I love traditional scrapbooking but I don’t have nearly enough time for it these days.  With a little girl who wants to ‘help’ and is very interested in crafts I can’t leave my products and pages out or who knows what I’ll find!  I’d heard about digital scrapbooking software  before but hadn’t . . . → Read More: My Memories (scrapbooking software giveaway)]]>  

I love traditional scrapbooking but I don’t have nearly enough time for it these days.  With a little girl who wants to ‘help’ and is very interested in crafts I can’t leave my products and pages out or who knows what I’ll find!  I’d heard about digital scrapbooking software  before but hadn’t made the leap until I was introduced to My Memories Suite.

I’ve been playing around with My Memories Suite for a few weeks now and I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to try scrapbooking on the computer!  While I don’t think I’ll ever give up traditional scrapbooking, there is something to be said for being able to make more than one copy of a project instantly and not having to worry that a breeze might ruin a layout you’ve spent hours on.  I made a few Christmas gifts using My Memories Suite, which is why I wanted to wait until after Christmas to run this post – I didn’t want to ruin the surprise (hi Mom!).

I found the My Memories Suite scrapbook software to be very easy to use and I had a lot of fun creating some traditional layouts, as well as playing with the various embellishments that are available.  You can do everything that you need to in this software – cropping pictures, rotating them, changing colours and creating your own layout or using a template that is provided.

My favourite project was a small calendar. I used various quick pages (ie pages that are already made up; you just put in your pictures and it’s done) that I could download for free from My Memories Suite, then added the months using the ‘calendars’ tab in the Control Panel and played around with the colours until I liked them.  I printed them out as 4×6 pictures and put them into a frame and voila – a personalized calendar that’s perfect for the office or computer room.

This is the perfect time of year to start a scrapbook; the weather is cold and a whole new year is starting.  Use the code STMMMS73949 and you’ll receive a $10 discount on the purchase of the MyMemories Suite V3 scrapbook software AND a $10 coupon for downloads – a total value of $20!

One lucky reader will win their own My Memories Suite scrapbook software!

To enter, look around My Memories Suite and leave me a comment with your favourite digital scrapbooking kit (required).

For additional entries (leave a separate comment here for each):

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• Follow @NotJstBabyBrain on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (RT 1x per day and leave me the link to your tweet in your comment) #Win @mymemoriessuite #scrapbook software via @NotJstBabyBrain http://notjustbabybrain.com/?p=3356 #giveaway #craft
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In case . . . → Read More: Beauty and the Beast back in theatres (giveaway)]]> It’s a tale as old as time, and now it’s coming back to theatres in Disney Digital 3D!  I vividly remember seeing it the first time in was released in 1991 (wow, does that make me feel old all of a sudden!) and it’s been one of my favourite movies ever since.

In case you haven’t seen it before, here’s a little synopsis.  “The film captures the fantastic journey of Belle (voice of Paige O’Hara), a bright and beautiful young woman who’s taken prisoner by a hideous beast (voice of Robby Benson) in his castle. Despite her precarious situation, Belle befriends the castle’s enchanted staff—a teapot, a candelabra and a mantel clock, among others—and ultimately learns to see beneath the Beast’s exterior to discover the heart and soul of a prince. ”

I loved Belle and her book-worm tendencies (and because she was a brunette!) and I still remember the words to all of the songs; I can’t promise that I won’t be singing along while I watch.  It’s a classic story and I can’t wait to take Ashlyn to see Beauty and the Beast in Disney Digital 3D as her very first movie!

 To celebrate the theatrical release, Disney is holding special screenings across the country on Saturday, January 7^th . 

You can see the trailer below:

One lucky reader will win 1 family pass for 4 to see BEAUTY AND THE BEAST in Disney Digital 3D for Saturday, January 7^th at 10:00 am at SilverCity Gloucester (Ottawa)!

Tell me who your favourite character from Beauty and the Beast is (required).

For additional entries (leave a separate comment here for each):

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• Follow @NotJstBabyBrain on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (RT 1x per day and leave me the link to your tweet in your comment) #Win family pass to#Disney Beauty and the Beast 3D in #Ottawa via @NotJstBabyBrain #giveaway #movie #kids
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Kids need more than just toys, but try to convince them of that!  When I can find items that are practical but still fun I love to give them as gifts, and I think that the Kidorable Dragon Knight Collection would make a great gift for any little man  – and some . . . → Read More: Kidorable Dragon Knight Collection (giveaway)]]>

Kids need more than just toys, but try to convince them of that!  When I can find items that are practical but still fun I love to give them as gifts, and I think that the Kidorable Dragon Knight Collection would make a great gift for any little man  – and some little ladies too.

