Oh My Gift Guide!

Our Toys For Tots Haul at Walmart

Sheena — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 05:38:38 +0000

Every year around the holidays, I make sure to donate toys in an effort to genuinely help out and teach Jayden the importance of giving. My Christmases weren’t always lavish and there were times when I received gifts through community programs. Giving back is near and dear to me and is pretty much not an option, but a must. One of the things I love about being a Walmart Mom is having the opportunity and support to give more. Walmart gave me the opportunity to shop for toys to donate within a $50 budget, so Jayden and I went shopping for toys for “friends” at Walmart. We also made a contribution to our local food drive.

Browsing the aisles, I saw so many “cool” toys that I wish I could have gotten, but my purpose was to provide gifts for as many children as possible by going for bargain items. Puzzles and craft sets always make great gifts. I’m really loving the Kid Connection line for donating. They make adorable little tea sets. Per usual, I made sure to grab some Hot Wheels cars, Barbies, and other odds and ends (Lion King phones). The toys we purchased totaled to around $60 and of course I didn’t mind going over. While Jayden got to put the toys in the donation bin last year, he was too sleepy to do so this year :(. We take our donations to the local laundromat and they are always so grateful to receive the donations especially since they don’t receive many. Below is a video of our charitable experience!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flLVfl8wwmk

1 Year ago: Our Toy Haul for Charity

I am a member of the Walmart Moms program. Walmart is compensating me for sharing this experience with you… part of which I contributed to our local food drive. All words and opinions are my own.

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Coca-Cola’s Arctic Home {$115 Prize Giveaway: 12/27/11}

Sheena — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 08:53:43 +0000

While I don’t drink Coca-Cola products regularly, the brand has played a role in my childhood holiday memories. What wasn’t there to love about those cute polar bear commercials and collectible glasses? This holiday season, in support of Coca-Cola’s Arctic Home awareness campaign, Coca-Cola and Walmart are teaming up to help bring home happiness with exclusive 28 packs of Coke sold only at participating Walmart locations (while supplies last), and a fabulous hourly Walmart instant win through My Coke Rewards.

With purchase of the 28 pack, Walmart and Coke fans can visit ArcticHome.com/Walmart to be entered for a chance to win a $100 Walmart gift card. One will be given away every hour through December 31st. The packs are already available in many Walmart locations and to help promote the instant win, I’m giving away the awesome Coca-Cola prize pack below!

Win a $115 Coca-Cola Prize Pack!

Prize pack is valued at approximately $115 and consisting of:

· (1) $50 Walmart gift card for your all holiday needs
· (3) Coca-Cola Polar bear ornaments to help raise awareness for Arctic Home cause
· (1) 4 collectible arctic glasses
· (1) Polar bear winter hat

Giveaway ends on 12/27/2011 at 12:01am EST. Giveaway open to US only. Standard giveaway rules apply. Comments don’t count as entries, just fill out the Rafflecopter widget! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This prize was provided by The Coca-Cola Company. The Coca-Cola Company is not a sponsor, administrator or connected in any other way with this instant win.

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FoodSaver Vacuum Sealing Kit Demo

Sheena — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:38:01 +0000

In this video, I decided to freeze some bread that I had purchased from Walmart’s “Oops I baked too much” section. Since we only had about 3 days to consume 3 bags of bread, I thought it would be best to freeze. I froze the bread before vacuum sealing to make sure it didn’t crush during the process. In the video you’ll see how easy it is to use. I filled my vacuum bag with rolls, turned on the FoodSaver, and slid the opened end of the bag into the machine. The SmartSeal technology sensed the bag and FoodSaver did the rest! The FoodSaver is definitely going to come in handy as we build our meat supply and prepare freezer meals. I can’t wait to start saving food and money!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inEKy1LV3Mw

{ read my review here }

BUY IT: $149.99

I am a member of the Walmart Moms program. Walmart is compensating me for sharing this experience with you. All words and opinions are my own.

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Kmart’s Luxury-Inspired Gifts {$100 Giveaway 12/26/11}

Sheena — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:38:07 +0000

It’s surprising how many people are just beginning to shop for holiday gifts. And with not much time left before the big day, gift guides are a great place to start looking for gift ideas. Harper’s Bazaar recently published their 2011 Best Gifts for Women list and while all of the gifts featured are lovely, who really has the budget to spend that kind of money? Below is a list of wallet-friendly alternatives to the luxury goods featured in Harper’s Bazaar… only they’re from Kmart :). Keep reading for a chance to win a $100 Kmart gift card!

