Holiday Card Shopping Made Easy...With Minted!

Are you gearing up for sending out your Christmas cards? I have been sooo excited about my cards this year because it means I get to be creative and make my own. For the past few years I have made some gorgeous holiday photo cards and this year, we have a new family member to add to our pictures!! It seems that every two years we add a new baby and it has been fun to look back at past years and see how our family has grown. (Yes, I save a card from each year so I can look back with fond memories on the holidays that have gone by.)

I have recently discovered a wonderful company called Minted and they make some unique and GORGEOUS holiday photo cards, anytime cards and gifts! In case you have never heard of Minted, here is a bit more about them...

Minted is a global community of independent graphic designers and an online store that prints and sells the best of their designs in the form of paper goods.

Minted holds monthly design challenges for stationery, invitations, calendars, and other categories and all graphic designers are invited to enter. The Minted community selects the best designs in a highly competitive process, which gives us a top selection of the freshest, finest cards in the world. Winning designers earn cash prizes, a place in the Minted collection, and commissions on all sales of their designs.

At Minted, we love the idea that our products will find their way into your most personal celebrations, and we don't take that honor lightly. That's why we only use fine paper stock, rich inks, and crisp printing methods. We guess you could say that quality is an obsession for us. We stand behind our products with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

I think it is really awesome that they utilize so many different designers from different countries for their products...that really makes them a special and unique company! Having never been to Minted before, I spent some time there tonight and wanted to share some of my favorite cards with you.

OK. So, this has to be the cutest card I have EVER seen. Can you just see your pooch coming at your camera like this one??? If you are a pet owner and are looking for a card that will be hung on a fridge for the rest of the year, this one is for you!! 

This card is my second favorite. This is the "Here's to New Year's" Photo Card and it allows you to customize the "list" on the front. I love this. You can let everyone know what you have in store for the upcoming year, all while showcasing some lovely pictures of your family. 

They also offer holiday cards for the newly weds or the new parents. This one is the "Us and the Baby" and I am just in LOVE with this one. If I was a first-time parent, I would pick this card. A new baby is such a precious gift and what better time than Christmas to share the news of a new arrival! 

So no matter what you are looking for, whether it is a holiday card or gift, Minted has you completely covered. Their selection is amazing and the ideas are endless! Look no further...you have found the right place for all of you holiday card needs. :)

Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post. However, I will be receiving a free Minted gift code in exchange for this post. All quotes and stock photos are from the Minted website and email. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.

Extending My Holiday Gift Guide...

 Hi everyone!! I wanted to let you all know that I have been so overwhelmed with the response I have received for my Holiday Gift Guide that I have decided to extend it into December! This is a really good thing so please stick around with me for some more really great product features.

Thanks again for being such wonderful readers and for all of your comments and giveaway entries!

Here is a happy face to help you through your weekend. :)

Holiday Gift Guide {STOCKING STUFFER ALERT!!} ~ Carmex Lip Conditioner Review

Lip care in the winter months is so important for me. I get very dry lips if I don't keep a moisturizer on them and there is nothing more annoying than dry, cracked and chapped lips. Did you know that licking your lips dries them out even more? I have noticed that my children in particular have a difficult time with dry lips and my daughter LOVES to use lip balms. As a child, I remember always getting a lip balm of some sort in my stocking on Christmas morning and it's no wonder...they make the perfect, small and compact gift for any stocking! When it comes to stocking stuffers, it can be difficult to think of the perfect gift. Well, today I am going to tell you all about Carmex's newest member to their lip care family and this product will be a PERFECT stocking stuffer for anyone!

Carmex Lip Conditioner is the latest and greatest from Carmex and as a member of the Carmex Blog Squad, I have been given the wonderful opportunity of sharing this product with you all! Before I do though, here is a bit more about Carmex...

Carmex® lip balm was invented in 1937 by Alfred Woelbing, literally on the family stovetop. For the next 20 years, Alfred and his wife made Carmex by hand and poured it into the familiar yellow-capped jars.

