HABA Small Lilliputiens

HABA Makes Big Introduction of Small Lilliputiens

Direct from the land of little wonders, HABA is proud to be the exclusive US distributor of Lilliputiens, the land of little wonders. And like the proud Belgian mothers who created this delightful line of small, fairytale rattles, puppets and squeakers, HABA is equally proud to re-introduce this beloved line to North American babies and toddlers.

Lilliputiens is based in Belgium and its toys are made by hand with care in Asia. The toys, patterns, fabrics, characters, are all 100% its own creations, designed by a team of five young and trend-conscious moms who ensure that in a world full of little wonders, every toy has its own fun story. Lilliputiens’ numerous mascots each have their own magical universe. Soft materials and disarming characters engender trust, while the many shapes, colors and noises will continuously challenge a child’s inquisitive spirit. Designs and fabulous fabrics necessitate hand sewn, handmade results.

For review, I received Romeo The Well Fed Toad

When I saw this toy on the HABA website, I knew that my son was just going to fall in love with this toad! My son recently turned one and thinks it is so fun to feed others his food/snacks, so I knew he was going to love feeding Romeo. And I was right!

Romeo The Well Fed Frog's Description:
Romeo is a handsome and funny toad! Made of a variety of materials, his feet rattle, tinkle and croak. In this greedy toad's enormous mouth, there are fish, a crab, an octopus and a fly to be discovered: four rattles offering a wealth of sounds and textures. Educational values: -Awakening of the senses through the different sounds (rattle, paper sound, sound chips) -Stimulation of the manipulation (take out and put back in the animals) -Discovery of the reflection of oneself -Development of the touch sense through the different fabrics used 

Romeo came in a nice clear zipped bag (which is reusable- I'll find good use for it), so right away I was loving the "take out" process. Some baby/kid toys are so complicated to take out the their box, but I had no problems at all taking out Romeo. My son immediately lit up with a smile and wanted to play with him!

There are 4 little creatures (crab, fish, octopus & fly) for Romeo to eat! His mouth is large enough to fit all 4 comfortably in his mouth, without falling out which is nice! There is a soft handle at the top of Romeo's back so your little one can carry around Romeo around the house, or to take with them on an adventure. Romeo has a cute little tongue that sticks out, and he has a mirror on the front of his belly, so your little one can see themselves in it!

I think Romeo The Well Fed Frog is great for hand eye coordination as your child gets to practice putting the small creatures in Romeo's mouth. This toy will also help your child identify different textures and sounds!

The quality of Romeo is very well made! I like the colors and all the different fabric patterns and textures! This toy is such a cute idea and my son really does love playing with him! On the HABA website, they recommend this toy for ages 0-12months, but I can definitely see my son playing with this until at least 18-24 months.

Overall, I do recommend this toy! It's great for either a boy or girl and I personally thing for ages 0-24 months.

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Buy Romeo The Well Fed Frog at HABA's online store for $47.99 OR go here to search use their "Store Locator".

 

*Megan is a contributing member of the Thrifty Nifty Mommy Blogger Network. You can read more about her and her blog at http://housewifeonamission.com

 

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~Daddy Deserves It~ Funky Planet

 Today the Thrifty Nifty Mommy Blogger Network is celebrating the dads again, because... well they deserve it! The men in our lives are working hard to provide for our families, & then they come home and help raise the children..so dad needs some time to play!

 Amanda over at Open Hands was given the opportunity to work with Funky Planet and reviewed one of their RC helicopters called the Iron Hawk! Click here to read her full review and for your chance to win one of your own!

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Where Have All The Pixies Gone

 

Do you love children's books with amazing illustrations and solid, powerful messages?  If so, I encourage you to read more about "Where Have All the Pixies Gone?" written by Sharny and Julius Kieser and illustrated by Ayesha Henderson.

About the Authors (Source: www.sharnyandjulius.com)
Renegade fitness experts Sharny and Julius shot to stardom when their first book, Never Diet Again was released to the public in June 2011. The book was an adaptation of a step by step ‘escape the diet trap’ program that they had created for their private clients . So successful was the program in changing people’s lives that the clients literally begged Sharny and Julius to make it into a book, which would be more accessible to friends and relatives overseas.
After the release of Never Diet Again, the couple realized that while very successful, it was just another solution, and looking around saw that there were thousands, if not millions of solutions for losing weight and getting healthy, but people were still getting “fatter and sicker”.
After much soul searching, they concluded that losing weight wasn’t the problem. The motivation for losing weight was the problem. Fat and unhealthy was the norm; athletic and healthy was the minority. To say someone was fat had become offensive. To exercise was a chore.
That’s when they decided to write the book FITlosophy . In their words, it is “a collection of parables for athletes”. But it is more than that. It is a profound set of philosophical viewpoints that cut right to the heart of the human condition. Brutally honest, courageous, confronting, and often humorous, the stories told in this book reveal a part of the human psyche readers didn’t even know was there. This book will sit with the reader for a long time after the words have actually been read.
In January 2012, they collaborated with renowned artist Ayesha Henderson to create a children’s book that had “beautiful bright pictures and an easy to read, but important message that they could share with their kids”. Where Have All The Pixies Gone? was released in October 2012.
Sharny and Julius are currently writing 3 books. PrefFIT, Beefdup and the sequel to FITlosophy, which promises to be their magnum opus, their “greatest gift to health and fitness yet”. They are regulars on daytime TV, radio and newspapers in their home country of Australia.

