Countdown to Christmas with Refillable DIY Chalkboard Advent Calendar Ornaments

This is an easy Christmas craft I had thought about making two months ago.  I actually purchased all the supplies at Michael's Arts & Crafts several weeks ago.  Unfortunately, I didn't have time to sit down and make this advent calendar craft until two days before December began.  Even though you won't be able to countdown for the whole 24 days, you could still countdown the remaining 12 days or 10 days this year and start at the beginning of December next year.  That's one of the things I love about this advent calendar, it is completely refillable and reusable!

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

(24) chalkboard ornaments with clips and twine

(24) small burlap drawstring bags

(24) 10" pieces of festive ribbon (approximately 3/8" wide)

small candies or toys (to fill the bags)

white anti-dust chalk

TIP #1:  If you cannot find pre-made chalkboard ornaments like the ones shown, you could easily make your own with chalkboard ornaments, mini clothespins, a roll of twine, and some glue.  Likewise, if you cannot find printed burlap bags, you could use rubber stamps to decorate plain ones.

Step 1.  Assemble the chalkboard ornaments, whether you purchased kits or are making your own, This includes cutting the twine into (24) 6" segments, threading them through each ornament, and tying them off at the top.  Trim off an excess to make the ends short and even.

Step 2.  Tie the ribbon around the twine right at the top of the chalkboard ornament.  Form a small bow and trim the ends to make them even.

Step 3.  Repeat Step 2 for the other 23 ornaments.

Step 4.  Use the chalk to number your ornaments from 1 to 24.

TIP #2:  The chalkboard ornaments I bought seemed like they had chalkboard paper on them.  As a result, it was not easy to erase the chalk, even with a damp paper towel.  If this is true for your chalkboard ornaments, I recommend that you use a chalk holder to hold the chalk so you can write more easily without making too many errors.  If you're confident enough, you could also use permanent white paint pens to draw the numbers.

Step 5.  Fill your bags with something fun for your children to find each day.  Every year, we include one small piece of candy for each child along with a handful of jigsaw puzzle pieces.  (This year, we upgraded to a challenging 400-piece puzzle.  It took my husband and I five hours to assemble it before we divided the pieces between the 24 bags.)

We hung our advent ornaments on a garland high up along the rafter that separates our living room from our dining area.  You could also hang them on your Christmas tree or make a calendar using a board and 24 nails.  If you have other ideas, I'd love to hear them!


If you like this advent calendar craft, be sure to Pin It for later . . . 

Home Decor Gifts for Everyone On Your Shopping List from Zazzle

Thank you to Zazzle for providing a sample round pouf for us to base this review upon and for providing a gift certificate for our giveaway prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Over the years, Zazzle has grown significantly as far as the types of custom products they offer.  Take their home decor selection, for example.  You may expect to see throws, pillows, mugs, and tree ornaments when you visit their site, but you will find so much more.  Upon visiting Zazzle.com recently, I was delighted to find lamps, cutting boards, serving trays, plates, bowls, tree skirts, Christmas stockings, and even wrapping paper!  Of all the wonderful home furnishings items I had discovered, the poufs were my favorite of all.

When I first saw the Luck & Longevity Round Pouf, I knew it would be perfect for our home.  I love the Asian flair and it was an easy way to add another seat in our living room without adding a large piece of furniture.  Of course, you would need to find the right pouf for you.  With currently 43,513 cube and round poufs to choose from and the ability to customize your item, I don't foresee a problem with finding exactly what you need.  There are styles that are suitable for nurseries, dorm rooms, mancaves, and everything in between.  Many styles can be personalized with a name or a monogram, whether your are choosing a trendy chevron pouf or one that's in your favorite team colors.

If you truly cannot find exactly what you're looking for, then you always have the option to design your own pouf by uploading your own images for the top and sides.  I always thought it would be cool to create a mosaic image using photos of my children, my husband, and myself from different stages of our lives.  What design would you put on a custom square or round pouf?

To view all the home decor items available, visit www.Zazzle.com, where you could finish almost all your holiday shopping in just one stop!  Be sure to sign up for the Zazzle newsletter to stay in the know about special offers and Zazzle promo codes during the holiday season and throughout the year.

