Celebrate your love for coffee by entering to win this new coffee machine.  The contest began on Monday, 11/21 and ends this Fridaym, Nov. 25. Go to http://www.facebook.com/KrupsUSA or to http://twitter.com/Krupsusa and tell KRUPS  why you’re thankful for coffee for a  chance to win.

This KRUPS machine is valued at $240. It features:

Tamping Consistency: Patented KRUPS Precise Tamp System compresses the coffee grounds perfectly providing an optimal ground coffee tamp that produces uniform results every time.

·         Fast Heat-up: Lightweight powerful thermoblockfor faster preheating and reduced limescalebuildup.

·         Easy to Clean: No mess cake ejection. Simply press the button and out pops the espresso grounds „cake?.

·         15 Bar Pump.

·         Universal filter holder with no mess cake ejection system. Compatible with ground coffee (1 or 2 cups) and all types of pods.

·         Multi directional frothing nozzle creates delicious cappuccinos and lattes.

·         Redesigned frothing nozzle locks in place and is easier to maintain.

Posts like this

• Buddies are Back – DVD Giveaway Perfect for Halloween – CLOSED
• $50 ProFlowers Giveaway for Mother’s Day – CLOSED
• Get In Shape for the Army Wives Season Five Kickoff with a Boot Camp Prize Pack! – CLOSED
• $39 PRIMESSE Essential Facial Cleanser Giveaway – CLOSED
• Chance to Win Your Holiday Shopping List

My dilemma, however, has been how to display these treasures. I want everyone who enters my home to see them! Well, my problem was solved when I found Chuck Pederson and Generation to Generation Heirlooms. Chuck handcrafts a Website full of products that are certain to become family heirlooms, including children’s toys, quilt ladders and quilt racks. Here is the gorgeous 7.5-foot quilt ladder he made for me:

As you can see, I am proudly displaying my baby-clothes quilt on the rack and will soon be adding my father’s memorial quilt above that. It fits perfectly in the corner of my room, with an angled design at the top so it leans securely against the wall.

Chuck makes all of his products by hand with the utmost care and attention to detail. The solid construction of this quilt ladder is amazing, and the silky-smooth finish on it is absolutely beautiful. Due to the size of this ladder, Chuck constructs it to fold in the middle for shipping and some minor assembly is required when it arrives. Just so you know, I intended to add that project to my husband’s “honey do” list, but the instructions Chuck sent were so simple and easy to follow that I completed it all by myself using the tools he suggested: A screwdriver and wood glue. (He pre-drills the holes for the dowels, good man that he is).

You can purchase any of Chuck’s heirloom treasures on his Website (quilt racks, children’s toys and quilt project hangars) and he will ship them to you. Prices range from $100 for a Toddler Town Car, $300 for a handcrafted Rocking Horse, $100 for a traditional floor quilt rack and $125 for the 7.5-foot ladder (plus shipping). All of the toys from Generation to Generation Heirlooms would make perfect Christmas presents for children. And unlike the latest toy made of hard, molded plastic and running on batteries, these toys are certain to last through the generations, becoming family heirlooms as Chuck intended.

If  you live in/near California, you can see the items in person at the following craft shows:

October 21, 22 & 23 – Independence Hall Quilters Quilt Show, Ironstone Vineyards, Murphys, CA

November 12-13 – Tuleburg Quilt Guild Quilt Show, Scottish Rite Masonic Center, Stockton, CA

Chuck’s other tentative shows for 2012 are listed here.

Please visit Generation to Generation Heirlooms to check out Chuck’s products. You won’t be disappointed.

Posts like this

• HP Provides a New, Easy Way to Transform a Child’s Room or Play Area
• Embassy Suites Has the Competition Beat!
• AboutOne Family Management Subscription Giveaway (5 Winners) – CLOSED
• Count Those Kids!
• Seven Wonders?

Try a random post.

• Groovy Ruby Rocks GIVEAWAY
• Interactive DVD Uses Fairytales to Teach Reading Skills
• Celebrity News
• Is the Holiday Season Making You Fat?
• Nico & Zoe Toys

Scentsy wickless candles are a safe way to bring great fragrance and stylish decor into your home. They are flameless candles that are heated in a decorative warmer where wax is slowly melted by a small, low-watt bulb.

