Christmas Gift Guide 2008: For Kids & Baby

Welcome to Day 4 of the Chic Shopper Chick Gift Guide!  Today we are going to focus on Kids and Baby stuff — but don’t forget to check out the other great items we’ve discussed so far!  Day One was all about Holiday Traditions, Day Two was about Entertaining and Hostess Gifts, and Day Three was all about finding the perfect Stocking Stuffers!  Today is about one of my favorites — things for kids!  Let’s jump in to some of my new faves for this Holiday, in no particular order!

Green Toys Tea Set – I am so so so so (did I mention so?) in love with this Tea Set from Green Toys!  Made entirely of recycled milk jugs, it makes me feel good to give Little AG something fun to play with that also supports the earth.  Check out my full review on the Green Toys Tea Set – I know you will love it too!  You can buy the Green Toys Tea Set from Amazon for just under 25 bucks, or if tea isn’t your thing, check out the Green Toys Cookware and Dining Set which might be a little more gender-neutral.  Stay tuned for a giveaway of the Green Toys Tea Set coming up really soon!

2008 Holiday Barbie – I couldn’t resist adding in this timeless classic to my guide this year.  A collectors item in her own right, the 2008 Holiday™ Barbie® Doll is gorgeous!  Not to mention, this is the 20th anniversary Holiday Barbie, so she is looking especially fantastic!  I especially love her gorgeous earrings, and if they weren’t Barbie-sized, I might snatch them for wear myself!  Barbie is decked out to look like a delicate snowflake, and I know when you see her you won’t be disappointed!

Water Babies – They’re back, and I swear they feel JUST like the real thing (ok, not JUST like it, but still, wow)!  If you remember the Water Babies from long ago, you won’t be disappointed.  Even I think that they are pretty darn cool, and well, I have a real baby and have no need for a baby doll.  However, Little AG started pointing and saying “BAAAAYYY BEEEE” the minute she saw it!  They Water Babies come in two sizes, 9 inch Water Baby and the 13 inch Water Baby.  They even come with a funnel to make filling easy, as well as a teddy bear, storybook, diaper, and bottle!

Hyper Dash – New for this season from Wild Planet, I am loving this awesome game.  Designed to keep kids moving and on their feet, Hyper Dash will have your kids running all over the place (in an organized matter) in no time!  The “tagger” is hand held, and calls out voice commands to the players to “tag” the targets that have certain numbers and colors.  One of my favorite parts about Wild Planet’s Hyper Dash is that your kids can play solo or compete against their friends (or you!) to get the highest score!  If the single tagger isn’t enough — you can always go for the Hyper Dash Double Dash that includes 2 taggers!

Barbie Care N Cure Wildlife Doctor – It has Barbie in the name, but there is really no Barbie involved at all!  This stuffed animal lights up in different areas that teach the child about the animals health, and responds to feeding, touch, care, etc.  With Little AG loving animals as much as she does, this was a must-buy for Christmas this year!  It’s also a great way to teach your kids about protecting and caring for Endangered Animals.  My favorite is the “Snow Leopard” Barbie Care ‘N Cure Wildlife Doctor – but you can also choose a Koala Bear or Polar Bear.

Rhino Rampage Game – This fun but simple game has players stacking up little birds with the goal of reaching the Rhino’s back.  You’ve go to be careful though, because you never know when the Rhino will go on a rampage!  (Ok, it’s really when you roll the Rhino on the dice and the player pulls the Rhino’s tail, but that didn’t sound nearly as cool!)  This game is simple enough for everyone to play, but a whole lot of fun for kids of all ages as well!  Little AG loves pulling the Rhino’s tail in this lots-o-fun Rhino Rampage Game!

Girl Tech Stylin’ Studio – This really really cool toy from Mattel makes me wish they had such a thing when I was a little girl, because I know I would have LOVED it!  (Seriously, I was the makeup and makeover queen!)  The Girl Tech Stylin Studio however, allows girls to create a digital makeover — meaning no messy makeup and lipstick fiascoes are in your future with this nifty gadget!  The Stylin’ Studio comes equipped with a touch pad and a built-in digital camera, so it makes things easy because everything you need is in one place!  My niece is getting one of these for Christmas and I know she is just going to love it!

Scene it?  Disney Channel Edition – Our new favorite channel here at home is the Disney channel (funny how quickly things change, isn’t it?) and this fun DVD game is a gem!  It has hundreds of trivia questions that will keep you on your toes for all things Disney Channel!  You can play fun games like spotting the difference between two difference scenes, identifying theme songs from ringtones and a bunch of other cool stuff!  If your kids love the Disney Channel, they’ll love playing the Scene It? Disney Channel Edition.

