JCPenney Don’t Panic Last Minute Shopping Guide

I absolutely love jcpenney’s recommendations and took some of their suggestions into consideration for my own gift giving.  For months my son has been talking about the Pillow Pets he sees advertised on television and displayed in stores. These snuggly foldable stuffed animals/pillows are adored by children and my son will finally get one this season.

Many of my friends are moms themselves, and knowing that we don’t typically splurge on ourselves, I think the Sephora Makeup Studio Blockbuster is a great deal for the amount of makeup that’s included.  With almost 200 products, it’s valued at $440 and retails for just $49.50.

When in doubt, coffee usually makes a great gift.  This single serve Keurig Coffemaker is on sale right now for $149.99.  I love the concept of this machine which brews single servings of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. There are a ton of machines like this on the market, but this one offers the most diversity in terms of flavors.

For additional gift ideas, just visit jcpenney.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of jcpenney and received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

Shine from Yahoo just revealed their latest Get It Guide, perfectly timed for the holiday season:  Hottest Holiday Toys.  The guide features those topics women are searching for and discussing.  Surprisingly, I only recognize one…LeapFrog’s LeapPad Explorer, a tot-sized tablet that combines education and entertainment.  This techie toy has already been a hit in our home and I’m not surprised that it made the list (or that it’s been sold out in a number of stores nationwide).

Other toys that topped the list include Mattel’s Monster High Dolls, which are geared towards teens and tweens, Air Swimmers, which integrate helium and a remote control for life-like motions, and Lego Ninjago, the result of meshing Legos and ninjas.  Be sure to check out real reviews from real women on the hottest toys for 2011 on Shine!

What toys are topping your child’s list this holiday season?

Disclosure: I am a Get It Guide Insider and receive exclusive content and/or products.  All opinions remain my own.

Earlier this week I headed over to Walmart to see if I could fill a stocking for under $25. I decided to take it just one step further and see if I could fill two stockings (one for each of my children) for under $25. Because I know they’re going to get plenty of toys this year, I opted for useful items I thought they would still enjoy.

Each of the stockings I purchased (one in red and one in green) were just $1.97 each.  We love books in our home, however, most of the books were and are my son’s, so I headed to the children’s book section and found an adorable holiday-themed snowman book for just $2.50. In the same section (which in our store is located in the midst of the toys), I found some flash cards for my son for just $2.50. We’re working on preparing him for kindergarten so I thought this would be something fun and educational for him.  Surprisingly, both of my children enjoy brushing their teeth.  In the stocking stuffer section I found a variety of adorable, character-themed toothbrush sets for just $5, so I bought one for each of them. Lastly, I found a set of hair ties for my daughter for just $2.98. The grand total?  $21.92 plus tax. I’m likely going to run back and pick up one more thing for my son so they each have the same number of items (children notice things like that).  And to finish my stockings off, I’ll write their names in puffy paint before I hang them.

If you head over to Walmart, you’ll find that their recommended stocking stuffers are clearly labeled with prices in boxes throughout the store. I actually think many of their ideas are unique and ones I hadn’t thought about. Other ideas that came to mind include pajamas, slippers, gift cards (particularly for my son), DVDs, and video games. As we’re getting close to Christmas, I highly recommend shopping now as items are starting to disappear. You can also browse Walmart’s Stocking Stuffer ideas online.

Disclosure: I participate in the Walmart Moms program and am compensated for my time and honest opinions.

Hickory Farms has a long, 60 year history of making it just a bit easier (and snazzier) to gift gourmet food baskets. The company is known for their sausage and cheese-focused baskets, however, you’ll find an expansive selection of gifts that include everything from fresh fruit and nuts to peanut brittle, cookies, sauces and spreads.  What’s nice about the baskets is the fact that they come wrapped, which makes gift giving practically effortless.  In addition to gifting a basket, you could use the items for a holiday party (either one you are planning or attending).

