Cuddle-Up Blankets on TV!
Was just watching Pride & Prejudice (one of my all time favorite stories!!!) and saw a commerical for Tori and Dean’s new reality show. Almost fell off the sofa when I caught a couple of shots of her kids with their Ambajam blankets! It’s always so exciting to see our products in action! If you watch the show keep an eye out for the blankets…and lets us knw if you see them!! 
Mother’s Day Soiree in the City!
Calling all Denver area mums, aunts, grandmas, girlfriends, ladies in general! Come join Ambajam and a host of local women-owned businesses to celebrate Mother’s Day in style with an indulging afternoon of shopping and pampering.
This is going to be a great event and a fun way to celebrate women and women-owned businesses.
Mark you calendars and get your tickets now! Click here for more information. Look forward to seeing you there.
blogging workshop with olivia
My great friend Olivia Omega Logan is hosting a blogging workshop here at Ambajam tonight. Great to have a bunch of local companies like Bruz Wear, Baby Candy, Shady Baby and Worthwhile Style participating.
Olivia, founder of Baby Candy and Congrats from Colorado recently launched her new PR/Marketing firm called 30 Wishes Consulting. Olivia has a ton of experience in the PR/Marketing arena. She has wealth of knowledge and unlimited ideas! If you are looking for creative, out of the box PR/Marketing help, particularly though not limited to the Baby/Maternity industry, definitely give Olivia a call. She’s awesome and I’m not just saying that because she’s a good friend!
The Mini Social
Have you heard of “The Mini Social”? If not, check it out here. Basically it is an online sample sale site where you can get great deals on kids clothing and accessories. It’s an invitation only site (no cost to become a member) that hosts two or more designer sample sales per week. This week they are featuring Ambajam so go check it out!
Stuck at LAX
So, I woke up this morning at 4:30am so that I could make it to the airport for a 7am flight to LA…and then onwards to Kona and a much anticipated get away. Unfortunately, as the pilot was doing his walk around in Denver, he noticed fuel leaking from the plane…never a good sign! After much waiting around they decided it was not a problem that could be fixed so we were re-routed to another plane. Not a big deal other than the fact that my new flight got me in half an hour after my connection had taken off for Kona. Ugg, now I am stuck at LAX for close to 7 hours!! But it’s not all bad.
I just spoke with a woman who told me a story that puts it all in perspective. She used to work at United’s Red Carpet room in Phoenix. One evening she was helping a guy whose flights had been all screwed up and he was having to spend an extra night in Phoenix. She commented to him that he was handling it all very well given the huge inconvenience. He told her that a few years prior he had been rushing out of the house to go to work when the phone rang. He got caught up on the call and was very late leaving. He was angered that the call had delayed him and that he would now be late for work. Incredibly, the call actually saved his life. Had he left on time he would have been at the Federal Building in Oklahoma City when it was bombed. Incredible. I have goose bumps just writing that.
I guess when we get tossed these inconveniences we have to accept that sometimes they may be just what we need. While I would love to have been on my original plane which would have gotten me in with time for lunch, a swim and some good quality time with my niece and nephew, this isn’t so bad. It’s given me time to address a work issue (will those ever end??), catch up with friends and emails, chat to some very interesteing people and just slow down. So, here I am…hanging at LAX…I wonder what will happen next…or who I might meet?
CPSIA Recap and Info
There is a lot going on in the kids industry these days and I apologize for my tardiness in reporting back to you. See below for a recap on CPSIA and the last couple of months.
The day after Christmas I received a call from my good friend Olivia of Baby Candy. Olivia broke the news to me that all of us involved in the kids industry were going to be facing some major challenges due to the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). I had heard a bit about CPSIA in the fall (the act was signed into law by Bush in August) but, like many people, had understood the law to only be focused on children’s toys. Instead, as I learned from Olivia, the law actually required lead and phthalate (chemicals often used to soften plastics) testing on ALL products geared towards kids 12 and under. This came as a huge surprise, and along with that surprise, came much confusion and fear. Even with the challenging economic times, I had been excited about kicking off 2009. After Olivia’s call, that excitement was tempered with the realization that my business, and those of many people I know, could be in jeopardy. While confident that our products would check out, I cannot deny that I had many sleepless and fretful nights trying to figure out how to continue moving Ambajam forward while at the same time addressing the issues of CPSIA.
