Archive for Toronto
July 28, 2009 at 4:31 pm
· Filed under Children, Toronto, Toronto shopping, baby clothes, dresses for little girls, mothers in business, smocked dresses
Hi! Hope you are all having a great Summer!
This is a special message to let you know that I have been nominated for the Savvymom Mom Entrepreneur Award again this year. This award is a readers’ choice contest designed to find Canada ’s top Mom Entrepreneur. The winner will be announced in the fall and will be rewarded with a $15,500 prize that was designed to help take that business to the next level.
Throughout the contest period, Savvymom.ca will be hosting a “Mom Entreprenuers Gallery” at www.momentrepreneuraward.com. My company, PerryWinkles Kids, can be viewed by clicking on this URL: http://momentrepreneuraward.ca/MomBio.aspx?momID=189
Voters are also eligible to win prizes provided by Mabel’s Labels, Starrytime Keepsakes and Joe Fresh Style in the voter sweepstakes that accompanies this award program.
I hope you can take a couple of minutes of your time and vote for me.
Thanks so much!
Maria
PerryWinkles Kids
www.perrywinkleskids.com
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July 28, 2009 at 4:00 pm
· Filed under Children, Children Fashion, Infants, Toronto, baby clothes, dresses for little girls, kids, mothers in business, smocked dresses
As featured on Secret Life Of a WAHM on July 24, 2009 (www.secretlifeofawahm.blogspot.com/2009/07/perry-winkle-kids-smocked-dress.html):
I love anything smocked!!! I can truly say I am an addict for smocked dresses, bubbles and pant sets. When I found out I was pregnant with my daughter I started buying them and buying them! Smocked dresses are so timeless and clothing work of art. My favorite is the bishop and angel sleeve styles. With these styles you can get 2-3 years of wear out of one dress. I like to buy mine long and then as my daughter grows I pair them with bloomers or pantaloons.
I was recently given the opportunity to review a smocked dress from Perry Winkles Kids. They make beautiful hand-smocked dresses. We received the Ursala smocked sundress. It is breathtaking. The quality is second to none! It is made of a gorgeous, super soft cotton in green with a fun plaid pattern and is completely lined. It has pearlized buttons in the back from the top to the bottom. We just love it!! The smocking detail is amazing!! I love the fact that I can dress this dress up or down. I can pair it with keds or sandals for a more casual look or with a pair of mary janes for a dressier look.
Here is a picture of Riley in her new dress. I took several pictures of Riley in her new dress but had my camera on the wrong setting. This is the only one I could salvage.

Perry Winkles Kids is a Canadian-based mother and daughter team. They are both moms that appreciate good quality and easy to care for clothing. They only work with natural fibres (like 100% pima cotton) and they place a huge importance in bringing you a high-quality and unique product.
They offer sizes ranging from 3 months to 6T.
Secret Burkheiser, Secret Life Of a WHAM
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March 5, 2009 at 5:33 pm
· Filed under Children, Infants, Toronto, apparel, kids
PerryWinkles Kids has just launched its new collection of little girls’ smocked dresses and we are very excited about it. The new collection is full of lively, girly and adorable new creations that are perfect for every little girl’s special occasions this Spring and Summer. And as always, all of our little girls’ dresses are hand-smocked and made of 100% high quality pima cotton, which makes them machine-washable.
Choose from some of our new floral cotton print dresses, like the Alesia or the Rose dress. Or if you like the classic styles more, you will love the pique cotton Tatiana dresses and the gorgeous Linda collection. Pair up one of our beautiful dresses with one of our new for an even more polished look. Our smocked dresses are perfect for special occasions like weddings, anniversary parties, birthday parties, religious events, or when you want your little girl to look a little bit more dressy in an age-appropriate outfit. We have styles for little girls from newborn to toddlers to size 6. All our dresses up to size 12months/1T come with matching bloomers.
As always, enjoy free shipping on orders over $150. All our orders ship within 24 hours.
Maria
PerryWinkles Kids – fine little girl smocked dresses
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December 6, 2008 at 8:22 pm
· Filed under Children, Infants, Toronto, kids, kids health
It’s that time of year again – the time when it seems like my family and I are constantly battling against all kinds of flus, colds and viruses….it seems like it’s us against all of them every week! Ever since the beginning of November, someone in my household has had some sort of cold or flu, including this weekend – I battled a stomach flu yesterday and my husband was hit with it today. We consider ourselves a pretty fit and healthy household – we try to eat healthy, gets lots of sleep and exercise on a very regular basis. But it seems like every time November hits, no matter how ‘ready’ we think we are to battle all these flus and colds, we get hit.
