Cute Birthday Cake
Category: Fashion, Style, Shopping

Cute, cute, cute!!

9:41 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Seriously??
Current mood: Too many to list
Category: Too many to list Fashion, Style, Shopping

Seriously??

An online review floating out there on the internet has come to my attention.  This review was written by a former customer who apparently got the TOTAL WRONG IDEA from something I said to her in the shop.  So, without further ado, I am going to address a few things just to keep the record straight.  I'm writing it here because a) the review space doesn't have a place to enter comments about the reviews and b) my husband is afraid I'll sound crazy.  lol.

1.  Sunshine's Hip Baby has NEVER bought any merchandise at wholesale from a previous season.  Truth is, I don't know where to find stuff like that, or maybe I'd be more profitable.  We have made a few (like 2 or 3, really a few) reorders of things we really like at a discount toward the end of the season.  For example, reorder some short sleeve shirts in May or June because the manufacturer has extra and offers a discount.  Since these items come in late in the season, we usually (though not always) put them directly out on sale, as they would have been on sale if we got them on time and we got them at a discount.  We can have a great price for our customers and still make our regular markup.

2.  The Children's design market is often just behind the adult market.  For example, designs that are fresh & new in adults fashion often make their way into children's designs, scaled down for kids.  This is not a slam against kids designers, nor is in any way meant to say the kids' fashion is out of touch.  What it means is that children's designers borrow from adult fashions.  Isn't that cute??

3.  I talk too much.  Deal with it.  I'm trying.  And I do think I'm smarter than some people.  Haha.  Everyone is smarter than someone.  Everybody should be constantly trying to get better and smarter and learn more.  I didn't think I was smarter than her-necessarily.

4.  A strategy I have often recommended for parents (or anyone else) who wants designer clothes but cannot or will not pay what they really cost is:  Buy clearance at the end of the season and put it away for next year.  If you can accurately guess your kid's size, this is a perfectly sensible thing to do and a strategy I employed when I wanted nice things for my kids and couldn't afford them.

5. Lots of people ask us where we get our beautiful, unique things from.  My standard answer is:  Some come from designer's corporate reps who bring us the line to show it to us and we choose (like in the case of Paul Frank); Some come from independent sales reps who have showrooms in the markets (we buy most things here); some brands we stumbled into on the internet (many great organic brands have been found this way); and occasionally I see a child who really looks great, stop the parents and ask them what they're wearing so I can go hunt them down (the designers, not the kid! also usually on the inernet) and get that stuff for us/you!

It is my belief that my statements 4 and 5 were confused in meaning with issue 1.  So now this customer thinks I am ripping people off by buying previous seasons' merchandise on the internet and reselling it at full price.  WTF?

Supposedly I think Sacramentans won't notice because we're a year behind fashionwise.  Okay:  news flash, Sacramento is not New York.  Okay?  People here get comfortable wearing what they've got and don't want to take crazy fashion risks like people in Tokyo and San Francisco.  It's true.  Deal.  There are fashionable people here, and there are people who want to look unique (and want that for their kids too), thank goodness, because how boring it would be if everyone wanted to look the same.  (And we wouldn't be in business.)  BUT, anyone who shops boutiques and/or higher-end department stores (and no, I don't mean Macy's) will know what's out there.  You can use your glorious internet to price check.

Sunshine's Hip Baby always has current season's designs at current season's prices.  The end.  And we have sales and clearance so you can get a deal and that one last dress in size 4T can get sold.  Designers at the middle and higher end of the scale have pricing recommendations that are not negotiable.  In any case, you couldn't make any $ selling at any higher or lower price, because if too high no one will pay it and too low you won't have any profit.

Small shops are a dying breed.  We don't have the huge markup that large stores and big boxes do.  Macy's or Children's Place can sell something for 70% off and still make a profit.  Thanks to sweatshops, middlemen make money even if the designer and the retailer both go out of business.  Small shops are already losing money at 40 or 50% off--that means that we are paying you to take these items away.  We do it for the love of uniqueness.  We do it because we want people to have an alternative.  A place that's different and hopefully more friendly.  And a place where you can find things that are truly better and made in a truly better way.  But that costs money, so you'll find that things with a lot of detail work and higher-quality fabrics, and workers that are paid a minimum wage aren't going to be cheap.  That's okay.

More isn't better.  Better is better.

