Pink Nothings is a completely charming blog that offers a lot for readers because it has 3 talented contributors. The original blogger took a few minutes to answer some questions so we can get to know her and Pink Nothings.
TSM: Tell us a little about yourself and your blog. I am a first time mother to a very active Little Man. Pink Nothings came about because I had nothing pink for my baby. My blog started as a way to give my advice and share my outlook on mommyhood. I am the main writer of the blog however I do have some help.. My single sister Shoe Gypsy gives her fabulous fashion advice because every mom deserves to look stunning. My newest contributor is my sister-in-law Down With Pink. She is a mommy to two little girls with Down Syndrome and will give a us a glimpse to raising children with special needs.
TSM: What’s the best part about writing a blog? I would say being able to write about anything and everything. Also knowing that the moms who read my blog can relate to what I say and I am not the only mother with a child who is out of control sometimes.
TSM: If money were no object, what’s one thing you’d buy right now? Oooo that’s easy. New sheets for my bed. If money really were no object I would get the most expensive sheets one could find. Just imagine sleeping on a little piece of heaven every night! TSM: Sssshhh, now. You’re making me tired.
TSM: What are some of your favorite places to shop online? Children’s Place and Old Navy. I love that I can buy clothes for my son online because he doesn’t have to try everything on like I do.
TSM: List some links to your favorite posts or current giveaways. Here is a link to each of the contributors. Pink Nothings (That’s Me!) – Fresh Beat Band TSM: Hysterical! I don’t know that show, but now I’m dying to see it because I think I would crack up after reading your post.
So much news and deals to share, let’s get right to it…
Are you a Couponista? Savings.com is recruiting coupon hunters to participate in the first annual Save-Up event in San Fransisco. The selected DealPros will be promoted on Savings.com with the opportunity to blog, connect with experts, appear on TV and attend the Save-Up with all expenses paid. The Save-Up half day summit will have merchant interaction, a chance to meet other DealPros, a taste of The Bay and other goodies with food, wine, and cocktails. They’ll have celebrity panelists, press, merchant CEOs and other industry insiders. Interested? Read more about the Save-Up, apply to be a DealPro and check out the Savings.com blog.
Mutsy Debuts Transporter Stroller Mutsy has introduced a new lightweight and more affordable stroller to join its line of products. The Transporter is flexible and can be used with an infant seat or optional bassinet. It folds easily and compactly and, like all Mutsy products, has a sleek, modern design. I admit I’m a bit partial as you may recall that we have a Mutsy 4Rider and Step Up Board and love them. In addition, I had the opportunity to check out the Transporter in person at ABC Kids Expo and it rocks! If you shop for Mutsy products, check out Goore’s and use the code TSMMU for 10% off Mutsy products.
Scandinavian Child Sale From now until October 30, Svan Bouncers are 20% off and everything else at Scandanavian Child is 10% off! Use the code Spooky20 for Svan Bouncer discount and Halloween10 for 10% off the rest of the store.
Free Pink Ribbon Shower Reminder With every order placed in October, The Simple Stencil is offering a free pink ribbon vinyl transfer designed to remind women to do self breast exams. Enter PINK RIBBON in the Free Practice Word selection during the checkout process.
Exclusive Discount * Get $10 off your purchase of any two Onaroo products at American Innovations. Use the code MAMA at checkout.
Now, I usually stay above the fray when it comes to internet drama. That’s not what this blog or I am about. But, I feel this is something worth sharing.
TwitterMoms recently held a competition where the prize was a Samsung Washer and Dryer. The rules at the beginning stated the blogger who received the most comments on a “Where is the Heart of My Home” post would win. As you can imagine, the combination of a high value prize and completely vague rules led to confusion and ultimately, I believe, breaking of the rules.
I did not enter the competition – I don’t like the idea of a popularity contest pitting bloggers against one another – but my friend Tiff did. And her family spend hours upon hours upon literally days commenting on Tiff’s post in an effort to fairly achieve the most comments. To read the whole story, including how Tiff’s questions and inquiries were ignored and how the rules were changed at the conclusion of the competition, read “TwitterMoms and Samsung, Not Playing Fair.” And, by the way, this isn’t just sour grapes because Tiff didn’t win. As a matter of fact, no winner has been announced even though it was to be determined last Friday. And then on Tuesday.
I’ve maintained an inactive membership at TwitterMoms but I will be deleting that account today. I just don’t like the way this promotion was handled. I think both TwitterMoms and Samsung really dropped the ball. Instead, I’ll spend my time in a community and mom blog forum where bloggers are valued and friendships are cultivated.
Baby Elephant Ears were created and designed by a frustrated mom who needed to help comfort her young son. After consulting doctors and seeking alternative treatment, Alicia Overby ended up in a chiropractor’s office who suggested she support her son’s head and neck when in the seated position. Unable to find a suitable and stylish product on the market, Alicia developed Baby Elephant Ears.
What Are Baby Elephant Ears?
