A Pampered Baby

Gingerbread Cookies are great when they are homemade as they make your house smell wonderful! They are my favorite Christmas Cookies to make, because everyone always enjoys them and they are also fun to decorate. This time, I made Christmas tree gingerbread cookies and crinkled edged squares. They are decorated festively with red, green and white royal icing. I usually package them in cute  boxes if I am giving them away to families with children. For couples or those who are single, I usually give them a pair of cookies in a clear bag tied with pretty ribbon.

It's holiday time again, which means it's time to shop!  At  Stella & Dot ,  For every $50 you spend you will earn $25 in Dot Dollars to redeem for yourself in the new year. This is the perfect way to get gifts for friends and family and also shop for yourself. You can apply the $25 Dot Dollars for every $50 you spend between Jan. 3rd-10th, 2013. Don't worry about forgetting your Dot Dollars because on January 3rd you'll receive an e-mail with your Dot Dollar promo codes and each code will represent a $25 Dot Dollars award. Below are a few of my favorite pieces and gift ideas . . .  The  Stella & Dot Metropolitan Mixed Chain Necklace  is beautiful and is made up of mixed metal chains that are accented with four unique vintage inspired brooches. The  Jacqueline Necklace  was inspired by a vintage bracelet and was transformed into a modern look that can be worn with a simple top or can be used to accessorize dressy attire for benefits and galas--the options a

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Insurance Hunter for SocialSpark . All opinions are 100% mine.   Insurance can be pricey whether it is for your car, home or travel. However, getting the best price and services when it comes to insurance can be easy using Insurance Hunter. In our household, it is one of the bigger items to pay for and we try to put funds aside to pay for it. We often budget for when the hone and  Auto Insurance  bill comes around.   When my sister was moving into her new house, she wanted to shop around for a new insurance provider. I helped her by using insurance hunter to get  Car Insurance  quotes as well as a home insurance quote. Insurance Hunter is an online insurance brokerage which provides free access to home, auto and travel insurance quotes from the top insurance companies in Ontario. The process of getting the actual quotes was so simple. All that needed to be done was to answer a questionnaire

Tiny Prints is having a special weekend sale starting today! It's another great opportunity to get a great deal on the best personalized  holiday cards ,  Christmas cards ,  Hanukkah cards ,  holiday party invitations ,  custom photo gifts , and anything else on their site. Today and throughout the weekend, when you checkout, just use the promo code  WKDSALE1112  to get 25% off of whatever you create. If you are having a holiday party or simply love personalized cards, Tiny Prints is the place to go.  Don't miss out on creating with Tiny Prints as this sale ends Sunday at midnight Pacific Time. Go ahead and  check them out today . 

Great news...if you missed the Tiny Prints Cyber Monday/Tuesday 30% Sitewide Sale, they are extending it for another two days! You still have the opportunity get a great deal on the best custom  holiday cards ,  Christmas cards ,  Hanukkah cards ,  holiday party invitations ,  custom photo gifts . E verything on their site is on sale for two more days, today and tomorrow, November 29.  Just use the promo code  CB12  when you checkout to get this amazing deal.  Their products can be as unique as you are since you have access to the best custom cards, invitations, and gifts. Their site is so easy to use and you can personalize everything by writing your own text, uploading pictures, and making everything all your own!  Don't delay,  check them out today . 

The holidays are fast approaching and now is the time to save on holiday cards, invitations and more!  Tiny Prints  is offering 30% off everything on their website. Custom  holiday cards ,  Christmas cards , Hanukkah cards ,  holiday party invitations ,  custom photo gifts  are all  on sale for two days, today, Monday November 26 and tomorrow, Tuesday November 27.  Just use the promo code  CB12  when you checkout to get this great deal. If you have used Tiny Prints before, you know how easy it is to get your card shopping finished. If you have not, it's time to try out the best custom cards, invitations, and gifts. Their site is so simple to use and you can customize everything. Write your own text, upload pictures, and make everything unique! This is the perfect opportunity to buy from Tiny Prints and this sale ends tomorrow at midnight Pacific Time, so  check them out today . 

