Edge of Insanity: 2012 Holiday Gift Guide

Showing posts with label 2012 Holiday Gift Guide. Show all posts

Show off your creative side with Craft Cuts! {Review & Giveaway}

The other day, I mentioned to Twin that I wanted to redecorate the bedroom. After all these years, it still doesn't have a theme or even a color scheme. She asked me what I wanted the theme to be, and I said I wanted it to be creative but still focus around the family.

Craft Cuts allows you to be creative on your walls with wooden, vinyl, and other products that just make your walls pop! They specialize in wooden letter with whatever text you desire. They have Painted, Unpainted, Hanging, Specialty, and even foam letters!

Painted MDF Wood Letters

If you opt for the Painted letters, you have your choice of Indoor, Connected, Vine Monogram, and a lot more others! These are great for children's rooms as well as the family room, kitchens, and even the master bedroom!

For the really creative people, you can choose Unpainted letters and paint them yourself! Many of the unpainted letters are individual letters, but they also have Unpainted Connected letters, Stand Alone Lettering on a Base, and for that special occasion, Wood Monogram Cake Toppers!

Craft Cuts also offers Stencils (single-use and reusable), Vinyl lettering, craft shapes, and even home decor.

You can find Craft Cuts on Facebook and Twitter.

BUY
Prices start at $4.15 for Painted Connected Letters.

WHAT I THOUGHT

As I said, I am wanting to redecorate the bedroom that focuses on the family. Pictures and a Family Manifesto are great ways to show off our family, but I wanted something to tie it all in together. When I found out I would be reviewing Craft Cuts, I knew exactly what I wanted the lettering to say. As you can see, it says Family.

Creating the lettering was super easy! All I had to do was choose the font "Vivaldi", Thickness, Height, and Font Color!

When it came, I was happy to find that it was nicely protected with plenty of padding between the letters and the outside world. It was definitely bigger than expected, and the coloring was spot on. Even though it's only a flimsy 1/8" thick, it's sturdy enough to be placed almost anywhere. It fits nicely above the big window where a lot of our family pictures are.

I think we're on a great start on redecorating the bedroom!

GIVEAWAY

Want the chance to win your own Craft Cuts lettering? Thanks to the great folks at Craft Cuts, one(1) winner will receive a $30 gift card to CraftCuts.com!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was NOT compensated for this review/giveaway. I received a FREE Painted Connected Letter from CraftCuts. All thoughts/opinions are my own.

Colortime Crafts & Markers make it a special time! {Review + Giveaway)

Creating personalized keepsakes can be time-consuming, budget-draining, and very messy. Sure you can put paint on t-shirts but that can take days to dry and you could iron appliques on tote bags but it's not very personable.

With Colortime Crafts & Markers, your kids could make t-shirts their own way or color tote bags just the way they want! Colortime gives customers the chance to color and decorate their own t-shirts, pillowcases, backpacks, tote bags, bandanas, and more for parties, slumber parties, and scout meetings with permanent fabric markers.

Girls (big and small!) can show off their girlie side with t-shirts like the Circle of Friends t-shirt or Girls Rock pillowcase! Boys can show they like monster trucks with a Monster Trucks t-shirt and they can even a cowboy with a Wild West Backpack!

Colortime Crafts & Markers also offers Holiday items (including backpacks and totes) as well including 4th of July, Christmas, and many other Holidays. If your child is in the Scouts or know a family who is part of the organization, they have totes, backpacks, and t-shirts that great for indoor activities!

So get some Colortime Crafts & Markers ready for that Holiday vacation and let your children's creative colors fly!

Wanna win some cool swag from Colortime? Colortime is doing a giveaway via our Facebook page. It is a weekly fan giveaway. Here are the instructions:

Each week Colortime Crafts and Markers will randomly draw 3 lucky FANS who will receive a special craft package, which includes a Colortime color-your-own "Recycle Tote Bag" and three special permanent Colortime FABRIC MARKERS. All you have to do to be eligible is to "like" and become a fan of Colortime Crafts and Markers on Facebook.

