There will be baking for sure – perhaps some sort of heart-shaped rice crispie . . . → Read More: Valentine’s Day Cards]]> It seems like as soon as one holiday is over, there is another to look forward to!  With Valentine’s Day just a few weeks away I’m starting to think of fun activities to do with Ashlyn and her little friends.

 There will be baking for sure – perhaps some sort of heart-shaped rice crispie treat since Ashlyn likes making those so much? – and crafts.  We ordered some classroom Valentine’s Day cards from Minted.com for Ashlyn and Rowan to hand out to their friends and send to our family members who live too far away to visit.  At just 2.5″x3.5″ they’re perfect for classroom parties or play dates; if you plan to mail them you’ll need a larger envelope!

picture taken by Elizabeth Fulton Photography 

I was drawn to the paper heart classroom Valentine’s Day cards because any time I can incorporate a picture of my girls in something we’re sending out I do!  I’m still getting compliments on our Christmas cards by Minted so I know these will be a hit too.  There are also non-photo cards available that can still be personalized with your child’s name on them.

I had no problem uploading my pictures and getting the card just the way I wanted it.  I changed the font from white to pink and made sure that both girls’ names were on it.  The proof was sent on Friday (the day after I placed my order), I was notified that it had been shipped out on Monday and I had it at my door on Wednesday!  I’m very impressed with how quickly Minted can get their product to me in Canada since I’ve had many instances with other companies of products being held up at the border for weeks.

Order your classroom Valentine’s Day cards by February 7^th to receive them in time for your little ones to hand out on February 14^th!

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):

• 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 @mymemoriessuite #scrapbook software via @NotJstBabyBrain http://notjustbabybrain.com/?p=3356 #giveaway #craft
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Have  you heard about HEXBUG® Nano?  All of a sudden they seem to be everywhere!  They’re tiny (1.75 inches each) little micro robotic bugs that uses the physics of vibration to skitter along and explore its environment on smooth surfaces.  They can even flip from their back to their front and . . . → Read More: HEXBUG Nano for the holidays]]>

Have  you heard about HEXBUG® Nano?  All of a sudden they seem to be everywhere!  They’re tiny (1.75 inches each) little micro robotic bugs that uses the physics of vibration to skitter along and explore its environment on smooth surfaces.  They can even flip from their back to their front and vice versa!  It’s fun to watch since you can’t be sure where exactly your HEXBUG will go next.

While you can set them loose on any flat, smooth surface and watch them go, they’re even more fun if you use one of their habitats!  The HEXBUG® Nano Spiral Starter Set is a great way to see how much the HEXBUGS can do.  Featuring 2 levels, you can watch your HEXBUG make his way up and down the spiral ramp.  All of the habitat sets are expandable and interchangable so you can combine as many habitats as you’d like as you grow your collection.  It’s important to remember that the HEXBUG Nanos don’t always stay inside of their habitats so make sure to keep an eye on them in case you get an escapee.

 My favourite Nanos are the ones that glow in the dark!  They have their own special habitats that also glow in the dark, but of course they work on any of the Nano habitats.  I can see this being a big hit at sleepovers!

Each habitat comes with a unique mutation of Nano.  HEXBUG Nanos run on ‘bug food’ (akaAG13/LR44 batteries, which are included and are available for purchase where you buy HEXBUG products).  HEXBUG Nanos are recommended for ages 3 + and are available online and in many stores nationwide.

We take a lot of pictures.  So many that Ashlyn hears the click and says “cheese” without bothering to look up from her craft or snack, and Rowan makes a mad army-crawl towards the camera as soon as she sees it!  I love having all of these memories documented, but our shelves are . . . → Read More: Elephoto ($50 gift card giveaway)]]>

We take a lot of pictures.  So many that Ashlyn hears the click and says “cheese” without bothering to look up from her craft or snack, and Rowan makes a mad army-crawl towards the camera as soon as she sees it!  I love having all of these memories documented, but our shelves are getting overrun with photo albums and it’s expensive to print individual pictures.  I recently learned about Elephoto, a company that produces high-quality photo books and other photo-related items and is 100%  Canadian!

The fact that Elephoto is Canadian is a huge bonus because it means I don’t have to worry about hefty international shipping fees, unexpected customs fees, or my book getting stuck at the border for weeks.  All orders are printed and sent for delivery within 3 business days, and if you order by 11:59pm on December 18th using standard shipping the order will arrive by Christmas!  Order using express shipping and you can place your order until December 20 at 11:59pm.