This year, Hickory Farms will donate $5 from each Party Planner gift box sold to Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign. The nonprofit organization works to end child hunger in America, and each donation helps children receive access to 50 meals. If you’re interested in donating directly to the organization, you can do so online.  The company is also offering free shipping to military addresses on select products.

While you’ll find free shipping on a variety of baskets priced over $35, be sure to also check out the special they have for $3 3-day shipping. Simply order before 3 pm EST and you’ll have your order in 3 days.

For more information about Hickory Farms’ Gourmet Gifs, visit their website.

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Hickory Farms and received a product sample to facilitate my review.

The person that should be the easiest to shop for is actually one of my biggest challenges. My husband of almost seven years is a “no-fuss” type of guy, and my requests for gift ideas typically result in the same response…”anything would be fine.” Without a lot of direction, I could easily resort to clothes and accessories. However, I wanted to find something meaningful, or at the very least useful. So I headed to The Home Depot, armed with a few ideas in mind.

As you probably know, The Home Depot is your “go to” store for all-things home improvement. But have you ever thought about shopping for Christmas gifts at the warehouse? I haven’t spent a lot of time at The Home Depot, but each visit is always specific and focused on a home improvement project. When I visited this week, I had to change my perspective and actually found more gift ideas than I would have imagined.

This is my favorite time of year to walk into a store since most are decorated for the season. Fresh cut Christmas trees and poinsettia plants greeted me upon my arrival, along with a store associate. In fact, all of the associates at my home store were pleasant and eager to assist.

The entire front section of the store is dedicated to holiday decor and I was seriously tempted to pick out a few items for our home. But my focus was gifts, so I walked down each and every aisle, in search of something useful for my husband. Along the way I discovered grills…beautiful, natural gas grills that would make entertaining and summer barbecues a breeze. But I continued perusing the store. Along with holiday decor, the front of the store also has a dedicated section for power tools. By nature, my husband isn’t a handyman, but when his father was out visiting this summer, both of them proved just how savvy they are when it comes to DIY home improvement.

In addition to the above items, I found practical gift ideas like water filtration systems and vacuums, toys for kids, and even some decor items from the Martha Stewart Living collection that would be suitable for women. So what did I finally decide on? This Hampton Bay Vanity Fixture for our bathroom. I’d like to say it’s going to be a surprise, however, my husband reads my blog so… He’s been wanting to change and update some of the decor in our home so I thought this would be the perfect gift for him (um…us? )

If you’re struggling with gift ideas, I highly recommend visiting The Home Depot’s online Holiday site. It’s well organized and can serve as a guide before visiting the store. Plus, you’ll find at least 1,000 items that can only be found online. And, if all else fails, you can simply give a gift card so that special person in your life can purchase the perfect gift for themselves. Gift cards, including electronic gift cards, can be used online and in stores throughout the US, Mexico, and Canada. Additionally, The Home Depot is the only retailer to offer video gift cards that can be personalized.

Are you an iPhone user? Download their free app to research and purchase products, check store inventory, and pick up purchased items in-store. You can also visit their YouTube Channel for holiday shopping tips.

Lastly, one of the things that makes The Home Depot unique is their free Home Improvement Workshops. This season you can learn about some Simple Small Projects you can complete to make your home holiday-ready, gift ideas you can Try Before You Buy, and Innovative Solutions For Maintaining Your Home. The Home Depot also offers educational, interactive, and engaging kid’s workshops which we have participated in. The workshops, which are geared towards children between the ages of 5 and 12, are held on the first Saturday of the month between 9 am and 12 pm at your local store. Children learn do-it-yourself skills and tool safety, and receive a free apron, a commemorative pin, and a certificate of achievement, along with the craft they have completed. For more information, visit their website.

Win It! One of you will win a $50 gift certificate to The Home Depot. Simply browse their online gift section. Then come back and leave me a comment with the gift you’d like to select for that special person in your life. Comments will close on December 23rd at 11:59 PM PST.

US Residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one. Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following (or something like it) “ I just entered a #giveaway to win a @homedepot gift certificate @rockinmama http://tinyurl.com/7lxtekl”

Rockin’ Mama Facebook fans automatically receive an extra entry

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments

Disclosure: This is part of a compensated campaign with Latina Mom Blogger and The Home Depot. The Home Depot works with bloggers such as myself to conduct product reviews. They do not tell bloggers what to say about their products or how to say it. The Home Depot fundamentally believes that people should be free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. The Home Depot often provides product – free of charge – to bloggers for review as they did for this post. The Home Depot’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations. The Home Depot provided me with a gift card to shop for the holidays and post my experience. All opinions expressed in this article are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone.

Toys, toys and more toys! Newpapers, television ads, and stores are filled with educational, electronic, and even eccentric toys, hoping to make it home to a special boy or girl. I peruse the ads and glean wisdom from my children, hoping to pick out a few that they’ll play with beyond Christmas morning. Who better to ask than The Toy Guy? Christopher Byrne, who has become renowned for his education and experience as an expert in kid trends and all aspects (from product development to marketing) of the toy industry, spoke to a few local moms about what he thinks will be some of the hottest toys this season.

For Girls:

Crayola Model Magic Jewelry Boutique

Design and create accessories like bracelets, necklaces and earrings by using the Jewelry Spinner which turns Model Magic into swirled beads.

Why I like it? It allows for children to exercise their creativity, it’s relatively easy to use, and allows for a no-mess, hassle-less clean-up. Bonus: The jewelry looks fabulous!

Lalaloopsy Silly Hair Doll

These modern-ish rag dolls each posses “silly” hair that curls, twists, and straightens. She also comes with a pet, who’s tail, of course, matches her hair.

Why I like it? Another toy that allows for creativity and pretend play.

The downside? Her head is very heavy, making her unsuitable for younger tots.

For Boys:

Redakai

This collectible card game features 3D animation in every card.

Why I like it? This is a modern take on the traditional gard game and I like how it encourages friendly competition and use of strategy. Bonus: No batteries required.

DaGeDar

These hypercharged ball bearings feature bright colors and graphics that are cool-ish/scary-ish. Collect them and race them on the track sets which are also available.

Why I like them? The whole concept of racing balls is just cool…and my four and a half year old will love DaGeDar for that reason.

The downside? The “balls” are small…as in my daughter would likely want to put them in her mouth. So be mindful if you have children under three in the household.

For Both:

InnoTab Learning Tablet

This kid-approved tablet combines interactive animated e-books, tilt-sensor learning games, creative activities, and a host of apps into a tech toy that’s sure to be a hot seller this season.

Why I like it? Endless hours of learning fun. What parent wouldn’t like that? : )

PaperJamz Pro Microphone

Sing like a start with this new microphone that comes loaded with 2 songs and features a variety of voice effects.

Why I like it? It allows children the opportunity to explore their musical side.

Kid-Tough See Yourself Camera

This working digital camera makes it easy for even the smallest of tots to take pictures of themselves, their friends, or their environment. Bonus: It shoots video!

Why I like it? My son can drop it a hundred times and it won’t break. Ever. Maybe he’ll take after mommy and grandpa and develop a passion for photography.

Hundreds of toys are vying for your child’s attention this season. For toy recommendations and reviews, be sure to visit Time to Play.

Win It! I have a $25 Kmart gift card to giveaway to one of you! Simply leave me a comment with your favorite toy recommendation from The Toy Guy. Comments will close on December 24th at 11:59 PM PST.

US Residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one. Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following (or something like it) “ I just entered a #giveaway to win a Kmart gift card @rockinmama http://tinyurl.com/7ultzat #thetoyguy”

Rockin’ Mama Facebook fans automatically receive an extra entry

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments

No compensation was received for this post. Products/Gift Card for review/giveaway provided.