You can choose from more than 75 warmer styles to fit any size room, decor or personality. I chose the full-size Hope warmer from the Miracle collection and it is lovely amid the earth tones in my living room. The full-size warmers are 4.5” wide by 6” tall and cost between $30 and $35 dollars.

Scentsy comes in 80 wickless candle bar fragrances, including spa, tropical and romance scents. Each bar contains as much fragrance oil as a 12 ounce jar candle. And when your wax is completely used, you simply buy more for your beautiful warmer, which makes a pretty way to add some mood lighting to a room, as well.

Scentsy is a direct selling, wickless candle company headquartered in Meridian, Idaho. The company is owned by Orville and Heidi Thompson and sells its products through a field sales force of more than 70,000 independent sales representatives known as Independent Scentsy Consultants, who market and sell Scentsy products through home parties.

In addition to warmers, Scentsy sells plug-ins, foams, travel tins, room sprays and other fun, fragrant products. To find out how to host or party or to find a consultant near you, go here.

Try a random post.

• Food Fight Giveaway!
• Moms & Mommy Bloggers — You’re Invited Into This Amazing Story
• Teaching Your Baby Sign Language
• DIY: Dresser turned rolling tool chest
• Disney Releases Pooh Halloween Movie on DVD

Case in point — my 3-year-old has a an enormous Dora the Explorer playhouse measuring approximately 4 feet by 4 feet by 4 feet and she loves it. We recently put it in our finished basement, along with some of her other large toys, dedicating an entire back corner of the basement to her as a new playland of sorts. But the area needed something to mark it off as her own and to jazz it up a bit so it wasn’t just a bunch of toys clustered together.

That’s where the new Nick Walls by HP came to the rescue.

Last winter, Nickelodeon and HP announced the availability of Nick Walls by HP — a quick and simple to install wall decor featuring themes from popular Nickelodeon shows such as “Dora the Explorer,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” “Go, Diego, Go!” and “iCarly.”

We chose the “Dora the Explorer” design and the ordering process was so easy. The easy-to-use online portal enables customers to personalize their designs by selecting and arranging images of characters, animals, flowers, landscapes and more. In addition, Nick Walls by HP can be customized to fit the exact dimensions of the room while designing around fixed elements such as windows, doors and light switches.  You can make it as busy or as uncluttered as you want.

My husband chose to install the wall art while I was out of town, which was a nice surprise for me, but didn’t lend itself to any before, during and after pictures. He was able to do the installation without any help, so it wasn’t awful, by any means, but he did say it was very similar to hanging wallpaper — not something he loves doing. Unlike traditional wallpaper, Nick Walls by HP only require water and a sponge to install. It is printed on PVC-free paper with odor-free water-based inks and meets the GREENGUARD Children & Schools standard for low-emitting products. You can watch an installation video here.

My toddler absolutely loved the final result, and her play area is clearly “defined” by this fun addition!

HP Wall Art provides maximum customization at an affordable cost, with pricing starting at $3.99 per square foot. Nick Walls by HP is the first line of designs from HP Wall Art. HP plans to expand the service over the next year, giving consumers the opportunity to bring their favorite movie heroes, musicians, sports personalities and even their own photos to life in their homes.

To see pictures of other rooms that have been decorated with HP Wall art, go here.

Posts like this

• Diplaying Quilts as Artwork, Creating Heirlooms
• Embassy Suites Has the Competition Beat!
• AboutOne Family Management Subscription Giveaway (5 Winners) – CLOSED
• Company Kids Hooded Towel Review & Giveaway – Closed
• Count Those Kids!

Use the Promo Code during checkout: THANKS1126 until 11:59PM PST on 11/26.

Posts like this

• $50 Snapfish Gift Certificate Giveaway/Help Fight Breast Cancer – CLOSED
• Snapfish Helps Raise Money & Awareness for Breast Cancer, Coupon Code
• $50 Snapfish Giveaway for Mother’s Day – Check out the Photobooks! – CLOSED
• Spread some “Snappiness” and Get $5 Credits to Spend on Snapfish
• Customized Puzzles for $12.95 at Snapfish

Until now – until I found AboutOne.com, a family management Web site.

