Holidickey Review

During the holiday season, many women find themselves attending various social, school and corporate parties. Holidickeys allow them to turn their existing wardrobe into a holiday wardrobe without the huge investment. It is cute and festive to wear a holiday-inspired top, but who wants to spend the money (and let's face it, sequined three-dimensional reindeer vests are not exactly modern). Holidickeys are festive enough to wear to a party yet attractive enough to wear casually. 

Review: Holidickeys are available in a variety of festive sprints and color styles.  The ruffle collar style gives the Holidickeys a more modern and young look. I was given a Red with Green Polka Dot Holidickey to review. The product features:

• Ruffle Collar.
• 3 button closure.
• Red Background with Black Accented White Snowmen.
• 100% Cotton.
• Anti-wrinkle treatment to maintain shape.
• Fabric will soften with washing.
• Machine Wash Cool Delicate, No Chlorine Bleach, Line Dry.

 I like the layered look, but I often get too hot to wear a sleeved shirt under a sweater.  These are a bit more affordable than other collared dickeys I have seen on the market ($22 on sale as opposed to $35+).  I like the ruffled collar look; however, I have long and thick hair that I almost always wear down and the weight of my hair would not allow the collar to stand up as intended. The dickey was very easy to put on and did stay in place under a sweater.  What I like about the product is that it allows you to add some versatility to your wardrobe and add layers without bulk.  It does add a festive look, but in a more subtle way. 



Buy it here: You can purchase Holidickeys from their website. Various styles are on sale at 20% off the regular $27 retail. 

I was provided with the above mentioned sample for the purpose of facilitating this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own. 

Gorton's Review and GIVEAWAY (3 winners)

If I could eat shrimp everyday, I would. It is one of my favorite foods. Unfortunately, going out for shrimp dinner can get expensive and cooking from scratch is just not something I do very often. Gorton's Seafood has been in business since 1849 and sells frozen seafood which can be easily prepared.

Gorton's Any Way You Want It Sweepstakes: 

Gorton's is spreading the word that with their delicious line of frozen fish, it is now completely convenient to include seafood on your family’s plate twice a week as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines and MyPlate.gov. With the variety of delicious products that Gorton’s has to offer, providing your family with the healthy benefits of seafood is easy! This sweepstakes ends December 2, 2011 and here’s a reminder of the prizes up for grabs:

1 Grand Prize Winner will receive a $5,000 VISA® gift card to spend Any Way You Want It…delivered just in time for the holidays!

Two runner-up winners will win a $500 VISA® gift card each!

In addition, Gorton’s will randomly select 800 lucky winners to win a custom Gorton’s dinner plate that will help you and your family remember to eat seafood twice a week.

Review: I was given some product coupons so I could give some Gorton's products a try.  The first product I tried was the Beer Batter Fish Fillets. These were flaky, white fillets in a crispy batter. It cooked up in just 25 minutes. Getting my children to try fish is difficult, but they actually gave these a try and liked them! I liked the crunch and thought the size of these were perfect for dipping in tarter sauce or, in my case, mayo.

I picked up some Haddock Fish Sticks and some Breaded Butterfly Shrimp. I love no-fuss dinners and it was great to simply throw these in the oven and not have to worry about any other preparations. The Butterfly Shrimp was a hit with my kids and I. The shrimp were a great size. I just wish they did not have tails. This is just a personal preference and it made eating them a little challenging for my kids. The Fish Sticks had a really delicious breading to them, better than any other fish sticks we have prepared. I thought they tasted pretty good and my son liked them, but my daughter and husband were not fans. I suppose fish sticks are one of those things you either like or you don't!

Buy it here: You can purchase Gorton's seafood products in your grocer's frozen food section.

Win it here: Three (3) lucky Cake Mom readers are going to win 2 FREE product coupons and a Gorton's custom dinner plate!

**Please read the rules**This is open to US residents only. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT if it is not visible in your public profile! One set of entries per household. 

