17
Nov

Holiday Checklist: Purchase Photo Cards *Coupon Code*

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Now that Christmas outfits and PJs have been ordered and holiday hair accessories are matched and ready, it’s time to tackle another major holiday to-do item next on the list. Ordering holiday cards tops the pre-season checklist since it requires not only obtaining a picture but choosing a design, ordering cards, addressing envelopes and sending them off to family and friends. Whew! Getting Christmas cards completed early makes me happy; I usually shoot for the week post-Thanksgiving.

While waiting for my daughter’s outfit to arrive, I’ve tackled the next step– finding fun, unique photo cards. Having reviewed holiday cards since 2007, I can honestly says the designs on Minted.com made my decision harder than ever. As a matter of fact, I still only have the decision narrowed down to two card options. On one hand, my daughter’s shirt for Christmas Eve reads “Dear Santa, I Can Explain” making the Naughty/Nice card a perfect fit. On the other hand, I love the idea of a Year in Review and know some out of town family members would appreciate the updated.  As you can see in the photo on the right, Minted also offers color options and backing styles to choose from for an additional cost. So many add-ons options give an elegent, unique feel to the cards.

As we order and receive Minted holiday cards we’ll update this post. In the meantime, enjoy an exclusive coupon code if you’re planning to get a kick-start on your holiday cards this year!

*Update: We received our cards and love them. Very classy and sturdy with the most adorable design of our Christmas cards to date. I would highly recommend Minted.com and may even consider paying extra to print the back. We did not do this but it’s a nice touch and will consider in the future.*

Disclosure: A product sample will be provided for review purposes; all opinions are 100% mine.

Cool Tip: Get a jump start on the holidays; use code “READERS20″ to receive 15% off your holiday purchase at Minted.com.

Filed Under: Deals, Discounts, Editor's Picks, Picks & Tips · Tagged With: , ,
15
Oct

Loveable Labels: Wearable, Washable, Wonderful *Giveaway*

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Loveable Labels 'Diva Pack'

When both of my children started preschool this year, I quickly learned the value of labels. While I’ve met the Loveable Labels team at both Reviewer’s Retreat and BlogHer, I truly appreciated their product after loosing two items in the first two weeks of school–a brand new Gymboree sweater and Disney thermos which was never recovered. Then we received word “all students outerwear must be labeled,” and I knew it was time to pull out all of the stops. Heading directly to the Lovable Labels team, I was directed to the Back to School Label Packs like the one pictured. This includes:

•15 Regular Sticker Labels
•80 Slimline Sticker Labels
•48 Press n’Stick Clothing DOTS
•12 Shoe Labels
•2 Mini-Metal Tags
•12 Square Labels

Halloween Pack

Since we have two children, different genders, in need of labels, we choose a more gender-neutral pattern, Be Bright, with their last name. When the kids showed up at the sitter’s house on the off-school day, she was amazed to see a sticker on their sweater. “Did you iron it on?” Nope. The Press n’ Stick Clothing Dots press right onto clothing labels or even nylon and are both washer/dryer and even bleach safe! Amazing. Even the show labels came in handy when both my son and another boy at the sitter’s had the identical pair of brown shoes (same size) but ours with a big green label on the inside with a clear protective coating and “perma

grip” technology that prevents sliding.

Loveable Labels, in addition to being washer/dryer safe, are also protected against sun, sunscreen, temperature, dishwasher, microwave and water! Some other cool picks include the personalized Halloween treat bag labels, the Starter/Camp pack for those undecided on where to start or Pass Out Your Pink! available until October 31st. We love to support mom created business, especially when they are inventive, a great value and practical for other moms. Having met with the Loveable Label team in person, we can vouch for this class-act company whose products our family endorses.

Disclosure: A sample product was provided for review purposes; all opinions are 100% mine and not influenced by monetary compensation.

Cool Giveaway: Lovable Labels has generously supplied us with a pack of “Back To School Pack” for one lucky winner!  To enter, visit Loveable Labels and leave a comment back here (one per day only please) telling us which product you love most. For extra entries:

Check out even more entry possibilities if you’re really determined to win. Read the prize claim information as we announce winners on Prizey.net. Expires 10/29/11.

