review - Stuff Parents Need

Hit the Beach with a Metal Detector for Kids (Giveaway!)

April 10, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 107 Comments

I always wanted a metal detector as a kid. When we would take family trips to the beach, I’d do some digging for buried treasures on my own, but became quickly discouraged at the sight of those old men with metal detectors.

They probably beat me to all those lost diamond rings and really old coins that I just knew were a few feet under the sand. RUDE.

So when Learning Resources informed me that they could help today’s little ones best those old gold diggers with their new metal detector for kids, I was all over it!

We took it with us when we visited the beach for the first time, and while we didn’t find any treasures, it was still a major hit. I may or may not have had a wee bit of trouble sharing it at first, but now I am totally comfortable letting the kids run around in our yard with it. As long as I get my turn, too.

What? This is totally normal, you guys. TREASURE MAY BE LURKING!!!!

My kids love this great outdoor toy. And yes, it really does function as a metal detector. It requires batteries to run, and it lights up and makes noise whenever it gets near metal. Pretty awesome!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Learning Resources metal detector for ~~themselves~~ their children.

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.
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How to Make Clouds with Soap (Giveaway!)

April 8, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 80 Comments

Review and giveaway copies provided. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

I’ve got a REALLY fun and RIDICULOUSLY easy science experiment for you to do with your kiddos after school today. I’m going to show you how to make soap clouds. I found this super cool trick inside Dad’s Book of Awesome Science Experiments, a truly great book with 30 experiments that will be fun for the whole family, and that will help you teach your kids science concepts.

Let’s get started!

This is really all you need! I would suggest using a dinner plate instead of a salad plate, though. The soap cloud gets REALLY big! And there’s simply no substitution for the Ivory soap. The book explains why it has to be this particular brand, but just trust that it must be Ivory! 🙂

Get your child involved by having them unwrap the soap and place it on a paper towel-lined plate, and setting the microwave for no more than 2 minutes (1:30 was enough for us).

Then watch this happen!

Tim and I were every bit as excited as Darah as we watched the bar of Ivory soap turn into beautiful, fluffy cloud-like shapes. It was awesome! And for the frugal folks out there, don’t you worry…you can totally still use this as soap…it just looks a little different and probably needs a plastic bag to hold all its contents. Or you can just plop it into the bath and let the kids have a whole lot of fun and get majorly clean. I think it is worth every penny of the .75 that the bar costs. 🙂

As for the science behind the experiment, I’m going to leave that secret in the book so you can read for yourself. This is just one of dozens of fantastic science experiments you can do with your kids at home. We are enjoying Dad’s Book of Awesome Science Experiments and definitely recommend it, especially for the price (currently $13.74 or just $9.99 on Kindle!).

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a copy of Dad’s Book of Awesome Science Experiments!

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

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Pillow Pets Now Have Matching (Tooth)Brush Pets (Giveaway!)

April 6, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 97 Comments

Today I want to show you two products that we are happily using as part of our bedtime routine. And it’s been a while since I’ve done a video, so I thought it would be fun to actually talk instead of write while I showcase Pillow Pets Glow Pets and Pillow Pets Brush Pets! Check them out!

Do you have a pillow pet at your home? It seems that most families with young kids do! 🙂

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a year’s supply of Brush Pets (4 total)!

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

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Dark Circles Solved: I Love Erase Paste

April 2, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 29 Comments

I’ve been so excited for this day to come on my editorial calendar. About a month ago I purchased a product that has really impressed me, and helped me take care of a problem I have that doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. In fact, it just seems to be getting worse as I age.

The problem is dark circles under my eyes. And my research seems to indicate that they are really just genetic and you can’t get rid of them. There are some super expensive creams out there that MIGHT help lighten them ever so slightly, but pretty much, you are just stuck with them if you have them.

So, yay! I’m definitely feeling like a winner!

Ok, so if you can’t make them go away, the next strategy is to cover them up. For a long time, I have used Mary Kay’s concealer (it’s actually one of my favorite makeup products), and it worked really well. But I think as I have aged and the dark circles have become a bit more, well, DARK, that this product has started to not be as effective. So I did some online searching for another highly recommended concealer that other genetic lottery winners like myself had successfully used for dark circles.

I heard repeated high praise for Benefit’s Erase Paste which is now called Boi ing airbrush concealer and even with a high-ish price tag, I took the plunge and purchased it. And friends, it was the right call!