Unparalleled in style and function, Baby Elephant Ears is a multi-use headrest providing spinal/neck alignment and comfort – offered in diverse prints and organics, ethically manufactured and made with sustainable materials.
I just love the idea of Baby Elephant Ears. This is definitely one of those “Why didn’t I think of that?” mama inventions. They are not only adorable but also extremely functional and simple to use. They require no “installation” – there are no straps or buckles. You simply place the flat part of the Baby Elephant Ears behind baby’s head and the “ears” provide support and comfort.
My favorite features of Baby Elephant Ears:
* Ease of Use: Because there is no installation, Baby Elephant Ears go where baby goes. Use them in the stroller, car seat, swing, bouncy seat, or wherever else baby needs a little support.
* Fashionable Design: Yes, the shape is cute, but the fabrics used are divine. Seriously love the bright, bold patterns.
* Machine Washable: Enough said!
I had the pleasure of seeing Baby Elephant Ears in person at ABC Kids Expo. They are just as cute in person and seem very well made. The Ears are soft to the touch and any baby would be lucky to have a set. Coordinating comfy blankets are available in two sizes – a mini 12 inch square and large 29 inch square.
Shop! At $20, Baby Elephant Ears make a unique, clever and affordable baby shower gift. The coordinating blankets are $14.95 and $34.95 and the presentation is one of a kind.
Win! A Baby Elephant Ears and Coordinating Large Blanket! A $55 value.
Bonus Entries - Leave a separate comment for each you do:
* Follow Baby Elephant Ears on Twitter
* Follow The Shopping Mama on Twitter and Tweet about giveaway. You may do this every day, just leave a comment every time you tweet: Win a Baby Elephant Ears baby support gift set from @babyelephantear @TheShoppingMama http://bit.ly/31siyY
* Blog about giveaway including a link to this post and Baby Elephant Ears for TEN entries
* Post the Holiday Gift Guide button on your blog
* Add The Shopping Mama to your blog roll
* Follow The Shopping Mama in Google Friends Connect
* Subscribe to The Shopping Mama in email or a reader
The Fine Print: Please leave a valid email in the comments so that I can contact you if you win. If you prefer, you may email me directly with your contact information after leaving valid comments. Open to US residents only. Giveaway ends November 2. Winner will be notified and has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Thank you to Baby Elephant Ears for providing the giveaway prize for this promotion.
One of the highlights of my experience at the ABC Kids Expo was a presentation on car seat safety featuring the Safety 1st Complete Air Car Seat. It was really informative to hear about the risks of side impact crashes for children and how that motivated the Air Protect system. The Safety 1st booth at ABC Kids even had simulator to demonstrate the force of a side impact crash upon the Complete Air Car Seat. (If you want to see the demonstration and a video similar to what I saw at ABC Kids, watch the video at the Air Protect website. It’s worth a look!)
Side Impact Crash Facts * 1 in 4 car crashes involving children are side impact collisions. * Side impact collisions are among the deadliest type of collision for children, accounting for 1 in 3 child crash fatalities, nearly all of which are caused by head trauma.
How Does Air Protect Work? During a crash, the system immediately shields your child’s head from the impact. In a second layer of defense, Air Protect™ allows air to escape from the headrest: channeling crash energy away from your child, creating more ride down time. It is this double layer of protection that makes Air Protect™ technology unique.
Complete Air Convertible Car Seat Basics
The Air Protect Technology is currently available in the Safety 1st Complete Air Convertible Car Seat. The Complete Air is suitable for infants in the rear-facing position from 5 to 40 pounds and 19 to 41 inches and for forward-facing toddlers from 22 to 50 pounds and 34 to 45 inches.
To safely accommodate such a wide size range, the Complete Air has an Adjustable Headrest with five different positions. The headrest is a key component of the seat as it contains the Air Protect technology. I also appreciate the Quick-Fit Harness System that allows you to move the harness height from the front while the car seat is still installed.
After all I learned about the car seat at ABC I was thrilled to have the opportunity to use the Complete Air with my own children.
Installation
During the discussion of the Complete Air at ABC Kids, I asked the Safety 1st Director of Design and Engineering about the ease of use. As you probably know, the majority of car seats are not installed correctly. So, the folks at Safety 1st can create a brilliant, revolutionary car seat, but if I can’t install it correctly it won’t work properly. To that end, Safety 1st uses a color-coded installation guide (in the User Guide and on the Car Seat) to distinguish between forward and rear facing instructions.
I had an easy time installing the Complete Air in the forward facing position using the LATCH system. It was very straightforward and just plain easy. Installing the Complete Air rear-facing was a different story. After several attempts at installing it and not being able to get it secure, I watched the Installation Video on the Air Protect website and that helped quite a bit. For me the most difficult part was getting the seat snug and at the correct angle. As recommended, I had to use a rolled up towel to secure the Complete Air at the correct rear-facing angle.
