Thursday, August 28, 2008

Kidscreen





Russ Berrie and Company report increase in kids' segment
by Gary Rusak

Plush manufacturer Russ Berrie and Company reported a 24% spike in Q2 sales to US$87.7 million for its infant and juvenile segment.

Sales got a US$22.2 million boost from the acquisition of LaJobi and CoCaLo on April and over the same period last year, the company reported consolidated profits of US$70.7 million.

Net sales for the company's Infant and Juvenile segment increased 68.8% in Q2 to US$62.2 million, compared to US$36.9 million during the same period last year.

CEO and president Bruce G. Crain said the increase in the kids-related revenues helped to compensate for the decrease in the company's gift segment which was down 24.8% to US$25.5 million for Q2 2008, compared to US$33.8 million for the same period last year. The decrease is primarily a result in a dip in sales of the Shining Stars product line and overall softness in the gift market due to the economic slowdown.

The consolidated net loss for the first half of 2008 was US$10.1 million.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

The Dallas New Era


August 14, 2008
Circulation: 7,800



Friday, August 1, 2008

Buzzillions.com







5 Customer Reviews of the LaJobi Graco Victoria 5 in 1 Convertible Crib in Baby Cribs

Mommy of soon to be 2
SF Bay Area Ca

I am: Parent of Two or More Children
Price: $289.99
So Far, I love this Crib!
Jul 29 2008
Pros: Comfortable, Looks great, Sturdy
Best Uses: Infants, Newborn, Preemies
Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

This crib looks more expensive than the cost! It took a little while to assemble (a little longer than our previous crib), but it was worth it. Some of the wood pieces don't match up totally perfect but that is how the factory cut them. Other than that, we love this crib so far.
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Sherone
Baldwin, NY

I am: First Time Parent
Price: $289.99 Nice
Jul 21 2008
Pros: Roomy, Sturdy
Cons: Hard to Assemble
Best Uses: Newborn

Nice looking crib and appears to be sturdy - however the directions were not that great and we were missing several screws
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Eva
South Bend, IN

I am: Avid review reader, First Time Parent
Price: $289.99
Good value for the money
Jul 5 2008
Pros: Convertable, Easy to Assemble, Nice looking, Sturdy
Best Uses: Extremely small adults, Girls, Infants, Toddlers
Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

When buying a crib I did a lot of research (reading consumer reports, price comparisons, user reviews) and finally settled on this crib as the nicest looking with the most bang for the buck. My daughter is still an infant so who knows how well it will convert, but so far it is a beautiful and sturdy crib that was not too difficult to assemble. [...] I highly recommend if you are looking for a moderately priced crib that looks like it was expensive. And who isn't looking for that? Commies, that's who.
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Ryan's mom & Pregnant
Lake Charles, La

I am: Parent of Two or More Children
Price: $289.99

[6 of 6 customers found this review helpful]
I love it and would recommend it!
Jun 23 2008
Pros:
Appealing, Easy to Assemble, Fits Anywhere, Roomy, Sturdy
Best Uses:
Infants, Newborn, Preemies, Toddlers
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend


I originally wanted the Olivia convertible crib from Penney's, but it was on back order and I didn't want to wait. So I shopped some more and came to this site. I had purchased my bedding here. (Trend lab maya bedding in pink & brown) I knew I wanted something in cherry finish and I also wanted a covertible crib. When I ran across this beautiful crib I loved the victorian look. I was skeptical about purchasing it b/c it didn't have any reviews and was at a really low price. I took a chance and ordered it on a Monday. [...]. My husband opened it immediatly and was pleased to see all parts wrapped securely w/foam, so no parts came scratched. The color was perfect. I had a cordless drill handy, but it served no justice. The hardware called for an allen wrench which was provided in the hardware. This made assembly alittle more time consuming, but the instructions were very easy to follow. It took approx. an hr. 1/2 to 2 hrs to assemble. Iam so pleased with the outcome. It is sturdy and perfect. All I need is the baby. I can't speak on comfort yet, but going by looks, I am sure our little girl will sleep well! Oh, and everyone that sees it is in awe!!

