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Wedding Paper Divas: 10 Free Save the Date Cards

At this time of year, we’re usually thinking of sleigh bells. But if you’re one of those lucky ladies who are also thinking about wedding bells – I’ve got a really fabulous little goodie for you today – Enjoy ten (10) free save the date cards or save the date postcards using the code SAVEYOURDATE at checkout. How awesome is that?

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If Your Android Phone & Nikon Camera Had a Baby…

“A good snapshot stops a moment from running away.” – Eudora Welty I’ve always been a photography junkie. I took 2 years of courses in high school – you know, back in the days where we had darkrooms, developed our own film, and printed our own photos. {Do kids these days even know what a dark room is? Am I old when I talk like this?} Then I spent my last two years of high school taking independent study photo courses, or helping as a teacher’s assistant in the beginner classes. I’m definitely not a professional – But one thing that I do know is that a good quality camera makes anyone’s pictures look better. Seriously better.

Nikon Coolpix Camera with Wifi [Read more…]

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Best Gadget Gifts for Chicks: Foodie, Photographer, or Girly-Girl

“Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus lane…” – Wait a minute, that’s not Santa! It’s ME – here to help you finish up your holiday shopping, since you can’t rely on Santa to bring it all. And because I’m all about helping you simplify life, especially during this crazy-busy holiday season, I’m going to give you four posts over the next week, sharing some of the coolest gift ideas you can find, and all available at Best Buy – so you can do one stop shopping. Awesomesauce, right? Today I’ve rounded up some of the hottest gifts this year for women. I’ll also be finding and sharing the best gift ideas for guys, for kids, and those tough to shop for teens too. So stay tuned! But first, for the ladies….

Must have gifts for foodies

Gadgety Gifts for Foodies

If you have someone on your list this year who’s a total ninja of the kitchen, they will definitely appreciate some super sweet new gadgets. The total grandaddy of cool kitchen gear is of course the KitchenAid – Artisan Series Stand Mixer – Empire Red. {Ok, red is my personal favorite. But there’s also crazy-cool colors like Raspberry Ice or sleek Onyx Black too.} If you know a foodie that doesn’t have one of these yet – there is just no way you’ll go wrong with this! Another idea is the Belkin – Chef Tablet Stand and Stylus. This helps your tech-savvy kitchen guru keep their tablet handy in the kitchen for following their favorite recipes – while keeping it clean and away from messy hands with the clever stylus tool. {Hint: This is on my list too, if anyone’s shopping for me…} And, if you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon yet – ohmyheck, you have got to try out the Capital Brands – Magic Bullet – Black. My friends laughed when I bought this – back when it was only a “Seen on TV” type thing. But they stopped laughing when they saw how rad it was – and I have bought it as a gift SO many times! It makes amazing smoothies for breakfast, and rockin’ margaritas during girls night. When I’m baking it can chop, blend, mix, and more. I use this almost daily and totally recommend it as a gift for any foodie on your list.

Best gifts for photographers

Best Tech Gifts for Photographers

If you have a photo junkie to shop for – these are my top 3 suggestions for totally awesome gifts. Every mom loves family photos – and what cooler way to display them then a digital frame? The HP – 10″ Widescreen LCD Digital Photo Frame – Espresso Brown is a seriously gorgeous choice. And what about a new camera? I’ve been using the
Nikon – Coolpix S800c 160-Megapixel Digital Camera – White
 and am in looooove. It takes seriously impressive photos for a point-and-shoot camera – and combines that with Wi-Fi and an Android operating system. That means you can snap pics, edit them, and share them faster than ever! And speaking of Wi-Fi… Have you heard of the Eye-Fi? This is a totally cool little addition to your camera that automagically sends photos directly from your camera to your computer, easy peasy. Such a time saver for peeps who take a ton of pics! {And, if you or someone you’re shopping for loves taking pics from their phone – Get the Latest Accessories for the iPhone 5, Plus Free Shipping..}

Best Best-Buy gifts for girly girls

Best tech gifts for Girly Girls

Think you can’t shop for those super girly girls on your list at Best Buy? Then think again! As a Best Buy Brand Ambassador for the past few months, I have totally been blown away by how many unexpected things they carry – things I never would have thought to shop there for. Things like the CHI Air – Expert Classic Tourmaline Ceramic 1″ Flat Iron – Pure Pink. But, I absolutely LOVE how smart and helpful the staff is at Best Buy – and the way that they stand behind their products if you ever have any problems. {Unlike most big box stores.} So it’s so worth doing all of your shopping there! {Did you know you can even curl your hair with a flat iron?} Another sweet option – how about a girly version of my all-time fave earbuds, the
Klipsch – Image S3 Earbud Headphones – Perfect Pink
? Or a super helpful set of gear for anyone with an iPad – the Hello Kitty – Portfolio Case and Bluetooth Keyboard for Apple iPad and iPad 2 – Pink. Full of awesome.

