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Doodlebug Dezigns: Giveaway!

January 15, 2010 By 109 Comments

He loves me.  He loves me not.  HE LOVES ME!  Can you believe that Valentine’s Day is just one month from today?  Now is the perfect time to start ordering the perfect photo cards for your friends and planning a romantic outing with your significant other!

doodlebug1My search for creative inspiration (and a chance meeting on Twitter) led me to Doodlebug Dezigns.  Amy, the owner of this photo announcement boutique, creates the most adorable photo Valentine’s Day Cards that I know my friends and family would love to receive.  With cute patterns, quality products and impeccable customer service, sending a card from Doodlebug Dezigns would be a great way to let them know you are thinking of them this February 14th!  My personal favorites are “Love Grows” which features a cozy color palette of hearts (pictured here) and “Sealed with Love” which is perfect for the Little Man in your life with it’s brown and red design!

doodlebug2Not only can you find the perfect Valentine’s Day card to brighten anyone’s day, but Doodblebug Dezigns also carries adorable and creative photo birth announcements!  From boy to girl designs, modern to classic, you will find a card that perfectly suits your new baby.  I wish I would have seen “The Deyton” when sending announcements for my two daughters? How cute is this?!? I mean, who doesn’t love baby feet?  Not quite ready for that bundle of joy?  Check out the unique “Save the Date” engagement announcements or the fun Graduation photo announcements!  Doodlebug Dezigns is your go-to boutique for quality photo announcements and invitations that will make a lasting impression and a great keepsake!

Do you have an upcoming event that could use some Doodlebig Dezigns inspiration?  Amy has generously donated 25 FREE invitations or announcements plus FREE shipping to one lucky Not-So-Blog reader!

How to enter:

1. Visit the Doodlebug Dezigns and tell me which announcement or invitation you would choose!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and (@DoodlebugDezign) on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog and Doodlebug Dezigns on Facebook.

5.  Place my button on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on January 29th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This review is the opinion of The Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product.  We would like to thank Doodlebug Dezigns for being our official sponsor at the Disney Social Media Moms Conference.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , ,

Seeking Conference Sponsorships!

January 15, 2010 By 2 Comments

em-logoAs you know, Experimental Mommy (aka The Not-So-Blog) is a product review blog focusing on baby, kid and Mom based items.  Through my site, women discover and experience the newest mom products and often look to my site for advice and information on “the next big thing.”  With a reader base of 25,000 unique visitors a month, 2100 Twitter followers and 830 Facebook Fans, Experimental Mommy has the capacity to reach thousands of Moms seeking information before making a purchasing decision.

Attending the BlogHer 2009 Conference in Chicago last year was a wonderful experience for me.  Over 1200 Mom bloggers were in attendance, and I learned more than I ever expected.  However, the best part of the trip was beginning a new partnership with another fabulous review blog, Cool Baby Kid.  Cecelia, owner of Cool Baby Kid, and I have begun a new Ad and Review Network called the Double Duty Divas.  With the Divas, we have assembled only the BEST Mom Review Blogs on the Internet in order to reach your specific market.  We organize, plan and implement blog tours for your company (through both product reviews and ad campaigns) and place your product in front of a targeted audience.  The Double Duty Divas are all busy moms who manage their lives while simplifying yours!

ddd-logoIn order to grow the Double Duty Divas and learn how to better serve companies such as yours, Cecelia and I would love to attend the BlogHer 2010 Conference to be held in New York City this August.  In order to defray costs, we are currently seeking corporate sponsors to support our attendance. This sponsorship offer is by invitation only and is limited to only four companies. It’s imperative for us to partner with companies who’s products we truly love because we will not sacrifice our editorial independence, what our audience values most.  For a sponsorship of $450, your company will receive:

1.  A blog post on Experimental Mommy, Cool Baby Kid and Double Duty Divas announcing your sponsorship prior to the event.  This post can include any SEO keywords or product images you desire.  This post can include a product review and/or giveaway if you wish.

2.  Cecelia (@coolbabykid) and I (@BridgetteLA) will tweet to our over 4,000 Followers facts about your company and products before and during the Conference.

