Wedding gift ideas from Suzi Homemaker

We are in the midst of wedding season and I am reminded of the day nearly nine years ago when I wed my best friend, Steve. (This was before I quit my "real" job to become Suzi Homemaker.) We all know how expensive weddings can be and it seems when you attach the term "wedding" to any gift or item it seems to ratchet the price up tenfold. We did our best to cut costs where possible, but when it came to gifts for our attendants, there weren't too many affordable options.

Not long ago, one of the brides I worked with last year shared some photographs of items I embroidered for her wedding. This particular bride had some great ideas for saving money and I was all too happy to work with her to help make her day special. My bride had seen some personalized, full-zip warm-up suits in a bridal magazine that retailed for more than a $100 a piece. Full-zip warm up suits are easy to slip in and out of for a day at the spa or the day of the wedding, making hair and makeup a snap. She had wanted to purchase three--one for herself and one each for her maid and matron of honor--but the cost was prohibitive. She found some similar warm-up suits in a discount store and brought them to me for personalization. She wound up saving more than $200.

As another gift for her bridesmaids, my clever bride purchased personalized market totes, and filled them with the warm-up suits, hair spray, cosmetic bags, bottled water, snacks and all of the other wedding necessities. Her bridesmaids had everything they needed in one convenient, stylish tote which they will be able to use most every day.

I then worked with my bride to create some mementos for her parents and future in-laws. I purchased some handkerchiefs from one of my vendors and stitched a fall leaf (since the wedding was in October), along with the date of the wedding and the recipient's title (Mother of the Bride, etc.).

The wedding was such a success, that I am happy to report that there is a Babycape in the couple's future!

Photographs courtesy Studio C Photography in Frederick, MD!!!

Merry Christmas

Whew!

I am just finishing up my last internet orders and packaging them up to take to the Post Office. I cannot believe how much business I have had since Dec. 1! I did not know what to expect this year with the dismal economy, but I am thrilled to report I had my best retail month since I began my business over two years ago. Thank you to everyone who has supported me in my little stitching endeavors--I so appreciate each and every one of you!

The hottest selling item this season by far was the collapsible market tote. One customer bought five of them and told me she will be coming back for more after the holidays. Another one received her order for three and promptly ordered three more! I still have some left in stock and also have found a new vendor who makes the same totes but with a drawstring closure on top of them so nobody can peek at what's inside your basket!!!

Now I must confess what an awful mother and wife I have been for the past few weeks. We still do not have our tree decorated--we put it up on Sunday to find it is only partially lit. I had to go to Target to get more lights. My house is in ruins because I have Babycapes and product strewn about, yet I continue to yell at the children if they leave their socks or toys on the floor. I did manage to get some Buckeyes made the other day, but only after Sophie had been begging me for weeks to do so. I still have fudge to make for Mr. Brown at the Post Office and the ladies in the office at Sophie and Max's school.

Christmas cards? Let's just say the picture you see here was from last year's "Holiday Card" that never made it in the mail. I have been using them to write lunch box notes to Sophie. Cookies? Hopefully this weekend. Presents wrapped? Santa does not wrap presents in our household. Pumpkins removed from front porch? Maybe next year we'll have a pumpkin patch in our front yard. Santa's lap? Tomorrow or Sunday.

One thing I have accomplished (which I am so very thankful for!) is I have found a church for our family to attend. We had been shopping churches all summer and finally attended a service with a neighbor several weeks ago. It is Covenant Baptist Church in Shepherdstown. The first service I attended I knew I had come to the right place! The music was INCREDIBLE--it moves me to tears each week! And the Pastor is very down-to-earth. We feel at home there and the children are fitting right in. We asked Max what he did in Sunday school a couple of weeks ago and he said, "I prayed and prayed and prayed!" Sophie is learning a lot and has a lot of questions about God. And Carly...well, we take crayons and doodle pads with us and take turns running her to the water fountain.

All in all, it has been quite a year. We had some rough patches, but our family is as strong as ever. I am praying for a safe, healthy and Happy New Year for all! Merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart!

