Voting is now open for the 2012 Cribsie Awards, a ceremony that recognizes the best products and websites for babies, tots, and the parents who adore them.

You can cast your votes for up to sixty awards, honoring the best brands, products, and websites across six categories: Nursery, Fashion, Gear, Play, Mealtime, and Web.

To participate, simply register online at http://cribsieawards.com/ with your email and a password, cast your vote and then confirm them. (Votes are limited to one vote per award, per user. So be sure you’ve made a final decision before confirming your selections.)

This year, the Crisbies are also partnering with The Honest Company with their “One Vote One Diaper” initiative where for every vote cast, a diaper will be donated to a family in need.

Voting is open from February 21st – March 16th
Winners are announced on April 2nd, 2012

For more information, please visit: http://cribsieawards.com/

Momtrends was not paid for this post.

                          

My home office is quite a mess. I have a desk that is piled with papers – some I need and others I don’t – and pens and notebooks all over the place. For 2012, it’s time to get organized by using system to help me keep all of my papers and documents together.

At a recent preview for Martha Stewart Office with Avery, I had the chance to check out the modular Stack+Fit system, an incredible and stylish desk organization system that works. Featuring a line of trays, boxes with lids, inboxes, files and cup holders that are designed to fit on any desk, and the shagreen finish is pretty enough to display anywhere.

Win it! This week, we are giving away the Stack + Fit inbox and the Stack + Fit tray. Through this system you can organize and sort your important papers and documents in style. To enter – tell me why you want to get organized in 2012.

For extra entries (3 extra entries for a total of 4):
1. Like Momtrends on Facebook.
2. Follow @momtrends and @Staples on Twitter.
3. Tweet this message “Get your desk organized with @MarthaStewart @Momtrends and @Staples #giveaway http://bit.ly/A1rhWW”

Full Disclosure: Winner must be 18 years or older and a US Resident. No purchase necessary. Winners will be notified via email with the specifics on how to claim their prize. Contest ends 2/29/12 at Midnight EST. Winners will be picked by random.org. By entering this contest, you will automatically be signing up for the Momtrends newsletter. This is a sponsored post.

                          

I’m all about toys and activities that focus on creative and imaginative play as well as those that are educational and fun. This usually falls in the range of arts and crafts, reading and science games and activities. At a recent preview for American Girl Crafts I had the opportunity to check out their new line of creative-thinking games, crafts and art projects for girls.

The line features 300 products, which includes a wide range of contemporary projects covering creations with paper and embellishments, cool tools, fashion art, room decor, needlecrafts and party. Designed for girls from eight to 12 years old, the line features fun projects like card-making, albums, paper pads, felt storage pouches, scrapbooking, kits to make coin purses, and kits to make jewelry, scarves and bags (to name a few).

At the launch, I loved checking out the crafts and the DIY spirit from the line that features high-quality supplies, designer tools and easy-to-use instructions. These sets are also great for a beginning crafter with  easy-to use instructions, cut-out felt pieces, pre-punched holes, and on-trend designs.

Here are some of my favorite products and some new projects that will be released later this year.

1. Create and Craft Jewelry Keeper (Available Now). This cool kit allows girls to organize their hair accessories, jewelry, stickers, etc. I put this together with my daughter and we loved storing her crayons, hair ties, and bracelets in there. It is also easy to put together and the kit includes colorful adhesive papers to decorate the drawers that can then be ‘jazzed’ up with fun stickers and labels.

2. Historical Character Kits (Available April 2012). I love how many of the American Girls dolls are connected to a different time in history. These new kits are based on handicrafts from various times in history such as weaving, embroidery, painting and string art. The kits also include interesting content about each of the historical characters so that girls can have an understanding of the time.

3. Sew and Shares (Available August 2012). This new kit is a great way to create personalized messages. Simply sew various shapes together (hearts, bags, spiders) that can be used as a pencil topper, hair and fashion accessories or as note (there are pre-cut felt pieces) for quick and easy crafts.

4. Creative Card Making Pad (Available Now). Although I do a lot of communicating online I still do love to send personal thank you notes. This kit is perfect to install the love of thank you notes to your daughter with 29 cards and stickers.

