The recent Isis Maternity Fashion Show benefiting the Massachusetts- area Ellie Fund we told you about here was a huge success! Thanks so much for all of you who participated in the evening. Take a look at some of the coordinated looks from the runway with maternity wear available at Isis Maternity and PPB’s Glazed Clutches.

Click here to learn more about the classes, products and services available at Isis Maternity or the good work of The Ellie Fund.

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Think that you and your little one have what it takes to be the next face of Petunia Pickle Bottom? We’re always looking for moms and tots that embody the Petunia style for up-coming photo shoots. Read all the requirements here and then upload photos to our casting call form.

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

Meet Kendall McKinley – Master Marketing Coordinator

So what does coordinating marketing really mean?
I work on all marketing related materials and projects. A major focus of mine is trade shows from application to show recap, set-up to breakdown.

What’s the best part about trade shows?
Getting to travel to fun places and meet all the other vendors. I’ve made a lot of good friends with other vendors that I would have never met had I not been at all these trade shows.

Heels or flats when you’re working the trade show floor?
Ohh, toughie. I own more heels than flats but right now I just loving flats. It’s a draw.

Do you have a favorite bag you love to highlight at the trade shows?
My favorite bag is the new Cosmopolitan Carryall in Midnight Blackberry Cake. I love the design of the silhouette. It’s exactly my style and I love the long shoulder straps!

We get a ton of feedback from women who don’t have kids and still use Petunia bags as their go-to purse. Not having kids yourself, what are your tips for how to rock a PPB bag as a non-mom?
The bags rock themselves. They make great purses with all the pockets and ample room. I most recently test wore the Cosmopolitan Carryall for the last trade show and just loved everything about it. The size was perfect, and since it is an actual diaper bag it’s loaded down with pockets galore - a huge plus. I was always able to find my cell phone and my car keys because they each had their very own pocket on the outside of the bag that was easy to access. I also recently discovered that the Boxy Backpack makes a great overnight bag for my puppy when we go out of town.

So the dog has its own PPB bag? Geez, ruff life…..(get it? Ruff?)
Funny. Yes, Mercedes (English Cocker Spaniel) prefers to travel in style with her Trotting in Tiergarten Boxy to carry her necessities. The nature theme is animal-appropriate and the Glazed fabric can stand up to her sharp little nails.

Where did the name Mercedes come from?
She is almost 100% black but with one small circle of white on her chest that looks like the Mercedes car emblem. I personally like to call her “Mercedes Girl” in a high pitched singing tone. She’s so cute! Feel free to post her picture….

Alright…

How about some fill in the blank.

I can make a mean ________ in the kitchen.
Mess…though my tortilla soup is pretty rock’n.

I cannot live without my ___________.
Slip-on tennis shoes! Oh so comfortable and oh so easy to slip right into. Maybe not the most fashionable of shoes but I couldn’t live without them.

My all-time favorite movie is __________.
Zoolander. Hands down. No contest. I do a fierce Blue Steal.

Now if only we had a picture of that…

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From travel reviews to size-11 shoes, some of our favorite web haunts…

• “I’m a big fan of Live Journal sites like Mod Babes and 60s Fashion Icons that have rare photos of great bands like Led Zeppelin, The Doors, or the Beatles or vintage fashion photography .” -Marcella Tambouris, Customer Service Representative

• Music is a very important part of my life and the DJs at KCRW.com always know how to spin a good tune. There is also a ton of other great programming as well from cooking shows to personal essays.” - Melissa White, Operations Manager

• “Barefoottess.com. This is the best site for girls like me. I was blessed with long, slender, gorgeous feet and live in a world designed for size 9 feet or smaller. Just because I wear a size 11 doesn’t mean I don’t want to wear the latest and greatest designer shoes. Thanks to another long footed woman, Tess, I have a place I can go to shop all the latest styles and be confident that when I click the drop-down menu for size that I will no doubt find size 11 smiling back at me. Probably the best website I’ve ever come across…although my wallet may disagree. - Kendall McKinley, Marketing Coordinator

• I can spend hours searching for unique art, jewelry and homemade goodness at Etsy.com. - Korie Conant, Vice President/Owner

• “Travelpod.com. This website compiles lots of people’s blogs, searchable by location. I love to look up places that I am traveling to either for work or pleasure to get ideas from other travelers of what to see and where to go.” - Mindy Ehret, Product Design & Development

• “Right now ….. Facebook.com. It helps me keep in contact with all my mates in the UK, the rest of the world and also family. It’s fantastic!” - Nina Mazur, Customer Service Supervisor

