Graphic Tees from RUUM American Kid's Wear for an Easy Transition from Summer to Fall

Thank you to RUUM American Kid's Wear for providing a complimentary sample RUUM graphic tee for us to base this review upon and for providing a second product for our contest prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Every year that our now 9-1/2 year old son gets older, it has become clear that he is growing quite fashion conscious.  He likes certain brands for clothing and footwear, and a specific fit for his jeans, but he also values comfort.  One of his favorite things to wear is a graphic tee and skinny jeans.  In fact, I would say he has quite an impressive graphic t-shirt collection.  As his parent, I really do not mind purchasing a variety of graphic tees for him because he wears them year round.  Short-sleeved t-shirts are so versatile because they can be layered.

Normally, one of the ways I would recommend wearing a short-sleeved graphic tee during the cooler months is to add a long-sleeved layering tee underneath it.  I wouldn't recommend this for RUUM graphic tees.  Why?. . . Because they are the softest t-shirts I have ever felt.  The "Best T Ever" Sunset Tee my son received is soft as a cloud.  It would be a crime to put anything underneath it.  Instead, I would recommend layering a RUUM hoodie or plaid flannel shirt over it for fall and winter.

What does my son think of his graphic tee from RUUM?  It is super-soft, brightly colored (he's a huge fan of neon), and has a sporty graphic on it from a brand he loves.

Right now, you can find graphic tees for both boys and girls on RUUM.com for as low as $3.99!  How can you resist such great prices for shirts that can be worn all year round?  Here are some more reasons you should shop RUUM for back-to-school . . .

• Extra 50% off summer items (online prices already reflect discount)
• Save 25% off the new Fall Collection (online prices already reflect discount)
• Free Standard Shipping on orders over $50
• RUUM offers sizes for newborns all the way to 14 year olds

To stay up to date on current RUUM promotions, be sure to follow RUUM American Kid's Wear on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Our giveaway prize today is the winner's choice of one of the five graphic tees shown below in boys or girls size S, M, L, or XL (Subject to availability).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random number drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Shop 'n' Share: Replenishing My Husband's Geek T-Shirt Collection

This product was purchased with our own funds.  No compensation was received for sharing this shopping experience with our readers, however, this post may contain affiliate links.

My husband's favorite item of clothing to wear is a comfortable t-shirt.  In fact, I think he would be wear a t-shirt every waking minute if his office did not require him to wear a shirt and tie.  A printed t-shirt and a pair of khaki shorts is his uniform 3 months out of the year after work and on the weekends.  Somewhere during our 13 years of marriage, I decided "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em."  I always have my eyes open for t-shirts my husband might like.  My only rule is that I will not buy him white t-shirts anymore because he manages to stain them the very first time he wears them 95% of the time.

A few months ago, my husband discovered LOL Shirts.  He works in IT and is a geek at heart, and he has found tons of geek t-shirts he likes on this site.  This text-based Relax. I can fix it. t-shirt and one that says I'm here because you broke something. are his favorites to wear to work on casual Fridays.  There is always some kind of promotion going on at LOL Shirts and shipping is just $2 per shirt, so I don't mind helping my husband to replace some of his t-shirts that have become stained or worn.

Some of the shirts on this site are available in up to a size 5X.  My husband likes his shirts loose, so I usually buy a 3X for him.  There is an additional cost of just $.99 for size XXL and XXXL shirts.  On average, one shirt would cost me roughly $10, give or take one or two dollars based on the current promotion.  If you're looking for an affordable Father's Day gift this year, whether it be from you or your children, a shirt from LOL Shirts would be a great way to go.

By the way, each of my children's teachers will be receiving a teaching-themed t-shirt for their end of the year teacher's gift that they can wear all summer long.  Be sure to check those out if you are still in need of a gift for your child's teacher.  For a limited time, you can receive $5 off each shirt plus free shipping when you checkout using Promo Code: 5OFFEVERYTHING!

As always, if you shop, be sure to come back and tell me what you purchased!