Wolf at Best Buy Blogging Board Member

As a Best Buy Brand Ambassador, and part of the Best Buy WOLF team…

I love sharing some of the super cool stuff available at Best Buy stores across the country, and sharing fun reviews of those products, to help simplify tech for other busy moms like myself. If you have a product that YOU’D love to have real moms like me share their views on, leave a comment on the Best Buy WOLF Facebook wall, or here on this post!

See more tech awesomeness on my Best Buy WOLF Pinterest Board


 

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How to Make Your Family Game Nights Epic!

Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two… You’ve probably heard of this game by now, even if you’re not a big gamer. Disney’s new Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, is on all of the “Hottest Gifts of the Season” lists this year. I’d been seeing it everywhere, so I was pretty anxious to give it a try with the kiddos here at home. I know that sometimes video games can be a challenge – none of us want the kids sitting in front of a TV all day, right? But I’m a big lover of family game nights – and a really great vide game is a perfect way to keep everyone entertained and enjoying time together. Love that, right?

Epic Mickey
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Learn the 7 Simple Steps That Will Make Your Flowers Last Longer

Purchasing flowers for a loved one can be a wonderful way to show them how much you care about them… However, it can be very frustrating to make sure that the beautiful bouquet you purchase doesn’t wilt and die within the first few days of purchase. If you are tired of spending money on rose bouquets that don’t last, here are seven simple steps you can take to make sure that your roses last as long as possible.

flowers for a loved one [Read more…]

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To One Person You Are the World…. #GivingBack

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” – Mother Teresa… This is a really great way to look at things. There are huge problems in the world – hunger, poverty, sickness and disease, lack of access to things like basic medical care, education, and clean water. Things that we totally take for granted here in the US. But most people feel like these issues are too big, too far away, too vast to do anything about. And it’s true – you can’t solve world hunger, bring about world peace, or cure all of the sick kids across the globe. But you can use the resources you have, no matter how big or small, to make a difference in someone’s life. Sure, you can’t fix it all – but to that one person that benefits from your generosity, what you do DOES matter.

1000 Shillings Jewelry gives back

“You may be only one person in this world, but to one person at one time, you are the world.” – Anonymous

One very simple way to help – that’s extra relevant during this season of shopping and gift giving! – is to direct your spending to places that use those proceeds to give back, help out, and do great things. A site that I’m especially excited about is 1000 Shillings. Why? Read more…

  • Empower: This isn’t a site that gives hand outs. That doesn’t solve the root problems of poverty, and can make the recipient feel  powerless. Nope, this is a campaign that EMPOWERS women! It gives them the opportunity to use the skills they have to create a product that can be marketed and sold, to bring their families out of poverty. A hand up, not a hand out.
  • Voice: When you’re struggling, what’s the most important thing to you? Being heard. Knowing that someone hears you, and cares what you’re going through. That’s why 1000 Shillings gives the artisans a voice, telling their story on the site, so you can get to know the women you’re supporting.
  • Educate: They don’t stop at simply making and selling their handmade pieces. The women are partnered with mentors – they help them build a sustainable business plan, or reach a goal like paying for school or purchasing land, using the seed capital from the products they create. This helps create more opportunity for everyone around them too.

Give a hand up, not a hand out!

Want to show your support?

Visit 1000 Shillings online, and check out all of the beautiful handcrafted, one-of-a-kind artwork available to purchase. Then share some love on their social media pages – “Like” them on Facebook, and share the page with your friends. Follow them on Twitter and tweet them a message of support! Connect with them on Pinterest and pin some of their gorgeous products. And visit them on YouTube, and subscribe to their channel for new updates. {I was the very first subscriber there – woo hoo!}

Together we can change the world, one good deed at a time.

For more ideas on doing good and giving back, visit Mom Bloggers for Social Good – which is who connected me to this great site, and follow my Giving Back board on Pinterest

Help fundraise for schools in need while shopping at The Ultimate Green Store.com!

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Bloggertunities: Over 20 New Ways to Rock Your Blog!

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde… When it comes to blogging, that’s some of the best advice that you’ll ever get. Perfect grammar, a beautiful design, and good connections to PR are only going to take you so far… It’s the personal connection you make with readers, when you write from the heart, that is what brings success. Plus, when you write “real” – you’ll enjoy what you do MUCH more! I hope you find something helpful in this week’s post – and you have anything awesome to share too, please feel free to add it to the comments!

Bloggertunties: Learn more, earn more! [Read more…]

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