Imagination Movers:  Juice Box Heroes – This show on Playhouse Disney has quickly become a favorite in my house.  I have to admit that it’s my TV show of choice, mainly because I enjoy these very talented and fun guys and their awesome music as much as Little AG does.  This is the first CD that the Imagination Movers have released in cooperation with Disney (there were others prior to the Disney partnership) and it is some of their best music, tweaked and better than ever.  I can’t wait for Santa to bring this to Little AG this year, I know she is going to love it.  This is one CD that, when she gets out of the car, I will leave playing.  You can pick up a copy of Imagination Movers: Juice Box Heroes on Amazon.

Animal Scramble – Another home run from Wild Planet, this game works in a similar manner to Hyper Dash.  The base (the giraffe) calls out an animal (four choices — a monkey, parrot, tiger and elephant) and the child scrambles around the room to “tag” that animal with the giraffe.  Then, you are given the amount of time it took you to tag all four – with the idea being that you beat your time.  It also has options for team play, and the giraffe tells you when it should be passed to the next player.  However, this is another great activity that kids can play by themselves while still being active, which I love.  Wild Planet Animal Scramble even has a hide and seek feature, which is a lot of fun!  On sale on Amazon for 19.99.

Cherry Blossom Market – A part of the Playskool Dream Town collection, the Cherry Blossom Market is a great alternative to the much bigger Rose Petal Cottage (or the Rose Petal Cottage Mega Pack that comes complete with all the accessories one could ever even dream of!) for those of us that have limited play-space in our houses.  Little AG already loves to “help” mommy at the grocery store, so this is really quite perfect for her.  Don’t forget the accompanying accessories, like the Cherry Blossom Market Produce Stand, or the Scoop ‘N Smile Ice Cream Set.  Read my complete review of the Playskool Cherry Blossom Market and while you’re there, don’t forget to enter to win one too!

My Little Pony Scootaloo RC on the Go – For girls, this is a great “girly” alternative to the Remote Controlled Car.  Even the remote is shaped like a Butterfly!  The My Little Pony theme will bring back memories for little girls and their mothers!  I personally really love this toy — it works on carpet (which is good for snow/rain days) but works even better on our hard kitchen floor.  The remote control has three big buttons which are great for little hands, and Little AG quickly figured out what each one did (including the horn!).  I’m already a fan of the My Little Pony Scootaloo RC On The Go, and so is Little AG.

Fisher Price Kid Tough DVD Player – This SAVED my life last weekend!  We traveled 5 hours for my dad’s 50th Birthday party and this made the journey so much more bearable!  Bring a few of your kiddo’s favorite DVD’s and they can take this anywhere you go.  We travel a lot, so I can already foresee that it will get TONS of use (seriously, TONS).  Plus, it really does hold up to it’s name — Kid Tough.  It is build to survive drop after drop, which is nice because you don’t have to run behind them making sure nothing happens!  It has a 3.2 inch color screen and rechargable batteries that hang in there for a full two hours!  My favorite features:  the two big handles (for little hands!), kickstand in case they want to stand it up somewhere and not hold it in their laps, and the headphone jack.  Because the whole plane full of people does not want to hear the theme song for “My Friends Tigger and Pooh” over and over again.  You have two choices — to buy the Fisher-Price Kid Tough Portable DVD Player (in Blue) or you can opt for the Fisher-Price Kid Tough Portable DVD Player (In Pink).  Don’t forget to get the Kid-Tough DVD Player On-the-Go Kit (which includes a car charger for those long car rides) and the matching DVD Player Case in Blue or DVD Player Case in Pink!

Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Smart Bounce & Spin Pony – With the exception of the really long title this is actually a really cool interactive toy for toddlers.  You set up the Pony with a wireless receiver and your toddler (12-24 months) can bounce and spin on the Pony to make actions happen on the screen.  You can choose levels of difficulty, so that the youngest of kids will learn about cause and effect (they bounce, the animal on the screen moves) and the older children can learn things like the alphabet and numbers.  The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Bounce & Spin Pony has 5 different learning sites:  A to Z Zoo; Count & Grow Farm; Colorful Home; Shapes at Shore; and Opposites Playground.  Bonus:  the toy works without being connected to a TV.  If you choose the stand alone option the Pony still plays music and interacts with your child!

Jeep 2-in-1 Baby Carrier — Even the smallest ones on your Christmas list need a gift, and what a better gift than something that will benefit both mom and baby?  I love the Jeep 2-in-1 Baby Carrier because it holds infants from 8 – 26 lbs, and Little AG was a big girl so I needed something that could support her even as she reached the upper end of that spectrum.  One of my favorite features is the roll-up mesh front which allows the air to circulate and kept Little AG cool in the stifling Louisiana heat.  I also love how the indicator on the latches turn red when they are snapped into place correctly, because it alleviated all stress that I felt about her being secure.  It comes in a variety of colors, and the price (under $45 bucks!) is extremely reasonable , especially when you compare it to some of the other baby carriers.

