Playground for Parents

Product Review: Frenchy Baby Organics!

I use words like "delicious" and "scrumptious" to describe my baby.  Not sure why.  Maybe, like my favorite foods, it's because she brings me comfort and joy; just fills me up with goodness.  Someone asks me how the baby is doing, and I'll say, "oh, she's delicious."  It's a lot more colorful than just saying, "she's great," don't you think?  Put baby in one of my favorite outfits, and she becomes "incredibly scrumptious."  Like when she's wearing an outfit by Frenchy Baby Organics...

 

Introducing: Frenchy Baby Organics.  Organic cotton babyclothes that are both stylish and sweet, durable and soft. And delicious-looking. They have onesies, tops and dresses, bottoms, t-shirts, and complete sets that easily mix and match.  Plus chic crib-bedding too. Check out this darling coral and brown tunic set that they sent Munchkin (website photo on right). I love their originality; different from what you'll find in your typical chain baby store. Great quality and sizing too.  And I think Munchkin must have felt like a little diva in her new outfit, because she gave just a little more attitude that day. 

 

Wanna Buy It?  Frenchy Baby Organics is available online, and in retail stores.  And coming in 2010, their sizing will go up to 4T!  But right now, my beloved readers have an opportunity to purchase their stylish AND organic clothing at 25% off! Just type in "playground" at checkout!

 

Now go out there and add some deliciousness to the world, just in time to impress your mother-in-law over the holidays.

 

 

Big thanks to Ali, of Frenchy Baby Organics, for this review!

 

Birthday Bash Giveaway #1: Party Supplies from BirthdayExpress.com!

 

It's the FIRST day of the BIRTHDAY BASH! Excited?! I know, me too! And just wait until you see how we're kicking this off!

 

OK, we all know that the first thing we do when planning a birthday party is come up with the grand theme. Then we can work on all those minor details, like, um, the budget. So, call me obsessive and particular (I've been called worse), but I typically like my kid's party themes to mean something. It's not just what's cute, what's the latest trend, or what's on sale at the party store. It needs to entail some significance to them. When our oldest daughter had her first birthday party, the choice of theme was easy: bears. Her nickname is "bear," so this was a no-brainer. And it was just as easy to find party supplies to match. The party theme for our second daughter? Not so easy. Her nickname is...well, she has several of them, none of which translate to something you can buy on a party plate - "munchkie,"  "moo-moo" (yea, cows would've been really cute. Not). The decision about the theme was agonizing.

 

Forget about the party store - I had one of two choices there: pink princess for girl, and blue prince for boy. No thanks. And then, a moment of brilliance. The first animal she was able to identify was the bunny in our backyard. We'd say, "where's the bunny?" and she'd immediately crawl to the patio door, and stare and point at the bunny outside. A theme was born! Oh, but not so fast, darlin'. Trying to find bunny party supplies that weren't related to Easter was nearly impossible. Until (the second moment of brilliance),  I looked up my old friend BirthdayExpress.com.  Unbeknownst to me at the time, BirthdayExpress.com has an affiliate called 1stwishes.com. From this point on, everything fell into place. 1stwishes.com has an incredible selection of party supplies just for first birthdays! AND they had birthday bunnies!! Woo-hoo! It was the ONLY website I found that had just what I was looking for.

 

So, you can imagine my overwhelming excitement when I contacted 1stwishes.com and they offered to provide me with Munchkin's "Hoppy" Birthday party supplies, AND a giveaway to my readers! 1stwishes.com sent me a selection from their adorable "Bunnies By The Bay" line. I received the Personalized Birthday Banner with my baby girl's name on it, that I hung prominently above our patio doors; and their "Bunnies By The Bay" Dessert Plates, Napkins, and Centerpiece. For an amazing memento that we can save forever, I also received the Lil' Cupcake 1st Birthday Signature Plate, for all of my adult guests to sign and write their wishes to my baby. And all of this was ordered from the comfort of my home, delivered to my door in plenty of time for the party. Several less things to run around and do in preparation for the birthday bash.

 

Many of their popular themes are exclusive and designed by 1stwishes.com. Chances are, they have just what you need for your little one's bash. First birthday party themes include Ladybugs, Barnyard, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Construction Pals, Lil Slugger, I Love Puppies, and Safari Friends, to name a few.

 

But, what if you're way beyond the first birthday party? What good is this giveaway for you? Oh, honey, A LOT of good! They are offering you a gift certificate to use on ANY of their sites! That's right, use it toward costumeexpress.com (Halloween costumes for kids, teens AND adults!), birthdayexpress.com (your complete source for kids party supplies!), or 1stwishes.com (your complete source for first birthday party supplies!)! There's something for everyone! Did I look out for you, or what?!

