Lipstick to Crayons » Product Reviews

Angry Bird Dog Toys ROCK!!

lipsticktocrayons — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:20:05 +0000

Our 4-month-old Golden Retriever bores with her toys easily. That is, until she received a few of the new Angry Birds^® toys by Hartz.

The Angry Birds^®craze continues to sweep the nation and now pets can play too.The Hartz Mountain Corporation recently launched an exclusive line of Angry Birds pet toys featuring many of the wildly popular Angry Birds characters just in time for the holidays.

For more than 80 years, Hartz has offered affordable, high-quality toys that pets love, according to Adam Coacher, Hartz Senior Director of Marketing. “This year, we were thrilled to work with Rovio, the makers of the popular Angry Birds game, to create an exciting line of toys that will bring holiday cheer to pets and pet owners alike.

Ellie’s favorite of the Angry Bird toys is the Angry Birds^® Flyer™. But she’s also a big fan of the plush ball that squeaks when she bites it. It makes her crazy — in a good way!

The new line of products features six dog toys and four cat toys, with additional collections coming in the near future. Available items include:

Hartz^® Angry Birds^® Plush Ball™ – This 4” plush ball dog toy comes to life with real Angry Birds game sounds! Choose from the Red Bird, the Yellow Bird or the Green Pig. These products are also available in a 2.5” version for small dogs.
Hartz^® Angry Birds^® Tuff Stuff Flyer™ – This dog toy is double-sided, featuring a red bird on one side and a green pig on the other. Constructed of super-durable ballistic nylon and double stitched seams, this toy can stand up to even the toughest chewers.
Hartz^® Angry Birds^® Hard Heads™ – Dogs will appreciate the long-lasting, fun chew experience with these three Angry Birds characters. Each latex toy is equipped with a squeaker and will entertain your pup for hours.
Hartz^® Angry Birds^® Birds Gone Crazy™ – Our most popular Hartz Angry Birds cat toy, Birds Gone Crazy will give your feline companion the opportunity to swat, chase, and hunt little angry birds and green pigs, while the bell inside will make your furry friend keep coming back for more.
Hartz^® Angry Birds^® Wand™ – An interactive toy that provides hours of fun for you and your cat. The wand features the Red Bird and a Green Pig along with feathers and a bell.

Now, with Hartz^® Angry Birds^® toys, pet owners and pets can propel and fetch angry birds and green pigs together. Pet owners can visit Facebook to check out the Angry Birds Toy Preview tab, access fun videos and applications, and enter to win great prizes at Facebook.com/HartzPets.

Hartz^® Angry Birds^® products are currently available nationwide at mass merchandisers like Walmart, grocery stores and online retailers such as Walmart.com and Amazon.com. The suggested retail prices range from $3.99 to $10.99. For more information about Hartz^® Angry Birds^® pet toys or to find additional Hartz products, visit www.hartz.com.

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Elevated Dog Bowl Feeder

lipsticktocrayons — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:36:26 +0000

One of the things our vet told us we would eventually need for our Golden Retriever is an elevated feeder. He said that it’s better for our dog’s health to not be bent over while eating because it eliminates bloating and health issues that can arise from eating in that position. I didn’t want to purchase multiple dog bowls to accommodate our growing puppy, and I wanted a feeder that is stylish because Ellie eats in our kitchen, which is also where company tends to gather. This Adjustable Raised Double Bowl Feeder from the OfficialsDogHouse.com fit the bill.

This feeder, that has adjustable legs to “grow” with our puppy, is perfect. It’s pretty with a nice wood top and two removable stainless steel bowls. It will raise up to 18 inches at its highest point, but as you can see in this photo, it’s also perfect for our puppy with its legs folded under it.

Ellie is nearly 4 months old now, and we’re about ready to move the legs out from under the bowl and into their lowest position. In time, we’ll probably expand the legs to their full height. I’ve been very happy with how sturdy this feeder is and how easy it is to clean. The legs on the feeder are made of sturdy metal and they adjust without the use of any tools.

