Christmas Gift Guide: Lindsay Phillips Snap Shoes ( R+G) 11/30 ( US / CAN)

This post is a page of the Christmas Gift Guide 2011. Please click here to view all products featured in the Christmas Gift Guide: Christmas Cheer 2011.

How do I start to introduce a product that was born out a high-school art project? I will try to word it - EXCEPTIONAL. There we go!

Young entrepreneurs are full of fresh ideas and Lindsay Phillips was one such successful entrepreneur who perfected her skills and design and went on to create something that women of all ages would LOVE!   It is an exceptional idea that has given birth to quality, style , innovation and if you thought all of those came with a really HUGE price tag, NO! To me, that's what makes this product stand out from the rest.

Let me present to you the very pretty Snap Shoes that I got to review from Lindsay Phillips. They are not just ordinary shoes.They are by far the best shoes I have come across that you can slide on to work or wear it while you shop till you drop!

You can buy one shoe and rock them in 3 stylish ways. I have always walked past the flat ballet shoes without even trying them. But the shoes I was sent was very good quality and I love them first for the comfort they offer. My feet feel pampered in them! I am a great fan of flat shoes due to leg pain and this is so nice to walk-in and they look absolutely GORGEOUS!

This is 1 shoe in black. But here are the different ways in which they can be worn.

                                                                     

Style 1

Style 2

Style 3

 The snap on accessories come in a beautiful box with buttons that are a breeze to attach and detach.

The shoes have a little button to which you can snap on the beautiful snaps, nobody will ever know that you are wearing the same shoe!

Believe me, women would love,love, LOVE to own a pair of these amazing Snap Shoes. There are various types of shoes and sandals available at Lindsay Phillips and you could mix and match them with the snaps without having to buy another pair. Size was perfect ! 

Can't help but show you the flat ballet shoes again ! This is a must-have if you love leopard print.

I would sport these dainty-darlings for an evening with friends or a dinner. And just snap on a new snap to match your different outfits and occasions!

You can buy the shoes from as low as $24.99 and the snaps are affordably priced from $12 onwards.

This will be a beautiful gift for a woman and there is a elegance combined with good value for money.  

I would mostly buy it for the top 4 reasons that I find convincing enough :

* Comfort that obviously comes from the quality.

* Stylish for a fashionista and also subtle for those who like to keep it simple yet shimmery.

* Saves space of keeping 3 shoes. Instead 1 pair of shoes + a few inches of space for the snaps. 

* Total cost of 1 shoe ( comes with a snap) + 1 snap < Total cost of 2 shoes. Notice some savings there?

These are just great holiday gifts and they look so darn pretty. Check out the Gifts section to see what they have to offer. There is also a good selection of bags, scarves and kids ballet shoes too.

You have a chance to win a pair of Flat Ballet Shoes with Snaps from Lindsay Phillips!

MAM Peaceful Nights Contest + Giveaway! 11/10

I cannot forget the days or NIGHTS that we went through when my baby wouldn't sleep without a pacifier. He would doze off and it will fall from his mouth and he would wake up. Some days this would happen every 20 minutes and boy, did we loose some sleep? 

Gone are those days now. But I 'd like to introduce new mommies to MAM Baby's pacifier. You you wouldn't regret having this. With MAM Baby'd new product, your baby ( maybe after 3-4 months) can easily find their pacifiers without your help. Ask me how? Well, the pacifiers glow in the dark! And don't worry, all MAM Baby products are BPA free.

I haven't tried their products, but I do see good reasons why I would buy them if  have another baby.

MAM Start

Green Mamba Eco

For the perfect start to a confident future!

•Extra small and lightweight design

•Unique surface inside pacifier shield and air holes allow baby’s skin to breathe

•Symmetrical nipple ideal for baby’s jaw development

•Reusable storage case

MAM also has lots of other great products. Make sure you see what they have in store. 

Currently they also have a contest where you could win some prizes. Check out their Facebook page for more information.

Here is some background info on the contest…

 

·        The MAM Peaceful Nights contest runs through November 7, 2011

·        To enter, log onto Facebook/MAMCanada and upload a photo of your sleeping baby

·        Multiple prizes are available

Now thanks to MAM Baby, we have a "comforting" giveaway for all your mommies who would love a chance to win these functional and wonderful pacifiers for your precious little bundle.

