December 2008 New Specialty Toys — Fashion & Accessories

This 10.25” x 10” Laugh Out Loud paper frame has dimensional flower pop ups and a vibrant, popping pattern. Launch date: 2008.

Designed to allow girls to weave their own jewelry, this kit comes with a wooden loom, glass beads, a needle, thread and instructions.
- “Bead Bazaar is No. 1,” said Jenny Thomas, owner of Applause! Give Your Kids a Hand, in Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada, when discussing best-selling jewelry items.
- Six percent of retailers told TDmonthly in September 2008 that Bead Bazaar is one of their top-selling lines.

All around this elastic necklace, tiny, frosted glass beads in spring green alternate with larger, painted wood charms in the shapes of flowers and spotted ladybugs. Larger-faceted glass beads serve as spacers, and as the centers of some of the flowers, giving this whimsical necklace a little more sparkle. Rings and bracelets in a matching motif are also available from HABA.
- Of 51 retailers surveyed in September 2008, four percent told TDmonthly HABA supplies their best-selling jewelry.

Realistic pearl-finished beads adorn this set of a matching necklace, bracelet and pair of earrings for small princesses, movie stars or other characters dreamed-up by a child’s imagination. The set is part of Schylling’s Small Miracles dress-up line.
- Linda Graham, owner of Scheffel’s Toys in Jacksonville, Ore., told TDmonthly in early fall 2008 that Schylling supplies most of her dress-up jewelry.
- Four percent of 51 retailers named Schylling when asked about their top-selling jewelry items.

A high-quality bead loom from Alex puts the ability to make highly detailed, complex beaded designs right in kids' fingers. The kit includes more than 2,000 beads and instructions along with the loom itself.
- “We do some kits by Alex, to make your own beads,” said Dean Nelson, owner of Wizard Kids Toys in Toledo, Ohio, when telling TDmonthly about his best-selling jewelry in early fall 2008.
- “We do sell jewelry craft kits,” added Heather Rounds, buyer for Smart Kids Company in Greenwich, Conn. She listed Alex among her store’s top sellers when it comes to jewelry and accessories.

This kit is designed to give the feet a real spa experience. Girls can soak their feet in the inflatable pedicure pool with included confetti soap, file and buff their toenails, and then create interesting nail designs with three colors of nail polish and sparkly rhinestones. The set also comes with pink spa slippers, toe separators and a handy tote to keep it all together when not in use.  
- “The Pretty Pedicure kit from Creativity for Kids. That’s a great set,” said Janet Gregory, owner of Over the Rainbow Toys in Anchorage, Alaska.
- Linda Laramy, owner of Cracker Jacks in Easton, Md., told TDmonthly she sells about 40 Creativity for Kids kits every month.
- Twenty-four percent of 51 retailers surveyed in September 2008 said fashion-related products accounted for their best sellers to tweens.

The Fashion Illustrator kit from Fashion Angels contains everything young designers need to make a portfolio of their own original clothing designs.  The kit includes double-tipped artist markers, colored pencils, fabric swatches and a design workbook along with techniques to help kids learn how to represent their fashion ideas realistically on paper.  Whether starting from the design guide included with the kit, or dreaming up something totally new, the Fashion Illustrator is a place to capture all those innovations with the right tools and skills.  
— “Fashion Angels… the line is pretty diverse.  We sell a couple dozen every month,” said Jenny Thomas, owner of Applause! Give Your Kids a Hand in Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada.
— Theresa Oppenheimer, owner of Toy World in Chanhassen, Minn., said in early fall 2008 she sells “mostly Fashion Angels” to tweens in her store.
— “A lot more fashion items are popping up,” remarked Kim Emigh, VP of e-commerce at Growing Tree Toys in State College, Pa.

The Scrunch Bottle Bib is a revolutionary way to protect infants from spillage during bottle feeding. Catching the drips and spills that traditional bibs leave behind, the Scrunch Bottle Bib attaches to the bottle instead of the infant and catches spills before they reach the tender neck area. "It is made of the softest materials and is 100-percent cotton and machine washable. The Scrunch Bottle Bib extends and gently molds onto the infant's chin, requiring no holding or assistance," CEO Jennifer Edison of Wee Baby, Inc. told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2008.

PakNaks are soft, rubbery 3-D decorations designed for kids (and adults!) to use to personalize backpacks, lunch bags, headbands, computer bags, household items and more. There are more than 40 available designs. Customized Velcro makes them interchangeable and weather resistant, and they quickly and easily adhere to surfaces. Robert measures 2.5” x 2.5”.
— “PakNaks are from a new little small company, and we’ve been selling them like hotcakes since Easter,” said Michelle Smith, owner of Piccolo Mondo Toys in Portland, Ore., in December 2008. “We were the first ones to launch them.”

The No Slippy Hair Clippy features magnets for a tighter clasp, plus a velvet cover to keep them soft and comfortable. They stay in little girls' hair even during play. They're also handmade in America.