The Shopping Mama

Easy Crafts to Repurpose Christmas Cards

by Kate on January 10th, 2013 | 5 Comments | Crafts with Kids, Life

While we love these 6 Simple Ways to Display Holiday Cards, at the end of the season, you’re still left with a stack of holiday cards. Our friends and family put time, effort and money into that stack of cards – and they’re gorgeous and festive and colorful so don’t throw them away! We have some easy ways to re-use the cards next holiday season and an easy way to keep them organized year after year.

1. Make an annual Holiday Card Wreath,

2. Reuse pretty cards to make Wine Gift Labels.

3. Decorate your tree with cards turned into Easy Paper Ornaments.

4. Create festive holiday decor: Christmas Card Trees.

5. Save and display cards every year using a metal ring. (See below)

6. Personalize presents with Monogram Labels.

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When I saw this pin, I knew I had found my way to save and display my holiday cards every year. In other words: the easiest way ever to save Christmas cards!

All you need is a metal craft ring and a hole punch. The craft rings are available at craft stores, office supply stores, office or craft section of Target stores and online at our affiliate Amazon.

As cards arrive in the mail (or at the end of the season when you’re packing away Christmas goodies), punch a hole in the corner and place cards on a metal ring. Embellish the ring with ribbon or washi tape. Or, keep it simple and punch festive shapes into coordinated paper to add to the front of your stack.

I cut some stars and the year from one of our extra Christmas cards. We loved flipping through the cards to look at friends and guests often picked up the packet of colorful cards to check them out, too. I especially like including the year at the front and plan to do so in the future to create an annual keepsake of all the cards we receive from friends and family near and far.

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You may also like 6 Simple Holiday Card Displays.

Image sources: BHG.com, Write.Click.Scrapbook., MarthaStewart.com. Original source for metal ring unknown.

Hallmark Interactive Story Buddy {Review}

by Shannon on December 18th, 2012 | 5 Comments | Reviews

My daughter handed me her “super secret” letter to Santa the other day. I was not to open it. I was not to read it. My instructions were to “please mail this. It’s really important.”

I’d like to say I took the high road. I didn’t. I read the note. She asked for one thing.

“god”

Now, because she also illustrated her note, I know that my Kindergartener wants a DOG for Christmas. A dog. We have a dog!

I’m wondering if I can get out of this on a technicality. She asked for god, not a dog, right? However, Santa is not new to his job, I’m sure he has lots of experience deciphering the writing of those just learning the craft. Also, isn’t our Elf on the Shelf reporting everything?

Fortunately, I got some relief from Hallmark and their new Interactive Story Buddies. Jingle, a cute Husky dog, is one of seven different Interactive Story Buddies that respond to stories as they are read aloud. Each plush buddy comes with a story book and read-along CD. Whether you read, or let the CD do the work, the buddies respond when certain phrases are spoken. For example, when reading our book Jingle All the Way there is a passage that says “You’re a good dog, Jingle,” at that point our buddy Jingle makes a happy ruffing sound.

Stealing an idea from Pinterest, I chose to wrap a Christmas book for my children to open each night as we countdown to Christmas. I wrapped up books we’ve enjoyed in former years and sprinkled in a few new books for surprise. It has been wonderful because they are getting the message that items we already have are gifts just as much as the new things we receive. Jingle and Jingle All the Way were opened on day six. Both Kindergarten girl and toddler boy hugged Jingle right away; however, they both erupted with giggles when Jingle first responded to the book as it was read.

Kindergarten girl and toddler boy love Jingle.

Toddler boy is patient no more. Perhaps this family will need another story buddy?

My children really enjoy reading with our Story Buddy, but they also play with him at other times. They will turn on Jingle when having a tea party and say key phrases from the book to get him to respond. Well, once they learned how to say the key phrases. Kindergarten girl, when first trying to interact with Jingle, shouted “YOU’RE A GOOD DOG JINGLE!” and was disappointed that he didn’t respond to her. I explained to her that Jingle is not hard of hearing, she just needs to annunciate clearly. Problem solved.

After reading Jingle All the Way, my daughter is already asking for more books for Jingle. There are two more books for this buddy, A Snow Day for Jingle and A Christmas Star. Each of the seven interactive story buddies comes with a book and read-along CD, but additional books are available as an additional purchase.

