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Bears for Humanity Review and Giveaway

February 11, 2016 by Samantha Leave a Comment

If you have never heard of Bears For Humanity, you should definitely check them out. Bears For Humanity is a social commerce company that believes in 100% certified organic products, healthy children and a sustainable environment. They manufacture Teddy Bears and Animal Friends with an organic faux fur that is the closest thing to hugging a real bear (but much safer)! The company proudly employs women and at-risk mothers from the CalWORKs program. When a customer buys a Bear For Humanity stuffed pal, another just like it is sent to a child in need.

We all shop, we all buy gifts, but how often do we see a company who donates 1:1 to children in need?

Typically, when you purchase an item online, you are asked for your name, credit card and perhaps an option to join the mailing list. When you purchase a teddy bear from Bears For Humanity™, you have the delightful task of choosing a charity – Toys For Tots, Save The Children, Semper Fi Fund, OneSimpleWish.org, Lucile Packard– because your purchase instantly doubles as a gift for a child in need!

More than that, the cuddly pal is personally delivered to a needy veteran’s house, a children’s hospital or an underprivileged household. It’s a win-win way to run a company! The stuffed bears come in two sizes – 16” Premium Bear ($39.99) and 7” Baby Bear (19.99). The many charity options and five color choices are splashed across www.BearsForHumanity.com website that opens to a philosophical question – Can A Teddy Bear Change The World?

Toy industry experts, the California welfare-to-work program known as CalWORKs and an armful of mom bloggers heartily shout, “Yes!” The benefits only begin with the buy one-donate one model. The bears are luxuriously soft! Bears For Humanity pals are the only 100% Certified Organic Cotton/ Hemp teddy bears in the world. Plus, they are naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic which gives parents the peace of mind they don’t get from polyester plush toys!

Give a gift that gives back w/@bears4humanity. Buy 1, give 1 to a needy child #bears4humanity http://amzn.to/1Q5myfu

All of these adorably squishy bears are also available on Amazon and Whole Foods. Wouldn’t they make the PERFECT Valentine’s Day gift?

We want to share the gift of cuddles with you! Enter to win your very own Bears 4 Humanity Premium and Baby bear.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: charity/notforprofit, giveaway, review, toys

Fun Valentine’s Day Gifts for the Family

February 6, 2016 by Samantha 1 Comment

If you are looking for the perfect gift for your kids and spouse this Valentines Day, we’ve put together a little list to make your shopping that much easier. Check out some of our picks, and see what strikes your fancy.

For your littlest Valentine, head to Hallmark. You can do quite a bit of shopping there, but what we loved was the Love-a-Saurus Techno Plush, new for this year. This cutie roars and dances when you push his button. Perfect for boys or girls (and even “big kids”), this bright red dino will break it down to “U Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer, which kids will groove to, and moms and dads will wax nostalgic. It is $33, or $18 when you buy 3 cards. You can also find an assortment of adorable itty bittys- sweet toys that fit in the palm of your hand- including new Thing 1 and Thing 2. Your favorite troublemakers from Dr. Seuss’ Cat in the Hat, with Valentine hearts for their antennae to be festive for the holiday. They are available for $7 each. Of course, you can always get an assortment of cards perfect for Valentines Day (or any occasion) at Hallmark. This year they also have new cards from the Signature collection, itty bitty Valentines (to go with your itty bitty stuffed toys) as well as from Hallmark designers Justin & Tuesday Spray, which are just beautiful. You can pick up these items at Hallmark.com and at Hallmark Gold Crown stores.

For tweens, teens, and spouses, we loved the lovely gifts from Oragami Owl. Not only is the jewelry beautiful, but it’s unique because you customize it for the one you love (and it’s much more affordable then some other lines). Choose the color, size, shape, and more, as well as the charms that go inside and/or outside, the length and type of chain used, and all the other details. You can even add Swarovski crystals for a bit more color and sparkle. Origami Owl lets you pick out items that highlight special memories about your Valentine, and will be a truly cherished gift for that reason- it’s about the bond you two share. You can choose from necklaces, bracelets, wrap bracelets (a hot trend right now), lockets, and more at www.OrigamiOwl.com. Prices vary, check out the site and choose the item(s) that you like best for the ladies in your life.

Another option for the girls and women in your life is the environmentally-friendly and non-toxic Duri nail polish collection. Also safe from DBP, Tolune, and Formaldehyde, you can buy these separately or in a cute Valentine’s Day set of four, in a sweetheart box ready for gift giving.

