The Shopping Mama

Have You Tried POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice?

by Kate on July 28th, 2009 | 5 Comments | Uncategorized

Until recently my only exposure to pomegranate juice was a very delicious Pomegranate Martini at a restaurant for my birthday a few years ago. And it was good. So when POM Wonderful signed on as part of the Get Cool for School Blog party and my family had the opportunity to try the stuff, I was all for it. After all, I’ve heard a lot about the health benefits of pomegranates. (And, truthfully, I wondered how it would taste when not mixed by a professional into a delicious birthday cocktail.)

About POM Wonderful
As the largest grower of pomegranates in the United States, it’s our goal to bring one of the oldest fruits known to man into the home of more people for eating, drinking and decorating. … It’s our belief that just about everyone may benefit from this legendary fruit…and that’s why our quest to find out more about the pomegranate is so important.

POM Wonderful pomegranate juice is 100% authentic juice from pomegranates grown in California. The juice contains no added sugars, preservatives or colors. POM Wonderful takes the business of healthy juice very seriously and has participated in $25 million worth of scientific research on pomegranates and the health benefits. The results for study participants who drank 8 ounces of POM Wonderful juice a day are pretty amazing, including increased blow flow to the heart.

All that is well and good, but if it’s not yummy to drink you’re not going to get the benefits. The taste of the juice straight out of the bottle was a bit more tart than I anticipated. But, I watered it down a bit and LOVED it and, in fact, both my husband and I drank at least a glass a day (about 2/3 juice, 1/3 water) on ice until our case was gone. I had to water it down a bit more than that – about half juice and half water – for my son but he still didn’t really love it. Perhaps if I mixed it with a sweeter juice?

When we were down to the last bottle of POM Wonderful I hit the website to find a recipe to recreate the delicious Pomegranate Martini I had a few years ago. And, even with the little bits of alcohol we have around the house I made myself a nice little cocktail. It was delicious! There are tons of recipes, including yummy cocktails and mocktails, for your next get together.

I think we’ll definitely buy more POM Pomegranate juice. It’s a tad more expensive than other juice, so it will be more of a “treat.” But, we enjoy drinking it and the health benefits are an added bonus.

Shop! POM Wonderful is located in the refrigerated section of the grocery produce section. To find a store near you, check out the POM store locator.

Ten Dollar Tuesday: The Royal Pea

by Kate on July 28th, 2009 | 5 Comments | Uncategorized

I feel like I’ve been writing about room decor a lot lately, and at the risk of blogging about it yet again, I couldn’t pass up the chance to share The Royal Pea.

The Royal Pea offers adorable prints for your little prince or princess. All the prints are vibrant, modern and so so cute. There are even prints made to make Pottery Barn Kids bedding – gotta love that. The 8 x 10 inch prints are photo finished and not printed on card stock so they will last forever and look perfect in a frame.

Once you find the perfect design, you can have it customized with up your choice initial and up to three names. The Royal Pea then send you a print to review and approve so you know exactly what you’re getting.

Shop! For a limited time, The Royal Pea prints are only $8.99. Even at the regular price of $9.99 these are a steal!

The Get Cool For School Blog Bash is Coming + You’re Invited to a Twitter Party

by Kate on July 28th, 2009 | 5 Comments | Uncategorized

It’s almost time for the Get Cool for School Blog Bash. The fun starts August 3rd and ti’s going to be AWESOME. There are 8 blogs participating and you will be able to enter on each blog for your chance to win some amazing prizes. We’ve got all your back to school needs covered for everyone from preschoolers to mom and dad. (Make sure you grab the button from the right sidebar for extra entries into the giveaways!)

The blogs throwing the Bash are Life Starring the Kids and Me, Momstart, Blessings Abound Mommy, Experimental Mommy, As They Grow Up, What Mommies Need, 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires and The Shopping Mama.

We’re kicking off the Get Cool for School blog bash with a Twitter party and you’re invited!