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… Hallmark’s Interactive Story Buddies are a great gift for the young person in your life. Plush, cuddly and responsive, these buddies will bring a lot of smiles to little faces. My daughter is an emerging reader and Jingle has given her incentive to read the more complex text in Jingle All the Way. At $34.95 for plush interactive animal, book and CD, this is an affordable gift for Christmas morning. And while Jingle and Bell are available as holiday buddies, there are five other buddies that are not holiday themed and would make a great gift at any time of the year.

Or Not to Buy… We did not have difficulty getting our story buddy to respond to phrases as they were read aloud; however, there were times I had to repeat myself. That makes me wonder how well these buddies would respond to English as a Second Language (ESL) speakers. If you feel that might be a problem, take a buddy for a test drive at your local Hallmark store.

Shop! Hallmark Interactive Read Along Buddies are available at Hallmark stores and online for $34.95. Additional books are available online for $9.95 each. I’ve also spotted Jingle in my local grocery store and big box store.

Thanks to Hallmark for providing a sample.

How to Simplify Holiday Shopping {Giveaway}

by Kate on December 17th, 2012 | 5 Comments | Giveaways

We’re excited to team up with Women & Co. to talk money again. Women & Co. is a great resource for personal finance, focusing on issues that matter to us and providing valuable guidance to empower our financial choices.

In the fall we discussed back to school spending and now we’re sharing news about women’s holiday shopping habits. In addition to survey results we’ve got some great tips to simplify holiday shopping. Keep reading to join the conversation and enter to win a great giveaway!

Women’s Holiday Shopping Infographic

Women & Co teamed up with RealSimple to survey women about holiday shopping. Among the interesting findings:

1 out of 4 women purchase gifts for at least 15 people.
57% of the women surveyed say they spend at least $50 or more on charity during the holidays.
The majority of women spend at least $100 on kids’ holiday gifts.
And women surveyed spend at least $700 on holiday expenses (including gifts, food/entertainment, travel, holidays cards, etc) with 1 out of 3 spending $1,000 or more.

((Click graphic to see larger))

What do you think about the survey results? Does anything surprise you?

5 Tips for Simplifying Holiday Shopping

Holiday shopping is no simple feat. Many savvy shoppers literally shop for the holidays year round. Even if you aren’t buying stocking stuffers in August, there are some ways you can make the process easier.

1. Make a List and Check it Twice. Keep your shopping list organized with by following the Who-What-Where-When-Why Rule.

Who do you have to buy for?
What are you going to get?
Where are you getting it?
When are you giving / shipping?
Why? Well, because giving is fun!

If you want a modern version of the shopping list, check out the app store for apps like Gift It.

2. Give a Signature Gift. RealSimple.com says “Don’t be afraid to give repeat gifts.” If your family enjoys a personalized calendar one year, repeat the gift again next year. We receive a Swarovski ornament every year from my dad and stepmom and while it’s obviously not a surprise, it is one of my favorite things to open every Christmas.

3. Have a Go-To Gift. Real Simple also suggests picking one gift for those outside your immediate family that has special meaning to you. For example, we’re sending several members of our family German chocolate. It represents where we are this year and we know they’ll all enjoy it.

4. Donate to a Charity. There is inevitably at least one person on your list who is difficult to shop for because it seems like he literally has everything. Honor him with a donation to a charity with special meaning.

5. Shop Strategically. We love online shopping and it is the best tool for streamlining holiday shopping, but we still have to hit brick and mortar stores for many things. Plan your trips strategically. In other words, don’t hit the local shopping mall the weekend before Christmas. We may have learned that from experience.

ThankYou Rewards

Another way to simplify shopping and shop smart is to make sure your shopping is working for you. ThankYou Rewards from Citibank can be redeemed for a number of rewards including travel, gift cards, charitable donations, merchandise, and more.

Shop at your favorite store where you use your participating Citi^® credit card, and you earn ThankYou Points. … Getting rewards is easy–just do what you do already and see how quickly the points add up.

Using your Rewards is as easily as earning them. The Rewards shop has a number of great gift ideas, and we particularly love the Giftback Card which allows you to donate Points virtually to one of nearly 1 million nonprofits.

Win! 20,000 Citi ThankYou Rewards Points.

What can you get with 20,000 Points?
A $200 donation to charity, $200 Kohl’s gift card, a Michael Kors men’s watch, Nikon CoolPix camera or many other things!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends December 21. Open to US mailing addresses only. Must be 18 or over.

