Who knew Christmas shopping was patriotic?!

Nothing gives me Christmas cheer more than knowing I finished my Christmas shopping in November - simply because it gives me anxiety NOT to. Now I have been vindicated in my obsessiveness! I was looking for World War 2 era images for my son's room (he is probably the ONLY 7 year old with an Allied Command Center theme for his room) and I came upon this propaganda poster which really gave me a chuckle. Hope you all enjoy it also and I wish everyone a fantastic Christmas and Holiday Season!

Letters to Santa

Early every Christmas season I have my kids write their annual letters to Santa - a good writing exercise, complete with the prerequisite niceties before they just delve into pure unadulterated greed. This year I got quite a chuckle out of my 7 year old son's letter. Not one to mince words, he begins: "Dear Santa, Hope you are good. Here's my list:" (a warm entry, guaranteed to impress any Saint Nick) followed by a tornado of items (literally cascading in the shape of a tornado) down the page. The list includes a litany of things ranging from the trite and fanciful to the expensive and ridiculous. On the list was a pet SNAKE (soooo not happening), a Carrera (does this mean Porsche?!),  and every toy that has made a cameo appearance on a television commercial during the past month (who says advertising doesn't work?)

"How about asking how the reindeer and Mrs. Clause are doing," I asked? "They're fine" he said, too eager to ensure he gets what's coming to him. "Santa doesn't like greedy children," I added. He just grinned (this only applies to other greedy children, silly me.) Sigh. I just hope he doesn't actually complain about his gifts again this year. Last year he volunteered to donate all his new books to the "poor children" and told his Auntie Peggy that she got him the wrong Zhu Zhu pet. Even hard lessons fall on deaf ears. He lost privileges and gifts for these transgressions, and has been duly forewarned about repeating these mistakes but we live in fear of a repeat. Dad likes to remind him that Santa is a generous man but that his wallet will slam shut in a New York minute if you try him.

Dear Santa, I have to believe........that you take returns!

If anyone has funny letters to Santa you would like to share with me, I would be glad to post them on my blog. Contact me via this blog or on Facebook.

Be a Superstar Artist - Cheeky Blank Template & Entry Information

Cheeky Banana needs a glamorous look for her new movie role.

 Any child up to age 12 is eligible to enter. Glam up Cheeky and you can win your design on a custom Specialty Tee!

Contest Entry Information:

LIKE Cheeky Banana on Facebook and PRINT the template below for your child to color & customize. You can mail or photograph/email your entry and it will be posted on facebook for voting. No cell phone pics, please!Child's first name & state only will be used to identify their entry.

Voting:

Post your first name/city/state as a comment under the desired image/entry. Only one vote per person. Encourage friends & family to vote too!Winner will be selected by the general public in an open vote of Cheeky Banana Facebook followers. Contest ends November 30, 2011. Winner will be posted on the Cheeky Banana Facebook Page. For more information contact lesleyfleming@cheekybanana.com. Mail entries to 8816 Braceridge Rd, Raleigh NC 27613.

Click to enlarge image for printing:

Dancing Around School Dress Codes

As if matching wasn’t enough, now parent’s need to navigate the challenge of making sure their kid’s school clothing meets school dress codes! These vary from school to school and even on campuses between elementary, middle, and high schools as new issues arise with older children. The 3-strap rule surprises many parents of kindergarteners who are shocked to learn that their daughter’s church dress doesn’t pass muster at school. This rule stipulates that shoulder straps must be about 2” (or 3 fingers) wide. Like most rules, it was designed to keep high school girls from baring too much skin. Most high schools have restrictions on skirt lengths and t-shirt graphics, for good reason.

Ironically, many grandparents remember a dress code that forbade pants for girls and long hair for boys. Now the tables are turned with restrictions on dresses and skirts in some schools that require shorts to be worn underneath.

My daughter just entered middle school to find that leggings are mostly forbidden – a staple among most girls! Upon further investigation, we learned that this restriction can be navigated by wearing a dress, skirt or long tunic over the leggings.

It is important for parents to understand the dress policies of their child’s school prior to investing a lot of money in their child’s wardrobe or they may find themselves stuck with a lot of clothes that will never be worn. 

School Fashions Rule – but staying cute takes wit!