I have two young daughters, 2 and 5, who go to school and spend most of their day with other small children. I am sure their schools are the source of most of our ailings, but I also know there is nothing I can do about this. We try to boost up the vitamin C intakes during the colder (i.e. closed windows) months, we try to make it an even stronger point of washing our hands constantly….but still, we are hit! I never used to get sick before I had kids…it seems like the flus and viruses that roam in children’s environments are just stronger and are here to get us all. And of course, are bodies are already worn down from all the running around that comes with the holidays, not to mention the stress that the stock and housing market weaknesses have brought. So I think we are just easy targets at this time of year…and these viruses are relentless!! So after another weekend of chicken soup, I’m hoping that we can finally shake off these ailments and enjoy some winter fun…after all, I would think by now we’ve built up our immune system against some of the strains of flus this season!
Maria
PerryWinkles Kids – fine girls’ smocked dresses
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November 30, 2008 at 3:38 pm
· Filed under Children, Children Fashion, Infants, Moms, Toronto, Toronto shopping, apparel, kids, toronto outings
Come and do some hoilday shopping at Bialik Boutique Market in Toronto this Monday. The 7th Annual Boutique Market at Bialik Hebrew Day School will take place on December 1st, between 2-8pm. Shop from over 60 vendors, this is the largest school Boutique event in Toronto. With over 60 artists, vendors and craftspeople showcasing unique giftware, housewares, clothing art & more, you won’t leave empty handed. PerryWinkles Kids, fine girls’ smocked dresses, will be there with our current collection of Fall and Holiday smocked dresses for little girls, along with our Spring and Summer dresses and cotton cardigans. Food & Refreshments available for sale at the Market Cafe. Bialik Hebrew Day School, 2760 Bathurst St., Toronto.
Maria
PerryWinkles Kids – fine children’s clothing
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November 3, 2008 at 9:57 pm
· Filed under Children, Children Fashion, Infants, Toronto, Toronto shopping, apparel, kids
We are pleased to announce that you can now shop for PerryWinkles Kids’ collection of smocked girls’ dresses and cardigans at The 5 Fifty 5 Shop at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children. The gift shop is operated by the Hospital’s Women’s Auxiliary volunteers and proceeds are directed toward patient-related projects.
The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), affiliated with the University of Toronto, is Canada’s most research-intensive hospital and the largest centre dedicated to improving children’s health in the country. As innovators in child health, SickKids improves the health of children by integrating care, research and teaching.
With a staff that includes professionals from all disciplines of health care and research, SickKids provides the best in complex and specialized care by creating scientific and clinical advancements, sharing knowledge and expertise and championing the development of an accessible, comprehensive and sustainable child health system.
PerryWinkles Kids specializes in little girls’ comfortable, trendy and practical girls’ hand-smocked dresses, in sizes from newborn to size 6. PerryWinkles Kids works only with machine-washable high-quality natural fabrics, like soft pima cotton, that are easy to care for.
Maria
PerryWinkles Kids – fine girls’ clothing
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August 24, 2008 at 9:21 pm
· Filed under Children, Entertainment, Toronto, Travel
If you have ever had the pleasure to watch a Cirque du Soleil performance, you will agree with me that they are one of the most amazing live shows you will ever see. I have watched a number of their performances over the years and, last year, took my young daughter to see one of Cirque’s shows for the first time. My daughter did not stop talking about the performance ever since, she now wants to be an acrobat, was in awe for the duration of the show and could not wait to go again. Toronto is fortunate to have Cirque du Soleil visit us every year with their touring shows (they also have permanent shows in a number of cities around the world) and just today I took my daughter, now 4, to see a Cirque du Soleil performance once again.
The performance tonight was Saltimbanco, ‘a Cirque du Soleil signature show inspired by the urban fabric of the metropolis and its colorful inhabitants. Decidedly baroque in its visual vocabulary, the show’s eclectic cast of characters draws spectators into a fanciful, dreamlike world, an imaginary city where diversity is a cause for hope.’ The colours, the music, the acrobatic shows, the setting – you will leave in awe of the imagination of its creators and the ability of its performers. This show is a great event for adults and kids, something of an experience that your kids will probably not forget.
