Holiday Gift Guides

Some of you have already started your Christmas shopping while others are waiting for the day after Thanksgiving to start bargain shopping. To help stretch your budget we put our personalized clocks on sales! Personalized clocks make the perfect holiday gift, they are practical and fun. We all know that kids love to see their name in print and you'll love the price of only $21.99!


Be sure to check out our holiday gift guide for ideas for every budget and every kid on your list!

Happy Holiday Shopping!

Northwest Mom Finds

Our placemats are a hit with Heather from Northwest Mom Finds she wanted all of her reader to discover our wonderful line of personalized products!

"Mine, all mine

Is there anything little kids love more than seeing something marked as their very, very own?

Olive Kids understands that love. Which is why it offers all sorts of personalized items for children, including my favorite: the personalized placemats. Nearly fifty different designs--including one for almost every holiday--each with a prominent spot for a child's name

On the practical side, they are large enough to protect the table from messy eaters and the sturdy laminate is easy to wash clean. My one wish would be greater diversity in the designs which feature people. Even so, with such a variety of options, these have become a go-to birthday gift for our friends and family.

The brightly colored pictures are sure to bring a smile to your little ones' faces. But it's seeing their name in print--their own special name!--that will push your gift over the top. And maybe even keep them sitting happily at the dinner table just a little bit longer."

Northwest Mom Finds blog had 154 people comment on which placemats they loved the most, which one is your favorite?

Olive Kids is a Winner

Sarah from "The Winning Pitch" blog loves Olive Kids Personalized Placemats.

"We use placemats like you would not believe in my house! My kids are messy eaters, as is my husband, so we have many different ones to pick from at each meal, except some festive ones for the up coming holidays. Note to self that I need to buy some soon!

Olive Kids has the cutest personalized placemats for Fall, Thanksgiving, Winter, Christmas, and even Hanukkah! (Plenty more designs too for whatever theme you are looking for: sports, flowers, robots, etc...) Perfect for kids who fight over "spots" at the table, their custom placemat will tell them where to sit and where to make their own personalized mess! Made from heavyweight laminate, these placemats are durable and will last meal after meal.

While you are on their site, Olive Kids is one of my favs so check out everything else they have to offer, especially their bedding designs which are so colorful and fun and absolutely cozy!"

Thanks for the kind words Sarah!

Thanksgiving Traditions

Thanksgiving traditions are sometimes handed down generation after generation; other are introduced to the family through marriage, family friends or just because you came up with a good idea and everyone liked it!
When I was a child our tradition was to go to my Nana's on my mom's side. My Nana was a very proper French lady, eating at her house was like being at a very fancy restaurant. She was a wonderful cook, but very very old fashion; the girls has to do all the dishes by hand! My sister and I were the only girls in the family so while everyone else was relaxing we were doing all the dishes! No matter how many times we said that our two brothers should help us Nana would not change her mind. Our brother loved it!

Thanksgiving is now at my mom's and it's a little more relaxed than at Nana's. Our family has grown so much; that we had to put up a kids' table. All the kids really want to be at the grown up table, but there just isn't enough room. My parents are very happy that they have 16 grand children and a great grand child on the way. But their dining room table only fits 12 people and if you add in the number of adults you get a grand total of 32! My brothers only come with their family every other year so the adult can fit at the table but not the kids.

Two years ago when I started working at Olive Kids I noticed that we made beautiful Thanksgiving placemats. I decided to buy them for the kid's table to make them feel special. Well it worked! The kids loved them! They have already asked Nana if they could use them again this year

Yes, I still have to the dishes with but with help from everyone including the boys and a dishwasher!

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What's your Thanksgiving Tradition? Leave me a comment telling me your tradition along with how many kids are going to be at your thanksgiving table or at the "kids table" and you could win thanksgiving placemats for the kids in your family! Comments close on Monday at 7:00 am EST so they can made and delivered in time for your Thanksgiving dinner gathering! Good Luck!

Kim

Interview with Ohana Mama

I think the hardest part of this interview was deciding which pictures to send her! I tried to get around it but I had not choice My son got married in 2006 and I decided I would send one of the pictures from this special day! I sent the link to my son after it was posted and his reply was "Mom you cut me off"! I am 5'5" and my son is 6' 3" so it was easy to cut him out of the pictures you can see a little of his shoulder if you look closely!