 

 

 

Wanna Buy It?  Check out the amazing selection of birthday party supplies for babies at www.1stwishes.com, for kids at www.birthdayexpress.com, and the cute, clever and crazy costumes for babies to adults at www.costumeexpress.com.

 

Wanna Win It?  One very lucky reader will win a $50 gift certificate to use on the site of your choice!

 

Open to residents of U.S. and Canada.

 

 

HOW TO PARTY AT THE BIRTHDAY BASH:

 

INITIAL ENTRY:  Visit  www.1stwishes.com, www.birthdayexpress.com, or www.costumeexpress.com.  Leave a comment here about your favorite item on their website!

 

You can do as many of the following as you like: 

 

DAILY ENTRIES

 

ONE DAILY ENTRY:  Comment here about anything related to birthday planning, mishaps, or memories! Leave a comment up to once daily!

 

ONE DAILY ENTRY:  Follow NinasPlayground on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway up to once daily!  Comment here with a link to your Tweet.

 

BONUS ENTRIES

 

ONE BONUS ENTRY:  Comment on any NONgiveaway post on my blog. Come back here and leave a comment letting me know you did!

 

TWO BONUS ENTRIES:  Email a mama friend about this giveaway and cc me: PlaygroundMail@aol.com.  Leave a comment for your extra entry!

 

THREE BONUS ENTRIES:  Subscribe to my blog (see upper right sidebar)! If you're already a subscriber, that counts too! Leave 3 separate comments here.

 

FIVE BONUS ENTRIES:  Grab my NEW Playground for Parents button and put it on your blog! Leave 5 separate comments here.

 

SEVEN BONUS ENTRIES:  Blog about this giveaway and leave 7 separate comments with the URL here.

 

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm PST on October 9th.

 

Many thanks to Katie of buyseasons.com for this fantastic review and giveaway!

 

Review: WrapTi

 

Raise your hand if you've always wanted to be able to wrap a present like the chick in the stationary store, with the clean edges and the perfect bow - the impressive wrapping that just looks too pretty to tear open. Yea, me too. I've had a good run with the gift bags from the Dollar Store - they're quick, easy, and very cheap. But, surely the present for my mom, my best friend, or my kid's very patient teacher, deserves a gift wrap more special and creative than that same bag I'd give to the snotty nose neighborhood kid. I found something even better and easier than trying to make smooth lines with wrapping paper - something that will delight kids, as well as adults.

 

Introducing: WrapTi.  "An ingenious product that anyone can use to turn fabric into a unique gift wrap or home decor...WrapTi combines origami, gift wrapping, and reusable cloth. It's especially fun for children, as they create animals while wrapping. WrapTi also stimulates their imaginations, develops coordination, and teaches them about conserving paper."

 

We were sent a kit for creating animal designs (pictured below). It's super easy, super cool, and if you don't mind me saying so - makes a cheap gift look more expensive. Ha! My daughter and I were able to create a unique hippo wrapping in only six steps. She was SO proud of what she had created, that we had to wrap the gift again. And again.

 

The force behind WrapTi:  a creative woman named Alemi. "I grew up in Japan where gifts are traditionally wrapped in beautiful, silky fabric called furoshiki. And great care is taken in the wrapping and presentation. My own idea for WrapTi began with a bottle — so intricately wrapped in cloth that it looked like a tiny figure dressed in kimono. It fascinated me. But when I tried to duplicate the wrapping, I found the process tedious and time-consuming. How could I update this tradition, I thought, make it easier to do, and with more modern colors? How could I make it fun? WrapTi turned out to be my answer. After experimenting with different fabrics and creating an accessory called Ti-band, WrapTi was born — fun, easy, elegant, adaptable, and reusable."

 

It's time for your gift wrap to get the oohs and aahs at the next event, and stand out from the all the standard gift bags in the crowd. The birthday girl certainly deserves the extra touch, especially since the gift itself came from the Dollar Store.

 

Wanna Buy It? Go to www.Wrapti.com and check out the colorful and whimsical selection of eco-friendly and reusable gift wraps. Purchase through Amazon.com and use code PLTF1426 at checkout for a 15% discount. Spend $25 or more, and receive free shipping!

 

Thanks to Edna and Christy for providing the review product!