There is NO question that all of us involved in the kids industry want to make sure that our products are safe and compliant. However, as currently written, the law places an incredible burden on businesses, particularly small businesses. Currently, we are able to put in place our own “reasonable testing procedures” – we have done this by working with a licensed inspector who tested our products with a XRF gun….and we PASSED WITH FLYING COLORS!! We also tested clear of any phthalates. But once 3rd party testing is required the financial burden may become insurmountable and cause many businesses to go out of business. Third party testing, as currently stipulated would require you to test a sample from each product from each production run. So, when you do another run of the same product, using the same raw materials, a sample would still be required to be tested even if that exact same product had been compliant on a prior run. Given her production cycle, quantity of products and components, Olivia estimates that 3rd party testing of her products would cost her upwards of ONE MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR! My estimation is that it would cost Ambajam in the hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, to prove, what we already know from our own testing, that our products are compliant.
This is undoubtedly a difficult time for our industry, but one of the amazing things to come out of this challenge has been the community we have built here in Colorado. Many seemingly competitive businesses have joined together under the banner of Congrats from Colorado to share information, costs, resources and support. We have hosted forums (to discuss the law and its ramifications), lead testing “parties” (yes, we tried to make them fun!), press conferences and much more (see the photos below from some of our events). Olivia has even started the CPSIA Cheerleader blog, the purpose of which is to encourage small business owners, share resources, and develop strategies to take advantage of a very tough situation.
There is so much to understand about the new law. I am sure I cannot do it justice here so instead, I would like to share with you a number of sites and resources that will provide you with information about this law and its ramifications. Please check it out – CPSIA affects everyone from the manufacturer to the retailer to the consumer.
Consumer Products Safety Commission
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- CPSIA Forum
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- Olivia being interviewed by Channel 4 News
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- The first lead testing party at Ambajam
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- Lead testing
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- Short Hats gets tested
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- More testing
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- Yay! We passed the lead test!
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- Interview with Fox 31 News
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- National Bankruptcy Day Press Conference
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- Local Colorado Products at risk
Comforting cuddle-up blankets
As Ambajam continues to grow it has been interesting and rewarding to hear what our products have come to mean to our extended family of customers. While our snuggly blankets, if I do say so myself, have fast become family favorites, the cuddle-up blankets seem to also be bringing a lot of comfort to both kids and adults dealing with illnesses. Below are just a few of the comments we have received from people for whom the blankets have provided comfort during challenging times.
“Hi Ambajam! I’ve attached a picture of my daughter Devon Rachel, taken about 2 months ago when she was about 4 months old. My mom got her this Ambajam blanket right before she went into the hospital for heart surgery, so she’d have something soft and snuggly in the hospital bed. She loves it! This picture is taken about two weeks post-surgery once we were home. Just wanted to say thanks for a great product that helped us get through a tough time! We take this blanket everywhere now…” – Sara in Maryland
“During my father’s extended hospital stay, he received an Orange and Green Ambajam Jumbo Cuddle as a gift. Literally everyone entering the room commented on the soft beautiful blanket, but beyond that it became his favorite item that he asked for constantly. A crisis arose when the blanket got mixed up with general Hospital Laundry and a search effort was launched to retrieve the now famous “soft Orange Blanket”. Happy Ending, the blanket was found 5 days later after being sent out of state to Ohio to a commercial laundry service! We still have this wonderful blanket which added a little extra comfort and coziness to an otherwise difficult time.” – Helena in Colorado
“Thank you so much for the snuggly blanket – I just love it. My orange jumbo cuddle brough me great comfort while I was in hospital” - Sareana in Arizona
We would love to hear any stories you might have. Just email us at info@ambajam.com
We’re going to Napa, baby!!
So, last Saturday my friend Olivia from Baby Candy, Congrats from Colorado and CPSIA Cheerleader and I went to a benefit for the hemophilia society put on by our friend Kathryn from Bruz Wear. Kathryn’s son, Nicholas, an energetic little guy, has a bleeding disorder. (Click here to read Kathryn’s inspiration for starting Bruz Wear – it’s a great story).