The winners' Facebook name will be posted each Monday on the Colortime Crafts and Markers Facebook page. We will send you a message on Facebook informing you that you won. Look for it, and if your name is a winner, you can also send us an email message to info@colortime.com with your full name and address and in either case we will ship your prize within 2 weeks.

Rules:
1) You must be a fan of Colortime Crafts and Markers Facebook page.
2) Once you win a prize, you are not eligible for additional prizes for this promotion for 12 months after the prize has been awarded.
3) Prizes not claimed within 2 weeks will be forfeited.

You can find Colortime on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

BUY
You can purchase the Recycle tote bag starting at $4.75 per tote. Each marker starts out at $2.35 each.

WHAT I THOUGHT
I am always on the look out for new products that help combat boredom but also help my cousins' babies(who I babysit frequently) from destroying everything around them. When I heard about Colortime, I couldn't wait to try it out!

I received a Recycle tote bag as well as a blue, green, and yellow marker. The tote bag quality seems to be very durable, which will come in handy the next time I have to go to the library. As I started coloring, I noticed a faint odor from the marker, but luckily it wasn't enough to give me a headache. The color is nice and rich, and true to the color on the marker. It was easy to use and color with. The marker had nice even strokes, which is a sign of a quality marker.

I didn't have a paper towel (which was on the instructions to put inside the tote) but I did have a small enough cardboard box which I slipped inside the tote. The tote bag is very porous, but the markers will bleed through so be sure to have something inside the tote bag (or whichever item you get) so that it doesn't destroy the other side. I'll be honest- I felt like a kid when I colored the bag.

I think I'll pick up some more for gifts for next year or when I babysit again.

GIVEAWAY

Wanna win your own Recycle tote and 3 markers for your children (or even you) to color? Thanks to Colortime Crafts & Markers, one(1) winner will receive a Recycle tote bag and 3 markers!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was NOT compensated for this review/giveaway. I received a FREE Recycle tote and 3 markers from Colortime Crafts & Markers to review. All thoughts/opinions are my own.

Give beautiful flowers from FromYouFlowers!

Can you think of a better way to make someone feel special during the Holiday season other than flowers? They make a room feel festive, they smell good, and they can make just about anyone smile!

FromYouFlowers offer beautiful and fresh Christmas Flowers with same day delivery! Their Christmas Flowers and Centerpieces offer beautiful floral arrangements that make any room seem more Christmasy and they make great hostess or Christmas gifts.

My personal favorite is the Santa's Sleigh Floral Bouquet with Holiday Pick! Once the flowers are gone, you have a Christmas decor piece that you can put out every year. The flowers include Red Roses, White Chyrsanthemums, and Red Mini Carnations for instant Holiday flair! Other arrangements and centerpieces include candles, lilies, mums, and other items that make you want to decorate every room with Christmas flowers from FromYouFlowers!

They have floral arrangements for other occasions like Birthday, Anniversary, New Year's, and more. With each arrangement, you have the option of "making it special" by adding Mylar balloons, chocolate, latex balloons, and even a huggable teddy bear.

If you love poinsettias, they also offer Christmas Poinsettias. Styles include the Christmas Poinsettia, Poinsettia Plant, and even a Large Red Poinsettia Basket (also available in a small basket).

So be sure to show your loved ones some Holiday cheer with Christmas Flowers from FromYouFlowers!

You can find FromYouFlowers on Facebook and Twitter.

BUY
You can purchase the Christmas Cheer starting at the original price of $39.99 but it is on sale starting at $33.99. Get FREE delivery by using this discount.

WHAT I THOUGHT

I love getting flowers, but I don't get them very often. So as I was taking an afternoon nap yesterday, I heard Mom come into the room and tell Twin that I had gotten some flowers (on my birthday, no less!). Excited that I had gotten flowers, I woke up and walked into the living room where this beautiful Christmas flower arrangement was sitting on the coffee table.

Before I sat down, I spotted some winter greens I had never seen before but reminded me of live Christmas trees we used to have when I was a little girl. They were probably some of the freshest flowers I had ever seen and to know that it was made by a local florist makes me feel great that a local resident took great time on the arrangement.

It is now Day 2 and the flowers are still just as perky as they were yesterday! I haven't even changed the water yet and with other arrangements I've had, they would have already started to droop. The room smells so good and the flowers just add a great Holiday feeling to the rest of the Christmas decor we have.