 

50% Off Everything! Livie and Luca

I rarely mention sales and specials unless they're something spectacular that I think many of you will be interested in. This one certainly qualifies. One of my favorite websites for kid shoes, Livie and Luca, is having a huge sale of 50% off EVERYTHING, from July 13th-21st. Their handmade leather shoes are simply gorgeous ~ hip color combinations and beautiful designs for both boys and girls. As you'll see, their styles are very different from the baby shoes you commonly see. And we know there's nothing common about us!  This is one time when I wish I could predict what size Munchkin will be wearing next year, because I'd be stocking up. To get 50% off, use code Summer50.

 

Livie & Luca will also be sponsoring a Giveaway on the Playground later this month. Save now, win later!

 

 

 

Deal on gDiapers!

Candace @ "Deal"ectible Mommies wants to share a sweet deal with all of you and you can help her out too! She is a gmum within the gDiaper community and has a unique coupon code that will save you some serious dough and at the same time you'll help her earn her way to a $100 gift certificate to use at gDiapers.com! gDiapers has come out with a new Everyday G's six pack! You'll get 3 orange and 3 vanilla bean gDiapers, including snap in liners and a swish stick. The 6 pack can be found at gDiapers.com for $70...But with Candace's coupon code (g1151trino) you'll save an extra $30!! Yes I did say $30!! That's 6 gDiapers for only $40! gDiapers typically sell for $16.99 a piece, so your saving over $60 by using the code above. This offer will end on July 31st so grab those g's fast! If your curious about gDiapers or have been hesitant to take the plunge, you can view Candace's post about "How To Go Green With Your Poo" HERE!

While you're over at Mama Candace's checking out the sweet deals, take a look at my guest post, Daddy Did It Again on her blog!

Imaginabox. Kids' Gifts Just Got Easier.

Remember when you were a kid, you opened one of your birthday cards...and nothing fell out. No money, no gift card, nothin'. Your mom insisted that you should just be thankful for the acknowledgement, that a gift didn't matter. When it's your birthday as a kid, it doesn't get much worse than the card with no money (yea, yea, save the materialism speech for Christmas. I'm 41, and I still wait for the money to fall out the envelope). And when you're a kid, it doesn't get much better than a gift box with multiple toys. It's as if they discovered a treasure chest. Here's your clue for what's coming up next: just IMAGINE a BOX filled with age-appropriate goodies for a child's special day. And just imagine that it's super easy to put together this box of kids' goodies, from the comfort of your own home, at no extra cost to you for delivery. Well, imagine no more, mama...

Introducing Imaginabox. "Looking to find creative kids' gifts for birthdays, holidays or any day?  Now you can Imaginabox!  Build, buy and ship an entire box of gifts created by YOU!  Choose from movies, toys, books, games and more…all for one flat fee and FREE SHIPPING.  Choose 3 gifts, select a regular or themed box, type a personalized message...and we ship it off for you!  Make your shopping experience quick, fun and easy." 

Imaginabox sent my eight year old daughter a gift box to review. I don't know who was more excited, me or her. It's probably not fair to compare, since I'm taller, I can usually jump higher. Anyway, she opened her cute green box to find a double feature DVD, The Chronicles of Narnia chapter book, colored pencils, stickers, and lip gloss (her favorite of the gifts. She's such a girly-girl). It was obvious that Imaginabox took into consideration both her age and gender to provide a gift box she would truly enjoy.

Imaginabox has been named a USA TODAY "Hot Site," and it's no wonder considering their popular gift choices for kids, 5 to 10 years old. In addition to boxes you can create, they also offer Pre-Made themed Imaginaboxes: Signature, Happy Birthday, Way To Go! and Get Well.  They've pretty much covered all the gift-giving bases. "It’s your nephew’s birthday.  He’s in New Jersey, you’re in Florida.  Your granddaughter in Dallas won MVP on her soccer team.  Perhaps your son needs the perfect gift for a friend’s party.  Or maybe you have family and friends all over the country but you can’t spend the holidays in five states at once.  Whatever the reason, you have something to celebrate right now.  And you need a gift.  It doesn’t get any faster or more convenient than Imaginabox!"

Wanna Buy It?  Afterall, you have better things to do with your time than track down a gift for the twentieth birthday party you've attended just this year. Visit www.imaginabox.com, and check out their great selection of toys, books, movies, and trinkets. Just click on an item in each column, and BAM, your box of plenty is done! Playground For Parents readers get 15% off any box!  Thank you, Imaginabox! Just use "PPF" for the coupon code. 15% rebate will be applied immediately after purchase.

 

Big thanks to Kristen of Imaginabox for this Product Review. 

Brand Name Kids' Shoes ONLY $9.49!

