I Love the Modern Mexico New Fall Fashion Line from Tea Collection Children's Clothing

Many people love fall because it's a change of clothing but it's also a reminder that school is soon to start.  With school, there is the pilgrimage to the stores to buy the latest children's clothing.  Shopping can be fun but sometimes, I prefer to shop online and having a store I can rely on to provide what I see online compared to what I actually receive is important to me.  If you read my blog, you know we moved as far west in Texas as you can get.  We are so close to Mexico, you could walk across the bridge.  The reason I'm telling that tidbit of information is to introduce you to the new Tea Collection Modern Mexico fall line of clothing for 2011.  This was something I couldn't wait to provide a review for because it's clothing of course but also because the theme is Mexican!  I love the culture of Mexico and knew when I signed up for this opportunity, I would love it.


The Modern Mexico line is inspired by pop culture, vibrant bustling markets, giant paper flowers and artisanal crafts.  They are clothes with character and not your ordinary looking clothing as you can see by the pictures of my fashionista above.  I love the simpleness of the cuts of the dresses but I adore the prints.  I like the vibrancy of the hues that were mixed and how they fit.  They are airy and comfortable and my favorite part, they wash without wrinkles!  They are as gorgeous online as they are in person.  They are definitely a carefree type of pattern yet they would make some great outfits for school pictures.

Whether you are looking for girls clothing, boys clothing or baby clothes, Tea Collection has a huge variety of choices.  

   

Other Features of Tea Collection:

• Free shipping on orders over $150, $7 on everything else
• Easy to search categories
• 10% savings upon e-mail update sign up on first purchase
• Can return any item to include sale items (read here for full information)
• Reusable gift wrap option
• Gift certificates
• Option to receive catalog
• Refer a friend program <-- excellent deal
• Stay up to date with Tea on Twitter and Facebook.

I'm a new fan of Tea Collection due to the customer service, variety of choices, ease of ordering, speed of shipment and quality of clothing.  Check them out when you do your school shopping and if you do, let me know what you think!


*Disclosure:  This is a MamaBuzz Media review. The product was provided by Tea Collection for this review.

$100 aDealio Bucks Giveaway for Dallas 7/31: Closed

Congratulations to ...

BeautyToLove said...

-I'm Subscribed to You via Email & Confirmed
aliaskys (at) yahoo . com
THANK YOU!! :)

July 31, 2011 1:11 AM 

An e-mail has been sent and she has 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected via random.org.  Thanks to all those who entered!

Have you heard of aDealio?  They have many markets that they serve but for the purpose of this post and giveaway, I will be focusing on the Dallas area.  aDealio can be found on Facebook, Twitter and online.  I have to admit that I had never been to aDealio before so I immediately linked up via Facebook, followed on Twitter and connected online with their website.  It was easy and only took a few clicks since I linked up my Facebook page.

The site is really easy to use and can be navigated to find just what you are looking for and maybe a surprise you didn't encounter.  Here are some example categories:

• Today's Featured Deal
• Limited Time Deals
• Popular Deals
• New Deals
• Browse by Category

The nice part of the site is the front or home page lands you on nice colorful inviting pictures with the deals next to them.  You can also refer friends and earn $20 aDealio bucks!

__________________________________

The Giveaway:

One reader will receive $100 aDealio bucks.

To Enter:

Follow my blog and tell me if you had ever used or heard of aDealio prior to this giveaway.

Extra Entries:

• "Like" aDealio on Facebook
• Follow aDealio on Twitter
• Follow me on Twitter
• "Like" me on Facebook
• Subscribe to my blog
• Add this giveaway to a linky for five entries - can be done up to five times - leave URL in comment please
• Tweet about this giveaway (can be done once daily - two entries)
• Blog about this giveaway (can be done once - five entries)

Giveaway ends 7/31 at midnight (mountain standard time) - winner selected via random.org

*Disclaimer:  I did not receive any compensation for this post.

Back to School: Hello Kitty Table Lamp Review & Giveaway 8/18 Winner Closed

Congratulations to ...

Kari said...

http://twitter.com/#!/lch2004/status/101415672709517312

August 10, 2011 6:12 PM 

An e-mail has been sent and Kari has 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected via random.org. Thanks to all those who entered and our sponsor!

