Connected2Christ

Archive for the ‘Holiday Gift Guide’ Category

“We strive to improve day-to-day food preparation kitchen products through technology and innovation by integrating multifunctional features and giving our customers the added value advantage for their investment.

I’ve reviewed many products on my blog and I must say Foldtuk Kitchenware is one of my absolute favorite products that I was given to opportunity to review!

Fold Tuk offers innovative bake ware that literally makes life so much easier! I was sent a 4 cup rectangular baking dish in red to try out. Note that there are many other colors and sizes available.

What so special about FoldTuk Bakeware? Well, these handy dishes can be used to cook, serve, reheat, freeze, and store. When I told my husband, he literally almost couldn’t believe it. We were baking chicken in the oven with our dish and he kept asking me if it was okay to place the dish directly onto the oven wrack. I told him FoldTuk bakeware can be used to cook up to 500 degrees but my  husband still looked over the directions twice to make sure it was alright.

I love how FoldTuk Bakeware collapses! The 4 cup rectangular dish I am reviewing only measure 1 inch in height fully collapsed!  I live in an apartment with not much space so I really have to appreciate this aspect as my cupboards are already over following with other bake ware.  These pieces stack so nicely on top of each other!

I was so impressed with the dish I was sent  that I with no doubt have to invest in a whole collection! Foldtuk products are available directly from Foldtuk and at Amazon and other retailers.

*Special Promo Code*

Use code connected2christ to recieve a 20% off discount on any order! Code expires Jan. 1st 2010!

Win it: One extremtly lucky reader is going to be able to win a 4-cup size, Red color, Rectangular shape bake ware just like the one I’ve reviewed!

To Enter: Visit Foldtuk and tell me another product you’d love to own!

Extras:

1. Add me to your blogroll or add my button.
2. Blog it, link back to this post. (2 extra)
3. Favorite my blog on Technorati
4. Friend/Fan @ Facebook
5. Subscribe by email/RSS. (2 extra)
6. Follow on Twitter @erinlowmaster & Tweet (daily entries available)
7. Email a friend about this giveaway. (Leave name of friend)

Tweet: (copy/paste)

RT: Win a baking dish from FoldTuk! 12/18 @erinlowmaster (add url)

This Giveaway is only open to U.S and Canada
Giveaway running till 12/18/09 . Winners will be notified shortly afterward by email. Please respond within 48 hours or you forfeit your prize to another participant.

About the Company: Zebra Pen Corporation, founded in 1982, is a leader in writing instrument manufacturing and sales. Our company is as unique as the products we sell. Our mission, “To Create Users”, requires the commitment of all employees and drives us to challenge ourselves, to listen to our customers, and to deliver a promise of quality, value and innovation. Our parent company, founded in 1897, has long upheld the quality, value and innovation standards that we follow to this day.

My Thoughts…

I was given the opportunity to try out the following products from Zebra Pen:

• Cadoozles Mechanical Pencils
• Zazzle Brights
• Z-1 Retractable Ball Point Pen

Don’t let how the Cadoozles Mechanical Pencils look fool you, these in fact look exactly like your regular no 2 style pencil but they aren’t!   These mechanical pencils are great for me because no matter how hard I try to stay organized, I always end up misplacing my pencil sharpener! I love that these require no sharpening whatsoever!  I am a fan of Cadoozles Mechanical Pencils because they are cute and reusable.

I’ve had no problem with the lead pushing in when I write or falling out which is an issue I have had with other brands of mechanical pencils.The only issue that I can find with the  Cadoozles is that they may not be the right size for everyone. I am petite and have smaller hands than most so these are the perfect fit for me but may not be for those with larger hands.

Zazzle Brights are the best highlighters that I’ve ever used!These spiffy little gadgets come in a pack of 10 and include a free case to keep them all together! The highlighting ink is made from a water based pigment and offered in every color of the rainbow!

I like the fact that Zazzle Brights have a translucent barrel so you’ll know when you are getting low on highlighting ink and when you’ll be needing to get another set.

I’ve been using these to highlight important dates in my planners as well as for highlighting verses and quotes that stand out to me.  I like that I can color code with all the available colors and shades in the 10 pack I was sent.  I’ll definitely be getting more when I need them!

Zebra Pen specially sent my husband the Z-1 Retractable Ball Point Pen after learning that he is a fictional writer whom carries a mole skin notebook around to write down ideas on the fly. Here are my husbands thoughts on the pen he was sent…

I really like the pen. It clips well in my pocket where I keep my notebook. When I write it doesn’t smudge and leaves nice sharp lines so I can read my crappy handwriting. I’ve used other similar finer point pens and they left more excess ink on the page.  The Zebra did not. That is a bonus to keeping the pages cleaner and the writing easier to read.

Overall my husband and I are quite pleased with Zebra Pen and will be looking to purchase many of their great  writing product in the future!

Win it: Zebra Pen has generously offered THREE of my readers a stocking full of assorted products from their site!