The Dragon Knight collection is primarily steel grey, with lots of dark green dragon and red fire accents.  The raincoat features the coolest hood I’ve seen – it looks like a helmet!   The umbrella has 3D dragon horns and wings, and the handle looks like a sword.  I don’t think you’ll have a hard time convincing a young knight to use this umbrella on rainy days.

For the week of December 5-11, you can use the coupon code DRAGON7 to receive a free Dragon Knight umbrella with your order over $20 (make sure to add the Dragon Knight umbrella to your cart first).

One lucky reader will win a Dragon Knight Umbrella from Kidorable!

To enter, tell me what else you love from Kidorable (required).

For additional entries (leave a separate comment here for each):

• Follow me with Google Friend Connect (there’s a link on the left side bar)
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• Follow @NotJstBabyBrain on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (RT 1x per day and leave me the link to your tweet in your comment) #Win Dragon Knight Umbrella from @Kidorable via @NotJstBabyBrain http://notjustbabybrain.com/?p=3438 #giveaway #HGG #kids
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Now that the season is definitely turning to winter, I’m turning to a nice hot mug of tea in the afternoons to warm my hands and remind myself to take a moment to myself – a “tea moment”, as Libre Tea calls them.  I have a fairly new-found love of loose . . . → Read More: Take a Tea Moment this holiday (giveaway)]]>

Now that the season is definitely turning to winter, I’m turning to a nice hot mug of tea in the afternoons to warm my hands and remind myself to take a moment to myself – a “tea moment”, as Libre Tea calls them.  I have a fairly new-found love of loose leaf tea and the Libre tea glass’n poly Mug is a great way for me to enjoy my tea on the go!

I have reviewed the Libre glass’n poly original and was curious to see how the Glass’n poly Mug compared.  It holds about 20mL more and I really liked having a handle!  As always, I’m not worried about burning my hand on a hot mug because the glass interior and carbonate exterior mean that the inside is hot while the outside stays cool.

The new finer tea filter means that it’s suitable for even more varieties of loose leaf tea, so I can continue to experiment with different flavours.  My preferred method of brewing the tea is to place the leaves in the bottom, fill with hot water and drink through the filter but for early morning playdates I can appreciate the option of keeping the tea and water separate until you’re ready to start drinking it!

If there is a tea lover on your shopping list, a Libre Tea glass would be a great gift.

One lucky reader will win a Libre glass n’ poly Mug from Libre Tea!

To enter, go to Libre Tea and tell me what other product you like (required).

For additional entries (leave a separate comment here for each):

• Follow me with Google Friend Connect (there’s a link on the left side bar)
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• “Like” Libre Tea on Facebook (leave your first name and last initial in your comment so I can find you, please)
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• Follow @NotJstBabyBrain on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (RT 1x per day and leave me the link to your tweet in your comment) #Win glass n poly #tea glass from @libretea via @NotJstBabyBrain http://notjustbabybrain.com/?p=3350 #HGG #giveaway #mom #relax #giveaway #teamoment
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I love toys that can also teach my girls something.  The Lamaze Cowgirl Carly Activity Doll helps toddlers and young children develope their fine motor skill development through play: your little one can help Carly button her vest, tie her scarf, buckle her belt, zip up one boot or fasten the other boot.  I remember looking . . . → Read More: Hot Holiday Toys from Learning Curve (Chuggington giveaway)]]>

I love toys that can also teach my girls something.  The Lamaze Cowgirl Carly Activity Doll helps toddlers and young children develope their fine motor skill development through play: your little one can help Carly button her vest, tie her scarf, buckle her belt, zip up one boot or fasten the other boot.  I remember looking high and low for a doll like this when Ashlyn was a year old, so I’m excited that Rowan can have one of her own!  Recommended for ages 18 months and up, it retails for the suggested price of $24.99.

Learning to share is an ongoing battle in our house, so it’s nice when a toy is big enough that more than one child can play with it at the same time!  Chuggington is still a a big deal in our house, and I’m excited to see that Learning Curve‘s Chuggington Interactive Railway All Around Chuggington Set has been voted a Hot 20 Toy by the Toy Insider!

Featuring 60 total pieces, this set features a 3 ft. layout with a spiral elevation and includes three Interactive train stops (a loading yard, a tower platform, and a roundhouse ), an Interactive Wilson engine and an Interactive Vee figure. We love the SmartTalk technology from Chuggington Interactive Railway Wash & Fuel starter set review and I’m looking forward to setting up both Chuggington sets to see how they interact, especially Wilson and Brewster!

The Chuggington Interactive Railway All Around Chuggington Set features more than 250 sounds and phrases, and the batteries are included, which is a huge bonus for a toy that would make a great present.  The Chuggington Interactive Railway All Around Chuggington Set is recommended for children aged 3 years and up and is available at Toys R Us for the suggested retail price of $69.99!