It's just about back to school time ... already!  I'm one of those parents that don't like to see it come because I miss them when they are school.  However, due to our latest military move, I've decided to home school this year so we'll see how that goes.  Setting up the girls for school is going to take a lot and with one of them wearing glasses, having a little extra light will be ideal for her.  This is where our complimentary Hello Kitty Table Lamp comes in handy.  What girl doesn't like Hello Kitty?  My oldest, 23, still loves Hello Kitty so she's jealous of our new lamp.

The adorable decorative lampshade matches the Hello Kitty theme and the one piece fitting allows you to replace a light bulb without having to remove the lampshade which I like as sometimes I just don't have much time.  The handy pull cord allows for quick on and off and the stable base has cushion to protect from scratching surfaces as you know how kids like to slide things across a surface over picking them up.  It even has a cute name plate on the front.  This will decorate a baby's room to an older girl who loves Hello Kitty.  It's lightweight and doesn't take up a lot of space.

Overall, as you can tell by this review, we love our lamp!  

_____________________________

The Giveaway:


One lucky reader will also win one of these adorable, cute Hello Kitty Table Lamps!  


To Enter:


Follow my blog and tell me which Hello Kitty product you like the most.


Extra Entries:

• Like SparkleBee on Facebook
• Follow SparkleBee on Twitter
• Like me on Facebook
• Follow me on Twitter
• Subscribe to my blog
• Tweet about this giveaway (can be done daily for two entries)
• Blog about this giveaway (can be done once for five entries)
• Add this giveaway to other linky giveaways (can be done up to 10 times for two entries each - please leave URL)

Check out the home page here for EXTRA BONUS entry opportunity!

Giveaway ends 8/18 at midnight (MST) - Winner selected via random.org

*Disclaimer:   I received a complimentary product for the purposes of this review.

50 Brochures from UPrinting Giveaway 8/17 Winner Closed

Congratulations to

Kay said...

Liked Uprinting on FB.

kayyauney@yahoo.com

August 17, 2011 6:51 PM 

An e-mail has been sent and Kay has 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected.  Thanks to all for entering!

With so many activities our children are involved in, there would be many ways we could use brochures.  Between children and our own activities, brochures could be handy from anything from party planning to fundraisers and much more.  Even if you don't have a reason to use brochures, they could easily be donated to another cause such as a school's PTO, a church, a non-profit or some other organization.  This post is for a great giveaway with UPrinting which is a company that provides professional looking, high quality products. I've ordered cards and business cards in the past and have been very happy with the end result.

Now, you can find out about UPrinting by entering to win 50 brochures.  You can create your own or use one of the many brochure templates.

Specifications:

• 50 brochures
• 8.5" x 11"
• 100 lb paper gloss with folding (half fold, trifold/letterfold, Z-fold, roll fold, accordion fold), outside and inside printing, two business day turnaround
• US only - 18 years and older

To Enter:

Follow my blog and tell me what you will do with the brochures if you win.

Extra Entries:

• Like UPrinting on Facebook
• Follow UPrinting on Twitter
• Like me on Facebook
• Follow me on Twitter
• Blog about this giveaway (can be done once for five entries)
• Tweet about this giveaway (can be done daily for two entries)
• Link this giveaway to a giveaway linky (worth two entries - limited to five linkys)
• Subscribe to my blog

Check out the home page here for EXTRA BONUS entry opportunity!

Giveaway ends 8/17 at midnight (mountain standard time) - winner will be selected by random.org - US only 




This giveaway is sponsored by UPrinting, no monetary compensation was given and I will receive brochures for hosting. Check out UPrinting.com to see more of their brochures and  brochure templates .

My Child's Individual Sense of Style

It's back to school time and I'm sure there are many moms breathing a sigh of relief.  I remember the excitement of back to school shopping between supplies and clothing and that was always the highlight of the festivities.  I have always enjoyed buying clothes for school for as long as I can remember and love doing it for my girls.  My girls have always been picky with their sense of style and fashion starting with my oldest who dressed as a tom boy to my very youngest who is a diva.  They have so much variety in personal taste that it's really hard to figure out what to get them unless they are with me.

Watching my oldest go from wearing big bulky clothing to grunge and then finally to the teen type fashion that is the norm today was an adjustment on my part.  I was okay with boyish look as she was playing soccer and it made sense.  I wasn't too crazy about people thinking she was a boy from time to time but then she progressed with her fashion sense.  She later fell into a pattern at school of wearing the black outfits with chains which I was not happy about.  Something about having a little hoodlum looking girl run around was not my ideal of fashion.  She was a hard one to buy for back then other than knowing she would wear black, chains and black finger nail polish.  Luckily, that phase didn't last long and then came the "in-fashion" stage.