Who? Anyone on Twitter can join in the fun.
Where? Twitter.
When? Sunday, August 2 7 PM – 9 PM Eastern.
How? Use the hashtag #MaxxMarshallsB2S (it’s easiest to follow the conversation using TweetGrid or a similar program).
Why? Kick off the Get Cool for School Bag, have fun chatting and WIN! Up for grabs?
$25 gift card to Marshall’s, $25 gift card to TJ Maxx and $250 gift card to Marshall’s!

RSVP. Sign up on MckLinky, follow others planning to attend and get more followers.

Just Jen: Blinged Out Tees for Little Ones (and Big Ones, Too)

by Kate on July 27th, 2009 | 5 Comments | Clothes, Reviews

Just Jen specializes in fabulous custom tees for women and girls. They offer a wide selection of designs and if you don’t see something you like you can design your own!

About Just Jen

Welcome to the Custom T-Shirt of your dreams, at JustJen.com! All our sparkling rhinestone t shirts and clothing are embellished with genuine Swarovski crystal rhinestones. Shop our Bride T-Shirts, Big Sister T-Shirts, Cheerleading T-Shirts, Birthday T Shirts, Personalized T Shirts or create your own custom designs online. Shirts are shipped within days,not weeks!

Review

You know I love dressing Baby Girl in super fun, adorable, one of kind clothes. When I got the opportunity to pick a Just Jen custom rhinestone tee, I immediately thought of her. My little princess is rocking the super sweet personalized name tee that with her name and a crown over the first initial.

The tee is super soft and the fit is great. It’s held up really well to lots of wear and machine washing. I admit I was nervous about the crystals in the washing machine and sort of assumed that one would fall off. But, nope! The Swarovski crystals are staying put.

My favorite features about Just Jen
* All crystal bling is 100% Genuine Swarovski Rhinestone Crystals
* The tees are all American Apparel which are high quality, sweatshop free and made in the US
* The tees make great gifts and they even come in a pink tulle bag ready for gift giving
* Super fast shipment: most orders ship within 1 – 3 days of ordering
* 100% Guarantee: Just Jen will replace any shirt that loses rhinestones

Just Jen has a HUGE selection of shirts for women as well as girls. They even have a collection of bridal and maternity tees. And, if you know a little girl who’s going to be a big sister, you have to check out the Big Sister tees – so cute!

Shop! Just Jen Girl’s Crystal embellished tee shirts start at $22.90 and the Personalized Name Tee is $34.90. The women’s collection of tanks and tees start at $29.90.

PishPosh Mommy: Organization for the Chic Mom Review + Giveaway (Closed)

by Kate on July 27th, 2009 | 5 Comments | Giveaways, Reviews

Finding the perfect diaper bag (or purse) is like finding a needle in a haystack. It’s definitely not one size fits all. Not to mention the fact that as your child or family grows so do the needs of your diaper bag. That’s why the PishPosh CarryAll is so freaking smart. It’s a lightweight bag made of cute fabric with TONS of pockets to organize your baby (or your) necessities. It literally transforms any purse or diaper bag into your perfect bag.

The PishPosh Mommy Mission (because I LOVE it)
We are dedicated to developing and designing products that are functional and add organization to the hectic lives of chic, trendy moms who do not want to lose their sense of style or sanity.

About the CarryAll
The PishPosh Carryall is a product that was created out of necessity to add organization when scrambling to gather our kids and get out the door. We felt like we were always forgetting something because there wasn’t a place for it. At the same time, we still wanted to use our designer purses rather than a bulky diaper bag. So instead of throwing everything into a Ziploc, we came up with a solution that would compartmentalize all our needs… the PishPosh Carryall.

Organize Your Bag
I’ve been using the PishPosh Quick Zip Carryall in a diaper bag I’ve had since Toddler Boy was born. I have a love hate relationship with said diaper bag. My biggest problem is that it has NO organization and structure to it. The inside is literally one narrow space with no compartments or pockets. Not very baby-mama user friendly. The PishPosh Carryall has totally transformed the diaper bag and put it back on my good side. The insane (in a totally good way) amount of pockets allow me to actually have a place for things in this bag, keeping it much more organized and things I need easy to find.