 

Mandatory Entry:    Do tell... share in the blog comments section which Gorton’s Seafood recipe is your favorite

 

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry.

1. Follow my blog (publicly)

2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription

3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog

4. Follow" Gorton's Seafood on Twitter and tweet about the Gorton’s Any Way You Want It Sweepstakes! http://twitter.com/gortonsseafood [Sample tweet: Get Gorton’s Seafood on your plate Any Way You Want It & enter for a chance to win $5,000! #eatseafoodtwiceaweek http://bit.ly/pzAt2M]  - entry only good until 12/2

5. Go to http://www.gortons.com and sign up for e-newsletter!

6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter.

7. Like Cake Mom on Facebook  

The winner will be selected on 12/8 via random.org and will be emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond.

I was provided with the above mentioned product for the purpose of facilitating this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own. 

Green Giant Review and GIVEAWAY!!

Getting my kids to eat vegetables is often a losing battle.  The minute they see something green, they scrunch up their noses and push their plate away.  To get them to eat them, I often have to bury them in, what they consider, more appealing dishes.  I was happy to hear about Green Giant Steamers. The flavorful combinations are available in a nice variety and the product is steamed right in the bag. 

Recently, Green Giant added the following varieties of Steamers:

• Macaroni and Cheese Sauce with Broccoli - classic elbow pasta and broccoli in a cheese sauce
• Pasta and Vegetables with Alfredo Sauce –corkscrew pasta with carrots and broccoli in  Alfredo sauce

Review: I received a great package which included a coupon for a free Steamers product, 2 Green Giant Placemats, a 32 oz serving bowl, a surprise face serving spoon, and a broccoli stress reliever. I used my coupon to purchase the Broccoli in Cheese Sauce Steamer (my grocer was out of the pastas).   I was bummed that the pastas were gone, but I am a big fan of cheese and broccoli so I was excited to give this a try. I literally had to throw the bag in the microwave for 6 minutes and it was done! Plus, it was quite tasty.  It was really only enough for my husband and I to have as a side (my kids were not interested in trying it anyhow which makes me even more motivated to try the pasta). It was quick and good so I will definitely look forward to trying some of the other varieties.

Buy it here: You can purchase Green Giant Steamers in your local grocer's frozen vegetable section.

Win it here: One lucky Cake Mom reader is going to win a Green Giant prize pack which includes 2 Green Giant placemats, a serving bowl, a serving spoon, a broccoli stress reliever and a coupon for one free Steamers product.

**Please read the rules**This is open to US residents only. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT if it is not visible in your public profile! One set of entries per household. 

 

Mandatory Entry:  Tell me if you have tried Green Giant Steamers before and, if so, what you think about them.

 

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry.

1. Follow my blog (publicly)

2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription

3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog

4. Blog about this giveaway

5. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.

6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter.

7. Like Cake Mom on Facebook  

The winner will be selected on 12/8 via random.org and will be emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond.

Disclosure: Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers with Pasta, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

I Want You To Know Me Review

Gift Giving Guide: Blank books would make a great gift for someone who wishes to pass along information about themselves to others or completed books can be a special gift as well!

From the company:

The I Want You To Know Me series of books is an interactive family book and the ultimate legacy book for family gatherings. What better way to tell your family that they are loved than by saying you never want to forget them? Unlike many books available today these books are not memory books. They are all about the personal characteristics and preferences that are passed from generation to generation.  When completed, they create new memories, form connections and link our hearts and our souls from generation to generation, while leaving a personal lasting legacy. The books ask and answer fun, curious and touching questions that we probably don't know about our loved ones and ourselves. So get comfortable, gather your nearest and dearest and let the conversations flow as you discover your place on the family tree.