Eventually production moved out of the Woelbing home and into a rented facility in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, where it remained until the move in 1975 to its current site in Franklin, Wisconsin.

Carma Labs employs about 100 people and is still owned and operated by the family: Alfred's grandsons Erik and Paul Woelbing. The Woelbing stove is now used for cooking things the family can actually eat.

Alfred died in 2001 at age 100. Up until the age of 96, Alfred worked 8-hours a day, driving over 40 miles to get to work. Even after he stopped his daily routine, his presence was still felt. His son and grandsons continue the Carmex lip balm tradition today.

Carmex is easily recognized in the stores because of it's very eye-catching, yellow packaging. Distinct packaging is so important if you want your product to stand out from all the rest. Carmex certainly has their very own, unique product!

So, for this review I was sent the Carmex Lip Conditioner. I have never used anything like this before and was really looking forward to using it.

The Lip Conditioner container is very small, but you don't need much to make it work so a little tube goes a long way. As you can see, there is a slant-tip applicator that allows you to apply the conditioner evenly and smoothly...no messes either!

To apply, all you do is squeeze a small amount of the creamy conditioner out onto the applicator. Then, you just rub it on your lips. One of the reasons I love Carmex is because it makes my lips tingle and I really can feel it working. This is because one of the ingredients is Menthol...mmmmm...it feels so great! I loved how this conditioner softened and smoothed my lips. My lips aren't that dry right now but this definitely helped them out anyway!

This particular Lip Conditioner contains 13 moisturizing ingredients (and a natural hint of orange flavor!) that ensure you get soft and silky lips. Not only can you use this alone as a conditioner, you can also use it under lipstick as a moisturizing base.

Carmex Lip Conditioner retails for about $1.99/tube and can be purchased at mass retailers and drugstores across the country. To keep up with exciting news, products and coupons, be sure to follow Carmex on Facebook and also on Twitter!

So, in my opinion...Carmex Lip Conditioner is fabulous! It made my lips feel so soft and moisturized and the orange flavor was wonderful. This is a perfect stocking stuffer idea for anyone on your list...guy or girl! I would definitely recommend Carmex and all of their products to everyone!!!

Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post. As a member of the Carmex Blog Squad I did receive Carmex products for review purposes. All quotes and stock photos are from the Carmex website and email. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.

Our Trip to the Chicago Toy and Game Fair!

In October, I found out that I was going to be able to go to the Chicago Toy and Game Fair and I was SO excited!! I have never been to ChiTag before but had heard of it and have always wanted to go. You can imagine my excitement when my blogger friend Lori from At The Fence, let me know that I could join her and her family there this year...for FREE! You see, bloggers are able to get in as media and therefore, do not have to pay admission. Oooo! It was even more exciting to be able to take the family.

So, a little over a week ago we packed up our little family and hit the road. Our trip to Chicago was wonderful and the children were so well behaved...even little Isaac, who had never been on a road trip this long before. It took us about 10 hours to get there and we were happy to arrive after a loooooong trip.

Lori's family and our family enjoying breakfast together.

Our morning at ChiTag began with a lovely, complimentary breakfast at Navy Pier. It was nice to be able to sit and relax before hitting the Toy and Game Fair.

My son loves food and so he really enjoyed himself here...as you can see. I think he ate like three cereal bars and lots of juice. Yep, my boy LOVES food! :)

Bananagrams was a sponsor this year at ChiTag and on all of the breakfast tables, they had placed some fun games for us to play with while we were waiting to go into the event. This game pictured above was called Zip-It. This was a really quick-moving and fun game. I played with one of Lori's daughters and we were able to complete several rounds before it was time to go.

After breakfast and listening to some motivational blogger speakers it was off for some fun! I was sooo excited to have the opportunity to be here! :)

Our first stop was the PlaSmart booths. They had the very fun and exciting PlasmaCar that my children loved. We had a very difficult time pulling the children away to go play at other booths.

Hannah is 4, so she really got the hang of how to use these. Jacob...not so much. He kept putting his feet on the floor and pushing off that way. Hannah was SO good on these PlasmaCars!

