Challen Cates Star of Nickelodeon’s Big Time Rush balances motherhood & a busy career with ease
Workin’ Mama Spotlighting Momprenuers from coast to coast
School Daze
Back Back--to to--School fashions for your little diva!
Fall 2010 stylecafemomsmagazine.com
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7 Letter from the Founders
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9 The Daddy Diaries Actor Steve Belanger’s honest account of raising a toddler 11 Baby Gear Posh, Practical & Hip Baby Gear for even the most fashion conscious mom 15 The Bookshelf We put the Barnes & Noble Nook to the test 17 School Daze Our Back-to-School fashion feature for your little diva!
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25 Challen Cates Star of Nickelodeon’s Big Time Rush balances motherhood & a busy career with ease 30 Violet Clover Boutique owner, Katie Morgan, gives us the details on being a small business owner 37 Celebrity Close-Up Spotlighting General Hospital’s Vanessa Marcil
On the Cover: Stylist: Patrick Guertin Photography: Keeney + Law Photography Makeup: Gregory Velasquez Coordinator: Jenny Chang Houndstooth Jacket: Chanel, Sequin Tank: Ian, Skinny Jeans: Ksubi,, Belt: Chanel
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Contents 39 Start the School Year in Style Let the beginning of the school year spark your imagination to create a beautiful, study-ready space
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46 Workin’ Mama Spotlighting Momprenuers from Coast to Coast - In this issue, Deidrea Haysel of Hot Mama Gowns
Naomi Coe and Gerri Panebianco of Little Crown Interiors focus on designing the most luxurious, innovative, safe, and well-planned spaces imaginable – exclusively for babies and children.
49 Trendy Loft Featuring home décor products you’ll love! 51 Office Style Dooby Designs give us a peak into their beautiful design studio
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53 Trend Report Individuality Reigns - Wendy Navarro of Saige Nicole’s tells us what’s hot for your tot!
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Letter from the Founders
As much as we love the summer months, we adore the fall months so much more. With the first fall breeze and the changing color of the leaves also comes the much anticipated fall fashion. No better time than now, with "back to school" upon us to update, not only your wardrobe but also your child's wardrobe. In this issue you will find some of the best children's fashion for this season. Our School Daze feature will be showcasing not only great back to school fashion, but fashion forward pieces that are also comfortable for your little one just beginning her school years. A great jacket (such as the Paperwings jacket featured in our shoot) can go a long way this fall. "Layers, layer, layers" is the key, as stated by Wendy Navarro within Individuality Reigns. Wendy certainly knows her trends, as the owner of Saige Nicole's popular online boutique, she is spotlighting great children's wear such as Knuckleheads, Nohi Kids and Born To Love - just to name a few. What else can you find in this issue? Our interview spotlight with celebrity mom, Challen Cates from Nickelodeon's Big Time Rush, giving us insight into her work and home life, as well as gracing our cover. Steve Belanger - dad, comedian, actor and celebrity writer offers his view on How To Be A Great Dad. Local entrepreneur, Katie Morgan will give us the scoop on how she keeps her shop, Violet Clover located on the upscale Park Avenue, hip and filled with fashion this season. We also have a Tween and Teen Room Décor feature, sure to keep your child’s space stylish and organized. So many great features, we certainly can't mention them all… you will have to check it out yourself! Enjoy!! Happy Fall 2010!
Kimberly & Becky P.S. Feel free to drop us a note at editor@stylecafemomsmagazine.com and let us know what you thought about this issue! We would love to hear from you!
The Daddy Diaries by Steve Belanger Okay, so the title of this article might be a little bit misleading, because, truth be told, when it comes to being a great dad…I have absolutely no idea! I’m not even sure if I’m a good dad. If this were the Parenting Awards Dinner, the best I think I would get is a participation trophy. I’m there with my son morning, noon and night, but do I know what the hell I’m doing? Nope.
that all the traits I want to instill in him are ones that I have myself. Now. At the tender age of forty-four. But as a kid? No way. Healthy? Two-thirds of my body weight was A&W Root Beer and Cap’n Crunch.
