Review and Giveaway: Pony Sisters Ponchos

Last week we got something in the mail that I was so so excited about. Pony Sisters Ponchos turned my sweet Little AG into the most adorable version of little red riding hood EVER! We got this awesome red fleece poncho for Little AG to try out and we just love it (and she loves how it flies behind her when she runs!). Even though the product was developed in Seattle (brrrrr) the fleece is actually the perfect material for our relatively warm weather year-round here in Louisiana. Rare is the day when we need something other than a light jacket (it's SO depressing, really) so this is the perfect way to keep her warm. She can't take it off, but it also doesn't bother her like a jacket would because it's not bulky and doesn't get in the way. Oh, and have I mentioned how irresistibly cute it is? I'm just sayin'.

Some cool things about Pony Sisters Ponchos that you should know: It is a mom-owned, mom-developed, and mom-run company (I love Mompreneurs!). The idea for their ponchos came about because the owner's daughter hated to wear jackets. Her mom sewed her a fleece poncho to wear to keep her warm, and they started getting stopped everywhere they went to ask where they got it. (Because, as I have already mentioned, it is so stinkin' cute!) It was one of those "ah ha!" moments, and the idea for Pony Sisters Ponchos was born.

Oh yeah, it even has pockets on the inside of the poncho to keep little hands warm. Even cooler, the pockets aren't visible from the outside of the poncho, so it makes you feel all secret-agent-like. Little AG has just recently discovered the joy of pockets, so this has provided lots of entertainment for us.

The ponchos are extremely well made and look very professional. I can say with 100% certainty that I know you will love these ponchos as much as we do. When Little AG grows out of her small, we are promptly buying a Medium, and then the rest of the sizes. I can already tell that this will be one of our wardrobe staples!

Ok, gush gush gush. Gushing is complete. How about winning one? Would you like that? I thought you might. Just follow these easy-peasy rules below to enter:

• Head over to Pony Sisters Ponchos and pick out your favorite poncho. Then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me which one you would love to have for the little poncho-wearer in your life!
  
• Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
• Blog about this giveaway and link back here. Tell me about it in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my RSS feed via email or in a reader and tell me about it in a separate post.
  
• Stumble my main webpage (www.chicshopperchick.com) and leave me your Stumble Upon name in a separate post.
• Favorite Chic Shopper Chick on Technorati (there is a "Fave this Blog" button in my right sidebar) and let me know about it in a in a separate post.
• Add me to your blog roll. Not just my button in your sidebar, I'd love to be on your blog roll! Let me know about it in a separate post!

That's it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.

Oh, and psssst -- have you heard about our Pink Dyson Giveaway? There is still time to enter! You can also win a copy of the Naked Brothers Band Season 2, or a complete Holiday Card Package from Tiny Prints.

US entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you'd like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contests ends at 11:59 pm CST on October 30th, 2008.

We could all use a little Pixie Dust!

As a little girl I used to love watching Peter Pan -- and of course, the "little green fairy" Tinkerbell was my ultimate favorite! I'm thrilled that now Little AG will be enchanted by the same characters as I was as a child, and this first film in a series of new releases that feature the Disney Fairies does just that!

Fulfilling the dreams of every little girl (and even a few moms!) who has ever wanted her own pair of fairy wings, Tinkerbell flies onto DVD and Blu-Ray disc and into your living rooms starting this Tuesday, October 28th. Every fairy is born with a very special talent, and this movie is about Tinkerbell feeling like her ability to make things "tinker" isn't as special as the talents that the other fairies have. However, with the help of some of her other fantastic friends in Pixie Hollow, Tinkerbell finally begins to realize that the best gift of all is simply the ability to be herself! Little AG was completely captivated (and completely still!) when this movie started, and I had to tear her away for bathtime.

Ok, my personal favorite part about this movie may be something that you haven't even considered -- we hear Tinkerbell speak. I'm not sure if you realize it, but Tinkerbell has never offically uttered a word, so this was a real treat. An all-star cast has lended their voices to this full-length film, with Mae Whitman as Tinkerbell and with America Ferrara, Raven-Symone', Kristin Chenowith, and Lucy Liu rounding out the cast as the other fairies! Grab the kiddos and come check out the sneak previews below and then try telling me that, even as an adult, you aren't pretty excited about seeing this one.






The DVD and Blu-Ray Disc will both be released this Tuesday, so be sure to go pick up your copy to start your new Disney Fairy Movie Collection. The suggested retail for the DVD is $29.99 and for the Blu-Ray Disc is $34.99 and you can find your your copy of TinkerBell on Amazon.

Get Girly with Fancy Nancy!

When I was in France this summer I came across some children's books for Little AG that I loved. They were girly and sparkly -- perfect for my little girly girl. Called "Lilo, Trop Chou" (Lilo, too cool) it wasn't until I arrived back in the states that I realized that this book was simply a french translation of the Fancy Nancy series by Jane O'Connor. We love these books, they are fantastic. Fancy Nancy and I share a love of all things girly, and french!

Being a Fancy Nancy fan, I was excited to try out the new board game by Briarpatch. Called the Posh Bedroom game, Fancy Nancy's bedroom is in need of a makeover. Their website says "You will flip over helping Fancy Nancy transform her bedroom from plain to posh! Bring in her boas, ribbons, tiaras and other fancy accessories....the first player to complete the posh bedroom makeover,wins!"

The game is a lot of fun, though it is definitely geared for the older set (the game is aged 5+). I feel like younger kids may have a harder time catching on at first. However, once you get the hang of it, it's a blast playing with all of the fun accessories. And moms, this is one game that you might not mind having to play over and over! My favorite part is, hands down, all of the fun and girly artwork!

The Fancy Nancy Posh Bedroom game can be purchased directly from the Briarpatch website for $20.99. It would make a great gift for Christmas or for all the Fancy Nancy fans in your life!

