mycribrocks

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WIN a Oilily Matchbox City Baby Changing Bag

This summer is off to a cracking start, and whether you’re keeping cool in the park, hanging out by the swings or out to lunch in the city, you’re going to want to make the most of it. We have teamed up with our friends at Small Steps Parenting, the UK’s fast growing regional parenting website for families of 0 – 5 year olds, to run a competition for your chance to WIN a Oilily Matchbox City Baby Changing Bag worth £99.95! All you have to do to enter is head on over to Small Steps Parenting and you could be a lucky winner!

The beautifully designed and highly sought-after Matchbox City Baby Bag is complete with a coordinating changing mat from the funky Dutch brand Oilily. This brightly coloured and eye-catching baby bag features a cityscape design and is both practical and fun. With an inside zipper compartment, zipper mesh pocket, two open pockets and a zipper-closed front pocket, it has a place for everything. It sits easily on your shoulder when carried and has detachable straps that snap on and off pushchair handles for simpler trips to the changing table. It’s easy to clean and hard-wearing; it’s the must-have bag for every busy mum.

With this month’s prize, there’ll be no more forgotten sun creams or hats and no more popping home or back to the car for the wipes. This Summer Sizzler Competition prize is going to keep you organised and in style all summer long. So you’ll be able to make the most of the summer and your time with the little ones and friends.

Taking part couldn’t be easier. You can enter this Summer Sizzler Competition for your chance to win a Oilily Matchbox City Baby Changing Bag.

Small Steps also have lots of helpful parenting support & advice, easy family recipes, exclusive competitions great money saving offers as well as local events & things to do with your little ones. Why not take a look today?

Good luck!

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Sneak Preview of New Stokke Home Collection

‘Home is Where the Heart is’

We had been invited to The Baby Show 2015 in ExCel London by Stokke, one of our top selling brands.  The invitation merely stated place, time and ‘Home is where the heart is’.  It was all very captivating.  Would Stokke be launching a new product range?  Direct to the public?  Would we be lucky enough to see it today? And we were right, it was the Stokke Home Collection.

The Baby Show 2015

After 6 trains, one taxi ride and one hedge jump, we finally made it to our hotel in London Docklands.  After opting out of late night drinks with some friends, in exchange for a full night sleep away from my toddler, we were fresh and raring to go at 8am.  

Inside The Baby Show there were bumps galore.  I don’t think I have ever seen so many pregnant ladies in one space.  And that was supposedly the quietest day!  Thank goodness the ExCel London is spacious enough for everyone to circulate with ease, and enjoy the experience without feeling overcrowded.  The ExCel London is huge, and with so many stands to browse, plus demonstrations and fashion shows too.  We even bumped (excuse the pun) into the elegant and glowing ladies, Billi Mucklow and Cara Kilbey who were having a fabulous day baby shopping.  Their maternity style is to be envied!

The Stokke Home Collection

Finally, we saw it.  WOW!  The most beautiful nursery idea I have ever seen.  Rose and I were both speechless whilst we walked ourselves through the products.  Beautiful linen blends, stunning hazy grey wood and a design that oozed with playfulness.  It is the Stokke Home Collection.

The Stokke team romanced us with stories of their childhood - making dens under tables and creating their own personal space to play ‘house’.  With this concept in mind, they have created an enchanting yet innovative new range called ‘Stokke Home’.  There are four pieces that make up the Stokke Home range, the cradle, the changer, the dresser and the bed.  The modular nursery line provides lifelong pieces that will grow from birth through their childhood.

Stokke Home Cradle

The Stokke Home Cradle is perfect from newborn to six months. It stands on a tiny footprint making it the perfect size to fit anywhere in your home.  The light, breathable fabric allows a great airflow, and also enables the cradle to sway if desired.  Contemporary, well made and beautiful, the Stokke Home Cradle is a perfect first bed for any little angel.

Stokke Home Dresser

The dresser offers ample storage space for your baby’s attire. With three soft close drawers you can be rest assured you won’t disturb a sleeping baby.  Fitting perfectly aligned with the end of the Stokke Home Bed, this storage solution is perfect for smaller homes.