I believe this product comes in a few shades, and I picked the palest peachy one. The peach beautifully counteracts that dark purple under my eyes (think opposite sides of the color wheel when you are trying to balance!).

Gals, I tried and tried to get a good before and after shot of myself, but I was attempting it by myself with a toddler tugging on my pants legs the whole time, and everything looked blurry. So you’ll just have to trust me: the under-eye circles, while not 100% gone, were dramatically improved.

And here’s a tip for you: you need to get an applicator brush when using this. It looks so much better than if you attempt to apply this with your fingers.

I picked up the super affordable Bamboo Deluxe Concealer Brush and it is working great! When you apply the concealer, make a few dots under each eye, and then use your brush to sweet everything down and out, if that makes sense. For the $40 you’ll spend on the concealer and the brush, you’ll be SUPER happy with your results. I know I am! I hope it helps you out a bit if you are seeking a solution to dark circles.

And if you need a budget friendly option that works surprisingly well, I also am currently loving the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer. It’s under $10 and brightens the area so very well.

For some ideas on how to keep your bamboo concealer brush clean, check out my DIY makeup brush cleaner tutorial (it uses a product you almost certainly have at home already!).

Affiliate links included. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

Stitch Fix Personal Styling Service: I Almost Gave Up

March 31, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 8 Comments

Affiliate links included. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

Oh friends, I have really been on a roller coaster of emotions over the past few months when it comes to my feelings about Stitch Fix.

Let me give the new folks out there a little background: Stitch Fix is what I call, “a personal stylist for the rest of us.” You fill out a detailed style profile online, and then Stitch Fix sends you a box of 5 items (can be tops, bottoms, dresses, purses or jewelry…you have some say in that) that have been hand selected by a stylist just for you. You get 3 business days after your box arrives to decide what you want to keep, and then you send anything you don’t like back (in a pre-paid envelope, they make it easy). If you love everything and want to keep it all, you get a 25% discount. So really everybody wins when the stylist nails it and sends you the PERFECT box of clothing and accessories.

stitch fix spring 2014

I have received 8 fixes at this point, and I have yet to get that coveted perfect box. And friends, it has been wearing me down (yes, I know…first world problems…). My journey began last July when I detailed the entire process of getting signed up for Stitch Fix, and showed you some super cute clothes I got for the summer. I fell hard and fast, friends! My second fix was a bit more tailored to some particular styling needs I had for a job. Fix #3 was all about getting me prepped for fall, and I found a few pieces that I continue to absolutely love in that box. And yeah, for the record, I DO regret sending back that LBD.

And then we fell on hard times. Boxes 4 & 5 were both misses (with box #4 LITERALLY going missing and never reaching me). The CEO of the company reached out to me after that post and personally apologized for the errors. I was VERY impressed with that touch of great customer service after a disappointing experience. So I pressed on. Box 6 still didn’t fare well, but some of the fault was my own, as frankly, I’d gained a little weight over the holidays, and that made the pieces a bit too snug!

Box 7 came to me about a month ago, and it was such a catastrophic nightmare that I didn’t even take photos of what they sent. Pieces included a truly beautiful dress that was designed for someone with, AT MOST, a size B bra cup. I’m not exaggerating when I say that my breasts were literally cut in half when I put the dress on. It was so far beyond snug in the chest that it’s not even funny. And the other “highlight” was a crewneck sweater that was itchy, dull, and most definitely knitted for a giant person. No really…I think it was intended for a 7 foot tall, 320 pound man. It was the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen, and it made me feel like the company not only DIDN’T read my information (for example: I’m short and have a larger chest…key things to know) but that they just threw some random crap in a box with no regard for my style preferences and called it good.

I was sort of SEETHING after that box. And I only scheduled another one because I had a little bit of credit left on the site and I didn’t want to lose it. I sat and thought for a moment about what I really wanted to see in what I thought would be my final box, and then I gave very explicit instructions. No being vague this time. I said, “I want casual! I want romantic! I want Spring!”

And guess what? My “last” box was one of my favorites. The stylist actually read my requests and gave me what I wanted! The first picture at the top of the post was a top that I ALMOST kept, but something about it was just a little too Laura Ashley 1992 for my taste. I was the Dalilah Sheer Floral Cluster Blouse from Sweet Rain, and it was $58. I don’t regret sending it back, as I only liked it ok, even though it was very on-trend.

I also sent back this shirt, although I absolutely adored it. The main reason? It was silk. I have a toddler. My home is where silk shirts come to DIE. This wouldn’t survive more than 2 wears, unfortunately. Also? It was $88! That’s a little too fancy for me!