Win it! The folks over at Briarpatch have graciously agreed to offer a copy of Fancy Nancy's Posh Bedroom Game to one lucky Chic Shopper Chick reader! To enter, follow the easy-peasy rules below:

• Visit the Briarpatch website and come back here and tell me what your favorite item is from there (besides this one!)
  
• Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
• Blog about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.
• Stumble my main webpage (not this post please, but www.chicshopperchick.com) and leave me your Stumble Upon name in a separate post.
• Favorite Chic Shopper Chick on Technorati (there is a "Fave this Blog" button in my right sidebar) and let me know about it in a in a separate post.
• Add me to your blog roll. Not just my button in your sidebar, I'd love to be on your blog roll! Let me know about it in a separate post!

That's it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.

US entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you'd like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contests ends at 11:59 pm CST on October 22nd, 2008.

It's Easy Being Green!

While I was in NYC this weekend for the Hot Blogger Calendar Shoot, I managed to get in a little shopping (I'm sure you're totally not surprised). I did go to some stores for me, but I of course had to stop off at this little place you may have heard of -- FAO Schwarz -- to look around for a little gift for my sweet little girl!

When I was there, I found these rather awesome toys made entirely from recycled milk containers -- they are called Green Toys. They are completely BPA and Phthalate free, and they are adorable! Even the packaging is "green" and I love that! Little AG is just getting to the stage where she wants to be like mommy, so she can play for a good 30 minutes with a bowl and a whisk. Really, these toys are perfect for the age she is now, and I get the feeling they will hold up for "pretend" play for years to come.


We love the Tea Set, and it's perfect for Little AG because she can serve "tea" to all of her stuffed friends! My other favorite is definitely the cookware set -- good for boys and girls alike! What about you -- what is your favorite toy from Green Toys?

You don't have to live in NYC to enjoy these awesome toys! They are available nationwide in Toys R Us and Whole Foods stores as well as some other smaller boutiques! I think these would make a great Christmas gift, plus it gives you the opportunity to teach your kids about being responsible consumers!

PS -- Wanna win one? Green Toys is giving away one of their fantastic Tea Sets in conjunction with the release of the 2008 Holiday Gift Guide here on Chic Shopper Chick. Stay tuned for details on how you can win one during the month of November!

Organized? Who me?

I recently had the opportunity to review one of those products that make you go "Where has this been all my life?!?!" It is the product to have for all of you receipt stuffers -- you know who you are. You're the ones who, after checking out at Target and dealing with a screaming toddler(s) just grabs the receipt from the lady and shoves it haphazardly into your purse/wallet/toddler's mouth. Then you stop somewhere else on the way home and that receipt from that purchase ends up in the same place, so now you have two squished and crumpled receipts. Then later, said toddler gets a hold of your wallet while you're in the shower and when you walk back into the living room, those receipts plus all of your credit cards are strewn about your living room. You're busy, of course, so you just shove everything on the floor back into your purse, completely forgoeing the wallet this time.

Hm, I wonder if that's how the leaf from my houseplant and some dog food ended up in the bottom of my purse?

Well, if the above description sounds like you, then I think you'd like Neat Receipts. On the other hand, if you are on the polar opposite side of that story and you are so particular that your receipts would have been filed neatly into your receipt drawer when you got home, well then we can't be friends you'll really love Neat Receipts.

Neat Receipts takes all of your receipts, big, small, crumpled and tall (long really, but tall rhymed and you can't expect me to pass that up) and scans them into your computer for you. Then, not only do you have a copy of your receipt, but Neat Receipts takes the info from the scan and puts it all into nicely fileable fields. It even puts it into a category for you, like gas, so you can be depressed over see how much you spend on that item each month, week, or for the year. Cool huh?

I fed my Neat Receipts scanner every crumpled and faded receipt I could find and it still picked up almost all of the information without much help from me. The scanner itself is lightweight and easy to store or bring with you when needed. It is powered off of a USB cable, so there is no bulky power supply to tote, either. It even scans documents (we're not just talking receipts here, people) straight into a PDF file, which is quite a useful feature - especially for e-documents and other things that you are supposed to "print and save for your records".

You can buy Neat Receipts right from their website. There are two difference versions, one for Windows and one for Mac. I have the version for Mac, which supposedly doesn't have as many options as the one for Windows, but honestly I didn't notice any features that were missing from mine. The version for Windows is $149.95 and the Advanced Release for Mac is $179.95.

So tell me, what do you think? Is this something you could use at your home or office?

CSC Review and Giveaway: My Friends Tigger and Pooh DVD

This contest is now closed. Please check out our contests and giveaways page for the most current giveaways here on Chic Shopper Chick!

Not sure if I've mentioned it before, but Little AG is pretty much in love with Tigger. It all started as an accident, when I brought home a stuffed Tigger one day when she was around 6 months old. She had tons of other stuffed animals, including lots of cutsey pink poodles, ducks, and bears (oh my!) but Tigger was the one that she clung to. We've now expanded our brood of Tiggers to include a wet Tigger (for the bathtub), a smaller beanbag tigger, a key chain tigger, a mini Tigger, a bouncing Tigger, a fuzzy Tigger, and of course, the ever-present original Tigger (and possibly the dirtiest one of them all). And that is the honest truth, no exaggerations. Our child can spot a Tigger from across a crowded room - she just loves that stripedy guy!

Last April we were flipping through the channels on the TV when we noticed a tv show called "My Friends Tigger and Pooh" on Playhouse Disney. When Little AG saw her favorite guy on TV, she danced, squeaked, squealed, and clapped. I had never seen her so excited. (In fact, she loved it so much, that when friends and family came over, we put the show on so that they could watch her reaction.) Fast forward to September, and as you can imagine, I can sing the entire theme song to the show (and frequently do - much to her delight!).