Confident? No one would have dreamed that the “shy, scared and nervous in front of strangers” younger version of me would grow Parenting is a funny little business. Almost up to perform stand-up comedy and appear on anyone can do it. And the things you fear at the television. beginning are the least of your worries. How do I hold him? How do I change a diaper? Well-Read? I think I kept the Clif Notes ComHow much milk does he get? Why is his poop pany in business throughout my high school that color? Why is he always screaming at and college years. I avoided assigned reading me??!!! Eventually, all of the day-to-day stuff lists like the plague. It wasn’t until years later becomes second nature and you are soon faced that I discovered my appreciation for the writwith the bigger issue. It’s no longer “How do I ten word and realized that those English take care of this baby so that he makes it teachers might have actually been on to somethrough the day?” It’s “How do I nurture this thing. thing I’ve helped create so that it becomes a good person?” It is at this point in parenting So looking back, I was a pretty ignorant little my son that I spent a weekend locked in the S.O.B. with a killer sweet tooth and a book basement with my beer fridge trying to figure allergy. The poor choices of my childhood out what the hell I’d gotten myself into. followed me through to a troubled college career and a fairly miserable young adulthood. The trick is to just do it. There is no secret to But you know what? Things actually worked being a great parent. No magic method or tried out. I’m a fairly well-adjusted, middle-aged and true formula. You can read as many of man with a beautiful family and a wonderful those slick parenting books as you want, but at life. How I ever got here I’ll never know, but I the end of the day I think all you can do is use was determined to make the journey easier for common sense and hope for the best. my kid. I thought back to my parents. Was it something they did to set me off down so Sometimes during the quiet moments (which many bad roads, allowing me to make so as a parent, come once every seventy-one many poorly thought out choices? Of course days), I sit and think of all the things I want my not. They wanted nothing but the best for me, son to grow up to be…healthy, confident, well- just like their parents wanted for them and so read, etc. And then I realize that I have no idea on and so forth back to the beginning of time. how to help him get there. And then it hits me Parents want the best for their kids. It’s just
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The Daddy Diaries human nature. But the tricky part is that we can’t live their lives for them. Just like we fought our parents every step of the way, our kids are going to give us a run for our money and do things their way. Whether we like it or not. So what’s my gamelan to being a great dad? How do I teach my son to skip all of my mistakes and make better choices? I can’t. The best I can do is hand him a flashlight & a good map and hope that things work out. But for now, I’ll just continue being by his side. Participation is the most important part, right? ◊
"A job well done. Eventually."
Steve Belanger is an actor, writer and comedian. He has worked with Oscar winners, written countless articles & screenplays and performed standup on the country's most celebrated stages. But the title he's proudest to hold is simply ... "Dad".
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By Charissa Morales Images Courtesy of Barnes and Noble, Inc.
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Reading has always been a pleasurable past time. You become the character in the book and feel the emotions they feel. At times, these books can be rather large and hard to take everywhere. With the Nook this won’t happen. You can enjoy your books anywhere you go, at any time. The Nook is an eReader created by Barnes and Noble allowing you to take your books on the go. With over 1 million eBooks to choose from, you have a very wide selection and could even sample the ebooks for free! All you do is choose a book from the beautiful colored touch screen and watch it appear on the E ink display. The pages appear crisp and clear and you can even change the font size to make reading more comfortable. We put the Nook to the test and we have to admit we love it. With a price point of $199 for the Nook 3G + WiFi we feel this will be a must have for avid readers this Holiday season. Also the accessories for the Nook are anything but dull, with covers designed by Kate Spade, Jonathan Adler and Lily Pullitzer the choices are endless. Check out the Nook at your local Barnes and Noble or online at www.barnesandnoble.com.