The major hit for me in the box was a new pair of blue jeans. I was sent the Kate Distressed Boyfriend Jean from Kut From The Kloth. They were $78, but if you are like me, you will pay more for pants that fit. These feel SOOO good.

I also kept the Miandra Embroidery Detailed Tank from 41 Hawthorn (it was not wrinkled when they sent it…that’s the doings of my children playing with my clothes…I can’t have anything nice, you know). It was $54, and I just loved the bold color, the casual feel, and the romantic detailing. It was exactly what I was wishing for, and I can tell you that I’ll be pairing it with my new jeans pretty much constantly this summer.

I went back and forth about the dress that came my way, but I ultimately decided that it just overwhelmed me. This much pattern on a 5 foot 1 inch frame meant that the dress was wearing me and not the other way around. I also thought it was a bit of a wild card, and didn’t really go with the rest of the box, which seemed to be very casual and romantic. So I sent it back, too, although I thought it was a cute pattern and would no doubt look great on someone just a bit taller than me. This was the Dominic Belted Tabsleeve Shirtdress from 41 Hawthorn, and it was $78.00. And for the record, the picture above is the absolute most flattering the dress ever looked on me. If I could just stand up against the tree in that exact pose and never move, then the dress would be a keeper. 😉

Even though I only kept 2 out of the 5 items in this box, I had my love for the company rekindled. What I learned is that I’m really more into romantic styles than I realized, and that I need to be VERY SPECIFIC with them about the fact that I want more casual pieces. If I had to guess, I’d say that most of their clients work outside of the home, and need more business-casual looks. I need stuff like boyfriend jeans, though. And I need to tell them that. I also need to hold on to this stylist and request that she dress me again in the future, because I think she came closer to getting my style right than anyone has from box 4 onward. I’ve got to hang on to this girl! 🙂

What do you think about my journey with Stitch Fix? Should I have just cut them loose after the downward spiral? Is it crazy that I’m signed up for yet another box with them? Is it obvious that I HATE shopping for clothes for myself bad enough to give them yet another try? I really do believe in the concept…maybe the key is just getting the right stylist and NEVER LETTING HER OUT OF YOUR SIGHT!

Inspiration and new baby gear: My experience at Baby Bloggy Boot Camp!

March 30, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

This post is written by Alanna Peters on behalf of Liz Lange and Ergobaby. Product was provided.

February 28th was an unusually wet and windy day here in San Diego county but I woke up extremely excited, in spite of the fact that I had to get up and out of the house several hours than usual (with both kids in tow!) to brave the commuter traffic through the rain. (Let me tell you, people can NOT drive in Southern California during a rain storm!) I was on my way to the Baby Bloggy Boot Camp event at the Bahia Hotel in San Diego, CA, which was part of the Women Get Social blogging conference.

I had registered for the Baby Bloggy Boot Camp a couple months earlier as an expecting mom and wasn’t quite sure if I’d even make it to the conference, seeing as how my baby was due February 20th. Since she ended up arriving over a week early (yay!), I was able to attend, and I happily crossed out the “Expecting a Baby” status on my name tag and filled it in with “Mom to a Baby”. There were lots of other new and expecting moms there and it was so fun to show off my new baby and peek at some other little cuties!

INSPIRATION FROM THE ROOKIE MOMS

It was a very inspiring morning as we listened to several speakers and got lots of insight into blogging. I really enjoyed getting lots of tips from Heather Flet and Whitney Moss over at RookieMoms.com. They are full of advice on how to create awesome blog content and advice for working with brands. If you aren’t familiar with their blog, I highly recommend checking it out!

Now that we have a new baby in the house we’ve had to make some big changes in our budget and our lives. I’m about to become a full-time SAHM and, to be completely honest, I’m kind of terrified! (This means no more “free” days while my older daughter is at preschool. Yikes!) One thing I discovered about the Rookie Moms blog that has me really excited is a feature called “52 Challenges for Rookie Moms“. It is a series of weekly adventures to share with your little ones. I know I definitely need some inspiration for keeping my preschooler (and me!) entertained, as well as ways to include a baby in the fun! I’m really looking forward to getting started on some of the challenges.

ADVICE FROM THE SITS GIRLS

We also got some great advice on Rocking Sponsored Content from the SITS girls, Tiffany Romero and Francesca Banducci. They are a wealth of knowledge on what sponsors are looking for and how to attract them to your blog. They also had a lot of advice to share on implementing SEO techniques, which is extremely important for any blogger! I think I gained the most from this session. I have a long list of SEO tips to start implementing on the blog!