I'll admit it, it's a funny show. Often times I find myself watching and listening too, and I've even been known to rewind it to show hubby a funny part. The writing is clever and the lessons are good. The premise is that Tigger and Pooh, along with their friend Darby, solve various mysteries in the Hundred Acre Wood. The mysteries are things like, wanting to paint something purple and not having purple paint (they eventually mix colors), finding a lost dog, or how to cure Tigger's hiccups. The mystery-solving team is called the Super Sleuths, and they even have their own oath ("Anytime, any place, the Super Sleuths are on the case!").

Today we received a copy of the "My Friends Tigger and Pooh, Hundred Acre Haunt" DVD. It's just in time for our trip to Disney at the end of this month! It's also just in time to get you and your little ones excited about all the great fall holidays! The DVD has 3 complete episodes (a total of 6 storylines in all). I put in the DVD this morning, and Little AG cuddled up on the couch with one of her Tiggers and a stuffed Pooh, and watched one of the episodes. Ok, I'll admit, I watched too.

You can buy your very own copy of "My Friends Tigger and Pooh, Hundred Acre Haunt" on Amazon.com for $14.99.

Win it! Would you like to win your very own copy of this DVD? Follow the easy-peasy rules below to enter!

• Leave a comment telling me who this DVD is for and which Disney TV show or characters your children/grandchildren/nieces/nephews like best.
  
• Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
• Blog about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.
• Stumble my main webpage (not this post please, but www.chicshopperchick.com) and leave me your Stumble Upon name in a separate post.
• Favorite Chic Shopper Chick on Technorati. There is a button in my right sidebar, and let me know about it in a in a separate post.
• Add me to your blog roll. Not just my button in your sidebar, I'd love to be on your blog roll! Let me know about it in a separate post!

That's it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.

US entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you'd like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contests ends at 11:59 pm CST on September 17th, 2008.

CSC Review and Giveaway: Mabel's Labels

This contest is now closed. Please check out our contests page for the most recent contests and giveaways.


I took Little AG to play at an indoor playground the other day, and it was one of those places where you set your kid's shoes in one of those shoe holders right inside the door -- along with the other 100 pairs of shoes from the other kids. Well, Little AG rarely wears shoes anyway, so I actually managed to leave the place and go to lunch and never realize we were missing them. When I went back to look for them, they were easy to spot among the other 100, because the bright purple labels inside of them clearly had Little AG's name printed on them, along with a sweet little butterfly.

Don't start thinking that I'm all clever-like, and that I had developed a way to keep track of her stuff, or that I had purchased some sort of special shoes for her with her name in them. Nope, it's much more simple than that. Mabel's Labels, a great company out of Canada, had shipped us a bevy of labels for everything under the sun. We have the multi-purpose labels as well, which we stuck on her sippy cups so that they wouldn't get mixed up at playdates. They have been through the dishwasher multiple times, and they have really held up. I like to say that they "take a lickin' and keep on stickin'". But, that's just me. It's ok, I revel in my cheesyness.

Mabel's Sticky Labels and Skinny-Minis™ can be used for toys, dishes, bottles and more. Shoe Labels are extra tough and fit nicely on the insole of boots, shoes and more. Bag Tags are sturdy metal tags that are perfect for labeling school bags, diaper bags and other luggage. Their labels are designed to deliver maximum durability - they will withstand the dishwasher, microwave and UV rays for years to come.


Win It! Mabel's Labels has graciously offered one lucky CSC reader a chance to win the Ultimate Back-to-School Combo Pack - ($39.00 value!) for a pack of 40 Skinny-Minis™, 50 Tag-Mates™, 16 Shoe Labels, and 2 Bag Tags. The winner can choose their color combination - True Blue: berry blue, ocean blue, sky blue. Juicy Citrus: orange, lemon, lime. Tickled Pink. Pack in Black

To win, just follow the easy peasy rules below:

• Visit Mabel's Labels and come back here to leave a comment on this post telling me which of their other great products you think you would use the most.
  
• Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
• Blog about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.
• Stumble my main webpage (not this post please, but www.chicshopperchick.com) and leave me your Stumble Upon name in a separate post.
• Favorite Chic Shopper Chick on Technorati. There is a button in my right sidebar, and let me know about it in a in a separate post.
• Add me to your blog roll. Not just my button in your sidebar, I'd love to be on your blog roll! Let me know about it in a separate post!

That's it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.

US entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you'd like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contests ends at 11:59 pm CST on September 11th, 2008.

Attention all passengers...

Remember a while back, I told you about a Flight Restraint System for children who have their own seat? It's called the CARES harness, and it is a great solution to lugging a car seat on a plane. But what about for children who don't have their own seat? I know Little AG is still under 2 years old, and the reason we can afford to go to some of the places that we do with her is because we don't have to purchase a seat for her, because she can ride as a lap child.

But what about restraints in the air? You wouldn't ride in a car without your child being restrained, so why should it be any different in the air? As a matter of fact, 90 percent of all injuries that happen on commercial flights are sustained while the plane is in the air. But what about your baby, your most precious cargo?

Baby B'Air makes a vest that essentially fits over your child, and then secures them to your lap belt. It isn't approved for take-off and landing, but it is meant to avoid those injuries that specifically can occur once the plane is airborne. It also helps to keep a wiggling child better restrained and out of the lap of the person next to you. (You may laugh, but Little AG has tried this before.) It is FAA approved too, so no snooty flight attendant can tell you that you aren't allowed to use it in-flight (my apologies to all of the non-snooty flight attendants out there - I realize it's not a characteristic of all of you!) Just keep the card that came with the vest with you when you fly, so that you can prove you are allowed to use it!

You can purchase the Baby B'Air online for $34.95. I truly feel that this is a must-have item for anyone who travels by air with their child on their lap. Plus, with the $200 or so that you save on a plane ticket, I really feel that the Baby B'Air is a minimal investment for the safety of your child, don't you agree?