This feeder ranges in price from $42.99 to $65 depending on what size you purchase. I had several questions about what feeder was right for our puppy and the Officialdoghouse.com customer service responded to my questions promptly. In fact, I was impressed with the customer service from start to finish. So, if this feeder isn’t right for your pet, check out all their other options here.

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Diplaying Quilts as Artwork, Creating Heirlooms

lipsticktocrayons — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:17:55 +0000

I’ve shared with you that one of my prized possessions is a quilt made by Campus Quilts from the baby clothes of my three children. And now, Campus Quilts is in the process of creating another quilt for me that will honor my late father’s memory. I wrote about that here and I will enthusiastically share pictures as soon as it arrives.

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.

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Memorial Quilt to Honor my Father’s Memory

lipsticktocrayons — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 02:22:11 +0000

My father, Roger L. Melton, Jr., died on April 30, 2011. It was somewhat unexpected and it’s still hard. As I said in my eulogy to him, he was my hero. He retired after 30 years as police officer and had a decorated (and sometimes colorful) career in law enforcement. I learned just days before his death, but unfortunately after he had slipped into unconsciousness, that he single-handedly prevented a Polaris missile from hitting a Navy aircraft. You can read about it here.

Now I have memories, photographs, a few videos and some other items that remind me of my Dad. I have some old police uniform shirts, a few medals he received while in the Army, some of his favorite T-shirts and the Sergeant’s badge from his police hat. I thought about putting these things in a shadow box, but then I remembered what I did with the baby clothes from my three kids. Campus Quilts turned those items into an absolutely amazing quilt that I will cherish forever. Here is a picture:

Campus Quilts makes t-shirt quilts, but they also make beautiful quilts from baby outfits, sweatshirts, socks, hats, and any other memorable fabric. So I figured why couldn’t they make a Memorial Quilt using my Dad’s things. So I contacted them and they said they could do it — Army medals, badges, T-shirts and all. Their sewing expertise is unmatched.

Once again, they’ve sent me the kit that describes exactly how to organize and number your items (you get to choose the order of your squares) and provides colors from which to choose for the sashing (an optional border around all of your quilt squares) and backing (the fabric on the back of your quilt). Or, you can provide your own fabric, which I might do this time. I haven’t decided yet.

I’m getting my items organized and ready to ship back to Campus Quilt. I might even email them a photo or two which they can transfer onto a white T-shirt and turn into a quilt squre. I have images of his letter commendation regarding the missile incident and my favorite photgraph of him in uniform.

I know this quilt will be among my most cherished possessions when it’s finished and is the best way I can imagine to display the things about my Dad that make me proud. As we move through this first year of milestones without him, I know it will provide me with comfort. For that reason, I wanted to share this with my readers. I think a Memorial Quilt would make a great gift for anyone who has lost a loved one. What better way to tell a grieving friend or family member that you acknowledge their loss and want to help them celebrate the memories.

Now stay tuned because you KNOW I’ll be posting pictures of my Dad’s Memorial Quilt as soon as it arrives. (And I’m hoping to have a new quilt ladder upon which to display it and my baby clothes quilt, too).

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Great Idea for Mother’s Day – Scentsy Wickless Candles.

lipsticktocrayons — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 02:53:42 +0000

I have a new item in my home that I love, love, love. It’s a Scentsy wickless candle.

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.

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$50 Snapfish Giveaway for Mother’s Day – Check out the Photobooks! – CLOSED

lipsticktocrayons — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 02:21:48 +0000

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I LOVE SNAPFISH PHOTOBOOKS! And what would make a better Mother’s Day present than a Snapfish photobook?

You can honor mom by capturing her favorite moments in a personalized photo book. You can even archive her favorite family recipes! Snapfish offers photo books with many creative layouts and a range of sizes including 8×11, 8×8, 5×7 and even 4×6 flip books, great for all occasions. And one of the really cool features of the photo books is the custom cover which lets you stretch a picture across the entire front cover (see the image with this post).