To win( please leave a comment):

• Leave a comment on which will be your favorite product from MAM Baby
• Follow my blog on GFC
• Post the Christmas Cheer Button on your blog

Disclaimer: I did not receive any product or monetary compensation for this post. Information was provided by the sponsor or taken from their website.

Winners and more giveaways coming up for the Christmas Gift Guide !

Congratulations winners!

Crayola - Karla Sceviour 

Zonderkidz Books -Kristina Ziegler

I will start to post some wonderful giveaways starting Nov 1st. Kicking off the Christmas Cheer - Christmas Gift Guide giveaway with a pretty pair of shoes! I have totally loved wearing them and can't wait to share what I think! I am going to try to keep up by posting 3-4 giveaways per week and keep the weekend strictly away from computer. All Christmas Cheer giveaways will be with rafflecopter and make sure you have the cheer button to gain some extra entries. I did want to put a list of the sponsors, but looks like I will have less time to do that, so I will just post them as I review the products.

 I have also been working on some DIY art and craft projects for our cozy apartment. I always wanted to have a pretty house but as we are still in an apartment, I did not make the time or effort to really decorate our dwelling. But I have these crazy ideas running in my mind and I so badly want to see them come alive on my walls! Lot of colours and vintage ideas and patterns. When I finish a project that I am currently working on, I will share pictures with you all. You can let me know what you think or if I just wasted a lot of time..LOL. I made a trip to buy canvas, paint, brushes and felt like a child excited with a lot of colours and a drawing book. I was very creative and artistic at school. After marriage and having a child, a lot of my interests took a back seat. No regrets about that. Priorities change. I just had to bury a few of my interests and hobbies for a while. Now I know that they did not die inside. They just waited for the right season to germinate into fresh ideas and bloom in all their beauty. 

Now my son, although still is very attached to me, he does many things by himself and so I have a little bit of time and space to catch up on what I left behind. Yes I actually could paint for an hour without having to get up and attend to requests. Feels different. A big sign that my toddler son is getting independent. It does makes me feel sad. But he understands that mommy is playing with colours just like how he plays with cars and play-doh. He doesn't mind sitting beside me in the same room and race with his cars.

I am able to incorporate my interests and balance it without having to cut any time I spend with family. I feel like I am entering a new zone in my life! I just hope that my interest in arts and crafts will save my family a few bucks. I picked up a little white shelf for 50 cents ( yes, 50 cents!) from a thrift shop and working on it with paint to brighten up our bathroom. I need more enlightening in choosing the right paint but I am getting there! 

Do any of you do your own pieces of paintings for the wall? Anyone painted a old piece of furniture and made it look WOW? I would love to hear from you!

You Name It Baby!

The founders of You Name It Baby!, created this lovely boutique in Toronto after realizing that there was no store in Toronto that offered a wide selection of personalized gifts for babies. The temptation to personalize everything with the arrival of a precious little bundle was quite irresistible for me! 

In our 5 years of business, our philosophy has not changed:  We strive to provide our customers with the most stylish personalized gifts accompanied by exceptional customer service.  At You Name It Baby! we are always growing by adding more and more one-of-a-kind products. We are very proud of the products that we represent and we have selected each one with much thought.

Now are you tempted to see what they have?  

Go over to You Name It Baby! and look around just like I did. They have everything from Nursery Decor , Toddler Backpacks and much more.  Here are some pictures from their website:

Kids Lap Desks

And my favorite - fell in love with these chairs at first sight !

Cubino Chair 

If you want some pre-schooler gifts this Christmas, there are some interesting choices at You Name It Baby! 

Don't forget to take a look at what's on sale = savings!

Disclosure: The information was provided by the sponsor and I was not compensated for the post.

Review: Halloween Play-Doh Bag

Surprise the candy-collecting crowd when they ring your doorbell this year - instead of the same old candy, toss them a few fun-size cans of PLAY-DOH compound! Each palm-sized container holds one ounce of colorful compound that’s sure to last long after the last piece of candy is gone. They make fabulous party favors too! Bag contains 20 one-ounce cans of PLAY-DOH compound in assorted colors. 

NOTICE TO PARENTS: CONTAINS WHEAT. NONTOXIC.

Halloween is just around the corner and Hasbro has just the right "goodie" to offer little visitors who will come knocking for treats. This is a much better alternative than the candies! The play-doh pack comes with 20 little boxes with a tightly closing lid. Parents can be happy that their child has a few less candies and has some fun play-doh.

Not just for halloween, but for all year round this bag of play-doh will create fun - shaped memories in all sizes and shapes. So you can stock up while you can get it - it will cost you only about $4-5 ! Well worth the money and children will love it! 