I am stealing this sentiment from a fellow blogger who introduced me to AboutOne, but I am not exaggerating when I say that I have been looking for this resource for most of my adult life. And let me say the next part in all caps:

IF YOU HAVE KIDS AND IF YOU EVER PLAN TO FILL OUT FORMS FOR THEM TO PLAY A SPORT OR ATTEND A CAMP OR APPLY FOR COLLEGE OR A SCHOLARSHIP OR AN AWARD, YOU WILL WANT TO BEGIN CAPTURING ALL THEIR INFORMATION ON ABOUTONE.

AboutOne is a place that lets me upload and store all of the following:

• Records of immunizations, school physicals, dates and details of doctor’s and dentist appointments, medications and reactions, allergies, locations of where prescriptions were filled, blood types, heights and weights, emergency contacts. And much of this information automatically flows into printable caregiver sheets that I can create with the touch of a button to give to a sitter or a grandparent who’s staying the weekend, etc.

• Education information on schools attended, dates, GPAs, copies of report cards, standardized test scores, honors and awards, extracurricular activities and volunteer/service hours. Again, all of this information flows into a printable that I can use to fill out award, scholarship, job or college applications.

• My address book, which I can then enhance by adding information to the contacts including birthdays, Web sites, a gift log, labels (to make it more searchable) and attached files. I can also attach photos to contacts and connect contacts to other things on the site. So, if I’m looking at my daughter’s medical record, I can see a picture of her pediatrician, all his contact information, and click on a link to his practice Web site. In other words – my whole life is INTEGRATED.

• Memories. I’ve been trying to get into the regular habit of journaling, but I just can’t seem to get into it. AboutOne changed all that. I can type in memories or daily thoughts or comments on a family event or one of the kids’ activities right on the site, then attach it to a family member and upload a photo and even a file if appropriate. If I want, I can mark it to be included in a monthly newsletter that the site will generate for me. Then, at the end of the month, I can generate the newsletter with the click of a button and email it to friends and family. It’s a great way to stay in touch. And, I can add memories/milestones from my PHONE and even include pictures as attachments. My plan is to get my family  members in the habit of sending milestones and pictures to the site (wish me luck).

Check out this two-minute video on AboutOne:

Other things to LOVE about AboutOne.

• It’s very affordable – you can try it for free for 15 days and when you LOVE it (which you will), you can subscribe for $5/month or $30/year.

• It’s EXTREMELY secure – This was my first concern. After all, I’m uploading photos, medical records, school records, etc. I talked at length with the folks at AboutOne and they reassured me. You can read all the security information that they shared with me at the end of this post.

• You can click on the “live help” link on the site and get live, online help to learn to use the site most efficiently.

Now the fun part. AboutOne is giving five of my readers a free, one-year subscription. Here’s how to enter the contest:

Giveaway Guidelines:

To enter the contest, you MUST leave a comment below on the video. Then you can gain additional entries by doing any or all of the following (but be sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do):

1. Follow AboutOne on Twitter
2. Like AboutOne on Facebook
3. Blog about this contest
4. Share your favorite winter road trip or “must have” winter essentials
5. Tweet this giveaway on Twitter (you can do daily tweets, but leave a comment each time you do)
6. Follow @MyMidasGuy or “like” Midas on Facebook
7. Add Lipstick to Crayons to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar
8. Become a fan of Lipstick to Crayons on Facebook.
9. Post a link to this contest on your Facebook page.

This giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. Central time December 3, 2010.  Be sure to include a valid email address with each of your entries. Winner will be randomly chosen via random.org and will be notified via email and announced on this post.

If  any winner does not claim the prize by December 6, 2010, she will forfeit the prize to an alternate winner who will be drawn at random.

SECURITY REASSURANCES  FROM ABOUTONE

We are as concerned about data security as you are. After all, everyone at AboutOne uses AboutOne, and we don’t want the hackers, phishers, scammers or anyone else including other members or our own team reading our private information either.

So, what are we doing about security? A lot. We use the same technologies and practices that banks and other financial institutions use to protect customer information. We even scoured the globe looking for the strictest security standards, and used them as the basis for how we store and transmit your information.

