Top Toy for 2010 My Pillow Pets Introduces A New Game and More

My Pillow Pets (www.MyPillowPets.com) are super-soft plush creatures that are snuggly companions for imaginative play and comfy pillows for bed, television or travel time. From the jungle to the sea, there are over 30-styles of loveable My Pillow Pets available each with its own characteristic and charm.

“The demand for the My Pillow Pet products has seen unprecedented levels in 2010,” said Jennifer Telfer, CEO of CJ Products, LLC, the manufacturers of My Pillow Pets. “It was only natural to answer this demand by creating new styles and accessories to grow the brand.”

In addition to the My Pillow Pets plush, the line has also expanded to include the Pillow Pets Dreamland Adventure Game and the Pillow Pets Dreamland Matching Game. Children can set sail on an exciting journey through seven continents as they race to enter My Pillow Pets Dreamland. Along the way they encounter adventures, adorable My Pillow Pet friends, and even some pitfalls. The Pillow Pets Dreamland Matching Game hones children’s memory skills and focus as they try and match some of their My Pillow Pets favorites. See all the new products at Toy Fair Booth #208.

The November Issue of Gift, Gourmet & Decor is Now Available

Dear GGD Reader,

Welcome to the November digital issue of Gift, Gourmet & Decor Magazine.


This Month's Featured Content:
• Enliven Sales
• Winter Markets Update
• Valentine's Day
• Greeting Card Gazette

• Industry Speaks
• Calendar

New Feature:
Enchanced Page Zooming Feature Now Available-Zooming is now easier then ever!

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GGD Digital requires NO special downloads or applications to view in its entirety.

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We hope you enjoy this issue and all future digital issues of GGD. Feel free to contact us with your thoughts and feedback at gwnplus@talcott.com.

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The GGD Team

Nappa Judges Assemble Two Honors For Hot & Cool Toymaker CitiBlocs

For the second year in a row, CitiBlocs is a winner of a NAPPA Honors Award. The CitiBlocs 100 Piece Hot and Cool Color Sets were recently named a NAPPA 2010 Honors Award recipient, and the eco-friendly blocks were also named a NAPPA 2010 Best Bang for Buck Award winner. The 100 piece building block sets are an affordable $22.99.

CitiBlocs are wood building blocks that require no glue, no snaps, no connectors and no magnets: just gravity, balance and imagination. Kids and parents can choose small, medium and gigantic sets with bold colors or plain pine. All CitiBlocs are precision cut wood pieces that are the exact same shape and size.

The National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) is the "go-to" source for parents and professionals looking for the best children’s products and resources for parents. It signifies that a product has been rigorously evaluated against stringent criteria by expert judges and family testers and that it stands out among hundreds of similar products from around the world.

ASTRA Announces 2011 Marketplace & Academy Themes And Dates

The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) has announced that the theme of its 2011 Marketplace & Academy is “Soak Up the Sunshine. Dive into the Deals.” The event will take place in Anaheim, California from June 19- 22, 2011.

“ASTRA conventions are known for being both fun and hugely effective events for transacting business,” notes Kathleen McHugh, President of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association. “Our theme reflects the upbeat, family-friendly atmosphere that you can’t help but enjoy in Anaheim, even while those attending will be getting terrific show-only deals on the products they need for a profitable fourth quarter. Anaheim 2011 will be where play meets business for anyone interested in specialty toys.”

With more than 1000 members, the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) is the largest association for companies in the toy and children’s products arenas. ASTRA and its member companies promote the growth of the toy industry by delivering products that serve children’s best interests. For more information, visit www.astratoy.org.

Registration Opens for American International Toy Fair 2011; Exhibitor Numbers Up 9 Percent

As buyer and attendee registration opens for the 108th American International Toy Fair (www.toyassociation.org) in February 2011, the number of companies signed up to exhibit is already ahead by 9 percent compared to the same date last year. And of the nearly 300 new exhibitor applications that have been received to date, 22 percent are from international companies hoping to tap into the lucrative $22 billion U.S. toy market.

“We’re thrilled with the increase in sales figures and the levels of confidence and optimism they express,” commented Marian Bossard, TIA vice president of meetings and events. “This kind of positive news reaffirms Toy Fair’s reputation as the epicenter of toy and youth product creativity, originality and excellence in the Western Hemisphere.”

In response to buyer interest, an addition on the show floor for Toy Fair ’11 is a new Teen/Tween section. Aimed at buyers interested in toys, games and accessories designed to tap into the desires and interests of the powerful ‘inbetweenie’ age group, this newly created Product Zone will provide a highly-focused destination for the more than 3,000 retail buyers (18 percent of those attending the 2010 show) who said Teen/Tween products were on their shopping list.

Dubbed “the largest toy box” in North America and the place where trends are born, Toy Fair 2011 will be held February 13th-16th 2011 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

The Sept/Oct Issue of Gift, Gourmet & Decor is Now Available

Dear GGD Reader,

Welcome to the September/October digital issue of Gift, Gourmet & Decor Magazine.


This Month's Featured Content:
• Calendar
• What Will The Guys Have
• I Do! - Weddings
• Last Minute Hoiliday Ordering

• Mod Squad
• Creative Collection for The Holiday

New Feature:
Enchanced Page Zooming Feature Now Available-Zooming is now easier then ever!

Please Note:
GGD Digital requires NO special downloads or applications to view in its entirety.

Please click HERE to begin reading now!

We hope you enjoy this issue and all future digital issues of GGD. Feel free to contact us with your thoughts and feedback at gwnplus@talcott.com.

Sincerely,
The GGD Team

Baby & Child Expands At Winter 2011 NYIGF

Following its well-received and widely-acclaimed debut in August 2010, the new juried Baby & Child division will expand by 20 percent for the winter 2011 New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) to feature some 150 companies offering sophisticated and purpose-driven products for children 0-10 years.

“The demand for sophisticated and stylish children’s products is exploding, and Baby & Child offers a breadth of well-designed resources across multiple categories,” said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and GLM senior vice president. “The division brings together leading brands, emerging resources and taste-makers in one consolidated collection.”

According to show management, divisional growth will result from the relocation of key children’s resources — such as Douglas Plush, The Baby Bunch, 3 Sprouts and Wee Gallery — from other NYIGF divisions into Baby & Child, as well as the addition of newcomers to the New York market. In addition, several Baby & Child charter exhibitors — including Skip Hop, Kid O, Manhattan Toy and HABA USA — have requested expansions for the division’s second semi-annual edition.

Baby & Child includes leading brands and innovative new resources in a wide range of products, including arts and crafts, books, music, toys, games, puzzles, dolls and plush, gear (diaper bags, stroller accessories and feeding accessories), wearables and accessories, layette, bedding accessories and blankets.