Lambs & Ivy is a well-recognized and respected designer and manufacturer of baby crib bedding and accessories, available at national chains and baby specialty stores throughout the United States and at a wide assortment of internet retailers. Froggy Tales crib bedding and nursery accessories, first introduced to consumers in late 2004, is one of Lambs & Ivy's more popular collections. In keeping with Lambs & Ivy's emphasis on heavily themed crib bedding, Froggy Tales presents an interesting alternative to consumers seeking a nursery dcor theme revolving around frogs and other pond creatures. Froggy Tales appears to strike a reasonable balance between quality and price, representing a good value at between $175 and $200 for a six-piece crib set.

Froggy Tales is generally sold as a six-piece crib set, comprised of a quilt, bumper, fitted sheet, dust ruffle, diaper stacker, and valance. Extra sheets and valances are available separately. Froggy Tales is sold through some retail outlets as a three-piece set, comprised of a quilt, bumper, and fitted sheet. A wide selection of Froggy Tales nursery decorating accessories are available, including: a musical mobile, wall border, various wall dcor pieces, lamps, hampers, and rugs. An interesting accessory is the Froggy Tales child-sized, upholstered rocking chair, the perfect nursery addition to make an older sibling feel special with the new arrival.

The various patterned fabrics used in Froggy Tales are generally printed, not woven. Woven fabrics start with differently colored threads which are then woven together to achieve the desired pattern. The colors and pattern become an integral part of the fabric itself. A woven fabric is easily identified by noting that the pattern appears on both sides of the fabric. Printed fabrics start with a solid colored (usually white or natural) material upon which the desired pattern is imprinted using a variety of inks and printing techniques. A printed fabric is easily identified by noting that the pattern appears on only one side of the fabric. While I wish that Lambs & Ivy had been able to use the higher quality woven fabrics, this would have likely increased the price of the crib set to over $200. Since most of the pieces of the crib set, with the exception of the fitted sheet, will not be subjected to a great deal of wear and tear, this seems a reasonable compromise. With respect to the printed fitted sheet, I would recommend that consumers purchase separate solid colored sheets for every day use (white, or pale yellow or green, should work just fine), and reserve the Froggy Tales sheet for when you want to show off your nursery to visitors.

The Froggy Tales quilt, the showpiece of any crib bedding set, is an effective combination of soft yellow chenille, green plaid fabrics (printed, not woven), and cute dimensional pond creatures that are embroidered onto the underlying fabrics to communicate the chosen theme. The quilt is a true collection of separate fabrics that are cut and sewn together, not a single fabric with an imprinted patchwork that is a less-expensive technique used in lesser-quality crib bedding. The workmanship of the stitching of the crib set that I examined appeared good but not exceptional, with only minor variations from straight and clean sewing lines noted.

For those seeking to examine alternatives, there are a host of frog themed crib bedding collections available from other major designers. Brandee Danielle appears to be trying to corner the market in frog bedding, offering over half a dozen different collections, including: Ribbit, Babette, Froggy-Lavender, and One Little Froggy. Cocalo offers Lilly Pad under the Baby Martex brand. Even Lambs & Ivy itself is introducing Zippity in late 2005, to appeal to the more price conscious consumer. Kidsline is expected to join the theme in late 2005 with its own collection.

Because Froggy Tales merchandise is assembled in the United States, it can be particularly appealing for Canadian customers purchasing from a United States online retailer. It can be shipped to Canada duty-free, thereby avoiding charges of 17% or more of the purchase price that apply to bedding manufactured in China or India.