Category Archives: Holiday Gift Guide

Mini Cupcake Surprise Dolls -Little, Sweet & Don’t Cause Cavities #Giveaway

Mini Cupcake Surprise Dolls transform from  festive decorated miniature cupcakes into beautiful mini princess dolls.  The dolls are available in 12 styles with 6 different scents including: chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, grape, chocolate, lemon and caramel.

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These dolls are so sweet and fun we added them to our 2017 Holiday Gift Guide. They make perfect stocking stuffers!!!

Emco is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win 2 Mini Cupcake Surprise Dolls! Thank you to Emco for the review dolls and for sponsoring this sweet giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.

Mini Cupcake Surprise Dolls Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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Filed under Dolls and Dollhouses, Giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, Toys

Express Your Creative Side with Clickformers #Giveaway

In the past, we have told you how much we love Magformers. This year we were asked to review another construction toy that is made by the same company. This new construction toy clicks together to make many different creations and is called Clickformers.

Clickformers are very secure when clicked together properly. In fact, the only issue we have with them is that they can be a challenge to unclick. You can purchase Clickformers in sets that include wheels and colorful pieces of different shapes and sizes to build something from the booklet or your own unique design.

We have Clickformers on our 2017 Holiday Gift Guide at Mommy Ramblings. You can also enter the giveaway to win a 50 piece set of Clickformers below.

Clickformers is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win a 50 Piece Basic Clicformers Set! Thank you to Clickformers for the review set and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.

Clickformers 50 Piece Set Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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Filed under Gifts, Giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, Review, Toys

Inspiring Creative Kids with Creativity For Kids Art Kits & Products – #Giveaway

We love drawing, painting and sketching. My kids always have too! Our 10-year-old will draw his favorite super heroes for hours. His drawings are quite good, and we encourage our childrens’ creativity by providing them with all kinds of paper, easels, paint, pencils and more. That is why I was thrilled to check out some art kits and watercolor pencil sets from Creativity For Kids by Faber Castell. 

GRIP Watercolor Colored EcoPencils

These pencils are perfect for older children, they feature an ergonomic triangular barrel and patented Soft-Grip zone. This ensures fatigue-free and comfortable drawing. The high pigmentation in the lead makes colors very vivid. The water-soluble pigments give fantastic results: simply draw your picture then apply water to a paintbrush to create beautiful watercolor images. These Watercolor EcoPencils are a winner of the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award.
Pencil Features:
  • Watercolor paint is in the pencil! Smooth colors that dissolve instantly with water
  • Made from re-forested wood, 24 artist-quality, vibrant colors blend easily
  • More pigment for richer color lay down
  • Easy to hold triangular shape with a unique “Soft-GRIP-Zone” for a secure hold and ergonomic grip
  • Leads are glued the entire length of the barrel and will not fall out
  • Easy to sharpen in any standard sharpener
  • Paint brush included
  • Non-toxic, conforms to ASTM D-4236

The pencils colored so effortlessly and smoothly while the GRIP-Zone provided secure handling which worked especially well, when coloring in narrow lines, and other small detail areas. Using a bit of water on the paint brush, we could create a watercolor paint effect to our designs.

Do Art Drawing & Sketching Kit

This set is ideal for beginning artists. The kit includes quality art materials and step-by-step illustrated project instructions. 

The four Graphite Pencils vary in lead density and the book explains when to use each one. Kit also contains 2 Black Ink pens with varying point sizes, a 24 page Sketchbook, Colored Paper, Tracing Paper, a 20-Page Instruction Booklet, Copy Grid, Pencil Sharpener, Eraser and Clear Zippered Pencil Pouch.

The booklet is very easy to follow and explains art concepts and techniques in terms and images that kids can easily see and understand.

Do Art Watercolor Pencil Art

The Watercolor Pencil Art Kit is another beginning art kit with quality art materials and step-by-step illustrated instruction booklet. This kit teaches children to paint with Watercolor EcoPencils and explains the techniques in words and images they can clearly understand and see.

The kit includes 10 Watercolor Pencils, Clear Zippered Pouch, 24 Page Watercolor Paper Pad, 20-Page Instruction Booklet, Pencil Sharpener and Paintbrush.

