PretendWear Color 'n Wash Ribbon Princess and Deluxe Fairy Princess Dresses Review

My girls coloring their PretendWear dresses with the paint daubers.

My daughters love to pretend all sorts of things and they love craft projects, especially when the craft involves coloring. PretendWear Color 'n Wash are costumes that your kids can color with the washable paint daubers that they come with. These costumes are made of dupont soft structure™ material that won't fray and are a child's one-size-fits-all so kids of all sizes from age 3-8 can wear these. The coloring book type designs on the outfits are outlined in permanent black ink so they won't wash out and so they can be colored, worn, washed, and colored over and over again. They are machine washable or can be washed by hand. These costumes come in all kinds of styles to choose from for both boys and girls. On the PretendWear Website you can find princesses, mermaids, fairies, pirates, superheros, butterflies, etc. They come in whole costumes like: dresses and jumpsuits to partials like: skirts, aprons, and capes.

PretendWear Ribbon Princess and Deluxe Fairy Princess. The backs of the dresses are colorable too!

My daughters got to test out the Ribbon Princess and Deluxe Fairy Princess dresses. These wearable dresses both are very customizable, re-designable, and so adorable! Teela picked the Ribbon Princess and Zari picked the Deluxe Fairy Princess to paint/color. We also received large paint daubers in yellow, pink, purple, and green to use to color the dresses with. The dresses both say on the website that they usually come with 3 paint daubers each. You can also get other washable: daubers, markers, glitter paint, etc. on their website to decorate the costumes with. Both Teela and Zari had so much fun making their dresses colorful. After they had painted one side of the dresses they patiently waited while it dried. It didn't take very long before the front was dry, but my girls wanted to wear them right away. So, before they colored the backside of the dresses I got some cute pictures of them modeling them for me. My favorite dress is the fairy princess because I love the petal sleeves and leaf skirt! They both turned out so nice. My girls are going to have endless fun with these!

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BUY IT
PretendWear Color 'n Wash costumes can be purchased on their website for $14.95-$24.95. You can also get capes for your child's stuffed animals for $6.95 that can also be colored and washed. The paint daubers are $2.49 each.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Just Pretend Kids Tutu and Fairy Wings Review and Giveaway

Just Pretend Kids Monarch Butterfly Tutu and Fairy Wings in Wrap

I received this costume for free to facilitate this review. I was also given an opportunity to do a giveaway for my readers for free as well.

Halloween is around the corner and the hunt for great costumes is on. Just Pretend Kids has an adorable collection of tutus, fairy wings, bodysuits, wands, headdresses, headbands, hairpieces, tights, legwarmers, and other accessories to complete the look that are a must have for any little girl. They also come in a range of different designs: from fruit to insects to flowers to mermaids to fairies, you have a great selection to pick from. They not only have those items, but they also have many other costumes like: furry animals, princesses, queens, mermaids, brides, witches, etc. Just Pretend Kids has infant romper costume sizes in 0-6 months to 6-12 months, toddler sizes in animal costumes for 1T-2T and 3T-4T, toddler sizes in fairy costumes for 2T-3T and 4T-5T; and kids sizes from size 2, 4, 6 and 8 in some costumes. They also have whole themed party boxes with a costume to match that come with everything you need to host a wonderful party - from invitations to tableware and decorations too.

My daughters love to dress up regardless of whether it is Halloween or not. They love to pretend that they are someone or something else. I think their imagination is wonderful. I love watching them play.

3 year old Zari wearing the tutu and wings.

We received the Monarch Butterfly Collection tutu and wings to try out and the packaging was well thought out. Inside the box the wings were separately wrapped inside their own bag so that they would not snag on anything. Then they were placed in a larger bag with the tutu. As soon as I opened the package and showed my daughters they wanted to try on the lovely costume.

The tutu and wings are perfect from the back.

The Monarch Butterfly Collection Tutu is a lovely bright orange tulle skirt with a black bow, orange butterfly, black pom pom, and orange polka dotted black ribbon embellishments. The skirt has an elastic waist so it fits both my daughters well. My daughters both had fun twirling in it.

6 year old Teela wearing the tutu and wings.

The Monarch Butterfly Collection Wings are the black and orange color of the Monarchs' and bejeweled with orange jewels and glitter. On closer inspection the black sparkly paint on the wings was a bit smudged on the left wing and some was where it wasn't supposed to be when you see them from the front. We had to adjust the bands that go around the girls' arms so that the wings would stay in place and fit better. My daughters were happy enough with these new wings though. With them their imagination took flight.

From the front you can see the black paint on the left wing.

You can get the whole Monarch Butterfly look with Just Pretend Kids. They have Monarch Butterfly Collection Boppy, Monarch Butterfly Collection Wand, Monarch Butterfly Wand, Monarch Butterfly Collection Tights, Monarch Butterfly Legwarmers, Monarch Butterfly Headpiece, Monarch Butterfly Collection Bodysuit, Monarch Butterfly Alex Bodysuit, Monarch Butterfly Ruffled Tutu, Monarch Butterfly Collection Tutu, and Monarch Butterfly Collection Wings.