I gave 5 different colours to my son and he is sill playing with it after a week. So this will last for a while. Great product at the perfect time of the year!

(Disclaimer: Thanks to Hasbro Canada  for sending me the featured product for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.)

CATDOG: SEASON 1 – PART 1 Pounces its way onto DVD

The First 10 Episodes From The First Season Debuts On DVD

 October 18, 2011 from Shout! Factory

Running in circles has never been funnier or more exasperating unless you’re CatDog. Nickelodeon’s fraternal twins arrive kicking and screaming on DVD, October 18, 2011 from Shout! Factory. 

Featuring the first 10 episodes from the show’s premiere season, CatDog: Season 1 - Part 1 follows the adventures of the feline-canine brothers Cat and Dog, conjoinedtwins, who adore and irritate each other like fleas. Long anticipated by fans, CatDog: Season One - Part One has not been available in stores until now. A must have for fans of Nickelodeon, cartoon  fanatics and DVD collectors,  the two-disc DVD set has a suggested retail price of $19.93.

Keep an eye for a review and for a chance to win your own copy of this fun-filled DVD!

Christmas Cheer 2011 & a winner!

It is that time of the year again and  I am so thrilled to be hosting yet another cheerful event on my blog:

 Christmas Cheer 2011! 

( Please click to view 2010 Christmas Gift Guide)

This is an extraordinary event which will feature glowing reviews of some products that I have reviewed and give two  thumbs up for it as a great gift idea. I have received great and enthusiastic responses from some brands I love ( I know you will love them too! ) and I am happy to announce that this is going to be a great event which will feature not just wonderful but useful gift ideas.

 If the sponsor agrees to ship the item to the winner, my readers will get to participate in awesome giveaways where the lucky ones will WIN ! And the good news is we will have many giveaways !! 

Readers, please help me spread the buzz by posting the Christmas Cheer button on your blog / website. I will soon be announcing the list of gifts that will be reviewed. Please check on the this page : Christmas Gift Guide 2011

What are the  products that will be reviewed and included in the Christmas Gift Guide  ?

Toys and games for children, cool gadgets, gift baskets filled with goodies, gifts for the family and home.

Duration of the Christmas Gift Guide

I will actively review and promote gift ideas on my blog from Nov 1-30, 2011. However, I may be open to continuing the event into December depending on the number of products being promoted.

Stay tuned for more as we come closer to the start date!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Now on to the winner...

Congratulations to the winner of Zonderkidz Storybook Bible!

Diana said... 8

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

October - Fire Safety & Breast Cancer Awareness month ( Giveaway)

My son loves to pretend to be a firefighter and that constantly keeps me reminded of fire safety. He sure thinks that it is so cool to operate a fire truck. But I often tell him what makes fire fighters our rescue heroes. October is not only Breast Cancer Awareness month but it also Fire Safety Awareness month. Both are destructive and prevention is definitely better than cure.

What can we do to spread awareness? Support organisations that promotes awareness and most importantly, spread awareness within your family. 

According to Fire Prevention Canada, eight Canadians die every week from fires, with 

residential fires accounting for 73 per cent of these fatalities. Sadly, many of these deaths could  be prevented with proper placement and replacement of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers. 

Home Safety Tips

• Smoke alarms wear out and should be replaced every 10 years as per the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC). 
• The number one complaint about smoke alarms is that it can be difficult to change the battery—purchase one that has an easy access battery door so it never has to be removed from the ceiling. 
• Fire extinguishers are often your first line of defense in a residential fire. Keep at least one extinguisher on every level of your home—especially in the kitchen—and ensure every member of the family knows how to use them. 
• Carbon Monoxide is odourless, colourless and tasteless—it is a silent killer. Ensure a detector is installed on every level of your home and if the alarm goes off, get out of the house immediately. 
• Review a fire escape plan for your family.  Walk through exit paths and decide on a place to meet outside—then practice it.

Now, for the first time, Canadians can make their homes safer and contribute to the fight 

against breast cancer.  First Alert has developed a line of Canadian Breast Cancer Fire Safety  products: two smoke alarms, a carbon monoxide alarm and a kitchen fire extinguisher. For each product sold, First Alert will donate $1 to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

Proceeds from First Alert pink ribbon products will support the Canadian Breast Cancer 

Foundation as it invests in research and community projects to improve and save the lives of  Canadians at risk of breast cancer and those living with the disease.