Shopping from home saves time and gas money! This week, there will be daily deals from Tiny Prints , so now is a great time to take care of some holiday shopping. Monday:  35% off iPhone Cases  Code:  CYBER1126  Expiration:  11/26/12 11:59 pm PT  Tuesday:  35% off Notebooks   Code:  CYBER1127  Expiration:  11/27/12 11:59 pm PT  Wednesday:  35% off Stamps & Embossers   Code:  CYBER1128  Expiration:  11/28/12 11:59 pm PT  Thursday:  35% off mugs   Code:  CYBER1129  Expiration:  11/29/12 11:59 pm PT  Friday-Sunday:   35% off all gifts   Code:  CYBER1130  Expiration:  12/2/12 11:59 pm PT 

For one day only, you can save up to 60% on Treat greeting cards with the  Treat Card Club . For Cyber Monday, if you use the code CYBERTREAT, you can save 30% on their already discounted card packs. You can literally do all of your holiday greeting cards with Treat, and make each one of them completely personalized!  What is the Treat Card Club? It's a really cool way for you to get major discounts (Up to 60% off on Cyber Monday) and save a ton of time at checkout by pre-ordering greeting cards in bulk.  Here are the Cyber Monday Prices: 18 Card Pack : $1.39/card, 60% Off Regular Card Price 12 Card Pack : $1.57/card, 55% Off Regular Card Price 6 Card Pack : $1.74/card, 50% Off Regular Card Price The more cards you send, the more you save with the  Treat Card Club . Treat offers three card packs (6, 12 or 18 cards) which provide significantly greater value (personalized card) and lower cost per card than what you could expect to pay for a generic greeting card at retail. You can us

While the holidays are fast approaching and the weather starts to dip below freezing, it's the perfect time to take advantage of online deals from   One Kings Lane . They have a lot of beautiful ornaments and other wonderful items to browse through. Here are the top 3 sales of the day starting from now through Monday! Top 3 Sales for Friday, 11/23 Holiday Ornaments & Décor Sale   Friday, 11/23-Monday, 11/26 This sparkling, twinkling, multihued collection of Christmas ornaments will ensure that your home is merry and bright. Presents with Presence Sale   Friday, 11/23-Monday, 11/26 This sale features an assortment of fabulous vintage finds and gifts that are great-looking, and one of a kind.  Wake Up Your Walls Sale   Friday, 11/23-Monday, 11/26 This curated collection will make bare walls a thing of the past.  Top 3 Sales for Saturday, 11/24 Best of Bedding Sale   Saturday, 11/24-Tuesday, 11/27 From solid whites and creamy neutrals to colorful stripes and

This post brought to you by Aviva Community Fund . All opinions are 100% mine.   A couple of weeks ago, the  Aviva Community Fund  Charity Contest started. It is now time for the second qualifying round and it is so easy to cast your vote! First, a quick recap about what the contest is all about. The Aviva Community fund helps give the chance to those with ideas on how to improve their community an oppourtunity to do so. Those who have submitted their ideas on how they can improve their community enter the contest and try to gain as many votes as possible in order to win the funds to turn their idea into reality. It is personally important to me, because I know our own community is in need of reading programs as well as more donations for the food bank.    Anyone in Canada, registered on the  Aviva Community Fund  website can vote. Once you have registered simply sign in and click on the "Vote now" button on the idea you l

  Starting today, One Kings Lane is launching multiple sales on the most adorable must haves for your kids and your travelling needs! This  pooch stamped umbrella  from the Bon Voyage Sale will definitely be making many appearances this winter. And I cannot stop thinking about the cute cuddly monkey rocking horse from the  Gifts for Little Ones Sale  as a perfect present over the holidays! But don't take my word for it, go take a look at  One Kings Lane  yourself and see what kind of trouble you can get yourself into! If you’re new to One Kings Lane,  sign up today  and get a $15 credit for purchases of $30 or more. 