To Enter: Visit Zebra Pen and let me another product (other than the ones I reviewed) that you are interested in!

Extras:

1. Add me to your blogroll or add my button.
2. Blog it, link back to this post. (2 extra)
3. Favorite my blog on Technorati
4. Friend/Fan @ Facebook
5. Subscribe by email/RSS. (2 extra)
6. Follow on Twitter @erinlowmaster & Tweet (daily entries available)
7. Email a friend about this giveaway. (Leave name of friend)

Tweet: (copy/paste)

RT: Win a Stocking full of fantastic products from Zebra Pen  12/16@erinlowmaster (add url)

This Giveaway is only open to U.S and Canada
Giveaway running till 12/16/09 . Winners will be notified shortly afterward by email. Please respond within 48 hours or you forfeit your prize to another participant.

Disclaimer: I was given several Zebra Pen products to review. This review is 100% my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this product review.

Personal Thoughts by my husband Justin Lowmaster…

When I first heard about Boom Blox Bash Party, I was very excited. I’m a big fan of the original Boom Blox game. We bought the original the day before my daughter was born and played it for hours and hours that day. It helped us relax.

Boom Blox Bash Party has all the same things that made Boom Blox great, and so much more. The main game play modes all revolve around blocks of some sort. In some levels you must carefully deconstruct towers (ala Jenga), while in others you win by throwing balls to knock down towers. Bash Party adds stacks of new modes and ways to interact with the blocks. New modes include paint levels where you color blocks to match them, space levels where the goal is to explode blocks outside an area floating in the void, and undersea levels where you have to toss blocks up to the surface without letting them touch the ground. New interaction ‘toys’ as they are called include a cannon you light and aim, a slingshot where you grab blocks (or the block animals) and fling them, and a new kind of ball, the Virus Ball.

In Bash Party there are also a few new block types aside from the standard bomb blocks (explode when hit) and chemical blocks (explode when two or more of these touch). The new blocks include Book Bux which add in-game money to your total (more on this later), Change Blox which morph from one block type to another, and the new Virus Blox. Virus infect other surrounding blox when exploded or when they are hit a Virus Ball (or touch another virus block). Infected blocks can spread like zombies in a crowded city under the right conditions. Activated virus blocks go poof and chaos ensues as whatever they were supporting collapses (like modern society when zombies run around biting people).

The Boom Bux allow you to unlock various items in the level building mode as well as unlocking levels. One of my complaints in Boom Blox was if you couldn’t beat a level, you were stuck (in that area at least) until you managed to get past it somehow. This happened and until a friend visited and we managed to beat a certain level. Before that, whole sections were unplayed. With Boom Bux you can unlock the next level in any given section after the currently unlocked level. No longer will you spend hours cursing at the skeletons attacking the kitties that you just can’t quite defeat. You can skip that level and move on, and take on the challenging level later.

The multiplayer levels are just as solid as the single player ones, but you get to have fun with your friends. Knock down each others towers, remove blocks hoping that the tower stays up just a little longer and crashes down on the next player, or work together to get a gold medal on all types of levels. Whether single player or multi-player, there are a lot of levels shipped with this game.

Now, the most important part of any game is: Is it fun? Just like Boom Blox, Bash Party is hours and hours of fun that anyone can enjoy. In fact, Bach Party, with the addition of connecting to Nintendo Wi-Fi, can provide a nearly unlimited number of levels. Played all the levels that came with the game? Just click the button and choose from the highest rated, newest, or random levels other players have created. Once you finish that level, you are given a chance to rate the level. This lets the best levels rise up, while still giving the new ones a chance to see the light of day.

I think Boom Blox Bash Party is a fantastic game for anyone. It’s easy to grasp the controls and concepts of the levels and I’ve never played any Boom Blox game with a single person who has said they disliked the game (and yes, everyone I played with had the ability to speak). There’s no need to play Boom Blox before playing Bash Party, but they are both great games. If you get one, get Bash Party because of the new features, but you’ll get the benefit of lots more levels if you get both.

Boom Blox Bash Party retails for 29.99 and is rated E for everyone.

Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of Boom Blox Bash Party for review from Electronic Arts . This review is 100% my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this product review.

If you are looking vegan, organic baby, and kid products, you may want to check out Kid Bean. While visiting there, I found everything from clothes and toys to bath and body to a fantastic selection of ec0-friendly furniture!

I was given the opportunity to review Maggie’s Organics Organic Cotton Penguin Stuffed Toy , an adorable toy just perfect for the Christmas and winter season!I love the fact that this toy is made with organic cotton and recycled materials, and fair labor. Another fun fact is that each penguin is hand-sewn on a 100% worker-owned co-operative in North Carolina, so each one is unique. This toy is great for children of all ages as Maggie’s Organics hand embroiders each penguin’s face so no small parts can come off.

I’m not sure who loves this little penguin more my daughter or me! I’m really glad that Kid Bean has chosen to include such great eco-friendly companies on their site and have rightly earned the Green America seal of approval . Their prices are definitely something to brag about too!