On the Go
One of the best things about the Carryall, though, is that you can take it from diaper bag to purse to stroller or wherever and you know you’ll have everything you need. Seriously, I can’t tell you how many times a week I think “I’ll just throw these few things I need in the bag for [insert destination here] so I don’t have to bring my diaper bag.” What happens? Ya, I totally forget something important. With the Carryall, you only have to pack ONE BAG and as long as you can manage to remember that you have everything you need. Mine always has my wallet, diapers and wipes, spare “big boy underwear”, a change of clothes for Baby Girl. It’s also big enough to include baby feeding items, diaper ointment, a sippy cup and more. I love being able to throw it in the bag to go to the pool or throw it by itself in the bottom of the stroller.

My Favorite Features
* Pockets, pockets, pockets. 7 pockets of varying size around the outside, 3 inside pockets (including one large enough for diapers and wipes case), 1 inside zipped pocket and 2 elastic pockets ideal for bottles or cups
* Turn your purse into a diaper bag. (Don’t need a diaper bag? Okay, turn your purse into an organized, easy to use bag rather than an unorganized jumble o’ stuff!)
* Great fabrics. The Carryalls are super cute and feature really fun fabric. You can be a little more bold, too, knowing that most of the time it’ll be inside your bag.
* Self-contained. Available in Quick Zip or Pull-String, the Carryall closes making it totally self-contained and easy to transport.

To Buy… I love the organization the PishPosh Carryall offers. It has really helped to keep my diaper bag in working order, that’s for sure. I don’t think you need to have a baby to use this. It’s perfect if you like to switch purses often, too.

Or Not to Buy… The Carryall is on the big side. I used it a bit in one of my smaller diaper bags, and because it’s made of fabric I made it fit by not filling all the pockets and shaping it to fit the bag.

Shop! Check out the entire collection of PishPosh Mommy at www.pishposhmommy.com. The Quick Zip and Pull-String are $45 and shipping is only $2. Use the code TSM10 for 10% off your order.

Win! A PishPosh Carryall to organize your baby and mommy stuff for on the go!

How to Enter: Take a look at the different designs on PishPosh Mommy and leave a comment here with your favorite.

Bonus Entries:

* Follow PishPosh Mommy on Twitter
* Fan PishPosh Mommy on Facebook
* Follow The Shopping Mama on Twitter and Tweet this: Win a PishPosh Mommy Carryall and get organized ($45 value) @TheShoppingMama http://tinyurl.com/nt2wzt #giveaway
* Post the Get Cool for School Blog Bash button
* Follow The Shopping Mama
* Subscribe in a reader or email
* Add The Shopping Mama to your text blog roll
* Blog about this giveaway including a link to this post for FIVE entries

Fine Print: Please leave a valid email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win. If you prefer, leave a comment and then send me an email. Open to US mailing addresses. Contest ends 11:59 pm August 7. Winner will be chosen via random.org and has 48 hours to respond or the prize will be awarded during a live giveaway.

Sunday Spotlight: Polka Dot Monkey + Giveaway (Closed)

by Kate on July 26th, 2009 | 5 Comments | Sunday Spotlight, Weekly Features

I’m excited to introduce Cindy and her adorable Etsy shop Polka Dot Monkey. Cindy is a stay at home mom to two toddler boys. And, somehow she finds time to sew the cutest tee and onesies you’ve ever seen! Let’s learn a bit more about Cindy before we get to the giveaway.

Tell us a little bit more about yourself.
I live in the itty-bitty town of Mineola in the big state of Texas! I’m happily married to a wonderful husband, and we have 2 all-boy toddlers – Hayden, 3, and Gabriel, 1.

When did you start making and selling your goods? I’ve been making baby books since my first child was born, and t-shirts since January of this year.

What is your favorite item to make or sell?
I love designing, so therefore, I love custom orders. It’s so fun and rewarding to take the time to put something together for a customer, and then to find out that it was PERFECT for what they needed it for!

What is your inspiration?
Definitely my kids. Like I said before, I started making baby books when I was pregnant with my first child, because I needed a fire truck baby book! And the shirts started out as a simple dump truck and tractor, because that is what they are crazy about right now.

Do you have any plans for new, additional products or business expansion?
I have a LIST of t-shirts that I am just DYING to design and make but just haven’t had the time yet. So yes, additional products will be coming in the future. As far as expansion goes, I am hoping to start selling some of my products in some local children’s boutiques.