Available books:  There is a nice assortment of books to choose from:

I Want You To Know Me: Mom & Dad - A book completed by parents for their child(ren)

I Want You To Know Me: Your American Hero - A book completed by a serviceman or servicewoman

I Want You To Know Me: Grandma & Grandpa - A book completed by grandparents for their grandchild(ren)

I Want You To Know Me: Me - This book can be completed by anyone, for anyone

I Want You To Know Me: Mom - By mom, for child(ren)

I Want You to Know Me: Dad  - By dad, for child(ren)

I Want You to Know Me: Grandma - By grandma, for grandchild(ren)

I Want You to Know Me: Grandpa - By grandpa, for grandchild(ren)

Review: I received a copy of I Want You To Know Me: Love, Mom to review.  I love the idea of completing this for my children so they can always remember me, particularly at my current age. The book is really great. It is guided, so you don't have to write from scratch. The first section of the book focuses on physical characteristics and asks you to describe everything from your freckles to your ability to complete a cartwheel. The second section focuses on personal preferences and allows you to chronicle things you love, things you are good at, and some personality characteristics.  In addition to the portions you need to complete, the book is full of quotes and fun facts to supplement what you are writing.

I know after losing my father a few years ago, how important it is to remember small details. A book like this is the perfect way to make sure that those you love will not forget things about you after you are gone. I would have loved to have something like this left to me from my father and would have forever cherished it. 

Buy it  here: You can purchase the books for $14.95 from the I Want You to Know Me website.

I was provided with the above mentioned product for the purpose of facilitating this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own unless otherwise stated.

This Week's Winners

Congrats to this week's lucky winners:

Vlasic: Emily Reviews & Katklaw777

Harry Potter DVD: Christie4558

Five Star Publications: Lana Bradstream

Head to Toe Beauty: snowluvnferret

Carmex: tarter95

Beauty Galore: Julie D

Tropical TraditionsL Beth Elderton

Simple Green: rj7777

The Orb Factory: Sparkle Up Cupcakes Review and GIVEAWAY!!

Holiday Gift Giving Guide: This is a fun product for children who love to do arts and crafts (ages 4+).

The Orb Factory is a provider of award winning crafts and activities. Their products spark creativity, are education and fun, and they sell to over 50 countries.  

From the company:
As a creative toy manufacturer, The Orb Factory prides itself on creative designs, high quality products, and outstanding customer service. This allows the company to keep focusing on those aspects which are the most important. For example, every product has an educational component to it. As a result, many have been recognized as useful learning tools in the classroom.

SparkleUps Cupcakes Review: Since it is obvious that I am a fan of cupcakes (well, who isn't?), I was given the opportunity to review their SparkleUps Cupcakes.  The kit contains a variety of repositionable stickers in sweet cupcake, fruit, and candy designs. Each sticker has a pattern of numbered circles. There were also three sheets of sparkly gem-like stickers. A key allowed you to match up each color with a number and then attach the gems to the sticker in a paint-by-number type of fashion. The result was an adorable blinged-out sticker that can be applied to just about anything.

Bella, my 6 year old daughter, loves to do craft projects so she played with this kit for hours, meticulously decorating each sticker until it looked perfect. She had a fun time making her stickers and has been proudly distributing them to the family since. I was worried that she would have difficulty peeling the tiny gems, but she had no problem. The kit is designed for ages 4+, but children who just turn four may need a bit of assistance if their fine motor skills are not well developed yet.  The kit is VERY reasonably priced at just $9.99 and would make an artistic child very happy on Christmas morning.

Buy it here: The SparkleUps Cupcakes kit an be purchased from The Orb Factory website for $9.99.

Win it here: One lucky Cake Mom reader is going to win the SparkleUps Cupcakes Kit from The Orb Factory!!

**Please read the rules**This is open to US residents only. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT if it is not visible in your public profile! One set of entries per household. 

  

Mandatory Entry: Tell me what other product from The Orb Factory you love!

 

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry.