I'm going to make this short and sweet, because you can't waste time reading about it! Run, don't walk, over to Amazon.com's Gold Box Deal of the day! This is every mother's dream who wants to buy quality, fashionable shoes for their baby or toddler, at a fraction of the cost. Only $9.49 for brand names such as Buster Brown, Nine West, Disney, See Kai Run, pediped, umi, Sam & Libby, Primigi, Rachel and more! At $9.49, you can get shoes in advance for the coming summer, fall and winter, or buy them as an impressive baby gift and be the talk of the shower! You gotta hurry, though, as sizes sell out quickly (evidently I'm not the only person on their mailing list) and it's only good for today. Spend $25, and shipping is free! I love shoe shopping on the Internet. I love a great deal even more. Have fun!

 

 

The Slanket

Sleeves + Blanket = Slanket.  I actually have no idea if that's how the makers of The Slanket came up with the name, but it's brilliant either way. The Slanket is a huge, fleece blanket with large, loose sleeves, that will change the way you think about getting comfy and warm. I admit, I'd seen a commercial of a version of this product before, had a good laugh (because I, afterall, was too cool for such a thing), and moved on. Well, never judge a book by the cover...or a cover by the cover.

 

Gary, the creator of The Slanket, sent me a Slanket in my favorite color, ruby wine (pictured here. And no, that's not me laying on the couch!). My Slanket and I have been intimately involved ever since. Just think, all these years I've been trying foolishly to stay warm with a common robe, which doesn't fully cover my legs or feet, and has to constantly be readjusted; pull the tie too tight and I have to inhale when I sit down. The Slanket, on the other hand, covers me fully from neck to toes, but still allows me to use my hands. Yep, unlike the regular blanket that I was keeping on my bed, I can lay down, cover up AND be productive with my Slanket. Great for us moms, who are always doing, doing, doing, even when we are laying down.  The true test: when I agreed to watch the Spongebob movie for the fifth time with my kid. I covered up with my Slanket and was able to easily use the remote to fast forward through a zillion commercials, eat some popcorn, and sshhh - secretly use my iphone to Twitter. Hey, I was multi-tasking. Genius!

 

The birth of The Slanket is an amusing tale. Makes me wish I had been a little less concerned about boys, and a bit more entrepreneurial during my college days... One subzero night in 1998 during my first semester of college I could not escape Maine's winter bite. While watching Late Night with Conan O'Brien I decided I needed to tear a hole in my sleeping bag so I could keep my upper body warm as I channel surfed during the commercial breaks. During Christmas vacation I commissioned the first Slanket to be made by my mother...and it was born.

 

The Slanket is available in two sizes, one for us big folks (size 60"W x 95"L), and another just for kids (size 44"W x 66"L). Yes, Mom and Dad, there's a Slanket for everybody and no need to share. The Slanket comes in 11 great colors, including limoges (a beautiful deep blue), apricot, and obviously my personal choice, ruby wine - you can match your room decor, or just pick your favorite color.

 

Tell hubby to skip the roses this Mother's Day - you want the gift that keeps on giving.  Now, who's the cool one? 

 

Wanna Buy It?  Visit http://www.theslanket.com/ and check out their great options for The Slanket and The Kids Slanket.  And to make you feel even cozier inside, different color Slankets are coupled with different charities: All blue Slankets will raise money for H2O AFRICA. Green, brown, and grey Slankets will help contribute to the NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL. The lavender, ruby wine, and apricot will accumulate funds for the BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION.

 

 

Many thanks to Gary over at The Slanket for providing the product for this review.

 

smART Quotes for Kids

 

 

What mantra helps you get through the day? What quote do you aspire to live your life by? And what life message - about inner strength, generosity, kindness... - do you work hard to instill in your child? We all need a bit of inspiration, even the youngest of us. smART Quotes for Kids has found a way to convey a great message to children with their adorable canvas wall art.

 

Their wonderful quotes, bright colors, and sweet designs appeal to both parents and children. smART Quotes for Kids offered to send me an art piece, and I allowed my daughter to choose the canvas that was most meaningful to her.  It was a challenging decision indeed, considering all the amazing choices offered on their website. She finally selected the floral canvas which reads, "Happiness springs from doing good and helping others.  -plato."  Warms the heart, doesn't it?  I can only hope that my daughter travels through life truly believing in this message, and allowing it to guide many of her actions.  The canvas is a fabulous addition to her room decor. She'll never outgrow it, unlike the other decor in her bedroom. And it means a whole heck of a lot more than the picture of Strawberry Shortcake taped to her door.