Next, we stopped and played with the wooden toys at Plan Toys. My children could have seriously spent the whole day here...there were so many fun toys to play with!

Jacob loved to play with the Plan Toy parking garage. It was complete with people, shrubbery, cars and other fun trucks. He is ALL boy, through and through and he LOVES his cars. So, this was a really fun place for him to be.

After we dragged the children walked away from the Plan Toy booth, we visited The Settlers of Catan giant game board! My children loved hauling the game pieces around and playing with the dice and other parts of the game. This game is a huge favorite of my family's...every time I try to play, I get distracted. But I do know that my family has a blast every time they play it and I would love to learn soon!!

Our next stop was at the Peaceable Kingdom booth, where they had a table set up for the children. My daughter loved working with the stickers and crayons. In this picture she was making a game piece for the Feed The Woozle game. Sound like fun? It was LOADS of fun. :)

So that is a little bit about our time at ChiTag. It was a day that was jam-packed full of fun and games...my children had a blast and I really enjoyed getting to know some of the vendors. I also brought home some fun goodies to share with you all! Stay tuned for some posts about some fantastic products from some of these generous vendors! :)

Holiday Gift Guide ~ Community Coffee Review & Giveaway

I love coffee. My mornings haven't officially started until I have had my morning coffee. Because I am currently nursing, I prefer a decaf blend but most of the time I love a nice cup of fully leaded coffee. :) My favorite coffees are the flavored ones, although I recently learned that I can flavor my own coffee which has been so much fun. So, I don't know many people who do not like coffee and I think that coffee can make a fantastic Christmas gift...especially for the hard-to-by-for person.

Today, I am going to talk to you a little bit about Community Coffee. This is a company that manufactures some really tasty coffees and gifts for the coffee lover. My mom knows a couple who absolutely adore Community Coffee and it is all they drink! Personally, I think their coffees are wonderful too and this time of the year is wonderful for featuring this company on my blog. Here is a bit more of the history of Community Coffee...

For four generations, the Saurage family of Louisiana has owned and operated Community Coffee Company. In 1919, Henry Norman "Cap" Saurage discovered the secret of making this great-tasting coffee in his country store on the north edge of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He named his coffee "Community" in honor of his community of friends. In 1924, he closed the store and converted his backyard barn into a coffee mill, using coffee beans purchased from a local roaster. In 1941, Cap's son H. Norman Saurage Jr. purchased the company's first coffee roaster, having decided that Community should roast its own coffee to ensure quality at every step. A roasting plant was built in Baton Rouge in 1946.

Over the years, Community Coffee Company would take countless steps to ensure the quality of its product. In 1955, the company began importing green coffee beans directly from coffee plantations in Brazil. In 1970, a new plant was built on the Mississippi River in Port Allen, Louisiana. In 1980, Community introduced the nation's first vacuum-sealed coffee package.

The first CC's Community Coffee House opened on the corner of Jefferson and Magazine Street in New Orleans in 1995. Dozens more opened during the 10 years that followed.

It's been more than 90 years since Cap Saurage founded Community Coffee Company, but our mission has never changed – to share our passion for great coffee with our customers.

I have tried Community Coffee before and was very excited when they agreed to be a part of my Holiday Gift Guide!

So, for this review I was sent the Season's Greetings Variety Pack and it is sooo lovely! It contains four bags of ground coffee in four different flavors. In this pack you will find Holiday Jazz, Dark Roast, Cafe' Special and Bread Pudding flavored coffee.

I already know that I love the Bread Pudding coffee, so I thought I would try the Cafe' Special. It sounded like a coffee that would not be really strong and that is what I prefer. 

The aroma of this coffee is wonderful...it isn't too strong and smells very fresh too. I love whole bean coffee but hate having to grind my own beans (I don't have a grinder either)...so ground coffee is my preference for convenience's sake.

After my coffee was done brewing, I added some French Vanilla creamer to coffee and took a sip. The flavor is amazing. Full, fresh and flavorful, this coffee helped me jump-start my day and prepare myself for the busy hours that awaited me. I have enjoyed several cups since and each cup has been perfect!