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Give the Gift of Music This Holiday with the SOL Republic PUNK Bluetooth Wireless Speaker

Thank you to SOL Republic for providing a PUNK wireless speaker sample for us to base this review upon and for providing an additional product for our giveaway prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

I have been privileged to have reviewed so many SOL Republic products over the last couple of years. I am always excited to see and test the next one. So far every SOL Republic product I have tested has received an outstanding review from me and I would be lying if I said I was not partial to their products, but frankly they have earned that bias from me. SOL Republic makes great personal audio electronics and their pricing is always better than the competitor for comparable items. However I always try to find at least one imperfection when I do a review for them. I am not always successful….

I received the SOL Republic PUNK Bluetooth speaker in black for review. And as always, I was excited to get it as I love my DECK and wanted to see how a smaller speaker compares. The basic rule of thumb with speakers is that bigger is almost always better. Could the PUNK sound as nice as my larger DECK?

I wont keep you in suspense: The DECK has a bigger and richer sound, but wowee the PUNK wireless speaker sounds extremely good for a 3-1/2" speaker and I was impressed. It boggles my mind how much sound SOL Republic can jam into a speaker that can fit into your palm.

The bass is better than I would expect from such a small form factor (SOL Republic signature bass) and the rest of the range was pleasantly complete. At max volume there was no cracking or static. This is no quickie-mart-as-seen-on-TV speaker that I see everywhere. I tested a few different genre’s of music to hear a variety of sounds as well as some video to really test the PUNK. It all sounded fantastic.

The PUNK is also water and dust resistant, something that even my DECK can't do! The exterior is rubbery and soft offering some light shock resistance and toughness. The PUNK is so tough, it doesn't come with a case like its peer does. Just grab and go.

You can plug the PUNK into analog and USB ports for wired audio and charging. Not that you need to plug it in for audio, the Bluetooth connection was as easy to set up as can be and the range is superb. Although I have yet to prove if the PUNK can go for 8 hours on a charge, I hardly doubt it as my DECK can play all day long. SOL Republic knows how to do wireless batteries!

Are there better sounding Bluetooth speakers out there? Sure. But not one as small as the PUNK and certainly not as inexpensive. I also bet none are as tough as the PUNK or can get wet and keep playing.  The PUNK is truly designed to just grab, throw in a bag or big pocket, and go. With the punk you can have quality music anywhere you go.

And guess what? I don't have a single negative thing to say about the PUNK. I failed to find my obligatory imperfection. At $69.99 you simply cannot go wrong with this speaker. It's tough and easy to use, perfect for teenagers, college students, and anybody who needs great sound that's easy to take with you.

The SOL Republic PUNK wireless speaker comes in 7 colors.  To see them all or to learn more about this compact Bluetooth speaker, visit www.SOLRepbulic.com.

CYBER WEEKEND SPECIAL:  Order a PUNK speaker and get a pair of JAX in-ear headphones for FREE. (Valid thru December 1st, 2014 @ 11:59p Pacific Time.)  Also, $1 from every order over $50 from the SOL Republic website will be donated to the Children's Cancer Association.

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This giveaway is open to U.S 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 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 winner will be drawn. Although every effort will be made for the winner to receive the prize by December 24th, 2014, delivery in time for Christmas is not guaranteed. The color of the prize to be sent will be based on availability.

"Music Made Me Do It" . . . Share Your Story with SOL Republic!

Thank you to SOL Republic for providing the Music Made Me Do It prize pack for our #MMMDI giveaway.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Music is a time machine.

Almost every memory I have ever had has a soundtrack to it, the good times and the bad. How many times has a song on the radio teleported you back to a time in your life? How many people have you known that you think of whenever a certain song comes on the radio? Many for me.

When I hear Journey, Zeppelin, and Hall & Oates, I am sent back to the 70’s riding on the school bus (with the coolest driver ever!) and hanging out with my brothers in Tennessee.. Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, U2, and Run DMC send me back to high school and all the lifelong friends I made there. As I got older I realized how much music I had missed before my time and started listening to CCR, The Beatles, Elvis, Cream, Hendrix, and on and on.

I am convinced every phase of my life is represented by the music I was listening to at the time. I think back to all of the things I used to do when listening to music. Drawing, studying Karate, driving, spending time with friends at the beach, and bicycling. Oh boy, the hours and hours I spent on my bike when I was younger listening to music that shaped my attitude and spirit.

I would ride up and down the Charles River all day long listening to the entire albums by U2, Pearl Jam, and anything else I could get my hands on. Of course, back then I listened on my portable CD player….. but that's another story. There is nothing like blasting Pearl Jam’s Even Flow while speeding 30 miles an hour down a steep rocky hill or catching a little air to Van Halen’s Jump.

