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The Kids Have Spoken! The Hottest Craft Toys for 2014

November 23, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

Thanks to Walmart for partnering with me for today’s post on hot toys for 2014. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

I recently asked my 2-year-old what she wanted for Christmas. Her answer was, “a jar of peanut butter.” Well, she’ll most definitely be getting one of those since she requested it, but I think I’ll branch out a bit further and buy her a few surprises! I am going to need a little help finding some really cool stuff that she and her older sister don’t even know exist (because if they did, they’d be asking for something besides peanut butter!). Are you looking for toys like that, too?

Walmart is here to help, and they actually have a list of top toys this year that has been put together by a panel of hundreds of children, ages 18 months to 12 years. Kids are the real experts when it comes to which toys are truly awesome, so why not find out what rocks from their perspective? You can see the entire Chosen by Kids Top 20 Toys List if you want all the details!

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Over the next 5 weeks, I’ll be highlighting 5 different toys on the list and my own kiddos will be putting them to the test! I know…tough job those little ones have. Someone’s got to do it, though! This week we have been playing with a toy that promotes creativity and finding an artistic outlet. I have personally really enjoyed this toy because it turns my child into a maker, and I want her to grow in her confidence and her abilities to craft and create on her own, using her ideas, her available tools (low-tech AND high-tech) and even her own two hands.

Check out the Spin Master Sew Cool Sewing Machine ($29.99 at Walmart). This is absolutely PERFECT for any child who has taken an interest in making products out of cloth (clothing, bags, stuffed animals, etc.). I do wish that the product wasn’t so heavily marketed just to girls (as the projects seemed geared toward girls), because boys love to be makers, too!

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The Sew Cool Sewing Machine comes with everything you need to complete 9 different projects, and I was shocked and very happily surprised to realize that the machine is actually threadless, so you don’t have to worry about threading it or replacing thread down the line. The guard area is excellent, too…it would be pretty much impossible, in my opinion, to get a finger in the danger zone.

We decided to start with the cupcake stuffed plush project, as I got the impression that it was the easiest one to do as a true beginner. There were step-by-step instructions that walked us through the process. As someone with no sewing skills, I was very grateful for the detailed guide!

This toy is recommended for ages 6 and up. My oldest is 5 years and 3 months old, and it was definitely too hard for her to do on her own, though it did make for a very fun project for us to do together. I think the amount of adult supervision your child will need with this toy is going to depend on his/her age and comfort level with crafts, but in any case, you should anticipate that this will be an activity to do with your child, at least for the first few projects. After supervising her and helping her with the first project, though, I can honestly say that I’m looking forward to doing project #2 together. I’m glad to get to be a part of the creative process with my child!

Stuffing the plush was probably Darah’s favorite part of the process because she was able to do it all by herself, and she got to decide how much stuffing was enough. I think it was empowering to her to feel in charge of that decision.

The final product was simple, and perhaps to the untrained eye even imperfect. But if you look a little closer, you will see that it was stitched with love by a parent and child, and the end result was actually just as it should be. It’s a very simple little plush, but because she was instrumental in creating it, Darah absolutely loves it. She’s been playing with it ever since it was finished.

When the 9 projects are completed, you can purchase additional Sew Cool refill kits, as well as patterns that can be downloaded online, so the fun can certainly continue after your child finishes what came with the machine, itself. And Walmart has it all for a fantastic price. You can include this item in your Walmart Layaway plan to help make paying for your gifts this year hassle-free. The layaway plan is available in more than 4,000 stores nationwide, is totally free and just requires 10% down or $10, whichever is greater. This in-store only offer is available until December 15th so you can get all your shopping done at once, but stretch your payments over a few paychecks, as many of us might need to do.

Additionally, if you haven’t checked out the Walmart Savings Catcher, you are really in for a nice surprise. This free app allows you to scan your Walmart receipts in just a matter of seconds. The Walmart Savings Catcher then gets to work on your behalf to see if there are any better advertised prices in your area at competitors’ stores for the things you purchased. If there are, Walmart will refund you the difference in the form of a Walmart eGift Card so that you can be sure that you got the very best price possible. WOW! You don’t have to bring in sales fliers, shop at multiple stores, or check prices at different places on your own to request a price adjustment. The Savings Catcher app will do it all for you. And again, it’s totally FREE to use! This is one app that is going to save you money with virtually no effort. Gotta love that!