Amazon.com


August 2008
http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/syltguides/fullview/R1GNU5FXA9VHXZ

So you'd like to... create a nursery on a budget
A guide by hha (Portland, ME USA)

I picked all the things for this guide with the idea that if you are on a budget, it doesn't mean you can't have quality items, on the contrary it is more practical to go for multifunctional simple stuff of good quality which lasts longer. I realized, that it helps to make an estimate of the total cost of your project and always look at the big picture: buying one piece of furniture think of what else you would need to make it work. It also helps to have an open mind and think of YOUR actual necessities. After I had my baby I came to the conclusion, that a lot of things we think we need for baby care are just traditions, something that our mothers did or people around us do, which can sometimes be EXCESSIVE. Now I try to think of people living in other cultures to test my choices. Also I figured out that it is more practical NOT to go for any themes since it limits your choices but instead pick your style and colors. Uni-sex nurseries are also practical.

Sleeping.
Think where you would like your baby to sleep: in your room or in a nursery, and if you would like to practice co-sleeping. My personal choices were to have my baby sleep separately. I ruled out having him sleep in a co-sleeper for a number of reasons. First of all, I looked at co-sleepers in the store and they all seemed a little cumbersome, too small for later use as a play-pen and not very mobile or portable. Secondly, I just didn't feel comfortable having my baby that close at night. I still didn't want him in a separate room far away from me at least for the first few months. Latest research shows that having your baby sleep in your room reduces risk of SIDS. Getting a bassinette seemed unpractical since it is useful only for a couple months and you can't use it for anything else. After days and days of research and talking to other parents I decided to buy a contemporary crib by DaVinci for the nursery DaVinci Alpha Crib - Natural (BTW, if you are petite, make sure the crib has a drop side)and a pack'n play with a bassinet feature Graco Pack 'n Play Portable Playard with Bassinet in Rise and Shine. Since I was going to use my pack'n play as a bassinet, I had to get 2 sheets: Graco Pack 'N Play Playard Sheet - White. The pack'n play comes in very handy when traveling; Graco brand is very good, it is light (yet sturdy) and makes a wonderful portable bed. The bassinet feature can be used until your baby is 15 pounds or can pull up on hands and knees. If you have an average size baby that is approximately till 4-5 months. You can use it later as a play-pen. When buying a mattress for the crib I did some research and found out that all mattresses on the market work pretty well. Just make sure that it doesn't fit too loosly for safety reasons or too tight. When it is too tight it will be very difficult to pull it out every time when you change sheets. Sealy Perfect Rest 150 Coil Mattress. If your mattress is covered vinyl (a lot of them are), then the only mattrees pad you need is a simple cotton crib pad Springmaid Baby Waterproof Crib Pad - Big Dot. I bought a fitted one at first and had to take it back. I am very happy with my cotton crib pad, it doesn't bunch up, it is very easy to wash and install and you can cut it in pieces to make smaller pads! So get 2 to make pads for the changing table or lap pads.

Changing station.
In my space limited situation a changing table seemed totally excessive, so I looked for a dresser that can be used as a changer. Since I am not very tall, Roxanne 3 Level 4 Drawer Dresser in Antiqie White Finish By Da Vinci Baby Furniture was just the right height. I use upper drawers for all my diapering necessities, so I don't need a diaper caddy. For diaper pail pick something simple that doesn't require expensive refills Safety 1st Diaper Pail. I like Diaper Dekor Disposable System though, since it hands free and comes with biodegradable refills. Get a cute changing pad Serta Nightstar Contour Changing Padand you won't need a pad cover, they are pretty wasteful since you always have to wash them.

Bedding.
If you are on a budget don't buy a bedding set. Go for a fitted knit crib sheet American Baby Company 100% Cotton Jersey Knit Crib Sheet - White and a breathable bumper BreathableBaby Breathable Bumper safer. Don't invest in expensive bumpers since you can't use them once your baby can pull up to stand, for the same reason don't go for expensive mobiles. Buy a mobile that can last longer like Danish Lucky Storks Mobile. Flensted is a wonderful Danish brand. They have tons of interesting designs! Also if you want to add some pizzazz splurge on a cute crib skirt which reflects your style, at least it is useful for a little longer. However, there are tons of cute inexpensive crib skirts of different styles in stores on sale. Check out this contemporary one by DwellStudio for just $11 DwellStudio™ for Target® Crib Skirt - Zoo! You can't go wrong with basics either, here is one by Circo: Circo® Basics Dust Ruffle - Green.


Corsavoo.com



August 2008
http://www.corsavoo.com/babies/0,2577,458371,00.html

The Bonavita Cabana Crib

Bonavita cribs are a subsidiary of LaJobi Industries - an Italian company that has been making nursery furniture for over 15 years. They have a well established reputation of makers of fine infant furniture, bringing together both quality materials and craftsmanship.