More food for thought on reducing the risks of breast cancer ( source: Parenting Weekly):

So although there is no guaranteed way to prevent breast cancer there are some things you can do now that may help reduce your risk:

• Reduce fat in your diet. Fat should not exceed 30 percent of the total calories you eat daily. Trans fatty acids found in some margarine, snack foods and bakery goods may be especially harmful.
• Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables.
• Eat plant-based oils such as those found in olive oils and soybean oils. Soybeans also contain isoflavones (weak estrogens) that may help block estrogen receptors and lower estrogen levels and cell growth that may lead to breast cancer.
• If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation. One glass of beer a day can increase your risk by 10 percent because estrogen levels increase in response to alcohol.
• Exercise at least four hours a week. Physical activity can also lower estrogen levels.

Early detection strategies include : Self Breast Exam, Clinical Breast Exam & Mammography.

About First Alert

First Alert is the leading manufacturer of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, 

combination alarms, fire extinguishers, safes, security camera and much more.  It is the most trusted, recognized safety brand in Canada and has protected families and what matters most for over 50 years. First Alert products are defined by their quality and reliability and meet all industry standards set by Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC) and Extract, Transform, Load Process (ETL). In Canada, First Alert is marketed by Jarden Branded Consumables.

Thanks to Fire Alert, we are able to offer 3 Pink Ribbon Smoke Alarms to 3 lucky Canadian readers!

2 beautiful books from Zonderkidz! ( R+G) 10/25 (US /CAN)

 

JONAH, GOD'S MESSENGER teaches young readers one of the most treasured biblical stories, while its I Can Read! format helps them understand the basics of reading. Children will read simple sentences which prepare them for chapter books. Parents will get great joy from helping their children learn about one of their favorite stories from the Bible.  

We got this book just in time when we were getting to know more about Jonah as a part of our daily reading. This is a book for level two readers who can read short sentences. Even a beginner who is learning sight words can benefit from this book. Each page has sketches of the fascinating story of Jonah with 4-5 lines of story to read. 

I have really liked the "I Can Read" series as they are simple and short to read. It suits the short attention span of my toddler, who loves to turn every page with eagerness to know what will happen next!

You can buy it for CAD $4.39 / US $3.99.

 Beginning their traditional Christmas decorating, the Bears pop open the box th

at should hold the entire Nativity scene, but find only the baby Jesus in his manger. Where are the rest of the figurines?

This was rather an outstanding book! It has flaps that your child can open to look for the figurines. The story about the nativity scene and everyone who belong to the scene are brought together by the Bear family. It was fun for my son when he opened the flaps as I read along. He named everything that he found under the flaps. Sweet book with a sweet story!

You can buy it for CAD $7.69/  US $6.99.

Here's a chance for you to win the above 2 books for your child!

Giveaway: Crayola Color Wonder 10/25 ( CAN)

I did a review of Crayola Colorwonder a few days ago and now it is giveaway time!

Here's how you can win this for your little artist :)

Review: Squinkies Surprize for boys!

I received a surprise box and it was BIG. When we opened it, it was packed with little surprises for boys. It was Squinkies for boys! OMG, was my little boy so happy? He prefers to call the little characters "robots" . He went on to arrange them all neatly in a line and isolate all the "non-robot" looking Squnkies. From the pictures, you can see why he calls them robots!

Squinkies are really tiny and squishy. But my son never did try to taste them or chew a head off. He just knew they were meant to be "robots". We received many varieties to sample and the most loved one was the one with the "CARS" theme.

There were also some fun sets that came with a little car, spaceship and a tanker. You can stick the Squinkies in the car and make it look like they are cool drivers.

This is the Space Ride where an astronaut Squinkie takes his place and shoots up in the air! You can come up with your own new games with the little toys. 

I am happy to see my son playing with Squinkies and he loves his collection. Personally, I would buy the CARS and Hot Wheels collections as they look friendly, adorable and cute as opposed to the little figures with guns and skulls. The Mack Truck definitely is on a wish list for Christmas!

If you want to check the prices of Squinkies, just go over to Amazon.com and you will find all the Squinkies there. They are very affordable and you can use them as little rewards like I did. My son was only beaming with excitement every time he got to add a few more to his collection.

Sponsor Connect:

Fan Squinkies on Facebook

Follow Squinkies on Twitter

Get ready to be Squinkied!

Disclosure: Thanks to Squinkies for sending me the featured products for review. All opinions here are my own.