• “Surfline.com for global planning, and myIntervals.com because it’s an exceptional concept (and happens to be my other project).” - Braden Jones, Owner/CEO

• “I’m expecting my first baby and I can’t get enough of all the amazing products at Modernnursery.com.” - Rachel Handal Tolle, Production Manager

• “80s Tees.com. They have a great selection of junk food t-shirts and I love their vintage inspired rock shirts!” - Sarah Sanaee, Account Coordinator

• “We love to go to a new restaurant based on the reviews we find at Yelp.com. It has the most honest and comprehensive reviews on restaurants, stores, etc. in our area. - Morgan Simpson, Senior Accounts Manager

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Dear Petunia,

I’m having trouble deciding on which material to get my Boxy Backpack in. What are the differences between the brocade and chenille? And what exactly is the Glazed fabric?

- Cindy, San Francisco, CA

Hi Cindy,

Glad you asked. Choosing a fabric is an important decision as each material creates a distinct style for your PPB bag.

First let me start with why our fabrics our unique. The designs featured in all of the current Petunia Pickle Bottom fabrics are unique and creatively designed by Petunia Pickle Bottom’s fabric development team. This means you won’t find our fabrics anywhere else - we handcraft each exclusive pattern and design to bring you the most innovative and distinct styles on the market. We are constantly researching old world techniques and incorporating a new world twist of pattern and design with our Petunia flair.

Brocade: Our brocades are woven using old world hand looms in China, known for their expertise in this specific weaving technique. Our brocade fabric is made using a silk/rayon blend with a satin weave as the background. Characteristic to all brocades, our fabric features an all-over design which creates a subtly textured surface where the main motif of the design is located. Available on all of our Original Collection bags, the end fabric yields a rich material with a satin luster and saturated colors.

Chenille: This Original Collection fabric is most commonly identified by the use of chenille yarns woven into the design. These yarns are fuzzy resembling a caterpillar which in fact is where the name Chenille came from, meaning “caterpillar” in French. The presence of these yarns results in a soft plush finish in the featured design areas.

Glazed: Our Glazed line of Original Collection bags are constructed out of a matte finish-coated canvas fabric. It is this special PVC-free matte finish that keeps Petunia bags looking chic, not shiny. The durable canvas is also wipe-able and water repellent, combining daring travel-inspired patterns created by our design team with unique hand-embroidered accents.

Finally, though not available in the Boxy Backpack, we also utilize a beautiful cut velvet in our Cake Collection.

Italian Cut Velvet: This fabric is the ultimate in European luxury and often found in fine upholstery and home accents. This fabric, as it sounds, features a plush velvet with areas “cut” out to reveal the linen base cloth.

- Mindy Ehret, Product Design & Development

* Have your own burning question? Email us at blog@petunia.com and be sure to include your name and where you live.*

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Calling all New York locals…On Thursday, April 24th, our friends over at Divalysscious are hosting an advanced screening of the new motherhood comedy Baby Mama starring the hilarious Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. As an added bonus, everyone who attends the event will be entered to win a Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bag and Orbit Stroller System which will be given away at the screening. For more information and to attend the screening, visit www.divalyssciousmoms.com.

Divalysscious–Fabulous events for diva moms and their delicious kids

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Though once seen as a bit hippie, babywearing has now become a practical - and fashionable - method for toting around your tiny one. Urban or suburban, regular or red carpet, moms everywhere have been turning to slings for the benefits they provide for parents and babies alike.

The availability of slings has skyrocketed in recent years with fashions ranging from the subdued to the stunning. The cause of this increase? “Babywearing just makes sense,” says Marni Matyus, president of The Sling Station. “It is good for babies and for moms. Moms are able to have some freedom while keeping the baby close and babies who are held are generally happier. It also doesn’t hurt that there has been a rise in celebrity use.” As an added benefit for sling-wearers, Matyus notes that the time a baby spends in the sling counts as tummy time and helps to prevent flat head syndrome.

Now a mother of a newborn and a toddler, owner and designer DeNai Jones also saw the benefits of keeping baby close while leaving her hands free and went to work designing a product that provided the ideal sling experience with the level of PPB style you have come to expect. Petunia moms who know the benefits of having practical and posh baby gear will be excited about our newest additions to the Petunia Pickle Bottom product line: the Serenity and Sojourn Sling Collections.