Here is a copy of my interview

Today we're talking story with Kim Poirier, the Marketing Director for the fabulous and fun Olive Kids (what a cool gig to have!). I am sure many, if not all, of you have heard of Olive Kids. They have the cutest coordinates for your child's room. So you know the product...now let's get to know the marketing guru that's launched Olive Kids into all of our lives! Give a big Aloha to Kim!

Aloha Kim!, Olive Kids seems like THE place to go to get your kid's room decorated! How did you get started with this awesome company?

I started working for Olive Kids two years ago, after I lost my job and moved to the Mondnock region in New Hampshire. I looked around at the different companies that were here and decided that I loved the products Olive Kids designed and the story of how they got started. I sent them my resume (they were not hiring) and persuade them for a couple of months, then I was lucky enough for them to decide to create a position for me here.

A little bit about the Olive Kids story...Olive Kids got started by a mom (Anita) and dad (Russell) who were both in the design industry, they went looking for kid bedding for their then 3 year old daughter and couldn't find anything that wasn't geared around a kid movie or cartoon, so they took their design knowledge and created Olive Kids. When they started Olive Kids it was through licensing their products to different companies who sold the products to different stores. After a year of doing this they started getting customer calls because they found one of our product but couldn't find the others to match. That is how Olive Kids' online store was created, customers wanted what we were designing but they couldn't find it in one spot so we launched the Olive Kids web site.

The selection at Olive Kids is amazing, there's so so much! What are your favorite items that you offer?

My favorites that's tough - I love our Pirates and Mermaids design, Our plush pillow and shams are adorable but if I really had to pick I would say our floor pillows are the best personalized gift we offer, I know my nieces and nephews love them.

Are the designs at Olive Kids all original? Who comes up with the great designs?

Yes everything Olive Kids sells on our site is designed by Russell and Anita, one of them come up with a concept of a design and then they work together to bring it to life.

Where does Olive Kids get their inspiration on items to carry?

We get a lot of our inspiration from Russell and Anita's 3 kids, ideas from parents who work at Olive Kids and from comments our customers send us.

With kids of your own, how do you do it all? Share with us the secrets of being a mom and a top exec at Olive Kids?

I can tell you from working directly with Anita and Russell, parents themselves, that flexibility and organization are key to getting it all done, well most of it anyway. They also hire people who care as much as they do about the products they create and the customers we serve.

I am lucky to work a 4 day work week so I can save all the running around I have to do till Monday which allows me to have family time on the weekend. I also taught both my boys how to cook when they were little; so they can start dinner on the nights that they do not have after school activities; my 15 year old son is quite the cook. They also do all of their own laundry and have a set list of chores during the week. We share the responsibilities in the house so life is easier on everyone.

I follow you on twitter, care to share your twitter name so our readers can make sure to follow you?

Sure! @olivekids

And Olive Kids has a blog, right? What's that url?

http://olivekids.blogspot.com/

What are two things you never leave home without?

Chap stick & hand cream!

Do you have a favorite quote?

good, better, best; never let it rest till your good is better and your better is best!

Great quote Kim, I LOVE that!

Kailani for an Island Life

Kailani was nice enough to review our brand new canvas growth chart!
Growing up with Olive Kids

One of the biggest (and sometimes saddest) thrills that parents encounter with their children is watching them grow. Since I see my girls almost every day, it’s hard to imagine them getting bigger because they always look the same. However, it’s when I see photos of their younger days that I realize just how much they’ve grown.

One great way to keep track of this and develop a treasured keepsake is through growth charts. And boy do I have the perfect one for you from Olive Kids!
From the site: “We created Olive Kids to offer parents like us, and their kids, an affordable alternative to the character based entertainment licenses. Our emphasis is on color and fun, because we believe kids rooms should inspire creativity and play - not be an advertisement for a TV show or movie.”

We received the canvas growth chart to review and we loved it! It’s made with high quality canvas, personalized with Baby Bug’s name, & is the perfect addition to any child’s room. The colors are bright and colorful and you can chart your child’s growth up until they’re 5 feet tall. The markings are printed at 1/8″ intervals for acurate measuring.

Thanks to Olive Kids, we can now keep track of our girls’ growth and they’ll one day be able to look back with fond memories.

Mogulbaby bought Olive Kids bedding...