For more information, please visit: http://www.eksuccessbrands.com/

Momtrends was not paid for this post. We were given samples.

                          

Whether you are pregnant or just had a baby, you will need to organize your lingerie into three piles: toss, keep and store for later organization. Jenny Altman of ILoveAGood.com noted that it is important to be  realistic about what deserves valuable drawer space. Here are some of her tips on how to get organized.

Toss: Anything that is torn, frayed, has wires popping out or has not been worn in two plus years should be tossed. Our sizes change often as we get older and have babies, so that tiny little thong and bra you once wore may never fit again. And even if they do (one day…far, far away…) what are the chances you’ll want to wear something that old. Clearing out space makes room for new purchases and that always feels good!

Keep: Bras, panties and camis that worked for the 3-4 months before your pregnancy will probably work right after pregnancy. Try to purchase your nursing bras at month seven or eight so they are a worthy investment. You can wear them towards the end when your breasts keep growing and after baby when you are nursing. Make these functional pieces the main feature of your drawer so that you aren’t feeling guilty when you spot the lacey treat you once wore first thing in the am. It’s a good thing, pregnancy, so get excited about what that porn-star size bra is telling you-a baby is coming!

Store for later: If you have space, even just room at the top of your closet for a storage box, you may keep any bras and panties that you were wearing within the year before your pregnancy. They may fit again, so if you loved these items, spent a small fortune on them, or found them comfortable, hold onto them. BUT-proceed with caution. You are keeping them as a maybe, since they may not work post-baby. Make sure to re-visit the storage box within a year and see if it was worth keeping aside. If items don’t fit by then, make a promise to yourself to toss them and buy some new goodies that will make you feel sexy and excited to wear.

Jenny Altman is a former Fashion Editor at Oprah and Lucky Magazine, who also recently launched, ILOVEAGOOD.com, a site dedicated to women’s intimates.

 For more information and tips from Jenny, please visit: ILOVEAGOOD.com

Momtrends was not paid for this post.

                          

Naming a child can be daunting. Do you go traditional or do you pick a modern name like some celebs – Blue or Apple anyone? Do you pick a family name or do you use a name that you love? Momtrends recently asked The Baby Name Wizard about the popular baby names for 2010 (the 2011 list is available in May) where we discovered some several traditional names (Isabella and Jacob rank number one) to names that you don’t hear that often (Crew and Charleigh). Where does your child’s name rank? (Click here for the complete list).

For more information, please visit: http://www.babynamewizard.com/

Momtrends was not paid for this post.

                          

I love breastfeeding my baby to provide her with the nutrients that she needs during her first years of life. I also love the bonding and the connection we have from nursing as she now looks up at me and smiles and babbles. That being said, it is also hard that along with an older child makes the experience pretty challenging.

We are figuring it out and slowing I see the light thanks to some sleep. So, when they are finally sleeping I sometimes I like to ‘chill’ and decompress with a glass of wine. With nursing, though, I worry about the alcohol in my bloodstream that will eventually get to my baby, which according to studies about 2% of the alcohol consumed will enter into the bloodstream and breast milk. Many people talk about ‘pumping and dumping,’ as a way to enjoy an occasional drink, but since alcohol is not trapped in breast milk, draining your breasts does not completely eliminate alcohol from the system.

Enter MilkScreen, a new home test that is designed to detect the presence of alcohol in breast milk so that moms will know to breast feed or use pre-pumped milk or formula. During a recent and rare date night, I decided to test MilkScreen (not a hard test) by having some wine with my dinner so this would be the perfect chance to test out whether or not I had 13.1 mg/dL or greater of alcohol in my breast milk. After a fun night out and two glasses of wine later, I came home to a sleeping baby but an hour later she was bright-eyed and wanting to nurse.

I quickly tested my breast milk (it takes about two minutes) by expressing some milk on a small strip – (it can also be tested by dipping the strip into a small portion of pumped milk). Any color change on the card means that alcohol is present and if it remains the same color or neutral then alcohol is not present or it is below 13.1 mg/dL. For this test, no alcohol was detected in my bloodstream, which means that after being out for about four hours it was not in my milk by the time I got home. I nursed my baby feeling confident that I took preventative measures – more so that dumping the milk.