Here are just some of the things we do to keep your information safe and still easy to access from anywhere:

Data Center Security

• We use a state-of-the-art data center with firewalls, redundant hardware, redundant power sources, redundant battery backups, redundant cooling and redundant cabling, and video surveillance.
• Entrance is controlled by biometric authentication (things like fingerprint or retina scanning) & key card access and staff must pass these two-factor authentication points no fewer than three times to access data center floors.
• Facilities are nondescript and have no published address.
• They are built with military grade perimeter control beams in addition to other natural boundary protection–think ‘Fort Knox for the Internet.’

Server Security

• We use Verisign 128-bit SSL encryption to make your data impossible to read by anyone but you.
• We hack our own site daily. We scan our ports, test for SQL injection, and protect against cross-site scripting and we also use McAfee SECURE to continuously test AboutOne with the latest hacker tools and techniques to make sure we aren’t vulnerable.
• We apply bank-level data security standards. This includes encryption, auditing, logging, backups, and safe-guarding data.

Data Security

• Your information is backed up every hour. These back-ups are encrypted
• Passwords and account numbers are encrypted at rest so no one is able to every ready your password.
• To top it off, we have taken strict precautions to make sure that even AboutOne employees don’t have access to your information.  We also never share anything you enter with anyone unless you authorize it.
• We take all of this seriously, which is why we have hired TRUSTe to make sure that we honor our commitments to you.

Still not convinced? Fill out the contact form on the site  and AboutOne will  have a security specialist get back to you and answer all of your questions!

For more information check out our Privacy Policy.

DISCLAIMER: This product review was made possible by the Double Duty Divas.  I received a trial subscription for review purposes; all opinions are 100% mine.

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS TO KRISTI, BROOKE, ALEX & CHRIS!

Posts like this

• $50 Giftcard Giveaway to new Online Retail Site With Unique Toys, Etc. – CLOSED
• $191 Kymaro Beauty Products 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway!! – CLOSED
• Freschetta Pizza Giveaway and Sweepstakes for a Ford Hybrid – CLOSED
• Made My Holiday Cards on Snapfish; 20 Percent Coupon Code! $50 Snapfish Giftcard Giveaway
• Giveaway of Vera Bradley Makeup Bag Full of AZO Products – CLOSED

I just made one of these puzzles for my preschooler for Christmas and I know she’s going to love it. Frecklebox personalized puzzles are unique and each one features the child’s name in different settings. I chose the Spring Smiles design for my daughter, but there are more than 30 other designs from which to choose.

The puzzles are printed in color on matte label with gloss film lamination, then transferred to 100pt chipboard. There are 20 pieces per puzzle. They are packaged in a reusable cardboard box with gloss label and the assembled puzzle size is 8″x10”.

I also recently made a collage fleece blanket on Snapfish with several poses from the family photos we recently had taken. Here are the pictures I chose to put on my blanket, which costs $49.99.

If you the like the idea of a collage blanket or other fun photo gift (photo canvas, calendars, poster, etc.) hurry on over to Snapfish. Each day until Jan. 1, they are offering a Deal of the Day coupon code and some of them have been up to 35 percent off!

Posts like this

• $50 Snapfish Giveaway for Mother’s Day – Check out the Photobooks! – CLOSED
• $50 Snapfish Gift Certificate Giveaway/Help Fight Breast Cancer – CLOSED
• I’m a Snapfish Select!
• Snapfish Helps Raise Money & Awareness for Breast Cancer, Coupon Code
• Photo Deals at Walgreens April 8, 9 and 10

Well, the new Mickey Mote, which Walt Disney studios home entertainment released on store shelves yesterday, is a kid-friendly remote that lets kids interact with their favorite Disney DVDs (it works with all Disney preschool dvd’s that include discovery mode — that’s the interactive watch and play mode on the DVD that offers different levels). there are lots of titles available with this feature, including two new ones that also debuted yesterday: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Handy Manny Big Construction Job.

So, I’ll tell you why I like this fun preschool toy, but first watch it in action:

So here’s why I like it:

Setup is easy and the instructions are given right on the screen. You’ll need to find your current DVD remote  to use during setup — likely among your child’s toys. I’m hoping that will happen less now that she has her own.]

The Mickey Mote is a shaped like Mickey’s ears and it’s bright red, so it looks fun.

There are  only 4 buttons on the Mickey Mote — a star, circle, triangle and square. So, it’s not too complicated for your young preschooler to operate. (I wish MY AT&T Uverse remote only had four buttons!!!)