If money were no object what is one thing you would buy right now?
If you had asked me this 3 days ago, I would’ve said an embroidery machine, but – YIPPEE – my husband just bought me one! Now I have so many more ideas!

What are some of your favorite Etsy shops?
Oh, where to start? These are some of my favorites:
Little Monkey Doodles
deusprovidebit.etsy.com
Ginger Snappz (A Shopping Mama fave, too!)

Polka Dot Monkey Tee and Onesies are obviously cute and they are wellmade, too. All the fabric for each design is handcut by Cindy, fused to the shirt and then zig-zag stitched for durability. With two rough and tumble toddler boys, I’m sure Cindy knows to make the tees durable! Each tee or onesie gets a sweet little finishing touch on the back – a star for boys and a heart for girls. For a special touch, you can even request a custom listing with your little one’s name. You know I’m a sucker for anything personalized so I LOVE that idea.

Shop! Polka Dot Monkey shirts are $18. The Baby Memory Books are beautiful, too, and definitely worth a look!

Win! Your choice tee or onesie from Polka Dot Monkey!

How to Enter: Take a look around Polka Dot Monkey on Etsy and leave a comment here with your favorite listing.

Bonus Entries:

* Follow The Shopping Mama on Twitter and Tweet this: Just entered to win a super sweet handmade Polka Dot Monkey Tee or Onesie @TheShoppingMama http://tinyurl.com/mpq3g9 #giveaway
* Post the Get Cool for School Blog Bash button
* Follow The Shopping Mama
* Subscribe in a reader or email
* Add The Shopping Mama to your text blog roll
* Blog about this giveaway including a link to this post for FIVE entries

Fine Print: Please leave a valid email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win. If you prefer, leave a comment and then send me an email. Open to US and Canadian mailing addresses. Contest ends 11:59 pm August 7. Winner will be chosen via random.org and has 48 hours to respond or the prize will be awarded during a live giveaway.

TGIF: Sales, Coupons, Discounts & News

by Kate on July 24th, 2009 | 5 Comments | Uncategorized

Have you checked Savings.com? It’s an awesome site to find deals, coupons and discounts. They’re relaunching with some new features next week, so I’m looking forward to that. The Savings.com blog covers a variety of topics, including a a weekly post with the best deals of the week.

Exclusive Discount Codes

* The Baby’s Bundle: Use shoppingmama for 15% of your purchase! Expires July 31.
* Slimpressions: Get 25% off your purchase with code TheShoppingMama2009! Expires August 30, 2009.
* Ju Ju Beane Boutique: SHOP15 for 15% off your entire purchase at Ju Ju Beane Boutique! Expires August 31.

Sales
* Carter’s: $6 Sale – tees, pants and more
* Osh Kosh B’gosh: Up to 50% off new arrivals and the Genuine Deal, buy one short sleeve graphic tee, get two FREE.
* Bebe au Lait: Get the awesome Reversible Double Bib for $5! Spend $25 and use the code BIBFOR5. Offer ends July 31 and is limited to one per customer.
* Storksak: Select Storksak diaper bags are 25% off at www.storksak.com
* Stride Rite: Free Shipping when you purchase two pairs or more. Offer ends July 29.
* RH Baby & Child: Save 10% of Clearance items with the code BCTD709. Ends August 3.

Coupons
* Gymboree: Reedem Gymbucks until July 26. (I happen to have $25 in Gymbucks I’m not going to use so email or leave a comment if you want them.)

Reconfigure Your Figure with Slimpressions Shapewear: Review, Discount + Giveaway (Closed)

by Kate on July 24th, 2009 | 5 Comments | Uncategorized

No matter how fit or trim you are, you probably have those days when you feel a little flabby. Or you have a special event and want to look extra-fine. Sucking in your gut all day long just isn’t feasible (trust me, I’ve tried). Enter Slimpressions premium shapewear. Thankfully, Slimpressions shapewear reconfigures your figure – it does the hard work so you don’t have to.