And guess what? I reccently discovered that Snapfish has integrated with Flickr!! This makes the photo book making process even easier. I am an amateur photographer of sorts — I’ve taken a few classes and I have 17,000 (no, that’s not a typo) pictures in my Flickr photo stream. I used to have time to have those photos printed and then spent hours creating beautiful scrapbooks, but with Baby No. 3, scrapbooking went out the window. Now whenever I want to turn my pictures into a scrapbook, I can create a Snapfish photobook and load the pictures right from my Flickr photostream. I no longer have to upload my pictures to two different places (Flickr, where I store ALL my digital photos and Snapfish for my photo books and photo gifts). Of course, you can still upload your pictures to Snapfish the “old fashioned” way!

Here are some other great Mother’s Day Gift ideas on Snapfish:

Leather bracelet with photo charm – Put mom’s favorite picture on a bracelet so she can wear it every day.

Sterling silver swinging locket – Looking for a gift she’ll cherish forever? Snapfish’s new sterling silver necklace with swinging locketallows you to display mom’s favorite photo in a locket that is sealed in a waterproof, UV-resistant coating to protect the image. Sent in a gift box, Snapfish does the wrapping for you.

Keepsake Box – Perfect for keeping all her prized possessions in one place, this beautiful keepsake box is made of dark-stained wood and features one glossy photo tile, measuring 5″ X 2¼” deep.

Hardcover Journal – Inspire mom by helping her record her special day and year with a personalized journal by Paper Coterie. The journal features a photo and several custom designs she’ll flip for.

Photo greeting card – Who doesn’t love a thoughtful greeting card? But why settle for one you can buy anywhere? Instead, show your appreciation for mom by sending her a personalized photo greeting card on her special day. Snapfish offers a myriad of selections with more than 3,000 designs. You can even create a recordable greeting card to show mom how much you care, whether she’s close or far.

Now here’s the best part about Snapfish and Mother’s Day — Snapfish wants to give one of my lucky readers a $50 gift credit to use on a product of her choice.

Giveaway Guidelines:

To enter the contest, you MUST subscribe to Lipstick to Crayons (subscribe button in upper right corner) and then comment below that you did so (or leave a comment telling me you’re already a subscriber). After completing this mandatory first entry method, 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):

Blog about this contest.
Tweet this giveaway on Twitter (You can tweet daily, but leave a comment for each time you do so).
Add Lipstick to Crayons to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar
Become a fan of Lipstick to Crayons on Facebook.
Post a link to this contest on your Facebook page.

This giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. Central time May 2, 2011. Be sure to include a valid email address with each of your entries. The winner will be randomly chosen via random.org and will be notified via email and announced on this post.

If the winner does not claim the prize by May 5, 2011, she will forfeit the prize to an alternate winner who will be drawn at random.

USA residents only.

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS TO NICOLE, COMMENT #7.

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Get New Ahnu Shoes and Fight Breast Cancer

lipsticktocrayons — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 22:09:54 +0000

Ahnu footwear recently announced a Breast Cancer prevention initiative for this spring. For each pair of women’s Numentum™ performance shoes purchased at ahnu.com in April and May 2011, the brand will donate $5 to the Breast Cancer Fund, the leading organization working to identify and eliminate the environmental causes of breast cancer. The initiative takes place in more than 150 doors nationwide, and online at www.onlineshoes.com, and the company’s goal is to raise $100,000.

Ahnu has already contributed more than $20,000 to the Breast Cancer Fund through the Plus 3 Network, social network that connects people with corporate sponsors and worthwhile causes on a lasting journey of personal fitness and charitable giving. Ahnu chose the Breast Cancer Fund as one of its causes the past two years, and expects to donate a total of $30,000 through Plus 3 Network before the end of 2011.

I recently received a pair of Ahnu Windsor running shoes and I laced them up for one of my longer runs. (I’m training to train for the 2011 Chicago marathon — in other words, I’m starting to increase my mileage so that when the serious training starts in late May or June, I won’t be “sucking wind.”) Anyway, I’ve never worn this brand before and so far, I really like them. I do think they might run a little small, so if you’re ordering online, you might want to order 1/2 size larger than normal.

If you’re looking for a new pair of performance shoes for the spring and summer, and you’d like your money to help this initiative, go here to learn more.