Today I listen to everything, whether it's through my SOL Republic Relays on my bike or with my Master Tracks at the office. As I age, I start to appreciate skill and talent over genre. I appreciate the quality of the sound. If its good music by a talented artist then I like it, whether its opera, rap, country, death metal, or ska it doesn't matter. And with thousands (millions?) of songs just a touch away, I can teleport back into any time of my life in an instant.

This year, music made me get back on my bike. Something I haven't done in years and years. I have a thousand reasons to get up and do something, but only music can do it every time.


Does the video above make you think of the amazing things you've done in your lifetime?  Find more Music Made Me Do It stories on www.solrepublic.com.  3G2S readers are invited to share your stories for a chance to win ALL the SOL Republic products listed below (colors may vary) . . .

Our 'Music Made Me Do It' SOL Republic Prize Pack (ARV $700+) includes:

• 1 SOL REPUBLIC Deck speaker (ARV $129.99)
• 1 SOL REPUBLIC Punk speaker (ARV $69.99)
• 1 SOL REPUBLIC Tracks Air wireless headphone (ARV $199.99)
• 1 SOL REPUBLIC Tracks on-ear headphone (ARV $99.99)
• 1 SOL REPUBLIC Relays in- ear headphone (ARV $79.99)
• 1 SOL REPUBLIC Master Tracks over-ear headphone (ARV $199.99)

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TERMS & CONDITIONS:  This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian 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 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 winner will be drawn. Although every effort will be made for the winner to receive the prize pack by December 24th, 2014, delivery in time for Christmas is not guaranteed. The prize pack image found in the contest post is only an example. The products in the prize pack may vary from the colors shown in the image and will be sent based on availability.

Make Your Home Phones More Efficient with Panasonic Link2Cell Bluetooth Phones & Qi Mobile Chargers

Thank you to Panasonic for providing a sample Link2Cell Bluetooth® Enabled Phone with Answering Machine KX-TGH263B & 3 Cordless Handsets for us to base this review upon and for providing an additional set for our giveaway prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

I love gadgets, so when I heard about Panasonic’s new Link2Cell Bluetooth Enabled Telephones, I was excited to try them out. We have VOIP service at home and just use a basic cordless phone, but the thing I really liked about the Panasonic ones is that they are equipped with Link2Cell technology. These phones not only connect to a land or VOIP line, they can receive the incoming calls to your cell phone!

When we received these, I immediately set them up and got them running. We received one main base and two secondary bases with three phones. I put the main unit in our living room and the secondary ones in the kitchen and our bedroom. The phones link via Bluetooth to up to two cell phones, so all of our phone calls to our home phone and to both my husband’s and my cell were coming through the same set of phones! I loved that these phones play our cell’s personalized ringtones, so there is no way to miss who the phone is ringing for. The phones even have voicemail capabilities, which would be a plus for many consumers.

I love that I can use these handsets even if my cell is not right next to me. Now when my phone dies, I can go plug it in at the charger in my bedroom, but not miss any calls with my handset. It doesn’t allow me to text from the handset, but that’s a feature I’m okay without. It does, however, have a text message alert option, so I know if I have a text on my cell phone. The handset itself has very clear reception and I’ve never had any issues with static. It even has a “noise reduction” button so you can remove background noise, such as from the children or the television, while you are on an important call.

In addition to the mentioned features, it has Talking Text Sender Alert which announces the phone number of incoming calls, a Locate Cell button that helps find your missing cell phone, Power Back-Up Operation which utilizes the large battery to keep the phones operating in a short power outage, Tone Equalizer which allows users to set bass and treble to equalize their voice, Eco Mode which saves power, Call Blocking, and complete personalization of the home screen on the units including wallpaper. Plus, it has a very sleek and stylish design that is nice and compact so as to not take up a ton of space on tabletops.

We also received the Panasonic Qi Mobile Charger, which retails for $39.99, so now I can charge my phone anywhere. This small but powerful charger is convenient to take anywhere -- in purses, the car, even in your pocket. It has the capability to charge any phone with a USB cord so it’s always ready to charge your device whenever you need it.  What a perfect gift idea for anyone who needs to stay connected no matter where they go!

The Panasonic Link2Cell Bluetooth Enabled Phone is an excellent product that exceeded my expectations. These retail for $119.95 at Shop.Panasonic.com, but is currently on sale for a limited time for just $91.99. What a great price if you have someone on your holiday list who needs a more efficient phone system at home!.

Enter to win a Link2Cell Bluetooth® Enabled Phone with Answering Machine with 3 Cordless Handsets (ARV $119.99) plus a Qi Mobile Charger (ARV $39.99) of your very own . . .