Stokke Home Changer

The changer is the perfect size.  It may be used for side on or front facing changing, whichever makes changing little bums easier.  It comes with a detachable tray to store those nappy time essentials.  The changer can fit onto both the Stokke Home Dresser or the Stokke Home Bed.  Once baby has outgrown the changer, it can be easily transformed into a play table or desk by turning it over and attaching it to the cradle frame.  This longevity of Stokke products is what they are renowned for, but so beautifully and cleverly done, no one would ever know the desk originated from a changer.

Stokke Home Bed

The dreamy Stokke Home Bed is my all time favourite piece of nursery furniture.  Upon inspection you discover a wonderfully designed piece of furniture that would take pride of place in any nursery.  The canopy which comes in a choice of fabrics, creates a peaceful atmosphere for your baby to rest.  With two height settings for the mattress, the bed can later convert into the toddler bed.  Used with the bed guard, this can make the switch from cot to bed a smoother transition.  And finally, with the addition of an overhead fabric, the bed is transformed into a wonderful playhouse for children.  Designed to hold the weight of parents and children combined, it is the ideal place for storytelling and family bonding.

And From Other Brands..

We saw our friends at iCandy on our way in, who had a great stand showcasing their entire range.  We loved seeing the new Priam from Cybex, which we are excited to arrive in store in March.  The Priam has a whole new look – I think it will take the pushchair market by storm!

Our visit to The Baby Show at ExCel London was certainly a successful trip.  Thank you to our friends at Stokke.

The entire Stokke Home Collection will be available in White and Hazy Grey at My Crib Rocks in May.  Call into our store and fall in love with the perfect nursery!

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My Crib Rocks Goes to Liverpool Fashion Week 2014

Liverpool Football Club, Anfield was the location for Liverpool's 5th annual fashion week, where all the old favourites showcased their work alongside a variety of new designers and brands. The event, which ran from the 13th until the 17th of October, is the largest non-London based runway show in the UK. Liverpool Fashion Week was covered by national media and was packed with both celebrities and buyers.

  Liverpool Fashion Week saw a host of well known high street and independent designers and brands coming together for some truly breathtaking live shows. Alongside My Crib Rocks, other brands at the event included John Lewis, Dorothy Perkins, Lego children's wear and many more.

  Each year a controversial theme is introduced by Amanda Moss. This year the focus was those families being fined for taking their children on holiday during the school term. In keeping with this years 'Families Come First' theme, the closing night celebrated Junior Night. The first of its kind for any regional fashion show.

  My Crib Rocks was there, exhibiting for each of the five days and also featured in the closing night catwalk on October 17th. Some of the brands showcased included Oilily, Pink Lining, Emmaljunga, Britax, Babystyle, Orbit Baby, iCandy, Joolz, Bugaboo and Stokke.

Among the items on show from My Crib Rocks at Liverpool Fashion Week were a number of brand new, never before seen products, which are available exclusively from the Liverpool My Crib Rocks store. One is the stunning Bugaboo Diesel pushchair which can be seen in the image above. This piece is the result of a collaboration between Bugaboo and Diesel.Designed with safety and comfort in mind, the Bugaboo offers the ultimate in functionality and manoeuvrability, while the eye catching exterior exudes style.

Also on show were a fantastic range of the very latest 'must-have' winter accessories. In particular, the gorgeous Stokke Xplory Sheepskin Liner and Winter Kit, which can be seen in the image above. This genuine sheepskin liner is perfect to keep baby snug and warm, enabling them to stay calmer and to sleep better. The liner can be adapted for use with a five point harness and is set to be a firm favourite. The Joolz Quadro Pushchair, brand new for Autumn 2014 also made a debut at the event. The Italian styling is perfect for modern parents.

  Shop the full range at My Crib Rocks now

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Stokke Weekend Birthday Event

There's exciting times ahead this coming weekend as My Cribs Rocks reaches a new milestone. It's our third birthday and to celebrate we have teamed up with leading children’s brand Stokke for a brilliant few days full of great promotions and plenty of outstanding offers to share with our customers.