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Star of Nickelodeon’s Big Time Rush balances motherhood & a busy career with ease
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Stylist: Patrick Guertin Photography: Keeney + Law Photography Makeup: Gregory Velasquez Coordinator: Jenny Chang
SCM: When did you first know that you wanted to be an actress? CC: I think I always knew. I had a lead in a play in 5th grade and I loved it but I had no idea that acting could be a career. I also did commercials and print work when I was a kid but I just thought it was fun and a great way to get out of school. SCM: Describe a typical day in your life. CC: Our typical is fairly different. Aaron and I are both working actors and juggling may be what we do best! First, we get the kids up, fed, dressed, and then take Colton to pre-school. Then we start figuring out how to get ourselves ready and off to various appointments, jobs, and coachings. I try to include Jasper in as much of my day as possible. She usually tags along if I'm headed to a commercial audition. Teaching a two-year old to stay quiet for even a few minutes -- now that's an accomplishment! She loves to go to a children's gym near our house. We pick Colton up from school at 3:00 and we do some sort of activity until dinner time. One night a week Aaron and I go out for date night which is vital to our relationship. We love trying new restaurants, and supporting our friends and all of their artistic endeavors which might include a play, a comedy set, improv, a wine tasting, yoga classes, music, fashion shows‌ SCM: Between being a mommy and your busy work schedule, as an actress how do you manage it all? Do you have outside help? CC: It is a busy schedule and we do as best as we can. Aaron's mother lives nearby and she loves to visit the kids at least once a week. We've been very fortunate to have the same nanny/babysitter since Colton was four months ago. When you are an actress, your day can take you from one end of the city to another, with very short notice. With Maggie as part of our family, we know that our children's lives are more consistent. SCM: Do you think that your sense of style has changed since having children? How? CC: Ha! I keep a pair of flip flops in my car to change out my heels just in case my day involves a trip to the park. I either wear jeans or dresses. Dresses are so easy because you just put them on and go. I don't have time to think about outfits so I keep a file in my closet with tearings from magazines of outfits that I like, then I just copy them. SCM: Do you encourage your children to follow in your footsteps? CC: I encourage my kids to try lots of different things. They both have agents and Colton has booked some print work but we don't push them if they don't want to go to an audition. I work with a lot of kids on Big Time Rush and I see how much fun they are having so if that's what Jasper and Colton
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wanted then yes I would encourage them. I have also worked on jobs with kids where the directors weren't so nice to the kids and that was painful to watch. I felt compelled to try to make up for it and help the kids feel more comfortable on set. Right now, Colton seems like he will be a director and Jasper a comedienne.
SCM: You look great, how important is eating healthy and exercise to you? What measures do you take to instill healthy eating habits in your children?
CC: Eating healthy and exercising are very important to me. I was raised on health food and my sister is a naturopathic doctor so we are a very healthy family. Aaron and I do SCM: Describe your perfect family day? CC: Enjoying coffee and the newspaper before our best to make sure that Colton and Jasper the kids wake up. Then have both kids wake up have healthy organic foods. Colton has a maon the proverbial right side of the bed. A family jor sweet tooth so we try to sneak in agave or honey in place of sugar. Jasper in still in the outing to the beach or one of LA's great kid stage where she loves to eat everything friendly museums. Then the sitter comes over which I know won't last forever. I am a and Aaron and I get to have a romantic evetrue believer in the power of pilates. I've ning. Yes! That sounds great. Oh and throw been working out with my friend Elizabeth some chocolate or ice cream in there someOrdway at Movement Studio for years and where. On the weekends we like to head up to the central coast to my parents winery, Tantara she helped get me back in shape after both Winery. The kids have a blast running around in babies. Pilates combined with toddler chasing is a great way to stay in shape! the country and we get to taste whatever new SCM: What advice can you offer moms who wine my Dad is working on. SCM: Tell us how you met your husband, actor are juggling their careers and families on how to maintain their sanity while trying to Aaron McPherson? do it all? CC: We met in Larry Moss acting class. Aaron and I were friends for years before we ever went CC: Remind yourself that you can't do it all. As much as we all want to be perfect on a romantic date. The first time I saw Aaron was in a production of Fool For Love and he was moms all the time....we can't. You need allow yourself breaks so that you can be a betamazing and sexy. I really admired him as an actor but I never imagined that we would end up ter and more patient parent. Don't be afraid to together. We are both still very close with Larry ask for help from your significant other or parent or in-law or friend. Your kids will be and take his workshops whenever he is in LA. Our kids are also crazy about Larry. They better off if their mom is happy, healthy and balanced. Occasionally Aaron's mom will call our guest bedroom, Larry's room. stay over night with the kids so that Aaron SCM: You and Aaron are parents to two beauti- and I can go stay at a hotel for a ful children. Any plans to expand your family in night. Sometimes just one night feels like a the near future? vacation. CC: Oh thank you! I love having a baby and if SCM: Regarding your acting career, what Aaron and I had started earlier we can we expect to see from you in the future? would probably have had more but I think we CC: More Big Time Rush! We go back to are stopping at 2. I have to steer clear of the work in a few weeks and I can't wait to see baby section in kid stores because it makes my heart flip flop. Jasper is still nursing and I know what our fearless leader, Scott Fellows has in store for us in season two. Colton is ready that it will be difficult for both of us to stop. I for me to go back to work just so he can am really going to miss babydom. come visit "the boys" on set. â—Š
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Clothing Credits: Floral One Shoulder Dress: Vintage Victor Costa - CoquetteCouture.com, White Silk Chiffon Dress: Valentino Couture - CoquetteCouture.com, Metallic Python Shoes: Christian Louboutin - Christian Louboutin LA, Swarovski Crystal Headband: Coquette Boutique, Silk Pastel Print Caftan: Vintage Mary Mcfadden - CoquetteCouture.com, Platform Espadrilles: Christian Louboutin - ,Christian Louboutin LA, Necklace: SLJ - CoquetteCouture.com
Photography by Jessica Rozek www.jessicarozekphotography.com 30
Tell us a little bit about yourself & your boutique, Violet Clover.