Savy Mommy Moments review:
The book arrived very neatly wrapped with a bow and a sweet note from the authors. It was a really nice personal touch that I appreciated greatly! Once I opened up the package, the first thing that popped out were the brilliant colors and awesome illustrations! I started paging through the book and found that the illustrations inside were very beautiful and eye-catching.

That night, we decided to share it with my son who is 3. Since the book is about pixies, I wasn’t sure he would go for it, but immediately he was excited to read it! As we read through the book there were wonderful messages about showing kindness and love and being a caring person. There were illustrations of not only female pixies, but also male pixies. Below are a few of our favorite illustrations:

My son loved the book so much that he had me read it multiple times. Over the next few days, my one year old daughter came across it and loved it as well! She loved to have me page through as she pointed out all of her favorite illustrations.
Overall, this book incorporates wonderful and positive messages through the use of beautifully written text and visually stunning illustrations! I highly recommend this for any family’s library!

Learn More: You can learn more about the authors of this book on their website and Facebook page.

Buy: This book is available for purchase for a great price on this website!

Win: The authors have been kind enough to offer one signed copy  to our readers as a prize. The contest ends at 11:59pm CST 5/30/13. It is open to all residents Worldwide.

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Beach Rays Swimwear

Photo Credit: Beach Rays

Summer is just around the corner! So what does that mean? Hot days, sun rays and swimsuits! Beach Rays wanted me to choose a swimsuit for their kid's line, so I wanted to pick a swimsuit for my 4 year old daughter. While I was browsing through their girl's selection, it was so hard to make a decision of which one I wanted because they are all so cute! I ended up choosing a one-piece called the Layla in 4T. First, before I tell you about this swimsuit, let me tell you about Beach Rays.

About Beach Rays:

Inspired by history and heritage, Beach Rays seek to bring together long-standing tradition with innovative design. From the classic board shapers to the cutting-edge surf stars, their vision is to spread the good word – and great feeling – of surf lifestyle across the globe and across generations. For Beach Rays, the beach is a state of mind. Beach Rays’ surf style encompasses everything from seeking a positive outlook in our lives, embracing our natural surroundings, and totally accepting their family, friends, and most importantly, themselves.

Founded over a decade ago, the Beach Rays family has expanded to encompass all facets of surf style by creating fun and fresh fashions for men and women of all ages. Since their inception, they have been committed to utilizing only the finest materials and encouraging cutting-edge design and technology.

The Layla Swimsuit Description: 
Could a swimsuit be any sweeter? This one piece ruched with smocked back is all about the pretty thanks to it's trendy floral print and ruffle edge and skirting. The smocked back makes it easy to move in so the little beach bunny can do her thing with ease. 84% nylon, 16% spandex.

I just love how cute and adorable this swimsuit looks on my daughter! I knew the colors were going to look great with her hair color (strawberry blonde) and eyes! We typically like to keep our daughter in one-pieces, especially since she has very fair skin and covering as much as we can is best. What I really like about this swimsuit is the difference in look from the front and back. The front has a ruched look which I always love on shirts and now swimsuits. The back has a cute smocked look! Another thing I love about the Layla swimsuit is that it has a sweetheart dip in the front and a halter strap around the neck, instead of the traditional two shoulder straps. And of course I can't forget about the skirt, too cute!

My daughter really loves her new swimsuit and so do I! I asked her what her favorite thing about her swimsuit is, and she said the skirt and colors.

Overall, not only do I recommend the Layla swimsuit, but I also recommend getting your swimsuit from Beach Rays. They have swimsuits for Women, Men, Girls, Boys, Toddlers and Infants; everyone for your family! The quality of the swimsuit is great; it definitely is well made and one of the best quality swimsuits I have seen for kids swimsuits. Also, the shipping was quick, I didn't have to wait long at all (I believe 6 days including the weekend). There are so many great options and styles of swimsuits from Beach Rays, you have to check them out!

Photo Credit: Beach Rays

Buy It: You can go to the Beach Rays Online Store and get "the Layla One-Piece Swimsuit" for $48.00

Win It: One lucky reader is going to win a Swimsuit of their choice from Beach Rays by entering through the Rafflecopter below. Open to US residents ages 18+  Giveaway ends on 6/1 at Midnight. 

 

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*Megan is a contributing writer in the Thrifty Nifty Mommy Blogger Network, and received this product from being a part of the network. Thank you to Beach Rays for working with us! You can read more from Megan at http://housewifeonamission.com

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~Daddy Deserves It ~ Dadspirations Book

Today's Daddy Deserves It event sponsor, hosted by
The Thrifty Nifty Mommy Blogger Network is: 

Dadspirations!