What do you think? Do you travel frequently? Have you ever traveled with your baby on your lap? Do you think you would use the Baby B'Air?

Note to Self

This contest is now CLOSED!

Ok, it's just a coincidence that I'm reviewing two books this week, but I just couldn't wait any longer to tell you about this book!

It's called Note to Self: On Keeping a Journal and Other Dangerous Pursuits and it is written with the kind of charm and poise that I only wish came across in my writing! Not only that, but it's written about writing.

This is the second book written by author Samara O'Shea, the first one being For the Love of Letters, a book about the seemingly long-lost art of letter writing. Note to Self, however, focuses on something a little closer to my heart -- writing journals and blogs. A "journalist" I am, so to speak, in the sense that I have kept a journal since I was little, writing down the slightest of things. I understand when O'Shea speaks of the pull, the draw of a brand new journal, and the pressure to write something incredibly profound on those first few pages. However, reading her journal entry from when she was a mere 16 puts all of my entries to shame. Don't let her fool you, she has always had a knack for writing, a thing for words.

There is a section here for bloggers, as blogging is the new-age form of journaling in a sense. As O'Shea says, blogging is more structured than a journal entry, but not quite an article. A blogger herself, she understands what it takes to be a blogger, and to be blogged about. It's nice to be recognized as something legitimate on paper, don't you think? But she also recognizes that blogging is a personal rush. To have your words unedited, changed by no one before they are published.

My favorite aspect of this book is that O'Shea encourages you to make mistakes. To play with words even if you know that grammatically it is not even close to being correct. To write in a stream of consciousness. Overall, she inspires you to be a better writer, for no one else but yourself. This is not a book you choose to read for professional reasons, but for those that are so personal, you dare not share them.

You can pick up a copy of Samara O'Shea's Note to Self on Amazon.com for $13.57

Win it! I have an extra copy of Note to Self that I'm willing to giveaway to one lucky reader! To enter, follow the easy-peasy rules below!

• Leave a comment on this post telling me why you would like to have a copy of this book.
  
• Please leave a valid email address if you would like to be contacted if you win. Otherwise, winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch.
• If the winner does not respond within 72 hours I will choose a different winner.
• US entries only please!!!
• Earn extra credit! Choose one of the following for ONE extra credit entry. Any further attempts to woo me will be disqualified!
• Place my CSC button in your sidebar and tell me about it in a separate post.
• Stumble my homepage (http://www.chicshopperchick.com) and let me know about it in a separate post with your StumleUpon name too.

That's it! This contest will end at 11:59 pm on August 20th. Good luck!

CSC Review and Giveaway: Ju Ju Be "BeLight"

This contest has now ended. Please check out our contest page for our current contests and giveaways.

The search has ended. I've found IT. The queen of all diaper bags. The Big Kahuna. The whole enchilada. The...well, the other clever stuff I can't think of. You get the point.

This is it.

It's called the WannaBe, and frankly it's because all other diaper bags WannaBe just like it.

This is a diaper bag that seems like it is especially geared towards being at the beach or the pool, because it is totally summer inspired. There is a soft-lined iPod pocked with a little place for your headphones to stick out of without having to unzip the picket. There is a mini-cooler pocket that is fully insulated and is bigger than some those portable ice chests. There are two transparent zippered "mess shuttle" accessory bags to keep wet bathing suits in, and a pocket on the outside that is just perfect to carry a couple of magazines and a book.

You know, even if I didn't have a kiddo I would still rock this bag at the beach. It even has plush padded backpack straps (completely removable), a towel strap on the OUTSIDE of the bag (that way it doesn't take up precious interior room), plus, it has this really awesome Sand Trap™ at the bottom -- you unzip the solid bottom of the bag to reveal a second, mesh layered bottom where all of the sand (or cracker crumbs in our case) can fall through and be shaken out of the bottom WITHOUT having to take everything out.

That's my favorite part, actually. The Sand Trap. Wouldn't it be nice if every bag had those?

Is the WannaBe looking cool to you but maybe a bit too roomy? Check out the BeLight, the lightest diaper bag on the market -- weighing in at a mere 6.4 ounces. This is nice for those quick trips to a friends house or to a playdate where you don't need to bring the kitchen sink with you but still need a few important essentials. I especially like that the strap can be tied in different ways to make the bag longer or shorter depending on your preference. Don't worry though, at 6.4 ounces, it's still has it's own changing pad, a zippered pocket, a divided pocket, and is completely reversible!

These bags are both made by one of the coolest companies on the market, Ju Ju Be. They really make quality products (remember these really awesome stroller clips that I talked about in April?) that still have nice little touches. I love the rhinestones on the zipper pulls and on the buckles of the bag. As the expression goes, it's all in the details!

The WannaBe retails for $165 and the BeLight retails for $35.

Win it! Win your very own BeLight! To enter, follow the rules below!

(If you don't win the BeLight here on CSC, Ju Ju Be gives one away EACH week in their Pink Room, so head on over and check it out!)

• Go look at the different color options of the BeLight and come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me what color you would choose (OFFICIAL COLOR NAMES ONLY PLEASE)!
  
• Please leave a valid email address if you would like to be contacted if you win. Otherwise, winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch.
• If the winner does not respond within 72 hours I will choose a different winner.
• US entries only please!!!
• Earn extra credit! Choose one of the following for ONE extra credit entry. Any further attempts to woo me will be disqualified!
• Write about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.

That's it! This contest will end at 11:59 pm on August 12th. Good luck!

CSC Giveaway: A Micralite FastFold Stroller!

This contest is now closed. Please check our Contests page for the most current giveaways!

Remember the Micralite Fastfold -- that really awesome stroller that I was just cooing and swooning over a mere two days ago?

You know -- this one?

(In case you don't remember, you can read my review of the FastFold here!)Well, I'm thrilled to announce that Chic Shopper Chick and Micralite have partnered to give one away to one lucky CSC reader! This is an awesome stroller that retails for $329.