And if you don’t have a smartphone, don’t worry! Walmart has the Ad Match program. Simply bring in any local competitor’s printed ad and Walmart will match the price of that identical item. This applies to layaway items, too!

Do you see anything on the Chosen by Kids Top 20 Toys List that you would love to get for your kids? I’d love to hear about what you are planning on getting!

Checking Out Peekapak Craft and Story Subscription Service

November 19, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Affiliate link may be included. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

My little ones both seem to have a growing interest in crafts and other such artistic projects. I have mixed feelings about this, as my heart swells with pride, while my self-esteem also shudders in horror, on account of the fact that all things arts and crafts are challenging for yours truly. The craft gene totally skipped me, friends. I once drew something as a young teenager that someone else asked if my 3-year-old sister had drawn. Their question was totally serious, and also totally fair.

Ok, so since I break out into hives at the thought of spending time in Michael’s, I absolutely love craft subscription boxes, because they bring the supplies and the detailed instructions to me so that I can’t possibly mess up.

Of course I can still mess up! Don’t be fooled! But they do make it quite a bit more difficult for me to make major errors, and that’s a good thing!

Peekapak

Our latest box came to us courtesy of Peekapak. Inside every month’s Peekapak you’ll find a storybook and crafts that relate to that story. We were sent a special Peekapak that goes along with the new movie, The Hero of Color City.

I was concerned that we would be confused about the contents since we haven’t seen the movie, but the book that came with the kit laid out the story so that everyone understood what we were doing with the crafts. I think that relating the crafts back to a story is a unique element that I haven’t seen in any other craft subscription service.

The activity the kids wanted to do involved creating the color river and the lighthouse that were both featured in the story. The concept was simple: we covered a board with a sheet of aluminum foil (all included in the kit) and then used the crayons they provided to make gorgeous swirls of color on the river.

Such a great idea in theory! In practice, it looked like this:

I actually had to ditch the crayons that were provided and use our own crayons just to get this much color on the foil. I have to say, I thought it was a huge miss to have a craft box all about crayons and then to send really poor quality crayons in the kit. Talk about a missed opportunity!

Now as for this particular craft, it may be the case that I should have used the other side of the foil. I’m honestly not sure, but the directions didn’t specify one way or the other. In any case, our vibrant color river looked sort of sad, but the girls didn’t seem too fazed by it, and pressed on.

The next step was to color the windows for the light house. They took some creative license with their color choice, as well as with the light placement, which is totally fine. They both really liked the flameless candle that came in the set to make the top of the lighthouse. But I think the idea here was to create something that might inspire imaginative play after the creating process was over. As soon as the girls finished the lighthouse, they promptly left the table. So I’m sorry to say that it didn’t hold their interest after they were done creating.

Was I wowed by Peekapak after just one box? Not really. But would I try it again? I honestly would, and that’s largely because I like the combination of story time and craft time. It gives some context to the projects, and I think there’s a lot of potential there, though based on my experience with the crafts, definitely some kinks left to work out.

If you like the idea behind Peekapak, too, you might want to give it a try for a month. Use coupon code SPECIAL10 at checkout and you’ll get $10 0ff your first box. I think the discount definitely makes it worth the risk, friends. Pricing varies for each Peekapak depending on how many you pay for up front, but if you just go for one, they are $19.50 and that includes your shipping.

Gift Suggestion for the Smartphone Aficionado: Powerslayer

November 18, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Product provided for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

If you have a millennial on your holiday gift list this year (and chances are that you do!) then I have a great gift suggestion for you based on the fact that this generation LOVES their smartphones.

Check out the Powerslayer.

This is a kit that comes with a device that does three very cool things. By plugging the Powerslayer into the outlet, and then plugging your phone into the Powerslayer, you are protecting your phone from any power surges that may occur. A power surge has the potential to completely ruin your phone, and replacing a smartphone is VERY expensive.

Second, the Powerslayer can help you save energy. It can tell when your device is fully charged, and at that point it stops pulling energy from the outlet. This helps with power bills that seem to creep higher and higher each month thanks to all the electronic devices we all have these days, and the fact that so few of us remember to unplug them from the charger once they are fully charged.

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Third, the Powerslayer actually helps protect the battery of the smartphone. It’s not ideal for a fully charged battery to continue to receive a charge due to simply still being plugged in. The Powerslayer keeps that extra energy from forcing itself on the battery, which could help it have a longer life.