This was the last performance of Saltimbanco in Toronto, but the show continues to Hamilton, ON on August 27th and then goes on to a number of U.S. cities including Buffalo, NY and Trenton, NJ. If you have the chance, I highly recommend that you go see this show…and bring your kids.
Maria
PerryWinkles Kids – fine smocked girls’ dresses
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August 19, 2008 at 10:16 pm
· Filed under Children, Entertainment, Infants, Moms, Summer Activities, Toronto, Toronto food, Toronto shopping, Travel, toronto outings
Last weekend, my family and I set out on a bike ride on a lovely sunny Summer morning in Toronto. We ended up at the Evergreen Brick Works, at the site of the old Don Valley Brickworks Factory in the Bayview extension in Toronto. It was a most pleasant surprise – a truly urban oasis right in our city. This ‘thriving environmentally-based community centre that engages visitors in diverse experiences connected to nature’ is sure to appeal to a wide array of Torontonians looking for unique, interesting and stimulating things to do without going too far. The location of the old Brickworks factory, which first opened in 1889, has been preserved and refurbished and is now a great destination for families with children. Entry to the site is free.
We enjoyed great food at the Farmer’s Market (one of my favourites were delicious Surkl organic empanadas) and great hikes through the area. My two young daughters were fascinated by the wild flowers, turtles and fish that they saw pretty much in their own backyard. The site offers lots of great nature walks and events throughout the year that include chef’s workshops, a farmer’s market every Saturday, and the ‘Farm to Folk Festival’, among many others. What’s better is that this great spot right in Toronto is still in its development stage, with lots more great things to come – The Discovery Centre, Demonstration Gardens, Native Plant Nursery, among other great projects.
My family and I will definitely be coming back!
Maria
PerryWinkles Kids – fine smocked girls’ dresses
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August 14, 2008 at 9:36 pm
· Filed under Children, Children Fashion, Infants, Moms, Toronto, Toronto shopping, apparel, fashion industry
We are thrilled to announce our Fall & Winter Dress Collection for little girls and baby girls, just in time for back to school and all their special occasion during the colder months. We have found gorgeous viyellas, heavy cotton, veloure and baby corduroy and have decorated them with stunning and unique smocking patterns, to keep your little princess cozy, comfortable and stylish during the Fall and Winter seasons. As always, practicality is was a key consideration and all our new designs are machine-washable, to keep up with today’s mom’s busy schedules.
Our new collection of little girls’ dresses include beautiful hand-smocked designs, like the Jane style in pink viyella. As well, your little princess will dazzle in her first day of school in one of our new blue or red corduroy jumpers and viyella shirts. We have other new additions to our collection, like brand new styles of cotton cardigans and nylon tights.
PerryWinkles Kids – fine smocked girls’ dresses
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August 13, 2008 at 8:53 pm
· Filed under Children, Infants, Moms, Muskoka, Toronto, Travel, toronto outings
It’s almost the end of August, which means by now I’ve had about 8 weekend trips with my kids and husband up to cottage country. A big challenge for me is always what to pack for the 2-hour car ride. My four-year old daughter, from the minute she sits in the car, needs a snack. She’s not a snacker otherwise, but once she sits in the car for the ride up to cottage country, her brain sends her ’snack signals’….and there is not much I can do to change her mind. Here are my favourite on-the-road snacks for kids (which work well with grown-ups too):
1. Popcorn: Just pop some the night before your road trip and put it in the different containers for each kid. Not only is it a healthy snack for growing children, but it keeps the little ones occupied for a good amount of time.
2. Cut-up pieces of fruit: Our favourites are peaches (specially now that they are in season!) and apples. I stay away from the berries since they tend to create a mess in the car (I say this from experience).
3. A special treat for those moments when nothing will stop them from asking ‘are we there yet’ again: My favourites are lollipops since they can keep kids occupied for a little while. I bring these out only when I really need them, but it’s always nice to have that ‘extra special’ treat.
4. Rice cakes: My little girls like the mini cheese flavour rice cakes. They are a lot healthier than cheesies, but the kids still feel like they are getting a bit of a treat.
Happy Trails!
Maria
PerryWinkles Kids
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