The rules are a little different this time around, so read them carefully so that you can maximize your chances of winning!

To enter:

• Visit Micralite Stroller on the web and check out the Fastfold. Come back here and comment on this post -- telling me your favorite feature or thing you like most about the stroller. That will officially enter you to win.

Optional Entries -- 1 extra entry each:

• Subscribe to my RSS feed, and leave a separate comment telling me you did so. Please don't lie to me and say you did if you didn't -- I can tell with my Feedburner Pro account.
• Add the CSC button to your sidebar or link to me in your blogroll. Either (or both) will work! Leave me a separate comment telling me you did so.
  
• Write about this awesome stroller giveaway on YOUR blog and link it back to this post. Leave me a separate comment giving me the link.

Ready for the best part? If you do at least three of the four aforementioned things, you can then enter this contest as many times as you want. You can enter all day, every day, until August 29th in order to improve your chances of winning. Just please, don't copy and paste the same comment over and over again. I really read all of your comments, so I don't want to see "I wanna win." "I wanna win." over and over again. Kthxbai.

The winner, once drawn, will have 72 hours to respond. Please leave a valid email address either in the profile linked to your name or in your comment so that I can contact you if you win. Otherwise, the winner will be posted here on August 30th.

Oh, and if you are really interested in showing your love, you can also copy the code below for the banner advertising the contest and paste it in your sidebar. Thanks in advance for helping me to spread the word!




<p></p><center><a href="http://www.chicshopperchick.com/2008/08/micralite-fastfold-stroller-giveaway.html"><img src="http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b30/chanelpinkfashionista/Picture19.png" /></a></center><p></p>
Good Luck! This contest ends at 11:59 pm on August 29th, after which the winner will be drawn using Random.org.

I see London, I see France...

Steps. Europe has lots of STEPS. As in stairs. To climb. And, alright, I know that France and England were well established before good ole' Columbus had ever even THOUGHT about sailing the "ocean blue" but I mean, c'mon, haven't they every heard of elevators over there?

Steps aren't an issue for me, but of course, it was a new consideration with a 18 month old in tow. She would need a stroller, and it would have light enough to carry when needed, and need to fold up quickly and compactly. Lucky for me, I was aware of all of these things before I left and prepared accordingly.

We brought with us the Micralite Fastfold, a stroller that holds true to it's name -- it is small and light, and really does fold up quite quickly! It made our trip MUUUCCCHHHH easier, and we discussed several times how impossible it would have been had we been using another stroller.

Ok, so there is so much to say about this lean, mean, pushchair machine that it's easiest for me to make a list -- so read on to find out my loves and a few little nitpicky things that I would improve.

I love the Micralite Fastfold because:

1) At 16 lbs, it was light enough for me to physically pick up and carry for a short distance, if needed.
2) The larger back tires are filled with air, which made for a much smoother ride, and it made it easier to hop up over bumps by popping the stroller backwards.
3) The design is really cool -- it almost looks like it is in the shape of a triangle.
4) There is mesh at the back of the seat to keep air flowing through, which is really important in the summer especially -- so that Little AG wasn't sweating.
5) There are reflectors lining the edge of the entire stroller, which really messed up my pictures but was great for crossing streets at night, especially in London, where they drive on the wrong side of the road.
6) The handle for pushing goes all the way across AND it has two little sections on the side for both hands. This is convenient for one-handed pushing as well as using both hands.
7) It collapses and sets up in under 3 seconds. Yowza!
8) It came with an AWESOME raincover that would have been a lifesaver for us in London if I had only remembered to actually bring it with me from the hotel room. In all seriousness though, I did eventually get to use it and it rocked. Everyone in London had a raincover for their stroller. It was nice to blend-in and very functional.
9) Little AG was very comfortable in it -- it is almost like sitting in a hammock, the way it is designed.

The nitpicky stuff that I would change but wouldn't stop me from getting another one:

1) The front wheels aren't air-filled. I wish they all were, as it is a nice feature.
2) The sun canopy is miniature and does close to nothing for keeping the sun out of Little AG's eyes. However, I used the Protect A Bub Sunshade with it and it worked like a charm.
3) It's oddly shaped, making the front wheels of the stroller further apart than the back wheels, which causes problems when trying to squeeze through tight spaces.
4) You can't hook a diaper bag or even a small grocery bag to the back handles (which is stays very clearly in the instructions, for the record). This stroller is very back-heavy and when I took little AG out of the stroller, it would instantly flip backwards. Trust me, I broke a coffee mug in a souvenir shop by not remembering this very factoid. Slightly embarrassing, and I had a feeling they were muttering "stupid American girl" under their breath as I sheepishly offered to pay for it.
Places we maneuvered the Micralite Fastfold:

1) The wet, packed streets of London.
2) Through the overpriced department store of Harrods.
3) Up stairs in Tube and Metro stops.
4) Onto the Eurostar Train.
5) Through the cobblestone streets of Paris.
6) Through the Catacombs of Paris.
7) Up the Arc de Triomphe.
8) On the Metro (aka Subway).
9) On Escalators.
10) On the rocky beaches of Nice on the French Riviera.

Overall, the Micralite Fastfold ROCKS my world. Hubby and I both agree would couldn't have made it through Europe using our other stroller -- this one was a lifesaver. Did I mention how cute it is? We get compliments about it everywhere we go. The girl in London called it a "Posh Buggy" and I swooned. :)

The Micralite Fastfold is available in Red and Black. It holds up to 42 lbs.

CSC Giveaway: Paperlicious Momager Cards and Social Stationery

This contest has now ended. Please check out our contest page for our current contests and giveaways.

Note: This giveaway is a part of the Bloggy Giveaways Quarterly Carnival! Thanks for stopping by!