This was the phase of maybe showing a bit more than I liked because she had the figure that makes a dad buy a shotgun to keep the boys away.  I was even more pleased that it was a short lived phase.  She then moved to age appropriate clothes that were fashionable yet respectful.  I wanted her to wear appropriate clothing sense I have very impressionable younger daughters at home.  My two younger girls keep me busy as they are on opposite ends of the fashion pole.  One is a princess and I know I'll be able keep her up to date with the latest fashion trends and boy, I can't wait!  The eight year old is into skater looks with the crop shorts and capris and t-shirts.  Nothing girly about her unless she's dressing up as Taylor Swift and then she will wear a dress.

My girls' fashion styles are individual as each other.  It's nice that they have differences in their preferences as that shows they have individuality which I like.  I want them to have their own sense of fashion.  One thing I also like is having one store where I can buy all their clothes to save time and money.  A sense of fashion should be determined by the child and not the media.  All in all, it's fun watching them grow and making decisions.


I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and jcpenney blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Frigidaire Accessories Store Last Day to Enter for $30

Even if you don't own a Frigidaire, you can enter to win a $30 gift card and get a jump on your Christmas shopping or just a little something for yourself.  This is the last day to enter here and entries are low so you have a great chance to win.  I read a bloggy post on how to win giveaways and the woman wrote she gets all or most of her Christmas shopping done via winning blog giveaways and she takes advantage of the bonus entries.  I should enter more to also get my shopping done and perhaps this year, I will.

Here are some of the other products you could buy with a $30 gift card:

     

 

Castle and Knights Themed Party

We had a very impromptu party with little extra money to spare in a castle and knight's theme.  Since we were low on funds for this party, we used cardboard and painted it gray with black bricks.  The girls helped paint which they loved!  Something about a four year old and an eight year old, a massive piece of cardboard and paint gets them tickled!  They had so much fun and of course, the memory factor was far with the efforts even if it wasn't up to par to my normal parties.

I printed shields to make the banner and the door.  I followed up with an army of knights to place anywhere I could and then used my Canon edible ink printer and my Photofrost sheets to make the edible knights image on the cookies.  I was able to use my KC Bakes' cake pop stand that is absolutely wonderful!  We also used the Silhouette SD Digital Craft Cutting Tool (QuicKutz) to make the cupcake wrappers and the water bottles.

Want to Save More Money? BargainJill is a Place to Go

I had never of Bargain Jill until recently.  Starting a few years ago, founder Dustin DeVries and his wife began collecting coupons and deals from national retailers as a result of the recession.  They shared this information with their friends and family, and this venture continued to grow until Dustin decided to make collecting online coupons and deals a full-time venture.  Thus was born Red Tag Media and its three component sites: Bargain Jack (http://www.bargainjack.com), Bargain Jill (http://www.bargainjill.com), and One Day Buys (http://www.onedaybuys.com).  Since then, these sites have grown in size and success; PC Magazine named Bargain Jack a Top 10 Deal Site, for example.

Bargain Jill is a one-of-a-kind website that compiles deals and coupons from across the web on brand-name items tailored specifically towards women--items like women's apparel and accessories, home and garden items, beauty products, and children's items. Through Bargain Jill and its newsletter and social media activities, they've been able to find and broadcast deals at more than 50% to 75% off their street prices. Unlike other websites, Bargain Jill doesn't only include one-day deals and doesn't require membership.  Instead, Bargain Jill is a one-stop-shop for women searching for the best deals on the Internet for items they love and trust. 

• Stay Connected:
  • Jill's Newsletter
  • Jill's Deals RSS
  • Jill on Facebook
  • Jill on Twitter
    
    

Hawaiian Luau Party Ideas eBook Review & How You Can Get a Copy

Having parties is something I live for and can't wait to start planning.  I always gear my themes around the person and try to make it a great event.  Trying to find ideas can be very time consuming as if you are like me, you want it just right.  I spend hours upon hours planning and lots of money in preparation.  This year, I planned a Hawaiian birthday party for my eldest who loves Hawaii.  We lived there about five years ago for 10 months.  My youngest was born there in fact.  When this opportunity came up to review the Hawaiian Luau Party Ideas eBook, I jumped.  


