Te Quiero, Bebé...

New from Latin Baby: The "Te quiero" Mini-blanket. A super soft little blanket made of microfibers that works well for car seats and strollers. A hand-embroidered felt heart is appliquéd to the lower right hand corner. Measures approximately 15" x 15". The perfect size for a toddler "lovey" blanket as well.

The pattern for making your own blanket is available for purchase as well.

For more information, visit the Latin Baby website.

Dichos de Mi Madre Makes an Hierloom Gift

A few months ago, Latin Baby received a lovely sample of a gift book by Victoria Killeen called Dichos de mi Madre. I thought it was beautiful and it brought to my mind some poignant memories of my 'buelita who was such a happy soul and always imparting her wisdom with a smile. And since we will be celebrating Grandparent’s Day this month, I decided to add the book to our "Gifts for Abuelita" section. This would be a wonderful heirloom gift that could be passed down in the family. In fact, I have decided that within the next couple of days, I will be adding a gift basket, too, (which will include this little book, an abuelita T-shirt and a mirror) for those of you looking for an extra-special gift for the abuelita in your life.

Here is an excerpt from a book review of Dichos de mi Madre that I did for the Latin Baby Book Club...

"Written completely in Spanish, the book is a collection of "sayings" or "dichos" that often are quoted to us by our mamás or our abuelitas. Some of the verses have English equivalents, such as "A caballo regalado no se le miran los dientes" which translates to "Never look a gift horse in the mouth" and "El amor es ciego" which means "Love is blind."
But some are uniquely original to Latin America such as "Gallo que no canta algo tiene en la garganta" which is one I distinctly remember my great-grandmother saying. It means "a rooster that doesn’t sing has something in his throat" – HA! And even better, "Échate en la cama y verás quién the ama" meaning "Throw yourself on the bed and you’ll see who loves you" gasp – MAMÁ!
I also like "Hombre casado, ni frito ni asado," which means "don’t bother with a married man, not even if he’s fried nor grilled."
There are SO MANY dichos in this book it is hard to pick out so few. I have to say that Victoria did a great job collecting them all. She is to be commended for all the effort that I am sure it took to remember and write them all down. She dedicates the book to her mother and is donating all the proceeds to charity in honor of her beloved mother.
Born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, Victoria completed her studies here in the States, and graduated with degrees in interior design and art history. After getting married, she moved to Atlanta where she and her husband became very involved in the arts community. They are founding members of the High Museum and Victoria has been on the board for many years. Thanks to her husband’s job, she has had the opportunity to travel to almost 100 countries which has made Victoria very aware of in the importance of culture and traditions and the pride that people take in theirs. She wrote Dichos as a way to celebrate both our Latino culture and our mothers who have taught them to us.
If you would like your copy of this wonderful little book, click here. Remember that it makes a wonderful regalito!"

Spanish Themed Dollhouses

Wow. Can you believe this? I would have died for such a cool dollhouse like this one when I was una chiquitica. In fact, I would have to admit that I started squealing when I saw this on etsy. It is by Adobe Dollhouse Shop. They have two listed and I couldn't quite decide which one I love more. I think maybe the Southwest Mexican Dollhouse because I am such a sucker for arches. How about you? Southwest Mexican (right) or Southwest Spanish (left)?

And on the inside, both houses have a little tiny fireplace (Oooo!) and stained doors and stairways (Aaahhh!) Who knew anything so neat existed? I thought about buying one right away, but then realized, my kids are still too little and might break something which would cause me intense mental and emotional anguish. Perhaps I will wait just a little while longer. Or perhaps, I will have to buy and take care of it myself until they are older....much, much older.

They are a little pricey, but certainly worth it, I would think. On the other hand, wouldn't this make a super science project? Have the kids research different types of structures and then create their own. Hmmmm......

But, if you are like me, then you should just scoot on over to etsy. You can buy one here.

Worth a Thousand Words...

Since they were born, I have spent a small fortune on pictures of my children. It has gotten a lot cheaper since I got a digital camera. Though, I'm completely uninhibited now that I know I can erase inferior quality shots at the touch of a button. But every now and then, I like to have some professional ones taken. Hire someone with a keener, more artistic eye who can capture the images of mis niños in a beautiful, well-composed photograph.

For those of you looking to find a great photographer to snap some beautiful memories, check out Monika Elena Kost's beautiful portfolio on her website, Monika Elena Photography. What I love about it is that each photo feels so intimate. She captures loving moments between friends and family... secrets shared... joyful interactions. I don't know any of the people in Monika's portfolio, but I enjoy looking at each one. I love the richness of color in the photographs as well as the perspective. But most of all, I like the innocence and sweetness of the children. It makes me want to snuggle my own. And makes me just a little bit sad that their childhood seems to be flying by so quickly.

It makes me want to pick up a camera.

So if you are in the San Francisco or DC area, give Monika Elena a call and set up an appointment. To explore here website, click here.

Holiday Gift Idea for Mamá

What a beautiful necklace for mamás everywhere! This gold-filled chain and daisy spacers with chartreuse coin pearls is an original piece by Adelita Chirino the owner/designer of LITA designs. It even comes with matching pearl earrings. This Cuban-American designer has been creating beautiful jewelry since 1999. Her goal is to create jewelry that not only adds to your outwards appearance, but also affects the way you feel.

If you are looking for a delicate and feminine gift to give a woman in your life, this is the answer!

To view this and other creations by Adelita, click here.