My friend LJ (soon to be LL, as it were!) has the best stationery. We've been friends since we were 15 and even then she had a knack for finding the most clever, chic, and classy cards, notes, and other bits of stationery. She lives and breathes by the next paper shop or stationery store and each time I receive a note in the mail from her I feel like I am opening a little treasure.

When I stumbled upon Paperlicious, I immediately thought of LJ -- it is an online haven for lovers of all things paper. I had the good fortune to be able to try out the Momager Calling Cards -- which are sort of like business cards for moms. How many times have you been somewhere with your child(ren) and met another mom who had so much in common with you that you decided to meet up. Oh but then there is the business of writing down names (and the names of their children) home numbers, cell numbers, or email addresses. These card's make it so easy! I chose the zebra patterned cards that have my name at the top, with "Little AG's mom" written below it. I also included my cell phone number, my website address, and my email address.

I have already used them at Gymboree and the grocery store, and they have been fantastically helpful. Be warned, pulling these babies out will bring on cries of "where are those from" and "those are so cool", and rightfully so. They are the mommy's answer to efficient social networking.

There were so many great designs that I had a hard time choosing my favorite. I also like the Blue Brown Dots Design and the Pink Brown Swirls. Of course, I chose the zebra pattern because it's a bit like my personality -- all-business with a bit of a wild streak! You can get a pack of 50 Momager Calling Cards on the Paperlicious website for a mere $22.

My other favorite item from Paperlicious is their Social Stationery. I chose some for my family that has our family name at the top, with all three of our first names printed at the bottom. It is really sweet and I have used it to send little notes to friends and family on more than one occasion -- most recently to send a note to my grandmother along with a little gift that I purchased for her in France. I chose the Blue Brown Dots Stationery -- it comes with 30 flat cards, printed in the pattern and with the names of your choosing, as well as 30 white envelopes. You can purchase this set of 30 for $19.99 on the Paperlicious website.

All of the products are truly adorable -- I'm also especially fond of the photo birth announcements and the "Admit One" Baby Shower Invitations. What is your favorite? Head on over to Paperlicious and let me know!

Win it! Amy over at Paperlicious has graciously offered to giveaway one set of social stationery and one set of Momager Calling cards. To enter, follow the directions below.

• Go to the Paperlicious website and check out their Momager Calling Cards and their Social Stationery -- then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me which prize of the two you'd like to win, and in what pattern!
  
• Please leave a valid email address if you would like to be contacted if you win. Otherwise, winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch.
• If the winner does not respond within 72 hours I will choose a different winner.
• US entries only please!!!
• Earn extra credit! Choose one of the following for ONE extra credit entry. Any further attempts to woo me will be disqualified!
• Write about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.

That's it! This contest will end at 11:59 pm CST on July 30th, 2008. Go now, enter, and tell your friends!

PS -- Are you also participating in the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival? Please, sign Mr. Linky at this post so that I can be sure to visit your site too!!

Chic Shopper Chick Giveaway: Ugly Dolls

This contest has now ended. Please check out our contest page for our current contests and giveaways.

Is it bad to start a review by saying that the product is just down right UGLY? Because really, they are. But they are so ugly they're actually cute! Of course, I'm talking about none other than the Ugly Dolls, those amazingly soft and plush figures that are eternally popular with celebrities and us common folk alike. Christina Aguilera has them in her son's room, and they are certainly beginning to replace the firetrucks and airplane motif for little boys rooms the world over.

I have to admit, when I pulled my first Ugly Doll out of the box, I was skeptical. It was odd looking, and perhaps a bit frightening. That is until Little AG in all of her 17 month old glory, cruised on by and snatched little Poe out of my hands, immediately collapsing onto the ground in a giant hug with him. After a bit of patting him on the back and petting him, she hopped back up, stuck his wing in her mouth, and continued to bop around the house, all with Poe by her side.

So now I'm hooked. If you had seen that same adorable display, you would be too.

Ugly Dolls are the brain child of the creative husband and wife team of artists David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim. Ugly Dolls began as a drawing of a playful orange character known as Wage. Eventually Sun-Min sewed Wage into a plush figure as a surprise for David, and the rest is history. Since then, there have been many new characters and Ugly Dolls and have since turned the Uglyverse upside down!

So what do you think? Ugly or cute? I can't decide, but I do know that either way, I like em'!!

Win it! I am giving away one Ugly Doll in Original Size to THREE different Chic Shopper Chick readers. I have one Poe, one Gato Deluxe, and one Peaco to giveaway. To enter, follow the directions below.

• Leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite stuffed animal or plush companion as a child. Then let me know which Ugly Doll you would choose if you won.
  
• Please leave a valid email address if you would like to be contacted if you win. Otherwise, winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch.
• If the winner does not respond within 72 hours I will choose a different winner.
• US entries only please!!!
• Earn extra credit! Choose one of the following for ONE extra credit entry. Any further attempts to woo me will be disqualified!
• Write about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.

That's it! Simple, eh? This giveaway will end on July 27th, 2008 at 11:59 pm CST. So what are you waiting for? Start commenting!

I'm Flippin' -- are you?

Technology has really progressed since I was a kid.  My parents used to have a video camera that was as big as a suitcase that my dad would have to hoist up onto his shoulder to use.  Most birthday parties and holiday events were captured by setting up that ginormous camera on a tripod to catch one wide shot of the whole room, because it was the easiest way to do it without breaking your back.  

Not anymore.  As technology has moved along, so have those big clunkers of cameras.  Then we entered the digital age, and everything became more compact, even our computers!  It should be no surprise then, that someone would eventually make a very small and convenient to use video camera.

I recently had the opportunity to review the "Flip Ultra" digital video camera -- a product that the New York Times recently said was "One of the most significant electronic products of the year" and I agree!    I can see why so many people LOVE it.  I took it from the box to recording something in under 2 minutes, no exaggeration.  I kept checking the box to make sure I didn't miss anything.  It came with minimal literature (who really reads that stuff anyway?) which just proves that it really is dummy-proof.  