Filed Under: Big Kids Corner, Editor's Picks, Giveaways Galore, Picks & Tips, Toddler & Preschooler · Tagged With: , , ,
18
Jul

Keeping Me Posted: Our Choice for Kids’ Birthday Party Invites *Giveaway*

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With our daughter’s birthday approaching, the first step in organizing a party was to choose invites. Every year I consider my limited knowledge of Photoshop and how creating my own invites, seemingly a fairly simple process, ends up taking hours. Since professional ones always look much better without the time investment, ordering online almost always wins out. The question then becomes, where to order? With various options available, considerations such as design, uniqueness and price come into play. Having been recently introduced to a cool new choice for online invites and announcements, Keeping Me Posted was our pick for birthday party invitations. Specifically, the “Iris” design pictured, though customized, was the one we used for a “Little Mermaid” themed party. (Why not use the Ariel invites? Two reasons…uniqueness and because I’d have to write them all out. Blanks are not your friend when planning a party.)

 

With designs for boy birthday, girl birthday and twins/multiple birthday parties, you’ll be sure to find a one to fit your needs. Keeping Me Posted also offers shower invitations, announcements and holiday cards as well. With an easy customization process and fun, fresh design choice, this husband and wife team has their pulse on what consumers of online personalized invitations and announcements are looking for. We love our invites and know you will too. Enjoy this cool pick!
Disclosure: A sample product was provided for review purposes; all opinions are 100% ours. Read our full disclaimer and frequently asked questions.

Cool Tip: Use exclusive code “COOLBABYKID294″ to receive $10 off your Keeping Me Posted order! Be sure to like them on Facebook too!

Filed Under: Discounts, Giveaways Galore, Picks & Tips · Tagged With: , ,
24
Feb

Magnetic Messenger Invitations & Announcements *Coupon*

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I began Cool Baby Kid to find and share the coolest products and resources for parents, babies and kids. Magnetic Messenger embodies everything I envisioned for the blog. Unique birthday invitations and quality birth announcements with magnetic strips on the back are their signature products. I ordered the design pictured for my son’s upcoming birthday and was more the pleased with the result. I plan to use Magnetic Messenger for future invitations. With so many options out there, many of which I’ve reviewed on Cool Baby Kid, these stand out from the crowd.

Choose from first birthday invitations, photo birthday invitations, kids birthday invitations among others or unique birth announcements, save the date magnets, holiday photo cards and more.  The magnetic stripping is strong enough to hold easily but not bulky enough to alter the stamp price when mailing out your cards.  Other reason to love Magnetic Messenger:

  • Photo tips help you get the best picture for your invitation or announcement.
  • Paper and magnetic materials produced right here in the United States!
  • Ability to receive a custom design FREE based on a combination of cards you love.
  • Their size is the largest on the web (3.75″ x 5.75″ postcard size).
  • 20 invitations at $29.99 is priced just right for the unique product you’ll receive.

Disclosure: A sample product was provided for review purposes; all opinions are 100% ours. Read our full disclaimer and frequently asked questions and be sure to subscribe to Cool Baby Kid via RSSor email for giveaways and additional discounts.

Cool Tip: Use exclusive code COOLBABY10 for 10% off your Magnetic Messenger.com order!

Filed Under: Baby Picks, Discounts, Editor's Picks, Picks & Tips, Top Picks · Tagged With: ,
01
Dec

Hallmark for the Holidays *Giveaway*

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This summer at BlogHer I attended a Christmas in July event hosted by Hallmark, so now that the holidays have arrived I can share some of the cool picks from that event. My favorite is the recordable storybook (pictured) that allows you to read and record classic holiday tales. Like the non-holiday book such as “My Grandpa and Me” and “Guess How Much I Love You,” these books make a gift your family can treasure for years to come. We recorded “Frosty the Snowman” and then locked the recording so little fingers couldn’t record over our story. The kids play it over and over again and love hearing their own voices helping to tell the story.

My second favorite pick? Good ol’ greeting cards. For thanking teachers or special notes to family, there’s nothing like a handwritten card. While we do send photo Christmas cards, greeting cards still have their place, and Hallmark cards top the charts as our favorite.

Cool Tip: Connect with Hallmark in various ways to receive special offers.

Disclosure: A sample product was provided for review purposes; all opinions are 100% ours. Read our full disclaimer and frequently asked questions and be sure to subscribe to Cool Baby Kid via RSSor email for additional giveaways and exclusive discounts.

