Bow Sweet Bow Magnetic Hairbow Giveaway [CLOSED]

I've done many hair accessory giveaways, but this one is the most unique! The Etsy shop Bow Sweet Bow offers you a customized and thrifty way to get the most out of your hair bows: magnetic centers so you can change the bottle cap in the middle. How innovative!

The bottle cap options are endless.

One of you lucky readers will win any bow you want, pre-made or custom!

Mandatory Entry: Visit Bow Sweet Bow and tell me what pre-made bow or bow and bottle cap combination you would get.

1 entry each (5 total possible): Pin a bow to Pinterest. You can pin up to 5 bows.

1 entry: Like Bow Sweet Bow on Facebook. Leave your name.

1 entry: Like The Hand That Rocks the Cradle on Facebook. Leave your name.

1 entry: Follow this blog on Google Friend Connect.

1 entry each (4 total possible): Post this giveaway to Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or your blog.

1 entry: Enter another giveaway. See left sidebar for current giveaways.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. All entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. MST on Tuesday, December 11. The winner will be announced Wednesday, December 12. Please leave your email address in one of your entries so I can contact you if you win. This giveaway is open worldwide. Good luck!

WINNERS!

The winners of the Farm Rich appetizer coupons giveaway are comments #138 by Sarah Buki and #6 by Elizabeth Boese! Enjoy your yummy prizes!

The winner of the Tara's Dinos 'N More 2 dinosaurs giveaway is comment #56 by Marija. Thanks to all who entered!

Thanksgiving in California

This year we went down to California for Thanksgiving, something we haven't done since 2008. Our new place is too small to have had all my family come here. It was nice getting away from Arizona for a few days. I was worried about the road trip, but Caden did great! He did not fuss or complain at all; he enjoyed it thoroughly, both there (night driving) and back (afternoon driving). He found a new favorite food, too, unfortunately: french fries.

He warmed up to my family right away (it usually takes him a day or two). At Costco Grandma bought him a giant stuffed monkey, which he dragged around their place and slept with the whole time we were there. It's bigger than him!

I went thrift store shopping with my mom (of course!) and found lots of great things at great prices for my shop. That same evening we toured my family's new house they will move into next month and then Justin and I went on a date to see a movie. We had planned on Here Comes the Boom, but it was no longer showing contrary to their website and outdoor sign, so we saw Skyfall instead. It was intense, but I liked it. I don't know if I like it more than Quantum of Solace; I have to see the latter again. I just know I like it better than Casino Royale.

Thursday we spent some time with my brother and his family and then had Thanksgiving dinner at my parents'. My mom and I simplified the meal for less cooking, and there were still lots of leftovers! I wish we could have taken some turkey home. And I do wish I had made my own pumpkin pie. The Costco one was really mushy. After dinner, Caden rode his bike and cousin's scooter outside, we played Apples to Apples, and we did our traditional "Turkey Wobble" dance.

I never do Black Friday, but my brother and his wife wanted me and Justin to tag along Thursday night so we could get some deals for them. We didn't get the deals we came for but we did find some other great stuff on sale, including new movies we wanted!

Friday morning we played Apples to Apples Junior (better than the original!), walked down to the lake, and went to my brother's for his wife's delicious chicken taquitos, which I learned how to make, to both my and my husband's delight. It was a great Thanksgiving!

Caden dancing to his cousin's pretend music.

The Ultimate Printable Christmas Planner Giveaway [CLOSED]

I am so excited to present to you the ultimate Christmas planner made by the Etsy shop Printables by Phanie. Phanie sent me one to review and I am in awe in what it includes!

1. Binder cover
2. Monthly calender
3. Weekly planner
4. Daily planner
5. Master to-do list
6. Wish list
7. Notes page
8. Card organizer
9. Gift organizer
10. Thank-you card list
11. Advertisements page
12. Coupon organizer page
13. Coupon organizer cutout
14. Potluck planner
15. Menu planner
16. Grocery list
17. Recipes
18. Holiday baking list
19. Party invitations
20. Thank-you cards
21. Advent calendar
22. (Advent calendar continued)
23. Gift tags
24. Cupcake toppers
25. Spine label for binder

That's 25 pages, 2 of which you print more of for weekly and daily needs. How crazy awesome is that? This planner is perfect for you super Christmas fans!

Smiles
*Simple and super cute design. Ideal for printing. She even included space for hole punching the sheets.
*Great value! The planner is $20 for over 25 pages!
*Encourages organization, creativity, gratitude, efficiency, and thinking ahead, and discourages procrastination.
*Excellent customer service from the seller!

Frowns
*I wish one of the recipe cards was a little bigger for longer recipes.

One of you lucky readers will win this amazing printable planner just in time for the holidays!

Mandatory Entry: Visit Printables by Phanie and tell me what other printable would help you "tame the chaos," as Phanie puts it.

1 entry: Heart Printables by Phanie on Etsy. Leave your username.

1 entry: Like Printables by Phanie on Facebook. Leave your name.

1 entry: Like The Hand That Rocks the Cradle on Facebook. Leave your name.