Which brings me my second concern with this seat: you have to lean the car seat backwards so far to achieve the correct rear-facing angle that it makes the seat so deep that it hangs well over the seat of the car. I had to move the front seat of our sedan to the forward-most position to fit the Complete Air in the rear-facing position. I think it might fit better in a minivan, but you might have a hard time securing it rear-facing in a small or compact sedan.
Comfort
After his first ride in the Complete Air, Toddler Boy asked to ride in it again and again. It’s been installed in my husband’s car and it was like a special treat when he got to ride in his new car seat. I don’t blame him. The Complete Air has lots of extra cushion that his other car seat lacks. For example, the padding at the hip level and cushion around the harness are plush and look super comfy.
To Buy… After learning more about side-impact crashes, I completely appreciate the motivation behind the research that resulted in the Air Protect technology. I actually like it so much that we may buy a second Complete Air so both children have one when Baby Girl is bigger and old enough to ride forward-facing.
Or Not to Buy… The Complete Air is not the best fit for us to use as a rear-facing car seat. It’s just too big for our cars and we had a difficult time installing it correctly.
Shop! Available in two colors (McKenna and Harvest), the Complete Air Convertible Car Seat is sold exclusively at Babies R Us for $249.99.
Win! A Safety 1st Complete Air Convertible Car Seat!
How to Enter: Take a look around the Safety 1st and Air Protect sites. Leave one comment telling me another Safety 1st product you’d like AND what color Complete Air you’d prefer if you win.
Bonus Entries – leave a separate comment for each you do:
* Follow The Shopping Mama on Twitter and Tweet about giveaway. You may do this every day, just leave a comment every time you tweet:
Win a Safety 1st Complete Air Convertible Car Seat @TheShoppingMama http://bit.ly/1TfKql
* Update your Facebook status to include a link to this giveaway
* Follow Safety 1st on Twitter
* Fan Safety 1st on Facebook
* Blog about giveaway including a link to this post for TEN entries
* Post the Holiday Gift Guide button on your blog
* Add The Shopping Mama to your blog roll
* Follow The Shopping Mama in Google Friends Connect
* Subscribe to The Shopping Mama in email or a reader
The Fine Print: Please leave a valid email in the comments so that I can contact you if you win. If you prefer, you may email me directly with your contact information after leaving valid comments. If Facebook is the winning entry, you’ll have to friend me to confirm. Open to US residents only. Giveaway ends November 16. Winner will be notified and has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Thank you to Safety 1st for providing a sample product for the purposes of this review. The opinions expressed are mine and uninfluenced by receipt of product. Others may have a different experience.
Thank you so, so much to everyone who took the time to enter the Bumbleride Indie Twin giveaway. It’s my pleasure to announce the winner! Out of 2492 entries, the winner is number 2057: Traci Fritz.Congratulations, Traci! I’ve sent an email and you have 48 hours to respond.
Welcome to Thursday Giveaway Linky at The Shopping Mama. Thanks for stopping by to link up your giveaways and find other great contests in the blogosphere.
I’m kicking off a big giveaway event starting Friday! My daughter will be one in November and it has me thinking about baby’s first year and all the gadgets, gizmos and equipment you need to survive the first year. So, with the help of some awesome and very generous sponsors, I’ll be featuring (and giving away) some of the best of the best products mamas and babies need the first year. There may be one giveaway a day or there may be 3 – so make sure you stop by every day to see the latest giveaways.
And, if you’re thinking, “But I don’t have a baby?” You should still stop by and join in the fun. You could find (and win) the perfect baby shower present. Not to mention there are some great non-baby giveaways coming up soon, too.
The JuiceBox on my sidebar (below the sponsors section) is full of money this week. Mint.com (an awesome and free way to manage AND SAVE your money online) is the sponsor. Saving money is obviously a concern for everyone these days and there’s some useful and funny content within that little Box.
The JuiceBoxJungle ad is actually pretty cool – and much more than a boring image. You can: * Watch a movie about budgeting with Mint.com. * Send an ecard (to a friend’s email or post on Facebook) directly from the widget to tell a friend how you save money online. * Update Twitter and complete this sentence: “If I won the lottery tomorrow, I would…“
I used to play the lottery game with my mom every week when she bought a lottery ticket. We would plan out how to spend (and save) all the millions we were going to win. The game is actually still pretty fun. Here’s what I would do if I won the lottery tomorrow:
1. Pay off my law school loans. 2. Put plenty of money in savings accounts so my kids never have to worry about school loans like I do. 3. Buy a bigger house and pay someone to clean it. 4. Arrange a family vacation for our extended families.
I could go on. And on. But, what about you? I’d love to know what would you do if you won the lottery tomorrow?
And if you’re on Twitter, just click the widget on the JuiceBox to join in the conversation by sending a tweet.
Pink Nothings is a completely charming blog that offers a lot for readers because it has 3 talented contributors. The original blogger took a few minutes to answer some questions so we can get to know her and Pink Nothings.
TSM: What’s the best part about writing a blog?
TSM: List some links to your favorite posts or current giveaways.