It's such a beautiful arrangement and I think I want to start getting Christmas flowers every season!

I was NOT compensated for this review. I received a FREE Christmas Cheer flower arrangement from FromYouFlowers to review. All thoughts/opinions are my own.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Laugh with Humerus the Funny Bone! {Review}

If you're looking for something to laugh about all year long, Humerus The Funny Bone will have you rolling on the floor, laughing until your sides hurt!

Humerus The Funny Bone tells funny jokes when you clap! He tells jokes like "How many bones do you have in your body? All of them!" and "How did the funny bone get broken? His jokes cracked him up!". Any adult (or anyone with a funny "bone"... haha?) will crack (another pun, sorry!) up as Humerus tells dozens of funny jokes with just the clap of the hands!

BUY
You can purchase Humerus The Funny Bone for $29.95.

WHAT I THOUGHT

I love a good joke, and Humerus The Funny Bone definitely tells good jokes! My favorite is "What is a skeleton's favorite instrument? A trom-bone!". One clap and we were laughing. And he doesn't just tell 2 or 3 jokes. He has about a dozen so you never get tired of hearing the same ones over and over! He even has his own show stage box and stands 11 3/4 inch tall, which is just about 3 inches under the length of your real "funny bone"! The only problem is that he doesn't have an off/on button (or none that I could see) so when there is a loud noise, he starts talking. Other than that, love the jokes and it's a great conversation piece!

I was NOT compensated for this review. I received a FREE Humerus The Funny Bone to review. All thoughts/opinions are my own.

Show off your family with FamilyStickers! {Review + Giveaway}

Have you ever been driving around and seen those stickers on the backs of cars that have stick-family members? I have and I have been wanting to get some of my own so I can show off my great family!

When I came across FamilyStickers.com, I couldn't wait to tell you all about it! At FamilyStickers.com, you can build your family car stickers with ease! They have some different custom design styles available like Custom Designed Family Stickers, Full Color Family Stickers, Chrome, Pet, and you can even have your family's name on the back of your car!

Creating your Family Car Sticker is super easy! Click on the design style you want, click to design your family, and add your family members and their personalities! With over 3,000 different variations, each family member sticker can be almost just like the real family member!

You can also put your family sticker on stationery, housewares, apparel, and even on Holiday ornaments!

Give your home (and car) tons of family personality!

You can find FamilyStickers.com on Facebook.

BUY
Custom deigned family stickers start at $4.75.

WHAT I THOUGHT
You wouldn't know it from reading, but our family would sound like any other family! I have a dad who loves to eat, a mom who likes to crochet, a sister who loves rock music, and I love to read. But because I am proud of all the adversities our family has had to overcome this year, I wanted to show us off to the whole world... well, at least any one who looks at the back of our van. LOL

It was SUPER easy trying to find our distinct personalities through FamilyStickers.com! Dad doesn't have any major hobbies and he's not really that good at mechanics, so I had to think about what he should look like. Then I thought- that man loves to eat! And he loves bacon. That's why I gave him the "bacon" personality! Mom loves to do cross stitch and crochet, so that was super easy. It was easy for me and Twin as well (who is only 1 minute older, which is why she is last. LOL). It only took me a whole 10 minutes to figure out what everyone should look like, and submit the order.

Just in case you're wondering, that's Dad in the window with his arms crossed. LOL

Installing it on the car was kind of hard. It had nothing to do with the actual product, but it was really windy and once the sticker stuck to the window, I had to slowly pull it off so I can place it to where it should go. Make sure that when you put it on the car, start from one side and then slowly adhere it as you go to the other side- otherwise you get air bubbles. As you can see, Dad has a couple of air bubbles as does Twin. Note: The names are NOT on the actual product. I put those on there so you can see which person is which. For our family's safety, I did NOT add names to the design.

Aside from the air bubbles, it looks really nice! Even Mom thinks it's cute!

GIVEAWAY

Wanna create your own Family car sticker? Thanks to the great folks at FamilyStickers.com, one(1) winner will receive a $30 gift card to FamilyStickers.com!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was NOT compensated for this review/giveaway. I received a FREE custom design family sticker to review. All thoughts/opinions are my own.