While there are more then 250 shades of Duri (sounds like a book, yes?), the Valentine’s Day collection includes “every day is a Valentine” red, “cupid rules” pink, the pastel “iced roses”, “unexpected kiss” in a light purple-pink, and “sweetheart”, a bright shade of orangy-red. This is a great gift for the female of nearly any age in your life- most women, from the littlest girl on up, love their mani-pedi’s. Grab singles for 6$ each, or the gift set for $24 at www.duri.com

For the coffee lover in your life, take a look at the Trudeau espresso maker. This bedside pot makes getting your morning java that much easier with a convenient stainless-steel stove top espresso maker. Just fill it up, brew your beans in true Italian style, and serve. It uses pressure for the water, and has a safety release valve for the steam to be released from. The handle stays cool to the touch, so you don’t need to worry about burns. It’s also portable, so you can take it with you anywhere you go- you can use it for regular coffee if you would like as well, making it a good camping tool. It cleans easily in the dishwasher, and has a 5 year warranty as well, so it is well worth the price of $70 at http://www.shoptrudeau.com/ .

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For the nerdy love in your life, head to ThinkGeek.com and check out all the fun and funky wares they have in stock, perfect for those with a taste for the “dark side”, “Trekkies”, “brown coats” and more. Don’t know what I’m talking about, but know someone who will? Think Geek is for your shopping needs. If they love tech, comic books, or sci-fi shows, you will find a bounty of fun and unique items they soon won’t be able to live without.

For a fun twist on classic Valentine’s Day gifts, we love the ThinkGeek: iPhone Heart Charging Cable. Who needs another box of heart shaped candies? This cable goes with iPhone 5/6, but it also works with our iPad. It has 8 LED tiny, plastic, red hearts that also light up when it is plugged in and charging. One end goes into the i-device, the other into a USB port. It’s 46” long, and is available at http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/iotl/ for $14.99. Show how strong and bright your love is, and that it’s endlessly renewable.

Tired of the same old, same old floral arrangements? How much would they love to receive a Star Wars Bouquet. There are 3 options available, and they arrive wrapped and ready to be given. Each bouquet of nine “long stemmed” officially licensed Star Wars characters- in the Assortment (Boba Fett, Darth Vader, C-3PO, R2-D2 , two Ewoks , and three Stormtroopers), the Darth Vader bouquet (Darth Vader and eight Stormtroopers), or the Droid (three each of R2-D2, R2-Q5, and R2-D9) bouquet. They are available for $60 at http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/iprq/ for the assortment bouquet, each bouquet has a different link, but they and many other gifts can all be found at http://www.thinkgeek.com/gifts/ . These fun gifts are sure to be a conversation piece, and something to make all the other geeks jealous. Who has the best spouse? Yeah, you know it.

Filed Under: review Tagged With: Valentine’s Day

Melissa & Doug Unit Blocks Cart

January 31, 2016 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Disclosure- I received the below in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own and honest. For more, see “I Disclose”.

Toys for little kids are always fun to shop for, but I absolutely love shopping for items that are personalized. Things Remembered is a great place to hit up if you are looking for personalized items of any kind.

About Things Remembered:

Things Remembered is the nation’s largest and most prominent retailer of personalized gifts, has collaborated with leading education toy and game brand, Melissa & Doug. The line will feature some of the brands’ most popular toys, games and immersive arts and crafts collection.

Melissa & Doug has long been a holiday favorite, offering parents and children a line of classic-style products that encourage children’s educational development. The collection features ten technology free, education items for families to shop from including: Melissa & Doug Fire Truck, Stacking Train, Unit Block on Wheels, Alphabet Truck, Xylophone, and Wood School Bus Play Set to name a few.

About Melissa & Doug Unit Blocks Cart:

Kids will love the Melissa & Doug Unit Blocks Cart, personalized just for them! The wheeled pull-along cart has 36 colorful blocks for creative stacking and building! Engrave their name on the large aqua block.

-Great gift for kid’s birthday, niece, nephew, granddaughter or grandson!

My Thoughts:

I was incredibly impressed with the quality of this great toy. It was made very well and I know that it is going to last for many years into our future. I also was impressed that it was such a great toy and also at an affordable price. My niece is 1 and a half years old and had a great deal of fun playing with the blocks, as well as the fact that my daughters who are 3 and 5 also had just as much fun playing with the blocks. I know that these toys are going to be well played with many years into the future, as well as the fact that they are made well enough that they will last that long as well.

Purchase:

If you are interested in purchasing this awesome toy for the child in your life, I promise you that you will not be disappointed. You can head on over to the website and get yours ordered today.

Filed Under: kids, review Tagged With: great toys for kids, kids toys, Kids Toys from Melissa and Doug, melissa & doug, Melissa Doug Unit BLocks Cart, toys for kids, Toys from Melissa and Doug

Tum Tum Love- Must Have Baby Item

January 30, 2016 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Disclosure- I received the below in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own and honest. For more, see “I Disclose”.