Babycapes wins iParenting Media Award

Babycapes—Innovative Outerwear for Little Ones has won an iParenting Media Award in the Safety Category for its patent-pending design that makes traveling in a vehicle with infants and small children easier and safer. iParenting.com, a Disney Internet Group media property, is a premier media site focused on parents. The award-winning network includes more than 40 websites devoted to the entire family lifecycle and Points on Parenting radio show.

Babycapes are produced in West Virginia by Martinsburg-based Babycapes LLC, owned and operated by local businesswomen Elizabeth Hostler and Suzi Crowder. Babycapes combine the best aspects of a blanket, coat and bunting while eliminating the drawbacks associated with all three. It’s unique, patent-pending design allows parents to transition babies and small children from house to car seat to stroller or front carrier without unbundling or interfering with the security of the harness straps, as federal safety guidelines instruct.

“We are thrilled to receive this honor,” said Hostler, who created the initial garment after learning that strapping her own daughter, Andy, into her car seat over a bulky coat put her at greater risk in the event of an accident. “Babycapes has made our lives easier and our children safer and we are on a mission to bring it to parents everywhere.”

As part of the iParenting Media Award process, three outside reviews were performed on Babycapes, including a licensed childcare facility/school, a child safety expert and a parent. One product tester stated Babycapes was “so easy to put on…Love the convenience, and it’s so nice to adjust all kids car seats to them without puffy coats. Really keeps them warm.”

In addition to the outside reviewers, Babycapes was evaluated by the iParenting Media Awards Executive Committee and is now considered an iParenting Media Awards award-winning vendor.

Babycapes are available for purchase at www.BabycapesOnline.com and at select retailers. One size fits newborns to preschoolers. Babycapes are available in a variety of luxurious, machine-washable fabrics to suit all climates.

For more information call 304-582-8070 or email babycapes@hughes.net.

Babycapes Giveaway on 5MinutesforMom.com

Yes, it's true, another opportunity to win a Babycape--this time from blogging giant 5MinutesforMom.com. Janice wrote the sweetest review and included the most darling photographs of her youngest, Olivia, in an embroidered pink sherpa suede Babycape.

To enter to win, just visit 5MinutesforMom and write a comment about Babycapes--it's that easy! The contest ends Nov. 8. As an added bonus, we are offering a bonus to 5MinutesforMom readers, just enter the the code "5 Minutes for Mom" in the comments section at checkout on BabycapesOnline and you will receive a free hat, valued at $18. This offer is good through the end of November with your Babycapes purchase.

Uh, Donny...did you forget about us?

So, after Elizabeth and I sent out a blast email to just about everyone we know asking them to watch CNBC's "The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch" last night, the show with our segment did not air! Bummer!

We had so much fun in D.C. the other day!

We arrived at noon and were welcomed by Stephen Clark, President of Liveshots DC. Stephen was so nice to us! He took us to a waiting room and brought us ginger ale for our nervous tummies and offered us cookies and biscotti. He asked about Babycapes, and was genuinely interested in the product and our story.

The studio was beautiful and was housed in the same building as the Washington bureaus of NBC, Fox News and CNN, to name a few of the biggies. After about a half hour, Elizabeth was taken back to have her makeup done and then we played The Waiting Game for about an hour-and-a-half. Finally, Elizabeth (I'm now going to refer to her as "E") was taken into the studio for filming and I got to watch everything on a lovely flat screen TV in the waiting room. Shauna Tesser, one of the producers, came on speaker and was giving E some suggestions for doing her 30-second pitch. Shauna knew all about the product and told E that she would be pitching her idea to Donny and an angel investor--okay, we weren't looking for an angel investor, but as long as Babycapes gets exposure, what the heck!

I'm not going to tell you what happened, except to say that Elizabeth did a great job of pitching Babycapes--I am so proud of her! She had been rehearsing her pitch and wound up switching it up at the last minute because of Shauna's suggestions. Hopefully, the show will air tonight. I checked the website and they have not listed the guests for tonight's show, so we may know later on today.

I'm kind of glad the segment didn't run last night because Jim Cramer of "Mad Money" was on and he was really depressing--kept telling everyone to move back in with their parents...I wouldn't mind that, Mom runs her home like a Bed and Breakfast...

So, sorry for the confusion everybody. We may be calling on you to vote again, as there will be an online poll of which of the three products pitched was the best--we, of course, believe it's Babycapes, but feel free to judge for yourself!