Redemption of the ThankYou Rewards is governed by the Rewards terms. This giveaway is facilitated by TheShoppingMama.com. I was compensated by Women & Co. to participate in the Moms Talking Money Campaign. As always, opinions are my own.

Kiwi Crate: Crafty Gift That Keeps Giving {Review}

by Shannon on December 14th, 2012 | 5 Comments | Crafts with Kids, Reviews

Thing 1 and Thing 2 were fun in a box, but Kiwi Crate has got them beat.

Kiwi Crate offers hands-on fun for children ages 3-7 delivered in their signature crate right to your doorstep each month. Available as a monthly or annual subscription, Kiwi Crates arrive filled with all the materials you and your child need to complete projects in the arts, sciences and crafts. Additionally, holiday crates are available including “Crafty Christmas,” “Gifts Made By Me,” and “Handmade Hanukkah.”

Not only do the crates come with all the materials you need to be creative with your child, but the amount of thought and detail that goes into each crate is astounding. The “Making Music” crate toddler boy explored, there are detailed instructions for constructing and decorating rhythm bells and a xylophone, composing strips to compose music and instructions for making other musical instruments from materials already found in the home. I chuckled when I saw the directions for making a flute. They call for drinking straws…I NEVER would have thought of that! Finally, Kiwi Crate seeks partnerships to make their product even richer for the end user. For the “Making Music” crate, they partnered with the Carnegie Hall Weill Music Institute to create engaging musical activities.

Toddler boy was in heaven with his xylophone. Though the “grownup involvement” for constructing the xylophone was supposed to be moderate (yes, they give you a messiness and parental involvement ranking on the very front of the instructions), I was the primary builder due to toddler boy’s age.

Even though I am “some-assembly-required-challenged, we were just three easy steps from a fantastic xylophone. We simply stretched rubber bands around the crate provided, slid in pre-cut bamboo slats, and used Glue Dots to assemble mallets.

(kiwi xylophone collage)

Holiday Craft Crate

Kindergarten girl’s “Crafty Christmas” crate features materials and instructions for a gingerbread house and homemade painted ornaments. She chose to make the painted ornaments first and, though this craft was also ranked for medium parental involvement, I was not involved at all. She came in from school, saw the signature crate on the table and there was no stopping her. My girl has been crafting since she mastered fine motor skills, so she read the instructions and took command of the project.

At this point, I feel compelled to mention the detail and thought put into each crate and the materials provided. The plastic ornaments provided with the crate have a flat bottom so they will not roll around resulting in a mess and/or meltdown from a child whose paint gets “too swirled” (c’mon, you know it could happen).

These kits are so wonderful and I wouldn’t mind receiving one on our porch each month. Hmmm….

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… With subscription, Kiwi Crates are quality construction kits that arrive at your door each month and will engage your child in the arts and sciences. When given as a Christmas or Hanukkah gift, they give the recipient a full year of smiles and activity. If you have more than one child, you can request materials for siblings as well. Stocking stuffers are available for the holiday season.

Not to Buy… If you enjoy researching projects and driving to several stores to gather materials followed by materials prep and clean up, Kiwi Crate may not be for you. With Kiwi Crate you simply open the box and start creating.

Shop! Kiwi Crate is available in month-to-month subscriptions for $19.95 per month or an annual subscription for $220 per year, both of which feature free shipping. Gift cards are available and there are still five days left to order to ensure arrival by Christmas.

Thanks to Kiwi Crate for providing samples.

BEARPAW Shoes: Gifts for the Whole Family

by Kate on December 10th, 2012 | 5 Comments | Reviews

The snowy weather in Germany is the perfect motivation to talk about BEARPAW: casual sheepskin shoes for the entire family. BEARPAW knows that comfort is king and still manages to create a collection of modern stylish shoes. We think BEARPAW shoes make great holiday gifts!

Meet Bearpaw

BEARPAW was founded in 2001 with the intention of using sheepskin to create casual, comfortable and stylish shoes. Why sheepskin?

Sheepskin naturally regulates body temperature so feet stay cooler and drier in the heat and warmer in the cold. In one of the most competitive footwear market segments, BEARPAW has carved out a niche area by providing customers with comfort and sensibility to set itself apart. From slippers to boots to casual footwear, only the finest materials are used to produce BEARPAW shoes.