As I said, the Mickey Mote works with any Disney Preschool DVD that includes Discovery Mode™, and once it’s setuup, you select the Discovery Mode feature on the menu screen and within minutes, your child will be easily responding to questions, throughout the story.  Discovery Mode features include two levels of play, which provides more challenging questions as the child grows. I think Level 2 is a little difficult for a 3-year-old, but Level 1 was perfect for my kiddo. As the DVD plays, the child is asked questions and she can push one of the buttons for her answer. Then she gets an immediate response.

Once families have purchased a Disney Preschool DVD that comes packaged with the Mickey Mote, they can continue to build their Disney Preschool libraries as the Mickey Mote works in compatibility with any Discovery Mode enhanced DVD. For example, kids can immediately use the remote with any of the following titles:

• Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Road Rally
• Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Adventures in Wonderland
• Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Choo Choo
• Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Minnie’s Bow-Tique
• Handy Manny: Manny’s Motorcycle Adventure
• Handy Manny: Manny’s Big Race
• Little Einsteins: Fire Truck Blast Off
• My Friends Tigger & Pooh: Super Duper Super Sleuths
• My Friends Tigger & Pooh: Bedtime With Pooh

Note:  Discovery Mode can also be played using any DVD remote control.

The two new videos are awesome and retail on Amazon for about $26.99 including the Mickey Mote!

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Numbers Roundup features more than 100 minutes of content with five exciting, numbers-themed adventures.  Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is the #1 program on Playhouse Disney as well as the #1 series with children between the ages of two and five years.  Bonus features include a never-before-seen (until 1/1/11) bonus episode as well as the Discovery Mode feature.

Handy Manny: Big Construction Job is a fun-filled, full-length adventure that takes Manny out of Sheet Rock Hills and to a new construction project out of town!  Introducing new tools, new songs and a never-before-seen episode, Handy Manny stars Wilmer Valderrama (TV’s “That 70’s Show”) as the voice of Manny.  It is a top 5 television series with preschoolers 2-5, and is an Emmy®-nominated show, set in a multicultural, multi-generational community and follows a curriculum that models problem solving and the importance of community.

So, my recommendation: If you’ve got a toddler or preschooler, this is a for-sure purchase on the holiday gift list.

Posts like this

• The HELP Released Tday on Blu-ray, DVD
• Buddies are Back – DVD Giveaway Perfect for Halloween – CLOSED
• Bambi Released on Blu-ray & DVD
• Sorcerer’s Apprentice on Blu-ray and DVD
• GIFT IDEA: Adorable Personalized Family Tree Christmas Ornaments

kpWired Designs is co-owned by Kim Plank and Maggie Robinson. Kim started the company about five years ago and began by beading different pieces for friends and family. Then she began using wire to create unique designs. As the demand grew, Kim knew she needed help if she wanted the business grow so  Maggie joined in the most awesome madness. Together, they create designs that are made from lead-free solder wire, all hand-crafted, with each piece being unique. Many of the designs have a Christian or faith theme, such as this one:

Other designs simply are simply infused with a simplicity that is beautiful, such as this one:

And the prices are extremely reasonable, ranging from about $20 on the low end to the most expensive piece that includes swarovski crystals priced at $50. Kim and Maggie also design rings, bracelets and earrings, and they will do a custom piece for anyone who asks — also within those price ranges. I’ve asked Kim to work on a custom necklace for a group of my friends and she thinks it will cost about $25 for the solder wire design on a leather cord.

Obviously, the pieces are affordable (half the price of sterling, in fact, and they won’t tarnish), and 10 percent of the profits go to single Moms in the St. Louis area. (Kim and Maggie’s company mission is to create beautiful, unique and fun priced designs in the hopes that along their journey they can help struggling, single moms in St. Louis). That’s as beautiful as their creations, in my opinion.

So, if you’d like to order a piece from kpWired Designs, you can shop by viewing the photos on their Facebook page and then email them to place your order at kpwireddesigns@gmail.com. Or, if you live in the St. Louis area, you can email them to book a show or a personal appointment to view the items in person or discuss a custom piece.

Posts like this

• Ideas for Stocking Stuffers
• Nintendo DS Petz Nursery Game
• Gift Card that Gives More
• Holiday Build-A-Bear Giveaway
• Family Fun Announces Toy of the Year Awards