3.  FREE sidebar advertising (125×125 banner ad) on Experimental Mommy, Cool Baby Kid and Double Duty Divas for 6 months.

4.  Every blog post published on Experimental Mommy, Cool Baby Kid and Double Duty Divas during the Conference period (August 5-7) will include a tagline such as, “This post is sponsored by ###.”  It will include a link to your company as well.

5.  Double Duty Divas will waive the campaign fee and run a blog tour of your product on up to 5 of our networked blogs.

By sponsoring our trip to BlogHer 2010, we are looking to develop a much deeper relationship with you than just selling passive advertising. This means we are genuinely passionate about your products, and we want to communicate that passion at various times to our readers and partners.

If you are interested in this sponsorship opportunity or have any questions, please contact me at notsoblog (at) gmail (dot) com!

Filed Under: My So-Called Life Tagged With: ,

Experience the Romance of Branson!

January 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hiltons of Branson. All opinions are 100% mine.

In April, my husband and I will be celebrating our 10th wedding Anniversary!  We have started talking about various ways to celebrate and we decided that we definitely want to take a trip together….alone….without kids.  When my oldest daughter was 5 months old, my husband and I spent one night away from her for my birthday and we haven’t been alone since!  It is well overdue!

hiltonWe have been searching online for different destinations as we want to go somewhere that neither one of us has ever visited.  Maybe Branson, Missouri?  The Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel are offering an exclusive Romance Package that sounds quite nice!

Included in the package is sparkling wine or cider upon arrival, access to the hotel health club, pool and whirlpool spa, a full American breakfast for two in your room, and more!  You can also take pleasure in the Hilton Bed and Breakfast Package and enjoy the comfort of the Hiltons of Branson plus a personalized Hilton Breakfast for two all weekend long!

Branson is the entertainment capital of the Midwest and the hotels are situated within easy access to shops, boutiques, restaurants, a river walk and other attractions. My husband would love to visit the new Payne Stewart Golf Club, managed by Hilton, which is close by and features hole after hole of breathtaking scenery.  For me, the hotels are located close to 49 live entertainment theaters.

While we haven’t decided on where we will go for our special day, we both had to admit that Branson sounds like fun!

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Filed Under: Promotions

Help Musselman’s fight Breast Cancer! Giveaway!

January 14, 2010 By 189 Comments

Musselman’s is back in 2010 on The Not-So-Blog with a great giveaway that not only warms your body, but feeds hope to those fighting breast cancer.  In a campaign which launched January 1st during Brian Boitano’s Skating Spectacular, Musselman’s unveils it’s pink ribbon package and explains how you can help!  From the press release:

“To start the year off with a giving spirit, we’re donating ten cents to the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) for every package of Musselman’s Natural Apple Sauce purchased in the month of January. The NBCF is dedicated to raising awareness of breast cancer through education and by providing mammograms for those in need.”

Peggy Fleming, award-winning figure skater, shares her experience with breast cancer, the importance of early detection and more details about this campaign with a cause in the following video:

Musselman’s markets a 48oz pink ribbon package of applesauce that is perfect to use in various recipes.  I can personally vouch for the fact that these Good Morning Muffins are delicious!

Want to use Musselman’s applesauce to warm your body this winter?  One Not-So-Blog reader will win a 48oz. pink ribbon jar of Musselman’s applesauce!!

How to enter:

1. Visit the Musselman’s product page and tell me one product you would love to try!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog and Musselman’s on Facebook.

5.  Place my button on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on January 31st. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This review is the opinion of The Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. Thank you to Musselman’s who provided the product for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , , , ,

Musicolor: Review and Giveaway

January 13, 2010 By 268 Comments

hypothesis Musicolor will be a fun to encourage Lily’s creative spirit by allowing her to color, create and listen to music at the same time!

materials

One Musicolor system, several pre-lined paper discs, music note markers and an eager (almost) 5 year old. About Musicolor by Delta Creative:

musicolor“Musicolor is a display of innovative technology mixed with a classic coloring activity. The music player unit is modeled after the classic record player, the technology, however, is anything but classic.

