Sweet Shoppes Guide and a Secret Giveaway
June 30, 2008 by Emily · 78 Comments
It’s done! The Sweet Shoppes Guide that I have been dreaming of making has finally come to fruition. This really is one of the main reasons I wanted to start the Little Window Shoppe - to highlight charming ideas from cute shoppes in order to promote Shoppe and Boutique owners, as well as help Window Shoppers find delightful ideas.
I have created a guide where shoppe owners can list their shoppe or boutique so that the Window Shoppe Readers can more easily find them. My blog generally focuses on shoppe products, and so I wanted this guide to be a little more about the shoppes in general.
This guide is of course family friendly and so I try to find and display shoppes and boutiques (photography businesses and other helpful services too) that I think are sensational for your Home and Family, babies, children, teens, women, and moms. (Sorry guys, I just wasn’t sure how to factor guy stuff in too - but this is a great place for you to find gift ideas for your beloved family)…
This is a free guide (yes totally free) - so you can peruse it at your pleasure or if you have a shoppe that you think fits in glamorously with this site, please submit it - I would love to add it to this guide for free too.
**If you don’t have a shoppe, but you still want to be a part of the Window Shoppe, you can submit your blog to my Sweet Links Blog Directory for free too and I will add it to my site.**
Contest:
Win it! To kick off the Window Shoppe’s new Sweet Shoppes Guide, I am hosting a giveaway! One winner will receive this lovely Secrets de Sothys age-defying solution cream by Sothys Paris ~ retail value $180!
To Win:
Just submit a comment or email me at contest@littlewindowshoppe.com within the next week and in order to be entered, please visit my new Sweet Shoppes and Boutiques link and let me know that you checked it out. Thank you!!
*Receive additional entries (both are completely optional):
1. Tell your friends about the Sweet Shoppes Guide and about this Secret Giveaway on your blog.
2. Subscribe to the Window Shoppe.
I will announce the winner on Wednesday, July 9th at The Little Window Shoppe and at Prizey.Fetch! Please see my contest rules for details.
*Congratulations to Mary, she is the Secrets de Sothys winner.
Handipoints Chore Charts
June 27, 2008 by Emily · 5 Comments
Chores are those very needed, yet often procrastinated tasks that are a part of life. As parents, many of us are trying to teach our children how to be responsible and complete their daily or weekly tasks. And since this process can be a little tough to enjoy, we could use a little extra help from Handipoints Chore Charts. (Tip by Tenille).
Handipoints is a great website and tool for children who need a little boost in the task department. Not only can you sign up for FREE and print out chore charts galore (here’s a sample), you can learn to set up an allowance program and your children can add up and keep track of the points they earn from doing their chores on their chore chart and online.
Handipoints has built a way for children (and parents) to input their chore points and bonus points so that they can earn and create a Cool Cat Handipoint character that lets them participate in all kinds of online games and cartoons. It’s a beautifully set up reward program that may help your children actually look forward to completing their chores.
The Sweetest Personalized Storybook
June 27, 2008 by Emily · 2 Comments
We just received the sweetest personalized storybook for my little babe. It was such a special book for us since it was seamlessly tailored to fit my son and the important people in his life, it even included a professional dedication to him in the front of the book. It is called The First Adventures of Incredible You by the award-winning personalized storybook company,”Custom Made for Kids“.
Personalize this book for your loved ones too! Here’s how it works. There are 20 places in this book where you can fill out the meaningful details about your loved one. It is set up so that these details will be easily incorporated in the book’s rhyming verse. This is definitely a book you and your loved one will want to keep forever. To see the beautiful illustrations and writing up close, you can take this virtual tour to show you examples.
Pick up your copy of this book at Pottery Barn Kids or at Custom Made for Kids.
Discount:
Exclusive to the Window Shoppe, take 15% off of your order from Custom Made for Kids with code lws15. Expires August 15, 2008.
An Instruction Manual for Children
June 26, 2008 by Michelle P. · 1 Comment
The A to Z Guide to Raising Happy, Confident Kids, $15
This book is great for busy parents who are looking for some quick but true advice on how to help their kids become good decision makers and genuinely happy kids. It is broken up into chapters for quick reference on topics such as picky eaters, having pets, participating is sports, and sibling rivalry. This is one that I will refer to again and again as my children grow and face new challenges. Available at Barnes and Noble.