Our phones are actually due to get upgraded this month. We have had them for 2 years, and we leave them plugged into the power source all the time. At 2 years old, I can tell you that they don’t hold a charge very well anymore, so I’m really excited to use the Powerslayer for our next device; hopefully it will help keep the phone in better shape for longer!

Additionally, I like that the Powerslayer comes in a cool design (there are 4 color options) and that it comes with a coordinating usb cord. Millennials also like their stuff to feel customized and unique, so this is a really nice touch.

We took our Powerslayer with us on vacation this past week, and it performed beautifully, as expected! You can purchase the Powerslayer device by itself for $39, or you can purchase a kit which comes with the charger, the travel case and the cable for $79.

For the Train Fans: New Chuggington Characters and a Rockin’ New Adventure Set! (Giveaway!)

November 16, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 77 Comments

Guess what’s rolling into the station, just in time for all the Chuggington fans to add to their holiday wish lists! There’s a great new DVD that includes the debuts of two brand-new Chuggington characters, Payce (the tunner runner from Tootington) and Cormac (the cheeky forklift engine). This collection of five episodes features an extended Chuggington special that premiered on Disney Junior this fall. To have it available on DVD is especially great news for those of us (my family included) who don’t have cable and rely on Netflix instant for most of our children’s programming; we can be a little bit behind on getting to see cool specials like this one.

Additionally, there are some great bonus elements with the DVD, including a poster, coloring and activity pages that can be downloaded, a music video and more! There’s tons of stuff to keep your little conductor entertained. It has a suggested retail price of $14.98 (though it is presently very nicely priced at just $9.98 on Amazon!). This is a great buy for any young train fan on your list!

If you aren’t yet familiar with the Chuggington series, it is primarily geared toward little ones in the 2 to 5-year-old range. Three young trainees are the focus of the series, and the themes found in each episode tend to be about courage, determination, and friendship. You can learn more about them on the Chuggington website.

Looking for A Little Something More?

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If you are looking for something that might dazzle your little train enthusiast, might I suggest pairing the new Chuggington DVD with the Brewster’s Big Build Adventure Set? Take a look at this awesome set that is based on the Chuggington tentpole episode (airing this fall!).

It is complete with a train elevator and escalator (!), a working mega crane, a trick bridge, a tunnel, and two die-cast engines. There are even 4 different layouts for the set to keep things interesting for hours on end. This set is recommended for ages 3 and up, retails for $49.99 and can be found in-store and online at Toys R Us and Target (on sale for quite a bit less at both places at the moment!!!).

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a copy of the latest Chuggington DVD, Chuggineers Ready to Build!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

I Opened the Fluterbye Fairy: My Experience Owning This Popular Toy

November 16, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Product provided for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A little over a month ago I blogged about the fact that I was considering getting the Deluxe Light Up Flutterbye Fairy. Well, it arrived a few weeks ago on one of those rare afternoons while the girls were both sound asleep. I waited approximately ZERO seconds before I tore that box open and started reading the instructions so that I could have the fairy charged and ready to go by the time they woke up.

The Deluxe Light Up Flutterbye Fairy has a bit of a learning curve when you are first getting started with it. It isn’t something that a young child could intuitively use on their own, which is a bit of a minus, in my opinion. To get the fairy ready for flight you have to first put batteries in the charging base (they aren’t included, so head’s up!). Then you have to place the fairy on her stand.

Then you have to attach the fairy to the base an additional way, via a small cord. The connection occurs at a bit of a strange angle; it took me a minute or two just to figure that part out.

Then you need to make sure your base is switched on. Your base will then show a red light, which lets you know that it is charging and not yet ready. After about 10 minutes you will get a green light. At this point, you need to unplug the fairy from the base, and then find a rather tiny and hard-to-spot switch on the fairy’s skirt.

This should turn on the fairy’s rainbow lights, which is your indication that she is ready for flight. Now you put her back on the base and press the button on the base for her to start flying.

You can see how this process would be tricky for most 5-year-olds to remember in order, right? This process alone makes this toy, in my opinion, one that an adult, or at least an older child, needs to be around to assist with.

It just so happened that our flutterbye fairy was ready to launch before the girls woke up from their naps. And I’ll admit that I couldn’t resist, and I decided to try it out by myself. The very first flight of this fairy was absolutely AWESOME. When you launch the fairy, she quickly floats up into the air 4 or 5 feet, and then she delicately starts to make he way back down, unless you place your hand underneath her feet. There are sensors there, and when they sense your hand (no need to touch, just be near), she floats back up again. That first flight was so cool because it felt like having a little flying fairy. She was absolutely beautiful to watch and so fun to play with. I couldn’t wait for the girls to wake up so I could show them!