European Sleep Sacks from Violet’s Peapod — Another suggestion for your little ones, check out the high-quality European style sleep sacks from Violet’s Peapod.  Little AG has slept in a sleep sack from her earliest days and still sleeps in one even as she approaches 2 years old.  It’s a great way to make sure they stay warm, and you don’t have to worry about blankets being loose in the crib, because it places babies at a higher risk for SIDS.  These sleep sacks are San Francisco-made, made of 100% natural fibers (cotton with a wool filling), and absolutely adorable and unique!

Karito Kids — I love these dolls from Karito Kids that allow your kids to give 3% of the purchase price back to the charity of their choice.  Not only are these dolls teaching kids about giving back, they are also teaching kids the importance of understanding and appreciating the differences between cultures.  You can choose a doll from Italy, Australia, the United States, Mexico, China, and Kenya.  Each doll comes with her very own story book, and you can also purchase additional clothing for them.  These full-sized dolls are pricey, but are extremely well made and will be loved for years, and passed down through the generations.

Furreal Friends Tumbles, My Rollover Pup — Little AG is facinated by “puppies” and has been for as long as I remember.  The FurReal Friends Roll Over Pup makes her squeal with delight.  It rolls over and back, while barking and making cute puppy noises.  She watches it roll over and cracks up laughing!  It’s better than your typical stuffed animal becuase it actually moves and reacts when you pet it on the tummy, and she looks surprised each and every time.  The mechanism inside of it makes it kind of hard, so it’s not an animal to take to bed at night, but it certainly serves its purpose as a really fun toy!  We love it, and it comes highly recommended!

Little Mommy Gotta Go Doll — Did you know that pretending to be an adult is crucial to a child’s early development?  This doll, meant for girls ages 3 and older, allows them to step into the “mommy” role to help the doll use the potty.  It even comes with a sink so that “mommy” can help her wash her hands afterward, and a toothbrush to brush her teeth (complete with tooth-brushing sounds!)!  My favorite part about this toy is that it doesn’t use any water to create the effect — meaning it is a mess-free toy, which goes a long way in our house!  It’s a fun toy that will interact with your child – the doll sings little songs and says fun phrases too.  The Little Mommy Gotta Go Doll is perfect for little girls who are at the potty training age.

Sing & Learn Musical Mic — This little mic is really cool.  On top of actually working to amplify your voice when you talk into it (I might know this because I played with it for 10 minutes while Little AG waited impatiently!) the Sing & Learn Musical Mic lets you choose from jazz, classical and rock ‘n roll style music.  Our favorite quality though (because remember, I have a child that is pretty obsessed with animals) is that it also features 12 animals and fun animal sounds. All you have to do is turn the ring on top of the mic to hear each sound.  Lots of fun, and a great toy for the car!

Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker — I love the Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker so much that I’m giving this to my niece for Christmas.  The Cupcake Maker comes with four cupcake flavor mixes and frosting. The cupcake flavors include red velvet, chocolate, yellow, and cinnamon sugar and the frosting flavors include chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and cream cheese. The mixes only require water and you can bake them in the microwave!  It comes with everything you need, including a mixing bowl, measuring spoon, spatula and water dropper.  Our favorite part was actually frosting the cupcakes with perfect little swirls.  Pick up the Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker at Amazon where they are currently $10 off!  A great deal!

Face Off Frenzy — This really cool product for the Holiday Season is easy to put together and exceptionally quiet (with the exception of the squeals that will be coming from your kids!).  It requires no batteries, no electricity, and will work on carpet!  It’s like playing a little game of air hockey in your living room!  PowerBand Technology creates high-speed ricochet action without the need for air!  You will love it, and so will your kids! Face Off Frenzy is a great deal and is available for under $50 on Amazon!

Swaptop (Kitchen and Workbench) — These awesome, awesome toys are going to be the hit of Christmas this year!  The transformable Workbench or Kitchen also turns into a desk!  I love that it serves a dual purpose (especially when you are dealing with limited space as we are) and that kids will love playing with both.  When Little AG gets tired of the kitchen play, we quickly lower the top to create a desk and pull out one of the “drawers’ which becomes a little bench, and Voila! she is coloring quietly in no time.  It’s nice because it also has little drawers where we store her crayons and coloring books, and in the bottom are her teapots and “cookware”.   The one pictured here is the workbench swaptop, but if you click the link above you can see the kitchen too.