The Musicolor music player consists of a rotating base and an arm for reading the music discs, much the same as a DVD player reads a DVD. The arm scans over the colored areas of the music disc rotating on the music player, reads the color and translates it to sound. The player also has three piano, violin and trumpet.

Using the pre-printed coloring discs, simply color in the spaces according to the letter printed in the area, when you are done, the disc will play the song for the scene you have just colored! If you really want to be creative, use the blank song discs and create your own songs from scratch!”

results

My oldest daughter loves to be creative!  From molding clay to dancing, she loves to be artistic.  But, among all the creative activities, she probably enjoys coloring the most.  However, coloring can get repetitive quickly if there is not a brand new coloring book on hand.  But, there the innovative people over at Delta Creative came up with a new way to re-invent coloring…..adding music!

Discs that resemble paper records have pre-printed designs and are labelled much like “color by numbers.”  The sections are labelled with a letter that corresponds to the appropriate Musical Note Marker.  After the entire disc is colored, the arm of the player will “read” the colors like musical notes and play a favorite tune!

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Lily really enjoyed this toy!  At first, she wanted to color the whole disc quickly so she could hear the song, so she colored the whole thing green.  Much to her dissappointment, the disc only played one song and did not reward her with the correct tune.  She quickly learned that she had to match the disc sections with musical note markers (very good to reinforce letter recognition!) if she wanted to listen to the correct song.  The discs do have many sections, so I helped her complete the disc which also provided some wonderful quality time!

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The Musicolor toy accomplished it’s intended goal by combining color with music in order to encourage creativity in young ones.  However, I feel like it also developed a sense of patience and attention to detail as Lily wanted to hear the correct song play.  Right now, the Musicolor can be purchased for $39.99 at Target.

Would your child like to get creative with Musicolor?  One lucky reader will win a Musicolor system of their very own!

How to enter:

1. Visit the Delta Creative product page and tell me another item your kids would love to own!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog on Facebook.

5. Place my blog banner on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on January 30th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This product review is the opinion of the Experimental Mommy.  Others may have a different experience.  Musicolor supplied me with a unit for review, but all opinions are 100% mine.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , ,

Nature’s Peak Frozen Food: Review and Giveaway

January 13, 2010 By 105 Comments

hypothesis Nature’s Peak Frozen Fruit will be a great and convenient way to make a healthy snack for my daughters and ensure they are getting a full serving of fruit in their diets.

materials

One package of Berry Quartet, one package of Sun-Riped Trio, a recipe for a delicious Creamy Berry smoothie, and two hungry girls.  About Nature’s Peak Frozen Foods:

naturespeak“Nature’s Peak™ frozen fruit is a premium frozen fruit line that is committed to offering the highest quality and best tasting fruit to our consumers. This commitment requires a journey that begins with the premium fruit, picked at the peak of ripeness. Our fruit is then flash frozen to lock-in the wholesome goodness that is only found in vine ripened fruit. This process preserves the flavor, color and nutrients until it is ready to be consumed by you. We take great care in meticulously monitoring the journey from when the fruit is picked, frozen, and packed to when it leaves our hands and arrives at your local grocery. We take great pride in knowing that however you choose to use our product, from snacking to smoothies to baking, we have helped you achieve the best possible result.”

results

With my busy schedule, I am always trying to find quick and easy recipes for lunch, dinner and healthy snacks.  My girls actually love fruit, but I don’t always have time to prepare them in new ways to keep it fun so I find that we waste more fruit that we should.

naturespeakbagAt the beginning of this review, I was excited about trying out Nature’s Peak Frozen Fruit because I thought it would be a easy way to serve fruit without wasting, but I was skeptical about how frozen fruit would taste.  We received a bag of the Sun-Riped Trio which contained frozen peaches, strawberries and mangos and the Berry Quartet which included blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries.

I immediately went to the Nature’s Peak site to find some great recipes to try and we decided on the Creamy Berry Smoothie.  We simply added 1 cup of Berry Quartet, 1/2 cup of frozen vanilla yogurt and 1/3 of a cup of apple juice and blended until smooth.  Tada!  Done!  It was absolutely delicious!  And I was glad that my girls not only got the fruit they love, but the Quartet was able to sneak in a fruit they don’t normally care for, blackberries!