“The name, Violet Clover, came to symbolize the impossible find.”
My name is Katie Morgan. I am 23 and I grew up in Lake Mary, Fl. I have three brothers and growing up I was definitely a tomboy. I refused to wear dresses and if my mom ever tried to brush my knotty hair, it was WWIII. I did dance for one year when I was 5. A very uncoordinated girl performing “The Locomotion” was all she wrote for my dance career and my mother’s fantasy of what having a daughter would be like. I was soon enrolled in soccer. I didn’t develop a love for fashion until I went off to college. The first party I went to was summer before freshman year at University of Florida. I opted for jeans, a t shirt, and no eye makeup because I didn’t want it to seem like “I was trying too hard”. I remember feeling so under dressed because all of the girls were dressed in these adorable sundresses and skirts. I eventually joined a sorority in the fall and developed my own sense of style. It didn’t take me long to find a new friend in shopping. My store focuses on finding brands that harder to find. The name, Violet Clover, came to symbolize the impossible find (since they don’t really exist... only here). I focus on emerging designers and price point. What made you decide to open Violet Clover? In Gainesville, I started helping out at a boutique where I essentially worked for clothes. I always
knew that I would want to have a store someday (someday being years from now). I was looking at taking a job in Atlanta and my parents really didn’t want to me to move. My dad said, “Katie, you can’t move there! If you do you will marry someone, never come back and we will never see our grandchildren!” .They are dramatic to say the least. As cliché as it sounds, it was all about timing. My parents didn’t want me to move and there was this adorable corner location on Park Avenue in Winter Park Florida. As soon as my mom and I walked in, the location sold itself. What have been your greatest challenges as a small business owner? The hardest part is time management. There is so much that needs to be done in a day and you can’t predict the unknown. A good example is my third day open my AC went out in this Florida heat. I am on the phone with a
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with the repair company, while at the same time, attempting to give 100% to my customers. You can’t just hang up because all that is going to do is ensure that it will take longer to fix. The logical solution is to hire extra help, which I have. At the same time, I don’t want to miss out on meeting someone. The best part of the job is getting to know my customers. What have been your greatest rewards as a small business owner? The greatest reward is waking up everyday excited about where I get to go. I love everything about my job. I love the freedom, I love the people and of course, I love the clothes. The other day, this little girl and her mom came back in and I hadn’t seen them for a about a month or so. I noticed the little girl had lost her first tooth. After they left, I started thinking about how neat it is that I am I am literally going to watch all these children grow up. And they too are going to watch me grow up as well.
Knowing what you know now, was there anything you would have done differently when considering opening a boutique? Do you have enough space for a novel? I once heard that, “Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.” And I concluded that my “experience” is very expensive. In all seriousness, there are a million things that I would do differently. Yet at the same time, I don’t think I would have learned as much as I have without making those rookie mistakes. I learn something new everyday. The day I stop learning, will be the day that I am really headed for trouble.
When purchasing for the boutique what do you look for in new products? If I love it, I get it. Trusting my gut has been very valuable for me so far. I tend to steer away from bigger labels. At Violet Clover, I only get one of each size so when it’s gone, it’s really gone. I look for pieces that are special. I also focus on having a price range. Yes, I have a dress that could cost you $ 300 but I also have a dress that would cost you $ 75. My accessories are extremely affordable. Costume jewelry is supposed to be fun. There is nothing fun about paying $150 dollars on a trendy necklace. The reason I love costume jewelry is because it is an easy way to update any dress you already have worn. My rings start at $15 and necklaces rarely go over $45.