Anyway, to make a long story short, Olivia and I decided to buy a raffle ticket for the grand prize – a trip to Napa complete with airfare, hotel accomodations, private wine tour and a hot air balloon ride! I am a firm believer in positive thinking and I kept saying to Olivia that we were going to win. I even told the woman who took the ticket that I had put some “mojo” on it and that it was bound to be the winning ticket. And guess what??? We won! I have never in my life won anything at a raffle or auction so I almost feel over, even after all my professing that we were going to win, when we actually did! While the trip was couched as a “romatic getaway” (yeah, that sounds really great to those of us who are single!!!) we are turning it into a girls’ weekend and the three of us, Olivia, Kathryn and myself are going. The last couple of months have been a bit challenging for all of us in the kids industry so a trip to Napa sounds pretty good! Now to coordinate everyone’s schedules and get the trip booked!!
It’s our Birthday!
Woohooo, we’re turning two!
Today is Ambajam’s 2nd birthday!! It’s hard to believe it was two years ago already that I embarked on this grand adventure. And what an adventure it has been! As some of you may know, I was on the search for a special and perfect gift for my friend’s newborn twins when the idea for Ambajam first started percolating in my head. Being the type of person who likes to just dive right in, I soon found myself surrounded by piles of fabrics, animal shapes, onesies and an ever evolving idea to create a unique, fun and playful line of quality baby and toddler clothing and accessories.
From the start though, Ambajam has always been more to me than just a product line. Ambajam is a family, a lifestyle. We want you all to feel a part of what Ambajam is all about which is why we love to run fun contests like our “Little Ambajamers” photo contest. We also love to hear our customers’ stories…how their child refuses to go to sleep without their cuddle-up blanket in hand or how their child now has an obsession with frogs thanks to the Ambajam froggie tees and pants! It’s so rewarding to hear these stories and see the photos. There is no denying that this is a tough business. Trying to build a brand from scratch has inherent challenges, frustrations and moments of desperation! However, those challenges and frustrations always fade to the background when I talk with our customers or receive a fun email or photo. Funnily enough, I received the following photo from a customer just as I was writing this post!
Madeline and her Pink Mini Cuddle
It has also been so rewarding to see the response we have been receiving on our blog. Our blog is a way to share info and stories about what’s going on at Ambajam while at the same time offering fun contests and helpful information to our readers on subjects ranging from best gifts for dads to sleep tips for babies (a great post written by our fabulous guest blogger, Nicole Johnson).
As we step over the threshold into “Year Three”, I am excited by what we have accomplished so far and am confident that this year we will continue to build the reputation of Ambajam as a “go to” venue for must have baby and toddler items. Our belief is that every baby should have an Ambajam Cuddle-up blanket – so help us spread the word!
In closing, I wanted to share a poem that my mum wrote when Ambajam first launched. It captures the Ambajam spirit pretty well I think!
Ambajam is who I am
and who I am is Ambajam!
Come join the fun, see what I’ve done.
It’s fun I’ve done so please do come
into my world of colors bold,
where frogs and turtles come to play,
and elephants with trunks that spray
dots and circles both large and small
on onesies, blankets, quilts for all.
Mile High “T” Party!
We are excited to join a number of other local Colorado T-shirt designers in the first ever “Mile High T Party” benefiting The Children’s Hospital Foundation. Featuring lots of fun, food, tea and “tees” this should be a great event. Topping it all off will be a kid’s t-shirt fashion show which is bound to be entertaining with a bunch of 1-5 year olds walking the catwalk!
The Mile High T Party is the inspiration of our friend Olivia Omega Logan. In January 2007, Olivia’s son Gabriel contracted RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus). At 11 months old, he was admitted to The Children’s Hospital in Parker, CO for treatment over five days. Shortly after Gabriel’s release from the hospital, Olivia left her career in marketing to care for him and to launch her infant and toddler T-shirt line, Baby Candy. Since his treatment, Gabriel, Olivia and the rest of the family have been great supporters of The Children’s Hospital. The Mile High T Party aims to raise awareness of and support for all the important work done by the doctors, nurses and staff of Children’s Hospital.
Gabriel will join Holland, my good friend’s 2 1/2 year old daughter (a twin who underwent heart surgery at Children’s Hospital recently) as the Ambajam models at the fashion show. Holland and her twin brother Will have been modeling for Ambajam since they were wee ones. They have become great promoters of Ambajam as Will won’t sleep without his cuddle-up blankets (all 10 of them!) and Holland is obsessed with frogs thanks to all her Ambajam froggie tees!
Anyway, we’ll be sure to get some photos at the show and post them so you can see our adorable models. In the meantime, here are Gabriel and Holland – they are going to make such a cute pair strutting down the catwalk!
See below for more details about the event.