We love these products so much, you will find them on Mommy Ramblings’ Holiday Gift Guide.

Giveaway:

Creativity For Kids is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win All Three Creativity For Kids Products and Kits Shown Above! Thank you to Creativity For Kids for the review art kits and products and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.

Creativity For Kids Art Kits & GRIP Watercolor Pencil Set Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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Filed under Art, Creative Activities, Gift, Giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, Review

Make and Play Christmas Book – Hands-On Holiday Fun! #Giveaway

I just adore the Make and Play Christmas Book. It is so much fun for my kids to make the fun Christmas decorations and display them throughout the house.

This innovative new activity book includes ten press-out pieces to play and decorate with. The simple die-cut shapes, including Santa, a reindeer, and an angel, are easy to press out and slot together. The book also includes lots of activities, songs, and recipes to help celebrate Christmas!

This is a really nice book to give to any child and it gives them something to do throughout the season to prepare for Christmas Day.

We think this  book is so fun we have added it to Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide.

Giveaway:

Candlewick Press is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win their own hardcover copy of Make and Play Christmas Book! Thank you to Candlewick Press for the review book and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.

Where’s Waldo? Destination: Everywhere! Book Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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Filed under Books, Gifts, Giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, Review

Where’s Waldo is 30 Years Old! Anniversary Book #Giveaway

Waldo isn’t ready for his copy of AARP yet, but he is 30 years old! To celebrate this exciting milestone we are having a giveaway for the anniversary book, Where’s Waldo? Destination: Everywhere! by Martin Handford. Inside you will find 12 classic scenes as you’ve never seen them before.

Everyone’s favorite bespectacled explorer has been many places — the land of dragon flyers, a Jurassic arena of sports-loving dinosaurs, the set of black-and-white movies in Hollywood.

Join Waldo as he hand picks his favorite journeys of all time, revisiting twelve of his most fantastic travels in a new format that includes a surprise at the end of the book. New eye-boggling games await Waldo-watchers alongside every scene in this fresh tribute to Waldo’s many years wandering the world.

We think this anniversary book deserves a place on Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide. Unlike Waldo, the book is very visible on our gift guide.

Giveaway:

Candlewick Press is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win their own hardcover copy of Where’s Waldo? Destination: Everywhere! Thank you to Candlewick Press for the review book and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.

Where’s Waldo? Destination: Everywhere! Book Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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Classic Children’s Books Make Great Gifts #Giveaway #TheVelveteenRabbit

I love sharing classic stories with my children. The Velveteen Rabbit is probably one of the most beloved children’s books of all time.

When the Velveteen Rabbit first arrives in the nursery, he is snubbed by the other toys. But the Rabbit soon makes friends with the Skin Horse, who explains how toys can become “real” if they are loved enough.

The Velveteen Rabbit longs for this to happen, and one day he finds that he has become the Boy’s very favorite toy. They play together through a long, golden summer, Rabbit becoming shabbier and shabbier as he becomes real to the boy who loves him. The rabbits in the garden think otherwise — how can Rabbit be real when he can’t leap and hop?

When Boy takes ill with scarlet fever and Rabbit must be discarded, a magical fairy appears to transform him into a real, wild rabbit, though her parting words remind him that he was always real to the Boy.

A perfect gift for delivering an old favorite to a new generation, this beautifully illustrated version of Margery Williams’s time-honored tale is the first in a series of Nosy Crow classics. We love this book so much, you will find it on Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide.

Giveaway:

Candlewick Press is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win their own hardcover copy of The Velveteen Rabbit or How Toys Become Real! Thank you to Candlewick Press for the review book and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.

The Velveteen Rabbit or How Toys Become Real Book Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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Filed under Books, Christmas, Gift, Giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide

Inspire Future Engineers with the Gadgets & Gizmos Invention Kit #Giveaway

We really like to choose toys for our kids that are fun and educational. That is why when we saw the Gadgets & Gizmos Invention Kit, we knew it was one that our kids would love and let’s face it, I knew my husband would love it too!