Everyone knows that babies love to be cuddled and stay nice and warm. We also all know that sometimes we have to do things and can’t keep and hold the baby with us at all times. The TumTum is the perfect solution for this problem and a great comfort for all babies.

About Tum Tum:

Jennifer, who is a mother to her own bouncing bundle of joy, figured it was time to share this wisdom. She created the Tum Tum, a soft, wearable blanket that fits securely around baby’s torso. “The Tum Tum keeps my son warm while allowing him to play and relax,” Jennifer says. “My husband and I used to call our son ‘Houdini,” she says. “He would get out of a swaddle within minutes, which was a clear sign he wanted more mobility.”

The Tum Tum’s unique design comforts your baby by keeping their tummies warm and allows free movement, resulting in restful sleep and active play. With this cozy tummy warmer that sits under the arms and over the belly, your child’s arms and lgs can move freely. This mobility allows your little one’s muscles to develop and grow while keeping baby free of troublesome blankets. After all, the American Society of Pediatrics says, “No,” to blankets in the crib.

With the Tum Tum, you can rest assured that your baby is kept warm, day or night, without limiting their movements or making them uncomfortable with cumbersome layers.

What is a Tum Tum?

It’s a unique tummy warmer – a wearable blanket – that slips over your baby’s torso, and sits under the arms and over the belly, keeping your child warm to the core while allowing your little one to play freely and sleep soundly. And we all know how important sleep is when there’s a baby in the house!

Babies love to move and explore, but sometimes the layers of clothes or swaddling to keep them warm can be limiting. That’s why a Tum Tum is perfect to keep baby warm while they can be free to explore the wonderful world around her.

My Thoughts:

I am completely intrigued by the Tum Tum. I never had anything like that when my girls were little and I think that they would have absolutely loved it, especially at naptime and bedtime. We will be having a baby this June and I think that this product will be used a great deal.

Purchase:

If you are interested in this great product, head on over to the website and order one for yourself.

Filed Under: baby, review Tagged With: babies belly warm, must have baby item, Must have item for baby, Tum Tum for babies, TumTum, Warm Baby

Beautiful Gifts Handmade in Peru With Novica

January 27, 2016 by Samantha 7 Comments

It can be hard to choose a gift for your loved one. You want to give something special, something they will love. If it’s pretty, that much the better. Novica is the perfect place to find that perfect item. Not only are items hand crafted, which means they will each be unique and totally one of a kind, but they also support local artisans (who you get to know in a little “story card” that comes with your purchase). You see a portrait and a biography of the artist on the page of the item when you buy it, and when your gift is opened, they will read the card and make the discovery as well.

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My son, who happens to be my favorite little Valentine, helped me choose a special gift for his Godmother, a very special person in his life. He wanted to choose something she would really love, and he thought she would love the Andean Folk Art Cotton Applique Change Purse, ‘Butterfly Afternoon’. Quite a mouthful for a small purse, but it’s very pretty and not at all common. My son is very picky and deliberate in choosing gifts- he really wants to make sure to choose the right gift for the right person. We both think she will love the purse, with it’s bright colors and sunny, hand stitched scenery.

It arrived carefully wrapped in beautiful paper, with a red ribbon and a tiny doll in the center. It was very festive (and honestly, very cool looking). It looked expensive, like someone had really put time into it very carefully. He can’t wait to give his Valentine’s Day gift!

This beautiful, functional work of art was created by Balvina Huaytalla who lives and works in the Peru. Her work is inspired by the Peruvian Andes, and she wishes to share it’s beauty with everyone. She is a single mother who is struggling to take care of her young son, and this and every purchase helps her make a living.

There were a few things that caught my eye as well while we were looking around- it’s hard not to be distracted by all the beautiful products. These Gold Accent Heart Shaped Earrings would be perfect for Valentine’s Day, or really any day out. They are so pretty, I had to send a little “hint” over to my husband. The only thing better then a beautiful gift is one that gives back. Lovely, traditional art (some you can even wear) that embraces local artisans, doesn’t use bad labor practices, and helps others live sustainably- so much awesome with one purchase.

Filed Under: gifts, review Tagged With: gifts, Valentine’s Day

WIN Adorable NAOT Shoes or Boots

January 21, 2016 by Samantha 88 Comments

With the weather outside quite frightening- and good grief, it’s freezing!- you want shoes that are warm and comfortable, but that doesn’t mean you don’t want to look cute as well. NAOT makes some adorable shoes, boots, and warm-weather-wear like sandals ( I know, can you even remember warm weather right now?) for anything Mother Nature might throw your way, or what climate you might happen to live in or travel to.