Mompreneur Erin Condren is known for her adorably stylish personalized accessories including stationery and invitations (holiday cards anyone?), lesson planners and notebooks, kid’s journals, book plates, practice pads, growth charts, and more.

Plum District has a fab deal going on October 24th through 30th to help you get your holiday shopping started: $25 for $50 worth of merchandise from Erin Condren.  You can purchase up to 3 to gift or use for yourself.  The only restriction is that you can’t use them on iPhone cases (which are super cute).  Happy shopping!

No compensation was received for this post.

If you’re not quite ready financially to shop for everyone on your list at this moment or you’re concerned that popular items may sell out, you might consider utilizing a Christmas Layaway program. Beginning October 17th, Walmart will offer it’s Christmas Layaway program once again.  Customers can place an eligible item (toys, electronics, jewelry) on layaway by simply putting 10% of the cost down (minimum purchase must be $50 and each item must be $15) plus a $5 service fee. From the time you place the item on layaway until December 16th, you may make payments.  It is important to take note that items must be paid for and picked up by December 16th.

I will be going into my local store to show you exactly how Walmart’s Layaway program works, but if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment.

Disclosure: I participate in the Walmart Moms program and am compensated for my time and honest opinions.

Each day Mom Central will hold a special giveaway along with that day’s guide.  In order to be eligible to win, register on Mom Central, log in, and leave a comment on the post.  If you tweet or email friends about the Gift Guide and giveaways you’ll get an extra entry!  Be sure to enter daily.

By the way, if you haven’t signed up with Mom Central…what are you waiting for?  : )  They rock!

It’s so hard to believe that Christmas is less than one month away!  We’ve been doing some shopping for my son but nothing we buy him is going to top the Toobeez set he received!  Christmas came early for all three of us because we’ve literally been playing with these awesome tinkertoys nonstop!

Toobeez are a life-sized construction building system with a multitude of uses.  Young and old will have fun using them as a toy, an educational tool, a teambuilding prop or even a therapeutic aid.  When I opened the box in front of my son he exclaimed, “Oh wow!” and that’s how I felt too!  My husband and I both were impressed by this open-ended, educational, innovative toy!

The building sets include interlocking tubes and spheres that can be put together to create an endless number of projects.  From simple cube shapes to something as complex as a super jet fighter you’re only limited by your imagination.  I always prefer open-ended toys that foster creativity and encourage learning and skill development.  This is the type of toy that a child can play with for years and still find new ways to play.

We received the 57 piece set which includes 32 tubes, 20 connector hubs, 4 slide-on curtains, a multimedia training CD, and 2 Project Connect Activity Workbooks in a portable carrying bag.  Here are a couple of projects we built together.  We’ve barely skimmed the surface of endless play possibilities!

Playing with Toobeez encourages creative thought, promotes critical thinking, develops coordination and motor skills, enhances problem solving and promotes social play.  I don’t often purchase large, expensive toys for my son because he’ll outgrow them or boredom will drive him to the next most popular toy on the market.  I don’t imagine my son will ever tire of these…and if he does…daddy and I will have fun playing with them!

There are several different kits available for purchase on the site.  Now through December 5 when you purchase the 57 piece kit which retails for $99.99, you’ll receive an extra 15 piece kit (valued at $24.99), the Big Idea Book, and free shipping!

Win It!  I am reluctantly departing with my 15 piece set (it’s still sealed in the box!) because I want one of you to experience Toobeez with your children.  Head on over to the site and take a look around.  Come back here and leave me a comment telling me the first project you will build if you win.  Comments will close on December 23, 2008 at 10 pm PST.  The winner will be chosen on December 24, 2008.  One comment per person, please. US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter.

Blog about this giveaway.  It doesn’t have to be a separate post.  Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Place my button on your site.  If you have difficulty, please let me know.

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