It’s almost time to send the little darlings back to school and time to organize your child’s fall wardrobe again. Keeping your school-age daughter happy AND fashionable requires a little forethought. Plaids are big this fall….and ruffles, a curious disconnect – yet both can be woven into your child’s wardrobe while still maintaining her and your fashion preferences.

Older elementary school age girls seem to prefer working in hues of blues and purples, while the pinks and lavender remain the mainstay for the younger set. As a general rule it is better to invest in more pants and legging sets for girls in the 7-16 age group as the rejection of dresses occurs at this point. Shorter skirts and dresses are still super cute on the older girls, but there are tricks to pulling this off. Avoid tights, as they are too restricting and traditional to appeal to most girls in this age group. Biker shorts or leggings worn under skirts and dresses make them monkey-bar proof and will increase the likelihood that your little girl will choose to wear them.

You can’t beat the hip look of boots with leggings and skirts and dresses. Low heel go-go boots with leggings and skirts add punch to a sweet outfit and cowboy boots with dresses are a fun twist that adds the individuality girls crave. Boots are super too because you can buy them two sizes larger (since they won’t fall off) and get a good 2 years out of them.

Finally, don’t forget to pick up some crazy mismatched socks. They are all the rage and kids will love wearing them with a skirt or dress. Many schools even feature a “crazy socks day” to boot!

-Lesley Fleming, Designer

Cheeky Banana - specialty children’s clothing

Lesley is a mother of two who designs and manufactures a line of girl’s classic-contemporary boutique clothing in sizes 2-12: Cheeky Banana. All of the clothing is manufactured in North Carolina, where Lesley calls home. To see the designs visit Cheeky Banana on facebook  at http://www.facebook.com/cheekybanana or the website http://www.cheekybanana.com

Cheeky Banana Photo Shoot Guidelines

Because it is THAT time of the year again when an exciting new collection is being birthed, I felt it would be easier to post the photo shoot information for prospective models to review. Please contact me with any questions. My samples are almost exclusively in a size 4, which is why I look for a model in that size.

-Lesley

Note on Sizing: a size 4 model needs to measure: chest 20.5", hips 23", height around 42.5" otherwise the clothes won't fit well and the pics won't work.

Cheeky Banana Photo Shoot Guidelines

• Child must show up ready-to-go: be clean & well-groomed (hair up or away from face, no nail polish, no temporary tattoos, and proper shoes for shoot as pre-arranged)
• Child must be able and willing to stay and fulfill all planned photo shoot requirements for that day (normally an hour or so at a planned location)
• A parent must accompany each child model to be responsible for assisting with dressing, undressing, re-fixing hair, and ensuring cooperation
• Please no extra kids/siblings – the models tend to get frustrated when they see other kids playing while they are having to "work."
• Child model must be able to maintain a pleasant disposition and be cooperative. For this reason I advise parents to consider a child’s temperament over physical attributes as the child must enjoy having their photo taken, hamming it up, and not mind changing clothes a few times for their personality to come through in the photos. I cannot use photos if a child appears unhappy or uncomfortable.
• If all the above are met, the parent will receive a complimentary photo CD of the shoot, copies of any ads or mailings that feature their child (if applicable) for their portfolio, and a $10 gift card to Target for the child so she can buy a toy of her choosing as a reward. Based on availability, and in lieu of the gift card, a child that does a great job and is able to photograph for more than 3 outfits may choose from a size 4 outfit in stock (not the new samples as those are needed for market.)
• No eating or playing while wearing sample clothes
• A photo release is required. This details how the images will be used to ensure that Cheeky Banana is authorized to use the images of a minor with parent approval. Names are never used. 

Summer Sun Sense

Summer swimsuit weather is here and I can’t help noticing the fashion trend towards bikinis for girls of all ages. They are temptingly cute but I can’t help heed the nagging voice of dermatologists everywhere telling us to protect our babies’ skin! Think about it: kids spend ALL of their time wearing swimwear in the open sun and water, not under the shade of an umbrella. This means that even the best sunscreen will have a limited benefit over time.

This is an argument for fashion over function, not often a cause célèbre among designers. Apart from the nature of child’s water play being impractical for skimpy tops - specifically belly slides & flops that can cause injury from rubbing/chafing on a child’s midsection; it just makes sense to have less square footage to lather sunscreen on. For most parents applying and re-applying sunscreen is a battle. Kids just don’t like it. Minimize the drama by having kids’ swimsuits that include a swim shirt (preferably long sleeve) and separate swim bottoms. They are practical and easy to wear for all outdoor water play. Keep in mind kids are always wet so they won’t be hot. I am skeptical of many tankini tops that are as bare in the back as bikinis. Make sure to check out the back as well as the front when considering a tankini for water & sun safety.