I met Mrs. Mogul on twitter, she told me that she had purchased Olive Kids Under Construction bedding for her so. She also told me she was going to review it on her site and this is what she had to say!OLIVE THE BEDDING: OLIVE KIDS
I never thought I would be excited about bed sheets for kids but this time I have. Olive Kids, is a New Hampshire-based company that sells bedding and room products for children. Their prints are really fun and their colorful designs are themed on outer space, transportation, tea parties and more.

I have the Under Construction bedding set for my son and he loves it! To check out their other bedding designs, click here.

To name just a few of the celebrities who have received Olive Kids items are Tori Spelling, Scott Baio, Jason Priestly, Angela Martin and Sherri Shephard.

Even The View's Elisabeth Hasselbeck took the time to email the company personally when she received a pillow for her daughter Grace. She wrote, "Thank you for the great pillow for grace! she adores mermaids, and loves to "relax" on her latest and greatest pillow!"

No debate followed after she sent that!

Trisha @ Momdot.com tells her OK story

"Olive Kids is a very well known kids site amongst mothers. What is there NOT to love? From bedding, to placements, rugs, to wall art, it doesn’t matter if your kids name is simple like Bob or complex like Penelope. I am a big fan of customization and when you have a name like Charlotte, its just not popping up on keychains that often. Here, I can find something perfect for her room!"

"The best part about Olive Kids, aside from great products, is that Kim will take care of you! From the second you order till the end, you know your in good hands, and you can even talk to Olive Kids on their Twitter! Its no wonder sites and moms accross the net have awarded them and with good reason."

I honestly didn't pay her to say nice things about me; I am just very happy that she loves Olive Kids and that we could be part of her wonderful blog!

Thanks Trisha and fellow Mom Dotters...

Mommy Goggles' love for Olive Kids

I was introduced to Tayna and her blog mommygoggles when she won a giveaway on the "ourlilypad" blog in June of 2008, then she won a giveaway @ the "babyluxdaily" blog in October believe it or not! She was so excited to win and I could tell that she was in love with Olive Kids. So I checked out her blog and realized that she would be a perfect person to do a review for us. Here is what she has to say about Olive Kids."I love personalized items for my kids. Not only is it fun, but it is so nice to let Tucker have his things and Kambry have her things, without having the megs fits that “This is MINE!”. With Olive Kids, we were able to get the kids their own personalized place mats.

Your kids will love seeing their name at every meal on our exclusive personalized kids placemats. Our kids placemats are made with heavyweight laminate so clean-up is neat and easy with a damp cloth. Personalize your kids placemat after you Add to Cart. Tucker loves his ‘Under Construction’ placement and his “Pirates” placemat. Kambry is about to be put in a booster seat, at the table, so mommy chose the ‘Butterfly Garden’ and ‘Happily Ever After’."

This is my favorite part of the review! We sent her one of our soft and cuddly fleece throw for her to review! Just look at the pictures of her son snuggled up with it when he didn't feel good.
"With the cooler weather, it is nice to just be lazy on the couch and cuddle up to a cozy blanket. Oh my goodness! The throws from Olive Kids are amazingly soft and soooo cuddly! Tucker picked out a Pirate throw and he loves it so much. What is funny about this throw is that ever since he got it, he has since forgotten about his “blankie”.

"He was sick that day and all he wanted was his pirate blanket!"

Amanda @ mommymandy reviews OK

Here is a snap shot of what she had to say about our floor pillows. To read the entire review click on the link to her blog on the right hand side bar.

"I just love the fun and bold prints from Olive Kids . We have a few different items from their online store and love everything. Not only is everything so vivid but the quality is outstanding!

So of course I am very excited to share Olive Kids with everyone as apart of my Holiday Guide. The girls both received the adorable Floor Pillows. These pillows are personalized with your child's name on it. Olive Kids floor pillows are the perfect kids companion!"
Great for the bed, to watch movies on or to bring on a trip! Best of all they are personalized to make them even more special for your special child!

My girls love their pillows, they tote them around where ever they go. They love to sit on the floor and watch movies. They even use them as a pillow on their beds. Of course Sarah keeps trying to use Samantha's and Sam knows that hers is hers.

An if your looking for something to make your kitchen table stand out this Holiday Season and keep it clean then I definitely recommend getting the kids some of the cute Holiday Place mats. We have quite a few of the different place mats and I LOVE them."