8:51 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Salt-Water Sandals, Monkeybar Buddies and Charlie Rocket--oh my!
Category: Fashion, Style, Shopping

..tr>

www.SunshinesHipBaby.com

You can shop anywhere-thank you for choosing Hip Baby! When you shop Hip Baby, you are supporting a Certified Green Business, a Mom-Owned business and manufacturers all over the world who are using good business practices to bring you the very best things for those special children in your life! Thanks!

Git ’em while they’re hot! Okay...they’re always hot. These fantastic sandals are comfortable, durable, and above all, they’re cute! For boys and girls, in a wide assortment of colors, including the NEW light blue!

That’s right folks, it’s early this year. Order by Thursday, March 20 using Express Mail to receive your dress before this special holiday.

..tr> ..table> ..table> 1:48 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment Girls can wear their dresses and skirts worry free when they?re hanging around upside down in Monkeybar Buddies. The ultimate in comfort, Monkeybar Buddies were created not to bunch, stick to your dresses, or look bulky under skirts. We love Monkeybar Buddies for gymnastics, under athletic shorts or over dance leotards for an extra layer. Baby Buddies Capri Leggings Shorts Very special thanks to everyone who shopped at Hip Baby and had ice cream at Coldstone Creamery for Joseph Quant’s fundraiser! The response was fantastic--you guys are amazing!! Please keep Joseph in your thoughts and prayers, and we’ll believe in a miracle.