Developed by Up Spring Baby and used by celeb moms like Kourtney Kardashian, MilkScreen was created to extend the life of breastfeeding as well as to help parents and moms understand how alcohol metabolizes as well as the amount of time it takes for the alcohol to leave a moms breast milk. As the company noted, “Alcohol is not trapped in breast milk, and draining your breasts will not expedite the elimination of the alcohol out of your system.”

Through this system moms can occasionally enjoy a drink or decide to use formula or pre-pumped breast milk – depending on if any alcohol is detected – to both enjoy a break while also being conscious and aware.

For more information, please visit: http://milkscreen.com/

Montrends was not paid for this post. We were given samples for review purposes
and we do believe in drinking responsibility.

                          

Tea Collection is now introducing their new Spring 2012 Bali Collection, a free shipping offer, and a 10% off coupon. The newest collection has a tropical feel–the Bali Spring 2012 Collection will carry you from the end of winter through spring in style.

10% off Total Purchase
Tea Collection is offering a one time use coupon code good for 10% off your total purchase (no minimum required) with promo code SS12SAS valid through 3/31/12.

For boys we adore this Roll-Up Safari Shirt ($36) in soft jersey. A great transitional item for spring. For girls, we pick the Lukisan botanic top ($30)

And there’s more fashion scoop: Tea Collection’s 3-day sale that starts today! Tea Collection is offering 30% off Sale items for three days only–Tuesday, February 21st through Thursday, February 23rd. Here are the sale details:

30% off all Sale items | Code: YAYEXTRA30 | Offer valid: Tuesday, February 21st through Thursday, February 23rd at 11:59 pm PT

This offer cannot be combined with any other promotions–like the Bali one.

Momtrends was not paid for this post. We do participate in the Tea Collection affiliate program.

                          

According to Jenny Altman of ILOVEAGOOD, this is the perfect time to get yourself a nice selection of cotton seamless underwear (think colorful) as well as comfortable nursing bras and camis that are easy to use (try them out to make sure the lift or clips are easy to maneuver with one hand since that’s all you’ll have for a while). She also suggests that moms-to-be should add some color and prints to their lingerie since these are the first things you put on each morning and can make you feel good throughout your pregnancy. Here are some of her picks on how to transition your lingerie drawer during and post-pregnancy.

Here are a few favorite basics during pregnancy:

Elle Macpherson Intimates Nursing Bra: A wire-free cup with wide straps and soft support is ideal for new mothers.

Belabumbum : Copacabana Lace Wire-free Nursing Bra: This wireless bra offers timeless maternity and nursing designs for all stylish women.

Lace-Cup Wirefree Nursing Bra: This bra features beautiful mesh lace cups and frame as well as contrasting cotton-blend lined cups and frame for comfort.

As soon as you’re feeling up to it, add a little sexy back into your drawer. Luckily you can find sexy sets that also offer function like these:

Coconut Ice Balcony Bra: This sophisticated and alluring bra combines femininity and functionality to create a classy svelte silhouette.

Le Mystère ‘Florence’ Underwire Nursing Bra: This patterned stretch cotton covers the underwire cups of a lace-trimmed nursing bra designed with clips that unhook quickly.

Wild Composure – Nursing Bra: This satin full cup bra embellished with lace is perfect for comfort and support.

For more information, please visit: http://www.iloveagood.com/

Momtrends was not paid for this post.

                          

IMHO, one of the worst things about birthdays is checking a new age bracket in a survey. Nothing is more up-in-your-face than a tic in the next box. Or changing your glance from what fashionistas in their 20s are wearing in the Fashion at Every Age section of Bizarre magazine to the 30s or…gasp…the 40s.

But at least something like designating your age puts emphasis on enjoying it instead of hiding it. Finding the right outfit for your older self, or in the case of Stages of Beauty, the right skin care for your older skin.

Created by an MIT-trained chemical and biological engineer (that’s right…there are major smarts behind this), the mission of this skincare line is to make sure you know how to properly treat your skin at every “stage” of life. Sure, each decade brings on new life challenges (new job, marriage, new house, kids, another new house, menopause, kids’ marriage), so you had better believe there are some skin challenges along the way as well.