  Stokke are renowned for their fabulous range of baby and nursery equipment, providing everything from prams and cots to the best products to keep your babies and children safe. As part of our birthday celebrations we will be offering some amazing deals across our entire Stokke range and even giving away goodie bags.

  Not only are we offering some great bargains but are also pleased to announce the launch of some exciting new products. The Stokke Trailz is the most versatile stroller around, ideal for use on all types of terrain. With pneumatic tyres for a smoother ride, a spacious shopping basket and superb manoeuvrability, this is the perfect pushchair for the active family on the go. Also launching will be the Stokke Scoot 2. A compact stroller with two-way reclining seat and excellent handling, this is a brilliant choice for urban exploration. We will also have the very special Limited Edition Xplory True Black on display.

   In addition to this, the brand new Cloud Grey Winter Kit is available in store now! Creating a cosy pod, this kit is the best way to keep your child warm during the colder weather. With a canopy to keep out the wind, soft sheepskin rim and even some hand muffs for you, the Winter Kit is all you need to protect you and your baby from the elements.

  Join us at our Liverpool store on Friday 3trd, Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th of October for some drinks and nibbles and to find your perfect pushchair or pram. Grab yourself a bargain and be part of our birthday celebrations.

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MY CRIB ROCKS GOES TO GERMANY: KIND + JUGEND 2014

My Crib Rocks has recently returned home from the annual highly-acclaimed baby and toddler trade show, Kind + Jugend, and it’s safe to say it did not disappoint. The trade show is one of the world's leading events for the baby sectors, and this year, I took my mother along to browse new stock for our shop.  The event took place at the Cologne exhibition centre in Germany, from 11-14 September, 2014. As one of the world's top trade shows for the early year’s sector, this year promised to be even better than before. Spanning approximately 100,000 square metres of space, figures so far suggest there was over over 1,000 exhibitors from all across the globe and a staggering 20,000 trade visitors from 110 countries. To say I was a little excited to be part of such a high profile exhibition in the world of all things baby and toddler, was an understatement!

With 1,014 exhibitors estimated present at the Kind + Jugend show, there was everything to kit your child out and more. As well as a wide range of indoor and outdoor toys, there were plenty of games, books, teddies and electronic gadgets that could provide early learning stimulation for your little ones. Prams, buggies, car seats, furniture and other baby paraphernalia were on display, and I was particularly interested in seeing what sort of furniture designs were on trend this season, when it comes to kitting out the nursery. This area always seems to attract great interest from attendees. It was also fabulous to see that there were some exhibitors attending the event who stock maternity wear and useful items for mums to be, as making sure mum is feeling as comfortable, healthy and relaxed as possible before baby arrives is really important.

New Designer Collection from iCandy

The new designer range from iCandy is one that really caught my eye. The brand gave us a sneak preview of the beautiful new colours for iCandy Apple 2 Pear, as well as the adorable new blanket and bag range. The new Strawberry 2 from the collection, which can be seen in the picture below, came with an amazing package price of £550. These will be available to buy from My Crib Rocks from October, so make sure you take advantage of this fantastic offer.

  New Strawberry 2 from iCandy

New blanket and bag range from iCandy

  Coming Soon to My Crib Rocks

We have a number of exciting announcements regarding new products coming soon to My Crib Rocks. For starters, a brand new nursery collection is due to arrive soon all the way from Italy. The collection that will be exclusive to our store is truly beautiful and includes a range of cribs, bedding and pram accessories. To follow, we have a complete new product range from the Dutch mobility company, Bugaboo soon to be in our store. We also have a new range from Joolz as well as new colours for the Studio collection. More information will be released towards the end of September from Joolz themselves, so keep your eyes open for updates. Below is a sneak preview of the gorgeous new, contemporary fabric on the Leipold collection which will be in store soon at My Crib Rocks.

  The Cologne Catherdral

I was fortunate enough to mix business with pleasure on my trip and I managed to squeeze in some sight-seeing. One of the highlights was definitely visiting one of Germany’s most famous landmarks, the Cologne Cathedral. As you can see from the image below it is a truly incredible site.