3G2S "Top Picks" 2012 Holiday Gift Guide for Tweens

1. The World According To Me Personalized Book Kit ($39.95) - This is a book kit from the creators of the well-known I See Me! personalized books.  One thing that makes this book even more special than the other personalized books offered on ISeeMe.com is that it includes your child's artwork and words, in addition to the usual personalization.  Included inside the ready-to-wrap box is an instruction booklet (which also contains interview questions for your child), paper for drawing each themed picture, extra blank paper, a pack of 10 thin markers, and a postage paid envelope.  Of course this book kit can be gifted to a child of any age, but I think it is especially perfect for a child between the ages of 8 to 11.  At this age, a tween is still very much a child and still has a wonderful imagination, but he or she is beginning to truly develop a drawing style and has the patience to put a lot of detail into the illustrations.  Our nearly 9 year old son thoroughly enjoyed this project.  It takes approximately 3 weeks for the finished book to be shipped to you after you have submitted all the interview responses and artwork by mail or online.  Our son just cannot wait to see how his book turned out!  To shop for this and other personalized books, visit www.ISeeMe.com.

2. My Friendship Bracelet Maker Kit($24.99) - This is one of 6 craft kits made by the Choose Friendship Company, all designed around the theme of "friendship."  This particular kit is the one that started it all and includes the Friendship Bracelet Maker, 56 skeins of floss in 14 different colors, and easy-to-follow instructions.  There are many more tutorials for fun patterns available online.  Although this product is recommended for ages 6 and up, I think it is a perfect gift for an older child, who will have better dexterity and a longer attention span.  I had to teach myself how to make a few patterns before I could teach our nearly 9 year old son and I am still working my way through the beginner patterns.  The online video tutorials are such a huge help.  Like with knitting, weaving friendship bracelets is a very therapeutic hobby.  It is the perfect activity for a tween who needs a quiet activity to focus on in order to escape his or her hectic life.  It is also a wonderful creative outlet and your child will be so proud to show off and share these bracelets with his or her friends.  You can find the My Friendship Bracelet Maker at many major toy and craft retailers nationwide.  Visit www.myfbm.com to find out more about this and other products by the Choose Friendship Company.

3. The LEGO Adventure Book, Vol. 1: Cars, Castles, Dinosaurs & More!($24.95) - This is the first of two very different LEGO books that are new from No Starch Press for Fall 2012.  Although this book does teach the reader how to build specific models, it also does an amazing job at inspiring the reader to use his or her imagination to create something great.  My son found the bright and colorful photos to be captivating and refused to put the book down until he had looked through it twice.  This hardcover book is currently selling on Amazon.com for $15.48 with Free Super Saver Shipping.

The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide (Now in Color)($24.95) - Now this book is a very handy how-to LEGO manual.  It will help the reader learn new ways to build things, how to build sturdier structures, and how to get around certain obstacles, such as running out of a specific type of brick.  While my son read through this book, I heard him say "Hey!  I didn't know that!!" many times.  It would definitely be an interesting read for any LEGO fan.  This paperback book is currently selling on Amazon.com for $16.14 with Free Super Saver Shipping.

4.  Gap Kids x Junk Food Tees ($26.95) - If you are considering buying your tween clothing for Christmas, you must make it something super-cool.  Nothing is cooler than the t-shirts from Junk Food Clothing.  This brand has been seen on the children of famed celebrities, such Angelina Jolie, Gwen Stefani, and Heidi Klum.  For Fall/Winter 2012, Junk Food Tees have arrived at your local Gap Kids store, making it even easier for you to shop for these sought after shirts.  These long-sleeved shirts are currently available in-store and online in raglans, hooded tees, and layered tees with Star Wars and superhero themes.  Our son just loves the stylized artwork of the Millennium Falcon on his long-sleeved pullover hoodie.  The shirt is also extremely soft because it is a polyester/cotton/rayon blend.  Visit Gap.com or your local Gap Kids store to see all the shirt designs currently available.  The selection will vary from store to store.