About Slimpressions
Slimpressions is a premium line of everyday shapewear designed to slim a woman’s body. The result? The illusion of weight reduction that boosts her confidence and lifts her spirit. Our flab-u-less™ slimming garments comfortably sculpt both the top half and the bottom half of a woman’s body.

Recognizing a void in the market, the original Slimpressions pieces – The Haves and The Have Nots – were designed to smooth and shape “arm flab”. (You know, when your arm keeps waving even after you’ve stopped? Happens to the best of us.) In addition to making your arms look good, the Haves and Have Nots use the fab-u-less technique to slim and shape the belly and smooth the dreaded back bra fat. The Have Nots was even featured on What Not To Wear’s Shapewear and Underwear Tips in June of 2009.
Before & After

Slimpressions generously provided me with a Skinny Minis and Tanks a Little to review. These two products are part of the expanded collection of upper body control with naked arms.

The Skinny Minis is a camisole with adjustable spaghetti straps and “seamless, ribbed midriff for all-around smoothing compression.” Ever since giving birth to Toddler Boy I have found that all my shirts seem just a little too short and I wear camisoles quite a bit so I’m fairly particular about them. A good camisole is long enough to layer and cover my belly (or tuck into pants) and does not have an annoying shelf bra (ick!). The Skinny Minis passes with flying colors on both counts! Yay for a long camisole that actually stays down and provides coverage. The Skinny Minis even has an extra support band around the hips designed to help it stay put where it belongs. And, instead of a shelf bra, the Skinny Minis has seamless support of the chest area. There are no defined “cups” but the material does gather and provide support with less compression than the midriff area so you aren’t smooshed. The Skinny Minis is great for layering and I know I will continue to get a lot of use out of it.

I admit, the Tanks a Little looks a little funny, but when you hear the description “BYOB – bring your own bra” the shape totally makes sense! Tanks a Little is an upper body control tank top with naked arms and an open front that scoops below the bra line. Although it probably wasn’t designed as such, the Tanks a Little is the perfect shapewear for nursing moms. I can wear the Tanks a Little and it doesn’t block access to my nursing bra. And, frankly, shapewear that does it’s job (like Slimpressions) is tight which is not ideal for getting a boob to a hungry baby. The straps are very wide set so as not to interfere with the bra, and as a result I didn’t really like the way it looked layered with another tank top. It worked better for me layered underneath a top or dress with sleeves.

To Buy… If you’re looking for a great piece of upper body shapewear, you should definitely look into Slimpressions. They have a great selection and I think it’s worth the investment to get a good foundation to feel more confident. All pieces are offered in neutral and basic colors (think white, black, nude), are long enough for layering and designed to stay put while giving you curves where you want them and not where you don’t.

Or Not to Buy… The only hinderance I can think of is the price – Slimpressions shapewear isn’t cheap. The Skinny Minis is $58 and the Tanks a Little is $62. (But check out the amazing exclusive discount for readers of The Shopping Mama below!) It’s definitely an investment piece.

Shop! Slimpressions can be purchased online at the Slimpressions website. Your size is based on pants size so that it fits snugly over your hips. Exclusive Discount! Use the code TheShoppingMama2009 for 25% off! Code expires August 30, 2009.

Win! One Slimpressions piece of shapewear in your chocie of style, size and color! (Up to a $72 value!)

How to Enter (mandatory first entry): Check out all the shapewear at Slimpressions.com and leave a comment here with what you’d pick if you win.

Bonus Entries – valid only after the first mandatory entry is completed:
* Follow Slimpressions on Twitter
* Become a fan Slimpressions on Facebook

* Follow The Shopping Mama on Twitter and Tweet this: Win Slimpressions premium shapewear @TheShoppingMama http://bit.ly/vt1tv #giveaway
* Post the Get Cool for School Blog Bash button
* Follow The Shopping Mama
* Subscribe in a reader or email
* Add The Shopping Mama to your text blog roll
* Blog about this giveaway including a link to this post for FIVE entries

Fine Print: Please leave a valid email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win. If you prefer, leave a comment and then send me an email. Open to US mailing addresses. Contest ends 11:59 pm August 5. Winner will be chosen via random.org and has 48 hours to respond or the prize will be awarded during a live giveaway.