Welcome to the Thursday Giveaway Linky! Thanks so much for stopping by to link up and check out some great giveaways. While you’re here make sure you enter to win the two amazing giveaways ending soon on The Shopping Mama.
Win a Bumbleride Flite & Carrycot – $350 value – ends August 31.
Make sure you go enter your giveaways in the linky at Baby Loving Mama. Don’t forget to enter her Blue Apple Books giveaway.
Throughout the month, we’ve been focusing on children’s back to school fashion, but now it’s time to focus on you: the grown up. With real, grown up clothes. I know, fun, right? And, if Smitten clothes are anything, they are fun. It’s no surprise given the inspiration for the line is “the intoxicating love that is found in 1940′s romance comic books.” In blending the vintage feel with modern lines and fabrics, Smitten wants “today’s fashionable woman to be completely ‘Smitten’ with [their] fabulous designs.” I know I am.
The new collection at Smitten features a lot of black and gray with funky cuts or sequins to set the clothes apart from other things you may have in your closet. Several new pieces have also gained lots of fashion media attention so you can pre-order now and feel really “with it.”
The Alpaca Scarf Vest (as seen in People StyleWatch), $158.
Tie Waist Cropped Pants (as seen in InStyle), $120.
Some of my favorites from the new collection include: Double Layered Sweater ($110), 3/4 Sleeve Sweater ($121), Sequined Mini Dress ($165), Torn S/S Sweater ($121).
I’ve been enjoying two pieces of clothes from Smitten that will transition into my fall wardrobe: the Striped Ruffle Tank and the Open Sweater. The Open Sweater is reversible between gray and khaki and has been a staple of mine this summer to fight off the chills in overly-air conditioned situations. I seriously wore it non-stop at EVO a couple months ago. (See photo at right.) Just like the Tank, I love that the Open Sweater is high on style but easy to wear. It’s not too intimidating for a mom like me to just throw it on with jeans and feel comfortable, which is how I approach Smitten clothes. Can I pull off the head to toe look like the model? No. But, I can look and feel good in a piece mixed with stuff I already own.
A funky tank is always in style – and perfect for a dinner date or night on the town any time of year. Smitten has an entire section of the website devoted to Tanks, and I think I might need one of each in my closet.
Shop! Check out the entire line of stylish women’s clothes at SmittenNYC.com. Also, make sure to visit the Sale section.
How to Enter: Visit Smitten and leave a comment here with something that catches your eye.
Bonus Entries – valid only after completing the first required entry. Please leave a separate comment for each you do.
Giveaway ends September 8. Open to US mailing addresses only.
SHOUT, America’s number 1 stain remover, is hosting a very cool sweepstakes on Facebook to recognize the importance of kids being kids. Studies show that play, pure and simple, helps children build important skills. They want to help your little ones play with gusto through the Go Play Sweepstakes.
Weekly Gift Card Gveaways - $200 to The Shopping Mama favorite Growing Tree Toys
Dream Playset Grand Prize - Super Sunshine Castle playset from Rainbow Play Systems!
Entering is Easy. Simply check out the Go Play Sweepstakes, “Like” Shout on Facebook, and enter your basic contact info. The sweepstakes ends September 14!
Good luck!
We kind of planned our recent trip on the fly and decided to spend two nights in Atlanta. Thanks to some suggestions and feedback on The Shopping Mama Facebook page, we decided to spend a morning at the Atlanta Aquarium. It was awesome! We had a great time and the kids are still talking about it.
Here are two of my favorite pictures of the kids enjoying the “feeeesh!”
I look forward to seeing your photos!
I almost always pack sandwiches for my kids’ lunches because it’s quick, easy and practical. And, it’s one food they will always eat. But, they I’m excited to buy some sandwich cutters to make their lunches a little more exciting – while keeping it simple for me.