The Kind + Jugend international trade show promised to provide a great environment to seek inspiration and new ideas for my baby and toddler store, which I could bring home and offer to my customers. It is safe to say it offered just that. For updates and announcements on new product arrivals from Kind + Jugend follow us Twitter @mycribrocks.

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Brick and Mortar Stores Vs Internet Retailers – How Important is the In-store Experience?

      Nowadays it is not unusual for people to buy almost anything online, and it can certainly be more convenient than a trip to the shops. But are there occasions where the advantages of the in-store experience are just too great to ignore?

  One of our suppliers recently launched their own .com store – however, until now, their business ethic has always been that customers must visit a physical store to experience a demonstration before they make a purchase. Retailers were not allowed to sell online or via mail order. This was their policy as they believed a premium product deserved a physical demonstration and a high standard of customer service.

  While we are all for online sales and offer customers the choice wherever possible, we would have to agree that in our industry a test drive is priceless.  I doubt very much anyone buys a car without first taking it for a spin. When buying a pram, it is so important that many of the features suit your personal lifestyle and physical ability. For instance, if I’m 6’3” will the handle bar height be suitable for me? Or will it be easy to manoeuvre in tight spaces as I love to shop?  If I need something simple for the manic school run, how easily does it fold?

    Some customers might get the impression that if they are buying direct from the manufacturer, their pram is guaranteed to be delivered on time, or perhaps they will receive a better warranty. We would disagree; a warranty is equal regardless of whether you buy direct or through an independent retailer, and we always aim to have a customer’s pram in-store 4 weeks before baby’s due date, just in case baby arrives early.

  On collection of your pram, we like to ensure it is built and ready to put baby in. We have heard from customers in the past that it has taken up to 4 hours to build their pram! So allow us to take this job off your hands and avoid the unnecessary stress of setting it up.

    In-store customers also have the option to spread the cost of their pram and nursery furniture over the duration of their pregnancy. The period around the birth of a baby can be an expensive time in a family’s life, and we offer the choice of spreading the cost at no extra charge, which can be a huge help to new parents.

  Full product demonstrations are available, including essential tips such as how to fold the pram, attach a car seat, recline the seat unit, operate the quick release wheel, attach accessories, etc. In addition, you can view all the fabric and colour options we have to offer. You can have a go at folding the pram yourself and we can even try it in the boot of your car for you. All part of the in-store service, not something you will find online!

    Unfortunately, it is sometimes necessary to return a customer’s pram to the manufacturer for repairs; in these situations we have loan prams ready to reduce the inconvenience as much as possible. This may not be a service that is provided online, instead, you will have to arrange with the manufacturer collection of your pram, acquire a box to return it in, then wait home for the courier company, and that’s not all – you could be left without a pram for up to 3 weeks. 

  Our customer service is second to none. The team here at My Crib Rocks are always happy to answer whatever questions you may have. Additionally, we would invite you to test drive the pram as much and as often as you like, you can even ask grandparents to visit the store so they can have a push too. 

  Our experienced and knowledgeable staff are fully trained to offer advice on which product might suit your lifestyle best; for instance, if you have a dog and walk on the beach then possibly the Bugaboo Buffalo all terrain pushchair, or if you are a city mum who loves to shop and wants something compact, the iCandy Raspberry is ideal with its lightweight frame, maybe you are looking for something uber stylish and comfortable – the Stokke Crusi is the ultimate comfort stroller.

    We aim to provide a relaxed environment in which our customers can shop with no buying pressure. This is an exciting time in a family’s life, and we want to ensure the journey is as enjoyable as it should be. If you’re expecting a child soon and live in the Liverpool area, why not pop in and have a look at the fantastic range on offer at our store?

  Did you choose to shop online for a pram, or would you prefer the chance to try it out before making your decision? Let us know in the comments.

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Celebrating the Launch of the Joolz Day Tailor at My Crib Rocks

To coincide with the northern launch of the brand new Joolz Day Tailor, we invited a number of customers and celebrities to join us at My Crib Rocks for cake pops and champagne (non-alcoholic of course!)