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WIN IT
Prize: Win Just Pretend Kids Tutu and Fairy Wings (winners choice).

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to facilitate my review and an opportunity to giveaway some free too. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Costume Discounters Snow White and the Huntsman Armor Costume Review

Snow White and the Huntsman Armor Costume

I received this costume for free to facilitate this review.

I admit that I still haven't seen the movie Snow White and the Huntsman. It is on my list of ones I want to see eventually. However, when I saw the Snow White and the Huntsman Armor Costume at Costume Discounters I had to have it. For one thing the costume is modest, great for autumn weather, and very fierce looking. I love that it comes with everything minus the sword and shield. The costume is fairly complete and comes with: tunic, chest piece, shoulder piece, gauntlets, shin guards, and pants w/ attached skirt and boot tops.

Snow White and the Huntsman Armor Costume with homemade sword and shield.

My son, Jaedan, made this shield and sword in Boyscouts. It looked the part so I had to borrow it for the photo shoot. When I suited up I felt like I was prepared to overthrow the evil queen and go to battle :)

Snow White and the Huntsman Armor Costume: closeup of the tunic top.

I love that the tunic top looks like protective chainmaille from afar. The gauntlets and chest and shoulder pieces are made of a soft foam material that has a shiny silver covering. I loved how the costume looked on me, but I probably should have picked the tween size because of my petite build instead of the adult woman size because it was a bit baggy in places around the pants. It is not that flattering from the back, either. Also, the Velcro likes to attach to the fabric and pull it. Still it is a great costume for a Renaissance fair or Halloween!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

American Girl Bitty Baby House Party

We received products free from American Girl and House Party to facilitate this House Party and review.

My daughter Zari turns 3 years old on the 19th of October. I was fortunate enough to win a spot as a host for a American Girl Bitty Baby House Party. The Party was set by House Party to be on October 5th. I thought this to be fortuitous. The party day and her actual birthday were so close in dates. She was so thrilled when she opened her gifts from American Girl and House Party.

Exclusive American Girl Bitty Baby Party Pack

The party pack looked like so much fun! So many neat things were included. All the activities we did at the party were big hits!

Host Gifts

For me (the host):

• 1 American Girl Bitty Baby Doll Set (hair, skin and eye color based on my selection when I applied)
• 1 Additional picture story book (We received the hardcover Bitty Baby at the Ballet picture book.)
• 1 doll outfit (We received the Prima Ballerina Set: which included a tiny ballet dress, tiny ballet slippers, and pink tights.)
• 1 plush animal (we received Bitty's Hoppy Bunny)

Guest Gifts

For our guests:

• 15 American Girl $10 off coupons
• 15 Variety packs of Bitty Baby coloring sheets (45 sheets total)
• 15 Bitty Baby Wish Stars and 15 decorative sticker sheets
• 15 Bitty Baby puzzles
• 15 Bitty Baby bookmarks
• 15 American Girl bags
• 15 Tip sheets for Moms 
• 15 Keepsake illustrations and frames

Party favors and goodies: (sparkling pink lemonade, sandwiches, and sugar cookies)

Jaedan and I made sparkling (lemon-lime soda mixed) pink lemonade with real lemons and flower shaped ice cubes, heart shaped sandwiches, and homemade garden sugar cookies.

Zari's and Bitty Baby's first meeting

Hug

The all new American Girl Bitty Baby doll is a lovely 15" tall baby dolly that has a soft huggable cloth body with head and limbs of smooth vinyl. The eyes open when upright and close when put to bed. We picked a Bitty Baby with dark brown hair, brown eyes, and light skin because dark haired baby dolls are hard to find. It came with a white sleeper with scattered pink stars and a mock-wrap neckline trimmed with a ribbon ruffle, a soft cloth diaper, a hardcover Bitty Baby and Me picture book, and a sparkly wishing star that is just like the one from her book. We loved the Bitty Baby and Zari named her Maple because the dark brown color of her eyes reminded her of dark colored maple syrup.

Zari with the picture book that came with the doll.

These picture books that either come with Bitty Baby or you buy separately are beautifully illustrated by award-winning artist Sue Cornelison. The stories are written by Newbery Honor winner Kirby Larson to inspire girls to get over fears and struggles by problem solving. Each book includes a "For Parents" section that provides insight and tips that have to do with the story. I read the stories to the girls at the party.

Lemonade and sugar cookies with Bitty Baby

Zari and Teela loved their sparkling pink lemonade (lemon-lime soda and pink lemonade) and homemade sugar cookies. Even Bitty Baby joined in and had a "tea party" with them.

Zari said that the Bunny (not pictured here), which she named Violet, was hopping around looking for carrots and spinach. The Bunny is featured in the Bitty Baby and the Ballet picture book. The bunny is super soft and great for snuggling. Her fur is purple with fabric accents on the ears. She has an embroidered star shape with a heart cut out in the center of the bottom of her paw. She has a weighted bottom to help her sit.