Zoobie Pets — A must-have for anyone traveling with a child!  A Zoobie Pet is a stuffed animal, a pillow, and a blanket all in one.  They are the most adorable things I have ever seen, and talk about mixing fun with function.  There are tons of different animals to choose from, and the detachable blankets have to be the SOFTEST things ever.  EVER.  Even I want to cuddle up with it, that is when Little AG isn’t shooting me curious looks for stealing it.  We have Tamara the Tortise in all of her full sized glory, and a Crocodile Zoobie Baby who is a smaller version, but with all of the same great perks.

Thanks for checking out my guide for Kids and Babies for Christmas 2008.  If you didn’t see what you were looking for above, please use the Amazon search box below to look around!  Don’t forget to check out From Dates to Diapers and An Ordinary Life to discover more great Christmas Gift ideas!

Chic Buds make listening look good!

I am completely smitten with Chic Buds, because they are so, well, CHIC!  Yes, Chic is who I am, it’s what I do.  I embody chicness, and I’m not afraid to say it!  Ok, now that I’ve gotten that declaration out of the way, let me tell you about this completely delicious find!  Called Chic Buds, these unassuming ear buds have gone wild!  Studded with real Swarovski Crystals, these babies will make you the envy of every girl around.

To all you peeps who ride the subway or train in the mornings, wouldn’t you look good sporting these as you nonchalantly listened to your iPod and read a book?  You don’t have to say a word, your Chic Buds will do all the talking!  You can use these while you’re walking to class, on an airplane, working out at the gym,

or in a coffee shop — no matter where you are I’m sure these will draw some ooohs and aaahs.

A few factoids about the oh-so-fabulous chicBuds:

• chicBuds have a built-in retractor so that the cords won’t end up a mess!
• Each set of chicBuds has nearly 100 Swarovski crystal pieces.
• chicBuds have a fastening clip so the cord doesn’t bounce around (also quite handy for clipping it on the side of your purse so you don’t lose them!)

You can purchase chicBuds at Dillards or Fred Meyer, and if you do, you get a FREE couture candy-link tin that holds your iPod and your chicBuds!  If you don’t live close to one of those, you can also buy them at the chicBuds online store!  They retail for $49.99 and I even have a pair to giveaway!  To enter, follow the easy-peasy rules below!

• Visit the chicBuds online store and tell me what style you would choose if you won!
  
• Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
  • Visit An Ordinary Life and leave a comment on one of her posts or giveaways!  Come back here and let me know you did it!
  • Blog about this giveaway and link back here and to ChicBuds.com. Tell me about it in a separate comment.
  • Subscribe to my RSS feed via email or in a reader and tell me about it in a separate comment.
  • Follow ChicBlvd (maker of Chic Buds) on twitter http://www.twitter.com/chicblvd
  • Add me to your blog roll. Not just my button in your sidebar, I’d love to be on your blog roll! Let me know about it in a separate comment!

That’s it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.  Oh, and don’t forget to check out the other great stocking stuffer ideas here on Chic Shopper Chick!

US entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you’d like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contests ends at 11:59 pm CST on November 21st, 2008.

Christmas Gift Guide 2008: Entertaining and Hostess Gifts

With the Holiday Season comes the P & E — Parties and Entertaining!  From office parties to parties with family and friends, you will likely have more than one occasion to show that you are the “Hostess with the Mostess” or a gracious party guest!  Of course, we wouldn’t leave you hanging for this very important part of the Holiday Season, so Chic Shopper Chick has got you covered with everything you’ll need to survive this season of Holiday Parties!

The Perfect Holiday Dress — Each year I go in search of the perfect dress to wear to Church on Christmas Eve, as well as to all of the various parties and events that we attend throughout the season.  This year, I am so thrilled to say that I already have my dress, well before I moved into panic mode!  This year I will be wearing a flattering and gorgeous little number from ShapeFX!  When I pulled the dress out of the box I thought, wow, this isn’t going to look on me like it does on that size 2 model.  Guess what?  It looks fantastic (You know, I mean, if I do say so myself)!  I would be proud to model it anywhere — sign me up to be the new SpokesMom for ShapeFX!  Any dress that makes hubby do a double take MUST be a keeper!  Check out the full line of products from ShapeFX, including their shapewear, pants, and special occasion line!  I have no doubt that you will love this stuff as much as I do!  To prove it to you, I plan to do a post soon with some pictures of me wearing this amazing dress!

Entertaining — When I entertain, I love to have people walk in the door and say “mmmmm” because it smells so good.  Maybe it’s because of your fantastic cooking, or it could just be from a really well-scented candle.  I love to burn candles in my house, and I really like to choose ones that smell like food, like cinnamon, or buttercream.  Yankee Candles make some really great scents, and they even have a special line for the Holidays.  I especially love this Christmas Cookie Candle by Yankee Candle.  Nom Nom Nom!