1. Follow my blog (publicly)

2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription

3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog

4. Blog about this giveaway

5. Follow me & The Orb Factory  on Twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.

6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter.

7. Like Cake Mom on Facebook  

8. Like The Orb Factory on Facebook

The winner will be selected on 12/6 via random.org and will be emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond.

I was provided with the above mentioned product for the purpose of facilitating this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Devotional Stories for Tough Times GIVEAWAY (3 winners)

Gift Giving Guide: This would be an excellent gift for a person with faith who is dealing with some difficult times in their life.

Chicken Soup for the Soul books have been comforting people with stories of hope and encouragement since I was a child.  The books include a series of 101 short stories that focus on the particular theme of the book. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Devotional Stories for Tough Times: 101 Daily Devotions to Inspire and Support You in Times of Need is a faith-based collection of stories and corresponding prayers/reflections to help the reader overcome trying times in their life.

The chapters in this book are as follows:

1. Lean on Me

2. Be Strong and Courageous

3. Surrender to God

4.Power of Prayer

5. Divine Signs

6. His Healing Grace

7. Renewed Faith

8. Answered Prayers

9. Truth in the Word

10. Count Your Blessings

Review: This book was a bit different than other Chicken Soup for the Soul Books as there is a prayer after every heart-warming story. For a religious or spiritual person, this would make a really nice read. It is nice to read a real-world story and then follow it with a prayer than can be used for meditation, reflection, or strength. As always, contained in the book are inspiring quotes and the occasional comical cartoon.  This would be a real asset to someone who is going through a hard time. Often, we feel helpless when a friend or family member is having problems. Giving this book as a gift would be a great way to show the person you care and would hopefully help the person in their trying times.

Buy it here:  You can purchase Chicken Soup for the Soul: Devotional Stories for Tough Times: 101 Daily Devotions to Inspire and Support You in Times of Need from Amazon for less than $10 (cover price is $14.95).

Win it here: Three (3) lucky Cake Mom readers will win a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soup: Devotional Stories for Tough Times!!

**Please read the rules**

This giveaway is open to US & Canadian Residents. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT!

Mandatory Entry:  Tell me: what is your best advice for dealing with tough times?

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry. For example, if you blog about this contest, leave 3 separate comments!

1. Follow my blog (publicly)
2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription
3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog
4. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog (3 entries)
5. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.
6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter
7. Purchase another Chicken Soup for the Soul book from Amazon using this link to enter Amazon (you can purchase whichever book you desire once clicking on the link) and receive 10 EXTRA entries!!

8. Like Cake Mom on Facebook

The winners will be selected on 12/5 via random.org and will be emailed. The winners will have 48 hours to respond.

 I was provided with the above mentioned product for the purpose of facilitating this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own.

Foodie Friday: Surf Sweets Review

Holiday Gift Giving Guide: Stocking Stuffer Alert!

Looking for an alternative to the classic candies to put in those stockings this year? Surf Sweets are natural and organic candies made with organic fruit juices and sweeteners. Their colors and flavors are naturals. They are great for kids with allergies as they are made from a nut-free facility, are gluten, casein, and dairy free. The products are made in the USA, and as an added bonus they contain 100% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C!

Surf Sweets has a delicious line of products: gummy worms, gummy swirls, gummy bears, fruity bears, jelly beans, sour worms, sour berry bears, and they also sell snack packs.

I was given several products to sample:

Surf Sweets Gummy Bears: These all-natural versions of the childhood favorite are 90% organic and made with organic fruit juices and sweeteners. While they lived up to their "gummy" name, they were fairly easy to chew as compared to other gummy bears I have tried in the past. They also packed much more flavor than others. The flavors were not artificial and this was evident in the taste.

Surf Sweets Sour Berry Bears: These lightly sugared candy bears were the perfect blend of sweet and sour. They are 90% organic. These bears are less chewy than the gummy bears and I really enjoyed these sour little treats. Of all the treats I samples, these were my favorite.