The Serenity Sling Collection includes three sophisticated brocades that coordinate with fabrics in our Boxy Backpack, Touring Tote and Receiving Blanket collections for a complete PPB look or the perfect shower gift combination. The brocade exterior provides stunning fashion and superior support while the water-resistant taslan interior lining ensures a soft, dry ride for your little one.

The Sojourn Sling is made of a decadent organic cotton knit and is available in such fabrics as Corsican Blue, India Ink, Morning in Mumbai and Sparrows on the Seine. Your mood or outfit not prepared to rock the travel-inspired pattern? You’re in luck - each pouch-style sling is also reversible, revealing a coordinated solid on the other side.

The cotton knit construction provides superb support to keep your little one close while still allowing adequate stretch to ensure mom and baby’s comfort.

Available in three sizes, all of our slings are constructed with a tapered top so there is less bulky material at your shoulder and a curved base seam to create the most comfort for your infant.

Visit our Collections page to see all the available slings and check your local baby boutiques and online retailers for their arrival in late spring.

* Want the latest news? Subscribe now to our Petunia Blog and never miss an update!*

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

Meet Pepper Grout - Finance Manager/Booking Guru.

So you’re the money lady. Yep—I am the financial hub in charge of accounts receivable, accounts payable, HR/Payroll, commissions, taxes, Worker’s Comp, etc.

Were you good at math as a kid? I started early. I always pretended I was a banker with play money from the Monopoly game, and growing up, my family had a restaurant where I was the cashier. So I got lots of practice.

Accounts payable, receivable, payroll, taxes…how do you keep it all straight? Are you super organized? Martha Stewart-esque filing systems? A great attitude keeps it all straight for me… and I laugh a lot.

Besides getting to sign all those checks, what’s one of the best thing about working at Petunia? Our annual spa day! Just kidding, however the owners are very generous and at the same time they keep it real.

You get to see all the PPB bags come and go through the office—have a favorite bag? Definitely the Cosmopolitan Carryall. Love the line. It reminds me of my grandmother with her big bags and all the stuff she carried with her. My sister and I used to rummage through it for fun and one time we found a pancake in a baggie of all things. It just cracked us up.

Now we’re curious. What’s in your purse? No pancakes I hope… No pancakes, but I always make sure I have lip stuff of some kind, a picture of my husband and a toothbrush! You never know when you’ll need to brush.

You mentioned you were a fan of the new Cake Collection. Which bag from the line sounds the most scrumptious? I’d have to go with Chocolate Cherry. It reminds me of back in the day when Brach’s still made chocolate covered cherries. They were a family favorite on Christmas morning.

Summertime is just around the corner. If you’re not sending bills, writing checks or playing Monopoly, where will we find you when the weather gets nice? Most likely camping and fishing. They call me “Catfish Hunter” although I haven’t actually caught a fish yet. I keep on trying though. Maybe this will be my summer…

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Meet our feature store of the month - Mulberry Road.

Customer favorites at this Boston baby boutique? Owner Sandy Nelson gives us the top five must-haves for Bostonian moms.

1. The Petunia Glazed Cross Town Clutch - Mom’s and gift givers alike love the functionality of the new glazed fabric, the price point is excellent, and the design is truly unique
2. See Kai Run Shoes - The soles are very flexible for developing toddler feet and the styles are a perfect balance of sophistication and whimsy. They don’t look too “baby” and not too “grown-up”.
3. Oopsy Daisy Artwork - Artwork that will work for any and every nursery. Many customers love the option to personalize their selected pieces too. Quality is excellent and shipping takes only 2-3 weeks.
4. Jelly Cat Stuffed Animals - Incredibly cuddly and endearing characters that make customers want to collect them all.
5. Angel Bear Blankies - I can’t stock enough of these cute animal security blankies. Parents need back-ups and back-ups to keep their baby smiling.

Read more about Mulberry Road and the fortuitous Sunday shopping trip that led Sandy Nelson to leave her job in advertising and become the owner of one of Boston’s busiest baby boutiques in this month’s Featured Store interview.

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Looking for the perfect Mother’s Day gift? Need a well-deserved springtime treat?

Announcing our semi-annual Petunia Pickle Bottom Online Sample Sale.

Get exceptional pricing on Discontinued Classics and Certified Seconds - just in time for Mother’s Day.

When: Tuesday, April 22nd - Monday, April 28, 2008

Where: online Petunia Outlet

Pre-registration is highly recommended and proceeds benefit The National Children’s Leukemia Foundation and others. Read more about the charities we support through our Outlet sales here.

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