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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 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 winner will be drawn.

12 Disney FROZEN Gift Ideas for Girls at Kohl's (#KohlsGiveaway #Sponsored #MC)

I participated in an Influencer Activation Program on behalf of Influence-Central for Kohl's. I received Kohl's gift cards to facilitate my review and a thank you item for participating.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Can you believe that Christmas is now less than two months away?  I'm an early shopper and am usually mostly done by Halloween.  This year, however, I seem to be having trouble staying on top of everything.  How about you?  Have you started your Holiday shopping?  Well, if you're shopping for a Disney FROZEN fan, then you could probably be done with just one shopping trip to your local Kohl's department store.  Kohl's has everything FROZEN from fashion to home furnishings to toys and electronics.

Need to get in the winter wonderland mood before you can start your shopping?  Remember when I shared about the FROZEN Sing Your Heart Out Contest in September?  Well, the video submission period has come to a close, but the voting period will begin on November 10th, when you will be able to vote for your favorite of the 10 ten finalists to help determine who will appear in the Kohl's Holiday ad scheduled to air during the 2014 American Music Awards.

My daughter and I watched countless videos of entrants singing their hearts out to Let It Go.  There were so many talented people of all ages, including adorable children with lots of charisma.  I have to say that I hope Jaclyn, Olivia, and Makena make it to the top 10.  This trio would certainly get my vote for their amazing performance!  If you haven't yet, be sure to view their video and let me know if you agree.  (Be warned:  You may be singing Let It Go for the rest of the day.)

Now that you're in a wintry mood, let's talk Holiday shopping!  Of the vast assortment of Disney FROZEN gifts available at Kohl's, here are my top 12 picks . . . 

12 Disney FROZEN Gift Ideas for Girls:

1.  Disney Frozen 2-pc. Fragrance Gift Set

2.  Disney Frozen World of Creativity Kit

3.  Disney Frozen Elsa Nightgown

4.  Disney Frozen Elsa & Anna Travel Trunk Dress-Up Set

5.  Disney Frozen Talking Olaf Pull-A-Part Plush

6.  Disney Frozen Elsa Snowflake Sparkle Dress by Jumping Beans (a Kohl's Exclusive)

7.  Disney Frozen Elsa & Anna Karaoke Machine

8.  Disney Frozen Anna, Elsa & Olaf Kids' Digital Watch

9.  Disney Frozen Elsa & Anna Color & Style Purse Set

10.  Disney Frozen Elsa & Anna "Sisters Forever" Hoodie by Jumping Beans (a Kohl's Exclusive)

11.  Disney Frozen Elsa & Anna Fold-Out Sofa (Coming Soon)

12.  Disney FROZEN:  Olaf's Quest Nintendo DS or 3DS Game

Out of all these cool FROZEN gift ideas, the one my daughter chose as her top pick is #5, the Talking Olaf Pull-A-Part Plush, with #5, the World of Creativity art set, coming in second.  Which gift idea would your little FROZEN fan like the best?

To view these and the other 750+ FROZEN items offered by Kohl's, visit www.kohls.com/frozen.

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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 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 winner will be drawn.

'Brilliance Award' Winners are Top Choices for Creative Gift Ideas for Children This Holiday

Thank you to Brilliant Sky Toys & Books for providing two award-winning toys and a book for us to base this review upon and for providing an additional product for our giveaway prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

In my experience as a parent to three children (and having once been a child myself), toys that encourage creativity and flex the imagination often make the best gifts for children.  Brilliant Sky Toys & Books, a specialty retailer that caters to children and their imaginations, has recently announced which toys would be honored with the 2014 Brilliance Award.  The list includes toys for toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary-age children and range in price from just $9.99 to $39.99.

Why do I trust Brilliant Sky Toys & Books when it comes to gift recommendations?  Although there is not a store location in my area, I've heard ravings about this toy store from friends and I love the content on Brilliant Sky TV and on the Brilliant Sky Toys & Books Blog, where you can read more about this year's 10 Brilliance Award winners.

And the 2014 Brilliance Award winners are . . .

