House party with fuzzoodles!

We had a House Partypalooza Fuzzoodle Party, and my kids were so excited to check out these new fun toys! The party was a success, and all the kids had a great time creating, bending, twisting, and designing their creatures!
A Pretty Pink creature....there were so many accessories to pick and choose from for each kid to make their creature exactly how they wanted.
The moms had a great time helping their kids make the creatures. We had a few instruction booklets to help us learn how to figure out how to manipulate the pieces to make creatures.
We really like how the pieces were so colorful, and that the Fuzzoodles are designed for both girls and boys. There is a great selection of eye, nose, mouth, hands, feet and other accessories to choose from.
Creating a Fuzzoodle can be a bit challenging, but with some movements you can make your creature just the way you want.
Long legs, short legs, arms or no arms....the creation can be very unique.

So many decisions, many options to choose from.
Fuzzoodles are just as much fun for kids and sparking their creativity, as well as for kids.
Each child was able to make 2-3 creatures to bring home. We each got a fun Fuzzoodle bag, too.
Trinity got a bumble bee Fuzzoodle.
I think Madelyn's girl-type Fuzzoodle looks like the bird from Chuck E. Cheese.


A colorful peacock! :)
Mr. Angry dude.

What's a house party without food? I served home made guacamole, chips, fruit cups, colorful sherbet and green juice.

The kids (and moms) all had a great time. The Fuzzoodles are a hit, and I recommend them for gifts for your kids. The Fuzzoodles spark creativity and fun for kids, and it is a great project that kids can do over and over. I like that the Fuzzoodles are re-usable, so kids can create, re-create, and make another new. Great fun, and it was a successful party! Thanks to all the moms that came with their kids to check out the the new Fuzzoodles!

This review was provided from House Partypalooza. They have provided me with Fuzzoodle kits to host for a house party, and to give away to my guests. I was also given a $10 Toys R Us gift card to give away to one of my guests. I was given the product to host a house party and to share my personal opinion and option to share with my readers. I was not compensated for my time or written review.

Let your kids show their "creative side" with TeeJuice!

My kids LOVE doing art projects, and I love exposing them to new ways to show their creativity. I was happy to review for Jacquard Products again, and try out the TeeJuice Fabric Markers. I know markers on clothes is usually a bad idea, especially when Mom doesn't know about it until later. However, the TeeJuice Markers are kid friendly, mom approved (me) and made to use on clothing. I think it is a good way to show that your kids can do this activity on their clothing, as long as it is done with Mom's approval. As you can see, Caleb was totally getting into his drawing. He loves doing projects like these, and he wears his design with pride. He loves telling people that he made his shirt all by himself.
I think he did a pretty good job! I like that there are three different options for the size of markers you wish to use with the TeeJuice markers: Broad Tip (big tip, like a bingo dotter), Fineliner (similar to the width of a pen), and Medium Point. Caleb liked using all three, and he was able to use them with plenty of ease.
You can use TeeJuice markers on any fabric (cotton, jean, leather, etc.) and then you can “lock in” the color by ironing it. After you do those steps, your finished product will hold~ and you can safely wash it and the color will stay! Here is a pair of jeans that my oldest son, Nathaniel, decked out:
He drew on the back pockets, too. He had a blast putting his personal touch on his jeans.
All three sizes of the non-toxic TeeJuice Fabric Markers are available in eight vivid colors: Golden Yellow, Red, Blue, Black, Chocolate Brown, Orange, Purple and Emerald Green. The pens are available individually or in box sets. Individual Medium Point and Fineliner Pens, MSRP $2.99; Individual Broad Tip Marker, MSRP $3.99. Box Set of Medium Point or Fineliner Pens has 5 colors and Box Set of Broad Tip Markers has 4 colors, MSRP $14.99.
Being a home school mom, I have thought of seeing if my kids would like to enter one of their designs in the TeeJuice weekly or quarterly contests held at http://www.teejuice.com/. Each week, a design is chosen from each of the four themes: Fun & Games, The Edge, Beauty & Beast and Holiday/Seasonal. Entrants are separated into two age brackets, 12 & under and 13 & up. Quarterly awards are given based on overall creativity and artistic value. Prizes range from gift baskets to cash prizes. I think that it would be a fun way for them to really put their time and care into their project.
To learn more about the contests or TeeJuice Markers, click here. Jacquard Products have so many great products and activities to do!
This review was sponsored from TeeJuice and Jacquard Products. They have supplied me with product to review and keep for my personal opinion and option to share with my readers. I was not compensated for my time or written review.