One lucky reader will win a Chuggington Interactive Railway All Around Chuggington Set from Learning Curve!

To enter,  look around Learning Curve and tell me what else you’d like to give a special someone this holiday season (required).

For additional entries (leave a separate comment here for each):

• Follow me with Google Friend Connect (there’s a link on the left side bar)
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This is the first year that Ashlyn has been old enough to begin to understand the magic of Santa.  We took her to get her picture taken with Santa on Wednesday, and once she worked up the nerve to actually talk to him she was a little put out that she . . . → Read More: Merry Mailbox (giveaway)]]>

This is the first year that Ashlyn has been old enough to begin to understand the magic of Santa.  We took her to get her picture taken with Santa on Wednesday, and once she worked up the nerve to actually talk to him she was a little put out that she asked Santa very politely for a new baby doll and didn’t get it right then and there.

Merry Mailbox is an Etsy store that lets your child receive a personalized letter from Santa!  All you have to do is answer some questions and Santa’s speical helper Marissa passes along all of the information.  The letter comes in an outer envelope address to Mommy or Daddy, and inside is a special envelope just for your little one!

I gave Ashlyn her personalized letter from Santa Claus this morning, so that Santa would have had enough time to send it after our visit this week.  Ashlyn loved opening her own envelope and she loved hearing all of the little details about her life (our cat’s name, what a wonderful big sister she is – Santa even mentioned her closest friends by name!) that are all throughout the letter.  She was thrilled that Santa included some stickers for her too.

This is a wonderful idea for any child who believes in the magic of Santa!  There is also a letter specific to baby’s first Christmas, and a religious letter from Santa if you’d prefer that to be the focus of the season.

One lucky reader will win a personalized letter from Santa from Merry Mailbox!

To enter, tell me who you’d be sending this special letter to (required).

For additional entries (leave a separate comment here for each):

• Follow me with Google Friend Connect (there’s a link on the left side bar)
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• Follow @NotJstBabyBrain on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (RT 1x per day and leave me the link to your tweet in your comment) #Win #custom #Santa letter from @merrymailbox via @NotJstBabyBrain http://notjustbabybrain.com/?p=3317 #giveaway #Christmas #Etsy #kids #HGG
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One of my biggest pet peeves is trying to get, and keep, mittens on a baby during the winter.  Ashlyn acted as though we were amputating her hands every time we tried to force those teeny baby mittens on her hands, and then she’d promptly manage to get the mittens off . . . → Read More: Stonz Mittz (giveaway)]]>

One of my biggest pet peeves is trying to get, and keep, mittens on a baby during the winter.  Ashlyn acted as though we were amputating her hands every time we tried to force those teeny baby mittens on her hands, and then she’d promptly manage to get the mittens off and her little hands would freeze.  Luckily, we were in Vancouver at the time and it wasn’t very cold during the winter so she survived.  Now that we’re in Ottawa, I knew that Rowan would require something better to keep her little hands warm and dry during the winter months.

Having worked with Stonz Wear last year on a review their Booties, I know that the quality of their products stands up over time.  Rowan is already wearing Ashlyn’s hand-me-down booties and now she has a pair of Stonz Mittz in Polka Dot – Brown to complete her winter wardrobe.

What makes Stonz Mittz different?  Their features include:

• Two adjustable toggles ensure they stay on and keep the cold out!
• Extra-long wrists are designed to go over outerwear
• No thumb for sizes 0-24 months for ease of use and warmth, added thumb for sizes 2-7 years with an extra layer of protective rubberized fabric on the palm and thumb.
• Machine wash and dry, inside out on delicate.
• Made in Canada.

We chose size small (0-12 months) since Rowan is only 8 months old and they’re so much easier to put on than the other mittens we had lying around the house.  I love that there are 2 toggles, so no snow/cold air will get in at the top, and her little hand will stay at the bottom right where it should be.  No matter how hard she tries, she’s not wiggling out of these Mittz!

We had our first snowfall today and while Rowan didn’t get to play outside, her hands stayed toasty warm when we were out and about.  Stonz Wear would be an excellent gift this holiday season, especially for the baby that has everything!

One lucky reader will win either a pair of Stonz Wear Booties OR Stonz Wear Mittz in their choice of colour and size!

To enter, look around Stonz Wear and tell me what you’d pick (required)!

For additional entries (leave a separate comment here for each):

• Follow me with Google Friend Connect (there’s a link on the left side bar)
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• Follow @NotJstBabyBrain on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (RT 1x per day and leave me the link to your tweet in your comment) #Win @StonzWear booties or mittz via @NotJstBabyBrain http://notjustbabybrain.com/?p=3315 #baby #toddler #kids #winter #giveaway #HGG
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If you’re a regular reader, you know I’m a fan of NCircle Entertainment and I’m happy that they have 2 new winter-themed DVDs to kick off the holiday season!