5.  Kidz Bop Christmas! CD($13.98) - New for 2012, this Kidz Bop Holiday music CD (or any Kidz Bop CD for that matter) would make an affordable gift or a nice stocking stuffer that can be enjoyed for years to come.  If you are not familiar with the music brand Kidz Bop, it is a series of music CDs where young Kidz Bop singers record popular hits in kid-friendly versions.  What I love most about these songs is that they usually maintain the sound of the original music.  This CD includes some of my favorite Christmas songs, such as "All I Want For Christmas Is You", "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", and "Jingle Bell Rock."  Visit KidzBop.com to listen to samples of all 15 Christmas songs.  This CD is currently selling on Amazon for $10.00 with Free Super Saver Shipping.  You can also download the Kidz Bop Christmas! MP3 for $5.99.

6.  Guinness World Records 2013 ($28.95) - This hardcover book is my nearly 9 year old son's most-wanted book for Christmas.  Since receiving his first Guinness World Records book 4 years ago, he was hooked and has anxiously awaited for the release of the next one every year to follow.  When asked what his favorite record was for the 2013 edition, my son said the man that holds the record for the largest muscles.  Although this book would be fascinating to adults as well, I think the Guinness World Records book does an especially good job at encouraging tweens to read something other than fiction.  The book is also filled with interesting full-color photos that make you want to find out more.  You can find this book at most major book retailers, such as Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Scholastic Books.  It is currently selling on Amazon for just $16.30 with Free Super Saver Shipping.  To learn more about how to set a world record of your own, visit www.guinnessworldrecords.com.


Although complimentary product samples were sent to facilitate this gift guide, all opinions expressed are my own.

Shop 'n' Share: MMA Elite Men's Graphic T-Shirts at Walmart (#ShopMMAElite #CBias #SocialFabric)

My husband studied karate from the ages of 13 through 19.  Even though he no longer studies, he enjoys following news about the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts).  I have no doubt that someday following MMA happenings will be something one or more of our children, who all currently study taekwondo, will be doing along with their Dad.

When I heard that Walmart had begun to carry MMA Elite t-shirts for men, I thought this would be a great gift idea for my husband, who almost exclusively wears graphic tees when he is not at work.  I checked out the merchandise on MMAElite.net and was very pleased with the designs and logos on their graphic tees.  I really felt like they meshed well with my husband's style, which is a little on the conservative and preppy side.  When I checked out what items by MMA Elite Walmart had to offer online, however, the shirt designs were much less conservative.  They actually embraced the skulls and tattoos styling of popular brands, such as Ed Hardy.  Regardless, the MMA Elite merchandise must be a huge hit because almost all the shirts were sold out online on Walmart.com.  Since this line is also available in Walmart stores, I went to see if any of these graphic tees were available at our local store.  Because of the less-than-conservative styles of the Walmart MMA Elite gear, I thought it would be best to bring my husband along on this MMA Elite shopping trip so he could choose which designs he liked best.

When we walked into Walmart, the MMA Elite apparel was located immediately to our right.  Even though there was an MMA Elite brand sign on the graphic tee wall, we could not find any folded shirts by that brand.  Instead, the shirts were hanging up on face-outs just to the right of the folded shirts.  We had walked right by them and went directly to the section underneath the MMA Elite marketing.

My husband needed a size XXL, which limited our choices a bit.  He did like the look of the slightly more conservative black/grey on grey t-shirt shown below, but he was not crazy about the prominent fleur de lis symbols, which in the mind of this New England Patriots fan represented the Saints.

My husband ended up opting for the dual skulls design shown below.  Although he loves the colors, the design is much larger and bolder than he is used to wearing on both the front and the back.

Of course, our children thought it was the coolest shirt ever and that their Dad was super-cool for wearing it in their eyes.  I hope that Walmart will begin to carry one or two styles of men's MMA Elite t-shirts that are more similar to what I saw on the MMA Elite website.  These shirts are only priced at $9.97 and are 100% cotton.  For that price, I would buy my husband several designs if they were available.  Also, due to the low price, I thought for sure that the shirt would shrink in the dryer after being washed in cold water, but my husband said that he did not notice any shrinkage at all.