Our friends at Bearpaw sent the Cottonwood Infant Bootie for Max to check out. Max is big, but he’s not quite big enough for the size large, which is intended for 12 – 18 months. He wears that size in clothes, but apparently his feet aren’t quite as big as the rest of his body. The Booties are plush and luxurious and just darling. The Booties are 3.5 inches tall, made of cow suede and have double-face sheepskin lining. There’s a handy hook-and-loop closure to help get a good fit for baby. The way Max is growing, I have no doubt he’ll be wearing this soon. The soft-sole design is great for kiddos like Max who are cruising and starting to walk – they won’t slow him down, that’s for sure!

BEARPAW Gifts for the Whole Family

BEARPAW has shoes for nearly everyone in your family. The cozy sheepskin slippers are a definitely winner for everyone on your list, and we’ve rounded up some other shoes that are great for gifting. Most shoes are available in several colors.

Baby Hemlock Bootie

Kids Coronado

Kids Emma

Mens Malta II

Mens Moc II

Womens Brigetta Slipper

Womens Denali II

Womens Knit Tall

Womens Marissa

Shop! Shop with confidence because BEARPAW offers free shipping and free exchanges. The Cottonwood Infant Bootie is $40 and available in Chestnut and Light Blue.

A Laurie Berkner Christmas {Holiday Must Have!}

by Kate on December 7th, 2012 | 5 Comments | Shopping

Snowy winter weather, Christmas markets and a visit from St. Nikolas are helping us get in the holiday spirit. But the icing on our holiday cheer cake? The new A Laurie Berkner Christmas album.

Laurie Berkner is one of the few artists who successfully walks the fine line of appealing to children while satisfying adults. While some of my children’s music preferences make me want to cover my ears and hide under a pillow, Laurie Berkner (usually accompanied by her rockin’ band) makes me sing along – even when my kids are nowhere to be found. Trust me, if you haven’t discovered Laurie Berkner yet, do yourself a favor and get the Best of the Laurie Berker Band - it’s only $7.99 on Amazon and it’s fantastic. If you’re already fans and you have the opportunity, you must see the Laurie Berkner Band live. I took my two older kids when they were 4 and 2 and it was worth every penny – so much fun!

But, I need to get back to the point: this Christmas album is a winner that your entire family will enjoy. It includes 17 songs – mostly Laurie’s modern, fun take on classics like Jingle Bells (which my 4 year old requests on repeat), Silent Night, Frosty the Snowman and We Wish You A Merry Christmas. There is also original music like the snappy Candy Cane Jane.

Shop! A Laurie Berkner Christmas is available from our affiliate Amazon: the CD is $10.85 and MP3 download is only $6.99. It’s also available on iTunes for $9.99. Love Laurie and celebrate Hanukkah? Download the Hanukkah song Candle Chase.

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Shopping for little ones this holiday season? Make sure you visit our Best Toys for the Holidays Shopping Guide.

Best Toys for the Holidays 2012!

by Kate on December 3rd, 2012 | 5 Comments | Shopping

It’s here! Our third annual 30 Days of Toys is complete and the result is a collection of the Best Toys for the Holidays! We love this year’s finds and know you will, too. We have everything from stocking stuffers to WOW gifts, from indie artisans to big brands, from super affordable to splurges. We think you’ll find something for every little one on your holiday shopping list.

Check out the Best Toys for the Holidays 2012 to see this year’s Toy Shopping Guide. For more detailed description of each pick, visit the 30 Days of Toys.

Happy toy shopping!

FREE Personalized Greeting Card from Treat

by Kate on November 19th, 2012 | 5 Comments | Shopping

Your holiday checklist just got shorter. Create and send a totally personalized greeting card from Treat for FREE. Whether saying thanks for Thanksgiving, wishing a best friend a holiday birthday, or simply sharing the holiday cheer with a just because card, Treat lets you create a one-of-a-kind card that is sure to impress.

In addition to personalizing the greeting cards with a photo, you completely customize the text for the cards. You can address it to the recipient, include a personal note and special signature. But, of course, you know we love all the great photo cards!

It’s not too late to send a special Thanksgiving card.

Treat has a great selection of holiday cards sure to delight family and friends. Check out the Hanukkah cards and Christmas cards.

Plan ahead with your after the holidays thank you cards! We love the idea of a personalized thank you card as part of a teacher’s holiday gift. Get your child involved in writing a special note and you’ll create a card that will stand out from the crowd.

Shop! Now is the time to try Treat.com. Use code TREATBLOGR for one FREE totally personalized greeting card from Treat. Code valid today, Monday November 19 and Tuesday November 20 ONLY. Expires