Elephoto offers hardcover photo books in sizes from 8×8 to 12×12 and you can access your pictures from Facebook or Photobucket, or upload them from your computer.  There are a ton of stylish themes: everything from vintage to  baby to holidays and much more!  I’m working on a book of our family pictures that were taken in October and so far I’m finding Elephoto easy to use and very user-friendly.  I really like that I can change around the order of the pages in case a certain layout doesn’t quite work with the pictures that I want to use, or delete it altogether and chose something new.

I find the pricing quite reasonable and I think a few relatives will find a photo book from Elephoto under the tree next year!  You can use the code BABYBRAIN15 to save 15% on your order.

One lucky reader will win a $50 gift card from Elephoto (shipping not included) to make your own photo book (or whatever else you choose)!

To enter, look around Elephoto and tell me what you’d make (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” Elephoto on Facebook (leave your first name and last initial in your comment so I can find you, please)
• “Like” Not Just Baby Brain on Facebook (leave your first name and last initial in your comment so I can find you, please)
• Share this post on Facebook
• Follow @elephoto on Twitter
• 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 @Elephoto $50 #giftcard via @NotJstBabyBrain http://notjustbabybrain.com/?p=3450 #giveaway #HGG
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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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• “Like” Kidorable 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 Dragon Knight Umbrella from @Kidorable via @NotJstBabyBrain http://notjustbabybrain.com/?p=3438 #giveaway #HGG #kids
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We all have them – the “impossible to buy for” people on your holiday list.  For me it’s my brother-in-law’s family; they’re wonderful people but they never seem to need or want anything – and I’m sure they say the same thing about us!  We’re all fortunate enough to have more than enough . . . → Read More: Empire Theatres Holiday Program]]>

We all have them – the “impossible to buy for” people on your holiday list.  For me it’s my brother-in-law’s family; they’re wonderful people but they never seem to need or want anything – and I’m sure they say the same thing about us!  We’re all fortunate enough to have more than enough ‘stuff’ but that doesn’t mean that we don’t want to get them something to open on Christmas Day.  My solution?  Give an experience instead of an item!

A great experience, especially for parents who may not make enough time for date nights, is a gift to see a movie in the theatre!  The Empire Theatres’ 2011 Gift Card Holiday Program is running right now: buy $30 in Empire Theatres’ Gift Cards you will receive $30 in Empire Theatres Coupons!  You can purchase the gift cards at your local Empire Theatre until December 24th, or you can order online until December 18th.

The Coupon Bundle includes coupons for everything from free drinks to reduced admission prices that are valid for different times from January through April, which makes it excellent for students, parents who need a kick to get out every now and then….or a nice gift for yourself as a reward for all of your holiday shopping!  You can even buy a gift tin for $1.00 with the net proceeds going to Kids Help Phone.  My favourite part is that the gift tins can be purchased separately (even online!) so you can do a good deed and avoid wrapping all at the same time.

Disclosure – I am participating in the Empire Theatre Gift Card Holiday Campaign by Mom Central Canada.  I received compensation for my participation in this campaign.  The opinions on this blog are my own.

Stocking Stuffers are so much fun to buy, and yet can be the hardest gift at the same time!  Do you go random, or practical – and do they really have to fit in the stocking?  I tend to do a little of both, and then pile everything around and under the . . . → Read More: Find Uncommon Gifts at Uncommon Goods]]>

Stocking Stuffers are so much fun to buy, and yet can be the hardest gift at the same time!  Do you go random, or practical – and do they really have to fit in the stocking?  I tend to do a little of both, and then pile everything around and under the stocking too.  With 2 young children this year, I’m avoiding the mall as much as possible and looking to my favourite online stores to do the bulk of my shopping.  First on my list is Uncommon Goods; With a name like that, you know you’ll find unique presents for everyone on your list!  I’m loving this Scratch Map; you scratch off parts of the map to indicate where you’ve been.  What a great present for the traveller in your life.

Gifts for Girls shouldn’t be hard for me, but since my girls are so little I still need guidance when shopping for girls over the age of 5.  I could see these Crocheted Headphones being a big hit with a few girls on my list (tweens, teens and adults alike)!

Gifts for Boys are a real challenge since I’m surrounded by girls!  When I get the chance to buy from “the blue side”, it’s fun to see something that’s not a sea of pink.  I can think of quite a few little guys who would be more than happy to come to the table for a meal if it meant that they could eat off of their Construction Plate & Utensils!

I really enjoy that I can get my shopping done during the few quiet moments that randomly occur over the course of the day, and I’m not worried that the recipients will already have anything that I’m looking at on Uncommon Goods.  And of course, having my gifts delivered to my door beats loading up a baby and a toddler and dragging them around a mall any day!  If only Uncommon Goods could do all of my wrapping too….

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)
• Follow @libretea on Twitter
• 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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