1 entry: Follow this blog on Google Friend Connect.

1 entry each (4 total possible): Post this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or your blog.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. All entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. MST on Friday, November 30. The winner will be announced Saturday, December 1. Please leave your email address in one of the entries so I can contact you if you win and you can be sent your prize. This giveaway is open worldwide. Good luck!

Black Friday & Cyber Monday Deals on Etsy

Here are links to lists of Etsy shops having sales and their coupon codes. Happy shopping!

insignificantatbest.com/2012/11/24/exclusive-small-business-saturday-deals/
growingslower.com/2012/11/black-friday-cyber-monday-deals-etsy.html
etsy.com/teams/7400/treasury-island/discuss/11309648/
etsy.com/teams/14254/etsy-shopping-club/discuss/11209631/

WINNER!

The winner of the Family Inspired Fashion $25 shop credit giveaway is comment #68 by Priscilla Benavides. Congratulations and have fun shopping!

Easy Thanksgiving Decorations

With all the fuss of Christmas starting the day after Halloween, it's easy to forget about Thanksgiving. But it is such an important holiday and deserves attention. Here are simple decorating ideas for creating a nice autumn harvest atmosphere in your home:

1. Search online for "free Thanksgiving subway art." Once you find one you like, print it out and frame it. Embellish the frame with buttons, fake leaves, or ribbon.
2. Collect pine cones and clean them. Display them in a bowl, place them on the mantle, or make a garland by super-gluing them to string or ribbon.
3. Gather leaves, put them under paper, and color over them with crayons in fall colors. Frame the paper or cut out the paper leaves and tape them to the walls.
4. Make a paper bunting banner saying Gratitude, Give Thanks, or another thankful phrase to remind your family of the true reason for Thanksgiving.
5. Display any crafts your children made at school.

eDiaperCakes.com Coupon Code

Liz, the creator of eDiaperCakes.com, asked to work with me. Once I saw her gorgeous, professional diaper cakes, I had to say yes! The variety is endless--including ones that look more like wedding cakes and a DIY kits--and the shipping is a flat rate of $5.

I am a new mom, and my diaper cake company was just born this year out of a need for me to be creative. EDiaperCakes.com makes great baby gifts for first-time parents. We design diaper cakes from our favorite children’s books, rattles, plush animals, and flowers. Some of the plush animals we use are allergy friendly! Our diaper cakes have more uses than just being the centerpiece at the baby shower. They are used as gifts for friends and neighbors, and we even have offices that buy diaper cakes for pregnant coworkers.

When we create our baby gifts, we only use brand name products. We know how special the gift is, so we want to make sure that the mommy will only get quality when she orders from us. Some of the brands that we use are Pampers, Gund, Kid’s Preferred, and TY. 

Liz is generously giving you all $15 off when you use the coupon code "babygiveaway15." Hurry! It expires Christmas Day, December 25, 2012. Start shopping now for a beautiful and practical Christmas gift for the new mother in your life!

Tara's Dinos 'N More Dinosaur Giveaway [CLOSED]

Tara's Dinos 'N More is the most unique Etsy shop I've ever seen! I am so excited for this giveaway; it's nice to have a boyish prize for once! Check out this awesome dinosaur decor and the story behind it:

I happened to get addicted to Pinterest right as I lost my job in early March. After seeing all the DIY projects and thinking "I could totally do that!" I finally took a jump in my newly free time and tried out some projects. To my surprise, not only did I love the result, but I also found out others loved them. I started an Etsy store with a few sets of coasters, a gears necklace, and my favorite item of all - plastic dinosaur jars! Since then I've branched out to other items, but my true passion is painting cute or ferocious looking dinosaurs and animals and hearing how much my customers love a little pop of color and fun in their lives. I love them so much my apartment is overrun with ones I just couldn't bear to part with!

 

As the shop name implies, there's more than just dinos. I love this lion! So would my son, whose favorite movie right now is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. (Note: These are not children's toys, only decor.)

Tara also sells plastic jars, jewelry boxes, ceramic coasters, light switches, mini book necklaces, and clothespins. I love this jewelry box:

There are tons of quirky and geeky stuff too for those who love video games, comic books, sci-fi/fantasy, rock music, etc.

Tara is generously giving away two dinosaurs (or the lion or elephant if you prefer those) in any colors to one lucky reader!

Mandatory entry: Visit Tara's Dinos 'N More and tell me which dinosaurs you would choose.

5 entries: Heart Tara's Dinos 'N More on Etsy. Leave your username.

1 entry: Follow Tara's Dinos on Twitter: @tarasdinos.

1 entry: Follow this blog on Google Friend Connect.

1 entry: Like The Hand That Rocks the Cradle on Facebook. Leave your name.

1 entry each (4 total possible): Post this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or your blog.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. All entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. MST on Tuesday, November 27. The winner will be announced Wednesday, November 28. Please leave your email address in one of your comments so I can contact you if you win. This giveaway is open worldwide. Good luck!

