The Shopping Mama

Check Out JustJen.com For Custom Valentine’s Tees

by Kate on January 21st, 2010 | 5 Comments | Shopping

I’m sad to say that Toddler Girl has outgrown her adorable JustJen.com shirt. Sigh. But, really that’s good news because it gives me an excuse to design and order a new custom tee just in time for Valentine’s Day. You can customize and design a shirt (or pants or hat or apron, for that matter) just about any way you like at Just Jen.

just jen heart tee I admit that I am a dork and like to dress my kids in holiday gear. But, it’s very easy to cross the line from cute and festive to dorky. That’s where Just Jen comes in. You can literally design the shirt you want from start to finish. So, what would I get for Toddler Girl? I’d go with the Bamboo Tee (yes, they even have an eco-friendly shirt choice) in pink with a white crystal heart and the words “Be Mine” in Light Siam (red) Swarovski crystals.

The fun’s not limited to children’s clothes. If you’re looking for a little holiday bling, JustJen.com embellished Valentine’s tees for ladies starting at $28.

Happy Shopping!

This post is an entry into the Just Jen $100 GC Blogging Contest hosted on ABlogOfGoodies.com.

Thursday Giveaway Linky

by Kate on January 21st, 2010 | 5 Comments | Giveaway Linky, Weekly Features

Thanks for stopping by to link up and browse some great giveaways. The Zoobies Pet and Coleman Gift Card giveaways end tomorrow night and here are some other great giveaways not to miss:

$150 to Campus Quilt at the Mom Buzz
Safety 1st Complete Air Convertible Car Seat at Minnesota Mama’s Must Haves
Belle Baby Carrier at Penelope’s Oasis

Happy Thursday!

Melissa & Doug Slice and Bake Cookies Review + Giveaway from Gummy Lump (Closed)

by Kate on January 20th, 2010 | 5 Comments | Giveaways, Reviews, Toddler, Toys

If you have kids chances are you are familiar with Melissa & Doug – one of the leading educational toy and puzzle companies. We have owned everything from trains to puzzles to stacking toys and have loved all of them. Gummy Lump carries the entire line and is a great store for everything Melissa & Doug including play food like the Slice and Bake Cookies.

About Gummy Lump

Toys that make sweet memories…We are dedicated to retailing only the highest quality and most unique toys, building blocks, and puzzles available. Our goal is to bring you the best selection of creative & educational toys for children ages 0-6.

Slice and Bake Cookies

Melissa & Doug Slice and Bake Cookies is a complete set for everything your little one needs for imaginative play, cooking and eating. The set includes:

12 cookies
18 colorful toppings
knife
spatula
kitchen mitt
cookie sheet
cardboard container to hold cookies and toppings

Our Experience

The Slice and Bake Cookies from GummyLump.com arrived quickly and were immediately put to good use. The set is very complete – with everything to pretend to prepare, decorate and eat cookies. Preschool Boy is very deliberate with how he plays with the set. He stacks up the “cookies” and puts the toppings aside in the included container. Next, he slices the cookies with the included knife. melissa & doug slice and bake cookies And, I must say it takes a little getting used to to allow play with a knife, but that’s okay. (Like, “Hey, buddy, use the knife to cut that.”) After slicing, he places all the cookies on the cookie sheet and places them in the “oven” – underneath our coffee table. He carefully uses the oven mitt to remove them from the oven, insists on blowing on them to cool them off and then, finally, we are allowed to decorate them. Much like at the dinner table, all Toddler Girl wants to do is eat the cookies.

The set is loads of fun. I love that it comes with a container to keep the cookies and toppings in one place. I also appreciate the play suggestions on the bottom of the cookie sheet. (Organize the toppings by color, for example.)

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… I am a huge fan of Melissa & Doug products. We’ve always had a great experience and the Slice and Bake Cookies are no exception. Gummy Lump sells the entire line – over 700 products! – and has competitive prices. These are a great addition to our toy chest and would be great if you have a play kitchen.