This is truly the first line of products that target age brackets. Each line boasts its own tailored cleanser, serum, toner, moisturizer, and scrub. The Radiance line is for women in their 20s, when you want to protect your skin against environmental damage and repair what’s already been done.

The Harmony Line is for you lovelies in your 30s, and it puts a focus on promoting your skin’s ability to exfoliate and make new skin cells, while also supporting collagen and elastin (because you can start to say good-bye to these two important building blocks around this decade). In your 40s? The Elegance Line gives your skin even more firmness, elasticity and toning TLC. The Grace Line is for 50+, hydrating and balancing the effects of hormones.

They use ingredients derived from nature. Think apple stem cells, Swiss cress extract, marine extract, and even monk’s pepper berry extract, a newly discovered restorative and protective ingredient.

Checking that box is still a tough hurdle. But at least you’ll look good doing it.

Stages of Beauty is available at mystagesofbeauty.com.

 Just because I may have recently ticked a box in a new age group, doesn’t mean I don’t want to have fun. I mean, Cyndi Lauper just wants to have fun and she’s like 100 years older than I am. OK, not really 100. 75.

Since I’ve been dipping into the fabulous winter nail trends (those greens really got me), I was excited to see the newest line of Sally Hansen’s Salon Effects. Snakeskin-inspired prints to trendy tweed, fishnets to a sweet love letter (my favorite), these polish strips are quick and easy ways to point (haha) out to other that you’ve got style.

They’re made with real polish. Just peel, line it up with your nail and smooth it on. Then take the file and file it off the top. OK, this might take a bit of practice. Your first few nails won’t look that great.

Granted some of the styles are a tad young for me (like Tattoo Much, which channels Ed Hardy, or Fly with Me, a fluttery butterfly pattern perfect for my little girl and her nickname “The Bug”). But the Misbehaved fishnet is super sexy, and Brattlesnake is subtle fun. Love Letter is so adorable, I just sit there staring at my nails like a sentimental romantic.

The styles last up to 10 days, making my green mani green with envy. And when you’re ready, just take them off with regular nail polish remover. A quick tip for the tips: Because these are made from real nail polish, you’ll have to use all strips immediately upon opening otherwise they’ll dry out.

When it comes to easy age-less beauty, I definitely think Sally has nailed it.

Sally Hansen’s Salon Effects are available at drugstores for $9.99.

I went in for a massage last week (I love my job. I love my job.). Too bad I couldn’t relax because of how stressed I was that the masseuse would see my feet. Yes, I’m the one who cleans for the maid. I also shave before going to the gynecologist. Gotta look nice. So of course, since I was getting a foot rub, my feet should have been in tip-toe condition. Not so. I have had zero downtime for various reasons, so my pedicures have been kicked to the curb lately.

Winter is the time when we need to take care of our tootsies. All that dry air leaves heels cracked and quite frankly quite gross. Even though open toes are in the back of the closets with the espadrilles, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t care for your feet.

I have just what the doctor ordered. Literally. Dr. Krista Archer created this great Sole Savour Cream that is a naturally derived foot cream that heals and restores your feet using oat beta glucan. The first product in the ARCH line, this rich cream also has shea butter, vitamins and essential oils to hydrate, solving dry and cracking skin issues.

What a great way to get a leg up on cracked heels before you have to start to show them again in your slinkiest of Jimmy Choos. Now if you’ll pardon me…I have to set up a massage, so I can show that masseuse a foot or two.

Sole Savour Crème is available at drkristaarcher.com for $30.

Cheryl Fenton is a Boston-based freelance writer, who writes beauty, fashion and fitness for Boston Common, Stuff and Glamour magazines, as well as her own EasyPeasyBlog.com.

Momtrends was not paid for this post. We did receive samples for review purposes.

                          

Petit Bateau, a French clothing company, recently teamed up with musician Herman Dune to create limited edition tee-shirt and shirts as well as cool dog for children!

To celebrate the launch, Herman created a fun video featuring a lovable dog and super catchy lyrics that you and your children will love!

For more information, please visit:http://www.petit-bateau.us/

Momtrends was not paid for this post.