Chelsea Gossett, creator of the Count Me Healthy bracelet line, is one smart cookie. Functional jewelry is so often clunky & hideous, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from my new bracelet. Colour me impressed. The newest addition to the line, Mommy and Me, was created with the active, modern mom in mind. Mommy and Me is the first and only bracelet used to monitor health goals for baby, mom or the expecting mother. A stunning stirling silver bracelet with shimmering beads that are each assigned a value depending on what you’re tracking, the Mommy and Me bracelet can help a mama track pretty much anything – daily feedings for baby, fruit and vegetable servings for mom, pre-natal vitamins, extra calories during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and even books read. You track your daily progress by sliding beads from side of the bracelet to the other, and the patented jump ring systems keeps the beads exactly where you want them. Mommy and Me can also be effective in reducing mom’s bad habits, such as sweets, sugary sodas, caffeinated beverages and artificial sweeteners. Or, if you’re like me, it’s a gorgeous accessory that you’ll forget to use – but it won’t matter because it’s totally gorgeous. Easy to use (and can be as simple or as detailed as you wish)

The Mommy and Me bracelet retails for $88. Pick yours up at www.countmehealthyjewelry.com.

I have never met a mom of a little girl who has never felt the exasperation of trying to keep up with their ever changing tastes. Mag-Tagz, a new line of magnetic interchangeable jewelry is perfect for the tween set because it allows them to change their jewelry to match their outfit or their mood without having to break the bank buying a bunch of new necklaces.

Mag-Tagz necklaces come with a standard magnetic pendant base (which is cute enough to wear alone, actually) and the tagz charms can be easily interchanged at any time. New & limited edition tags are released every few months so there’s always something different to try and they’re a great thing to trade & share amongst girlfriends. Who needs hockey cards?

Invented by mom Anita Worth, Mag-Tagz involve young girls in every step of their business. Her daughter and her friends shared their input right from the start, and now the site includes several interactive features. They can play “Tag, You’re It!” where they can enter a code found on the back of each tag to get a clue. The goal is to collect four clues and decipher the common trait. Once they’ve solved it, they can submit their answer and be entered to win awesome prizes. (Wii!) And it’s not just a grab to get your kids to buy more Tagz. Girls are actually encouraged to share codes with each other and trade their Tagz in order to learn more clues. Though if it were, at only $3.99 – $4.99 most girls could afford to buy them with their own money. The necklace base sells for $9.99, and a starter pack with a base and 3 tagz goes for $19.99 (small) or $23.99 (large).

Girls (and, I suppose, boys, if they’re into that kind of thing) are also encouraged to design their own Tag and enter it into the Mag-Tagz design contest where they’ll be voted on by blog readers. If they win, their design will be produced as a limited edition Tag and their name is even engraved on the back! How thrilling would that be?

Use the code blogger20 to save 20% on purchase of $20 or more.

Win it! A necklace base and either the Green Earth Tag or the Bee Tag is up for grabs. Take a look at the design winners page and then come back to comment with your choice to be entered to win.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED (Congrats Terra!)

There’s no doubt that we’re in the midst of a recession, and even if you’re one of the lucky ones who hasn’t lost any money or jobs you’re sure to be feeling the urge to be a little bit more careful with your spare cash. However, that doesn’t mean you’ve lost your desire to splurge for yourself and your babes on high quality and functional merchandise.

Medicine Hat, Alberta based ChicPeek, offers a great variety of incredibly high quality products at great prices. Owner & designer Echo Wells is a mom of three who has been creating beautiful items for over 15 years. Her experience is evident as soon as you see her products in person. They’re of a highly professional quality but sell for a handmade price.

The ChicPeek nursing covers (a steal at $24.99 without your discount – see below) is truly one of a kind. (Pictured in the two centre images at right.) Made of a gorgeous cashmere & silk pashmina (black or brown), it’s the required amount of discreet and modest, but unusually fashionable for a nursing cover. There are enough “Hey, guess what? I’m breastfeeding!” (a.k.a. ugly) nursing covers out there; it’s about time someone made one like this. Essentially just a long & wide scarf that’s strategically sewn with a head & arm hole, it covers all the way around, making it fully tug-proof. There’s an open side so one hand is always free to multi-task, and it’s the perfect weight to not swelter you or baby while you cuddle. If someone notices that you’re nursing, it’s likely either someone who has seen one of Echo’s great covers before or who spotted the gorgeous little toes peeking out from underneath. Even better is that when you’re done nursing or in between children, your nursing cover is a beautiful scarf that you can wear several ways without anyone having any idea that it once hid your boobs from strangers.

ChicPeek offers a large selection of Miklips hair bows & clips for newbies and right up to moms. From the most adorable corkers to gorgeous big bows, the Chic Peek clips are of top quality, stay in your hair and are absolutely gorgeous.