Or Not to Buy… I can’t think of a reason not to buy. It’s really a great little wooden toy set.

Shop! To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Melissa & Doug, M&D products are currently 20% off at GummyLump. The Slice and Bake cookies are normally $19.99 and currently marked down to $15.99.

Win! A Melissa & Doug Slice and Bake Cookies set from GummyLump.com!

How to Enter: Visit Gummy Lump and leave a comment here with another product you’d love for your little one.

Bonus Entries - please leave a separate comment for each you do:
* Follow Gummy Lump on Twitter
* Fan Gummy Lump on Facebook
* Follow the Gummy Lump blog
* Follow The Shopping Mama on Twitter and Tweet. You may do this once a day: Win Melissa & Doug Slice and Bake Cookies for your little chef from GummyLump.com @TheShoppingMama http://bit.ly/6GYQWi
* Fan The Shopping Mama on Facebook
* Follow The Shopping Mama in Google Friends Connect
* Subscribe to The Shopping Mama in email or a reader
* Post on any non-giveaway post on The Shopping Mama

The Fine Print & Disclosure: Giveaway ends February 3. Open to US mailing addresses only. Thanks to GummyLump.com for providing a sample product for the purposes of this review and the giveaway prize. The opinions expressed are my own and uninfluenced by receipt of product. Others may have a different experience.

Wordless Wednesday: Jumping Boy

by Kate on January 19th, 2010 | 5 Comments | Weekly Features, Wordless Wednesday

This weekend was rainy and boring so we went to the mall. Preschool Boy was in for more fun than he thought possible at the mall when he got to jump on one of those bungee trampoline crazy things. I was a little nervous at first, but Preschool Boy was excited.

jumping boy 1

And he Jumped. And jumped. And jumped. And he loved it!

jumping boy

I look forward to seeing your photos.

Hurry! Petunia Pickle Bottom Benefit Sale

by Kate on January 19th, 2010 | 5 Comments | Shopping

Petunia Pickle Bottom’s Petunia Outlet is hosting a sale today and tomorrow only to benefit The Hands & Feet Project in Haiti.

Petunia Pickle Bottom is connected to The Hands & Feet Project, a children’s village in Jacmel, Haiti that raises and educates orphans as a family. Located just 15 miles from the epicenter of the devastating earthquake last week, the organization and the city of Jacmel is in immediate need. We have been working with a team of people over the last several days to coordinate the delivery of baby formula, food, water and medical supplies to this town completely cut off as a result of the quake. … Our mission is to assist with the basic immediate needs, but also help The Hands & Feet Project prepare for the onslaught of children orphaned as a result of the earthquake via this Petunia Outlet “Haiti Relief Sale.”

It’s a great cause, and the bags, slings, onesies and more are 30 – 60% off. I’ve been coveting a Cross Town Clutch and even the uber-glamorous Cake collection is marked down dramatically.

Shop! The Petunia Outlet Shop for Clause Sale is only January 19 – 20 at www.PetuniaOutlet.com. With 25% of the proceeds donated to help children in Haiti, this is one purchase you can feel good about.

PicPocket Books for iPhone and iTouch

by Kate on January 19th, 2010 | 5 Comments | Reviews, Ten Dollar Tuesday, Weekly Features

My 3 year old knows his way around an iPhone so I’m eager to find apps and lots to keep him busy with when we’re on the go. PicPocket Books are storybook apps that tell a story – a great alternative to lugging around books or playing a video game.

About PicPocket Books

PicPocket Books offer a unique and new experience, combining the beauty of quality picture books with audio recordings and interactive visual text. This combination enables independent enjoyment for children regardless of reading level, subtle support for early readers, and nostalgic fun for adults.

PicPocket books Mooncake cover iphone (2)

Look - original images you know and love in books with slight animation to enhance and not detract from the story.