GETTING REAL WITH AMALAH

After a quick break (with some awesomely yummy snacks provided by the Bahia Hotel!) we listened in on a discussion between Amy Storch and Danielle Wiley regarding the benefits and drawbacks of being a “mommy blogger”. I really enjoyed hearing Amy’s point of view since her blog Amalah.com was one of the very first blogs I read when I was first discovering the world of mommy blogs.

After the Boot Camp part of the morning was concluded, we got to meet the day’s big sponsor. Drumroll, please….

ERGOBABY!

Oh my gosh, you guys…I was SOOO excited when I realized Ergobaby was the event’s big sponsor. I used an Ergo carrier with my first daughter several years ago and we used that thing ALL the time. I was looking forward to using it again with my new baby until I realized that during storage between babies, the belt buckle on the carrier had broken and it wasn’t really safe to use. Imagine my delight when I found out that I would be receiving the brand-new, not-yet-released Ergobaby Four Position 360 Carrier!!! Talk about perfect timing. 🙂

The lovely ladies from Ergobaby gave a demonstration showing us 3 great new products and how to use them. We got to see the Ergobaby Wrap which is great for keeping your newborn close and snuggly, the Ergobaby Swaddler (not a carrier) which keeps your baby’s hips ergonomically positioned while being swaddled, and finally the Ergobaby Four Position 360 Carrier, which is the newest carrier in the Ergobaby family.

After the demonstration I got to chat with the Ergobaby rep for a bit and talk with her about using the infant insert in the Ergo carriers. I still had the old-style infant insert which doesn’t really provide the necessary support for a newborn so, rather than purchase a new-style infant insert, she recommended that I just use the Ergobaby Wrap until my baby gets to 12lbs or more. It had been about 3 years since I last carried a baby in a wrap-style carrier so I was a little nervous about how to use it with my teeny-tiny newborn. The Ergobaby rep showed me how to use it properly and I felt much more confident. I could hardly wait to get home and give it a try!

I seriously LOVE the Ergobaby Wrap. It is such a lifesaver! If I couldn’t wear my baby I would get absolutely nothing done during the day. My baby likes to be held, or at least touching me, all day long. Now, I put the wrap on in the morning and wear it pretty much all day, popping baby in and out as needed. I love being able to keep her close and still have my hands free to do things around the house! I even wore her out to happy hour with the girls last night and she just snuggled and slept the entire time. Easy peasy! The wrap is very similar to my old Moby carrier, although the recommended Newborn Hug carry is a little different than the carry I used to use. I think the biggest difference with this wrap is the fabric. I love the Ergobaby fabric! It’s soft and stretchy but feels much stronger and sturdier than other knit wraps.

I haven’t used the Four Position Carrier much yet since my little peanut is still under 12 pounds but I did give it a try with my old infant insert. It worked well but I’m really looking forward to using it without the insert. (We’ve only got about a pound to go at this point!) We ended up using a Baby Bjorn quite often when my first daughter got older since she loved to face out rather than in. The ideal position for babywearing is facing in towards the parent, but sometimes babies just want to look out and see the world that you are experiencing. Now they can do it in the Ergobaby carrier as well, while still having their bottoms supported. (No crotch-dangling!) I did notice that while the velcro around the waist seems more secure than the buckle on my old carrier, I’m not able to adjust it while I’m wearing the carrier. I always feel like I need to tighten it up after I’ve been wearing it for a while so I do miss that feature. One new feature I do love is that the sun shade zips into the front pocket. It’s just a cleaner, cuter design than the old carrier, and I love it! I’m really excited to try out the forward-facing option and the hip-carry option once my baby gets a little older.

LIZ LANGE NEW YORK

Along with all the Ergobaby gear in our swag bags, all the attendees got to pick out a Liz Lange New York maternity dress. I was a little bummed that none of them were nursing-compatible, but they are all designed to be figure-flattering and transitional to accommodate growing or shrinking bellies. And the fabric is so soft on all the dresses we had to choose from! I ended up picking a shorter style dress that I thought would be cute for the spring/summer. I love that Liz Lange maternity clothes feel luxurious but they are totally affordable. (Target has a great selection!) I just don’t understand spending hundreds of dollars on maternity clothes that you only wear for such a short time!