Cool Giveaway: Enter to win a “Frosty the Snowman” recordable storybook by visiting Hallmark.com and commenting with your thoughts back here. Follow Hallmark on Facebook and Twitter and/or Cool Baby Kid on Twitter and Facebook for extra entries. Be sure to leave a separate comment for each.

Check out even more entry possibilities if you’re really determined to win and be sure to read the contest rules and prize claim information. Expires 12/8/10. U.S. Only.

Filed Under: Adults Only, Giveaways Galore, Picks & Tips · Tagged With: , ,
11
Oct

Storkie Express Holiday Photo Cards {Giveaway}

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While it may seem early, having Christmas cards finished and ready to mail makes me feel ahead of the game. Always one to start the holiday season as soon as the weather turns cold, this particular task–between taking pictures, choosing pictures, customizing a card and getting them mailed–isn’t always my favorite. Having just spent a week in Disney World eliminated the need to take pictures and with Storkie Express as our new go-to custom card designer, checking “order cards” off the holiday to-do list was simple. My biggest beef with custom photo cards is the lack of customization options. I like to match the card to the picture, so if the perfect card happens to be green and the picture is taken inside Cinderella’s castle with blue as the primary color scheme, normally we have to find the next best card.

Not so with Storkie. Check out all of the options for the “Gingerbread Men Photo” card, for instance. Each card offers different options such as the number of Gingerbread men, card color or even an option for “bling.” And while holiday Christmas cards are the hot seller at the moment, Storkie Express also offers baby invites and announcements, wedding and birthday invitations and just about every invite, thank you or announcement card imaginable. Custom photo stamps add a nice touch as well. We used the printing service to have the return address printed on the envelope making them look even nicer as they’re mailed out in November.

The process is simple. Once you choose a card and upload photos, the unique iDesign (shown left) pops onto the screen allowing you to further customize the card and see real-time what the finished product will look like…no surprises! We will absolutely use top pick Storkie Express in the future for custom cards and are proud they are sponsoring the Double Duty Divas to BlogWorld Expo 2010.

Cool Giveaway: Enter to win one sheet of custom postage stamps with standard shipping ($19.95 Value) by visiting www.storkie.com and commenting back here with your favorite holiday photo card design. Expires 10/25/10. US Residents Only.

Extra Entries: Follow Storkie on Twitter and Facebook or Cool Baby Kid on Twitter and Facebook for extra entries. Be sure to leave a separate comment for each. Check out even more entry possibilities if you’re really determined to win and be sure to read the contest rules and prize claim information.

Disclaimer: This product review was made possible by the Double Duty Divas. I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample provided by Storkie Express Inc. All opinions are 100% mine.

Filed Under: Giveaways Galore, Top Picks · Tagged With: ,
02
Sep

New 3X5 Shutterfly Card Size: A Perfect Thank You Note

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Earlier this summer we threw a Princess and the Frog birthday party for our daughter. Having named her doll Latti and looking forward to an upcoming Disney trip, the birthday girl is almost as tight with Tiana as Sleeping Beauty, her #1 favorite princess.  Luckily, just before the party, I traveled to New Orleans for the first time and fell in love with it. Bringing home Mardi Gras beads and pralines for favors, we decorated with a Princess and the Frog Deluxe Party Kit from Amazon (affiliate link), balloons and beads, and were even able to find a local bakery specializing in beignets.  Her Princess and the Frog birthday party was a success.

Looking for thank you notes to coordinate with the green and purple theme, we found these 3×5 cards from Shutterfly with “Merci” on the front cover, perfect for a New Orleans-themed party. They were also just the right size for a few sentence, personalized thank you note; we were still able to customize them a party picture on the front cover.  The simple yet colorful designs, low price point, and photo customization option make them perfect thank you cards.  Printed on premium, eco-friendly card stock, they come in sets of 12 and 25.  Having ordered from Shutterfly for years, I knew they would arrive quickly and within two weeks post- party, thank you notes were mailed and delivered. Merci Shutterfly!

Cool Giveaway:  Enter to win a 12 pack of Shutterfly’s new 3X5 personalized cards by visiting the site and commenting back here with your favorite design.  Expires October 8, 2010.