Give the gift of chocolate with Pretzel Perfection! {Review + Giveaway}

Chocolate makes a wonderful gift for the Holidays! Couple that with pretzels, and you have a delicious treat!

Gourmet pretzel treats from Pretzel Perfection will definitely make any chocoholics Christmas sweeter! They specialize in unique, gourmet pretzel creations made by hand in the Pacific Northwest.They also offer twice-baked pretzel sticks as well as gourmet clusters!

Holiday Spice

They have a lot of different types of pretzel treats that include the Ultimate Pretzel (which has butter toffee peanuts, peanut butter chips, milk chocolate and old-fashioned toffee.), Spicy Cherry (which has chocolate, dried cherries, pistachios, cashews and dark chocolate.), Pacific Trail (which has dried cranberries, dried blueberries, dried currants, cashews, sunflower seeds and dark chocolate.), and SeaSalt and Caramel (which has caramel, seasalt and dark chocolate.). They also have 3 different limited seasonal flavors like Caramel Apple Pie, Hot Cocoa, and Holiday Spice.

Their Clusters flavors include Ultimate Clusters, Pacific Trail, SeaSalt and Caramel, and Spicy Cherry Pistachio Clusters.

If you're looking for a Holiday gift that doesn't need wrapping, their Limited Time Holiday Gift Boxes might just help! You have your choice of a 2-Rod Gift Box, Holiday Toffee/Bark Gift Box, Pretzel Rod Gift Box (2-pack), Assortment Gift Box, 10-Rod Gift Box, 7-Rod Gift Box, and 4-Rod Gift Box.

You can find Pretzel Perfection on Facebook and Twitter

BUY
You can purchase the Assortment Gift Box for $22.99.

WHAT I THOUGHT
I live in a family of chocoholics. But we also love pretzels. But the two together and it won't last long in this house! So when I received some delicious treats from Pretzel Perfection, we couldn't wait to give these a taste! Of course, they had to wait until I had the pictures otherwise you wouldn't be able to see what they looked like!

Deliciousness!

The first pretzel rod we tried was The Ultimate. It was very delicious! Very crunchy and the chocolate didn't overwhelm the toffee or peanut butter chips. The saltiness and sweetness was a nice ratio. We also got the try the Holiday Spice, and while it wasn't "Run for cover" spicy, it did kind of catch us off guard. I thought it was good but Mom and Twin thought it was a bit too spicy. My most favorite pretzel rod was definitely the Hot Cocoa. It made me want to dip it into a mug of hot chocolate, though it's great by itself. The minty flavor from the peppermint goes well with the chocolate, and mini marshmallows. I don't know if they are, but the marshmallows taste homemade, which I think goes great with hot chocolate.

We also got to try the Peppermint Pretzel Bark, which was sooooo good! It was minty, chocolaty, and had some saltiness from mini pretzel rods. It wasn't too crunchy or too soft. It was a little minty for my taste, but then again, I don't have peppermint often. The Espresso Pretzel Bark was interesting. It definitely had the taste of espresso and chocolate, which is always a great pair. The pretzel threw me off, but I thought it was a nice texture. I loved the Pretzel Toffee! It was salty and sweet without being too salty or too sweet. Yum!

GIVEAWAY

Wanna win your own Holiday Gift Box and some gluten free treats (2 clusters and 2 twice-baked pretzel sticks)? Enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was NOT compensated for this review/giveaway. I received FREE products from Pretzel Perfection to review. All thoughts/opinions are my own.

Crafted Candles helps you deck the halls! {Review}

Believe it or not, candles have been used at Christmas for centuries! One of the earliest records of candles being used at Christmas is from the middle ages, where a large candle was used to represent the star of Bethlehem. Nowadays, they are mostly used for decoration and for their tantalizing scents. Decorative candles make any room feel festive, no matter the Holiday!

Crafted Candles offers decorative candles with scents and designs that will fit almost any style! If you're looking for something simple yet elegant, they also have standard taper candles that include Thin Taper Candles, Stick Candles, Holiday Taper Candles, as well as Tall Taper Candles (up to 36" tall!).