Listen – narrators tell the story so your little one can hear the story page by page.

Touch – turn the pages by touching the screen or just watch as the pages turn automatically.

Learn – the words are highlighted as narrated so your child can begin to recognize words.

Our Experience

We downloaded I Can Do It, Too! and Round is a Mooncake and have thoroughly enjoyed both. The apps are very true to the original books, featuring the same artwork and text. Some of the books feature subtle animation to entertain kids but don’t detract from the story itself. Unlike some of the other apps we have for Preschool Boy, PicPocket Books are definitely less game and more book, which I appreciate. Preschool Boy doesn’t have to do anything but watch the story as its read to him.

picpocket i can do myself Preschool Boy has really enjoyed “reading” his books.I’ve enjoyed having a good distraction for him when we’re out and about. And, I love that I have 2 “books” for him at any given time without actually lugging around books.

Great Selection

There are nearly 20 different PicPocket Book apps to add to your digital library – everything from Sleeping Beauty to Big Stuff: Dinosaurs to What a Pest! You can definitely find something to interest your little reader!

Shop! Prices for each storybook app at PicPocket Books range from $0.99 to $2.99.

Disclosure: Thanks to PicPocket Books for providing codes to download the apps. The opinions in this post are my own and uninfluenced by receipt of product.

Double Duty Divas – Official Launch Today!

by Kate on January 18th, 2010 | 5 Comments | Blogging

ddd_logo Cecilia from Cool Baby Kid and Bridgette from Experimental Mommy have teamed up to create a blog support, review and ad network: Double Duty Divas! I’m honored to be a member of the Double Duty Divas and have already been involved in review campaign (Shoo Shoos review) and an ad campaign.

Balancing their lives while simplifying yours, the Divas do it all: blog promotion, review campaigns, multi-blog advertising and more.

Blog Campaigns

Let Double Duty Divas help promote your business or brand. Choose any number of blogs in the Review Network and the Divas will coordinate a campaign which includes an article on each blog in addition to banner advertising on www.doubledutydivas.com for the length of the campaign.

Advertising

The Divas have arranged a significant discount on multi-blog advertising with unmatchable prices compared to single blog advertising. View the blogs participating in the ad network or get additional information on Diva advertising or request an campaign. Advertising options include an optimization package which allow the Divas to rotate banners through various sites to determine the best traffic to sales conversion.

With Cissy and Bridgette at the helm, the Double Duty Divas is sure to be a success and is a great resource for businesses looking to spread the word about a product or service to moms. Contact Double Duty Divas for more information!

Launch Party

The Double Duty Divas website is launching today! Celebrate with an impromptu Twitter party at 3:30 EST. There are even a couple prizes. Just make sure you follow @DoubleDutyDivas and use the hashtag #DDDivas.

Engaging Your Children in Arts and Crafts: New Year, New Mama Guest Post

by Kate on January 18th, 2010 | 5 Comments | Guest Posts, New Year New Mama, Parenting

Engaging your children in arts and crafts at home doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need a million supplies or spend a ton of money. You will need some patience and a realistic attitude. Most crafts don’t last a long time. Don’t worry you aren’t doing anything wrong, once you have been crafting a while you will figure out what your child likes to do the most and adjust. Wear washable clothes ( you and the kids) , make sure nothing close by could be ruined by flying paint or glitter and enjoy!

Here are 5 easy peasy crafts that you can do with 5 or fewer materials. Told you it can be easy!

Potato Masher Painting

Shape Snake

Paper Plate Ladybug
paper plate lady bug

Cookie Cutter Prints

Recycled Rainbow

Allie is the brilliant, creative mom behind No Time for Flashcards – a must-see resource for parents looking for craft projects and children’s book recommendations. I know I’ll be hitting up the Letter of the Week posts to help Preschool Boy with shape and sound recognition. Follow No Time for Flash Cards on Twitter and Facebook for the latest projects and parenting discussions.