I’ve recently been sent the NAOT VISTOSO, and I have to say I really like them. Here is what I had to say from my review-

“When you are ready to head indoors, and need something a little less “outdoorsy” but still ready for winter festivities, the NAOT VISTOSO will be your go to boot. Zipping up the side, this ankle boot is too cute with a little bow across it (ready for the holidays!) It is padded for extra comfort, and has a memory foam footbed. As you wear it, the bottom bed and microfiber molds to your foot, making it more and more comfortable as you go along. The heel is sturdy, the sole is flexible, and you won’t feel like you are doing a balancing act all evening. These are boots you won’t feel the need to kick off quickly. Get them at http://naot.com or Amazon for about $200.”

Want to get a pair of your own? I suggest you do, right away. You can also enter to win a pair here, your options should you win are listed below-

http://www.simonsshoes.com/products/naot-aster

http://www.simonsshoes.com/products/naot-avila

http://www.simonsshoes.com/products/naot-shamal

http://www.simonsshoes.com/products/naot-rongo?variant=1284056388

http://www.simonsshoes.com/products/naot-sirocco-1

http://www.simonsshoes.com/products/naot-vistoso

Please feel free to enter using the RC form below. A winner will be chosen at random on Feb. 17, 2016. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: clothes and shoes, fashion, giveaway, review Tagged With: boots, giveaway, shoes

Celebrate National Hugging Day with Huggy Buddha

January 21, 2016 by Samantha 3 Comments

Did you know today was National Hugging Day? What a wonderful day! Of course, the best way to celebrate is with a zillion hugs. We just got this adorable, and of course huggable, Huggy Buddha that beckons you for cuddles and is perfect not just for today, but all days. I love him- I didn’t even let my son keep him, haha. Huggy Buddha sits on my couch with the throw pillows so that everyone can smile when they see his happy face and then give him a hug when they settle in.

They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but we’ve discovered the best medicine of all – a hug. In celebration of National Hugging Day on January 21, Huggy Buddha will make its debut in time for a day filled with warm embraces.

As an ancient symbol of good luck and well wishes for a happy life, Huggy Buddha is all about hugs, happiness and more. So what better way to celebrate National Hugging Day, than with hugs and a Huggy Buddha? A hug can transfer positive energy and lift spirits!

Huggy Buddha comes in three huggable sizes. This holiday encourages you to embrace hugging family and friends, and to give a comforting squeeze to those who matter most. Join in as people from across the world celebrate with a warm embrace, and give “a gift with a thought” with Huggy Buddha™.
Huggy Buddha is a creation of Sandra de Vries. When she was about to become a grandmother, she wanted to give her grandchild something a little out of the ordinary. As the owner of a boutique shop specializing in Eastern home decorations, one idea came straight to mind: a Happy Buddha, an ancient good luck symbol for a happy life, made of plush. After all, what more could you wish for a newborn baby – or anyone for that matter – than a happy life?

There was just one problem: no such product existed. So she decided to create it herself, for her grandchild Lily and for every child and person in the world, and name it Huggy Buddha. Naturally, Lily got the very first one produced, and ever since, Huggy Buddha has become an equally special present for thousands of others across the planet, spreading hugs and happiness with every gift.
Huggy Buddha is a fun and unique way to celebrate National Hugging Day this January. Product is now available for purchase in the United States from GUND, a premier plush manufacturer.

You can get one of your own at www.huggybuddha.com.

Filed Under: review Tagged With: Gund toys, stuffed toy

VeggieTales “Silly Little Thing Called Love” DVD

January 21, 2016 by Samantha 6 Comments

Disclosure- I received the below in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own and honest. For more, see “I Disclose”.

Getting ready for Valentines Day? Check out this DVD for your little loves- new from Veggie Tales! Such an adorable gift for your cutest Valentines.

VeggieTales “Silly Little Thing Called Love” DVD features three classic stories of “true” love – with lessons in Loving Your Neighbor, Loving Your Family and Loving God! The DVD also includes funny and touching thoughts from the “Veggie Kids” sharing their perspective on love only as kids can!

These lessons provide a wonderful reminder to families that we can show love to others everyday just as God continuously shows us his love!

This DVD has some favorites from past shows and movies, as well as Larry asking kids important questions. It’s a movie you don’t have to worry about letting your kids watch- it’s safe and full of good values, sweet and silly songs, and teaching kids the right way to treat others. Even if you are not a very religious person or family, Veggie Tales is still great for kids because there really is no parent that doesn’t agree with things like “love your neighbor” and sharing with others, yes?

My son has always loved Veggie Tales, even if we were a little late to the game with them- he saw them for the first time when he was about 4, I believe. But he really liked them from the first go, and still does at age 8. He was thrilled when this new Veggie Tales arrived, and he can’t wait to watch it! If only he didn’t have school…..ha.

You can get your copy at http://veggietales.com/ , and if you order soon it will be here before Valentines Day. They also have a sale going on right now, so stop by and see what strikes you.

Filed Under: entertainment, movie, review Tagged With: movie, Veggie Tales