Twin and I have a birthday in December and after looking at their website, they actually have birthday candles to help you celebrate the big day! They have some of the most unique birthday candles (like Cupcake Candles and Lollipop candles) but they also have candles that you stick into the cake.

Holly Double Spiral Beeswax Taper Candle

I bet you're wondering about those Christmas candles, huh? Make a forest of tree with their array of Christmas Tree candles! My favorite has to be the Vintage Gold Tree. It reminds me of pictures Mom used to have of Christmas when she was little and their aluminum Christmas tree. They are elegant and beautiful. If you want something a little more festive and whimsical, they also have Christmas Floating Candles, and the ever-popular Snowman with Red Hat candle!

A popular item this year seems to be the Spiral candles, which actually have spirals as part of the candle. They make a statement without being overbearing!

Whatever you candle needs are, Crafted Candles can help!

You can find Crafted Candles on Facebook and Twitter.

By the way, get an exclusive discount just liking them on Facebook!

BUY
You can purchase Holiday Stripe Straight Sided Candles- Green Ribbon (pair) for $9.00.

WHAT I THOUGHT
I love candles at the Holidays. Ever since I can remember, we've always had a Holiday candle of some sort at Christmastime and even as I get older, I still yearn to have a candle at Christmas. It just gives me a fuzzy feeling of memories of Christmases past. Not to mention that they always make a room seem Christmasy even if it's the only decoration in the room. So I had no problem trying out the Holiday Stripe Straight Sided Candles (in Green) from Crafted Candles.

Sorry for the dirty candlesticks. Nothing will get them clean!

The colors are just vibrant and scream Holiday. I have them up beside 3 Santa tea-light holders and my mini nutcracker, and they just complete the shelf! I love how evenly they burn. And they're actually very sturdy, having taking a tumble from the shelf! I accidentally bumped it when we were putting up the tree and the candle didn't break when it hit the floor. Nice, huh? They each have a burn time of 24 hours, but I don't want to burn them too much so that I can use them next year!

I was NOT compensated for this review. I received a FREE pair of Holiday Stripe Straight Sided Candles- Green Ribbon to review. All thoughts/opinions are my own. Post is sponsored by Couponista Queen and Crafted Candles.

Get your hair Holiday-ready with CoverYourHair! {Review + Giveaway}

Tis the season... to get your hair ready for the Holidays! Summer ponytails are over and Fall caps are gone to the way of styled up-dos and stylish hats!

CoverYourHair can help you have the best hair this Holiday season with their vast array of hair accessories for young, old, and everyone in between! If you're wanting to fill your little girl's stockings with hair accessories, they have everything from Little Girls Hats to Headbands, and even Baby Hair Clips and Baby Headbands!!

So what about those grown-up women who enjoy changing their hair style every day? They definitely have you covered! They have plenty of head coverings including Snoods, Head Scarves, and Hats. If you're like me, you want to have plenty of different types of Ponytail Holders, and they have great styles like American Flag Scrunchie, and my personal favorite: Fur Pony Holder! It's great for making a statement during the winter months!

So whatever you hair accessory needs are, make sure to visit CoverYourHair!

You can find CoverYourHair on Facebook and Twitter.

BUY
You can purchase the Navy Plaid Fedora for originally $10.99. Now that holiday season is in full bloom, CoverYourHair.com is offering 20% off to you lucky followers. Use promo code "blog1231". Promo code expires 12/31/12.

WHAT I THOUGHT
I love hats. I have worn all sorts of hats like cowboy hats, berets, fedoras, and many different styles of santa hats. I love the look of fedoras so I jumped at the chance to try the Navy Plaid Fedora.

The first thing I noticed was the vibrant colors! It looks just like it does on their website. I was a little worried it wouldn't fit since I have a big head, but it fits perfectly, even for a One-Size-Fits-All deal. The fabric isn't too heavy or too light. It seems to be well made and shaped great. It seems a little stiff. but I think with time, it will get that soft feel. It's also very comfortable to wear and looks great on me and Twin!