Creamy-Berry-Smoothie

hypothesis

Nature’s Peak Frozen Fruit was convenient, nutritious and delicious!  The packages come in fruit medley and single fruit varieties and are great for ice cream toppings, smoothies and more!  I would definitely buy this product again.  Currently, this brand can only be found in the following locations: Florida (All Regions), New England (All Regions), New Jersey (All Regions), Maryland (All Regions), Virginia (All Regions), Washington (Seattle Area), Oregon (Portland Area), California (Los Angeles, San Jose Areas), Arizona (Phoenix Area), North Carolina (South West Area), South Carolina (North West Area), Georgia (South East and North East Areas), Missouri (Northern Area), Louisiana (New Orleans Area)and Arkansas (Little Rock Area).

Would you like to try Nature’s Peak Frozen Fruit?  Two lucky readers will receive on coupon for a FREE package!

How to enter:

1. Visit the Nature’s Peak Frozen Foods and tell me which product you would buy with your FREE coupon!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog on Facebook.

5. Place my blog banner on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on January 28th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Nature’sPeak and received a sample to facilitate my candid review as well as two coupons to giveaway. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , , ,

Wordless Wednesday

January 12, 2010 By 6 Comments
candle2

In Memory of Karissa from PrissyGreen. Our community will miss you.

Filed Under: Wordless Wednesday Tagged With:

Fight the Cold and Flu Season with Triaminic! Giveaway!

January 12, 2010 By 111 Comments

One thing every parent dreads is to see their little one suffering from cold and flu symptoms.  For me, motherly instinct takes over and I try everything possible to make my daughters more comfortable until the cold or flu runs it’s course.  One of the weapons in my arsenal in Triaminic Thin Strips.  For my four year old, this is my “go-to” medicine and it has been recommended to me by our Family Pediatrician.  About Triaminic:

triaminiclogo“Although Triaminic products have been reformulated over the years, our commitment to treating children’s cough and cold symptoms has remained consistent.  Triaminic has also been a leading innovator when it comes to safe use of children’s medicine, and was the first brand to introduce children’s cough & cold Triaminic Thin Strips® in 2004. Triaminic Thin Strips® helps to ensure accurate dosing by providing a pre-measured amount of medicine in each strip. Triaminic Thin Strips® dissolves right on the tongue, and is convenient and easy to use.

Triaminic® products are safe and effective when used as directed and have been used to relieve children’s cough and cold symptoms for more than 50 years. We care about your children’s safety and want to assure you that you can continue to use Triaminic® products as directed for your children age 4 and older.”

Once your child starts with the sniffles, when do you make the decision to keep them home from school or daycare?  Triaminic has partnered with the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) to create Sick Day Guidelines. I know my daughter’s daycare follows many of these guidelines including the fact that children should be fever free WITHOUT the benefit of medication for 24 hours before returning to school.  You can also check out the Cold and Flu Tracker to see which symptoms are showing up in your area.

It’s always a good idea to keep some medicines on hand during cold and flu season.  Feel free to download and print the following coupon in order to receive $1.50 off any Triaminic product!

Do you need to stock up? Triaminic has generously donated FOUR boxes of Triaminic Thin Strips (14 strips in each box) to one lucky Not-So-Blog reader!

How to enter:

1. Visit Triaminic and tell me which product you need to stock up on!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA)  on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog on Facebook.

5. Place my blog banner on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on January 29th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This review is the opinion of The Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. Thank you to Triaminic who provided the product for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , ,

Coffee for Less: Keurig K-Cup Giveaway

January 11, 2010 By 349 Comments

With the onset of the wintery temperatures down here in the South, I find myself reaching for more hot beverages than I normally would!  My husband and I own a Keurig Platinum, and have gone through several boxes of K-cups in a short period of time including coffee, hot chocolate and tea.