Jack O Lanterns are a fun part of Halloween. We usually carve them a few days before Halloween and put them out on the front steps. We Pick a big one, a medium sized one and a really small one for variety. Some carved pumpkin designs are really cute and then I have also seen some extremely scary looking ones! Ours are somewhere in between and usually just simple designs.

Attention all moms and dads, or anyone with a special little someone in their life! Today only, One Kings Lane has dedicated their entire site to kids and kids only! All day on October 4th, you can shop One Kings Lane for children's must-have items in all categories, for all ages - furniture, art, rugs, toys and everything in between. Stock up on items they need now or stash some away for great holiday gifts! Plus, if you're new to One Kings Lane, sign up today for a $15 credit for purchases of $30 or more. Head over to One Kings Lane now before these deals are over!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Aviva Community Fund for SocialSpark . All opinions are 100% mine. This year's  Aviva Community Fund  charity contest has started, so now is the chance to potentially make any ideas or plans to improve your community a reality. The first qualifying round runs from October 1st to October 15th, while the 2nd qualifying round starts on October 22nd and ends November 5th, 2012. The Aviva Community Fund is important to me, because every community can use a helping hand including the one I live in. Our food bank is always low on food, yet high in demand. I always hear more about people donating food during the holidays, but food donations are needed year round. It is my favorite community oriented cause, because without food, it is impossible to survive. The Aviva Community Fund competition offers Canadians $1,000,000 to lead, empower and support community initiatives across the country.

As a new parent, my sister wanted to make sure she had everything for her baby.  Baby registries lead you to believe that you should get everything for your baby. Only after she had my baby did she realize it's like buying a new home or car, you want it all right away, but you don't really NEED it right away or even at all. So she learned that just the essentials (ie. diapers, wipes, milk, some clothing) were all she needed to keep her baby content. Things like: a Jolly Jumper, exersaucer, playard/playpen, Bumbo chair, bouncy chair, swing, high chair, even shoes, were extras. And a lot of those things are nice to have, but not must haves. What she did to save some money was borrow some of the bigger ticket items, look for sales, buy some gently used items, and even look on the local free cycle. It's amazing what you can get for a fraction of the cost! I know my parents didn't have that luxury when I was growing up! So to all of those soon-to-be parents, don'

Before I became a mother myself, I didn't realize how challenging it was to be a good mom--and keeping track of my family's schedule is one of the main challenges! The constant running between work, volunteering, lessons or grocery shopping only to get home and still have to make dinner and catch up on the cleaning gets quite overwhelming. It seems a mother's work is never finished! Enter, the 2012-2013 momAgenda Desktop ! This is one of the many adorable momAgenda products. The momAgenda Desktop helps busy moms manage multiple calendars for up to four children and features helpful planning areas including vacation planning and party prep pages. Plus the accompanying momEssentials pamphlet lets you keep your family’s medical information, birthdays, websites and passwords all in one handy place. Celebrity moms like Rachel Zoe, Felicity Huffman, and Kimberly Williams Paisly love momAgenda products! Best of all, in honor of Mother's Day shop through 5/6 and rec

Have you heard about the new personalized greeting card company, Treat ?   Treat is   a new brand from the folks at Shutterfly and Tiny Prints that lets you create unique, personalized greeting cards. With more than 4,500 customized   card designs at launch, the Treat service offers one of the industry’s largest   selections from the best designers, including   Hallmark. To ensure that you never miss an important date like a birthday   or anniversary,   Treat offers an integrated service that will remind you of all those important events. A Treat calendar can be set up with reminders for anniversaries, events, family holidays and more. Users can also use Facebook   Connect to link their Facebook and Treat accounts to import friends’ birthdays!     Treat is a great new way to make personalized greetings all your own style and personality just in time for Mother's Day! Here is how it works:   Choose your card from their thousands of designs , including the Mother’s Day