Don’t forget that you also need to send out the perfect Holiday Party Invitation.  I love the great Holiday Cards from Tiny Prints! I know that you will be able to find the perfect card or invitation for your event from their hundreds of cards.

Need a great appetizer that is easy but will make your guests go “ooooh, this is fantastic!!”?  If so, check out the recipe that I posted on my blog today for an easy baked brie.

Need to jazz up your kitchen?  Check out some of the fantastic cookware, bakeware, and tableware from Emile Henry.  Their wares are simultaneously classic and modern, and I could really do some damage to my account on their website!

Hostess Gifts — You can’t be a gracious party guest without bringing the perfect hostess gift!  You don’t have to spend a fortune, but something small is always a nice token of your appreciation.  I really like this Half Apron by Jessie Steele in a Paris Print – I think it is a really sweet and adorably retro gift that any hostess would LOVE!  If you are close friends with the hostess and you know she has a sense of humor, I think she would enjoy this reprint of the classic book Entertaining is Fun!: How to Be A Popular Hostess.  Orignially published in 1941, some of the advice is outdated, but it is still a really fun read.  Not all of the advice is outdated however, because class never goes out of style!  Want to go with something smaller?  Try giving her a set of these awesome Effervescent Holiday Bath Balls – she can soak in the tub and relax after the stress of planning and hosting a Holiday Party!  Lastly, you might opt to give your hostess something that tastes as yummy as it smells!  If so, then you definitely want to order a keepsake tin of these amazing handmade bon-bons from South n France — but good luck getting them to the party without eating them! (If you missed it, you can check out my review of South n France, but I’ll warn you, it might make you drool!)

Win it! South n France has graciously offered to give away a 20 piece tin of handmade bon bons to one lucky Chic Shopper Chick reader!  To enter, follow the easy-peasy rules below.  (And trust me, you WANT to win this delectible treat!)

• Visit South n France and tell me which Holiday Gift or flavor of bon bon is your favorite!  Leave a comment here telling me about it!
  
• Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
  • Blog about this giveaway and link back here and to South n France. Tell me about it in a separate comment.
  • Subscribe to my RSS feed via email or in a reader and tell me about it in a separate comment.
    
  • Stumble my main webpage (www.chicshopperchick.com) and leave me your Stumble Upon name in a separate comment.
  • Get a Gravatar!  I’m sick of seeing those little blue and white icons.  Gravatars are universal avatars used for lots of sites, including this one – just register it with your email address.  Let me know about it.
  • Add me to your blog roll. Not just my button in your sidebar, I’d love to be on your blog roll! Let me know about it in a separate comment!

That’s it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.

US entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you’d like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contests ends at 11:59 pm CST on November 20th, 2008.

Don’t forget to check out the great hostess gifts and entertaining ideas that Christine at From Dates to Diapers and Kristin at An Ordinary Life have to offer you today!

Christmas Pajamas keep me Snug As A Bug! (Giveaway!)

If you were reading Day One of the Christmas gift guide, today is all about traditions!  One of the traditions that I love the most and would love to convince hubby to do is wearing matching Christmas pajamas for the entire family!  Some friends of mine growing up used to get pajamas in their stockings on Christmas Eve, and they would all wear them to bed and all had the cutest pictures for Christmas morning.  (Ok, I’ll be honest, I saw her pictures from last Christmas and I’m pretty sure they all still participate in this tradition, even though she’s an adult now!)

Anyway, I came across this great website called Snug As A Bug that sells matching Christmas pajamas for the whole family!  They come in sizes ranging from Newborn to XXL, and they can even outfit your pets with a matching scarf or bandanna!  How awesome is that!  Seriously, looking at these pictures makes me want to go out, buy a Christmas tree, and come back here and hop in some matching pajamas to listen to Christmas music while we hang ornaments and lights.  Did I mention we would be sipping hot chocolate? Or maybe egg nog…

Snug As A Bug specializes in pajamas for everyone in your life all year round, but I think this is an especially fun Christmas tradition!

Win it! Snug As A Bug has graciously offered to outfit the family of one lucky Chic Shopper Chick reader in their very own set of Christmas pajamas!  The winner will receive matching pajamas in a pattern of their choice for two adults and two kids.  To enter, follow the easy-peasy rules below!