Surf Sweets Jelly Beans: These jelly beans are 97% organic and each bag has a variety of flavors. The beans were soft and easy to chew and were quite flavorful.

Surf Sweets Gummy Worms: Who says you shouldn't play with your food? Gummy worms are fun to eat  and really delicious. These were, in fact, the most delicious gummy worms I have ever tasted! They are made with organic fruit juice, organic sweeteners and 100% Vitamin C per serving

So, Surf Sweet passed my taste test as well as my kids'.  Plus, because they are mostly organic, are all natural, and have 0 fat, they pass the "mom" test. I would definitely recommend these candies over similar products!

Buy it here: Nationwide, you can find Surf Sweets products at natural and specialty food retailers, including Whole Foods. 

I was provided with the above mentioned samples for the purpose of facilitating this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own.

Target's Pre-Black Friday Sale

Check out Target.com tomorrow. They are going to have some great pre-Black Friday sales and you get to shop from the comfort of you own home!!

PAM Cooking Spray Challenge and GIVEAWAY!!

Created in 1961, All Natural PAM® Original is the versatile,  leader in no-stick cooking sprays. It can be used for everything from better browning of your roasted turkey to keeping spices on your uncooked meats. And it has just 7 calories and less than 1 g of fat per serving! Now it has a new and improved formula. 

In order to celebrate their improved formula, PAM is encouraging bloggers to try some new recipes to see how well the product works. I was given a coupon for a free can of the new PAM Cooking Spray, a coupon for a free can of Hunt's Tomatoes, and a guide for the Ultimate Challenge. 

I decided to make the Italian Macaroni and Cheese with Tomato-Basil Topping.

Ingredients:

PAM Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs, divided

8 oz dry large elbow macaroni, uncooked

10oz white Cheddar cheese, shredded (I substituted classic shredded Cheddar)

2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

6 large eggs, lightly beaten

4 cups 2% milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon seasoned pepper

Topping

4 large plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (I substituted Hunt's canned tomatoes)

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

3 TB chopped fresh basil

Directions: 

1. To make Macaroni and Cheese: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray; add 1/4 cup bread crumbs, tilting to coat dish evenly.
2. Cook macaroni according to package directions, omitting salt. Layer one-third each of macaroni and shredded cheeses in dish. Repeat layers twice more. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper; pour evenly over layered mixture. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup bread crumbs over top.
3. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until golden and set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Meanwhile, make Tomato-Basil Topping. Combine tomatoes, cheese and basil. Before serving, sprinkle evenly over macaroni.

 Results: I have been looking for a good homemade macaroni and cheese recipe and I am happy to say that I have found it with this one! My kids and husband really enjoyed it as well (without the tomato).  

What I was most impressed with, however, was how well the PAM Cooking Spray worked.  This picture was taken after I simply moved the remainder of the macaroni into a leftover bowl.  After this picture was taken, there was NO scrubbing required! All I had to do to clean the dish was gently wipe a sponge over the surface one time and it was clean. I have never used a cooking spray that works so well!

Buy it here: You can purchase PAM cooking sprays from your local grocer.

Win it here: One lucky Cake Mom reader is going to win a PAM package which includes a coupon for a FREE can of new PAM cooking spray, a coupon for a FREE can of Hunt's Tomatoes, and a booklet of recipes!

**Please read the rules**This is open to US residents only. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT if it is not visible in your public profile! One set of entries per household. 

 

Mandatory Entry:  Tell me what PAM recipe you would love to make if you win (1 entry)!  For an extra three entries (make sure to leave three comments),  tweet a picture of your favorite recipe you have made with PAM Cooking Spray and include the hashtag #PAMGIVEAWAY and include @jamielz.  Put a link to your tweet here.

 

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry.

1. Follow my blog (publicly)

2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription

3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog

4. Blog about this giveaway

5. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.

6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter.