Wish Star activity

The Wish Star activity involved the girls to, with the help of their moms, write a wish on the back of the provided star and then decorate it with the provided stickers. These wish stars could be punched out of the surrounding paper. They could then take their wish star home and hang their wish star in their bedrooms as a decoration.

coloring activity

The girls enjoyed coloring the American Girl Bitty Baby coloring pages that were provided. There were 3 different pages that they could pick from. I love the cute illustrations from the books that were on them.

Bitty Baby Ballerinas

The Bitty Baby Prima Ballerina Set is very well made. It is a fancy dance dress for the doll that is adorned with 10 rosettes and a silver ribbon tied in a bow with a puffy attached tutu. Includes pink ribbed sweater tights and satin ballet slippers with criss-cross straps. It is so adorable on the doll and is easy to get on and off. The slippers are made so that one will fit on the left foot and one will fit on the right.

Thank you American Girl, House Party, and everyone who came to her party for making Zari's day so special! :)

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to facilitate my House Party and review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Itty Wigs Baby and Toddler Headbands Review

I received these products for free to facilitate this review.

Itty Wigs are whimsical headbands for babies or toddlers with yarn pigtails and bows attached. The crochet headband is made from a stretchy ribbon material so it expands to fit the wearers head comfortably. The yarn pigtails are curly in ringlets that sit atop the head. These headbands are fun and fashionable for little girls with or without hair. These are sure to get a smile and a giggle out of passersby.

We received the Tooti Fruitti "Hair" with hot pink bows and a pink band & the Cinnabrown "Hair" with light pink bows and a white band. My youngest daughter, Zari, has a lot of hair for a 2 year old, but all my kids did at that age. We placed her hair in a ponytail in the back so we could showcase the hair accessories in the pictures, but these also look good with her hair down in my opinion. I really loved the look of the Tooti Fruitti "Hair" one the most on her, but I am really glad we got to try both. The Tooti Fruitti "Hair" is a combination of pinks, blues and sandy blonde colored yarn. I love this color combination! It was especially cute against the hot pink bows and pink headband. The Cinnabrown "Hair" has a cinnamon colored yarn with some lighter browns, dark browns and reds in it. My Zari likes to also wear hers when playing dress up and pretend. They are both adorable!

I've seen these mostly in pictures on babies and younger toddlers, but I think they look just as adorable on my little girl. Also I want to mention that I had another idea for these. Many little girls with cancer loose their hair because of radiation therapy or chemo and I thought these headbands would be adorable on them as well.

Itty Wigs has other colors to choose from too. They currently have Light Blonde, Medium Blonde, Tooti Fruitti, Cinnabrown and Midnight for the yarn (faux hair or fake hair) colors . Headband sizes come in infant to toddler & child to adult. The Headbands come in pink, white or black, but can be made custom in other colors as well.  You can also specify the color of the bows that come with these and have them attached permanently or with clips so as to be able the wear them separately. You can also choose bows that are multi colored like: camo, patriotic (red, white and blue), or zebra stripe. They also have flower ones instead of bows to choose from and you don't even have to have bows or flowers if you don't want to. These are totally customizable, just ask first to see if what you want is available.

Check out their website at http://www.ittywigs.com and their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/IttyWigs

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Green Toys Airplane Review

Green Toys make eco-friendly toys and tableware that are made from recycled plastic milk containers. This plastic is high-density polyethylene (or HDPE) and considered one of the safest, cleanest plastics around. Their products have no Phthalates, BPA, PVC, melamine or external coatings with lead paint. Green Toys are made in the USA in California where they have very strict toy safety and environmental laws. They are packaged in recycled corrugated boxes with no plastics, cellophane or twist-ties, and are 100% recyclable. This packaging is easy to open without having wrap rage.

They have play vehicles, outdoor toys, kitchen play, building toys, and tableware. I received a Green Toys Airplane free to review on my blog. My 10 year old son took to this plane right away. He loved it the moment he laid eyes on it. This airplane has a single seat for a small pilot. My son could fit a single Lego man, Playmobil person, Fisher Price Imaginext person or something similar in size in the cockpit. This made it even more fun for him as he could have fun taking his little toy people for rides in his new eco-friendly flyer all around the house. The plane's propeller spins manually and it has two-wheels that also spin for landing gear. The wings and tail are rounded to make it more safe. My girls love the plane too and can grasp it easily for a great take off even with their small hands.

Dimensions: 9"L x 9"W x 4"H.
Recommended for ages 1 and up.

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BUY IT
You can buy the Green Toys Airplane on the Green Toys Website for $14.99. Comes in two colors: Blue and Red. (We received the blue version.)

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Green Toys for sending me product for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Green Toys Salad Set Review

Green Toys make eco-friendly toys and tableware that are made from recycled plastic milk containers. This plastic is high-density polyethylene (or HDPE) and considered one of the safest, cleanest plastics around. Their products have no Phthalates, BPA, PVC, melamine or external coatings with lead paint. Green Toys are made in the USA in California where they have very strict toy safety and environmental laws. They are packaged in recycled corrugated boxes with no plastics, cellophane or twist-ties, and are 100% recyclable. This packaging is easy to open without having wrap rage.

They have play vehicles, outdoor toys, kitchen play, building toys, and tableware. I received a Green Toys Salad Set free to review on my blog for my Holiday Gift Guide. The Green Toys Salad Set includes a serving bowl, salad plate, 2 serving utensils, 3 lettuce leaves, 3 sets of cucumbers, 2 tomatoes, 2 red peppers, onions, mushrooms, and fold-your-own oil & vinegar and salt & pepper (total of 16 pieces).

When I received it I was surprised that the salt & pepper, olive oil & vinegar were made of a flat sheet of cardboard and had to be put together with their tabs to form a 3dimentional toy. I thought that these were a bit difficult to put together and they had no instructions with them to help with construction. I guess I didn't see in their description that they were "fold-your-own". These are also not too practical for children to play with as they are easily crushed because they are hallow inside. Also if your child puts things in their mouths these will soon be goners. I do not see them lasting for very long. They are very cute though when folded into their shapes and my daughters seemed to still like them even though it frustrated them a little when one came apart or crushed under their little grips.

The serving bowl, salad plate, 2 serving utensils, 3 lettuce leaves, 3 sets of cucumbers, 2 tomatoes, 2 red peppers, onions and mushrooms were high grade plastic and very durable. These meet FDA food contact standards and are also dishwasher safe. These are interchangeable and compatible with the other kitchen sets from Green Toys. These are also stackable as they each have a fit together design.

My girls love to pretend they are cooking in their play kitchen. They constantly bring me pretend dishes they have created to "try out and taste". They loved this set. I love how the toy teaches good eating habits. So many play food sets these days have foods in them that aren't that healthy. I think teaching good habits when children are young is best. This salad is the epitome of "green". If you want your kids to eat their greens and also think green get the Green Toys Salad Set!

Bowl: 7-1/4" diameter at top, 3" at base, 2-3/4" H
Utensils: 7" L
Plate: 6-1/8" diameter
Pieces: approximately 3" W

Suggested for ages 2 years and up.

Closing thoughts: I still believe the Green Toys Salad Set is worth the purchase price even with the cardboard pieces. The pros of this toy definitely outweigh the cons. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

"Like" Green Toys on Facebook HERE. Follow Green Toys on Twitter HERE.

BUY IT
You can buy the Green Toys Salad Set on the Green Toys Website for $19.99.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Green Toys for sending me product for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Wholesale Halloween Costumes Gothic Princess Costume Review

I cannot believe that fall is around the corner and I have been in search for the perfect costumes for Halloween and other occasions. My daughter Teela wanted to get a renaissance costume to wear for renaissance faires that happen this time of year also. I was offered an opportunity to review a vampire costume and lo and behold there was a great renaissance costume in their selection. You can find all kinds of neat Wholesale vampire Halloween Costumes at the Wholesale Halloween Costumes website. They also have a wide selection of other cool costumes as well.

We got the Gothic Princess Kids Costume to review. When I received the costume and tried it on Teela, however; it was too big for her and she had a bunch of growing room even though it says it is a size small which is apparently a size 4-6. She is normally in size 5 clothes so I thought it might fit her. It goes way past her feet though and I was afraid she would trip on it. So I will save it for next year for her. She did look super cute

You always see really neat costuming in vamp movies. The costume we got for Teela is unique in that it is not too lacy or frilly and isn't all pastels. It is a neat darker color of purple and burgundy. It has awesome sleeves that hang down and comes with a cute headdress with drape. Although the headdress loves to slide down past her eyes. The burgundy red part of the dress is velvety material and the bodice is cinched up with a drawstring. All in all a very cute costume I just wish it fit her better right now.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: 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. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this review.

Holiday Gift Guide 2011 A Toy Garden Multicolored Beeswax Candle Making Kit Review and Giveaway

A Toy Garden has a lovely selection of open ended, natural, creative and fun toys that are mostly Fair Trade and Made in the USA for children and their families. I love Waldorf and Montessori inspired toys and products because you can definitely see the great quality of craftsmanship and love that is put into these products. This family run webstore has beautiful products that help foster creativity, imagination, play, fun, together time, pretend play and learning.

I received the Multicolored Beeswax Candle Making Kit for free to review on my blog. This Make It Yourself Candle Kit has everything to make 12 or more beeswax candles! It includes 12 8x8 inch sheets of high quality 100% honeycombed beeswax in 12 different beautiful colors, 4 yards of cotton wick and instructions. My oldest 3 children loved making these candles. They created them using cookie cutters we had to cut shapes out of the sheets of wax and then melt them onto other sheets after they were rolled up with the wick inside. They had so much fun creating and decorating these. I helped them cut out the shapes and carefully punch them out of the cookie cutters. They used our hairdryer to slightly heat the wax so that it would roll up easier as directed and it worked very well. My children and I were very pleased with the results. These were so enjoyable to make together.

WIN IT:
Sonya at A Toy Garden is generously giving one lucky reader a chance to win another Multicolored Beeswax Candle Making Kit.

Mandatory:
Go to the A Toy Garden website and tell me what other product you love.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by feedburner or by email and let me know which way. (3 extra entries each)

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4. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and A Toy Garden in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

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9. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog Linky/Link-up and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra entries)

10. Write about this giveaway with a link to this post on your Facebook wall, Kirtsy, StumbleUpon, Google+ or other social media website besides Twitter. Let me know where. (2 extra entries for each)

11. Comment on my regular (not giveaway) posts. Let me know which one. (1 extra entry per post you comment on)

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13. Tweet this: @finamoon #WIN A Toy Garden Multicolored Beeswax Candle Making Kit http://bit.ly/tHmp7C (Daily Extras are Available)

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Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. Don't forget to leave a comment for each task and the correct amount of entries for each task. This contest ends on Friday January 13, 2012 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to all 18 years and over in the U.S. only!!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to A Toy Garden for sending me a Multicolored Beeswax Candle Making Kit for free and another to give away for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Holiday Gift Guide 2011 UncommonGoods Review and $50 Giveaway

UncommonGoods is a unique online store with some very unusual items (some handmade) that you don't find in every day shopping usually. Their products make great gifts for the holiday and Christmas season! They also have some really interesting facts or what they call "Uncommon Knowledge" posted around their website and feature some of the artists and designers of their handmade goods in highlights on some of the pages on their website and their print catalog. They are committed to the environment and print their catalogs on recycled paper and there is also products in their store that are made of recycled materials. In their Better to Give Program they donate a portion of each order to your choice of non-profit organizations: American Forests, AmeriCares, City Harvest, and the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN).

I know my husband and most other men are the hardest to shop for during the holidays, but UncommonGoods has a selection of great gifts for him on their website that he would love. They also have this great guitar pick punch that I thought was very cool for someone that plays guitar. My favorite section on their website is the gifts for kids because I love shopping for my children. This is where I found the two gifts for them that I got for free to review on my blog. I got the Periodic Table Building Blocks and the Pita Pockets Lunch.

The Periodic Table Building Blocks are awesome for homeschooling! I got them for my boys and as soon as they opened them they were looking up YouTube videos about each scientific element and learning about them. They also like taking some of the ones they know about and combining them to try and make new elements or see what would happen if combined. These are great for teaching chemistry. My younger children loved stacking them to build sky scraper towers and knocking them over. They come in a set of 20 brightly colored basswood blocks that contain the entire periodic table. The six sides contain a unique element's name, atomic number and symbol in bright blue, purple, green, red, orange or pink. Handmade in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The Pita Pockets Lunch I got for my daughter Teela because she loves to pretend play in her little fold up kitchen. I had never seen this set of play food before and was thrilled to have found it at UncommonGoods. I try to get play food for her that doesn't have fast food or unhealthy choices in it. This set is wonderful because it is all healthy. My daughter loves to mix and match the contents of the felt pita pockets stuffed with soft felt slices of lettuce and cheese, and wooden tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and green peppers!

WIN IT:
Rocky at UncommonGoods is generously giving one lucky reader a chance to win a $50 Gift Card to use in their store.

Mandatory:
Go to the UncommonGoods website and tell me which product(s) you would pick if you won.

Additional entries:
1. Tweet a link to the UncommonGoods gifts for him page, here.

2. Sign up for the UncommonGoods email list.

3. Vote on a product with the UncommonGoods voting tool ** Note – Please only post comments pertaining to the products.

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6. Follow me on Google Friend Connect (GFC) on the right sidebar and/or Networked Blogs Let me know what your user name is. (2 extra entries each)

7. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and UncommonGoods in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

8. Give me a brief POSITIVE review on Alexa and provide me with your user name. (3 extra entries)

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14. Comment on my regular (not giveaway) posts. Let me know which one. (1 extra entry per post you comment on)

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16. Tweet this: @finamoon: @uncommongoods #WIN A UncommonGoods $50 Gift Card http://bit.ly/tP8Bm6 (Daily Extras are Available)

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18. Follow UncommonGoods on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. Don't forget to leave a comment for each task and the correct amount of entries for each task. This contest ends on Friday January 13, 2012 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to all 18 years and over in the U.S. only!!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to UncommonGoods for sending me products for free and a gift card to give away for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Costume Supercenter Disney's Infant Snow White Ballerina Costume Review

Halloween is coming up really soon and the hunt for great costumes is on. The Costume Supercenter is a great website to find a wide assortment of costumes. They have everything from silly to scary to pretty to anything else imaginable. They have baby costumes all the way to adult in a wide range of sizes to try to accommodate just about everyone. These costumes aren't just great for Halloween. They are also great for: dress up, pretend play, other costume parties, etc.

My daughter Zari was needing a costume this year because the hand-me-down baby bee costume had been overdone in my family and I didn't have any other good ones in her size. I went searching for a cute costume to go with my other daughter, Teela's Belle from Beauty and the Beast costume that we had already. Teela decided she was going to wear it this year because she had now grown into it and because she loves the Disney Princesses. So I stumbled upon the Disney's Infant Snow White Ballerina Costume at Costume Supercenter that was so adorable that I had to have it for Zari! I got a size 12-18 months. When the costume came in the mail one of the bows and flowers had fallen off the sleeve, but all I did was sew it back on...good as new. If something like this happens to you with one of their costumes don't forget that they have free shipping on all exchanges! In the pictures you can see I forgot to flip the collar up like Snow White's actually was. The Snow White jewel in the center of the bodice kept pulling the neck down too and I kept on having to fix it for the pictures. The ric rac and red roses are so cute and set the bodice off gorgeously. I love the sparkling yellow glitter tulle on the ballerina skirt part of the gown. I also liked the fact that the skirt wasn't see through because of an under layer of yellow satiny material. The blue ribbons on the sleeves are a nice touch too. In my opinion it is the cutest of all the Disney Princess costumes for babies that they have. All in all this costume is sure to please anyone who wants their little one to look like a pretty princess.

BUY IT:
The prices for costumes range from $9.99 on up and they have free shipping on exchanges. Their shipping prices are also fairly reasonable. The Disney's Infant Snow White Ballerina Costume is $24.99 on the Costume Supercenter website. They have a number of great Snow White Halloween costumes to choose from along with all sorts of others.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Costume Supercenter for providing me with the Disney's Infant Snow White Ballerina Costume for free to test and review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Wordless Wednesday Teela's Beco Baby Doll Carrier

If you are participating in Wordless Wednesdays, click on the Mister Linky image, enter your name and URL in the form, and press Enter. Please also leave comments on this post! I love reading them!

Ebeanstalk Alex Color & Cuddle Washable Bear Review

Looking for toys for your kids can be overwhelming! Ebeanstalk is a toy website that can help you sort through the madness. They have a team of moms that have picked out the some of the best to provide great baby toys, toys for 1 year olds, toys for 2 year olds, and toys for all other ages! Ebeanstalk also has a panel of child experts that have matched each toy to the specific age of your child, so you know that your child is getting the most out of playtime!

I received the Alex Color & Cuddle Washable Bear from Ebeanstalk to test and review. This toy is a soft bear that can be drawn on with markers, washed and drawn on again. It has preprinted patterns to color in and includes four washable markers with easy washing instructions.

I see the charm in a toy that also can be colored on to a child, but be warned that you should make sure that your child is old enough to understand that other toys or items should not be colored on unless specifically designed to be colored on. I would also recommend supervision for younger kids with this toy so they will not draw on other things with the markers. Although not quite a blank canvas because of the preprinted designs this bear is still a lot of fun to doodle on and it helps fuel creativity and imagination. The colors of the markers weren't really as bright as the pictures, but still worked well for coloring with on the bear. Because the bear is washable, your child will enjoy decorating the bear over and over again. It also can be a learning tool about colors and shapes. My daughter Teela had a lot of fun coloring this bear with the help and supervision of her older brother Jaedan and I. She loved how there were so many different ways to color it and after it was washed it was ready to color all over again.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Ebeanstalk for sending me an Alex Color & Cuddle Washable Bear and information about the toy for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Subscribe to KIWI Magazine and Get a Free Gift

KIWI is one of my favorite magazines. I am currently a member of their Parent Advisory Board, but even if I wasn't I would proudly say that I am a dedicated reader. I love KIWI!

KIWI is dedicated to helping parents raise their children the healthiest way possible. They introduce families to the latest in natural and organic living and show us how to practice this lifestyle on an everyday basis.

Since I am big on natural parenting I support this magazine 100%. Since I am a blogging Mama I love searching for products that are good for my family and yours and promoting them here. This magazine has everything about parenting naturally and organically. From delicious healthy recipes to how to greenly entertain your guests this holiday season.

Right now KIWI is having a wonderful deal, but only while supplies last!

Take your pick of:
* A Free Beco Mini Doll Carrier for your little one ($29 value) with code BECOMN

or * A Free Organic Chocolate caramel crunch and coffee set from Equal Exchange ($11 value) with code EQLEXC

or * A Free SCI Fidelity music CD, Keller Williams KIDS (music for kids under 10)($13 value) with code SCIFCD

...with your paid subscription or when you pay for a gift subscription for someone else. Note this deal is only for US households and only good while supplies last. Click HERE to participate.

I chose the Beco Mini Doll Carrier for my daughter Teela and her dolls. This promotes babywearing and imaginative pretend play. I hope I got the subscription soon enough to get one because it says that I will not be notified in advance of my order if they run out of supplies. This is going to be a fantastic after Christmas present!

Fan/Like KIWI Magazine on Facebook. Follow KIWI Magazine on Twitter.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am a member of the Parent Advisory Board for KIWI Magazine and a subscriber I wanted to share this deal I couldn't pass up on. I did not receive any compensation for doing this post.

Costume Supercenter Review

Halloween is coming up really soon and the hunt for great costumes is on. The Costume Supercenter is a great website to find a wide assortment of costumes. They have everything from silly to scary to pretty to anything else imaginable. They have baby costumes all the way to adult in a wide range of sizes to try to accommodate just about everyone.

My daughter Teela loves playing dress-up and imaginative pretend play. I believe this is an important part of learning that I love to nurture while my children are young. I was able to test and review the Plum Pixie Toddler Costume off of the Costume Supercenter website for my daughter Teela for free. It is sized to fit from 2T-4T so she still has a lot of growing room in it. It is a beautiful shade of plum purple and comes with gossamer wings, a wand and flowered headpiece. These accessories are an added extra bonus because you usually have to purchase them separately. Both wand and dainty flowered headpiece have ribbons cascading from them. The purple wings have reddish glitter swirls on them instead of the golden glitter ones shown in the picture on the site. The dress itself is made of a two-tone chiffon with a velour bodice and chiffon sleeves. The dress that we received has only white flowers decorating it even though the picture and description says that the the bottom of the dress and neckline are adorned with both white and purple flowers. Even with the discrepancies the costume was lovely and I was very happy with it. The whole ensemble is the perfect thing for playing dress up, attending a fairy fair or ball, or any Halloween festivities.

Fan/Like the Costume Supercenter on Facebook and Follow them on Twitter.

BUY IT:
The prices for costumes range from $9.99 on up and they have free shipping on exchanges. Their shipping prices are also fairly reasonable.

The Plum Pixie Toddler Costume is $26.99 on the Costume Supercenter website. They also have the same costume in a child size for $23.99.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Costume Supercenter for providing me with the Plum Pixie Toddler Costume for free to test and review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Best Pals Review and Giveaway

My daughter Teela received two dolls, a tea set, and a music CD from Best Pals for free so that we may test and review them. Best Pals was created by Kathy and Janet Lennon, of the Lennon Sisters because of their lifelong friendship and love for a pair of handmade ragdolls they had as kids. Not only do they sell the newer versions of their childhood friends, but they have other wholesome dolls, toys and music CDs in their store as well.

I love the vintage looking fabrics and attention to detail the dolls have. The two dolls I received are exact replicas of the handmade ragdolls Kathy and Janet got as children. The 16" dolls have embroidered facial features, re-stylable yarn hair, and removable clothing. Each doll is also numbered as a limited edition and has its very own "Best Pals" baby bead bracelet. I love the nostalgic feel of the dolls. Ever since Teela got these dolls, they have been her favorites to carry around and give her hugs and kisses to.

One of Teela's favorite things to play with her dolls is her tea sets. The dolls love being her tea drinking companions. Teela loves playing pretend. The Best Pals Tin Tea Set she received she absolutely loves! This 15 piece tea set comes with a travel case that holds 4 plates, 4 saucers, 4 cups and a serving tray.

The Best Pals CD that we received Teela lovingly calls her "Tea Party Music". Kathy and Janet sing these 14 wonderful songs that were their favorite when they were young.

Songs included are:
1. We Are Pals
2. Won't You Come Over to My House
3. Dear Little Dolly
4. Rock-A-Bye Baby
5. All Aboard For Blanket Bay
6. Little Lady Make Believe
7. Christopher Robin
8. Are My Ears On Straight
9. Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ra
10. Shake Me I Rattle
11. Kentucky Babe
12. Love Is A Very Light Thing
13. Lullaby Of Love
14. All The Pretty Little Ponies (Hush A Bye)

BUY IT:
You can buy original Kathy or Janet dolls at $24.95 each. The Best Pals CD is $16.95 and the tea set is $29.95 in the Best Pals Gift Shop. They also have other CDs, multicultural dolls, Danny doll, mini dolls, other playsets, paperdolls and doll clothing.

WIN IT:
Audra from Best Pals PR has generously offered another Best Pals Prize Pack which includes: Best Pals Dolls – Kathy and Janet, Best Pals CD and the Best Pals Tin Tea Set to one of my readers to win.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the Best Pals website and tell me by commenting on this post something else you would love to get.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by feedburner or by email and let me know which way. (2 extra entries each)

2. Fan/Like me on facebook and write something on my wall. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Best Pals in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

7. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog giveaway linky and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra entries)

8. Post this on your Facebook wall, Kirtsy, and/or StumbleUpon. (2 extra entries for each)

9. Comment on one of my regular (not giveaway) posts. (1 extra entry per post you comment on)

10. Follow me on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

11. Tweet this: @finamoon: @BestPalsToys WIN A Best Pals Dolly Prize Pack #giveaway http://bit.ly/c6P0jU (Daily Extras are Available)

12. Fan/Like Best Pals on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

13. Follow Best Pals on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. If you subscribed, blogged about this, listed it, commented on another post, or faved me on Momfaves leave 2 entries saying you did. This contest ends on Friday October 08, 2010 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to all 18 years and over in the U.S. Only!!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Best Pals for providing me with the products for free to test and review. This giveaway is also provided free from Best Pals. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

ImagiPLAY Review and Giveaway

I love eco-friendly products! My favorites are simple toys made that let my children's imagination soar. ImagiPLAY has wonderful toys, the majority of which are made of rubberwood. The rubberwood that ImagiPLAY uses comes from rubber trees that are done with their rubber producing, harvested, then made into toys and other things with its splinter free hardwood. Other rubber trees are planted and the earth-friendly cycle goes on. Others of their toys are made with wood from managed forests. ImagiPLAY also has its factories close to the places where its craftsmen live so that many can walk or ride their bikes to work each day.

I was given the chance to test and review the Tumblin Tree EcoBalancing Game for free. The great thing about this game is that everyone can play with it in my family. It is such a fun game! You take turns adding leaves and branches to make the tree grow. The leaves and branches are placed onto a unsteady, uncooperative trunk. A player who causes any part of the tree to tumble must pick up the felled pieces. The object of the game is to be the first to get rid of all your pieces. Trunk can be adjusted to increase or decrease difficulty, making this fun for many ages. It is recommended for ages 6+, but my daughter Teela who is only 2 and a half enjoyed it tremendously and had no trouble placing the leaves or branches on the trunk. It is made from all natural, managed-forest basswood. I love the simplicity of this game. My kids love it because it challenges them when the trunk is adjusted to an increased wobbly setting. I also love that it brings the family together to play and can accommodate 1 to 6 players.

BUY IT:
Use the coupon code Play420 to receive a 20% discount from ImagiPLAY. (U.S. Only).

WIN IT:
Tammi at ImagiPLAY has has generously offered another Tumblin Tree EcoBalancing Game to one of my readers to win.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the ImagiPLAY website and tell me by commenting on this post what other item(s) you would love to have.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by feedburner or by email and let me know which way. (2 extra entries each)

2. Fan/Like me on facebook and write something on my wall. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and ImagiPLAY in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

7. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog giveaway linky and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra entries)

8. Post this on your Facebook wall, Kirtsy, and/or StumbleUpon. (2 extra entries for each)

9. Comment on one of my regular (not giveaway) posts. (1 extra entry per post you comment on)

10. Follow me on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

11. Tweet this: @finamoon: @imagiplay WIN An ImagiPLAY Tumblin Tree EcoBalancing Game #giveaway http://bit.ly/bxeIkc (Daily Extras are Available)

12. Fan/Like ImagiPLAY on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

13. Follow ImagiPLAY on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. If you subscribed, blogged about this, listed it, commented on another post, or faved me on Momfaves leave 2 entries saying you did. This contest ends on Friday October 1, 2010 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to all 18 years and over in U.S. Only!!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to ImagiPLAY for providing me with the Tumblin Tree EcoBalancing Game for free to try out and review. This giveaway is also provided free from ImagiPLAY. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

CSN Stores Review and Giveaway

As I said before in my teaser post, I have been given the chance to review and giveaway a toy from ToysandGamesOnline, a CSN Store. There are many toys and games on this website that are great for development, learning, exploration and creativity.

CSN Stores has over 200 other stores too ranging from housewares to pet stores online. So, there probably isn't anything you won't be able to find there and if you can't find it now they are always adding stores to their website so you might just find it down the road.

I received the Cutting Food Box Play Set by Melissa & Doug for free to review from CSN Stores and since I received it around Teela's birthday party in April I decided it would be a great gift to give her then. I wanted to add on to Teela's first set of wooden food from Melissa & Doug, the Wooden Food Groups set, and have a bit more variety with the fruits and veggies. This new set also does something that the first set didn't. It lets Teela cut the wooden food into "pre-sliced" sections with a wooden knife and makes a nice "crunching" sound as she slices them because of the Velcro that are holding them together. I can teach her part, whole and fractions at a very early age and she can have fun putting the sections back together with the Velcro. She likes to put them back together in funny ways :p This Cutting Food Box Play Set is very safe and Teela can pretend to cook and cut without any owies. The set comes with 31 pieces including: smooth sanded and nicely painted play food made of solid wood and non toxic paints (sliced bread, loaf of bread, green pepper, tomato, watermelon, carrot, apple and cucumber) a cutting board, a crate to put it all into and a wooden knife to slice the play food. This set is recommended for ages 3 and up, but my 2 year old daughter, Teela, was ready for it and was having fun learning to slice the play foods.

WIN IT:
James from the CSN Promo Team has has generously offered a Cutting Food Box Play Set by Melissa & Doug to one of my readers to win.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the CSN Stores website and tell me by commenting on this post what other item you would love to get AND leave the link to it in your post (Do Both or Be Disqualified!).

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by email and let me know. (2 extra entries)

2. Become my fan/like on facebook and write that you are entering this giveaway on my wall. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and CSN Stores in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra)

7. Add me on Twitter and Tweet this: @finamoon: @CSNStores WIN A Cutting Food Box Play Set by Melissa & Doug #giveaway http://bit.ly/bvIkHt (Daily Extras are Available)

8. Fan CSN Stores on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

9. Follow CSN Stores on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. This contest ends on Friday June 25, 2010 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada Only!!

DISCLAIMER: Thanks to CSN Stores for sending me a free Cutting Food Box Play Set by Melissa & Doug to test and review. This giveaway is also provided free from CSN Stores. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.