This is the ultimate kit for every aspiring inventor! The open-ended kit is packed with parts that kids can mix and match to make tons of gadgets and gizmos.

The step-by-step guide is easy to follow to create 8 projects, like a catapult, helicopter, hydraulic lift car and so much more including their own unique creations.

When they build and invent with this kit, they are exploring exciting science and engineering concepts. My son Ethan is interested in becoming an engineer so this is very exciting to him. The first thing they built with this 180 piece kit is an air powered rocket launcher. After building it, the testing it was super fun for all the boys!

We love this kit so much we are adding it to Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide.

Giveaway

Lakeshore Learning  is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win their own Gadgets & Gizmos Invention Kit! Thank you to Lakeshore Learning for the review kit and for sponsoring this fantastic giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Open to US residents.

Gadgets & Gizmos Invention Kit Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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Filed under Christmas, Gift, Giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, Review, Toys

Save 30% on Personalized Gifts for your Child, Pet, Family & More! #Giveaway


Unique gifts like personalized books, board games, placemats and more celebrate the recipient and can even include their family and pet in the fun. I See Me! makes it easy to give gifts that will make every child a star.

I love giving I See Me! products to my kids. The look on their faces, when they discover they are the main character of a special book, is truly priceless. This season, I created some really special gifts for my kids on the I See Me! website. It is so easy to add personalization and photos to create unique and treasured gifts.

I know my son Ethan is going to love the  personalized USA Road Trip Storybook I created for him. It is such a fun book, that will really spark his curiosity and imagination with a fun and factual geographic exploration of the United States. In the story, he receives a personalized driver’s license, hops into a magical car, and learns state names and key monuments during the journey across America. He will take a rest stop in our own state of New York to learn a few extra fun facts!

I was able to easily personalize this road trip adventure with my son’s name and the state we live in. I selected his skin tone and hair color, and uploaded a photo of  his face to be incorporated throughout the illustrations!

He is going to love it, and at the end of the book, he will see a personalized map of the United States. The book even includes a list of all 50 states with their capitals, so he can check off the names of the states that he has visited! We ordered the gift set which included a scratch off state map that he is going to just love! I cannot wait to see his face when he opens it.

For our son Luke, our dog lover, we choose the If My Dog Could Talk Storybook. I customized it for him and our American Bulldog, Delilah. I was able to choose from twelve illustrated dog styles and five colors to create a dog that really resembled our dog.

The book includes Delilah’s name and the names of four of our family members, this really makes it fun to read! This book is also a nice way to celebrate a new puppy or dog adoption or remember a lost pet. Your dog’s name and the names of up to four family member’s names (children or adults) are also included throughout the story and illustrations! Plus you can add a personal message and up to two photos on the dedication page.

For a really special gift, the book can be ordered with a personalized bandana, ornament or placemat for you pet. We ordered the book with the bandana and a personalized Christmas ornament that we already have on our Christmas Tree.

Another great gift idea on their site that is fun for the whole family is I See Me!’s new, Our Family’s Race Across the U.S.A. board game. This game makes family game night so much fun! It is a brand new addition to their extensive product line.

Take an adventure across America as you move your piece along the game board. Personalize up to six game pieces with photos of your family member’s faces so they can “travel” from space to space. Your family’s names will also be incorporated into the game board artwork! Create lasting family memories with this uniquely personalized keepsake.

Order Now and Save 30%!

If you order by December 17th and use code CELEBRATE when you checkout, you can save 30%! This is the perfect chance to get a special gift at an amazing price! Click HERE to get started.

We love I See Me! products so much, we have added them to Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide. 

Giveaway

I See Me! is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win their own Personalized, Our Family’s Race Across the U.S.A. Board Game! Thank you to I See Me! for the review items and for sponsoring this fantastic giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Open to US residents.

I See Me!  Our Family’s Race Across the U.S.A. Personalized Board Game Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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Filed under Books, Christmas, Dogs, Family, Gifts, Giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide

Tender & Delicious Pot Roast Cooked In a Tagine

Wow, the weather has taken a serious dip in the Northeast. Tomorrow is going to be absolutely frigid, the morning will feel like 7 below 0 degrees F. The only bright spot is that next week, we should be back to more seasonable temperatures.