You can learn more about the MMA Elite brand by visiting MMA Elite on Facebook and by following the hashtag #ShopMMAElite as well as the MMA Elite Brand on Twitter.


I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and MMA Elite #CBias #SocialFabric.  All opinions are solely my own.

Boys & Girls Get Ready for Spring with Hank Player Graphic Tees

To say that our children have Spring fever is an understatement.  Although they are disappointed that we hardly got any snow so far this winter, I know they want the warmer weather to come so that they can play outside more often and to do so without having to bundle up.  Our children, ages 5, 5, and 8, are especially fashion-conscious for their age, especially our daughter and our oldest son.  When I told them that they could choose which Hank Player t-shirt they each wanted to review, they were very excited.  I expected them to have difficulty deciding on just one shirt each because of the vast selection available on the site, but they each fell in love at first sight with the shirts they chose.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

Vintage Lavender Girls' Tie Dye Tee

Hank Player U.S.A., a brand carried by Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor, and Saks 5th Avenue, offers a variety of hip graphic tees and accessories for children and men.  I am extremely impressed that their shirt designs are bold and make a statement without being inappropriate for children.

Our shirts were washed in cold and machine dried before we put them on the children.  I had requested their true sizes, size 5s for both twins and a size 8 for our oldest.  As you can see, they still have room to grow, so I think ordering your child's current size is the way to go.  All shirts are pre-shrunk and garment-washed for softness.  For those of you who are wondering, these shirts are not tagless, but the small tags sewn into the inside neckline are very soft and satiny.

Retro T-Rex Dinosaur Boys' Tee and We Come In Peace Boys' T-Shirt

As you can see, our children are loving their shirts and think the designs are fun and very fitting for each of their personalities.  We took these photos during school vacation week and they just cannot wait to show their new shirts to their friends at school.

For a limited time, you can receive 25% off your Hank Player order when you checkout with Code:  SAVE25.  You can also receive Free Standard Shipping on all HankPlayer.com orders totaling more than $50.  To keep up to date with more great promotional offers, sign up to receive the Hank Player Newsletter by entering your email at the bottom of the HankPlayer.com homepage.  To learn more about Hank Player U.S.A., visit Hank Player on Facebook and follow Hank Player on Twitter.

Thank you to Hank Player U.S.A. for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon and for providing additional product for our contest prize.




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

Lands' End "Every Tee Tells a Story" Design Contest

Since boy's and girl's graphic tees are most likely on everyone's back-to-school shopping list, the Every Tee Tells a Story Contest hosted by Lands' End is well-timed. Through September 7th, children between the ages of 4 to 11 may submit their artwork for a graphic tee design centered around the theme "Arctic Exploration". There will be two winners for this contest . . . one boy and one girl. Each winner will have their design featured on a Lands' End graphic tee, receive a $500 Lands' End gift card, and a $1,000 donation to their school's art program.

To top it all off, Lands' End will donate $1 towards an art-related project on DonorsChoose.org . They are willing to donate up to $10,000 to these worthy projects for under-funded schools. So even if your child does not win this contest, in addition to the fun challenge of designing a t-shirt, his or her submission will be helping to fund art supplies and equipment for schools all around the country. To enter, just download this PDF entry form and template. Your child's entry must be submitted by snail mail and needs to be postmarked by September 7th, 2010. Click here for official contest rules.

My son was able to choose any Lands' End graphic tee and he opted for the National Treasures NYC Graphic T-Shirt. He had just accompanied my husband and myself to New York for the BlogHer 2010 convention and New York City left quite a positive impression on him. He loves his new t-shirt because it is so soft. I love it because it is a nice quality weight, 100% washable cotton, and tagless.

To learn more about the Every Tee Tells a Story Contest or to view their current line of graphic t-shirts, visit LandsEnd.com and Lands' End on Facebook.

Thank you to Lands' End for providing us with information and a graphic tee free of charge to base this article upon.