Friday, February 22, 2008 Has it really been that long? Current mood: hopeful Category: Fashion, Style, Shopping Holy cow.  I can't believe it's been that long since I posted! Those of you following the peddlers will note that this week we have Scooby Doo something-or-other (attempted by two separate groups of guys within 5 minutes) and the next day a similar product with a different cartoon character.  Shut 'em down before I found out what it was.  They were all very nice and funny (and good smelling) and I felt bad sending them out...  The cupon-selling guy came in and said, "Man.  Are you the only one who works here?"  Yup, too bad.  Not buying anything.  He's also very nice and I see him nearly every week.  Tough market, tough job. We are launching HipOrganics.com with a benefit party!  Woo Hoo!  Check out the press release here:  http://hiporganics.com/pressakathebuzzzzzz.aspx The current newsletter follows, with details and links related to our entertainer and the recipient of the benefit funds.  :)  It's on Second Saturday - don't miss it!! I PROMISE the Salt-Water Sandals will be here soon.  Everyone is jonezin' for 'em, but they will really be here long before good weather will be...And Knuckleheads should arrive late in the month too.  Whew!  If you have been to the shop you've no doubt noticed that we have spring arrivals for girls...but not very many for boys.  That's partly because Small Paul's super-awesome board shorts sold out in 3 days and partly because the girls' stuff just arrived first.  If you are a Kate Mack or Biscotti fan...don't wait!  Find your swimsuit or Easter dress NOW and buy it.  They undercut/oversold this season, and it's impossible to reorder anything.  Cute swimsuits are selling out everywhere, including Hip Baby.  My favorites are Cherry Pie swimwear and Timeless dresses.  Just fresh, different and of course beautiful. Mim-Pishould arrive today.  We have two separate orders, and I don't know if we'll get the second one, but there will be LOTS of beautiful things to choose from!  We'll get them up on the web asap.  :) And now, yesterday's newsletter: ..> ..> In this issue: New Arrivals, Preorders and announcing HipOrganics.com! Beetlejuice of London MultiFloral Spring is Here! We have received the most beautiful assortment of dresses for all your Springtime occasions, with beautiful selections from Biscotti, Bebemonde, Lipstik, Haven Girl and more, plus amazing swimwear from Kate Mack and Small Paul! And we haven't left the boys out - totally awesome board shorts & flops from Small Paul are here, and we're expecting Knuckleheads, Jackson Clay, Shilav and Charlie Rocket any day! Speaking of Hip Organics... We've launched our new webstore, HipOrganics.com! Now you can shop in an all-organic environment and enjoy an even larger selection of organic gifts, accessories, apparel and toys for babies & toddlers. Click Here to get on our Organic Mailing List. Sign up to receive special notices about new arrivals, members-only sales and special events! Sunshine's Hip Baby will continue to offer a large selection of organics, and you can shop organic and conventional together. Isn't that nice? Go and check out HipOrganics.com. I think you'll like it! As you might imagine, we've used our launch as an excuse for a party: If you find yourself in the Sacramento Area, please come downtown for Second Saturday on March 8. Never been to Second Saturday? You should check it out! Website Launch Benefit at Wildflower Boutique: 1126 18th Street (corner of 18th & L) 2nd Saturday, March 8, 6-9pm Featuring Live Music by Sarah Gautschi (www.sarahgautschi.com) Proceeds benefit Healthy Child Healthy World (www.healthychild.org) Are you a local customer regularly receiving our Internet Edition? Reply with Sac Edition in the subject line and we'll make sure to get you on our local email list. Salt-Water Sandals The Best Shoes You'll Ever Love! Salt-Water Sandals will arrive this month at Hip Baby. Take this Preorder opportunity to choose from a wider selection of colors & styles. Hip Baby is pleased to offer Salt-Water's complete collection, including infant, child and adult sizes. Thanks for looking! See you at Sunshine's Hip Baby!   8:43 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Saturday, January 05, 2008 TOTALLY AWESOME fold your own furniture Category: Fashion, Style, Shopping Okay, Lyn found the most awesome website: http://www.foldschool.com/_about/about_start/about_start.html It has patterns where you can fold your own cardboard furniture out of recycled cardboard.  Totally cool! 11:30 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Friday, January 04, 2008 Wild Wind!!! Current mood: anxious Category: Fashion, Style, Shopping Okay...so here's some good information: If you browse with Firefox/Mozilla, it will "restore session" if it closes by itself.  That means all the windows you had open will pop back open right where you were.  Which is why I switched to Mozilla the first time my computer went out this morning. Power backups are a nice tool.  I just realized I don't have one.  Now, it's really nice not to have that hectic, emergency alarm noise going off every time the power flicks on and off, but still...SAVE OFTEN! We are having gale-force winds here, with gusts up to 60-70 m.p.h.  And boy does it feel like it.  The wind has vaporized our trash can (wouldn't you believe it, it's trash day!)  I saw the trash man out my back window and though...wth?  It's trash day?  You gotta be kidding.  I did NOT rush down to put out my bins, though.  For obvious reasons.  Last time we had winds like this, it was also trash day.  All the cans for the whole street were down at the end of the court, and we had to try and figure out which one was ours.  Inevitably, doing my best, I managed to get someone else's can.  Who was actually, I think, annoyed.  Dude, it's a trash can...I did my best.  ?  In any case, our wonderful housemate/housekeeper had put out the recycling, bless her heart.  I have no idea where it is.  Probably on the next street down... We also lost a tree.  And I'm really sad about it.  It was lovely, fluffy & green.  It housed countless birds, who dangerously made their nests on lower branches until the neighborhood cat started picking them off.  We watched the baby birds hatch.  It provided privacy, shade, and a beautiful backdrop for some of my internet photos.  *Sigh.*  Alas.  