So when the girls woke up, I took them both outside to play with the fairy more. That’s when I realized that the Deluxe Light Up Flutterbye Fairy actually won’t work outside. It was a pitiful flight, but if I had fully read the instructions I would have realized that the top of the fairy also has a sensor to help her know where the ceiling is. If she can’t detect a ceiling, she just won’t work.

Once I realized my mistake, we headed back inside to play. Both girls were actually a bit alarmed by how quickly the fairy took off. She is very fast, even creating a bit of a breeze around her! But this flight didn’t go a magically as my first time playing with her. After a few moments of hovering around the middle part of the room, she zoomed right up to the ceiling and hung out there. It was quite strange, and the only way we got her down was by pressing on her launch button to get her to come back down and end the flight (tip: press the launch button once to get her to come down slowly, and twice for her to stop very quickly).

She fell to the ground very quickly, and I immediately worried that she was hurt. She wasn’t, and that’s one thing I will say that is a positive for this toy: it can take some serious licks and keep right on working. Good thing, too, because as her charge wears out she becomes a bit more erratic, and has a tendency to run into walls and crash. We usually get 5 flights out of her before we need to plug her back in. I wish she could last a bit longer before needing to return to her charging station, but he charge is good for quite a few take offs.

The Deluxe Light Up Flutterbye Fairy is truly a lot of fun, but this is not a perfect toy. I’ve been reading reviews online and it is a very normal problem to encounter to have your fairy get stuck up on the ceiling. As we have played with her more, we have learned that if you give her a minute, she often will drift back down for you. The company that makes the fairy even has detailed instructions for how to re-set the fairy if it is a consistent problem and you find that your fairy just hangs out on the ceiling all the time. Ours doesn’t do it all the time, but it does happen, which is a bit of a bummer, and isn’t as fun for the kids.

So after my experience playing with the toy, I’d still say it is a really cool toy, unlike anything else we own, but it isn’t without its flaws. Amazon is currently selling the doll for just under $30, and if you have a serious fairy fan in your house, I really do think it’s a good toy to get, flaws and all. I think it’s a fair price for the technology, though I’m hopeful that the brand will make some improvements with the technology and with the process of getting the fairy charged and ready if and when they put out a new line. I like the price point, but I’d rather spend a bit more and get more consistent results, personally.

Blast from the Past: Pound Puppies are Back!

November 16, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Product provided for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

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You guys!!! Pound Puppies are making a return to the shelves for the holiday season this year. Remember Pound Puppies? If you were a child during the 1980s, or if you had a child during the 1980s, then of course you do! They were a HUGE hit. I had two Pound Puppies, as I recall, and played with them a great deal. So when I heard about their triumphant return, I knew my youngest would flip out over them. She is really into dogs, even though she was born into a cat family (poor thing). Her most special lovey is a dog, and several of the plush toys she plays with the most are dogs. She even has a special place in her heart for Scooby Doo. So I can’t wait for her to see her very own Pound Puppy under the Christmas tree this year.

Pound Puppies come with breed-specific fun fact cards and a heart-shaped dog tag. Your child can pick out a name for their puppy, write it on the tag, and then hop online to register the puppy and print an adoption certificate. While on the site your child can do some online coloring, and there’s also a section of the website filled with fun facts about dogs, which will be fun for any child who is totally into canines.

Pound Puppies come in 6 varieties this year (the one pictured above is a Labrador) and in 3 sizes (12-inch plush, 6-inch plush and 3.5-inch plush keychain). How cute would that little keychain be sticking out of a Christmas stocking? 🙂 The price point ranges from $5.99 to $19.99 and you can adopt a Pound Puppy here!

Olaf’s in Trouble! Fun New Twist on a Classic Game

November 15, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Product provided for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you are looking for some fun Frozen merchandise this holiday season, and if your little ones love to play games, Olaf’s in Trouble might be a great choice for you.

This is a cute take on the well-known classic Trouble. My girls especially loved the bubble in the middle that you press on to roll the dice.

The game is designed for 2-4 players, and the player options are Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Sven. I will say that the rules are a bit complicated for a 5-year-old (or at least for mine) and the box does say ages 5+. There are particular rules about who can go when certain numbers are rolled and rules about what happens when you land on the same space, and rules about how an avalanche can occur. It was all a bit too much for my kids, so we stripped the game of most of the rules and just enjoyed traveling around the board.