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Photography by Jessica Rozek www.jessicarozekphotography.com Akiko Dress, $198 Silver Earrings, $35
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Your boutique opened not too long ago. Were you skeptical about going into a small business while everyone is reeling over the state of the economy? It’s very uneasy starting your own business in this economy; let alone a clothing boutique. At the same time, if it weren’t for this economy, I wouldn’t have this location. By figuring out what the consumer is willing to invest in now, will only make me that much stronger in the future. That’s not to say that prior to opening; I wasn’t waking up in the middle of the night scared to death about the unknown. I had many sleepless nights and experienced self doubt. The anticipation is the worst part. As I have come to learn, if you are running a race looking all over the place you will never finish first. I’m not looking at anything but the finish line.
Photography by Jessica Rozek www.jessicarozekphotography.com
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Photography by Jessica Rozek www.jessicarozekphotography.com What are your hopes/aspirations for Violet Clover? Longevity. As a business owner, Violet Clover’s biggest downfall has been my age and inexperience. However, I look at my age as my greatest asset. My hopes and aspirations are endless. Is it too much to say a franchise? Probably, But I don’t think so. The sky is the limit and only time will tell. Fashion-wise, what can we look forward to as consumers in Fall 2010? Leather. Lots of leather and that includes (go with me here) leather leggings. The color olive is huge along with the whole safari and military look. Menswear isn’t going anywhere. Keep all of your blazers and if you haven’t gotten one yet, now is the time to roll over to the trend. If anyone is like my mom they will say, “I wore something just like that 20 years ago”. What was old is certainly new again. Go look through your buried treasures of clothing from whatever decade you grew up and I guarantee you will find a very fashion forward look. ◊ Violet Clover is located at 339 South Park Avenue in Winter Park Florida for more information visit www.violetclover.com or call 407.637.2937
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celebrity close-up Best known to her fans for her role as Brenda Barrett on the ABC soap opera General Hospital, Vanessa Marcil’s most important role is mommy to her eight year old son, Kassius. Vanessa opens up to us about how she stays fit and eats healthy. When did you first know that you wanted to be an actress? I never wanted to be an actress. I wanted to be a lawyer. I got my first job by accident. My friend needed a ride to her audition and the director asked me to audition. I fell in love with the craft later on but have had a love hate relationship with everything that comes along with adding the business side to something so creative. Describe a typical day in your life. There's no such thing at our house. We travel alot and always have changing schedules. The only constant no matter where we are is that my eyes light up every time I see my son, Kassius, wake up and I watch him sleep and check on him a few times a night before I can fall asleep. You look great, how important is eating healthy and exercise to you? We try to eat organic as much as possible and Jillian Michaels is my best friend and godmother to my son so she keeps us on our toes with all of the latest in health. As far as fitness goes I am very fair weathered. I make a lot of excuses to skip working out. It's a constant battle for me. You're a vegetarian, what made you decide to become a vegetarian? I was one my whole life as my mother eats very healthy. It always just seemed natural to me. However, when I was pregnant I had to start eating animal protein. My nutritionist advised it. I still do now sometimes but I tend to naturally gravitate towards the kale. Kassius does too. Regarding your acting career, what can we expect to see from you in the future? As a family, we have written and created a television show that we are in the process of working very hard on. You can follow the creation of it all at www.gagooland.com. It's my biggest passion right now. ◊
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Workin’ Mama Spotlighting Momprenuers from Coast to Coast Designer & CEO of Hot Mama Gowns Deidrea Haysel
The idea for Hot Mama Gowns was born at the same time our daughter was born in May of 2006! After having an awesome pregnancy and a pretty swift, uncomplicated delivery; I had the clarity to really evaluate my surroundings. Namely the itchy, chemical smelling, faded hospital gown I was wearing.