Holiday Gifts for Abuelita's

Looking for some special gifts for Abuelita? Then look no furter! Latin Baby has some great gift ideas that celebrate the bond between 'Buelita's and their grandchildren. Our "#1 Abuelita" made their debut this year at the State Fair of Texas and were a real hit. It was one of our top sellers. Also, the little Anglito sun catcher above is handmade by JoAnna Ordóñez, owner of Vidriosa Glassworks, and may be customized according to the number of grandchildren. For example, for first time Abuelas, only one red heart may be used. Up to 5 hearts may be added per sun catcher. Throw in a couple of "Dichos de mi Abuelita" Notecards and you have the perfect gift basket!

To view these items, click here.

Holiday Gifts for Latinos

Check out these beautiful Arpillera Christmas Stocking available through Lucuma Designs. Handmade in Peru, these original one-of-a-kind stockings are artistic masterpieces! They seem to be selling like hotcakes though they still have several in this design and a few others. What an extraordinary gift to give a loved one. They even have a Noah's Ark design that I think would be wonderful for a child.

To view these and other items they have for sale, click here.

Holiday Gift Ideas for Latino Families

Feliz Navidad a todos! With the holidays fast approaching, I decided that I had better get cracking and start investigating holiday gift ideas. So over the next few weeks my posts will revolve around regalitos for Hispanic families.

My choices are dictated by the following three criteria:

1) The item(s) celebrates the Latino spirit.

2) The item(s) preserves or promotes Hispanic traditions.

or 3) The item(s) is created/crafted by a Latina(o).

So to start the ball rolling, I am going to champion a toy that probably most (if not all) of you have heard about. The Baby Abuelita dolls include Abuelita Rosa, Abuelito Pancho, Baby Andrea and Baby Tita. Each doll sings anywhere from 4 to 6 tender and sweet songs that preserve our Hispanic heritage. From "Arroz con Leche" to "Los Pollitos Dicen," "Naranja Dulce" to "Duermete, Mi Niña" these dolls are a wonderful tool for teaching little ones music while enhancing their listening and learning skills. A unique product on the market that is making a difference in children's lives. Thank you to Baby Abuelita's creators, Hilda Jimenez and Carol Fenster, for your contribution towards helping Latinos pass on their cultural identities!

An excellent gift from Abuelitas to their grandchildren.

So what are you waiting for? To order your Baby Abuelita doll, click here.

Traditional Originals?

If you are looking for a classic children's gift with a Spanish touch, check out these fantastic heirloom-quality set of 28 Spanish alphabet wood blocks available at Magellan's Toy Shop. This fantastico set is complete with Ñ, CH, LL and more. Each block features four alphabets, numbers in Spanish and a side with animals and their Spanish names. Made of basswood they come with two embossed sides, beveled edges and non-toxic inks.

Need a baby shower game? How about having each guest take a turn stacking a block and having them tell what they think is an important building block for life. The winner is the last person to successfully stack a block before the tower falls - not the person who topples the stack.

Or, for a Spanish baby shower game version, try having each guest pick a block and name a (baby) word that contains that letter - i.e, pañales for Ñ, botella for LL, etc.

Also, these blocks are great for decorating a Spanish baby shower, and afterwards, the mother-to-be gets to keep the blocks!

A fantastic find for only $34.50!

To see these and other great Spanish gifts, click here.

Abuelita's Gift

It's funny the way our minds work. At the fair last week, a discussion with one of the other vendors triggered a long-forgotten memory. We were discussing gifts for Mamás and Abuelitas when Dulce Parker of D'Caribbean Gifts mentioned how popular amber necklaces seem to be in Latino families.

"Really?" I said, interested. And then... a teeny, tiny whisper in the back of my head suddenly became a SHOUT!

My great-grandmother, who I called 'Buelita, was the sweetest woman on the planet. She died when I was twelve, but I spent so much of my childhood with her, that I can sometimes still see her laughing next to me. Far from being a fashion diva, my 'Buelita was a very - shall I say huggable? - and down-to-earth lady with no-nonsense shoes and a neat and tidy appearance. I can't remember her ever spending any money buying extravagant accessories (though she did have a nice collection of costume jewelry), but I do remember her amber necklace.

Dulcé mentioned that oftentimes, Latinas will buy amber jewelry that they treasure and then pass down to their daughters and grand-daughters. After further discussion with her husband, Bill, I asked if the appearance of the amber made it more or less valuable.

"No," he said. "It just seems to be a matter of personal taste. Some people prefer the amber with bugs or fauna (plants) inside, while others like the clear."

Not too fond of amber? No problem! D'Caribbean Gifts also carries my newest love, Larimar, the only semiprecious gem with the blue color of the sea found in the Caribbean Islands. Each piece has its own unique natural colors from shades of blue to green.

So for those of you thinking about what to buy your mamá or abuelita for Christmas this year, perhaps a beautiful amber (or larimar!) necklace will earn you an extra hug and besito.

Or maybe it is time for you to buy yourself a little memory to pass on down to your hijas.

To see more of Dulce's jewelry, check out her site here.

Nursery Decor

Latin Baby is happy to bring to you several beautiful baby quilts by fabric artist, Martha Tsihlas, owner of Del Sol Quilts. Martha has personally designed and created these fabulous quilts and has used bold, vibrant colors to reflect the Latino spirit. Each piece has been preshrunk and free-motion quilted. Some, like the one shown here, "Towards the Sun," have appliqued motifs.

If you are looking for a handmade heirloom to give as a baby gift, check out all of her designs here.