7. Like Cake Mom on Facebook  

8. Like PAM on Facebook.

The winner will be selected on 12/3 via random.org and will be emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond.

I was provided with the above mentioned products for the purpose of facilitating this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own.

Crazy Dog T-shirts Review and GIVEAWAY!!

Gift Giving Guide: If the recipient has a sense of humor, they will probably get a kick out the tees!

Crazy Dog T-shirts  offer good quality, affordable, and hilarious t-shirts. Product selection includes witty, and sometimes even taboo, t-shirts representing American pop culture.  There are shirts for everybody including hangover t-shirts, 80's t-shirts, novelty t-shirts. 

They have hundreds of funny shirts which you won't want to miss!

They even offer some witty Christmas shirts. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Review:  I received an Amish Gone Wild shirt to review.  The shirt has a nice contrast between the dark color of the tee and the bright yellow words accents, making it really easy to read. The shirt really makes me laugh.  The cotton is very soft and kept its shape and colors nicely after washing. The shirt was true to size and very comfortable. I have always been impressed with the quality of the shirts through Crazy Dog Tees and love their wide variety of t-shirt offerings. If you have someone on your list who likes a good laugh and is in to pop culture, I would really recommend checking out their site!

Buy it here: You can shop for tees on the Crazy Dog T-Shirts website. They offer shirts for men, women, and children.

Win it here: One lucky Cake Mom reader is going to win a $15 gift code to Crazy Dog T-shirts! 

**Please read the rules**This giveaway is for US residents only.  You cannot have received a  promotional item within the past 90 days, or own a review/giveaway blog of their own. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT if it is not visible in your public profile! One set of entries per household.  To leave a comment, click on the comments link.

 

Mandatory Entry: Tell  me one costume from Crazy Dog T-shirts you love!

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry.

1. Follow my blog (publicly)

2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription

3. Blog about this giveaway and put a link to your post

4 Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.

5. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter.

6. Like Cake Mom on Facebook      

The winner will be selected on 12/2 via random.org and will be emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond.

  I was provided with the above mentioned  product for the purpose of facilitating this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own.  

Kindle on Amazon

If you are looking for a great gift for someone who loves to read, check out the Kindle collection on Amazon!

They offer the Kindle Fire for under $200

Or, you can get the ultra-affordable Kindle Touch for only $99!

Now, with an Amazon Prime Membership you can choose from thousands of books to borrow for FREE- including over 100 current and former New York Times Bestsellers - as frequently as a book a month, with no due dates. Wow!

Topsy's Popcorn Review and GIVEAWAY!!

Holiday Gift Giving Guide: This is a great gift for just about anyone on your list!

What do you get the person who has everything? Popcorn can make a really great gift for just about everyone on your list. Topsy's Popcorn sells an amazing assortment of holiday tins with delicious popcorn combinations. Just check out this list of flavor combos to choose from:

Caramel/cheese/buttered

Caramel/cheese/cinnamon

Caramel/cheese

Pretzels/cheese/buttered

Buttered

Caramel

Cheese

Cinnamon

Caramel Peanut

Caramel Pecan

Review: I received the Snowflake tin with the caramel/cheese/cinnamon combination to review. The tin was really cute. I liked that it had a winter theme so it was not Christmas specific and can be displayed all winter long.  There were handles on this side which made it much easier to carry.  I was quite interested in the cinnamon flavor as I had never tasted this type of popcorn before. It quickly become a favorite in my house, particularly with my husband and son, and this portion of the tin has been winning the race to the bottom! The best way I can describe the taste is a mash up of popcorn and Big Red gum. The caramel was really delicious as well. I appreciated the fact that it is not as sticky as some other brands I have tried, yet still crunchy and delicious. My favorite was the cheese popcorn. It was simply delicious and, I thought, of a higher quality than other tinned popcorn I have tried in the past.  If you like popcorn, then I would really recommend giving Topsy's a try!

