Ellicott City woman sells products by moms for moms

Reusable sandwich and snack bags, animal-shaped sandwich cutters and natural, eco-friendly laundry detergent are just a few of the mom-invented products that make life easier and more enjoyable for Kim Lemmonds and her two children, ages three and five.

And she doesn't have to go far to get them. Lemmonds runs an online business called Berry Best Moms out of her Ellicott City home, where she sells more than 130 mom-invented products aimed to help mothers with young children.

"It's very subjective," she said. "It's based on what I think is going to sell well, what I like, if it's useful and if it's unique."

Lemmonds said she uses a lot of the products she sells, most of which cannot be found in stores.

"Some of them have become so integrated into my life, I don't know what I'd do without them," she said.

When her children were smaller, Lemmonds said she often had good ideas for products that she could use. She found many other mothers often had similar ideas, but only a few created products to sell.

Lemmonds said she would buy many mom-invented products, but could only get them on each individual product's website, so she would have to place several orders and pay multiple shipping fees.

She asked herself: "Why isn't there somebody who aggregates all of these mom-invented products?"

"That's where I launched my business from," Lemmonds said.

Her website went live on July 15, 2010, but Lemmonds started building relationships with mom inventors and vendors more than two years ago.

"They're really amazing women," she said.

One of those mothers is Gina Tepper, of Columbia, who sells a product called Thirst Clencher, which she designed when her daughter was a baby to prevent her from being able to throw her bottle on the ground.

"I just made this little contraption that held onto the bottle so when she threw it it would just kind of swing, like a tether," she explained.

Eventually, Tepper realized the contraption would also hold adult water bottles, so she created a version without the tether and with a clip so it could be attached to a belt loop, backpack or purse. Lemmonds sells both the baby and adult version of the Thirst Clencher on her website.

"I really think it's great what she does, that she's trying to support mom inventors," Tepper said of Lemmonds.

Though Tepper and many of the vendors Lemmonds works with are local, she said she has products that come from as far away as Australia. However, she only sells to the United States and Canada so she is able to charge a flat $5 shipping fee, which she said would be difficult to do if she had to pay international shipping costs.

5 Must Haves by Florida Gal, Loni

As a (recent) college student (Go Gators!), I've learned plenty of tricks to make the most of my money. My most recent purchase was this exact watch for under $40 from Aldo Shoes. I have worn it every day since purchase. The bands are bright, bold and each are a different texture. It matches everything! Well, you can't really wear it with a silver necklace...So ALMOST everything. Another must-have for the Florida fashionista. Bobby pins are a great way to concur the most devastating hair disturbances such as humidity, rain and hurricane-force winds (for those of you who have never been here, let's just say the weather is as unpredictable as Lindsay Lohan's legal status). They are great for pulling back bangs, the boho braided bangs, the half up and the side braid (is it that obvious I like braids?). They are also perfect for giving your ponytail a more polished look by wrapping your hair over your hair tie. I personally like to buy the ones sold at Sally's Beauty Salon . Not only do they come in a cute little tin can, they hold better than your average drugstore pins. The thought of spending over $100 for a pair of sky-high stilettos that leave my feet swollen and resembling a butternut squash, makes me cranky (my apologies for the visual). I don't know about you, but I used to be under the impression the more you spend on shoes, the less your feet hurt. Well, that was until a good friend of mine said, "My girlfriends and I always kick off our shoes at the same time at the end of the night - whether they are Jimmy Choos or Steve Maddens." And she was so right! So to combat this common problem, I only seek out shoes with LOTS of support. My current favorite is the chunky block heel. If you see me in public, you will never see me without one of these. I am ALWAYS thirsty (sorry, this may be a personal problem). I prefer the double wall tumbler over concealed reusable water bottles because it prevents me from putting them in my purse. For some reason, all water bottles tend to leak - ruining phones, makeup, etc. I've found this to be a great solution. Bonus: They do not sweat when filled with icey-cold beverages. You can find these in stores such as Target and Pier One in practically any pattern/color.

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The Conscious Kitchen, The New Way to Buy and Cook Food - to Protect the Earth, Improve Your Health, and Eat Deliciously

Gorgeously Green, 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life

Ebony