Along with this Season's Greetings Variety Pack (which retails for $29.99), Community Coffee also offers several other beautiful seasonal gift packs that would make wonderful gifts. If you are looking for a great Chinese Auction gift, why not check out Community Coffee? I, for one, would LOVE to receive one of these gift packs as a present! :)

So, in my opinion...Community Coffee is a wonderful coffee company! With their wide variety of gift ideas and coffee selections, they are sure to have something for everyone. I love the coffee sampler I was sent and am especially enjoying the Cafe' Special and Bread Pudding flavored coffees....yummm. I would definitely recommend this company to anyone! :)

Community Coffee has offered to give away a Season's Greetings Variety Pack to one of my readers!!! Here are your entry options...
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post.I did receive a free Season's Greetings Variety Pack for review purposes. All quotes and stock photos are from the Community Coffee website and email. Prize is being provided and shipped by the sponsor.  All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.

Holiday Gift Guide ~ Stompeez Slippers Review & Giveaway

I remember when Hannah was a baby and I was a first-time parent. It was so much fun to dress her up and get her all of the mile-stone "clothing". You know, graduating from onesies to outfits and from socks and booties to shoes and slippers. Her first pair of slippers were so darling...little froggies that had rattles in them. A good friend gave them to her and I put them on her all the time. Now, it has become a tradition that whenever the weather gets cooler, we head to the store and buy each of them a cozy pair of fun slippers to keep their tootsies warm. My house doesn't get that cold, but it still is nice to have something on their feet. Well, if you are looking for a super cute gift for a child this Christmas, make sure you check out this next product! I don't know a child who would not want THESE slippers! :)

Stompeez is a company that makes cute slippers for children. These are not just any ordinary slippers either...their ears flop up and down when you walk! When I first saw them, I immediately thought HOW CUTE!!! Here is a small bit of information about Stompeez, from a recent press release...

Stompeez™ animated slippers skyrocketed in popularity last year during the holidays, thanks to the soft, playful characters kids wear on their feet for stomping fun. And while popularity is a good thing, it also overwhelmed the brand, which at that time was new. Now under new management, Stompeez has stepped up its production and distribution efforts to ensure it will be able to meet this year’s holiday demand with ease. The company works hard to create, promote and sell products that children and parents will love.

Stompeez™ stuffs fun and imagination into ordinary slippers for kids. These cute, soft, comfy slippers are a hit at slumber parties, as well as for just romping around the house. Stompeez are available in eight colorful animal characters that pop to life with each step. They come in sizes to fit kids of all ages, from toddlers to teens. With the holidays approaching, Stompeez are affordable and unique gifts at $19.95 plus shipping and handling. Stompeez slippers are ready to ship with a guaranteed delivery date, including in time for the holidays.

Prior to this post, I had never heard of Stompeez and as soon as I saw them, I knew they would be a hit with my children! 

So, for this review I was sent the Growlin' Dragon slippers. I had my 2 year old son in mind for these and because his sister typically gets the fun things from reviews, I knew it would be fun for him to have something for himself. So, aren't they cute??? How can you resist those big eyes and toothy grin!

My son was tickled when he saw these dragons. He had just woke from his nap and was a bit crabby...until I pulled these slippers out of the box. His eyes lit up and he had to try them on right away. They fit him perfectly and he strutted around for the rest of the day wearing his dragons...he LOVED them! :)

He currently is not heavy enough to make the mouths open and close on the dragons but he didn't care. Of course, his sister had to try them on too so I let her run around in them. She had a blast!

The way these slippers work is when you step on the heel, it compresses a little bulb in the heel that is full of air. When the bulb is compressed, it sends the air to the front of the slipper, causing the head/ears to flop up. What a great idea...no batteries!! 