Now, The purpose of Ten Dollar Tuesday is to highlight affordable ways to get your shop up for $10 and under. I wanted to share some fun sandwich cutters and most are sold in packs that total over $10 – but I figure you are really getting a set so this post can still qualify, right? Good. Here’s an assortment of some of the sandwich cutters to make lunch fun.
Love the sweet and simple heart shapes from the SweetBytes Sandwich Crust Cutter
The same company offers roar-ful sandwich dinosaur shapes in the DynoBytes Sandwich Crust Cutter
The set of four Animal Lunch Punch ($14.00 on The Land of Nod) offers a variety of fun for little ones. I love the shapes within the shapes – like the mini elephant and mama elephant.
And new from Lunch Punch, the vrrrRMM!! Lunch Punch ($13.95 on fawn&forest) set has car, airplane, truck and train and is designed for larger sized bread. Love this set!
Let’s face it, there aren’t many toys created 50 years ago that are still around. But Etch A Sketch by Ohio Art is still alive and sketching. The iconic remains a classic, entertaining toy that is fun for kids (and adults, too).
It’s magical, timeless and brings all generations together. Introduced in 1960, Etch A Sketch continues to inspire children with positive, creative play. The magic of Etch A Sketch is available in a variety of sizes, colors and shapes!
We received a classic Etch A Sketch to play with and, even though it was probably intended for kids to review, it’s been a lot of fun for me to play with a toy that I loved as a kid. I am just going to assume you’ve all played with an Etch A Sketch because, really, who hasn’t? But, in case you haven’t (why!), you twist the white knobs and the Etch A Sketch Magic Screen draws a line depending on how you turn the knobs. When you’re done you shake the Etch A Sketch to erase the picture and start over.
I was anxious to see how my son would react to the Etch A Sketch and if he’d enjoy it or grow frustrated by it. He had a hard time with it at first and didn’t really like it. The more he’s played with it and figured out how it works, the more he’s enjoyed it. I do think he’s on the young side and, frankly, it can be hard to really get it to draw the way you want it to, so it does require patience that he just doesn’t have.
Run on kid power and imagination, the Etch A Sketch doesn’t require batteries or any extras. It’s self-contained and ready to play right out of the box.
Here he is showing off his “Marshmallow Toy.” (Don’t ask. I have no idea what that is.)
To Buy… Etch A Sketch is a classic. Everyone should have one. Available in a variety of sizes from the mini (perfect for travel) to the Classic (9 inches by 7.5 inches). It’s ideal for travel because it’s lightweight, self-contained, makes no mess and doesn’t require batteries.
Or Not to Buy… The Etch A Sketch is recommended for kids 3 years and up, but my over 3.5 year old has some trouble with it. He can do it, but not well and gets a little frustrated. I’d wait until your child is closer to 5.
Shop! The Classic Etch A Sketch is $9.99 in stores or can be purchased directly from Ohio Art or on Amazon
TV Guide Network is celebrating the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards in style – Red Carpet Style. With celebrity interviews, fashion critiques and streaming online coverage of the red carpet, TV Guide Network and TVGuide.com celebrate the small screen’s biggest night with extensive coverage on your TV and computer.
Set your TV to auto-tune to the TV Guide Network now so you don’t miss any of the great coverage of the 62nd Primetime Emmy® Awards.
“Emmys® Red Carpet Countdown” – Premieres Sunday, August 29th at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT (Live on both coasts)
The celebrity-filled night gets started with early red carpet arrivals, predictions and pre-show excitement on “Emmy’s Red Carpet Countdown” hosted by Marc Istook, Tanika Ray and fashion expert Lawrence Zarian.
“Emmys® Red Carpet with Chris Harrison” – Premieres Sunday August 29th at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT (Live on both coasts)
Chris Harrison is in prime position on the red carpet to speak with the biggest names in television about the thrill of their nomination, the excitement of the night and surprising facts even their biggest fans might not know.