There's another tree scraping against my window now that nearly blew over in a previous windstorm and the previous owner of the house bolted it to the eaves.  I'm hoping not to have to chain-saw that one too, though I think my neighbor would be glad.  He's wanted me to get rid of it since the day we moved in.  Again...privacy and shade.  Things you REALLY appreciate in California!! Our weak little California trees aren't made for this stuff!  They didn't grow up in these adverse conditions.  Yikes!  I'd been wanting to plant a redwood in the yard, well, now I know where it can go.  *sigh* It's 10:21, and Hip Baby is supposed to be open for business.  I am afraid to take the car over the overpass to take my daughter to school.  Is that silly?  I just get this idea that we'll just be blown right off.  I can't imagine I'd have any customers to come to the shop and be annoyed that I'm not open.  Will I?  Some desperate baby-gift-shopper?  On lunch to come by and look for that perfect baby gift that s/he needs today, gift-wrapped?  Do you think anyone will be annoyed if I'm not open?  I just can't imagine going out there....  (sheesh, I wouldn't last 5 minutes anywhere in the midwest!  lol) I'll stay a little while longer.  Just type and play with my photos and work on my website.  Here, inside, where it's cozy and dry (for now).  And I will SAVE OFTEN!! 10:14 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Sunday, October 28, 2007 Holiday Dresses, See Kai Run, Fairy Tea Party ..> ..> Hip Baby is pleased to offer a beautiful array of holiday dresses for infants and girls ~ for all your special days. Biscotti, Bebemonde, Trish Scully, Tra-la-la and more! Shop our Holiday department for funky sweaters & boy's outfits, dresses and other cute holiday extras. If you haven't been in lately, boy have we got some selection for you! Our little boutique is just filled to the top with fun things for children, including Kidorable Raingear, new fashion arrivals, gorgeous new custom jewelry styles, glittery Lelli Kelly shoes, poofy pettiskirts from Kaiya Eve, books, toys, you name it! Plus our new Fairy Tea Party room is open and we are now accepting reservations for parties for any occasion. ..> ..> Small Paul Ready, Steady, Go! A Wish Beary Basics Bebemonde Catimini Hip Baby Beads Haven Girl Trish Scully Mulberribush Wee Ones & Nessa Rose Hair Accessories Rabbit Moon Zutano The Fairy Line Kissy Kissy Under The Nile Organics Imps&Elfs I'm not kidding, Hip Baby is packed! Every day we list more at SunshinesHipBaby.com, and everything is available in our Sacramento Boutique. Let Hip Baby take care of all the details and do all the running so that you can relax and have fun with your special little fairy-of-the-day! Fairies, Friendship and Fun ~A great experience for children ages four and up~ Fairy Tea Party-- is a truly unique themed event service that blends the whimsical world of fairies, captivating adventures and exciting discoveries. Created by a world-renowned therapist, Fairy Tea Parties enchant, engage and educate children while building strong character, developing good social skills and instilling positive messages amidst a festive celebration of fairies! Fairy Tea Parties are available in a variety of packages to suit your individual needs and budget… from fun, magical, economical adventures to ultra-lavish, custom extravaganzas. We also have special accomodations for younger children and siblings. Call now to reserve your party! 916-285-8648 As always, we are so thankful for your support. This Fall & Holiday season will be better than ever. Keep your eyes peeled for Santa Claus and other Holiday happenings at Hip Baby. Happy Shopping! 11:11 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 Cute Blog: Pampering Beki Category: Fashion, Style, Shopping Becki has a cute little blog going, so if you like to read, go check it out!  Becki creates wonderful jewelry and accessories too, all available in her Etsy space. http://pamperingbeki.blogspot.com/ ..   8:48 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Tights & Socks Sale + Fairy Tea Party at Hip Baby Category: Fashion, Style, Shopping ..> ..> Now's a great time to stock up on crazy tights & dressy ones, cute socks and other hosiery for infants, boys & girls. Plus New Arrivals from all your favorites, including: ..> ..> Small Paul Ready, Steady, Go! A Wish Beary Basics Bebemonde Catimini Imps&Elfs (coming soon!) Hip Baby Beads Haven Girl Trish Scully Morgan & Milo Mulberribush Wee Ones & Nessa Rose Hair Accessories Rabbit Moon Zutano Sckoon Organics The Fairy Line Tic Tac Toe Hosiery Kissy Kissy Under The Nile Organics And more coming in every day! Fairies, Friendship and Fun ~A great experience for children ages four and up~ Fairy Tea Party-- is a truly unique themed event service that blends the whimsical world of fairies, captivating adventures and exciting discoveries. Created by a world-renowned therapist, Fairy Tea Parties enchant, engage and educate children while building strong character, developing good social skills and instilling positive messages amidst a festive celebration of fairies! Imagine a beautiful tea party with your best friends and your favorite fairies! Fairy Tea Party activities and games, created by LindaJoy Rose Ph.D., impart positive messages about preserving the environment, raising self-esteem and improving peer relationships. Fairy Tea Parties are available in a variety of packages to suit your individual needs and budget… from fun, magical, economical adventures to ultra-lavish, custom extravaganzas. Book your party at least three weeks in advance. Then Hip Baby will deliver everything you need to make her day special...right to your door! Click here for details! As always, we are so thankful for your support. This Fall & Holiday season will be better than ever! Happy Shopping! Sunshine 8:44 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Sunday, September 23, 2007 SUPER CLEARANCE Category: Fashion, Style, Shopping Haven't been by in the last week? Check out our SUPERCLEARANCE sale.  We have lots of cute things for $9.99-$19.99.  There are still in-season outfits on this sale!  Boys & Girls! Also...TONS more girl's inventory has arrived including Lelli Kelly shoes. Also, look for us next weekend at the Coutursion Fashion Show, sponsored by the INNERvention Outreach Community Program and Progressive Women of Excellence.  Date and time to follow in the next blog.  5:39 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment