30 Mayıs 2012 Çarşamba

Live A Little - Love Kittens

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I know I've already mentioned the impact of pets on personal happiness, but something happened last week that made it pertinent again. I attended a conference on social media for non-profits at the Kansas Humane Society. It was really great but I brought home a souvenir. Well, two, actually. I mean, who could resist these things?!





We're not settled on names yet. Bob figures they have to grow into them. Roo wants to call them Bella and Lucky. Jasper suggests, uh, Jasper and Captain Cat. I'm trying really hard not to give them lame-o Game of Thrones-themed names, although the scrappy tortoiseshell kitten is totally Arya. What we all agree on, though, is that they've brought a kittenish giddiness to our lives. 



I'm not suggesting everyone needs to go out and get kittens every time they need a pick-me-up (though it would probably work!) but having a reminder to take a step back from everyday life and just be playful once in a while is true feline wisdom we can all learn from.





Share your Live a Little suggestions with the Skimbaco every Monday by adding the link to your Live a Little blog post in the InLinkz widget below. Rules: Link either to Skimbacolifestyle.com OR grab the InLinkz code for your blog post – or do both! If you post the widget in your blog post, please add the rules as well.



Happy Birthday, Graco Pack 'N Play! (Giveaway)

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Please rise in a standing ovation for Graco, a company that has made an overwhelming contribution to raising the world's babies, including my own. Both of my kids are sadly well beyond the playpen age but since I am a Graco Nation Ambassador (we have TurboBoosters in each car these days), I was given the opportunity to give one away in honor of the quarter-century anniversary of the Graco Pack 'N Play. Can you believe it's only been around for 25 years? What did parents do beforehand?! 

Pack 'n Play® Playard with Reversible Napper & Changer™ The original Pack ‘n Play providing 25 years of heritage, trust and leadership Fact Sheet
Designed to offer a compact, convenient solution for on-the-go parents, this playard combines two of our most popular features into one convenient solution – a reversible napper and changer. The Reversible Napper & Changer is a napping station on one side and can be flipped over to become a changing station on the other side. 

MSRP: $99.99

Available online and in stores at Babies ‘R Us, Target, Walmart, Amazon.com, GracoBaby.com, Buy Buy Baby and specialty retailersFeatures:
  • The first playard to feature a reversible napper and changing station, all-in-one
  • Toy bar features soft toys to amuse baby
  • Removable, full-size bassinet provides an extra-comfy spot for infants to nap
  • Convenient carrying bag for no-fuss travel and storage
  • Beautifully-styled, soft fabric cuddles baby for naps while the wipe-clean fabric resists messes
Pack Facts:
  • The first Pack ‘n Play was created in 1987
  • Pack ‘n Plays are currently available in more than 60 models and fashions
  • Pack ‘n Plays can range in price from $49.99 to $229.99 based on model
  • More than 30 million sold

Pack 'n Play Playard with Reversible Napper and Changer in Soho SquareWin one, courtesy of Graco by filling out the entry form below:


a Rafflecopter giveaway


In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I am a Graco brand ambassador and have received complimentary samples of their products in the past. They are supplying a prize for this giveaway but no compensation has been received and, as usual, all opinions are my own.





UPrinting.com Business Cards (Giveaway)

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It's summertime and the air is filled with the heady scent of blog conferences and craft fairs. Obviously, you need to order some new custom business cards…


Enter to win business cards from UPrinting.com by following the instructions in the Rafflecopter form below:
  • 250 Die-cut Business Cards for one (1) winner
  • 2×3.5″ Rounded Corners, 2×2″ Rounded Corners, 1.75×3.5″ Rounded Corners, 2×3.5″ Leaf, 2×3.5 Rounded one corner, 2×3.5″ Half-Circle Side, 2×3.5″ Oval, or 2.5″ Circle
  • 14pt Cardstock Gloss / Matte / High Gloss (UV), or 13pt Cardstock Uncoated
  • 6 Business days print turnaround time
  • Free US shipping only




a Rafflecopter giveaway



In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I will receive free print products in exchange for the post. Any and all reviews posted are based solely on my own experience and may be atypical. Please practice due diligence in making any related purchase decisions. Interested to hold a giveaway like this? Please sign up here.



Nickelodeon Gak and Floam

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When I was little, I was obsessed with some nastiness called Slime that came in a plastic trash can and was filled with rubber worms. It was, indeed, slimy and had the visceral charm of a bucket full of boogers. Perfect kid toy, obviously. I remember sometime later that my younger cousins had similar stuff that was slightly less gross because it wasn't a pale, translucent yellow-green. Their slimey muck came in perky eighties day-glo colors, in a container that looked like the splat logo of the then-new cable channel, Nickelodeon. See, I am old and can remember the days before MTV Networks ruled the world. It was called Gak and, much to the delight of my kids, Gak is Back:




We received a care package with several packs of Gak and Floam to play with and the kids were pretty excited to get their hands dirty. Or busy, at least, since both products are thankfully pretty mess-free and self-contained. We used a playmat, just to be sure! 



Roo and Jasper were more enamored with Gak than Floam, probably because it makes a fart sound when you trap air in it. My kids are classy that way. It's also easy to inflate, which makes an even louder, more compelling fart sound, as Roo demonstrates below:

Gak and Floam are non-toxic and non-staining, as well as being phthalate, latex and BPA-free. Both are available now at Target, Toys R Us, Bed, Bath and Beyond, A.C. Moore and Walgreens locations nationwide.

Like Gak on Facebook

Like Floam on Facebook


In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that we received complimentary samples of products to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are, as usual, entirely my own.



StyleUnited: New View, New You

To contact us Click HERE

StyleUnited is an online style destination from P&G, brought to you from their fashion and beauty brands including DDF Skincare, Olay, CoverGirl and Frederic Fekkai. When you sign up for StyleUnited, you build your individual Style360 profile by taking fun quizzes. This gives you insider access to personalized style recommendations for everything from skincare and cosmetics to haircare and fashion.


SheSpeaksbutton

My fashion style is edgy/bold and my makeup style is bold, my skin is combination and my hair is wavy. I appreciate how the recommendations span price ranges and offer suggestions for products I already love as well as things I have yet to try. Let me know what your style is in the comments below!


The StyleUnited: New View, New You Giveaway ends June 8th so be sure to join to become eligible and enter today! You could win a $500 gift card to showcase your new, improved style!

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I was introduced to StyleUnited via SheSpeaks, a woman-powered community of brand influencers. I will receive complimentary samples of products in exchange for writing about this site. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are, as usual, entirely my own. 







23 Mayıs 2012 Çarşamba

Happy Birthday, Graco Pack 'N Play! (Giveaway)

To contact us Click HERE

Please rise in a standing ovation for Graco, a company that has made an overwhelming contribution to raising the world's babies, including my own. Both of my kids are sadly well beyond the playpen age but since I am a Graco Nation Ambassador (we have TurboBoosters in each car these days), I was given the opportunity to give one away in honor of the quarter-century anniversary of the Graco Pack 'N Play. Can you believe it's only been around for 25 years? What did parents do beforehand?! 

Pack 'n Play® Playard with Reversible Napper & Changer™ The original Pack ‘n Play providing 25 years of heritage, trust and leadership Fact Sheet
Designed to offer a compact, convenient solution for on-the-go parents, this playard combines two of our most popular features into one convenient solution – a reversible napper and changer. The Reversible Napper & Changer is a napping station on one side and can be flipped over to become a changing station on the other side. 

MSRP: $99.99

Available online and in stores at Babies ‘R Us, Target, Walmart, Amazon.com, GracoBaby.com, Buy Buy Baby and specialty retailersFeatures:
  • The first playard to feature a reversible napper and changing station, all-in-one
  • Toy bar features soft toys to amuse baby
  • Removable, full-size bassinet provides an extra-comfy spot for infants to nap
  • Convenient carrying bag for no-fuss travel and storage
  • Beautifully-styled, soft fabric cuddles baby for naps while the wipe-clean fabric resists messes
Pack Facts:
  • The first Pack ‘n Play was created in 1987
  • Pack ‘n Plays are currently available in more than 60 models and fashions
  • Pack ‘n Plays can range in price from $49.99 to $229.99 based on model
  • More than 30 million sold

Pack 'n Play Playard with Reversible Napper and Changer in Soho SquareWin one, courtesy of Graco by filling out the entry form below:


a Rafflecopter giveaway


In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I am a Graco brand ambassador and have received complimentary samples of their products in the past. They are supplying a prize for this giveaway but no compensation has been received and, as usual, all opinions are my own.





Live A Little - Baby Steps to Green with EkoBrew

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I'd love to say I was a green and crunchy earth mama but that would be a pretty massive exaggeration. I do try, whenever possible, to recycle and compost and buy local. I think that being mindful of your actions and how they impact the world around us is important but I also know how nice convenience is to busy families. That's why this week's Live a Little post is about starting small.

I love my Keurig coffeemaker but I hate the wastefulness of throwing away a non-recyclable plastic filter pack filled with coffee grounds. I've actually dissected them before to compost the coffee, at least, and assuage my latent inner hippie. It is a major pain in the butt. I've tried some after-market filter doohickeys but they've been a massive hassle to clean and reuse since they have an inner filter and outer cup- you need to take them apart and clean all the pieces. Especially since I like iced coffee in warm weather, which requires a couple of shots of strong brewed coffee. Washing the filter and drying it and refilling it usually ends up with more coffee grounds going down the garbage disposal than into the compost pail.

I was thrilled to learn about a new design by Ekobrew that fits into the Keurig brewer's filter holder without an extra cup unit. It's BPA-free, features an integrated lid so it's just one piece to deal with, it's dishwasher safe and, most impressively, can be rinsed and reused immediately. All the grounds simply tap out into the compost pail, or you can rinse them out. Love that.





If you're even lazier than I am (which is hard to imagine but I won't judge you!), you might want to order a multi-pack so you can enjoy your coffee without waiting to rinse and reuse. There's an Ekobrew 4-pack on Amazon for $30, a good value for being able to use your own favorite fair trade coffee.


What baby steps are you taking towards a greener lifestyle?



Share your Live a Little suggestions with the Skimbaco every Monday by adding the link to your Live a Little blog post in the InLinkz widget below. Rules: Link either to Skimbacolifestyle.com OR grab the InLinkz code for your blog post – or do both! If you post the widget in your blog post, please add the rules as well.








In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I received a complimentary sample Ekobrew filter to facilitate this review. No compensation has been received and, as usual, all opinions are my own.