Jacquard products (Tie Dying kit review & Giveaway)

I have always wanted to try making a Tie Dye shirt, and I was fortunate to have the opportunity to review a Tie Dye kit with my kids from Jacquard Products. I know that Tie Dye shirts were really popular when I was a kid, and we even had the hyper-color shirts that changed color patterns with temperature changes...that was cool! Anyway, it was so much fun trying the Funky Groovy Tie Dye Kit (enough product to die 5 adult shirts). The kit came with 3 colors, (blue, yellow and fuchsia) rubber gloves (one pair), rubber bands, and the soda ash. I love that the kit was well put together with directions/hints included. I just needed to add water to the dies, because they were pre-measured in bottles, and the soda ash I just added to water for the shirts to soak in. I thought that the directions were easy to understand, and I love that they offered different ways to wrap your shirt to make different designs. It was a great project to do with my kids. We bought white shirts, got them damp with water, wrapped them into a certain mold, wrapped rubber bands around them,
soaked them in soda ash/water mixture, (looks like a sad face...but looks can be deceiving....)

added dyes,
and let them sit on plastic, and covered with plastic for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, I cut the rubber bands, rinsed out the shirts, and washed/dried them. See~~ now, it is a happy face that created happy faces on my kids, too!

My kids love their new shirts, and I love to have the three of them wear them together. I should have made a onesie for Cole, too.
This is a super product to do this project with your kids! What a great home school experiment, too. You can teach about mixing colors to create new colors, art....and science. I think this would make a great gift for a birthday, too. You could get a kit and do the project with your kids, and they can give the finished project to a friend or family member for a gift. Nothing like a homemade gift!

I highly recommend Jacquard products to you! The Funky Groovy Tie Dye kit is only $11.95, and geared toward ages 5 and up. I didn't have Caleb (age 4) or Madelyn (age 2) use the dyes, but they did help get their shirt wet, hand me rubber bands, and get the enjoyment of wearing their shirt. Nathaniel had a great time doing the whole shirt by himself. I think he did a fantastic job, too!
Thank you Jacquard Products for the opportunity to review your Tie Dye kit! We love it, and are happy to let others know about them!

About the company: Jacquard Products has been producing professional-quality textile paint and dyes at the best value for surface designers, textile artists, fine artists, hobbyists, and crafters. It has almost 20 color lines, available in standard and bulk sizes, sets, and in easy-to-use kits. Offering the highest quality of dyes and inks that hold fast and color deeply, do-it-yourself people can bring professional creativity to their home, school, patio or anywhere they wish to create wearable art.

Want a chance to win a Tie Dye kit and enjoy this fun project kit to use with your family and/or friends? This contest is open to those in the United States, non-bloggers, and bloggers. Go to the Jacquard website, and take a look around. Find out something interesting and comment here about to enter for this contest. Contest will end on August 4th, 2009.

For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter and/or facebook this contest, and/or visit everyday and add another friendly comment. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!

Double Daring Books for Girls (Challenge) Book Shower!

I am thrilled to be a participant in a book shower for the authors of the new Double Daring book for Girls! Andrea J. Buchanan & Miriam Peskowitz have compiled a whole book of double daring adventures, crafts, stories, sports and knowledgeable facts to encourage all those daring girls to put themselves to the challenges. It is a great book to learn new things, and try your hand at the activities and crafts! Even my son had a kick out of the Math Tricks and used them to stump his peers and his teacher.
The Double Daring Book for Girls is a follow-up to the bestselling book: The Daring Book for Girls, and has all new material. Girls will learn how to play football, catch a fish, make a labyrinth, learn about the Chinese New Year, how to make a scarecrow, what words impress, the Nobel Prize, learn about the origin of phrases and idioms, being a detective and much more!
I have really enjoyed reading this book, and some of the contents brought me right back into my childhood days, and the fun things my friends and I did and learned about.
I think the Double Daring Book for Girls makes for a great book for any homeschooling family because you can use so much of the information and activities in your studies. Did you know that you can learn how to paint a room, how to build a raft, make antique paper, how to make a rope ladder, and learn about the history of the bicycle....all found in the Double Daring Book~ Plus so much more!

I was asked to host a dare on my site to help promote this great book, and also participate in the book shower for the authors. So, I thought it would be fun to make our own piñata out of papier-mâché as something to dare my readers to do, but instead, I have decided to make a snow globe. I know winter is over, but who says it is too late to make a gift for someone. I personally love homemade gifts, and love to give them to people. So, I am daring you, my readers, to make a snow globe. I will give you the directions that are in my Double Daring Book, and you can make one. I would love it if you could post this on your site, link to me, and let me know you did it. I think it sounds like fun! I will work on my globe this week. I am actually going to ask my 10 year old son to make one with me. (even though he is NOT a girl). I will post the picture later this week of what my globe looks like. What a fun craft, huh? The Double Daring Book for Girls is packed with such fun craft ideas!

Here is what you need to do to make a snow globe: (taken from the book)

1. You need a glass jar with a lid that screws on tight. (even a small baby food jar)
2. Fun doodads that will fit inside the jar and glued tightly on the inside of the lid. (plastic dolls, game pieces, Legos, etc.)
3. Glue, or clay that is strong enough to keep the doodad connected to the lid. (hot gun glue, super glue, modeling clay, or florist clay)
4. Glitter
5. Water
6. *Optional: glycerin, to make the water a bit thicker so the glitter moves slower.