We've teamed up with Dadspirations again for another great giveaway for our Father's Day event. I originally reviewed this book a few months ago shortly after we had the baby (click HERE to read my original review) and fell in love with it then.  When my brother-in-law and sister-in-law recently had their baby, we gave a copy to them as well and they too fell in love with everything that the book has to offer.  

It's not your typical boring book by any means. Sorry for all you book lovers out there, but let's face it, MOST men aren't that thrilled to read.  So when Andrew actually read this book, I knew there was something special about it.  Not only is it a great read for dads, but I also got a tons of laughs and ideas from it as well.  Author, Pete Densmore, brings whit, humor, and real life experiences into making this a must have for all expecting, new, and veteran dads out there.  Everyone can learn something.  There are tons of ideas from building a toy box to creating a keepsake letter for that new special little bundle in your lives.  But keep in mind, there's only 100 ideas for the first 100 days...after that, you're on your own! 

BUY IT: You can learn more or buy the book by going HERE.

WIN IT:  One lucky reader is going to win their own copy of Dadspirations book.  Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below.  Giveaway will be up until 12:00am EST on 6/1/13.  Open to US residents only.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Collage.com

There's nothing I love more than having tons of photos around my house but my biggest problem about having lots of photos is not having a lot of space. As I'm sure you already know, having a toddler around the house means that no photo frames are safe from little hands. So what is a mother to do?! Thankfully for us, Collage.com offers gorgeous Canvas Collages which allows us to eliminate photo frames and still have all of our family photos around the house!

*I received a complimentary 16X20 Canvas Collage for review in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions*

Photo Credits: Collage.com

Collage.com was created when Kevin Borders wanted to create a collage for his girlfriend that had 1000 of their personal photos, but he couldn't find anything out there that would do it. Kevin enlisted the help of Kyle Mulka, a friend and past schoolmate, to help build the custom collage. After creating the anniversary gift for his girlfriend, Kevin teamed up with his friend Joe Golden to transform the original software into a website where anyone could make a custom collage for their personal photos as well. Soon after, Collage.com was born! Collage.com is a website that allows you to upload pictures and create a custom collage and order high quality printed products that feature your collage. From blankets and mugs to canvas collages, you can include hundreds of photos arranged in a standard collage or in a unique shape! 

Collage.com allowed me to create my own 16X20 Canvas Collage with whatever design I wanted, with as many photos as I could fit! I love canvas prints in our home, so when I was offered to make my own collage I was beyond excited! When I sat down to upload my photos and choose what shape I wanted my collage in, I had a really hard time making decisions. My original plan was to take photos from when Mr. Hunky and I first met, all the way up to our move to Arizona, and create a collage that was in the shape of California to document our journey together in the form of a collage. Unfortunately for me, I chose to many photos and I couldn't fit them all in the shape of California, so I had to resort to Plan B which was to just create a simple, clean collage with those same photos. The Collage.com website was extremely easy to use, very user friendly, and the upload process was a breeze. I couldn't wait to receive the collage!

When the collage canvas arrived, I was thrilled to see that the photo's colors were vibrant and very clear and crisp. The canvas itself is about an inch thick so it doesn't stick out to far from the wall but still has the dimension that I personally love. In past experiences with canvas prints, they have always had hollow backings, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the backing on the Collage.com Canvas Collage had a closed back that also include two hangers for you to hang the collage from the wall, either horizontally or vertically. 

Collage.com allows you to create gorgeous keepsakes for your home all at your convenience from a great, user friendly website. Whether you decide to go with one of their Canvas Collage's in their various sizes or if you create a mousepad for your computer, or a blanket for your quilt, you'll be getting quality products from Collage.com. I chose to hang my gorgeous collage on the wall by our bedroom door so that I could always be reminded of my beautiful family before I go to sleep at night. Where will you hang your collage?

To Purchase: Visit Collage.com and start creating your canvas collage today!

To Win: Collage.com and Mommys Craft Obsession want to give one lucky winner their own 16X20 Canvas Collage! Enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win, all entries are optional except for your email address for Collage.com to send you your gift code and the second entry option to leave a blog post comment with the collage you would choose!

But Wait.... Today everyone is a winner! Collage.com is giving all MCO readers a special 30% off discount code!! Use MOMMYSCRAFT at checkout for 30% off of your entire order!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Giveaway will close late on the evening of May 31st. The winner will be chosen at random through Rafflecopter which uses Random.org. The winner will be announced both on Rafflecopter as well as MCO’s Facebook. The winner will have their prize sent to them by Collage.com, Mommys Craft Obsession is not responsible for prize shipment. Must be 18 years and older. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google are in no way affiliated with this giveaway. No Purchase Necessary. US Only.

*This review is 100% original and in my own words. Everything written is from my own personal view point and opinions, what works for me, may not work for you. All photos have been taken by me unless stated otherwise. I have been provided with product to review by Collage.com however I have not been compensated monetarily for this review.

*Mommys Craft Obsession is a contributing writer to the Thrifty Nifty Mommy Blogger Network. To read more of Alex's work visit Mommys Craft Obsession.

Love this blog? Please click the Top Mommy Blogs banner every day! This casts a vote for my blog today and helps me continue to get great products to share with you! You can vote daily! Thank you so much!