“Emmys® Red Carpet Fashion Wrap With Lawrence Zarian” - Premieres Monday August 30th at 8 p.m. ET/PT
After a night up close and personal with the stars on the red carpet, “The Fashion Team’s” Lawrence Zarian invites Countess LuAnn de Lesseps of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New York City,” designer Nick Verreos, celebrity stylist Jen Rade and hair stylist Kim Vo to the studio to talk about the celebrities’ hottest looks – from hair to dresses to bags and shoes!
If you’re unsure of your local TVGuide Network Channel, you can find it using your zip code online.
TVGuide.com will provide a one-stop destination for Emmy® Awards coverage at: www.tvguide.com/emmys. As you watch the red carpet action unfold on the TV Guide Network you can use a Facebook application on TVGuide.com to share your thoughts and find out what your friends think in real time. You can also follow up to the minute breaking news and check out photo galleries and actor profiles.
I absolutely love watching the red carpet coverage of Hollywood awards shows. Call me shallow, but, frankly, the red carpet is often more entertaining the actual award show. The Emmys is a good one, too, as it celebrates the best of the best from “the small screen”. With some of my favorite shows up for the coveted statue (Go glee!), I’m excited to see the stars dressed to the nines. And of course I’ll judge fashion hits and misses from the comfort of my couch. (Probably while looking the epitome of high fashion, wearing worn out pajama pants and holey socks, my hair in a ratty pony tail.) I’m excited to watch this year with Chris Harrison and can we talk about the Countess on the fashion wrap-up show? Awesome.
How to Enter: Leave a comment telling me one actor (male or female) you’d like to see Chris Harrison talk with live on the Emmys red carpet.
Bonus Entries – valid only after completing the first required entry. Please leave a separate comment for each you do.
Giveaway ends August 29 at midnight CST. Open to US residents only.
Hanna Andersson is, well, Hanna Andersson. And that’s a good thing. Known for soft fabrics and designs rooted in Swedish Heritage, the clothes are high quality and always in style for babies and kids.
From day one, we’ve let kids be kids. For us that means butter-soft fabrics and energizing colors, comfy shapes that aren’t too tight or too grown-up. And maybe best of all – our long-lasting quality is so terrific that little ones don’t have to be careful about their clothes! What started as a passion for beautiful quality in children’s clothing has grown up into an inspiration that guides the comfort and quality of everything we make.
The weather might still be hot, hot, hot in August, but it’s a great time to get prepared for fall with the Cold Snap pre-season sale at Hanna. You can save up to 30% off on winter essentials. Here are some can’t miss jackets and coats for girls, boys and baby.
Girls’ Sale Items: Reversible Down Vest ($46), Marshmallow Hoodie ($32 ), Journey’s End Jacket ($78), Boys’ Sale Items: Microfleece Half Zip ($30), Warmest Reversible Down Jacket ($78), Sun Valley Sweater ($36).
And how freaking adorable is the Little Bear Jacket? It’s currently on sale for $40.
I always love checking out the Hanna catalog when it arrives in the mail, and the highlight is the girls clothes at Hanna Andersson.
Days of Play Jumper ($38), Dot Pocket Hoodie Sweater ($38), Ribbed Sleeve Sweater Tunic ($38), Play It Again Tee ($28), Livable Leggings ($18), Classic Loose Tights ($14).
And no Hanna look is complete without tights, legwarmers or colorful socks. Oh, the love.
Shop! Stock up on winter clothing and outerwear at Hanna Andersson now and save up to 30%. Also check out the Very Gud Priced Items – classic Hanna mix and match pieces at lower prices.
Tutu Pour Mon Deux: save 20% (ends April 30)
Tip Toey Joey: save 20% (ends May 6)
If you are looking for information about partnering with The Shopping Mama™ blog, please email for a current Media Kit. The Shopping Mama™ was founded by Kate Marsh Lord in January of 2009 to share the latest and greatest in gear, clothes and toys for kids. After graduating law school and moving around the world with her Air Force husband, Kate settled down and had two beautiful little ones. The children changed her online motivation from researching legal issues to tracking down the
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