• Head over to Snug As A Bug and pick out your favorite Christmas Pajama pattern. Then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me which one is your fave!  (Initial Entry)
  
• Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
  • Blog about this giveaway and link back here and to Snug As A Bug. Tell me about it in a separate comment. (1 Entry)
  • Blog about my gift guide and link back here, as well as to An Ordinary Life and From Dates to Diapers.  Come back here and leave three extra comments with the link to your post in one of them.  I will verify it! (3 Entries)
  • Subscribe to my RSS feed via email or in a reader and tell me about it in a separate comment. (One Entry)
    
  • Stumble my main webpage (www.chicshopperchick.com) and leave me your Stumble Upon name in a separate comment. (One Entry)
    
  • Follow me on twitter if you aren’t already! (One Entry)

That’s it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.

US and Canadian entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you’d like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contests ends at 11:59 pm CST on November 26th, 2008.

Elf on the Shelf: Review and Giveaway

Last year I was introduced to the great tradition of The Elf on the Shelf when someone gave it as a gift to my friend at her son’s birthday party.  I had never heard of it, but being the Christmas crazed woman that I am, I just had to know more about it!

The Elf on the Shelf is a great family Christmas Tradition in a box!  It is based on a tradition that Carol Aebersold began with her family in the 1970′s, and includes a children’s book that explains that Santa knows who is naughty or nice because he sends a “scout elf” to every home.  During the Holiday Season, the Elf watches the children during the day and reports back to Santa each night.  When

your kids wake up the next morning, the Elf has returned from the North Pole and can be found hiding in a different location, making it into a game that both you and your kids will love!

The Elf on the Shelf usually makes his debut at the beginning of the Holidays (we plan to start on Thanksgiving this year) and by the second or third day, your kids will be tearing out of their rooms to see where the Elf is hiding that morning!  Plus, I just have to mention the fact that it really helps with behavior for kids during this really awesome yet really crazy time of the year!  Each Tradition-in-a-Box™ comes with its very own scout elf, a hardbound, cleverly rhymed children’s book and a keepsake box for easy storage.

PS — need a little push to get into the Holiday Spirit?  Visit the Elf on the Shelf Website — it is completely interactive and a blast to visit — you can even see the North pole!

You can buy the Elf on the Shelf on Amazon for $29.99.  Hurry up and grab your Elf soon, so you can start this awesome family tradition this year!

Win it!  One lucky CSC reader will win their very own Elf on the Shelf.  To enter, follow the easy-peasy rules below!

• Visit the North Pole and come back here and tell me what your favorite “section” is!
• Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
  • Blog about this giveaway and link back here, as well as to Elf on the Shelf.   (1 entry)
    
  • Write a post about our Holiday gift guide, linking back here as well as to An Ordinary Life and From Dates to Diapers. (3 entries)  Once you’re done, come back here and leave your three additional comments, with the link to your post in one of them.
    
  • Subscribe to my RSS feed via email or in a reader and tell me about it in a separate comment. (1 entry)
    
  • Stumble my main webpage (www.chicshopperchick.com) and leave me your Stumble Upon name in a separate comment. (1 entry)
    
  • Add me to your blog roll. Not just my button in your sidebar, I’d love to be on your blog roll! Let me know about it in a separate comment! (1 entry)

That’s it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.

US entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you’d like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contests ends at 11:59 pm CST on November 19th, 2008.

The Flight Before Christmas: Review and Giveaway

If you’ve just arrived here from reading my post on Christmas Traditions, then welcome!  One of my favorite Christmas traditions with my family is to watch Christmas movies together to get us in the Holiday spirit!  One of my new favorites is The Flight Before Christmas — a brand new CGI Animated film arriving on the scene for this Holiday Season!  The characters are adorable and irresistible!  From the press release:

When Niko sneaks out beyond the safety of Home Valley to practice his flying, he unwittingly endangers the herd as the notoriously mean Black Wolf follows him home.  Before it’s too late, Niko must join

forces with his forest animal friends to save Santa and the reindeer from the Black Wolf and become a Christmas hero…just like his father!  Featuring all-star voice talent including teen sensation Emma Roberts (Nancy Drew, Aquamarine) and funny-man Norm MacDonald (“The Norm Show,” “Saturday Night Live”), The Flight Before Christmas is a heartwarming yuletide tale filled with colorful endearing characters such as Julius the flying squirrel and Wilma the cheeky weasel.

You can buy The Flight Before Christmas on Amazon for $14.99.

Win it! I have a copy of the Flight Before Christmas to give away to one lucky Chic Shopper Chick reader.  To enter, follow the easy-peasy rules below!

• Leave a comment here telling me about your favorite Christmas Tradition!
  
• Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
  • Blog about this giveaway and link back here. Tell me about it in a separate comment.
  • Subscribe to my RSS feed via email or in a reader and tell me about it in a separate comment.
  • Stumble my main webpage (www.chicshopperchick.com) and leave me your Stumble Upon name in a separate comment.
  • Add me to your blog roll. Not just my button in your sidebar, I’d love to be on your blog roll! Let me know about it in a separate comment!