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Drinking More Water & Loving Our New Water Cooler!

lipsticktocrayons — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 19:49:22 +0000

I made lots of New Year’s Resolutions this year, and among there were:

Sign up to run the 2011 Chicago Marathon – Check. I’m registered for this October event.
Learn a new training/exercise program that requires me to run a little less and cross train a little more. Working on it.
Lose weight, of course. Working on it.
Drink more water. Check! In fact, all of us are drinking more water and it’s all because of our brand new Clover Water Cooler from Air & Water Inc.

I didn’t think I’d like having one of these water coolers in my house, although I KNEW my kids would love it. I thought it would be too big, too messy, and a something for which I would constantly have to fuss at my preschooler to leave alone!

As it turns out, the benefits far outweigh any downsides.

It is big, but we found a spot for it just off the kitchen in the laundry room, which is right beside the door to our garage. That’s perfect, because my kids can fill their water bottles with cold water as they walk out the door to their various sporting acitviites or to school.

It doesn’t leak at all, and I’ve bumped it several times while doing laundry. I never find any water on the floor.

The second best part?!! I was able to order safety valves for the hot AND cold water spouts, so my preschooler is unable to operate herself. That means no chance of burns from the hot water, and if she violates my rules about only using it when she has permission, I simply put the safety valve on the cold water spout until she “learns her lesson” again — usually within an hour or so.

But here’s the best part: Having a supply of fresh hot and cold water is infinitely useful around the house and it has encouraged all of us to drink more water!!

We have the Clover B7A Hot and Cold Water Dispenser for 5 Gallon Water Bottles. It features a cold water thermostat to set the temperature as cold as you prefer. The hot water is controlled to nearly 185°F using an automatic thermostat. It’s great for making a quick cup of tea or soup with the hot water side, and as I said, the cold water side is perfect when we’re running out the door to the gym or a swim or basketball practice. Our little princess, with permission, fills her small tea set with the cold water for some pretend play here and there.

The water cooler requires little maintenance and its ultra-efficient condenser is cooled via convection and operates quietly.

Air & Water Inc. sells countertop water coolers, as well as water coolers that hook directly into your water line. The model we have retails for about $220 and the 5 gallon water jugs can be purchased for as little as $12 at Home Depot.

If you’re looking to drink more water and might consider a water cooler for your home, you should visit Air & Water. Founded in 2002, Air & Water has quickly grown to become one of the internet’s largest independent appliance retailers. In addition to their Web site, the company also operates storefronts on online marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon. Air & Water, Inc. is also recognized as a trusted online retailer by some of the web’s biggest online shopping compare sites such as Bizrate, Shopping, and NexTag.

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HP Provides a New, Easy Way to Transform a Child’s Room or Play Area

lipsticktocrayons — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 18:29:46 +0000

As parents of any young children can attest, a child who weighs a mere 32 pounds can possess toys that easily over-run a room measuring 10×13 feet.

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.

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Chance to Win a Disney Vacation from Snapfish

lipsticktocrayons — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 22:16:13 +0000

I love Disney and we were fortunate enough to celebrate my preschooler’s 3rd birthday there last Fall. I am in the process of making a beautiful picture book on Snapfish featuring all those memories. I’ve featured some of our gorgeous Disney photos in this post.

Now, Snapfish– my all-time favorite, most amazing photo site — is offeirng you a chance to create Priceless Disney Memories.

Snapfish wants you to make magical Disney memories on a 5-day/4-night Disney Parks vacation to either Walt Disney World® Resortin Florida or Disneyland® Resort in California. If you win, you’ll also receive a $200 Snapfish gift certificate so you can turn your Disney experiences into shareable keepsakes. Enter here for your chance to win!

Make Your Own Disney Memory Calendar

You can also create a year full of Disney memories on your own 12-month 12 x 12 wall calendar – and the first 100,000 individuals who enter the sweepstakes will receive a redemption code to receive one free from Snapfish (taxes, shipping and handling not included; calendar must be redeemed by 2/28/11).

If you’ve never explored Snapfish, now is the time. I’m an avid amateur photographer and scrapbooker, and I’ve explored many of the photo sites on the Web. Snapfish beats them all in quality, scope of products and price!!