Now, I should warn you that these videos aren't intended to be extremely high-quality.  They are meant to be the type of video that you upload to YouTube or (as I did) email to your friends.  If you are looking for really high quality video, then you should turn to a regular video camera and not use the Flip.  But, I think that for what most of us are looking for, the Flip is perfect.  When we received the Flip Ultra, Little AG had just started walking, and our family members who live hundreds of miles away were just itching to see her walk.  So I took her to a park and let her go, while I recorded it on the Flip Ultra.  When I got home, I just "flipped" up the USB connect that is built into the Flip and plugged it into my MacBook.  I didn't have to preinstall any software before I plugged it in -- the Flip Ultra has the software that I needed installed on the camera itself.  When I plugged it into one of my USB ports, the Flip Ultra installed everything that I needed for me.  It was so easy -- I think that even the computer illiterate could figure it out.  

You can also edit your videos with ease once they are downloaded onto your computer, and it even gives you the option to capture still images from your videos.  I love that you can edit your movies and add music to make your own little video montage -- what a fun way to preserve your memories.    

The Flip Ultra is really fast, smart little camera.  The size of a bar of soap, it has the capability to start recording within 3 seconds of power up.  It holds 60 minutes of video in it's digital memory and runs on 2 double A batteries (with a pretty decent battery life, it seems -- I'm still using the same two batteries that came with the camera).  The color screen on the back allows you to watch video playback quickly, because you scroll through entire videos with one click.  If you don't like one of the videos that you have recorded, you can quickly and easily delete it -- much like using a digital camera.  

I received a Flip Ultra in Pink, and it's a darker pink, so it doesn't bother hubby much to use it either.  I like that you can choose the color of your Flip Ultra -- so that you can carry a camera that matches your personality.  Besides pink, they come in white, green, orange, and black.  It also came with a wrist strap and a soft velour storage pouch.  

Check out the pictures below of people that you might know using the Flip!

Hef and two of the Girls Next Door, Bridget and Kendra at a Lakers/Celtics game during the NBA playoffs record a few moments together with a Flip Ultra.

Joshua Jackson and Diane Kruger review a funny video that they captured on their Flip Ultra at an awards ceremony earlier this year.

Paris Hilton records the launch of her new clothing line using her Flip Ultra.

The final verdict:  Everyone should have a Flip.  The prices are VERY reasonable ($150 for a Flip Ultra!) and they have all kinds of cool accessories (you can purchase an underwater case for your Flip to make it waterproof for up to 30 feet -- take it to the pool, record your trip down a water slide, or go snorkeling with your Flip Ultra!) available to purchase.  You can purchase the Flip online from their website at www.theflip.com.

Chic Shopper Chick Giveaway: Kat in the Hat Custom Tees

This contest is now CLOSED! Have you ever come across a product or website that is just so neat, so cool, so completely you that you don't understand how you didn't know about it's existence? That is how I felt the first time I clicked over to Kat in the Hat Designs -- an online store with all sorts of products that have customizable, original artwork on them. You'll find custom invitations, T-shirts, announcements, aprons, as well as artwork all to purchase. I am especially in love with the page where you can customize your own patchwork tee with your choice of artwork and name -- you can even chose the color or colors of the patchwork that you would like.

Hubby and I clicked around the Kat in the Hat website for over an hour, trying to decide on the perfect T shirt for Little AG. We eventually settled on one the new Patchwork Tees (seen above) with her name on it where each letter was a different patchwork pattern. It is even more adorable than I thought it would be, and the t-shirt itself is very soft. Just in time for the holiday, I'm also a fan of this adorable, customizable 4th of July shirt:

I also really like these t-shirts for a child that has recently gotten a new sibling, they say "I may no longer be the only but I'll always be the first." How cute is that! You can customize this one by putting the child's name on the back, if you'd like.

And I also like these extra-special birthday shirts that declare the wearer as the extra-special birthday person!

I'm sure that now you understand why I had such a hard time choosing! They are all so adorable and different than your typical personalized kids products, don't you think? You can find these designs and SO many more at the Kat in the Hat Website. The T Shirts start at $27 and go up from there, depending on the options you choose.

Win it! Kat in the Hat Designs has generously offered THREE Chic Shopper Chick readers any one of their unique, customized baby, toddler, or kid t-shirts. To enter, just follow the easy-peasy rules below!

• Go to the Kat in the Hat Designs Website and look around. Then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me what t-shirt your would choose if you won, or if you choose a customized t-shirt -- tell me what it would look like!
• Please leave a valid email address if you would like to be contacted if you win. Otherwise, winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch.
• If the winner does not respond within 72 hours I will choose a different winner.
• US entries only please!!!
• Earn extra credit! Choose one of the following for ONE extra credit entry. Any further attempts to woo me will be disqualified!
• Write about this giveaway and send me the link in a separate post.
• Subscribe to my feed and let me know about it in a separate post.

That's it! This contest will end on July 10th, 2008 at 11:59pm CST and the winners will be chosen via random.org. Good luck!

Classy Kid

How awesome are these "Keep Me Coloring" Placemats from Classy Kid? These cool placemats wrap around the table, and adhere to it, creating a waterproof eating surface that germs can't break through. Not only that, but it gives your kiddos something to do while you wait for the food (besides scream about how hungry they are). Even the crayons are neato -- they are triangular shaped so that they won't roll off the table. Even cooler -- they are what Classy Kid calls a "Clean and Green" product -- meaning they are completely biodegradable (made of 80% calcium) and will break down in a matter of months, not decades, while sitting in a landfill.

Another one of the "Clean and Green" products that I'm a fan of are the "Potty Protectors". They not only cover the top of the toilet seat but wrap around the sides (because honestly, the sides of the toilet gross me out more than the seat sometimes -- think about how rarely it is cleaned...) where kids hold on to the seat! They also have little grip strips to hold the protector in place.