Most of all, though, I was thrilled to discover the ChicPeek buggie hugs shopping cart cover ($49.99 – two bottom images at right). I have looked everywhere – brick and morter as well as online – and ChicPeek is the first place I’ve found stylish looking covers with holes and belts for two children to share the front seat of a cart. (The standards is two holes and one belt, but just ask and Echo will put another belt in for you.) The design of her buggy hugs are brilliant. Aside from the extra wide leg holes to accommodate one leg or two, these are also the only covers I’ve seen come equipped with an attached caribiner to secure the cover to the cart. My kids ride in the different shades of red pattern, which is gorgeous and commented on everywhere we go – particularly Costco when both kids are germ free & buckled in the front seat of the cart. If you’re going to have a second child before your first turns four, I highly recommend you pick up a Chic Peek buggy hug and get a second belt put in. The longer you can contain them safely, the happier you’ll be. Trust me on that.

Mention T.O.P. when you order and Echo will refund 10% of your order (because her cart won’t currently accept discount codes.)

This is just one of many great exclusive online shopping discounts that you’ll find in our TOP Shops.

You’ll notice that ChicPeek was the first to purchase one of our brand new image based TOP Shop spots, right at the top of the page. Check out her adorable ad!

Win it! Thanks to ChicPeek, we’re giving one very lucky randomly selected T.O.P. reader a gorgeous nursing cover, a selection of MiKlips AND a shopping cart cover! To enter, visit Chic Peek and come back to comment with your favourite items, patterns & styles, being sure to mention something that you didn’t read in this review in order to qualify. Open it in a new tab – you’ll want to go back and spend some more time browsing! Contest closes at noon mst on April 7, 2009.

CONTEST CLOSED & WINNER EMAILED

While huge flowers on hats are hardly my style, the hats and bands from Maggie’s Rose have universal toddler appeal.

The hats are beanie style and are intricately hand crocheted with soft, ribbon yarn and embellished with extremely large bejeweled blossoms. They stretch for a perfect fit over several years.

As you can see by the model pictured at right, these hats are super cute and are way cuter on than you’d even think when you first see the hat. In fact, I was taken aback by the size of the flower but as soon as it was on a little head it was perfect!

The Maggie’s Rose site is wholesale only but these gems are available online from Itsy Bitsy Baby Boutique.

TOP readers can use the code mr015 to get 15% off Maggie’s Rose products at Itsy Bitsy Baby Boutique.

You’ll find this code in the TOP Shops where we feature permanent online shopping discounts just for you!

You could win it! An upscale “Bloomin’ Baby Hat” crocheted in orange with a yellow bloom. Sized for 0-18months but because of the stretch material they often can stretch to fit much larger. To enter, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com before midnight MST on 9/26/07 with Maggie’s Rose in the subject line and tell us your favourite Maggie’s Rose style available here. Congratulations Jenna!

I’ve always loved doing little girls’ hair in baubles & braids, and the great clips by investment analyst turned crafty mom extraordinaire Teri Dimalanta of Giddy Giddy make it even better! (And far less frustrating.)

Each adorable felt design is hand made and the clip is sewed securely inside so there are no painful snags and they stay on even the finest of baby hair. She designs clips in three categories – flowers, animals and food, and each category has clips for the little and the big girls in your life.

There are so many things to love about Giddy Giddy clips. They’re adorable; they’re not bows; they stay in – really; they’re not choking hazards; they don’t leave semi-permanent indentations in those precious little baby heads; and they’re made by a mom! I see no reason not to make these your hair clip of choice.

Giddygiddy clips area available at several online and retail locations.

We’ve got a set of Giddy Giddy clips to send to one lucky TOP reader. To be entered in the random draw, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with GIDDY in the subject line and tell us your favourite Giddy Giddy design. (Me? I’m partial to the ladybug.) Contest closes 5/29/07 at midnight MST. Congratulations Laurel!

Canadian stay at home mom and par.entrepreneur Alli Grosberg is the talent behind Alli’s Originals. She creates gorgeous personalized custom-made-to-order, hand stamped sterling silver jewelery for anyone and everyone, including the family pet.

Beautiful bracelets & earrings make a great gift for any mom, and Alli’s Princess Charming Collection is such a cool way to celebrate the amazing relationships in your life. It’s all about “wearing your heart on your sleeve.” Alli uses only the finest quality materials giving her creations a feminine, elegant feel. Wearing one of Alli’s pieces is sure to brighten anyone’s mood. She will create custom gifts for moms, friends, bridesmaids, teachers & more and will do her best to accommodate any request.

Each piece purchased is packaged in an organza drawstring jewelry bag and includes a jewelry care card and optional gift card free of charge.

Additional charms can be added to any piece from the a la carte page.

Check out Alli’s blog regularly for new designs, sales & great contests.

Enter to win a $30 Alli’s Originals gift certificate! (to be used by 4/30/07) Simply email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Alli’s Originals in the subject header and list any item available from Alli’s website that’s not mentioned in this review. Contest closes at midnight MST on 4/3/07. Congratulations CPA Mom!