Special Promo Code: Free Shipping thru 12/18/2009! Just enter coupon code happyholidays2009 & choose UPS Ground shipping.

Win it: Kid Bean has generously offered one of my readers a Maggie’s Organics Organic Cotton Penguin Stuffed Toyjust like the one I reviewed! Ends 12-15

To Enter: Visit Kid Bean and tell me another product that you like!

Extras:

1. Tweet this Giveaway and leave me the url of the tweet!
2. Blog about this giveaway and leave me the blog url!
3. Tell me who’d you like to win this for!

Disclaimer: I was sent a toy to review from Kid Bean. This review is 100% my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this product review.

A Toy Garden is truly a wonderful place to find all sorts of fantastic gifts for children of all ages! After having my own child, I’ve been pretty picky about the toys and gifts that she receives. I’m a fan of the sort of gifts that I know will be treasured for many years to come, much like the products I found while browsing the vast selection offered at A Toy Garden. A Toy Garden is a family based business that offers only the best! You’ll find that they offer a large amount of fair trade toys, as well as toys made 100% in the USA!

I was blessed with the opportunity to review an exclusive SweetiePie Doll as well as  Make It Yourself Candle Kit perfect for the Holiday season!

My daughter loves the Sweetie Pie Doll that we were sent. We’ve named the doll Faye Faye and she travels almost everywhere with my daughter. I’ve never before seen her take to a doll in such a way. Faye Faye does many things with my daughter  throughout the day, they read books together, Melody feeds her doll pretend foods, the doll travels with us when we go out, and once or twice Melody tried to bathe her in the the bathtub! I would not recommend a bath for this doll. This doll can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth but should never be fully immersed in water.

I love so many things about the Sweetie Pie Doll! I love the weight of this doll and learned specifically that each doll is  filled with 1 pound of millet and wool to make him or her feel like a little real baby. Each of the Sweetie Pie Dolls are 13″ tall of which I think is the perfect size for my daughter. As you can see from the photo, the dolls clothes are made from cotton velour. It has hand sewn facial features, it has bangs, eyes, and a slightly smiling mouth. These dolls are recommended for children ages 1-4. These dolls are very special as they are fully customizable from skin , hair, clothing, and eye color. These dolls are created by a sew-at-home mom from Fresno, USA.

Note that a larger version of the Sweetie Pie Doll is offered for older children called the Sweet Pea doll! This doll weighs 4lbs and is best for older children as they can handle the weight and size better. 

The Multi-Colored Make It Yourself Candle Kit assembled exclusively by A Toy Garden is a lot of fun! In my mind this candle making kit is the  perfect craft to do together with family and friends during the holiday season!

What this kit includes is 12 8×8 inch sheets  of 100% honeycombed beeswax in 12 different beautiful colors, 4 yards of quality wick, and very easy to follow instructions. Now before I continue on, I thought you should know some facts about Beeswax Candles!

1. Beeswax candles contain none of the harmful chemicals sometimes found in paraffin candles.
2. Beeswax candles burn significantly longer than paraffin candles.
3. Beeswax candles burn cleaner than paraffin candles, producing hardly any soot.
4. Our beeswax taper candles are virtually dripless in normal draft free conditions.
5. The light emitted by a beeswax candle is much stronger and brighter than that of a paraffin candle.
6. Beeswax is a renewable resource!
7. Beeswax candles have a natural aroma and honey scent, no additives needed.
8. Beeswax candles can be burned around those with allergies or who are sensitive to strong chemical scents.
9. Natural beeswax candles support our beekeepers; our candles are created out of beeswax made in the USA.

My husband and I are somewhat sensitive to certain scents and many other types of candles can really set off our allergies, so we really appreciate the benefits of beeswax!

My 18 month old daughter and I used this kit together to create such pretty candles! I first prepped the beeswax since it was stored in a cooler place with my blow dryer to make sure it was warm enough to roll. I then cut the wick to the proper size and then let my daughter help me roll each candle out! Since I was working with her, I decided to do the Simple candles but am really look forward to creating multi-colored, tapered, and candles of various heights and thickness! I’m eager to try to make a Christmas Tree styled candle too!

I think candles are wonderful gifts and how extra special if the receiver knew you made them yourself! I will most definitely be purchasing this kit again from The Toy Garden especially since I learned that they recommend purchasing their Stockmar Decorating Wax beeswax sheets for thinner pieces of wax to add detailed decorations to the candles. The possibilities are endless and what a fantastic craft to do with children both young and old!

I recommend checking out A Toy Garden! They have a fantastic selection of arts and craft items among the vast selection of toys that encourage imaginative play! As a homeschooler myself, I really appreciate that there is a whole section dedicated to supplies and products geared toward home education.

Free Gift Wrapping with all orders and reasonable priced top quality products! What more could you ask for?

Disclaimer: I was sent a Sweetie Pie Doll and Custom Candle Making Kit for review from The Toy Garden . This review is 100% my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this product review.