So you’ve seen our current collection of fabrics…

You’ve even seen our new Fall ‘08 line….

And still you’re looking something different, something special, something exclusive…..

Introducing our PPB Exclusives, available only at Nordstroms and Nordstroms.com.

Indulge in the Cherry Blossom Roll with it’s dusty pink blossoms on a golden brown facade.

Or cool off with our two-toned Sea Glass Roll highlighted by floral medallions.

Both bags are available exclusively at Nordstroms for a limited time.

And a word to the wise - Nordstroms is current having their annual Anniversary Sale and the word on the street is that many stores sold out of these exclusives bags on the first day. Be cyber-chic and pick up one of these beauties online while they last.

Read more >> Options >>

Related posts

• No related posts.

While you may still be savoring the summer sun, our design team here at Petunia has been hard at work creating a beautiful collection of custom fabrics for our Fall ‘08 release. What’s inspired us for this autumn? Rich chocolates, decadent creams and delicious cherries. Whether you love Moroccan motifs, peacock plumes, or lacy florals accented by pops of eye-catching color, visit Petunia.com to find your ideal autumn accessory.

Around town or around the world, take Petunia with you this Fall.

Read more >> Options >>

Related posts

• No related posts.

According to a recent article in Parents “The New Face of Fatherhood”, modern fathering has gotten more hands-on, more involved and more daddy chic than ever before. Dads are more likely than in past generations to be stay-at-home dads, to be emotionally connected with their kids and to play an active role in child-rearing. But while the modern dad may be secure in being a stay-at-homer, few guys are thrilled to whip out pastel bottles and toss a floral print diaper bag over their shoulder. So if dads are going to be hosting playdates and toting around tots, they’ll need more masculine gear to do it in.

And designers have been taking note. Recent years have seen an increase in dad-specific baby gear, from utilitarian front baby carriers to manly diaper bags.

Not surprisingly, some of our favorite items for the modern dad are the bags from our Scout Collection. The clean lines and classic silhouette of these bags transcend flavor-of-the-month trends and are highlighted with designer touches like our custom antique brass hardware. Co-owner Braden Jones helped work with the design team on the Scout Collection to ensure that the style, functionality and sentiment of the bags would appeal to modern fathers. “I wanted to make sure that the bag could transition seamlessly from work to the playground, “says Braden, “and so worked on integrating features like the snap-out laptop holder, the removable changing pad and the new low profile handles to give dads a multifunctional bag that didn’t scream ‘Baby on Board’.”

The Scout Collection offers two options for modern dads on the go. The Journey Pack is available in rugged heathered gray or olive green felt and includes nine interior and exterior pocket to hold everything from bottles and baby wipes to your Blackberry and business cards. The Journey Pack also includes a wide adjustable should strap and a signature clip-and-ring closure.

For an added touch of class, the Rubicon Rucksack is constructed out of luxurious black or brown buffalo leather. With even more versatility than the Journey Pack, the Rubicon Rucksack includes two snap-in interiors. The first is geared for fathering with pockets and compartments for bottles, beanies and binkys. The second snap-in interior contains a padded laptop lining and storage for all your work-related needs.

From the boardroom to the baby’s room and beyond…one bag to meet all the needs of modern fathering.

But don’t take our word for it. See what other people are saying about our Scout Collection.

“Details like an adjustable shoulder strap and antique brass hardware take the style quotient to the next level.” - Cool Hunting

“When we first saw photos of this rugged leather satchel, we referred to it as the diaper bag Indiana Jones might carry. Now that we’ve held it in our hands, we know that the Harrison Ford-worthy exterior belies a truly swank interior…Invest in this bag and you may not need to buy another one for years — new baby or no new baby.” - Babble

“The Scout Journey Pack is a great baby bag for stylish dads. It features absolutely tons of pockets and comes with a water resistant changing pad and a cool antique brass wipes case.” - Uncrate

“This is a well tailored and beautifully designed baby hold all. Based around a single strap system in a classic satchel style, The Scout features detachable bottle pockets, a matching embossed wipe case, changing pad and it still has room to fit all of juniors needs, with space left over.” - Style Heist

” I just stumbled upon this fantastic bag, the Scout Rubicon Rucksack in Black Buffalo by Petunia Pickle Bottom… the perfect options for the dad on the go!” - Due Maternity

Though geared for guys, the Scout Collection is also gaining interest among women looking for a bag with less fuss and frill.

“Can you believe this is a diaper bag? The Journey Pack from Petunia Pickle Bottom’s Scout Collection…isn’t too pretty to deliver. It’s billed as a bag that Dads won’t object to toting around, but a minimalist mother will surely appreciate the sophisticated subtlety, too.” - Cookie

Click here to find a retailer to surprise the dad or dad-to-be in your life with something special.

Related posts

• Sightings: PPB around the Web (0)
• Sightings: New Mama J.Lo Scouts Out Chic Daddy Bag (0)
• Sighting: Petunia in the Pages (0)
• Quick Picks for Summer Arrivals (0)
• Haute Topics: USDA Wants Our Cake (0)

Do you know someone expecting this summer? It seems around here that summertime is full of baby showers and deliveries. If you’re looking for the perfect little something to swing by the hospital or drop off at the house, check out our gift sets of organic cotton socks, swaddling blankets and onesies, each available in three delicious color trios.