That’s it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.

US entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you’d like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contests ends at 11:59 pm CST on November 19th, 2008.

Bûche de Noël – A Christmas Tradition

A Bûche de Noël is a well-known French Christmas Tradition.  Also known as a “Yule Log” It is a yummy cake rolled up and frosted to look like a log.  No one knows the exact way this traditional Christmas treat came to be, but one popular guess is that Napoleon I ordered families in Paris to keep their chimneys closed during the winter because they believed that cold air caused medical problems.  Because the French have long-standing Christmas traditions that revolve around the hearth, it is said that the bakers in Paris created this dessert as a symbolic replacement around which the family could gather.

As an avid francophile, I decided last year that this was a tradition that I wanted to bring to my family each Christmas season, in hopes that it would eventually turn into a project that Little AG and I would do together on Christmas Eve.  Making a Bûche de Noël is a rather lengthy process (not to mention messy) and some would say an ambitious undertaking.  However, should you decide to move forward with a tradition like this for your family, I have the best recipe in the world to share with you here.  (And trust me, as a former French teacher who gave my students extra credit for making one of these and bringing it in to share with the class, I’ve tried them all.  This one is definitely the best!)

So you know, the traditional cake typically has a chocolate mousse filling, but I prefer a vanilla cream filling, and it’s delicious too.  This cake includes a Vanilla pastry cream and a chocolate ganache topping which is absolutely decadent and amazingly tasty!  Pictures of them do not do it justice.  You should know that the recipe is in-depth, but you can do it even with minimal cooking skills, it just takes patience. So, without further ado, here is the recipe for my favorite Bûche de Noël. (accompanied by a photo of one that I made last Christmas!)

Step One – Making the Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream)

(Yields about 2 cups)

1 cup milk
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup flour

Bring the milk to a boil and set aside.

Place the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and work it with a wire whisk until it reaches ribbon stage, 3 to 4 minutes.  (You’ll know it’s reached Ribbon stage has the eggs a light yellow and stiff enough to form a ribbon of mix when the whisk is lifted from the bowl.)

Add the flour and mix well.

Temper the eggs by adding half the hot milk to the eggs and stirring well.

Pour that mix back into the remaining milk, whisking as you pour.

Bring the entire mixture to a boil on medium heat. Reduce heat and stir constantly for two to three minutes, whisking constantly to prevent scorching. Be sure to get into the “corners” of the saucepan by really pushing the whisk hard up against the sides of the pan. The crème should be quite thick.

Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill.

Step Two – Making the Biscuit Roulé (Rolled Cake)

3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 stick (2 Tbs) butter, melted
Preheat oven to 330 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix the eggs, egg yolk, sugar and the vanilla together in a metal mixing bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of boiling water for a few moments to bring the mix to a lukewarm temperature.  Remove the bowl from heat and beat the mixture on high speed for five to six minutes. Gradually add the flour, then add the butter, continuing to mix.

Lightly butter a 16 x 12 inch cookie sheet or jelly roll pan in several spots, then line the sheet with parchment paper. (The butter holds the paper in place.) Prepare the paper by greasing it with butter and flour.  Spread the mix evenly over the paper and bake for 11 – 13 minutes.

Remove from oven and let sit for five minutes.  Place a piece of lightly floured wax paper on the table and invert the cake upside down onto the paper.  Peel off the paper which covered the bottom of the cake, then put it back on the cake. Let the cake cool to barely lukewarm (it is important that it doesn’t cool all of the way or the cake will break when you roll it), then roll between the two sheets of paper. Fold ends to seal the cake and refrigerate or hold in a plastic bag until ready to use.

Step Three – Making the Chocolate Buttercream Ganache

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
3 egg yolks
2 sticks (1/2 pound) butter, softened
2 – 3 drops green food coloring
Melt the chocolate in a small bowl and set aside – it works best if you chop it coarsely then microwave it. Mix the sugar and water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and continue to boil for two minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat and let it cool to lukewarm or cooler.

Place the egg yolks in the bowl of a mixer and pour the cooled syrup over the top. Beat on high speed for five minutes until the mix is thick and pale yellow. Add the butter bit by bit, mixing at low to medium speed until smooth. Remove 1 Tbs and color with green food coloring. Remove another 2 Tbs and set aside. Lastly, mix the melted chocolate into the remaining buttercream mix, beating until smooth.

Step Four – Assembling Your Bûche de Noël

3 Tbs lukewarm water
1 Tbs dark rum (optional.  I don’t use this, but you can.)
1 Tbs sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup Crème Pâtissière

Mix the water, optional rum and sugar together. Set aside. Beat your heavy cream until stiff and combine it with the cup of crème pâtissière . Set aside.