In The Cat In The Hat Knows a lot About That: Told From the Cold, Nick, Sally and the Cat go on 4 wintery . . . → Read More: Wintery Delights from NCircle (giveaway)]]>

If you’re a regular reader, you know I’m a fan of NCircle Entertainment and I’m happy that they have 2 new winter-themed DVDs to kick off the holiday season!

In The Cat In The Hat Knows a lot About That: Told From the Cold, Nick, Sally and the Cat go on 4 wintery adventures.  With stories about penguins, bears, and snow (oh my!), there are lots of fun songs and facts to learn.  We don’t go on a road trip without a The Cat In The Hat Knows a lot About That DVD packed up so this will get lots of play during our busy holiday season!

Chloe from Chloe’s Winter Wonderland is a new character to our household.  As soon as Ashlyn realized this movie was about a little girl (with the cutest accent!) who discovers magical new worlds while playing dress-up, she was sold!  Chloe dresses up as an ice skater, a snow princess - this would be Ashlyn’s favourite, an ice hockey player and a snow skier.

You can find both movies at your local retailer, or at NCircle Entertainment for a suggested retail price of $9.99 each.

One lucky reader will win a copy of The Cat In The Hat Knows a lot About That: Told From the Cold and Chloe’s Winter Wonderland from NCircle!

To enter, tell me who you’d like to give these wintery DVDs to (required).

For additional entries (leave a separate comment here for each):

• Follow me with Google Friend Connect (there’s a link on the left side bar)
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• Follow @NotJstBabyBrain on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (RT 1x per day and leave me the link to your tweet in your comment) #Win #Winter #dvds from @NCircle via @NotJstBabyBrain http://notjustbabybrain.com/?p=3268 #giveaway #entertainment #kids #movies #HGG
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My husband is a huge LEGO® fan and has already passed that love along to our 2.5 year old.  When I received LEGO® Star Wars® Character Encyclopedia and The LEGO® Ideas Book, it was hard to tell who was more excited about it!

The LEGO® Star Wars® Character Encyclopedia comes with . . . → Read More: Give the gift of LEGO ^® this year (giveaway)]]>

My husband is a huge LEGO^® fan and has already passed that love along to our 2.5 year old.  When I received LEGO^® Star Wars^® Character Encyclopedia and The LEGO^® Ideas Book, it was hard to tell who was more excited about it!

The LEGO^® Star Wars^® Character Encyclopedia comes with a Han Solo Decorated Hero minifigure (which may or may not be on it’s way to my husband’s work) in the cover.  Featuring over 400 captivating images, it’s already a source of entertainment for Ashlyn, who loves to sit and ask her daddy over and over “who’s that guy?” while pointing at the different minifigures.  I’m even learning a bit by listening to them, although my favourite characters are still the Ewoks.  I have a feeling that some Star Wars^® LEGO^® has been added to Ashlyn’s Christmas list!

The LEGO^® Ideas Book has over 500 ideas from Master Builders that can help you think outside the (LEGO^®) box.  While it doesn’t have step-by-step instructions, it is beautifully illustrated and is a great launching-off point for builders of all ages and skill levels.  There are six themed chapters (transportation, buildings, space, kingdoms, adventure, and useful makes) that are sure to inspire the LEGO^® fan in your house.  I’m just waiting for Ashlyn to point to a picture and ask me to make that….which will likely be met with “wait until your father gets home”!

LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Brick configuration and the Minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ^© 2011 The LEGO Group.

Produced by DK Publishing under license from the LEGO Group.

^© 2011 Lucasfilm Ltd. ^® TM  All Rights Reserved. Used Under Authorization.

TWO lucky readers will each win both books: LEGO^® Star Wars^® Character Encyclopedia and The LEGO^® Ideas Book!

To enter, tell me who is the biggest LEGO ^® or Star Wars^® fan in your house (required).

For additional entries (leave a separate comment here for each):

• Follow me with Google Friend Connect (there’s a link on the left side bar)
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• Follow @NotJstBabyBrain on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (RT 1x per day and leave me the link to your tweet in your comment) #Win #Lego #StarWars and Ideas #books via @NotJstBabyBrain http://notjustbabybrain.com/?p=3256 #giveaway #book #entertainment #family
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I am very excited to be bringing you so many different gift ideas (and . . . → Read More: My 2011 Holiday Gift Guide is coming!]]> It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  I’m getting my first Holiday Gift Guide posts started; this handy picture will let you know which posts include products that would make a great gift for a lucky person in your life.

I am very excited to be bringing you so many different gift ideas (and giveaways) over the next few weeks, but there’s always room for more!  If you have a product you’d like to see featured, send me an email at stacey@notjustbabybrain.com.