• Squigz Starter Set (24 pieces)
• Plus-Plus Mini-Basic (480 pieces)
• Lottie Dolls
• Doodle Quest
• Create Your Own Storybook
• Super Stadium Baseball Game
• LoopDeLoom
• Sew Cute Sets
• Illustrated Adventure Stories and Illustrated Fairy Tales
• Paint Your Own Porcelain Bowls

I was thrilled to give my children a chance to experience three of these award-winning toys and books.  Although it was difficult to choose, I felt like the LoopDeLoom would be a well-loved creative toy for my daughter and I was right!  I also correctly predicted that all three of my children would very much enjoy the Paint Your Own Porcelain Bowls craft kit and the Usborne book of Illustrated Fairy Tales.  I knew these products would be a big hit because both the LoopDeLoom and the Paint Your Own Porcelain Bowls kit produce a final product our children could keep and enjoy forever if they wished.  And, fairy tales are magical stories meant to be enjoyed again and again.

Giving our children a creative outlet is such an important thing.  Even our 7 year old son, who does not usually show much interest in art, enjoyed painting his ceramic bowl.  He did not show the lack of patience he normally would.  Instead, he painted very deliberately and carefully.

Another Brilliance Award winner that helps children develop patience, as well as further develops fine motor skills, is the LoopDeLoom weaving kit.  Although this toy is recommended for children 8 years and older, our 7 year old daughter was quite adept at it.  At first, it seemed like it would take forever to finish, but after a little while, she could see her progress.  The best thing about this craft kit is that it takes concentration and is an enjoyable, yet quiet, sit-down activity.

The Usborne Illustrated Fairy Tales is a wonderful book with beautiful illustrations.  Our daughter will sit and read one fairy tale after another.  She also loves to reread them out loud to her twin brother at bedtime.  I have such fond memories of reading fairy tales and having them read to me as a child.  I'm happy to see my children experience the same magic.  I am definitely going to look into buying this book's counterpart Usborne Illustrated Adventure Stories for Christmas this year.

You can find all these award-winning children's gifts and many more quality children's items at Brilliant Sky Toys & Books.  If you have not yet visited your local store, be sure to bring your children soon to enjoy the hands-on experience, child-height shelves and displays, and the superior personalized customer service.  You can check for the closest store location here.

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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 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 winner will be drawn.

Prepping for the Holidays with Personalized Tree Ornaments from Ornaments With Love

Thank you to Ornaments With Love for providing a personalized tree ornament sample for us to base this review upon and for providing a second product for our giveaway prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Ummm . . . no it's not too early to be thinking about the Holidays!  Even if you don't start your shopping early, there are a few things to think about before the season sneaks up on you . . .

1.  What are my children going to ask Santa for in their letters this year?  Will it sell out if I wait to buy it?  Will I need to put it on layaway to pay for it in time for Christmas?

2.  What should my children wear for the Holiday card photo this year?  When do I need to order them to get them before December so I'll have time to write a note inside and address them all?

3.  Do I need anything major for entertaining this Holiday?  New dining room set?  New television?  Should I have the floors professionally cleaned?

4.  Some retailers take extra time to ship any personalized items I may want to give as gifts.  The shipping time might even get longer as the Holidays grow closer.  Should I shop for these items now before the big rush?

Christmas is a huge deal at our house.  We started some fun traditions when our oldest was just a toddler.  For example, every year I purchase personalized ornaments for the whole family.  I always get one that represents all 5 of us and sometimes the pets too.  Some years, the pets get their own ornaments.  Each child always gets his or her own personalized ornament.  Some years I let them choose their own and others I decide to surprise them.  Whichever course I choose, we always order our ornaments from Ornaments With Love.  I think this might be our 7th year buying ornaments from this family-owned business.  I shopped their site before I even thought about owning a blog.  You should see the cute ornaments I found last year!

Another tradition we have is that our children always gift a personalized ornament to their favorite aunt and uncle (my sister and brother-in-law).  This year, we chose this Personalized Moose Family Christmas Ornament.  I just thought they were too adorable when I saw them.  I never thought I would perceive a tree ornament to be huggable, but that's what I think when I look at this smiling moose family.  This ornament is available for family sizes of 1 to 4 children.  Maybe I'll get one for my own family next year!

This year, I think I'll be surprising my children with ornaments I choose.  The great thing about Ornaments With Love is that there are new ornaments added to the already vast selection every year.  That way, I can always find something cool and new, rather than choosing from the same ornaments year after year.  Also, shipping is free when your order totals $50 or more.  And, did I mention that their turnaround time is as little as 2 business days and they ship by U.S. Priority Mail?  Still, I always order early because it's one thing I can just check off my Holiday prepping list!

Time to get started on your Holiday prepping!  Visit www.OrnamentsWithLove.com to view their enormous selection of personalized tree ornaments.

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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 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 winner will be drawn.