Sock Gift Set - rated a Babble Best for socks that stay on!

Swaddling Blanket Gift Set - perfect for a chic swaddle that lasts

Onesie Gift Set - soft, snug and stylish, according to Upscale Baby

Related posts

• Scouting Out Finds for the Modern Dad (0)
• Haute Topics: USDA Wants Our Cake (0)
• Gift Giving at it’s Best (0)

Imagine that this is your freezer. No room for ice cream or a bag of peas and good luck trying to fit a frozen pizza in there. No, instead your freezer is full of milk. Breast milk to be exact. Bottles and bottles of breast milk. This is the situation Petunia Pickle Bottom owner Korie Conant found herself in when her now 8-month-old son Beckett was born 2 month early.

Like all preemies, at just 33 weeks Beckett had not mastered the “suck, swallow, breathe” reflex and had to be fed droplets of milk through a tube. Encouraged by the doctors and nurses in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Ventura’s Community Memorial Hospital to pump, pump, pump to keep her supply up, Korie was left with an incredible amount of milk that her newborn son would never use. “Seeing all those sweet little babies in the NICU and hearing horror stories from some of the other mothers about how little milk they were able to produce started to make me feel pretty guilty,” described Korie. “Here I had this overabundance of milk and the mother next to me had almost nothing. I couldn’t just pour the bottles down the drain.” After poking around on the internet, Korie came across the International Breast Milk Project. “From my first visit to the site, I was completely touched,” Korie recalls. “I really connected with the founder’s story of how she started the organization and as tired as I was from the emotional roller coaster of our NICU experience and as daunting as the process seemed—I just felt like this was what I needed to do.”

The International Breast Milk Project is an worldwide organization that provides donated breast milk to the over 3 million infants orphaned by HIV/AIDS in developing countries as well as works to improve the health care, sanitation, education and employment opportunities in the local communities. In May of this year, IBMP sent over 43,000 ounces of tested and pasteurized breast milk to South Africa, including Korie’s - equal to 10,000 meals for infants in need. “I felt very connected to the mission of the Milk Project and excited to be a part of it. Though there was a small pang of fear when it was all packed up and ready to be shipped. It was completely irrational fear…like Oh my gosh, what if my milk dries up tomorrow and I have nothing to feed my son!”

Although initially donating the milk seemed overwhelming, “the whole process turned out to be very simple,” Korie explains. “The people within the organization simplified the process so very little burden was placed on donors. All correspondences were short and to the point. Every shipment contained simple instructions, pre-addressed and pre-paid envelopes. I simply filled out the online application to begin the process and everything else just sort of flowed like clockwork.” For Korie, the experience meant an empty freezer and relief knowing that her extra milk was going to good use. For the orphans in Africa who received Korie’s milk, it meant life.

If you or someone you know if interested in donating milk or money to the International Breast Milk Project, visit www.breastmilkproject.org for information.

Beckett Conant, 8 months

Related posts

• Let Not the Past be Forgotten (0)
• Legacy: Howard Jones (1)
• Arm in Arm: Isis Maternity & Ellie Fund Success! (0)
• Arm in Arm: Isis Maternity & The Ellie Fund (1)
• Arm in Arm: Hands & Feet Project (0)

Meet our feature store of the month - It’s Hip To Be Round

The girls at It’s Hip to Be Round know what every pregnant mom needs - fabulous finds that allow you to preserve a sense of self and sexiness while your body feels anything but normal! From designer maternity wear and diaper bags to strollers and nursing supplies, It’s Hip To Be Round offers everything moms and moms-to-be crave.

What prompted you to open It’s Hip To Be Round?
I opened It’s Hip to be Round to provide the women of Richmond, VA a fun and friendly place to shop while they are pregnant, and after baby is born too. There was nowhere in Richmond to find great maternity clothes and diaper bags all in the same place, and I knew it could come together for us!

What about your business brings you the most satisfaction?
Helping a pregnant woman who feels not-so-great in her changing (and growing!) body feel better about herself and her wardrobe options.

Top 5 things people are buying today?
(1) Designer maternity jeans-because they don’t feel like giving up exceptional fit that they are used to just because they are pregnant.

(2) Nursing apparel-it has gotten so much better looking, better feeling, and is wearable during pregnancy and after.

(3) Diaper bags-our customers know now that they don’t have to get a utilitarian diaper bag that is heavy and bulky or lightweight and flimsy-that they can get form AND function….they are going for the bags that have multiple carrying methods (especially the Boxy Backpack!), and that stand out as a great bag that just so happens to be a great diaper bag too.

(4) Wrap dresses-they work from the early fat days, through the very end, and in the post-partum fat days that no one warned them about! I have more customers coming back telling me how they are still wearing their favorite maternity clothes nearly a year after they have their babies!