Start a fashion trend in your neighborhood. I did and we are all safer for it!

-Lesley Fleming, Designer

Cheeky Banana - specialty children’s clothing

Lesley is a mother of two who designs and manufactures a line of girl’s classic-contemporary boutique clothing in sizes 2-12: Cheeky Banana. All of the clothing is manufactured in North Carolina, where Lesley calls home. To see the designs visit Cheeky Banana on facebook  at http://www.facebook.com/cheekybanana or the website http://www.cheekybanana.com

Cheeky Banana: Missed The Boat Giveaway!

Hi everyone!

After a customer who purchased a Cheeky Banana outfit on Zulily contacted me to let me know that she and many others did not receive their shipments in time to make the Clothes Hog Giveaway earlier this month I decided I needed to do one more for the season so that everyone has a fair shake. So here are the details:

The new "Missed the Boat" Giveaway runs May 19th-May 31st. Choose an outfit of your choice: anything I have in inventory. I have noted sizes under the image in the album photos if I have it in stock!  In order to enter you can do several things, only the first of which is required. The others simply buy you additional entries to win, so go ahead and be greedy! I will draw your name the old fashioned way: by scribbling it on a piece of paper & picking it out of a bowl, so if you have more entries, you have more paper!

1. Follow/Like Cheeky Banana on Facebook (you MUST COMMENT on the giveaway posting by writing your first name & state so I know you entered and so I can differentiate you if someone else has the same name! (mandatory entry)
2. Email me a picture of your child wearing a Cheeky Banana outfit to post on the Celebrity Album (coming soon) because everyone is a star according to Cheeky! Just make sure it is not a cell phone picture as these can be too grainy! (1 entry)
3. Follow my Cheeky Chatter blog here (one entry)
4. Share the giveaway with your facebook friends (one entry) - you need to let me know you did this on the comment too!
5. Subscribe to Cheeky Banana's "Cheeky News" newsletter on the Cheeky Banana website for special events - this is actually not monthly but for the occasional online or local sales events.  (one entry)

Winner will be posted on the Cheeky Banana Facebook Page on June 1st! 

My most prestigous degree: A Master in Silly Putty

Yes, this IS my proudest achievement of late. Only a dedicated mom would scour the internet late into the night to figure out how to remove Silly Putty from her son's berber polyester fleece pullover and only the most determined would persevere through several rounds on the Silly Putty website to move from "puttyhead" to "Master of Silly Putty" and then actually print out the diploma on a color printer and frame it. My real college diploma? ....have no idea where it is, but the important thing here is that the silly putty came out with a good dose of Goof Off and hot water.

I can honestly tell you I have spent more time analyzing how to remove stains and assess shrinkage than would be considered sane by most standards. This is because I HAVE to. I am the mother of 2 children AND I design & manufacture girl's clothing. I love clothing, especially kids' clothing because they look so darn cute in it. Truth is, my ship has sailed so I live vicariously through my children. Stains interfere with the value and enjoyment of our clothes, so I am going to share some tips that I have tested and really work:

1. Treat the stain as soon as possible. I swear by Oxyclean Gel (the blue stuff you can get at Target or anywhere). Glob it on thick and let it fester for as long as a few days if the stain is set pretty bad. I have been know to repeat treatments as many as 3 times and finally achieve success. Don't use bleach. It doesn't do nearly as well and you can end up ruining even your own clothes if it splatters.
2. Machine wash COLD and LINE DRY anything you care about. Clothes won't fade or shrink and stains are less likely to set if not tossed in the dryer. Plus the environment will thank you. Use the few extra moments in the laundry room to eat the chocolates you hid from the kids.
3. For berry stains- use hot water. For blood stains -use cold water. To get things off your walls (if you have a boy you will experience this!) use the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Things that don't come out: highlighter & Sharpie pens.  Grease, grass, bananas, ink, chocolate and lots of offending things are easily removed with the above steps.

I hope these tips help new and not-so-new parents save a lot of headaches. It took me years and trial & error to find what works and I've learned so much from testing fabrics. Feel free to contact me with tips or questions of your own that you would like to share!