms and babies!!

You and your child, aged newborn to 3 years old, are invited to attend a FREE happygreenbee photo shoot session! A professional photographer will create a portrait of your child dressed in the colorful happygreenbee organic cotton clothing for kids. You will receive a free 5x7 color portrait, a pair of happygreenbee socks, and a savings coupon for your happygreenbee purchases on the day of the event.

The photo shoot will be held:
Next Monday, September 17th, 10am - 2pm
Little Willow, 64 White St, Red Bank, NJ 07701

To schedule an appointment, please call Mari at 877-994-7399 (between 9-5, M-F)

another happy baby!

2007-08-22T16:35:00.000-05:00

Is there a better job than making babies (and their mamas) happy? I doubt it!

Here's another pic of happy babe in her Baby Hawk Mei Tai :)

Things have been picking up a bit lately...we had 9 adults and 3 babies in the store (all at the same time!) last Sunday...that's a lot in out 650 sq ft shop! We were able to help everyone find what they needed...an adjustable pouch as a gift for a new mom, a ring sling for a mom and baby, an Ergo for a pregnant mom and hubby, some organic bath stuff for a friend who runs another natural parenting store...

I love working with all these great folks!

diaper time!

2007-08-16T16:03:00.000-05:00

It's Mr. Diaper-head!

Just a little update on cloth diapers. A few customers have come in lately specifically for the cloth dipes, and it has been a joy to help them find what they need. One woman had received a bunch of dipes as a gift. She brought them in to the store and we quickly inventoried them to determine what else she would need to complete her newborn stash. Another lovely customer came in and we sent her home with a diaper library -- she took home a variety of dipes to show her husband in the hopes that she could bring him around.

We really love cloth diapering. There's a nice article on Mothering.com called the Joy of Cloth Diapers that talks about many aspects of cloth diapers. In my opinion, they're better for the environment, cheaper, and just darn cute! A lot of people are freaked out by the mess factor, but the bottom line is if you have an adequate stash, you only end up doing an extra load of laundry every two to three days.

So, we're still deciding which types of diapers we will carry in the long run, but I'm pleased that people are able to come to our shop to see the dipes in person.

NY Gift Show

2007-08-13T19:39:00.000-05:00

So, I said I wasn't going to go...but we did and we did great!

Today, the three of us took the train into NYC and attended the NY International Gift Fair. It went so much better than I expected, I was quite happy.

Going into NYC by train always makes me a little nervous, and I didn't know how Simon at 11 months old was going to like the hour and twenty minute train ride. He actually did great!

Paul and I walked around the gift show wearing Simon in a ZoloWear Ring Sling (Paul) and pouch (me). Dontcha know that there are *no strollers* allowed on the showroom floor. I saw a few other babies and their moms looked pretty miserable...get thee to a babywearing store madam!

We found a bunch of beautiful items...cute footie outfits made of bamboo fabric, unique wooden toys, wonderfully soft blankets of various materials, gorgeous frames, beautiful items made from recycled sweaters, and three different sets of *adorable* hats and booties! We also got to meet with a few of the vendors we have been working with over the past few months, that was one of the main reasons I wanted to go to the show, and it was certainly worth it.

We're quite pleased that the day went so well, and hopefully it will encourage us to go into NY more often :)

Blanket made from recycled sweaters

happy new customer

2007-08-04T11:03:00.000-05:00

It's true...babies love slings :)

sign & sidewalk sale

2007-08-01T15:09:00.000-05:00

New sign!

We were happy to come back from our vacation at the beach to find the sign man climbing around outside our building...the "temporary banner" was getting a little too permanent.

We're happy with our sign, and you can see it from the far side of the parking lot across the street, so lots of people will be able to see it...I'm sure they'll be beating a path to our door! :)

Sidewalk Sale

Last weekend was the sidewalk sale...our busiest weekend yet, and unfortunately we were out of town at a wedding! Luckily, we hired an employee just in the nick of time, and she (and my mother :) were willing to work this weekend. We sold a few Hotslings and Zolos...we even sold a Silk ZoloWear Ring Sling!

Even though August is not the best shopping month, we've actually been fairly busy. I'm working hard on ordering enough stuff so we can launch our web shop in a few weeks. It's hard to judge how much to order...don't want to order too much (and go broke), but want to make sure we have enough variety to satisfy the customers.

Until next time...

summertime....and the livin' is easy...

2007-07-21T14:43:00.000-05:00

Seems that the dog days of summer are here! The weather continues to be warm and steamy, and town is getting a bit sleepy.

This week was a little more active than last week though, and Paul was up to the task of selling Hotslings! We had a few repeat customers coming in, one wanted a sling for their husband, another purchased 2 as gifts for new moms.

Today we had a walk-by customer who was thrilled to be able to come in and try on the Hotslings, and last weekend we had friends of the family come in to do the same. Since this was one of the main goals of the shop, I'm thrilled when people are able to try on the carriers and find one that fits and works for their needs.

I'm still working on getting the cloth diaper situation ironed out...originally I purchased a fairly broad range of types and brands, but stuck with the smaller sizes. It seems that people who come to the store looking for diapers often have bigger (older than 1 year old) babies who are already wearing cloth diapers, so I've been working on updating our selection. I also need to put together some diaper "starter kits," but it is hard to find the time!