First, glue the doodad to the lid of the jar with the glue of choice. Modeling clay will even hold the doodad. Set aside to dry fully, and make sure it is really sticking. Then, when the glue is dry, fill the jar most of the way to the top with cold water, leaving some room for air. Add a few teaspoons of glitter and *glycerin*. Close lid tight, and shake. Once you have the right amount of water and glitter, take the lid off and dry well. Put some glue on the inside of the lid, and glue it tight to the jar. You can hold it with clay, too. Allow the whole thing to dry before shaking.

That's it! Doesn't it sound like fun!? I think you should make a snow globe with me! Your kids can really have fun with this project, too!

Here is a quote from the authors:
Daring is all around us. It is in girls who break barriers and girls who help out friends. It is in girls who scale mountains and girls who speak their minds. It is in girls who make things and girls who ask questions, girls who set their sights on adventure and girls who find adventure in their own backyards. Daring is about finding your journey and following your dreams—getting off the sidelines and getting in the game, whatever your game may be.
So fire up your inner daring, turn the page, and remember the daring girl credo: Enjoy yourself, learn new things, and lead an interesting life.
Go on—we double-dare you!
Andrea J. Buchanan & Miriam Peskowitz

So, you have been officially DARED!! Will you take the challenge and join me in making a snow globe?

You can purchase the Double Daring book for Girls online at Amazon, and you can also look in your local bookstore. SRP: $26.99

Diaper Cakes (and Wreaths) by Becca~

I really enjoy coming across creative, inventive, and fun gifts to give people! I received a Diaper Wreath from Diaper Cakes by Becca. What a fun and useful gift to shower a new mom upon the birth of her baby! The Diaper Wreath is a great decoration for the baby shower, and even comes with a door hanger! The Diaper Wreath that I got is a "Duck" wreath. It has a great assortment of products tucked in and around it for a new baby. Here is what my wreath has: 2 adorable rubber ducks (miniatures), blocks~ spelling out DUCKY, Johnson & Johnson lotion, baby powder, Shampoo and Body wash (travel size), 2 feeding spoons, 2 wash cloths, Desitin cream packet (travel), and a bib. Holding all the items in place are 10 (size 1) diapers, and 12 fun colorful links wrapped up in polka dot ribbon. What a fun display! All the items can be used with your baby, except the diapers, due to sanitary reasons. I think any mom would love to be blessed with a Diaper Wreath by Becca! Diaper Cakes by Becca specializes in Diaper Cakes...and even Environmentally Friendly Diaper cakes!
Diaper Cakes by Becca started in 2006. Becca wanted to make an extra special gift for her new nephew, so she designed a personalized diaper cake for him. With the success of her cake making, she started Diaper Cakes by Becca, and have made over 600 customers happy! She makes all cakes personalized to fit what the customer is specifically looking for.
Are you looking to find the perfect, personalized, and creative gift to give a new mom? Maybe you would like to find a diaper cake for a first birthday? During the month of March, Becca has a great promotion going on! She has a special discount on any 3 Tier cake that is ordered! Plus, all her wreath's are on sale this month! Each one is marked down individually! Every month Becca has "the featured cake," which is a special promotion. Once in awhile she has a discount on store cakes when she finds a great deal that makes the cost lower. She keeps prices low so that EVERYONE can get a great diaper cake.
Go check out Diaper Cakes by Becca to personalize your gift today! See here for her prices and contact information!

You Can Make This $50 Giveaway!

There is something so special about homemade products and gifts. I remember when I was younger, my mom used to make matching night gowns for my dolly and me. It is one of my favorite memories. She also used to make me dolly clothes~ even for my barbies! Sadly, I think home made has been kind of neglected over the years. I would love to start making home made clothes for my daughter like my mom did for me.
YouCanMakeThis.com was created by a mom who wanted to provide downloadable instructions on how to make just about anything from children's boutique clothing and jewelry, to handbags, home decor and more. What makes the site unique is that these instructions are written by everyday moms who have an expertise in an area. They are written in a way that makes you feel you have a friend sitting right next to you, telling you what to do next. They all have detailed instructions and step-by-step full-color photos so even the most "craft-challenged" person can make these items for their homes and families.
In fact, if you'd like to try out some products for free, you can sign up for their FREE newsletter. After sign-up, you'll receive a link to your email inbox asking you to confirm subscription. Simply click on that link, and you'll receive all of these product instructions pictured here, plus an online video and digital scrapbooking frames.
Would you like to win a $50 bundle of even more DIY instructions? Check out YouCanMakeThis.com and come back and post something you'd like to learn how to make. You can learn how to make a Child/Adult Apron Set, Women's Reversible Wrap Skirt, The "She Loves Me, She Loves Me KNOT" Handbag, The Reversible Patchwork Bucket Hat, Easy-Fit Pants, and Boys Ties. Remember, even if you've never sewn before, the site believes that you REALLY CAN make these things!
This contest is open to all readers living in the Continental United States. To get your first entry, do what I stated above. Then, you may come back each day and enter (again) after you do the first rule, just tweet about this giveaway and leave the url in your comment AND/OR Click here to see how you can earn even more extra credits to win!! Click here to see guidelines and the official rules. Contest will end on February 24, 2009 at 11:59 PM CST. GOOD LUCK!