When the weather gets colder, I get into the mood to make hearty meals that stick to your ribs and warm you up. I love a good pot roast, beef stew, pasta fagioli and other flavorful stews and soups, on cold winter days.

If you have been following Mommy Ramblings for a while, you will remember my posts about the best way to cook hearty soups and how to make the perfect beef stew. The right cookware, and the way you cook, really make a difference in how your recipes turn out. I love trying new things in the kitchen and, I have always wanted to try cooking in a Tagine.

A Tagine is a cooking vessel that is used to cook food at a low temperature, for a long time. The unique shape of the Tagine lid allows steam to circulate, which works to keep all the ingredients tender and moist. This kind of vessel and cooking method, works so well with dishes like pot roast. The end result is that type of meat that just falls apart so beautifully, and melts in your mouth.

I just finished cooking my second pot roast in my Emile Henry Tagine, and I don’t think I will cook pot roast any other way. There are so many great recipes you can make in a Tagine. My daughter loves cooking chicken tagine. Any type of recipe that you can cook at a low temperature for a long time, will turn out well.

There are many different kinds of Tagines on the market, but I prefer the Emile Henry Tagine. This Tagine is made of their Flame Ceramic and can be used directly on the heat of the stove or in the oven. This is perfect, because I love starting off on the stove cooking my onions and garlic, browning my meat, and then transferring it all to the oven, to cook for several hours.

You can see the video I made the first time I used the Emile Henry Tagine to make pot roast

We love the Emile Henry Tagine so much, which is why you will find it on Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide. A gift of Emile Henry Cookware, is a gift any cooking enthusiast will treasure. I know, I certainly do! My Emile Henry Cookware and Bakeware are staples in my kitchen, and they make cooking and baking for my family and friends, easier and better than ever.

Giveaway

Emile Henry Set of 2 Burgundy #9 Ramekins Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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Filed under Baking, Cooking, Entertaining, Gifts, Giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, Home & Garden, Kitchen, Review

Meet The Largest Corolle Doll and the 14″ Boy Doll That Uses The Potty #Giveaway

If you have been following Mommy Ramblings for a while, you will probably be aware that we are fans of Corolle Dolls, and just like the last several years, you will find them on our 2017 Holiday Gift GuideThis year we are featuring our first boy Corolle Doll and the biggest Corolle baby girl doll.

Mon Bébé Chéri to Dress is perfect for girls who want a large baby doll that they can dress in real baby clothes. This 20 inch doll can wear real 3 month size baby clothes. She has eyes that close when you lay her down and a cuddly soft body.

Check out our video review of this doll below:

Now, I want you to meet Paul, the drink and wet bath baby doll. This 14″ Corolle boy baby doll is anatomically correct. He can really drink his bottle and he is a very good boy who knows how to use the potty.

He does not leak, but will pee when his belly is pressed. This is the perfect doll to use when toilet training little boys too! To add more fun and realistic play, Paul can also take a real bath and the Corolle Baby Tub is a fun accessory to bathe him in.

You can see our video review and demonstration of Paul below:

The Bathtub for large (14 & 17 inch) My Classique Corolle dolls is an essential accessory for girls and boys to give their dolls a bath. Perfect for all Corolle dolls which can be played with in water.

 

He comes dressed in underpants and tank top along with his bottle and potty. Children can dress him in any of the Mon Classique Corolle Clothes for 14″ Dolls, like the Smock and Denim Overall Set.

 

He needed white sneakers and a pacifier too! They are both available as accessories for this Corolle doll.

 

Another realistic accessory for Corolle Dolls is the Cherry Umbrella Stroller. Just like a real stroller! The Cherry Umbrella Stroller for large My Classique Corolle dolls is fantastic! Lightweight and foldable, The Cherry Umbrella Stroller is easy to take along. The icing on the cake is that the grey wheels don’t show the dirt!

 

Giveaway:

Corolle Mon Bébé Chéri to Dress Doll and Cherry Umbrella Stroller Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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Filed under Christmas, Dolls and Dollhouses, Giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, Mommy Ramblings, Review, Toys