Luxury: Sofia Coppola for Louis Vuitton Bag- $3,950
For Less: Bongo Women’s Handbag Addison with Adjustable Strap- $21.60

Luxury: Leica D-Lux 5 Digital Camera- $799
For Less: Fuji FinePix AV200 14 Megapixel Digital Camera- $69.99

Luxury: Cartier Trinity Black and White Ring-$1,500
For Less: 1 cttw Black & White Diamond Ring in Sterling Silver- $199.99

Luxury: John Robshaw water dec pillow and azure bolster- $150 and $225
For Less: Jaclyn Smith Traditions Damask/Herringbone Navy Decorative Pillow-$14.99

Luxury: Hervè van der Straeten table- $12,800
For Less: Baxton Studio Triplet Round Glass End Table- $61.19

Luxury: Smythson of Bond Street Passport Cover- $183.60
For Less: Royce Leather Debossed Passport Jacket- $25.19

Luxury: J. Crew pajamas- $78.00
For Less: Heavenly Bodies by Miss Elaine Women’s Striped Pajama Set- $24.00

Luxury: Aurelie Bidermann Collar Necklace- $1,213
For Less: Romanza Byzantine Necklace- $98.99

Luxury: Pyrrha necklace- $140.00
For Less: Black Jade Pendant (Online Only)- $68.99

Luxury: Missoni Home Margot throw and cushion-$1300 and $325
For Less: Warm & Cozy Pillow & Throw Set- Argyle Pattern- $9.99

Win a $100 Kmart Gift Card!

Giveaway ends on 12/26/2011 at 12:01am EST. Giveaway open to US only. Standard giveaway rules apply. Comments don’t count as entries, just fill out the Rafflecopter widget! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I will be receiving a gift card in exchange for sharing the looks featured in this post and hosting this giveaway.

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SinfulColors Wish Holiday 2011 Collection

Sheena — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 08:07:24 +0000

Just in time to make last minute stocking stuffers, SinfulColors has released their 2011 Holiday Collection!

The Wish Collection for Holiday 2011 includes five gem-inspired shades of polish:
Suagar Sugar – a candy cane, red-hot tint
Midnight Blue – a bold, bright twist on navy
Last Chance – an emerald with depth and allure
Daddy’s Girl – a deep purple with a drizzle of shimmer and glitter
Out of this World – a perfect silver with swirls of glimmer

AND

Two metallic shades of nail art:
Flower Girl – a bronzy gold with tons of sparkle
Fashionista – a glitter-laden pewter

Out of this World and Daddy’s Girl require several coats for desired results, but they are both beautiful colors. I’d have to say that Daddy’s Girl and Midnight Blue are my favs colors and I am loving the nail art glitters. All it takes is a few strokes for a polished, professional looking design.

Here they are in action over a teal and black design. Of course I had some cleaning up to do in both photos, but I wanted to photograph while fresh :).

BUY IT: All hues are available for $1.99 (score!) at major drug and mass-market stores nationwide (call for 1-800-448-0763 listings) and online at www.walgreens.com.

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Matilda Jane: Spread the Love {Quick Giveaway: 12/19/11}

Sheena — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:42:23 +0000

I have been admiring Matilda Jane Clothing for a while now. And if I had a girl, her closet would be full of Matilda Jane’s ruffly, vintage, unpredictably patterned, lovelies. For myself, I have a few items on my wishlist; the Myrtle Big Ruffle Pant, Oh, Liza Dress, and Mona Ballet Dress. Hey, a girl can dream.

Matilda Jane is spreading the love this holiday season and making dreams come true. Not only are they raising money for Habitat for Humanity, but they are also partnering with bloggers such as myself to help put beautiful dresses in the hands of deserving little girls! So in this giveaway, nominate yourself or nominees who you think deserve new dresses! I’ll be choosing a winner who will receive 3 Matilda Jane dresses, 1 to keep and 2 to give away! No need to feel you have to write a sad story, but my hope is that these dresses go to deserving homes. If you do decide to keep all of the dresses (although not preferred), please consider donating the retail value to a local charity at least. Honesty, exercise it.

Win 3 Matilda Jane Dresses!

Giveaway ends on 12/19/2011 at 12:01am EST. Giveaway open to US only. Comments don’t count as entries. Just fill out the Rafflecopter widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I will be receiving a gift card in exchange for hosting/moderating this giveaway. Just so you know…

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Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Special {Quick Giveaway: 12/18/11}

Sheena — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:46:51 +0000

Our favorite icey mammals are back in a fun, 25-minute Christmas special and I have a copy to give away to a lucky reader! See below how you can win a copy of Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Special right in time for Christmas!

When Sid accidentally destroys Manny’s heirloom Christmas rock and ends up on Santa’s “naughty list,” he leads a hilarious quest to the North Pole to make things right and ends up making things much worse. Now it’s up to Manny and his prehistoric posse to band together and save Christmas for the entire world.