During my hospital stay I realized the standard hospital gown was far from stylish, comfortable, and functional. The gown got in the way of doing things that I KNOW are important; such as skin to skin contact and having the ability to breastfeed easily and discreetly. I couldn’t wait to change into something that was comfortable and allowed me to bond with my baby girl. But pajamas weren’t really an option right after delivery; so I started to brainstorm what I wanted, and what would make me feel good. Since as a family we try to live as “green” as possible, why not design a hospital gown made of 100% pure organic cotton! What better fabric for my newborn to be laid on seconds after birth than something from the Earth; that’s natural. But I was determined to create something that wasn’t boring or had the feel of a hospital gown. I also wanted to design it so breastfeeding could be easy, and I could remain covered while doing it (countless visitors at all times, I needed to be prepared for anyone and everyone walking in) Nothing like giving your Father-in-law and Brother-in-law a peep show [Symbol], and no one, including me, wanted to see a post-partum belly! So on the ride home from the hospital I started to make notes and draw rough sketches. Shortly after, I took my design to a seamstress who helped bring my sketches, vision, and my roughly sewn prototype to life. After many prototypes, and much thought and dedication to the design, the first Hot Mama Gown was born..and it ROCKED! I also wanted to design the gown so virtually EVERY woman could be a “Hot Mama”. I was always so frustrated when looking for maternity clothes at stores/boutiques since I was in their largest size at an XL, and I was only a size 12/14. So what did women do who were bigger than a size 12/14, because these stores surely didn’t accommodate a woman with curves in all the right places?
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Workin’ Mama
Spotlighting Momprenuers from Coast to Coast So I designed sizes starting at 2 and ending at 24! And we did LOADS of fittings on REAL women to ensure the sizes were accurate and comfortable. I didn’t rush the process, it wasn’t as important to me to come to market quickly as it was to make a quality gown that was based on my real experience and offered Moms-to-be style, comfort and function. I started designing in May of 2006 and by February 2008 we launched HotMamaGowns.com with our first three gowns; Deborah, Antoinette and Grace. These first three gowns are named for my Mother, Mother-in-law and Grandmother respectively, kind of my way to pay homage to the women I love. With the success of our first line we expanded our prints in 2009 to include LeAnn, Shalon and Cynthia, also named for women I love, my sister, my sister-in-law and my step-mother. In April of this year we were beyond thrilled to redesign HotMamaGowns.com to make it the site I had always dreamed of but didn’t have the money to build in the beginning; Two Paper Dolls LLC created a site that was beyond my expectations and our site now includes several luxury products and gift sets so you can find the perfect gift for the expecting Mama in your life. The most recent excitement for Hot Mama Gowns came in the form of a tweet in May from Bethenny Frankel, Natural Food Chef and star of the Real Housewives of NYC, saying that she wore her Hot Mama Gown during her stay in the hospital!! We are so thrilled to welcome her to the Hot Mama Family! So keep your eyes on Hot Mama Gowns, we are growing, expanding and doing big things! We have one product in proto-type phase and hope to launch late 2010. ◊
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Tell us a little bit about your event design studio, Dooby Design. Dooby Design Group is a full service event design studio. We conceptualize and create custom event designs based on our clients personality and vision. Our specialty is sweets tables and custom stationery goodies to compliment the overall event style. What inspired you to open your own business? My love for design comes from the years I spent in New York City at Fashion Industries High School, as well as my late mother Anna Laura Smith who created gorgeous artwork in her spare time. The name "Dooby" was the nickname they called my mom as a child, which inspired the name of our company. I enjoy inventing or re-inventing fresh new looks. I find inspiration in everything around me, whether an interior space, intricate pattern, architectural detail or a runway look; I'm constantly translating everyday elements into concepts for our events.
Designing and decorating your studio can be quite the undertaking. What has been your biggest challenge? My biggest challenge while decorating my studio was meeting expectations, I had to decide on details that just looked pretty with actual functional elements. We wanted to make sure the attention to detail and style in the studio mirrored the same artistic design and individuality we put into all our events.
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How do you keep your studio so organized? What are a few of your favorite organizational products? Everything has a designated place. I'm fortunate enough to have enough space that every category has a section, things that inspire me, design tools, production and overall storage. My must have items are pretty folders, post-its and magnets. Being a working mother of four obviously has it's challenges, how do you maintain a balance between work time and quality family time? It's a never ending struggle everyday, but I set priorities and have a lot of positive people around me and try my best to be involved with all the extra-curricular activities while juggling running my own business. As a mom entrepreneur, where do you hope to see your business in 5 years? I would love to have my own retail store front as well as an event space where we can host kid's birthday parties, bridal showers and baby showers. What advice would you give a mom who is considering starting her own business? The more experience you have, the better, as there truly is no substitute for experience. Research is key, see who in your area is doing the same thing, is their a market for your product and/or business? Keep in mind, starting a business is very similar to remodeling a home; it will likely cost you a lot more money than you originally planned. â—Š 52
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