Cheap Cookie Cutter Review...

We were given the opportunity to try out this cute little Mickey Mouse cookie cutter from Cheap Cookies Cutters. We have used it to cut several types of cookies, but the kid's favorite had to be the Rice Krispy treats. This cookie cutter is the mini version so it measures only about 2-2.5 inches wide and it makes the cutest little Mickey treats. The cookie cutter was easy to use, even for little hands and super easy to clean. If you're in the market for some cool cookie cutters, hop on over to Cheap Cookie Cutters and browse their awesome variety, from letters and numbers, to animals, to holiday...they even have college mascot cookie cutters for those tailgating parties! Hook 'Em! You can also find these cool aprons on their site...one of the aprons was featured in the new Sex in the City movie! And don't forget the black food coloring if you're making Mickey cookies:)

Buy It: You can find the mini Mickey Mouse cookie cutter at Cheap Cookie Cutters.

Disclosure: ABCD Diaries was given a Mickey cookie cutter for review purposes only. We were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.

Corel Paint It! Review and Giveaway...

Turn your photos into beautiful paintings in just three easy steps with Corel® Paint it!™. This fun photo painting software takes your favorite photo memories and magically transforms them into unique, hand-painted works of art. Simply choose a painting style and press Start Photo Painting. Then add fun effects to make it truly yours. Save, print, share online or frame your photo art creations. Voila, it's your life, automagically painted!

Overview
Fun for the entire family, Corel Paint it! gives you a whole new way to enjoy your photos. This photo painting software includes multiple painting styles, brushes and realistic effects that let you add a personal touch to any creative project. Much more than a photo-painting filter, Corel Paint it! relies on your input, letting you control the photo painting process while encouraging your creative spirit. Start and stop painting at any time, restore original details from the photo and add your own special touches. The result is a hand-painted portrait that’s sure to wow your friends and family.

Ideal for:
Any wall in your home or office
Scrapbooks and albums
Email and online sharing sites
Gift giving

There are lots of options to choose from while "painting" your photos:

Oil – applies a combination of short dabs and longer brushstrokes to produce the color and texture of oil paint
Impressionist – applies short and very visible brushstrokes to create the illusion of movement and light
Modern – applies bold brushstrokes and adds vibrance to colors to produce an abstract reinterpretation of a photo
Illustration – applies a wide variety of brushstrokes to produce an illustration-style painting
Detailed Watercolor – applies a translucent wash to produce the smooth, soft effect of watercolor paint on your photo
Watercolor Sketch – applies a combination of drawn lines and watercolor brushstrokes that add depth, texture and contrast
Colored Pencil – applies fine-tipped colored pencil strokes
Pencil – applies graphite pencil strokes that appear to be drawn by hand
Pen and Ink – applies sketchy strokes with a pen and black ink that appear to be drawn by hand Pastel – applies colored pastel strokes that appear to be drawn by hand

This software is a lot of fun and provides hours of creative entertainment.

Buy It:You can find Corel Panit It! software at Corel, the full version is only $39.99...you can also download the free trial!

Win It: The folks at Corel have generously offered a copy of Corel Paint It! to one lucky ABCD Diaries reader. To win, let us know what brushstroke sounds most interesting to you(oil, pastel, etc)
Extra Entries:
1.Follow ABCD Diaries via Google Friend Connect(if you already follow, leave a comment saying so)
2.Follow ABCD Diaries via Twitter(leave id)
3.Tweet about this giveaway(leave link)+2 entries...comment twice please:)
4.Blog about this giveaway(leave link) +2 entries...comment twice please:)
5.Enter any other current giveaways on ABCD Diaries and leave a comment saying so.

Giveaway ends Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 11:59 cst. Winner will be chosen via random.org and emailed as well as announced here. They will have 48 hours to reply. Open to US residents 18+
Disclosure: ABCD Diaries was given a copy of Corel Paint It! for review purposes only. We were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.

Wholesale Costume Club Review and Giveaway...