Unroll the biscuit roulé and remove the waxed paper from the top. Sprinkle or brush with rum syrup and then spread the crème pâtissière over the top.  Carefully roll the cake up across the width (so the log is as long as possible) removing the paper as you go.

Finally, spread the chocolate buttercream all over the log, covering the log ends with the white butter cream. Pull the tines of a fork down the length of the log to simulate bark. Decorate the ends of the log and the top of the stump with chocolate butter cream to simulate the grain of the wood.  Use a paper cornet or plastic bag with the end cut off to pipe the green frosting across the log to simulate ivy vines and leaves.

Et, Voila! That’s it!  Once it is refrigerated for 30 minutes or so, the chocolate buttercream will set and the whole thing will look really fantastic!  Be sure to keep it covered to keep it from drying out!

2008 Christmas Gift Guide is Coming Soon!

The Halloween decorations are down (except at my house – I just threw my pumpkin away today – lets not go there) and it’s time for Thanksgiving.  That means it’s time to release the First Annual 2008 Christmas Gift Guide here on Chic Shopper Chick.  I’ve teamed up with two amazing bloggers to bring you this fantastic gift guide – From Dates to Diapers and An Ordinary Life — and we will be bringing you amazing products and giveaways up until Christmas.  So, grab a button now, because the fun will start shortly.  Plus, you’ll want to have it up to qualify for extra entries into all of the fabulous giveaways, so throw it up there now so you won’t have to worry about it later!  Help us spread the word, and get excited!!!

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A little slice of heaven…

The life of a stay at home mom is not always as glamorous as you may think. Contrary to the beliefs of my husband, I do not sit home watching soap operas and eating bon bons. Well, at least not until last week — and there were no soap operas involved. Honestly, I didn’t know that REAL bon bons actually existed. From my time as a French teacher and my college years I already knew that a bon bon is a “goody goody” in French — and more importantly just a general term for candy. But last week, a company called South N France gave me a delicious wake up call!

These amazing little bon bons are all handmade and dipped in chocolate. When they arrived I opened the box (maybe a bit too eagerly) and divulged in a tase of the cookies and cream bon bon. It was absolute heaven and quite possibly one of the best things I have ever tasted. I brought them to lunch that day to give some of my husbands coworkers a chance to try them too. They were a hit — everyone loved them!

These delicious bon bons come in 7 delicious flavors and my favorite is by far the Cookies N Cream! The Pistachio is very good, as well as the Chocloate Chip Cookie dough! To be honest, I may have favorites, but they are all fantastic! I think these would make great Christmas Gifts for co-workers, bosses, friends, and even those family members that you never know what to get! They are fantastic and you will be the talk of the office/family! You can order them online in different quantities and flavors at the South N France website. Oh, and if you live in the North Carolina area, you can even schedule a bon bon making party or a Grapes and Crepes party at their shop! Sounds like a great girls night out to me!

If this sounds like something that you would like to try then stay tuned for our 2008 Holiday Gift Guide, being released on November 10th. We will be giving away a 20 piece gift tin of handmade bon bons in conjunction with the release of the guide, courtesy of South n France!

So tell me, do you have a sweet tooth? Is this something you would enjoy?

The Holidays are coming! Tiny Prints Giveaway

I love the Holiday Season — everything about it makes me grin from ear to ear. I am in a the best mood for almost 2 months straight and am almost like a child again. Every year one of my favorite things to do yet one of my biggest challenges is to find the perfect Christmas card. Last year I drove hubby nuts with over 15 different screenshots of what different cards would look like personalized for our family before we chose one. It literally took me almost a week to make a decision. This year I’m getting a jump start on our Christmas cards by checking out all of the amazing stuff at Tiny Prints. Check out some of the great cards I found there — and this is just scratching the surface!!

Tiny Prints has generously offered to give one lucky Chic Shopper Chick reader a complete Holiday Card package — which will include 50 of a selected card of your choice, 72 address labels and 60 stamps with the matching card design. To enter to win, you need to follow the rules below. Please pay attention, because it is a little different than my previous contest rules!

Please check out the Tiny Prints Holiday Photo Cards and search for the holiday photo card with “slushy to chic” in the description. Hint: It’s in the first two pages. Once you’ve identified the correct card, you should click “ask a friend” to share the card to my e-mail address (contests at chicshopperchick dot com) with your fun and creative greeting then click “Save in Favorites.” Then share that same greeting in the comments section of this post and you’re entered! The winner will be selected from those who chose the correct card and provided the most fun & creative greeting!

That’s it! This contest is open to all participants throughout the world! So please, enter! This contest ends November 7, 2008.