Then today, when I was shopping in Target (I really like it there, I know, I know) I noticed this "Boo-Boo Rescue" First Aid Kit! It is packed with everything you need to handle all of those little boo boos that can happen around the house. It comes with a Bump Reliever Cold Pack , no-sting antiseptic wipes, antibiotic cream, a "magic" splinter remover, animal-shaped bandages, a gauze roll, wound cleaner, and even a toy Stethoscope so that your little one can "help" with the diagnosis.

You can buy all of these products by Classy Kid on Amazon.com.

Flying the safer skies!

Last week, Little AG and I were lucky enough to travel with hubby to Washington DC on business. Hubby and I were frequent travelers before Little AG was born, and once she came along she was quickly introduced to the world of traveling with us. The first time she flew was when she was barely 3 months old, and since then she has been on over 15 flights -- with no sign of slowing down (hubby and I are both aspiring pilots and we hope to be flying the friendly skies ourselves soon).

When Little AG was an infant, it was easy to bring her infant car seat on the plane with me and install it in a seat for her. When she graduated to her bigger car seat, a Britax Boulevard, we discovered after a one day trip down to Miami that itwasnotthatsimple. While we are happy with our choice of car seat for her, and our Britax is approved for air travel when installed correctly, IT IS HUGE. Even with two of us carrying all of the "stuff" that goes along with a baby, the car seat got to be a little much, and hubby all but broke his arms carrying it all through the (seemingly endless) trek through the terminal in Miami. We ended up carrying Little AG through the airport and letting the Britax ride in her stroller. It was the only sane option.

Louise Stoll, a grandmother of nine, watched a similar situation to the one that I described above happen with her pregnant daughter who was struggling to carry a toddler, diaper bag, and car seat off of a plane. She felt that there had to be a safe way for children to fly without lugging that ridiculously heavy car seat around the airport. With the help of her family and friends, she invented CARES -- a FAA approved harness designed specifically for aviation use for children ages 1-4 (who meet the weight and height requirements). It is made for children who are old enough to be in their own seat, but are too small to rely on the seat belt alone to protect them. CARES is a harness that works in conjunction with the airplane seat belt and provides children the same level of safety as a car seat.

So, now that you know a little about what CARES is, let me tell you about our experience using it. First of all, the CARES harness came with a DVD that explained more about how it works and shows parents how to correctly install the harness on the plane. I watched the DVD twice the night before we left to make sure that I would be able to install CARES quickly but efficiently once on the plane. The next day, we boarded our plane to Baltimore on Continental Airlines (more on our not very kid friendly experience with this airline later -- suffice it to say that I will avoid flying them again at most any cost) and I installed CARES in the middle seat between hubby and myself for Little AG. She was sitting there, tucked in with her Tigger (so cute!) rather proud of herself that she was sitting in a big girl seat. I was happy too -- because CARES was easy to install and I was still marveling at how it took up minimal room in my bag and saved us from lugging that car seat on the plane. (I should add that Little AG is 16 months old but weighs 25 lbs, so she is within the correct weight range)

Right before we took off, a flight attendant walked by, doing seatbelt checks, observed Little AG in her harness and said to my husband, "Just to let you know, it's safer for you to hold her in your lap during take-off and landing then to have her sit there." To this statement, I reply that the harness is FAA approved and that she meets the weight requirements to be in her own seat with this harness. She just said "Oh it is? Ok." and walked to the front of the plane. A minute later she's back, and she's brought company -- apparently she "told on us" to the senior flight attendant. The second flight attendant tells us (in no uncertain terms) that Little AG MAY NOT sit in that seat, with that harness, and that they do not allow harnesses to be used whatsoever on their airline. Since she was under 2 years old, we had to hold her, they said. I again told her that it was FAA approved that that we were allowed to use it, with her telling me that there was no such thing as an FAA approved harness (WRONG!) and that we were not allowed to use it. She wouldn't give me the chance to show her the documentation or take it any further, so it finally ended like this -- we were told that since we hadn't purchased a seat for her we had to hold her during takeoff and landing, even thought the plane was empty. ("She's a lap child since you don't have a seat for her, so she needs to be on your lap.") Honestly, it was a very dumb excuse, and we all knew it, but we weren't going to create a scene and continue to argue. Our words fell on deaf ears.

Towards the end of the flight, two flight attendants (the first flight attendant that we met and now a new girl) come bursting down the aisle together, excitedly asking if this was the CARES harness. I showed them the packaging (as well as the card that came with it, declaring that I have the right to carry it on and use this harness according to the FAA) feeling a mix of irritation and satisfaction all at the same time. They had gone and looked it up in their manual, and it said that the CARES harness is the only one approved by the FAA, therefore the only one that can be used. However, neither of these girls had ever seen one, so they didn't know any better. I honestly don't feel that being uneducated is an excuse for not allowing us to use it, but I did appreciate the fact that they admitted it. I was happy to be allowed to use it for Little AG for the rest of the flight and for landing.

We were advised later to let our flight attendants know ahead of time that we would be using the CARES harness and that it is the only one approved for aviation, and that would make life easier for all involved. (I can't resist adding that I feel like we tried to do that, but maybe we just weren't clear enough.) I highly recommend purchasing a CARES harness for your child, but you should be prepared to show documentation that it is FAA approved and fight for your right to use it should it be necessary. Your child is safer in a proper seat belt restraint than in your lap, and it is obvious that some airlines are not providing their flight attendants with the proper education to know that.

Overall, our experience using CARES was great. I felt safer having it for her, and we are planning on using it for our trip to Europe in a week -- it will be a lifesaver for the 9 hour flight. I encourage you to spread the word to all of your flying friends with young tots -- this is a really awesome product that provides great peace of mind and a lot more ease than using a car seat. You can purchase it directly from the CARES website for $74.95.

PS -- It is also approved for use in private aircraft!