Co-op for really cute site

[ddmarsh]

Someone posted the link to this site and I fell in love with the chalk mats:

www.samandbellie.com

I contacted her to see about a co-op b/c I thought the chalk mats were so great for travel, restaurants, etc. She is offering us free shipping with the code BBBFREE. Just enter the code in the comments section at her Paypal checkout and shipping charges will then be refunded to you within 24 hours (she apparantly does not have the capability to have the cost directly deducted). This code is good on everything thru 7/5/05. There are lots of great baby gifts here as well.

[bchafin]

Thanks for posting this! I just ordered a chalk mat to try. If I like it, I may have to order more for friends!

Barb

[August Mom]

Does anyone have one of these? They are super cute, but somewhat expensive at the same time. Some real life experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Some questions I have are:

Does it work well in the car?
How do you erase the chalk on the go? Can your DC do it?
Do you wind up with chalk dust all over your diaper bag or car?
Do the holders really keep the chalk in place?

Boy, I sound practical. :)

[Mikesa3]

LOL I have the same questions. I would think it would be too messy for the car but it does look cute. I think I'll stick with a magnadoodle until I read reviews.
Nancy-Mom to 6 great kids

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I asked these same questions and someone mentioned that you can buy dust-free chalk! I never knew there was such a thing.

...Karen
DS Jake Feb 91, DD Logan Mar 03
http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/superpower.gif http://members.aol.com/khowe14494/borntobebreastfed2.gif

[octmom]

Not quite as cute, but still cute and only $8 each for chalkboard placemats: http://www.decorativethings.com/kidsthings.html


Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."

[CiderLogan]

I ordered a chalkmat from http://www.miastella.com/chalk.htm about half a year ago after hers were featured in Parents magazine. She was a really sweet person to work with and actually gave me a free 3rd chalkmat because I was her first customer through the magazine! Anyway, I wanted to comment on the use of these:
-we have used ours almost exclusively at home. I don't think it would work well at all in the car - a table is needed. It would be great for restaurants, though, because it doesn't generate as much chalk dust as you might expect.
-at least on the miastella ones (which BTW are $18), you can't use dust-free chalk (but, as I said, the regular chalk is fine)
-it's pretty easy for my not-yet-2-year-old to use, and I like to draw on it too. It keeps us occupied when we feel like coloring but I'm not in the mood to deal with actual (potentially messy) crayons
-I use one of those chalk holders that teachers use because I'm afraid chalk alone might break in DD's hands. I also use a washcloth for erasing. We roll the chalk holder in the washcloth and roll that up in the mat and then tie it.
-oh, yes, and it's great for traveling!

Let me know if you have any other questions....

Jenny
Mom of Julia, 8/03

[momtoemma]

Jenny,

Would you mind posting measurements for your chalkmat? Can you roll it up or does it need to be folded for storage (as shown on the website)?

Thanks,

[CiderLogan]

My Mia Stella chalkmat is 15in x 12in (about a half inch of that on each side is the gingham border). And, yes, it rolls up for storage.

Jenny
Mom of Julia, 8/03

[8isenough]

I have purchased quite few of these over time and I always get quite a reaction from other mom's when I give them as gifts. They are particularly well received from my GF's who have a toddler and have just had their second.
When we go out to dinner, or on a road trip, they help so much in keeping all of us entertained.
To answer some of the questions....yes, they are messy. We use the dust free chalk but when the kids draw on the board, the colors just aren't the same vibrancy. So I put up with the dust and we use the neon colored chalk. We use non-scented baby wipes or tissue with water to wash them off every so often. They compact down pretty well, although honestly none of us bothers to roll them up like they show in the pictures. :) You could be proper and purchase actual chalkboard erasers, but we just use plain old tissues to erase them with. We ruined the surface of one of ours when Ansley got a hold of a crayon and decided she didn't want to use the "hawk".

Sterling

[cinrein]

I found these in a catalog I just got---

http://www.chinaberry.com/showbook.cfm?invnum=7242&userid=64927065

They don't roll up, but you get 4 placemats.

Cindy and Anna February 2003