I made this pretty zebra cake for my daughter's birthday. She wanted a zebra birthday cake and I had no idea where I would find a zebra cake topper. I thought of making an icing zebra or a fondant zebra, but didn't have time to attempt something that was so foreign to me, so stuck with what I know. Paper products! Lol. I used my Cricut Expression Machine along with the Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge to cut out the shape of the zebra. I cut one zebra out of white cardstock and used hot pink cardstock for the second zebra. I cut the stripes out of the white one and placed it on top of the pink zebra to create the two tone layered look. I taped popsicle sticks to the bottom of each of the legs (in between the white and pink zebras) so the sticks wouldn`t show too much. Then I was able to insert the popsicle sticks with zebra onto the top of the cake! I decided to make the zebra even more girly by tying a little bow out of matching pink ribbon and used a Mini Glue Dot to pl

I love to accessorize and really believe that the right pieces can make an outfit stand out. Tori & Cate offers fun and pretty accessories for little girls and their mommies as well. They even have pieces that are wearable to weddings and other events too. Enter to win  $50 worth of accessories of your choice! Please follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter widget below to enter. Good Luck!

This is an amazing tutorial on how to make ruffle curtains......a Guest Blog Post by Karen of Homemade Glamour . Check out her blog for more creative ideas and tutorials! Ruffle curtains are the all the rage and a personal crush of mine for the last year. Anthropologie and  Land of Nod  both offer exquisite ruffle curtains for around, I don’t know, $100+ which to me is outrageous! And begging for a cute knockoff. This curtain was surprisingly easy to do after you get the hang of  “ruffling” fabric. The easiest possible way would have to be using a ruffle foot, but since I don’t have one I had to ruffle by hand. For this curtain I used two flat full size sheets in a solid color, make sure that they are flat sheets and not fitted ones, which would be a little too difficult to work with. I cut the sheets into strips that were 4 inches wide and the length of the sheet. --> To ruffle stitch along your fabric ½" in from the edge (for seam allowance). Leave at least 4&q

With online sources, it has never been easier to earn an income from home. With Stella & Dot, it is very well possible to earn $75 an hour working for yourself and running your own fashion social selling business. Joining Stella & Dot  as an Independent Stylist allows for flexible, work from home business opportunities for entrepreneurial women.  Their fabulous boutique-style jewelry and accessories line is adored by both fashion editors and celebrities. To find out more information on becoming a Stella & Dot Stylist visit www.stelladot.com/stylist

It's hard to believe that wedding season is fast approaching! For those who have the date set and are in planning mode, it’s also time to let people know when the big day is. If you’re planning a wedding and need Save the Date cards, Wedding  Paper Divas can lead the way with Save the Date cards, calendars, and even magnets. This year,  many new features have been added as well as save Save the Date items such as Circle Cards and Monogrammed  designs . Another fun item is Calendars which are a lot of fun and  useful to invitees. Feel free to check out all of the Wedding Paper Divas’ calendars here .  My favorites include the “ Romantic  Tab : Smoke ” Save The Date Postcard and the “Haute  Heraldry : Black” Save the Date Card .  However, they have so many to choose from, so have fun checking them all out! What is unique about Wedding Paper  Divas ? Before being shipped, each order is hand reviewed (by a  real live human!) for any issues, so you’re guaranteed to receive high

This post brought to you by Walgreens . All opinions are 100% mine. Whether it is a flu shot, pet prescriptions, nebulizers, diabetic supplies or one of over 8000 brand name and all generic medications, the Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens  will save you money. Being a member not only offers discounts on all of the items mentioned, but you also can receive bonuses when you purchase Walgreens brand products and photofinishing services.  Joining is easy, and at a discounted price of only $35 per year for a family membership, it is quite the deal too! Simply visit the Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens  online and sign up for either a family membership or an individual membership. A family membership covers everyone in your immediate family, including a spouse, dependents 22 and younger and even pets. For individuals, the price is a mere $20. Also, if you don't save at least the amount that the membership cost by the time the year is over, then W