Extra Entries: Follow Cool Baby Kid on Twitter and Facebook for extra entries; leave a separate comment for each. Check out even more entry possibilities if you’re really determined to win and be sure to read the contest rules and prize claim information.

Disclosure: A sample product was provided for review purposes; all opinions are 100% ours. Read our full disclaimer and frequently asked questions and be sure to subscribe to Cool Baby Kid via RSS or email for additional giveaways exclusive discounts and giveaways.

Filed Under: Giveaways Galore, Picks & Tips · Tagged With: ,
21
Apr

Custom Cards and Personalized Announcements {Giveaway}

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Face it, your schedule is full of events, holidays, celebrations and play dates. One thing they all have in common is cards! Invitations, thank you cards, Mother’s Day Cards, Announcements, Holiday Cards and even Mommy “Play Date” Cards. Where can you go to get a personal touch on all of these cards? Well, I suggest checking out www.Cardstore.com.
The Cardstore has photo & greeting cards for all sorts of occasions that are sure to come up real quick! During the design process, I played around with custom cards, postcards, mommy cards, Father’s Day cards and Mother’s Day cards. In the end I designed and ordered:
1. Triple Floral Mother’s Day Card: I ordered 4 Triple Floral Mother’s Day Cards. I was able to personalize the 3 images on front and the message, as well. The back was blank. The card is 4″ x 8″ and comes with envelopes. You can choose to have your return address preprinted on these for no charge. I love the chocolate background with the sweet daisy design. The paper is thick, sturdy and high-quality.
2. Mommy “Business” Cards: There is a slew of personal mommy calling cards available on the site. You can just choose a pretty design, add your photo or maybe a photo of the kids. I chose a mommy card that has a purple background and a spot for two photos on the front. You can personalize with your kids names, but I felt uncomfortable with that! Instead I put “Big Brother” and “Little Brother” on it with pics of my kids. Then on the back the info I provided was my name, my e-mail and my phone number. I think it’s great for my play date friends to have so they can call me with ease! Or I can give them to new friends I make at the mall or playground, rather than hunting for a pen and scrap paper!
3. Create your own Custom Postcard: I designed custom postcards to use as my son’s birthday invitations. I did a super hero design using Adobe Photoshop. I then saved it as a jpg and uploaded it to CardStore.com. The only other option I chose was to have my return address preprinted on the postcards for no extra charge. It couldn’t have been easier!
4. Three Collage Portrait Card: The last card I created was a blank card on the inside with a collage on the front made of three personal photos. I just uploaded the photos I wanted to use, dropped them into the appropriate spots and ordered two of them.
I used Firefox to go through the design process. It was easy to upload and drag photos into position. The only trouble I had was previewing, where my final draft wouldn’t always show up. But I could easily see what my outcome would be during my design process.
When my order arrived I was so pleased! It’s hard to say what my favorite item was. The Mother’s Day cards came out PERFECT! The card stock is heavy and the design was vibrant. The Mommy “Business” cards are adorable and they arrived in a box, along with a little business card holder. I carry them in my back pack to hand out to mommies I meet at the park and mall. The postcards I created are to be used as birthday invitations! I loved how I could have my return address printed on them for no extra charge. (I got that same perk with the Mother’s Day Cards!) And finally, the 3-Collage Portrain Card is a great, personal blank card that I can use for any reason. I had ordered two – one of them I already gave to my mom as a Thank You card.
Overall, I think the CardStore.com should be a top spot to visit when looking for something custom and unique. Be sure to check out the Mother’s Day and Father’s Day card selection, since the holidays are fast approaching! And keep up-to-date on new designs and news by following Cardstore on Twitter (http://twitter.com/cardstyle) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/Cardstore).

Reviewed by Erin Tales from theMomBuzz.com, Cool Baby Kid Contributor

Cool Giveaway: Enter to win a $50 Gift Code to CardStore by leaving a comment on this post with your favorite card design from CardStore.com. Ends 4/5/10.

Disclosure & Contact: A sample product was provided for review purposes; all opinions are 100% ours. Also read our full disclaimer and review frequently asked questions, subscribe to Cool Baby Kid via RSS or email for winner notification and exclusive discounts and giveaways. 
Smart Tip: Use coupon code “coolbaby” for 15% off your CardStore purchase. 
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