If your family is anything like mine, it never hurts to have more Keurig K-cups in your pantry for those cold winter nights (and mornings!).  I had such a great time working with Coffee for Less in December, that I am excited to welcome them back with a new January giveaway!  About Coffee For Less:

coffeeless“Coffee For Less.com is an Internet coffee shop for your home, office or restaurant. For the past 25 years Coffee Serv Inc. of Philadelphia has established the reputation of being the preeminent office and restaurant coffee provider in the Greater Delaware Valley. Founded as a family business by Jack and Lynn Kirshner, Coffeeserv Inc. has grown to become the largest Office Coffee Service provider in Philadelphia. Our coffee Blends include Millstone, Starbucks, Green Mountain, Barrie House and our own blend, just to name a few. We also carry the leading Tea brands in the country. Celestial Seasoning, Bigelow, Tazo and Tetley offer a wide variety of flavors and blends to meet any particular liking.”

Coffee People OrganicThis time, Coffee for Less is offering one lucky Not-So-Blog reader one 24 count pack of the Coffee People Organic Coffee (Dark)! Coffee People Organic are 100% organically grown espresso blend is sweet, intense and smooth made to set the senses into a pleasure of strong three-bean joy!

How to enter:

1. Visit Coffee For Less and tell me a flavor of coffee you would love to try!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and Coffee for Less (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and Coffee For Less on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog and Coffee For Less on Facebook.

5. Sign up for the Coffee For Less email newsletter.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on January 25th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This review is the opinion of The Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. Thank you to Coffee For Less who provided the product for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , , ,

Softlips: Review and Giveaway

January 11, 2010 By 238 Comments

hypothesis Softlips lip protectant with SPF 20 will be a great way to shield my lips from the arctic blast we have received here in the South the last few days while being convenient to carry and tasting great, too!

materials

Limited Edition holiday varieties of Softlips including Sugar Cookie, Sugar Plum Berry, Winter Mint and Sugar and Spice, insanely cold temperatures, and my dry lips.  About Softlips winter flavors:

softlipslogo“Softlips new limited edition winter flavors- Winter Mint, Sugar Cookie, Sugar Plum Berry, and Sugar & Spice will bring the sweet taste of the winter to you. Each winter flavor comes paired with a complimentary Softlips® favorite lip balm for a suggested retail price of $2.99 to $3.99 for the dual-stick pack. Now through out the winter season, the limited addition flavors Sugar Plum Berry and Sugar & Spice are available nationwide at Target, and Winter Mint and Sugar Cookie are available nationwide at Walgreens.“

results

This Southern girl is NOT used to the frigid temperatures blanketing Louisiana and my body is rebelling for sure!  My hands and feet are dry, my skin is itchy and my lips are peeling….not a pretty site!  I am doing my best to cover myself in lotion, but my lips need moisture therapy, too!

softlips2

Softlips has been a wonderful tool to help protect my lips from the wintery weather!  I received all of the new winter flavors of Softlips and couldn’t wait to try them out!  The first one I tried is the Sugar and Spice variety and I just fell in love!  First of all, the tube is skinny and easily carried in my jean pocket or in my purse,  Secondly, it smells divine!  And finally, it goes on incredibly smooth and light.

I am not a fan of lip plumpers because I do not like to be “aware” of my lips.  While Softlips is not a plumper, it does have a very slight tingly sensation when first applied.  This actually felt refreshing and didn’t bother me in the least.

hypothesis

I love my Softlips!  The lip protectant glides on my lips and stays put for quite some time without reapplication.  I am so satisfied with this product (and it’s low price!) that I would definitely consider purchasing more.  Did you know they have a 100% natural lip balm?  Lips need some color?  Check out the Tinted Lip Conditioners! 

Do you need some lip therapy this winter?  Softlips has generously offered one Not-So-Blog reader THREE of the winter flavors including Sugar & Spice, Sugar Plum Berry and Wintermint.

How to enter:

1. Visit the Softlips and tell me which winter flavor you can’t wait to try!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and SoftLips on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog and SoftLips on Facebook.

5. Place my blog banner on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on January 28th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This review is the opinion of The Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. Thank you to Softlips who provided the product for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , ,
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