What a girl wants! Let us tell you, Little Pink Dress has it! From dresses to accessories to decor and more, Little Pink Dress nails sugar and spice and everything nice—with just enough sass to keep thing modern and enough good-taste restraint to keep things sweet and age-appropriate. Here we talk to Sabrina Bailey and Lorina Harris about the girl-in-the-world boutique they started because, as on-the-go military wives, they had a difficult time finding what they wanted for their daughters, the top trends of the season and the new lines that your DD will fall for.  

THE FAMILY GROOVE: Why did you start Little Pink Dress? Sabrina Bailey and Lorina Harris: Being military wives, we found it difficult to raise our families and have a fulfilling career, all while bouncing around from place to place with our spouses. We decided that the best solution was to launch our own online business where we could still be at home with our children and have the freedom to run our business, no matter where the military took us. Also being the parents of daughters, we both became frustrated with the selection or lack of variety found in many retail stores, especially on the military bases overseas, so we began searching for designers and vendors that sought to capture vintage charm, classic beauty and the times when girls looked like little girls. TFG: The site is looking even more fabulous than ever—it's luxe and elegant but still fun! You have nailed the little-girl-in-the-world paradigm: sugar and spice and everything nice. What inspires your design aesthetic? SB & LH: We’re really inspired by vintage children’s clothing and decor from the 40s and 50s, but we also admire designs with a more whimsical flare as well. TFG: You carry everything a girl would want from clothing and accessories to baby gear to decor, bedding, furniture and gifts. What are some of your favorites? SB & LH: Some of our favorites are the luxury children’s attire by Sebastian Cruz, our vintage inspired headbands (which are currently one of our top sellers), the new line of Wee Squeak spring sandals, Love Chic Baby Perfume and the fabulous new tween bedding by Glenna Jean. TFG: What's in style the season: SB & LH: Soft colors are very popular this year especially pink, green, yellow, and blue. Flower dresses and a variety of floral patterns are also in this year, as well as a variety of skirts— tutus, bubbles, and twirls in particular. TFG: What about decor? What are the latest trends? SB & LH: Top trends and décor for baby nurseries right now are emphasizing style and functionality, such as convertible cribs that can become a full size bed or chest that can serve as a changing table. New moms are also, always looking for unique bedding for their little ones. Vintage patterns and lush fabrics are a must have for any new parents most precious treasure. Children’s art by Oopsy Daisy is very popular right now and we offer a wide variety that will fit any theme such as wall murals, canvas art and personalized growth charts. TFG: What is your proudest moment as a business owner? SB & LH: Our proudest moment as of now would have to be when we received our first order. It was for a bottle of Love Chic baby cologne. With any new online business you wonder if you’re going to get lost in cyber space. Our first order definitely made us feel like ok we can do this and we are officially entrepreneurs. It was really exciting and business has been steadily increasing ever since. TFG: What exciting things are on the horizon? SB & LH: Little Pink Dress will continue to bring our customers the most, trendy as well as unique items we can find. We are looking into bringing international styles and trends to our boutique that will continue to wow our customers. Of course every online business owner has the desire to open a store front and we are no different. Once our families have settled we plan on opening a store front that is just as whimsical and girly as our site is, so stay tuned because we have a lot in store. For more from Little Pink Dress, go to www.mylittlepinkdress.com and get 10% off of $50 or more with code LPD11 (until July 31).

This is a big time of year for gifts. Big. Teacher gifts, birthday gifts, hostess gifts, thank-you, baby shower gifts, new baby gifts—yup, there are certainly a lot of gifts to be given. So what do you do when you want to give a special gift that means something, makes a good impression, is actually useful, oozes style and doesn't break the bank?  You go to SewGirlie.com. The online monogrammed gifting go-to hooks you up with everything you need (and could want) to give. Here, we talk to Kimberly Olson, founder of Sew Girlie, about her happy site, how she chooses the fabulous items for it and what other moms should do if they want to start a business of their own. THE FAMILY GROOVE: What inspired you to start your business? Kimberly Olson: I have always loved fabric, paper, stickers, ribbons, bows—everything colorful and girly. It was a natural transition to start a company which allowed me to work with the things that I love. TFG: You offer a very wide range of gifts, from bags & totes, drinkware and hair accessories to baby gifts, hostess gifts, wedding gifts and even gifts for pets.  How do you choose what you carry? KO: We do a lot of research and try lots of different items, but not all of them make it into production. We try to sell unique items that are different from anything else being sold in the market.  We are constantly developing new items, which we usually try out on family and friends to get their feedback. TFG: What is your favorite gift to give? KO: It depends on who is getting the gift and what season it is.  Every item is custom made just for that person.  Everyone loves gifts that reflect their individual personality and taste.  I like to give gifts that make other people feel special. TFG: You have been at this for six years—a veritable lifetime in Internet.  What’s your advice to other moms who want to start a business? KO: First, start with something you love, something that makes your heart happy. Work hard, start slow and don’t go into debt.  If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life. TFG: What is your proudest moment as a business owner? KO: I love the fact that I can help supplement my family’s income. I enjoy the whole process—from seeing an order come in, knowing someone searched the Internet, found our site, and liked our products so much that they would order it for themselves or to give to a friend or loved one—to packaging the item and shipping it to its new home to be enjoyed.  It is fulfilling to know that my products bring joy and happiness to others. TFG: What exciting things are on the horizon? KO: We are in the process of expanding our facilities, which will enable us to increase our product lines and our production capabilities. We always have products in development! For more from Sew Girlie, go to www.sewgirlie.com. Get 15% off with code Groove.

Sparklehearts’ products are 99.6 percent natural and made from organic ingredients, created in the USA, never tested on animals and packaged in recyclable materials. Oh, and super cute! A full set of products—the Shine Shampoo, Soft Conditioner, Peace Out No Knots Hair Detangler, Bubbling Blooms Body Wash and Sweet Hearts Sparkly Body Wash—is enough to make any little girl's holiday. Parents rave about the effectiveness of the products and how mild they are on delicate skin and fine hair, while kids love the smell and the glittery packaging. For more from Sparklehearts, go to www.sparklehearts.com.

This season kick the riff-raff/mindless/meaningless/big-box crap to the curb and give your favorite little ones the best gifts out there! Our awesome (uh, if we do say so ourselves) Holiday Gift Guide for Babies & Kids is power-packed with nine top gift choices—all unique, all high quality, all guaranteed to keep your wee ones smiling well into the new year. We also profile the companies (all mom-owned, of course) that we're featuring and suggest other gift ideas too. The best part is that these gifts will not—we repeat: will NOT—break the bank. From your kids to your nieces and nephews to your friends' kids and your kids' friends, this guide's got you covered. Happy shopping!