Each pair of Stompeez retails for $19.95 and they carry sizes from children's all the way up to teen sizes! So, even the older ones can enjoy a fun pair of slippers too. You can check out Stompeez on Facebook, and also on Twitter too! They would love to meet you so stop on by and say hello. :) 

So, in my opinion...Stompeez slippers are darling! I love how cute they look and how fun they are for my children to wear. These would make an amazing gift for any child this Christmas...watch their eyes light up when the eyes pop up! :)

Stompeez has offered to giveaway a pair of Stompeez Slippers to one of you!! Here are your entry options...
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post.I did receive a free pair of Stompeez Slippers for review purposes. All quotes and stock photos are from the Stompeez website and email. Prize is being provided and shipped by the sponsor.  All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.

Holiday Gift Guide ~ Best International Tea Review & Giveaway

There is just something so comforting about a hot cup of tea. Whether you are enjoying a cup to help you get through some sort of illness, or you are just trying to unwind after a long day, having some tea can do so much to help relax and comfort. I have never been a huge tea lover, but do enjoy a cup every now and then. My husband actually has been drinking tea lately because he heard that it is good for him. He is not the most healthy eater so you can imagine how happy I was to hear that he was doing something that was good for him. I have been thinking about what a great gift idea tea is. I mean, you can make some really gorgeous gift baskets for tea lovers...mixing and matching bags of tea and adding a few tea biscuits wrapped in colorful cellophane. Because of the large selection of teas available, you would have no trouble finding the perfect flavor for that picky person on your Christmas list!

Best International Tea is a company that I found recently and I have really enjoyed getting to know them a bit better through this review and perusing their website. This company imports teas from all over the globe and brings tea drinkers only the finest of loose-leaf and bagged teas. Here is a bit more about this company...

At Best International Tea we import only the finest teas from around the globe. Best International Tea takes pride in importing these fine teas and bringing them to the US marketplace.

Our black teas from the United Kingdom are rich in flavor and history. For over 125 years and four generations S.D. Bell of Belfast, Ireland has been blending exquisite black teas. The name S.D. Bell is synonymous with quality tea and is known as a worldwide leader in fine premium black teas.

I am not very familiar with Black Tea and typically drink herbal teas; so I was very excited to be given the opportunity to try some of the teas from Best International Tea!

So, for this review I was sent two boxes of tea. I was sent Lady Londonderry Afternoon Tea and the English Breakfast Tea. I have tried loose leaf tea before and love it so I was very excited to try the Lady Londonderry tea as it is a loose leaf tea.

I love how the tea bags of the Breakfast Tea are round...it think it adds a really nice touch to a cup of tea. With a bit of honey, this tea was a wonderful treat for me. I am not an expert on teas but this tea tasted really nice. This is also Best International Tea's bestselling tea.

While I very much enjoyed the English Breakfast Tea, my favorite was the Lady Londonderry Afternoon Tea. I enjoy loose leaf teas because to me, they just taste fresher. Whether they are or not, I am not sure but they sure do taste great!

I filled my tea ball and submerged it in a steaming cup of hot water. All that was left to do was to remove the tea ball once my tea had steeped and enjoy it!

Of course, hubby heard me making tea and very quickly made his way to the kitchen. He wanted to try it right away and he loved it! Tea really is not his thing, but he is learning to enjoy it because it is better for him than other beverages. I love adding a bit of milk to this tea as it makes it creamier, and also adds a bit of elegance...in my humble opinion. :)

If you would like to purchase Lady Londonderry Afternoon Tea, it retails for $10.75/box. The English Breakfast Tea retails for $12.50/box. You can also find Best International Tea on Facebook as well as on Twitter. Check them out today and stay up to date on their promotions and new product features! :)

So, in my opinion...Best International Tea has some really yummy teas. I love how each tea has it's own flavor and that they also carry loose leaf teas! If you are looking for a fantastic Christmas gift for a tea lover, look no further...Best International Tea has you covered!

Best International Tea has offered to give away three boxes of tea to one of my readers! One winner will receive: English Breakfast, Lady Londonderry and China Green with Lemon & Mint. Here are your entry options...
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post.I did receive  free Best International Tea products for review purposes. All quotes and stock photos are from the Best International Tea website and email. Prize is being provided and shipped by the sponsor.  All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.