This eBook is full of great ideas to help you plan your ultimate Hawaiian Luau along with some great free downloads to print such as Moo-Luau Mad Libs game and a coupon to print off a printable Luau Party games pack and much more.

We had our great party and my daughter was very happy.  Here is our result:

 

It's a great eBook that will help you plan every aspect of your Hawaiian Luau and best of all, it's FREE!  You can get your own free copy by signing up here.





I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Drink Pepsi? Easy Giveaway to win $150 in GCs 8/10

Here is an easy giveaway while providing support to an eight year old girl and her 501c3 non-profit benefiting children with epilepsy.  You can win $50 GC to Anywhere, $50 Dillards GC & $50 Eden Fantasys GC Giveaway but hurry as it ends on 8/10

Click here to enter and win!  All you need are your Pepsi Refresh codes!

FREE FRESCHETTA® By The Slice Pizza Event 8/4!

FREE and PIZZA!  Two of my favorite words as I love pizza and of course, who doesn't love free unless it's free pizza someone left out all night or dropped on the floor? Of course this isn't that as it's FREE Freschetta!  Starting July 28th, you can visit www.FreeFreschetta.com and sign up for a reminder to get your free slice of pizze on August 4th.  Not only will you get a reminder but you will also get to see a preview of events with host Mike Rylander.

  

On August 4th, the event will go live at 11 am for all to sign up and enjoy some other fun, interactive contests and coupons.

Stay up to date by following Freschetta on Twitter and click "like' on Facebook.

*Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post but I am eligible for a giveaway if randomly chosen.

Dr Dennis Gross Skincare's Alpha Beta Glow Pads Review

I know it's summer and many people still like to get that summer glow in spite of the health warnings.  Throughout the year, I like to have a little bit of color to my very white English complexion so I use a self tanner all the time.  It's really hard finding a tanning product that looks natural and goes on smooth without leaving marks or areas you forgot to apply.  I received a complimentary box of Alpha Beta Glow Pads from Dr Dennis Gross Skincare for review.


I have to say that this is a great product.  It not only provides color to your complexion but it's also the only anti-aging, exfoliating sunless tanner that contains active Vitamin D.  Also known as the "sun vitamin," Vitamin D helps to provide smoother, healthier skin.  It provides a deep color through microencapsulated DHA and soy proteins which helps to prevent fading.  Many self-tanners fade quickly especially after exfoliation but not with the Alpha Beta Glow Pads.  It also helps to tighten pores, eliminate blackheads and helps to fade sunspots!  It's like they made the product just for me!  I also love that you can apply, know where you are applying it and have no streaks.  It does take some time to show so I found that I get my best effect from using it the night before.


Another benefit, it did not cause break outs which is a big a plus to me as most will cause my face to react which really does detract from the look and benefit.  My skin feels great, looks wonderful and I have seen a reduction in blackheads and pore size.  

Overall, I would recommend the Alpha Beta Blow Pads.

For those that like to know more about the ingredients in their products:


Vitamin D Topical Supplement gives sun kissed glow without sun; makes other vitamins work better Glycolic Acid Reduces visible signs of aging Lactic Acid A naturally-occurring Alpha Hydroxy Acid that helps speed up cell renewal Willow Bark Extract Clears pores & also exfoliates; natural alternative to Salicylic Acid Soy Protein Kick-starts collagen production and ensures a more natural hue for rich, long-lasting color Encapsulated DHA Provides time-released color Vitamins A, C, E Potent antioxidants that prevent collagen breakdown Vitamin B Helps reduce pore size and provides wound healing Phospholipids Natural substance that draws moisture from the air & seals it into the skin






*Disclosure:  I received a complimentary product in exchange for this review.  The opinions are my own.

Are You Participating in National Night Out Block Party August 2nd?

If you are, you have until Sunday to get your Block Party invites out in time for a National Night Out Block Party on August 2nd.  National Night Out is the nation's night out against crime when residents are encouraged to join with their neighbors to have a neighborhood block party, ice cream social or other outdoor event to build neighborhood spirit and unity - which is the first defense against crime. 37 million people participated last year and research shows that when neighbors know each other and look out for each other crime goes down.

There has been already over 14,000 invites go out and people can definitely use WhitePages Neighbors to organize a block party anytime. 