Farm Rich Appetizers Giveaway [CLOSED]

I love trying new things, especially for free, so I was very excited when a Farm Rich representative contacted me asking me to review two of their frozen appetizers. I had many to choose from:

• Mozzarella sticks, regular and marinara stuffed
• Mozzarella bites
• Mini pizza slices
• Stuffed pretzel bites
• Queso cheese bites
• Breaded mushrooms
• Mini quesadillas
• Philly cheese steaks
• Jalapeño peppers
• Meatballs, original, Italian style, and turkey
• French toast sticks, regular and cinnamon

Unfortunately, I could not find all of these at the store, so I got the original meatballs and jalapeño peppers.

Smiles
*Bite size.
*Easy to prepare.
*Great for parties.

Frowns
*My meat-loving hubby could tell they had soy in them. Sure enough, vegetable and soy proteins are ingredients.
*Average taste.

Smiles
*Quick to make.
*They crisp nicely and don't burst easily.
*Not overly breaded.
*The best I've ever had! I used to love these as a kid and haven't had them since. I was not disappointed.

Frowns
*None.

Farm Rich in general:
Smiles
*Excellent customer service. The representative was always quick to reply and sent me a very professional and informative letter.
*Thorough, user-friendly website.

Frowns
*Farm Rich appetizers are not for you all-natural, healthy eaters. They are better for parties or as special treats than for everyday eating.

Farm Rich is giving away a coupon for a free appetizer to two winners!

Mandatory entry: Visit Farm Rich and tell me which appetizer you would get if you won.

1 entry: Like Farm Rich on Facebook. Leave your name.

1 entry: Like The Hand That Rocks the Cradle on Facebook. Leave your name.

1 entry: Follow this blog on Google Friend Connect.

1 entry each (4 total possible): Post this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or your blog.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. All entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. MST on Monday, November 26. The winners will be announced Tuesday, November 27. Please leave your email address in one of your comments so I can contact you if you win. This giveaway is open to the U.S. only. Good luck!

Halloween

I wasn't sure what was going to happen this Halloween: I didn't know whether or not we were going to get trick-or-treaters at our apartments, whether or not Justin would be able to leave work to take Caden trick-or-treating, and whether or not I would take Caden by myself (and where, if so). The answer to all was no.

Fortunately, a church friend invited us to a church party where they used to live. All the kids rode on a trailor hitched to a John Deere tractor and went up and down the long, semi-rural street while the homeowners came out and delivered the candy. They do it every year. Caden loved it! He went twice because he loved the ride so much. Everyone thought he was so cute, too. My favorite was a boy in a homemade Rubik's cube costume. I didn't dress up.

We ended the night walking around Tempe's college town looking at all the weird costumes, my friend's family tradition. I saw another Rubik's cube and two people dressed up as the creatures from Avatar. It was a fun night, but also a very long one. I am never driving with that family again! Oh, and here are better photos of Justin as Psy, the "Gangnam Style" guy.

Cruisin' Caden

Yesterday we finally took Caden and his bike to the park to ride around. He's been getting really good at balancing and going fast, so the apartment has become too small for him to cruise across.

We put him in all his biking gear and let him go free. He fell down a couple times when he lost control of the steering from going too fast, but otherwise he was on fire!

He rode around the park 3 times, a good mile, and would've kept going if we had let him. We plan on taking him every week now.

See his tongue sticking out?

Waiting for us to catch up.

Family Inspired Fashion $25 Credit Giveaway [CLOSED]

Family Inspired Fashion sells adorable clothing for babies, toddlers, and young girls.

"We love to sew. Family Inspired Fashion grew from that point. We are a mother and daughter team with over 40 years of experience. With a houseful of girls, we have been sewing clothes and costumes for them forever. When our children and grandchildren were small, we always liked to dress them in sets. We decided to share our creations with others. Rarely can you find a complete set like what we sell."

This dress is perfect for a family Christmas photo or first time on Santa's lap!

Isn't she adorable in that dress?

There are even flower girl dresses.

This outfit makes me want to have a girl so badly!

 

Family Inspired Fashion is generously giving away $25 credit to their shop!

Mandatory Entry: Visit Family Inspired Fashion and tell me what you would get if you won.

1 entry: Heart Family Inspired Fashion on Etsy. Leave your username.

1 entry: Like Family Inspired Fashion on Facebook. Leave your name.

1 entry: Like The Hand That Rocks the Cradle on Facebook. Leave your name.

1 entry: Follow this blog on Google Friend Connect.

1 entry each (4 total): Post this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or your blog.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. All entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. MST on Tuesday, November 20. The winner will be announced by Saturday, November 24. Please leave your email address in one of your comments so I can contact you if you win. This giveaway is open to the U.S. only. Good luck!

NEW WINNER!

The new winner of the Madison Street Beauty eyeshadow giveaway is comment #23 by Maegan Morin. Remember, you need to respond within 48 hours (an extra day if it's the weekend) if you want to stay a winner!

WINNER!

The winner of the Madison Street Beauty eyeshadow giveaway is comment #62 by Danikatsouros. Congratulations, you lucky lady! And thanks to everyone who entered and made this so successful!