I would say the game is a good choice for ages 7 and up. I think it can be a really fun activity during your winter break; good to break out even before Christmas!

Olaf’s in Trouble is available is available online at stores like Amazon and the Hasbro Toy Shop for $15.00.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (Book Review)

November 12, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Book provided by Blogging for Books for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo caught my attention for 3 reasons: the title, the cover and the sticker stating that 2 million copies had been sold. Two million people just can’t be wrong, right?

Well, yes and no. Let me just first say that I think this book is a very worthwhile read. I’m glad I put the time into it, I really am. I learned some important lessons from Marie, who is without a doubt a true expert on tidying. She provides countless examples of how she has really devoted her life to this practice. Here’s my BIG takeaway:

GET RID OF MOST OF YOUR STUFF.

I really think that’s what the book boiled down to. Only keep what brings you true joy. Let go of pretty much everything else. Reading the book was good because I got that same message over and over again, and that has helped it sink in a bit. As a result, I’ve pulled quite a lot of clothes out of my closet and drawers, and parted ways with lots of stuff in my kitchen. And I do feel lighter and happier, because when I look in my closet, all I see is stuff that I actually want to wear. And all I see in my kitchen cupboards are items I want to use. This is a good thing.

So that’s my big YES for the book. As for the NO? I think that 99.9% of the people who read this book will realize that the author is very VERY obsessed with tidying, and that she truly lives and breathes it. And that same 99.9% of people are not going to be interested in following suit and living their lives the same way. The author, for example, unpacks the contents of her purse every day, even going so far as to put her wallet away in a box under her bed and storing her bag away (in another bag…?). This just makes absolutely no sense to me. She gives some context to help you understand why she is doing it, but I just can’t get on board with stuff like that. It doesn’t sound simple to me, but rather, ridiculously complex. It also seems to value a ritual of tidying over simply enjoying life. I think the author would definitely argue that point with me, but I also think the author is quite the rare bird when it comes to the joy that tidying gives her.

Still, I’m glad I read it. Though I will be following the author’s advice and parting ways with the book now that it has fulfilled its purpose with me.

Sparkle and Shine (in Two Different Colors!): Why We Still Love FabKids

November 7, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Complimentary pink sparkle dress received for review. Blue sparkle outfit was my own purchase. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

I’ve been a member of the FabKids VIP Network since August, and I have really and truly had an excellent experience with the brand, as well as with the membership.

Membership programs, or subscription services, are really trendy right now, but also make A LOT of people uncomfortable. Nobody likes to feel as though they are roped into spending money that they don’t want or need to spend. I can tell you from experience that FabKids makes is VERY easy to skip a month of their service, and if you want to skip it most every month, that’s honestly fine! You aren’t committing to a minimum number of purchases over a set amount of time. But you ARE getting access to a really fun variety of outfits for a very reasonable price, as well as access to great sales. If you don’t need or want anything that month, you just have to click a button in the first 5 days of the month letting them know. They email you to remind you so that the burden isn’t even on you to remember!

Here’s what my girls are rockin’ from this month’s collection:

The sequin & tulle dress comes in pink or blue, and if you go with the outfit, it comes with stockings (I think you have a few different choices for colors). You guys, do I even need to articulate how cute they are? Just look!

I can’t help but start singing the tune from White Christmas: “Lord help the mister, who comes between me and my sister!”

I’ve put both dresses through the wash with ZERO problems.

Speaking of problems, I wanted to share with you my customer service experience with FabKids. I ordered a dress last month for Layah that was adorable (naturally) but when I washed it, the outfit did not hold up well. It had a silver star print on it, and that silver start faded quite a bit. I was very surprised and disappointed. I called FabKids customer service, and it was not a problem at all; they accepted it for a return without question and even provided a postage-paid label for me. As soon as they got word from the post office that my return was on its way, they put a new dress that I selected in the mail. I was VERY pleased with how they handled that situation, and it did not shake my confidence in the company one bit! I can tell you from experience that they clothes are great, and on the rare instance where they might not be, exchanging them is a piece of cake.

If you want to give FabKids a try, I really highly recommend them. Go through my link and your first outfit will be just $15, including free shipping. And if you have a boy, they do have boy outfits, I promise! They are super cute, too! At the start of every month, you will be presented with a curated collection of awesome outfits. If you like one, pick one, and it ships to you for $29.95. If you don’t like or need anything, just skip the month; easy peasy!