 

The 12"x12" designs are fine art prints on canvas, stretched over all sides of a wooden frame, with a protective finish. Fortunately for us, they come ready to hang with either a ribbon or saw-tooth hanger already attached (thank goodness, because I hate buying a frame and trying to hammer those hangers in myself! I can never get 'em straight!).

 

smART Quotes for Kids was created by mom Laura Kallen (I get a tickle everytime I get to share with you a business originated by another mother! I just love belonging to this worldwide mommy club!), and like so many other mompreneurs, she's got an adorable story to tell:  As she was setting up a "big-boy" room for her two-year-old son, smART quotes for kids creator Laura Sheehan Kallen went online to buy him his first piece of art, something that he would have on his walls to inspire him for years to come. Nothing was catching her eye. Nothing except for the empty Starbucks cup on the shelf to the right. Her husband had left it there for weeks because he loved the quote imprinted on the side. Hmmm. If only there existed a piece of art with hip, cool designs that appealed to kids AND carried with it a life-affirming, inspirational message. Unable to find that combination, Kallen tapped into her creative abilities and created her own canvas wall art with quotes.  Friends saw the designs, began making requests, and soon after smART quotes for kids was launched.

 

smART Quotes for Kids is not only beautifying our kid's rooms and inspiring them, but is giving back as well - a portion of their profits is donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Making the world a brighter world for our children.

 

Wanna Buy It?  Check out the smART Quotes for Kids website for a great selection of inspiring wall art, in colors and designs for boys and girls. And they are now offering 20% off to Playground for Parents readers! Just enter "play20" at checkout!

Now, go get inspired.

 

 

Many thanks to Laura of smART Quotes for Kids for providing the canvas art for this Review!

 

 

Lisa Leonard Designs

There is something authentic and meaningful about sterling silver jewelry that I just adore. And when that piece of jewelry is handmade, and personalized, I feel that I have something timeless.

My latest jewelry find:  Lisa Leonard Designs

Lisa Leonard Designs is a web-based store with a wonderful selection of custom necklaces, inspired necklaces, bracelets, personalized items for men, and other trinkets and goodies. The personalized silver baby spoons are little heirlooms that would make you proud to say your princess was "born with a silver spoon in her mouth."

I was recently sent the lovely Open Circle Necklace for a product review. I've said how much I love personalized items with my children's names, so I was eagerly awaiting its arrival. My Open Circle Pendant is stamped on one side with the names of my daughters, and stamped on the other side with "love...xo." So precious. The pendant is hand carved in wax, cast in sterling silver and strung on a sterling chain.  My Munchkin must have been just as excited about it, because she's been trying to put the pendant in her mouth since the day I began wearing my necklace. Fortunately, it's held up to her - you can really tell the strength of a chain when it's been pulled on by the very quick, and very strong, hands of a seven month old. I love that it's handmade; I love that it's personalized; and I love that it's mine.

Lisa Leonard is one ultra-creative mama, and we get to benefit from her vision and her talents, with her beautiful line of handmade jewelry. "I have been making jewelry since high school but I decided to get serious after my first son, David, was born.  I wanted to start a small business that would enable me to quit my job and stay home with my boys. At the time, I had never taken any formal classes or received special training in jewelry making. I just went for it!   I am kind of the 'jump in and learn as you go' type.  Creating jewelry not only allowed me to work from home, but has connected me with so many amazing women along the way.  My desire is to create simple, lovely pieces that can be worn with jeans or your little black dress.  I want each piece to meaningful.  Our custom jewelry is hand-stamped with your kids’ names or a special phrase or verse.  I love to touch my necklace throughout the day and reflect on my husband and my sweet boys. Each piece we create is a work of art—hand cut, hammered, polished, drilled and assembled with care... Lisa Leonard Designs exists because moms, grandmas and friends have shared our designs with each other while waiting in line at the grocery store or sipping coffee with a friend.  Most of our customers find us through word of mouth.  We know that you’ll find the perfect piece."

If you're like me, most of what you buy is for your kids. It's about time we got something for ourselves. Looking for a custom mommy necklace to show off on Mother's Day, or to your next PTA meeting? Searching for a gift for a new baby, and want a personalized silver spoon as the hit of the shower? Check out Lisa Leonard Designs and find something extra special. Tell her I sent you. In fact, if you do, you'll actually receive a discount on your purchase!

Wanna Buy It?  Lisa is offering my readers a 15% discount! Go to the website (recently renovated, and gorgeous, by the way) and simply use the code "welcome15" at checkout. 

Many thanks to Lisa at Lisa Leonard Design for providing my personalized silver pendant for this review!