We all had plenty of fun experimenting with the Joolz Day Tailor – the first customisable pram made specifically to order. With a choice of 3 fabric colours, either black or silver wheels and double stitched leatherette handle & bumper bars in 20 different colours, your pram is sure to be unique to you and your baby. Whether you prefer subtle tones or a bright and funky colour – Joolz has it covered!

Former Coronation Street actress Tina O’Brien (Sarah-Louise Platt) and her partner Adam Crofts popped in to design their very own Joolz Day Tailor. They are expecting their first baby together and you can see just how excited they are!  They chose the sleek black fabric, chassis and black wheels, whilst accessorising with the Tangerine Tango colour pack – a funky, contemporary and fashionable choice! They partnered this with a BeSafe iZi-Go infant carrier in Black Cab to match. The frequently recommended iZi-Go car seat is well known for its safety and ease of use.

We were also joined by two amazing businesses, Cake Lingerie and Heaven Skincare. In case you’re not familiar with them, Cake Lingerie offer a range of fabulous and feminine pregnancy and breastfeeding products, while at Heaven Skincare you will find an assortment of all-natural beauty products and treatments. Everyone was treated to wonderful hand massages whilst browsing this stunning collection of maternity lingerie that is loved by celebrities around the world.

One especially lucky guest, Jenny, won a Joolz Day Tailor worth £999! Although she was not the only winner – others left with an Oilily baby bag, an Ergo carrier and an Izziwotnot Moses basket. There is an incredible collection of bags available from Oilily, and you are welcome to visit our store to have a look at them. For parents who would prefer to keep their baby close throughout the day, the Ergobaby carrier is an excellent choice; it offers a convenient way to leave the house with your new arrival as well as more freedom of movement around your home. The fantastic Moses baskets from Izziwotnot, meanwhile, are always a popular choice, and with their simple yet luxurious design it is easy to see why. The rest of our guests did not leave empty handed, however, and all were delighted with their goody bags!

We had a ball, and cannot wait to organise our next in-store event in July. If you are interested in attending, please email info@mycribrocks.co.uk

The Joolz Day Tailor is on display now, so please call in to our store to see all the beautiful colours and combinations. We know how important it is to pick the ideal pushchair for your baby, and you can try out all of the prams & pushchairs in our showroom to ensure you make the right choice.

Have you considered purchasing this new addition to our range for your little one? Share your thoughts on the Joolz Day Tailor below.

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The Little Green Sheep - SnuzPod 3 in 1 Bedside Crib

Here at My Crib Rocks, we’re delighted to welcome the SnuzPod 3 in 1 Bedside Crib to our store. Released last December, we can officially announce that we’re the only exclusive retailer in Liverpool!

Many an hour has been spent getting to know this product inside and out. So, if you’re in town, why not pop by and take a look - our friendly staff members will talk you through everything you need to know.

Safety comes First

During your baby’s first 6 months, it’s recommended your little one sleeps beside your bed in a crib. With the SnuzPod you can avoid bed-sharing and quickly respond to their needs during the wee hours of the night. The breathable mesh wall quickly zips down to enable regular check-ups on your newborn as well as responding to feeding cues - all without having to get out of the comfort of your own bed. This makes SnuzPod a hit with mothers who have undergone a caesarean section.

Bonding with Baby

Is it a bedside crib, a standalone crib, or a bassinet? - It’s all three! Whether you’re busy in the kitchen or are in the nursery, your newborn can easily come with you. Simply lift the bassinet from the birch base, via the integrated handles at either end, to offer comfort to your little cherub 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The foldable stand ticks all the boxes for storage, day trips and when visiting family.

Built to Last

The larger dimensions look after baby from birth to 6 months, making this crib an excellent alternative to the smaller Moses Basket. As a result, you have more time to move baby into a cot or nursery - take it from us, this crib literally rocks!

Good news - The SnuzPod 3 in 1 Bedside Crib will be online imminently. We predict big things for this innovative crib that is already a big hit with celebrities. If you simply can’t wait to see it online, then why not come on down, we even provide a private viewing service. To arrange, just contact us!