Summer Fun
June 26, 2008 by Michelle P. · 1 Comment
Summer is here! Now is the time to enjoy all the unscheduled time with your kids doing what they do best–playing! Here are two great and inexpensive toys that will keep you all entertained.
Gazillion Bubble Machine $15
What kid doesn’t love bubbles? This bubble machine makes 500 bubbles per minute! It provides hours of fun for your little ones, and helps you save your breath! Available at Amazon.com or your favorite toy store.
Rocket Balloons with Pump $10
I first saw these rocket balloons when a friend brought them to the park for a playdate. Soon all the kids from the playground were chasing these zooming balloons through the park. You inflate the oversized balloons with the included pump and then let them fly! Your kids will love chasing them, and trying to guess where they will land. Available at amazon.com, or in some Target stores.
The Crafting Corner
June 25, 2008 by Emily · 4 Comments
I spy my little eye on something…you have to buy! It’s an Etsy day and I wanted to mention The Crafting Corner’s handy little I Spy Bags. We have one of these at home and love it (yes, designed for children, but sometimes parents just can’t resist).
Their I Spy Bags have 40 objects hidden inside for your children to find, which provides a nice “quiet time” activity for loads of occasions…traveling, church, waiting rooms and more. These are 100% handmade and are covered in fleece so that they are durable and super soft to hold.
{I Spy Hearts Bag: $16}
Wordless Wednesday
June 25, 2008 by Emily · 10 Comments
Shampoo Rinse Cup
June 24, 2008 by Emily · 7 Comments
A bright idea for your child’s bathtime (tip by JaNece). As we know, there are many children who look forward to splashing around in the bath (my baby included - I’m sure it’s one of his favorite activities). But, there’s the dreaded rinsing that has to take place - which often results in water getting into his eyes (I know that many of you can relate here)!
Presenting The Shampoo Rinse Cup - solving one bathtime quandary at a time…find it at Baby Center at 40% off for just $4.77.
Fitness for Mommies
June 24, 2008 by Emily · 8 Comments
I’m almost afraid to admit this to even more people - just in case I “chicken out,” but here it goes. ;)
In February, My husband and I decided that this is the perfect year to run in a marathon - it will be our first one ever! We are planning to run it at the end of August - and with just two months left, we have been learning as much as possible about how to prepare.
Pictures from the marathon trail we are running in! Isn’t it gorgeous?
We both have run in half marathons before and really wanted to meet our goal to run a full one. So, this is it, we’re signed up and we have been researching and talking to lots of experts about how to prepare. We have great shoes and a super sweet jogging stroller - all set right? Not quite, there’s that “training part” that we are still trying to figure out.
You may already know about Fitness for Mommies, so I just wanted to mention how helpful this site has been for me. I think Rachel, to put it simply, is awesome. This mother of two finds time to run marathons and shares her tips and fitness ideas on her Fitness for Mommies site. A few weeks ago, I asked her a few (OK - a lot!) of questions about my training schedule, and she was so helpful and gave me great suggestions that my hubby and I could incorporate into our running. Her suggestions were about nutrition, strength training, running groups, and great programs to follow. Needless to say, it was very motivating and helpful for me and if you are a runner, fitness lover, or are thinking about it, I highly recommend visiting her site to learn a little more. You can even enter a few of her fantastic fitness-oriented giveaways.
Snails in the Mud and Other Fun Snacks for Kids
June 23, 2008 by Emily · 9 Comments
Snacks always seem to taste a little better when they are fun to eat. Forget escargot (by the way, I actually tried escargot once - drenched in butter - how is that for being brave!), this yummy snail snack from Kraftfoods.com is just one of the collected snack ideas that you will find at Fun Snacks 4 Kids. Rachael finds and gathers fun snacks that preschoolers and all children will enjoy. She lists snack ideas for parties, holidays, and also for playtime.
Rachael also loves to take your snack ideas and photos, if you have a few that you want to share, contact her at preschoolsnacks@yahoo.com.