Buy it here: You can purchase a variety of tins and popcorn flavor combinations on the Topsy's Popcorn website. They offer a variety of tin sizes as well. From Nov. 22 – Dec. 12, Topsy’s is offering a $3-off coupon (per popcorn canister) to Cake Mom fans. To use the coupon, just go to www.TopsysPopcorn.com and enter Topsy17 at checkout

Win it here: One lucky Cake Mom reader is going to win a Topsy's Popcorn tin with caramel, cheese, and cinnamon popcorn!

**Please read the rules**This is open to US residents only. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT if it is not visible in your public profile! One set of entries per household. 

 

Mandatory Entry: Visit Topsy's Popcorn and tell me your favorite tin design!

 

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry.

1. Follow my blog (publicly)

2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription

3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog

4. Blog about this giveaway

5. Follow me  on Twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.

6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter.

7. Like Cake Mom on Facebook  

The winner will be selected on 12/2 via random.org and will be emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond.

I was provided with the above mentioned product for the purpose of facilitating this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own.

Shop Amazon for Some Amazing Deals

If you are looking for some amazing deals, then Shop Amazon's Black Friday Week!  They have multiple lightening deals going on at all times and you can get some amazing discounts. They were selling blu-rays today for just a couple of bucks!!

Discount Party Supplies Review

My love of throwing birthday parties is what attracted me to cake decorating. When my kids have a theme, I go all out.  Having everything themed for their special day really makes them feel special.  So, when I start planning a party I start scoping out party supplies immediately. Discount Party Supplies is an online party supply store that has almost every party theme you can imagine and sells their products at affordable prices. 

Review: My daughter is all about Tangled right now so she grew very excited at the thought of having a Tangled birthday party theme next year.  They offer some really great Tangled Party Supplies.  I was given the pleasure of reviewing the Tangled Deluxe Party Pack. There are so many great products in this pack that I could throw a party tomorrow if I wanted to!

Here is what is included:

• 1 x Tangled Dinner Plates (8 Pack)
• 1 x Tangled Lunch Napkins (16 Pack)
• 1 x Tangled 9-oz Cups (8 Pack)
• 1 x Tangled Beverage Napkins (16 Pack)
• 1 x Tangled Dessert Plates (8 Pack)
• 8 x Tangled 16-oz Cups (Each)
• 1 x Tangled Invitations (8 Pack)
• 1 x Tangled Banners (Each)
• 1 x Tangled "Happy Birthday" Balloons, 18" (Each)
• 1 x Tangled Balloons, 18" (Each)
• 1 x Tangled Blowouts (8 Pack)
• 1 x Baby Blue Plastic Cutlery (Assorted, 24 Count)
• 1 x Baby Blue Crepe Streamers, 81 (ft), (Each)
• 1 x Pink Crepe Streamers, 81 (ft), (Each)
• 1 x Pink Balloons (15 pack)
• 1 x Baby Blue Balloons (15 pack)
• 1 x Purple Balloons (15 pack)
• 1 x Pink Plastic Tablecover, 54" x 108" (Each)
• 1 x Spiral Birthday Candles (24 Pack)

Each and every product is great. The Tangled items are vibrant and colorful and each item features the lovable Rapunzel in different poses. The primary colors in the Tangled items are pink, blue, and purple, so they also included some nice pastel accent party supplies to help decorate.  My daughter's favorite item was, by far, the plastic cups. They will make really great favors. She already confiscated one of the cups and it has made it through the dishwasher multiple times without having any fading or warping issues. This is a really great set and I am thrilled that there is so much included. For her last birthday, I spent well over $100 on party supplies so this is a real bargain at $44.99.   The whole set has gotten my creative juices flowing and I can't wait to design the cake!

Buy it here: You can shop for a wide variety of party supplies on the Discount Party Supplies website.

I was provided with the above mentioned product for the purpose of facilitating this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own.