Here is how you do it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXDRZwjF31A



Check out my giveaway for $100 to help host your own block party!






*Disclosure:  I received information to post along with a giveaway.

Marley and Me: The Puppy Years Doggie Jobs

Following the box office smash hit of Marley and Me, the world's most misbehaved dog returns in Marley & Me: The Puppy Years as a loveable pint size puppy. This time Marley spends the summer with his owner, Bodie Grogan, who has to live with his strict veteran grandfather while trying to prepare Marley for the neighborhood dog agility contest. This is a fantastic adventure filled with fun, laughs, and love.

The fire fighting Dalmatian isn’t the only working dog in town – there are many other types of heroic doggies, from the Seeing Eye dog to the St. Bernard Mountain Rescue ranger. In Marley and Me: The Puppy Years, the Marley saves his team by escaping the junkyard. We take a look at some well-known pet professions and pick up Marley and Me: The Puppy Years out on Blu-Ray Disc and DVD August 16^th!

• Border Collies – Border Collies are often used for herding sheep and other livestock on farms because of their natural pack instinct. They take direction well even from a distance which makes them ideal for working. They will also protect their charges from predators like wolves and coyotes. 

·     St. Bernards – St. Bernards have a long history serving as rescue dogs, especially in the mountains. They are known for their size and strength which helps them rescue people who have been trapped. St. Bernards are comfortable in the cold and have a keen sense of direction so it is no wonder they were often used in avalanche territory.

• Newfoundlands – These dogs are also often used for rescue but are more suitable for doing so in the water. Newfoundlands are excellent swimmers because of their webbed feet and their water-resistant coats make them likely lifeguards. This makes them particularly common aboard lifeguard boats and out at sea.

• Dalmatians – Dalmatians are often associated with and were used in iconic imagery of the firehouse. They were originally engaged by firemen to clear the path for fire trucks that were pulled by horses because of the congenial nature of both animals. Even though horses are no longer employed the canines have stuck around to guard the house and the firemen.

·  Australian Sheppard’s – like the Australian team in the movie, these dogs are fantastic farm animals that are known for their tremendous skills in herding. They are also known to be amazing search and rescue dogs, disaster, guide, and detection dogs.

·        Beagles – These intelligent dogs may be small but don’t let their size mislead you. Because people aren’t automatically wary of them, beagles can be used in places like airports and train stations as detection dogs. Their sense of smell is excellent for uncovering drugs, explosives and other forms of contraband.

• German Shepherds – German Shepherds are extremely loyal and smart dogs that can be trained to do a number of tasks. They often serve as guard or enforcement dogs for the police by doing tasks such as hunting down criminals and sniffing for bombs and drugs. Though their size can intimidate this can be useful for cops and the military that need to instill fear in suspects.

·      Golden Retrievers – Golden Retrievers like Marley are great dogs and make for even better work dogs. These dogs can be working in anything from sniffing out things like bombs or drugs for the police to being guide dogs for the blind.  Also retrievers can track things like other animals extremely well, which is why they make for great hunting dogs.

What's your favorite breed?

*Disclosure:  This post is written as part of a two part series involving Puppy Years Doggie Jobs and a follow up Marley and Me DVD Giveaway.

Buy a Tutu or a TG Bear & Help a Child's Charity

My eight year old who started Angels4Epilepsy last year to help bring smiles to children in the hospital and more is selling tutus made by her 23 year old sister.  Were trying to raise funds to touch more children around the country.  To date, we have delivered to Georgia multiple times and Florida.  We have a wonderful volunteer, Stacey Burns, who is set to deliver more gift bags to children in Indiana next month.  We have a busy year left with two deliveries planned in October for Texas and Georgia and then there is Christmas.

In our attempts at raising money, we have focused on three ideas:

1. Tutus
2. Hernando - a TG Bears inclusive bear for Angels4Epilepsy where a portion of the proceeds goes to Angels4Epilepsy
3. Banner redirection to TG Bears in which $4 will go to Angels4Epilepsy

Here are some of the tutus:

  

To see all of the tutus or to purchase, click here.

Meet Hernando:

With Angels4Epilepsy embroidered on his paw and TG on the other, this is a great way to cheer up someone especially if he or she has epilepsy due to the purple ribbon.  To purchase, just send an e-mail to angels4epilepsy@yahoo.com


To purchase an adorable, high quality, hand made bear from TG Bears, click below: