Monday, September 27, 2010

Another New Baby and Happy Mama in Two Annie & Isabel Hospital Gowns

We just received a beautiful testimonial from a friend of mine from nursing school. This is Melody with her husband, Nhan, and their precious little baby boy. I remember not long after she got pregnant, she contacted me saying how she HAD to have an Annie & Isabel hospital gown....or two..... for her delivery!!! She told me that, being a nurse, she knows what gets on those standard hospital gowns and how relieved she was that we came up with this company because now she wouldn't have to wear a yucky old hospital gown for her delivery. Melody had the unfortunate experience of spending a couple days in the hospital early on in her pregnancy and ended up on bedrest for a long time prior to her delivery so she got lots of use out of her gowns.





Please click HERE to read Melody's testimonial and see more pictures!!

Friday, September 24, 2010

Annie & Isabel Makes New Connections

We have had the privilege to connect with so many amazing mothers who are running their own businesses like we are. We were SO not expecting the networking and connections that came with social media outlets. Through Twitter, we stumbled upon a great website for mompreneurs called MarketMommies. Toni Bloomfield, who runs MarketMommies, has rapidly created the largest directory of mom owned businesses featuring over 1,400! After the birth of her first child, she realized that many moms were leaving their careers to chase their dreams of starting their own businesses....many inspired by the ins and outs of motherhood. She single handedly created this amazing directory and offers it for FREE to mom centered businesses! Yes, you read that right, free marketing and a wealth of information and support! She highlights mom owned businesses and their blogs on her own website, Facebook fan page, and Twitter page. Toni has been a huge inspiration to us as we travel along our exciting journey. Toni recently appeared on an Ohio television news program called Good Day Columbus. She presented our Annie & Isabel designer hospital gowns as one of the five products she suggested as being perfect baby shower gifts. We are so appreciative that she believes in our product as much as we do. Next time you are in need of a present, you should definitely look at Marketmommies.com for innovative products and wonderful companies to support!







Tracy Bennett

Through Marketmommies, we met Tracy Bennett, an independent stylist for Stella & Dot. I had "liked" Stella & Dot on Facebook not really knowing about the company but just as an admirer of their pretty jewelry. Tracy lives in Texas and told me she was coming to San Francisco for her annual Stella & Dot conference Hoopla and said she would love to coordinate a Stella & Dot party for all of our friends. I just heard.... "night away from our kids and lives"... and the amazing jewelry was a big bonus! I immediately thought let's do it in San Francisco and REALLY get away! We ordered our favorite Kara's cupcakes, enjoyed sipping prosecco and coffee, and had a blast trying on all the fabulous pieces that Tracy brought.






Anna ~ Tracy ~ Selena ~ and...Alcatraz


Stella & Dot is a company inspired by and created for strong women living amazing and ordinary lives with extraordinary grace and style. The company provides a flexible career that is the modern home-based business for our times. Tracy, who came from an advertising background, realized quickly how hard the stress of a full time, out-of-home, job was on her life as a new mom. With Stella & Dot, she can work on her own schedule and make a great living at the same time! We had a blast connecting with Tracy and are looking forward to our second annual San Francisco jewelry party next year!



Our friend Katie and our lovely Mom Susan




Our favorite city... San Francisco





We love a good story behind any business. When we pack up our Annie & Isabel gowns for mailing, we include a card with the story behind each gown and it makes us smile every time. These women who made us who we are today and who inspired us have now come back into our lives in memory. Stella & Dot also has a story behind its name which we love! Here is what Founders Jessica Herrin and Blyth Harris have to say about their company name and story,



"Named after our grandmothers, Stella & Dot honors the generation of women who sailed across oceans, went to work, raised children, got to vote, baked pies, and did it all with style and grace. They are proof of just how much a woman can accomplish in a lifetime, and now, it's our turn. We are a company inspired-by and created-for strong women like you."




Selena's favorite purchase





Anna's favorite purchase


I placed my order for mostly "free" jewelry because of the wonderful hostess rewards that I received by hosting a Stella & Dot party. I had no idea about these amazing hostess benefits... Tracy seriously had me at "girls night out"! The day my order was delivered to my house, I was working at the hospital in San Francisco. It was one of those crazy days in the ICU where you felt like you burned 1,000 calories! After my long drive from San Francisco to my home in Sacrament, I was pleasantly surprised to find such treat waiting for me (see below)... I couldn't wait to get up the next day and don my new jewels! I have pretty much worn something I bought from Tracy every day since and I am constantly getting compliments on my Stella & Dot jewelry. If we didn't have 6 boys between us, jobs in the hospital, and were busy running Annie & Isabel.. Stella & Dot might just have a new stylist or two on their hands!



To look at all the beautiful jewelry Tracy and Stella & Dot has to offer you can shop HERE I just placed my second order with Tracy and I had my jewelry within 3 days! Thanks Tracy for everything... especially making these mommies look like they have time to shop!!!

Sunday, September 5, 2010

America's Next Top Model Alum Lluvy Gomez Welcomes Her Second Son in The Isabel Designer Hospital Gown

Lluvy Gomez-Gibbs is one of the latest beautiful women to deliver in style in her Annie & Isabel designer hospital gown. Lluvy is well known from being a contestant in America's Next Top Model, Cycle 4. We received a wonderful testimonial from Lluvy recently and amazing photos of the day she gave birth! Lluvy is a such a special person and we have enjoyed getting to know her. Here are a few of her modeling pics too.

source: ANTM/Reel Management


We first saw Lluvy when she was a model at the Bump It Up event in San Francisco. She was glowing as she was pregnant with her second son. We enjoyed getting to know her over the next few months via emails and Facebook updates:) She truly is a beautiful person inside and out. She and her husband Carl reside in Southern California and now have 2 beautiful sons...(yea for "boy mommies"). They run a wonderful business together called Beauty Discounters. She had us at Pureology shampoo and conditioner with a discount! They also have a great blog with style tips. Lluvy purchased our Isabel gown which looked stunning on her. I always describe our Isabel gown as chic, understated, stylish, and sophisticated... reminds us of being in Paris (Calgon, take us away!)... Here are some beautiful photographs of Lluvy on her special day.

Here is what Lluvy said about having her very own Annie & Isabel designer hospital gown,
"All I can say is I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Isabel gown! It was so nice to feel comfortable and stylish in a hospital gown. Usually two words that don't go hand in hand when you think about hospital gowns!! While I was laboring the nurses kept coming in just to compliment me on my gown. I reccomend Annie & Isabel gowns to all my expecting mom friends...It is so important to feel pretty and comfortable on such an important day:) With lots of love, Lluvy".


This is our favorite pic of Lluvy in her Isabel designer hospital gown. Enjoying those first moments with her new little miracle... all those months waiting to see his amazing face. Welcome to the world little Tres... you were blessed with a wonderful mommy and loving family!!!


Tres meeting big brother Asher... So cute, he was trying to block the light out of his eyes!!! Already watching out for his little brother.