(5) Slings-especially for 2nd timers, who have a toddler to keep up with as well as their newborn. Thanks to the prints and styles available, they are probably more popular right now than the Baby Bjorn was in its heyday!

Read the entire interview with the girls of It’s Hip To Be Round here. Be sure to visit them if you’re in Richmond, VA or check out their online store - here are some of our favorite finds.

Related posts

• Retail Therapy: Serendipity Baby & Co. (0)
• Retail Therapy: Mulberry Road (0)
• Retail Therapy: A Bun in the Oven (0)
• A Good Movie and A PPB Diaper Bag (0)

The Insider column introduces the people and places that make up Petunia Pickle Bottom. Click here for past episodes.

Meet Morgan Simpson – Employee 001 & Sr. Account Manager

Wow, Employee 001. You do realize that there is only one number one. I know, crazy. I was the first person hired at PPB to help out part-time to fill orders and do quality control. That was almost 6 years ago! Some of my fondest memories were chatting it up with the owner’s moms while we sat at a big table prepping bags and filling orders. What started out as a family business has grown to an internationally renowned company – it’s been amazing to be along for the ride.

So you’ve seen a lot of changes go on at Petunia over the years. What hasn’t changed? The company culture. PPB remains a fun, passionate business full of dedicated employees. I consider all of my co-workers to be more than colleagues, and they are some of the most genuine, smart and fun people I have ever met. We have true friendships and one thing in common: a love for the PPB brand.

So now that those days of part-time quality control work are over, what do you do at Petunia now? The formal description would be that I manage all of our domestic accounts to ensure a positive relationship with retailers and am the liaison with our sales team. I also deal with all prospective new accounts. However, the less formal description is “the dabbler”.

What’s the best part of being The Dabbler? Definitely interacting with retailers. Over the years, I have established some great relationships with store owners and really enjoy hearing about their families, the accomlishments of their stores and their success with PPB.

Such as… Stork’s Nest of Old Pueblo comes to mind. Whenever we talk I feel like I am talking to an old friend – so supportive and enthusiastic about PPB. I have been working with them for several years and love to see them continue to be so successful with the brand.

Also, I have to give a “shout out” to my old buddy, Stu, from Go To Baby in NYC. I have been working with Stu since I started at PPB. Stu runs a great store and has always shown so much support to PPB throughout the years. It’s been a privilege to watch his business and his family grow over the years.

Which products are retailers and reps reporting are the hottest PPB items right now? The Boxy Backpack (always!), the Touring Tote, our Scout bags and our new Cosmopolitan Carryall. A retailers and reps are both eagerly anticipating the release of our Fall fabrics which will be out in the coming months.

Do you have a favorite Petunia bag? The Misty Shanghai Touring Tote. I consider my style to be “classic” – not too trendy and not too plain Jane. The Misty Shanghai exudes elegance and class. I love that I can wear the bag with jeans & a t-shirt or a black dress and it still looks great! I always get a ton of compliments when I carry this bag.

You run Petunia’s San Diego office. How would you describe the office décor? We work in the old, historic Spreckels Theatre built in 1919. The building still has many of the original fixtures including two “safes” we use as closets and all of the original marble and tile. Our office is adorned with soft pink walls, chocolate carpet and PPB product proudly displayed throughout.

Any dark secrets of the SD office you’re willing to share? Since we work in a theatre building, we often get some big name bands in town such as Arcade Fire, Damian Rice, etc. The band tour busses often sit right outside of our offices and occasionally when a band is in town, we’ll sneak down for 10 minutes and try to get into the “sound check.” If that doesn’t work, we have been known to do a “walk by” of the tour bus on our lunch break in hopes of catching a glimpse of someone famous. We’re a little star-struck down here in SD.

Okay, short answer…Favorite beauty product? Sabon Lavender/Apple Body Scrub. Your skin will feel like silk!

Three things we can always find in your purse? Neutrogena “Dreamy” lip gloss, a hair clip (the perfect solution to any bad hair day) and PPB Business Cards since I’m always on the road.

Here’s an imaginary $1000. You spend it on… Plane tickets to Kona. I’m in a wedding at Kona Village in October and the airline tickets are astronomical!!

I cannot live without… My husband, Louie. He rules.

Related posts

• The Insider: Miller Jones (0)
• The Insider: Meet Rachel (0)
• The Insider: Meet Pepper (1)
• The Insider: Meet Mindy (0)
• The Insider: Meet Melissa (0)

Happy 4th of July from Petunia Pickle Bottom

Related posts

• No related posts.

We always keep a toy or two stashed in our Petunia bags when we head out with the little ones, but what about at home? How do you keep toys fashionably stashed? A few beautiful finds for tucking away toys in style.

The Charles with Chalkboard at Modern Nursery

Bertie Toy Box at Modern Tots

Netto Collection Felt Basket at 2 Modern

Argington Fuji Box at NurseryInStyle

How do you store your toys?

Related posts

• No related posts.

Looking to work with a collection of innovative, creative and design-minded individuals? If you are interested in joining the Petunia Pickle Bottom team, click here to check out our current on-site and field openings. We are always looking for talented and passionate individuals to join our offices.

Related posts

• No related posts.