SUMMING IT UP

We also got some yummy candies from the girls at Sugar Wish, and fun samples from the Honest Co., which I’m sure most of you are familiar with if you’ve been reading Tiffany’s Honest Assessment posts. Such good stuff! (I adore their diapers, by the way. So far they are my favorite of all the brands we’ve tried!) Just FYI, my other favorites are the Conditioning Mist, the Bathroom Cleaner, and the Hand Sanitizer.

All in all, the Baby Bloggy Boot Camp was an absolute success. I’m so thrilled that I was fortunate enough to be a part of it all!

This post is written by me on behalf of Liz Lange and Ergobaby. Product was provided.

Fashion Friday: Statement Necklaces for $5.95 Shipped!

March 28, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

Affiliate links included. I only promote what I love!

My Cents of Style is offering over 25 different styles and colors of statement necklaces today for the lowest price EVER offered: $5.95, and shipping is FREE!

Use coupon code CLEARANCE101 at checkout to scoop up the savings! At this price, you could get 3 statement necklaces for under $20! These make great gifts for Easter, graduation, and thank you gifts for teachers!

AND!!!!! They just released my favorite scarf ever for sale today, too!

Fashion Friday- Take 2- Chevron Infinity Scarf- $7.95 & FREE SHIPPING with Code HAPPYDAY.

Honest Company Stain Remover Review: An Honest Assessment

March 26, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

Referral links included. All thoughts are my own, as always.

I’ve got a really high quality product to showcase today from The Honest Company (don’t miss all my Honest Company reviews if you want the dish on what to buy and what to avoid!).

This is the Honest Stain Remover. So you use this spray on your stained clothing to help get those messes that you fear detergent alone isn’t going to tackle. To use the product, simply spray the area that needs treating, and let it sit for a minimum of 5 minutes before throwing it in the wash.

The bottle is very large (26 ounces) and very reasonably priced at just $5.95. I have had very good results with the product, though I haven’t yet used it on the stains that scare me the very most. But I’m working my way up to them, as this spray has worked on everything I’ve tried so far!

How to Get the Best Price

Ok, so this product retails for $5.95. It is yet another product that doesn’t really make sense to put in the essentials bundle, since the per item price in the bundle works out to be $7.20. But this is a GREAT choice for the extra 3 items you are allowed to tack on to your bundle, as those 3 items are offered at 25% off. So by making this one of your +3 items, you will get it for $4.46! You can also just order it on its own without signing up for the bundle subscription service and pay $5.95, which is a very reasonable price for such a large product that works so well.

New to The Honest Company? You Need Some Freebies, First!

If you have never purchased from The Honest Company, then let your introduction be with a bunch of free stuff. I’ve got the scoop on how to get lots of free samples from The Honest Company. Start there, for sure!

Bring the Library Home: Bookboard Subscription GIVEWAWAY!!!

March 25, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 7 Comments

I am a member of Bookboard’s Blog Ambassador program. I am compensated, from time to time, with free products and monetary payments. Any views expressed in this post are completely my own.

I’ve been talking about the awesomeness that is Bookboard for a good long while, now. Bookboard is an online digital library subscription service: basically, it puts a library of children’s books at your fingertips, right on your iPad. Bookboard even has its own librarian on staff, always looking out for new titles to add to the collection.

With our Bookboard membership, we have access to new reading material every day, and the more we read, the more great books we unlock. I have personally witnessed how this keeps kids motivated and interested in reading more. They become little book monsters, fed by pages! 🙂

photo credit: demandaj via photopin cc
photo credit: atmtx via photopin cc

And the cost? Well the free trial is, you know, FREE. And then the subscription service costs $4.99/month, which is slightly less than what we typically rack up in late fees every time we visit the local library. If you are more organized than me and tend to get your books back on time, the fee is still well worth it, in my opinion, simply for the variety and ease of use. And if you already have a book monster at home, you don’t have to check out the maximum number of books every time you go to the library, as Bookboard will be a fantastic supplement.

You can read all the details on how to get started with a free trial to Bookboard. But for today, let’s make one of you a winner!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a 1 year subscription to Bookboard! If you love what you see and sign up for a subscription and then win this contest, you will be refunded!

Mandatory entry: sign up for the free trial at Bookboard (remember, they DON’T take your credit card information, so there is NO RISK with the free trial. It is really and truly FREE!). Select and read one book and leave the name of the title in the comments section, along with the email address you used for the free trial. You must have an iPad with iOS5 or higher for Bookboard to work.

The contest will run until 11:59 pm am on April 8th when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please. Stuff Parents Need is not responsible for prize fulfillment.