Popular this summer: the swim diaper!

Hot child in the city

2007-06-28T15:53:00.000-05:00

OK, so to many people, the town of Red Bank (with a population of around 12,000 people) would not qualify as a "city". But to us, being able to walk to restaurants, the bank, the PO etc, and seeing more than 5 people on any given day elevates it to city status. Hey, what do you expect after living in NH for 5 years...

Anyway, the weather here has been HOT! We had a huge thunderstorm last night - big lightning and thunder for over an hour. Needless to say, the weather hasn't really helped business this week.

A few local store owners have popped their heads in to say hello, and they say that business has been off for them as well, so at least we're not alone. I keep saying that if we actually advertise (in the works) and *gasp* actually get a sign (also in process), then maybe people will realize we are here!

A couple of exciting new items arrived this week...we received the Kozy Carriers (mei tais) as well as the Ergo Baby Carriers, which people have been asking about. We also received our shipment of toys from Kathe Kruse, and that included some adorable organic baby toys - gorgeous - and a giant organic nursing pillow. The nursing pillow looks like a lamb, quite cute...

Kathe Kruse organic toys and nursing pillow

Granny Moo & Simon in a ZoloWear ring sling
(in front of the Kozys & Baby Hawks)

Best day ever!

2007-06-22T16:56:00.000-05:00

Meet Erin, our new #1 customer. Erin lives locally and was headed to the toy store next door to our shop, when she noticed we were open. She stopped in and was so happy with what she saw! And we were happy with her! It was basically a big goofy love-fest...

Erin bought some organic clothes for her little one, a wooden toy set, a Mei Tai for herself, a ring sling for a lucky friend and a couple other odds and ends.

All in all, today was our most successful day thus far. A big thank you to Erin!

(sorry Simon, that toy is not for you...)

Made it through another week!

2007-06-16T16:00:00.000-05:00

So, week two is over, and things are going well. We've had a couple of customers each day, some buying a quick gift for a new baby, and some staying for an hour trying on various carriers and seeing how they fit. I really enjoy working with the mamas and dads who come in to see the baby carriers. It was really my dream to offer a place where people could try the carriers on, and so far, that idea seems to be working.

It seems that most of our customers have found us online. Some have found us through posts on the mothering.com or thebabywearer.com forums (thanks JenMidwife!), and a few have found us through the Hotslings website (yay!).

So, our photo for today is cuddly cute...not one of our typical customers, but perhaps there's a new market we could consider?

This is Apollo! He is 3 months old and around 3 lbs (he'll max out at 6 lbs). He went home today in a ZoloWear Solarveil ring sling, but his mom said she might be back to get the sling in the photo when the weather cools down...

That's it for now...top priorities this week is to get the web store started and to get some signage!

the Mei Tais are here!

2007-06-14T19:27:00.000-05:00

So, the Baby Hawk Mei Tais have arrived! We are still waiting on the Kozy Carriers, but I'm happy that my wall is no longer snowy white...

The end of week one

2007-06-08T18:36:00.000-05:00

We've made it to the end of the week! The store is up and running, boy does this small space get messy quickly!

Our high point of the week was when we had three customers *at the same time* in the store! One customer had their 7 week old baby and was trying on slings...that baby left happy - fell fast asleep in a new ring sling. That was not our youngest customer though, that was our 2 week old baby who came in on the first day.

Anyway, it was a hectic week, though we didn't have that many customers. We haven't done any advertising other than word of mouth and handing out business cards at this point, so we're not too worried. Our main goal was to get open for last weekend, and as soon as we get the web store up and running, and we receive all our merchandise, then we will really crank up the marketing.

That's all for now, time for bed (well, time for Simon to go to bed...).

The store is open for business!

2007-06-04T07:32:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the Little Willow blog! Stop by here to check out what is happening with our new shop.

We recently decided to open a store in Red Bank, NJ selling organic and natural baby clothes, soft baby carriers, cloth diapers, and natural toys, gifts and accessories.

We looked for months for space to rent in Red Bank, and finally found a space right next to the big toy store in town.

Here is our story!

The beginning...

The end of April - The previous tenants are moving out

May 11th - Signed the lease today - the landlords did a great job painting and cleaning, we were thrilled! (a previous space we almost rented was a disaster, so we were very happy this space was in move-in condition)

May 19th - Back from our trip to Ikea to buy fixtures! Note the sleeping baby in the upper right corner...who knew babies prefer to fall asleep with drilling and hammering in the background...

This is what the shop looked like at 8:15am Friday morning, the day we are planning to open!

And success! We got the store in pretty decent shape by the end of the weekend :)

The happy and exhausted new store owners

Chief Marketing Executive (hat by Baby Soy! :)

The outside of the store (permanent signage coming soon!)

So we were up and running this past weekend as planned. We're glad we were able to get the store open for the big Jazz and Blues fest that brings over 200,000 people to Red Bank (that's why we rushed to get the store open so quickly). Now we have to keep doing more stuff even though it feels like we should be all done and should have some time to relax! Ah, the life of the entrepreneur :)