BUY IT: $7.99

Win Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Special!

Giveaway ends on 12/18/2011 at 12:01am EST. Giveaway open to US only. Standard giveaway rules apply. Comments don’t count as entries, just fill out the Rafflecopter widget! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Gifts For Mom, Dad, And Littles From Avon & Tiny Tilla!

Sheena — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:14:29 +0000

Avon has a little something for everyone and we were given the opportunity to check out a few gift picks from the Avon Holiday Catalog. First up is the Military Style Canvas Strap Watch ($29.99). It’s a sharp basic watch with gunmetal-like case, black dial, and canvas-weave strap. The durable watch is available in olive and black. Greg is not a watch-wearer but if he doesn’t wear it, I will when I’m wanting to make a quirky, bold statement. Next up are the super cute Cozy Thermal PJ’s ($32.00). PJ’s are my weakness and these snowflake thermals will be perfect for Christmas day. Both the top and legginfs are 3/4-length which is different. I love the velveteen trim and glittery buttons. We were also sent the Mommy Tillia 3-Piece Gift Set ($14.99) and the Tiny Tillia 3-Piece Gift Set ($15.00). The Mommy Tillia 3-Piece Gift Set includes an energizing and soft citrus-scented Body Wash, emollient Body Lotion, and Hand Cream. It makes a great gift for mom or mom-to-be. Best of all it’s paraben-free! That totally rhymed :). The Tiny Tillia 3-Piece Gift Set includes a Citrus Sorbet Shampoo & Body Wash, Berry Sorbet Calming Moisturizing Lotion, and Diaper Rash Cream. The essential set isn’t totally paraben-free (as I’d like it to be), but it’s hypoallergenic and suitable for sensitive skin. Last but not least, we were sent the Avon Expert Mega Palette ($35). It has all of the essentials; 36 lip glosses, 36 eye shadows, 6 blushes, 3 mini makeup brushes, and a built in mirror! I am starting to wear makeup more especially since I’ve started wearing contacts again, so I can’t wait to experiment with this set! These were just a few gifts ideas you can shop for at Avon – there’s pleeeenty more where they came from! Like I said… something for everybody!

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ZAZOO Multimedia Photo Clock

Sheena — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:18:41 +0000

I was offered the opportunity to review a ZAZOO Photo Clock and what I thought to be an over-the-top clock with bells and whistles turned out to be so much more! The bells and whistles actually come in handy! This little clock… I just don’t even know where to start. The ZAZOO Photo Clock is more than a photo clock. It’s a clock, a photo frame, a video and MP3 player. Through it’s built in photos, it teaches children when to go to bed and when to wake up. There’s even a setting for naps. The clock is totally customizable (it even has a remote control), so I can upload photos of Jayden sleeping or waking up or I can design my own images in Photoshop and upload them to the frame. I can even upload his favorite songs and set them to be his alarm.

The ZAZOO Photo Clock has defintely taught Jayden that he has to settle down when the “moon comes out” and sleep until the “sun comes out”. He is so into his clock, he gets a kick announcing when the sun and the moon comes out and he’s even recites time accurately! As I mentioned before, the ZAZOO Photo Clock is also a video and MP3 player. All custom images, videos, and MP3′s can be upload directly to the frame via SD card, USB cord or USB flash drive. The sound and video quality is excellent! Jayden loves listening to music, so now he can have his own little jam session in his room. I am VERY pleased with The ZAZOO Photo Clock. It exceeded my expectations! This brilliant little clock will get lots of love even as he enters his teens!

BUY IT: $89.99

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Crocs Chameleons Crocband Gust Boots

Sheena — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:11:36 +0000

Back in May, we had the chance to put the Translucent Clogs by Crocs Chameleons to the test and they are still a favorite! For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Crocs Chameleons line, they are a fun line of styles that change colors when exposed to sunlight or specific temperatures. For Winter, Crocs is offering Gust Boots featuring a band that changes temperatures below 50° F. We received the Navy/Lime style and the band defaults to white and changes to blue in cold temperatures. The Fuchsia/Bubblegum band defaults to a bubblegum color and changes to red in cold temperatures. Pretty cool!

The Gust Boots are another favorite of ours. I appreciate how lightweight they are. They aren’t bulky and clunky like most Winter boots for the kiddos. The top of the boots are made of a durable nylon with fill for warmth and are lined with cozy sweatshirt material. Rubber outsole pods provide additional traction and grip on the bottom of the boots. The Gust Boots are also designed with an easy velcro strap making stepping in and out of them a breeze! Crocs continues to amaze me. They take fun and functionality and create shoes both kiddos and parents love. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next!

BUY IT: $49.99 at Crocs.com and $33.99 at Amazon.com

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