The company only uses the finest hard woods. The most preferred is European beech wood. Beech is preferred because it is naturally hard wearing, is easily worked with and stains well. The company also uses spruce upholstery cleaning rubber wood; rubber wood is liked because it isn’t prone to warping. Yellow birch wood is sometimes used as is Cherry (an expensive wood but with an unmatched reddish brown hue).

The company currently makes 3-in-1 and lifetime cribs: it calls its collection of lifetime cribs 'LifeStyle'. The LifeStyle collection will leather upholstery cleaning your child as they grow; each is convertible and changes from crib, to toddler bed, day bed, to full size bed complete with headboard and footboard. The Cabana is a lifetime crib.

The Bonavita Cabana has a timeless, classic design reminiscent of Caribbean days of long ago. It looks solid but its gentle curvaceous lines give it a lighter look and feel. There is a simple carved panel on the footboard that matches the carved detail on the top rail of the headboard. The upholstery cleaners brooklyn look is reinforced with the use of rounded, pear-shaped feet. The slats are simple and unadorned and are on all four sides. The fluted legs are a real eye catcher and give the crib an old-fashioned look.

The Cabana comes in either Antique White or Montego Brown. The Montego Brown is a very rich color that has a real depth to it. The dimensions are 33”w x 60”l x 48”.

What's good about this crib from Bonavita is that the guard rail is included. This isn't usual with other brands. Unfortunately, the headboard post attachments, upholstery cleaning st louis rails and mattress are sold separately, so you're going to have to pay more on what is already an expensive piece of furniture. However, buying the additional items will save you money in the long term as this still works out cheaper than buying toddler and full size beds separately.

Other collections of Bonavita cribs include the Chadwick, the Heritage, Hudson, Sheffield and Peyton. The Bonavita Nikki crib is the latest offering. It's another sturdy looking piece leather upholstery cleaning furniture that's been built to last. It comes in two unusual finishes of Butterscotch and Blackberry; the checker board design on the headboard is an eye-catching piece of design.

The Bonavita Cabana is nice but is there anything to be said against it? Well, it is expensive. You can buy other brands of convertible cribs for less and, in all honesty, they're just as well made and upholstery cleaners brooklyn in an array of finishes and designs. Personally, I like the Cabana a lot, but whether you choose to buy one or another brand will come down to your taste in design. Many people prefer more modern styles of crib and, for some its overall look will be too 'heavy' or too 'stylized'.

SavvyMommy.com




Win a Serta Perfect Balance crib mattress for your Little Angel


Enter to win a Serta Perfect Balance crib mattress from LaJobi Inc. Retail value: $179.99.

The Serta trusted name in sleep comfort and style now offers the chance for an eco-friendly night's sleep for baby. Serta Perfect Balance, the first environmentally friendly - or "green" - Serta crib mattress is the latest in sleep innovation. Be one of the first Moms in your neighborhood to pamper your baby with eco-friendly comfort that stars like Angela Kinsey (NBC's The Office) and Christie Clark (NBC's Days of Our Lives) do for their babies.

This new addition to the Serta Baby mattress line is distributed by LaJobi Industries, Inc. and available exclusively at Babies "R" Us, the nation's premier baby products retailer. LaJobi Industries, Inc. manufactures and distributes five top brands of juvenile furniture including Bonavita, Babi Italia, ISSI, Europa Baby and Graco, as well as Serta Crib Mattresses.

Made with organic cotton fill, the Serta Perfect Balance crib mattress cradles baby in a healthy, natural environment. Designed with comfort and durability in mind, the mattress features continuous heavy coils, flex mesh support and six-gauge border wire. A heavily laminated cover made without Phthalates protects from dust mites and bacteria, and there are eight air vents to keep the mattress fresh while providing a safe sleeping surface.

The crib mattress also fits a toddler bed

Win It!

Enter to win a Serta Perfect Balance crib mattress, sponsored by LaJobi, by filling out the form below. Make sure to include the answer the following question in the comments box - "How many air vents keep the Serta Perfect Balance mattress fresh?" (Need Help? Find some here.)
Contest Rules

This contest is open to legal residents of the United States. Employees of all subsidiaries of Victoria Pericon, Inc./SavvyMommy.com and LaJobi Inc. are not eligible.

This Sweepstakes runs from August 1-31, 2008. Limit one (1) entry per household. Entries in excess of stated maximum will be disqualified.

Entries must be received by 11:59PM EST on August 31, 2008 for drawing to be held on or about September 1, 2008. One (1) prize will be awarded. Winners will be notified by phone or email.

Any information entrants provide will be used to communicate with entrant in relation to this contest.