Your parking space has your name on it!

That is the title of Angela's post on her blog seven dogs and a baby - it's a great blog to read! She has become on of Olive Kids biggest fans!

When it comes to decorating a kid's bedroom Olive Kids is always my first stop. From Pirates to Mermaids your bound to find something to decorate your child's bedroom that suits your little person. Bright Colors, large sets that include everything from wall clocks, shaped pillows, and rugs you can covert an otherwise boring bed room to something really exciting. To make things even more special a large majority of the items in the catalog are customizable.


If your looking for one special item for your holiday list their floor pillows are not only customizable but very versatile. Available in a large variety of color/design choices each of the floor pillows is customizable to include your child's name or even a nickname to make their pillow all their own. The Olive Kids Floor pillows make great room decorations, look great at the head of a bed, or are the perfect companion for watching morning cartoons. Connor has a rocket ship floor pillow with his name embroidered on it. Since I just broke down and installed his own TV in his room I find him sitting and watching his favorite shows propped up on his pillow. As we prepare for a transition to a toddler bed in a few months the floor pillow will also be a great pillow to prop up against his back for reading books at night as well. Its actually a rather big pillow but not so big that you can't take it pretty much everywhere with you.

Floor pillows are not the only personalized item that would make for a great Christmas gift, you can see the entire selection of personalized gifts available from Olive Kids on their website!

We are going to be on Love It of List It

Katherine Brooks of Big Coat Productions contacted me in July to see if we would be interested in having our Tea Party Bedding featured on their hit show. It took less than a second to say yes! She sent me these pictures so I could have a sneak peak of the TV shoot. I though I'd share them with you all.







This episode of Love it or List it is set to air on W Network on December 15th at 9pm and will repeat 3 times the same week. If your in Canada be sure to tune in! It will also air in US, just do not have dates as of yet. I'll keep you posted.

Attention Blogger!

Olive Kids has decided to add a twist to our November Contest just for you bloggers out there! You help us spread the word about our contest and you'll be entered to win prizes!

That's right for every person that clicks on our contest button on your site; you will get an entry into winning these great prizes:

Grand Prize: Personalized Canvas Art $149 value
Runner Up Prize: Personalized Canvas Growth Chart

You can also enter our contest on our site so you have two ways to win.

Here's the button, leave me a comment letting me know you are adding it to your site and Good luck

Were having a Tea Party Bedding Sale

Our tea party collection is our pretty in pink line! The lovely pink comforter has beautiful plush pink polka dots with a beautiful stitched attached ribbon. The reverse is designed with different widths and colors of pink and purple stripes which coordinates perfectly with our bed skirt.


The sheet set has all of the elements needed to have an imaginary tea party! Our plush pillow is a yummy cup cake that looks good enough to eat. Our Tea Pot sham completes the bedroom decor made with ultra soft plush and outline stitching - your little girl will love it!

Don't forget all the little touches that make having an Olive Kid room so special! Personalized Olive Kids Tea Party designs made just for your darling daughter!

Like our Canvas Art


Best of all you our bedding is 10% off till November 30th and if you spend over $175 - you get free shipping. What's stopping let's shop! http://www.olivekids.com/sales.html

Canvas Contest at Olive Kids

Here at Olive Kids we have decided to make shopping here a lot more exciting, but having monthly contests!

That's right each month we will host a contest, that's easy to enter and will offer you the opportunity to win great prizes for the kids in your life!

The November Contest features prizes from our new Personalized Canvas Line!

Watch your little ones grow on these adorable Growth Charts, printed in vibrant colors on heavy duty cotton canvas. Each comes with a decorative ribbon and personalized just for your favorite child. They are available in 14 different designs and each shows inches and centimeters!

Olive Kids Canvas Wall Art is a masterpiece! These spectacular prints measure 18" x 24", are stretched over wooden stretcher bars and are gallery wrapped - no framing necessary. Beautifully printed in deep saturated colors, these artworks will be the highlight of any kids room. Each are made to order with your child's name and they perfectly coordinate to our fun kids bedding!



* Grand Prize Winner gets one Personalized Canvas Wall Art AND one Personalized Growth Chart!

* First Place Winner gets one Personalized Canvas Wall Art!

* Two Runner Ups get one Personalized Growth Chart!

Good luck, we hope you're a winner!