Twin, who also loves fedoras, tried it on and thought it looked great on her, which it does! I have a feeling we're going to be arguing over who wears it when we go out. LOL

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the great folks at CoverYourHair, one(1) winner will receive a $25 box of surprise accessories!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was NOT compensated for this review/giveaway. I received a FREE Navy Plaid Fedora to review. All thoughts/opinions are my own.

BunnySlippers keep your feet warm and cute! {Review}

It's getting colder, and that means our family is breaking out the socks and slippers. But all I have are blue slippers that don't really show my personality. I like cute slippers that not only keep my feet warm but show the world that I like cute things.

With BunnySlippers, you have the best of both worlds! BunnySlippers offers animal and novelty slippers, with something for everyone! Walking Dead fans will fall in love the Zombie Slippers (not a licensed Walking Dead product) while the Looney Tunes lovers will want the Looney Tunes slippers!

Sock Monkey Slippers

Have a cat or dog in the house? Show your love for your bet with their line of Animal Slippers that include cats, dogs, monkeys, and even birds! How cute are these Toddler's Duck Feet Slippers? A child could use their imagination and pretend they are a swimming duck!

Keep those feet EXTRA toasty with their Microwaveable Slippers that emit a fresh scent of lavender with put in the microwave for 30 seconds. You have your choice of Cat, Pink Bunny, Lamb, Leopard, and Polar Bear.

Sizes range anywhere from a Men's Medium to Men's XL. Women's sizes are also available but depend on the style you choose.

You can BunnySlippers on Facebook and Twitter.

BUY
You can purchase the Fuzzy Tiger Slippers for $24.95.

WHAT I THOUGHT
I love cute slippers. Through out my adult life, I've had fuzzy slippers that resembled Muppets and I've even worn some Happy Bunny slippers that Twin has gotten a couple of years ago. As long as they are fuzzy, cute, and keep my feet warm, I am a happy camper.

When I got my Fuzzy Tiger Slippers, the first thing I said was, "Oh my gosh, these are so cute!". They are definitely high up on the cute meter. Even Mom (and Dad, believe it or not) thought they were adorable! Twin wanted to wear them sometimes, so I agreed to share them with her.

But you're probably wondering more about comfort and how they wear, right? Well, they are SUPER comfortable! Even the fuzzy strings don't feel weird, like you would expect them to. My feet fit right into the slippers without being too tight or too lose. The sole is just the right height and thickness for me. Since I won't be wearing these outside, they're great for wearing around the house.

I think it has a lot to do with the way I walk, but sometimes I feel my feet slipping out of the slipper unless I wear socks with it. But since I generally wear socks with my slippers so that my feet are extra toasty, it's just once in a while that I'll have the problem. But they are super comfortable, warm, and cute!

I was NOT compensated for this review. I received a FREE pair of Fuzzy Tiger Slippers to review. All thoughts/opinions are my own.

My Personal Bra Shop with Brayola! {Giveaway}

Let me ask you something, ladies- have you ever been frustrated because you can't find your favorite bra at your favorite store? Me too. Frustrated because you don't want to have to try on a million bras to find your favorite? Yep, same here!

With Brayola, you know you can find your favorite bra without having try on those millions of bras. How does it work?

Discover your next favorite bra based on your own size, taste, shape, and occasion. You can even put in your favorite bra brand, size, and style.
Tell Brayola about the bras you already own and love to wear.
Brayola matches you with other women with the same bras and size as you.
Get your own personal shop where everything you see fits YOU!

With over 10 categories of styles, you are bound to find a bra you like! You can shop by style, price, and even what other women like. Once you have made your decision on which bra you want, add it to your bag, click on Buy, and it takes you to the brand's website where you can purchase the bra! Now THAT is easy shopping!

Want ways to earn FREE bras? With Brayola points, you get 2 Brayola points for every bra you put in your Drawers. You get 3 Brayola points for every woman that you invite to join, and they join! You get 7 Brayola points if you purchase a bra through Brayola. Once you reach 100 points, you

You can find Brayola on Facebook and Twitter.

GIVEAWAY

Wanna win a bra from Brayola? One(1) winner will receive a bra from their Brayola drawers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was NOT compensated for this giveaway. All thoughts/opinions are my own.

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