Babycapes heading to D.C. to be on "The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch"

I'm so excited! We got the call from the producers of CNBC's "The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch" to go down to D.C. today and film a segment on Babycapes for the show which will air tomorrow night!

I'm trying to wolf down a sandwich and am hoping that it doesn't come back up! We have been working so hard for this!! This could be the Big Break we have been waiting for! Elizabeth and I so believe in this wonderful product and this is a tremendous opportunity for us to make some money for our families!!! Who would have thought a chance meeting in a consignment store would lead to this wonderful product, burgeoning business and a great friendship?

Keep your fingers crossed for us!!!! We'll keep you posted!!!

Vote for Babycapes on StartUpNation.com

Babycapes LLC is a contestant in 2008 StartUpNation Home-Based Business Competition in the Glamorous and Innovative Product categories! My partner, Elizabeth, and I have been working so hard on this product for more than a year now and would really love your support—plus we would love to win this award!

If you have a moment, please visit StartUpNation.com and cast your vote. All you have to do is click on the “Vote” button and we’re good-to-go!

Also, we’re putting the finishing touches on our brand-new website: BabycapesOnline.com --it’s not quite finished, but should be complete by the end of this week.

Please forward this to anyone and everyone you know, ask them to vote, and help a couple WV moms reach their goal of making Babycapes a household name and help turn us into Godzillionaires!!!!

Vote and vote often! You can vote once a day!

Thanks in advance for your support!

WV moms combat bulky coats with innovative outerwear: Babycapes

No responsible parent would ever knowingly put their child in harm’s way while traveling in a vehicle, but this winter, many parents will do just that merely by dressing their children for cold weather.

Martinsburg, WV, mom, Elizabeth Hostler, was shocked to learn that she was putting her daughter, Andy, at risk every time she put her into her infant seat.

“You want your child to be warm and comfortable, but, most importantly, you want them to be safe,” said Hostler, who also has a seven-year-old son. “Every time I went to put Andy in her car seat during the winter it turned into a battle. She hated being confined to her seat in a heavy coat. When the car warmed up, Andy would just wail because she was so uncomfortable and helpless to do anything about it. What I didn’t realize was that she also was not safe.”

Hostler had read an article that children fastened into car seats over bulky garments could be at risk in a crash as the force of a collision could cause the coat to compress and actually eject the child from the seat.

The non-profit organization Car-Safety.org generally does not recommend a child wear a winter coat while in the car seat, since the car seat harness straps must remain tight on the child’s shoulders regardless of any clothing.

“I thought there had to be a better, safer way to travel with my children,” said Hostler.

With limited sewing skills, Hostler immediately began constructing a garment out of a fleece blanket. The goal was to provide protection from the cold, while keeping Andy comfortable and safe while strapped into her car seat or stroller.

The garment she created was much easier to put on and take off. Putting Andy in her car seat also became much easier, as Hostler could flip the garment to the side, adjust the straps and then drape the garment over the car seat. If Andy became too hot, Hostler could easily lift the garment off. Hostler also realized that Andy was more secure in her car seat since there was no bulky barrier between her and the harness straps.

Every place Hostler went with Andy and her “cape” people commented on the ingenuity of the garment, including Suzi Crowder, mother of three and owner of Suzi Homemaker Custom Embroidery, whose youngest daughter, Carly, is just a few weeks older than Andy. Crowder encouraged Hostler to obtain a patent for the garment. The two joined forces and together made several practical and innovative modifications, including a clever back opening and interior foot pocket, and that is how Babycapes began.

Babycapes are simple to put on or take off, even while holding a squirming child.

From your arms to the car, there is no need to remove Babycapes. In the car, babies can move freely. When the car warms up, Babycapes can be removed or replaced without unstrapping the child.

When you arrive at your destination, easily remove the child from her seat and place in stroller. The front cozy feature works as a bunting to cover up and protect wiggly toes. And Babycapes innovative design is great for babies in front carriers as well.

One size fits newborns to preschoolers. Babycapes are available in a variety of luxurious, machine-washable fabrics to suit all climates.

For more information email sales@BabycapesOnline.com or visit BabycapesOnline.com.