This gorgeous Cinderella costume from the girls Disney Prestige Princess Costume line at the Wholesale Costume Club was the obvious choice for review by our 4 year old, A. She loves dressing up, so this was the perfect opportunity for her. I was very impressed with the selection of girls costumes on this site. Even though we had narrowed it down to Cinderella, there were still lots of different Cinderella's to choose from. After we got the costume, I knew we had made the right choice. This costume was not cheaply made(like a lot of other dress-up outfits we have:) It has several layers, which will be great when the cooler Halloween costume season comes, but also provides extra "flounce" which is important to every princess:) The costume is made from durable material. A has worn it at least once every few days in the last month and she has even shared it with her playmates, but there is no sign of wear to the costume. I especially love that the costume zips, because I can zip it once and not have to mess with it again until playtime is over. With our costumes that have Velcro closures, it seems I'm continuously needed to close the costume. Overall, I think this Cinderella costume is here to stay(at least until Disney princesses aren't cool anymore, gasp!)

Another awesome thing about the Wholesale Costume club is that they are not exclusive to only kid's costumes, but they have a huge variety of adult wear as well! One of my favorites is the Popeye and Olive Oyl above(this would be complete if you added a little Sweet Pea:) And, as you can see below, they even have costumes for the littlest ones. So, when you're searching for wholesale costumes, look no farther than the Wholesale Costume Club! ABCD Diaries gives Wholesale Costume Club an A+ for the whole family!

Buy It: You can find these awesome costumes at Wholesale Costume Club.

Win It: Wholesale Costume Club has generously offered Free Membership for a year to 2 ABCD Diaries readers. To win, let us know your favorite costume of all-time:)

Extra Entries:

1.Follow ABCD Diaries via Google Friend Connect(if you already follow, leave a comment saying so)

2.Follow ABCD Diaries via Twitter(leave id)

3.Tweet about this giveaway(leave link)+2 entries...comment twice please:)

4.Blog about this giveaway(leave link) +2 entries...comment twice please:)

5.Enter any other current giveaways on ABCD Diaries and leave a comment saying so.

Giveaway ends Monday, June 28, 2010 at 11:59 cst. Winners will be chosen via random.org and emailed as well as announced here. They will have 48 hours to reply. Open to US residents 18+

Disclosure: ABCD Diaries was given a costume for review purposes only. We were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.

The Secrets of Newberry Review and Giveaway...

Synopsis:

For Ivory Bones Arcineaux and Hampton Bynote, life in 1950s New Orleans couldn't be sweeter. Friends since they met in an illegal gambling house in Newberry, Louisiana, they have their pick of all the fine women, good food, and hot nights they can handle. They seem to have it made-especially Julian who begins to make a new life for himself after meeting the beautiful, classy Magnolia Garbo at a social. But both men are about to find out that letting the good times roll can be deadly when a simple robbery goes wrong and Hampton witnesses Bones murdering a man in cold blood.

What we thought:

Victor McGlothin weaves an intriguing and fast-paced tale of love, life and deals gone bad in The Secrets of Newberry. I loved the gritty feel of this addictive novel. I could hardly put it down. McGlothin does an amazing job of putting you in 1955 New Orleans and tells this story with expert knowledge of his characters and settings. I loved this novel...it was absolutely thrilling! ABCD Diaries gives The Secrets of Newberry an A+!

Buy It: You can find The Secrets of Newberry at Amazon.com or your nearest bookseller.
Win It: Hatchette book group has generously offered 3 lucky ABCD Diaries readers a copy of The Secrets of Newberry. To win, enter a comment below.
Extra Entries:
1.Follow ABCD Diaries via Google Friend Connect(if you already follow, leave a comment saying so)
2.Follow ABCD Diaries via Twitter(leave id)
3.Tweet about this giveaway(leave link)+2 entries...comment twice please:)
4.Blog about this giveaway(leave link) +2 entries...comment twice please:)
5.Enter any other current giveaways on ABCD Diaries and leave a comment saying so.



Giveaway ends Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 11:59 cst. Winners will be chosen via random.org and emailed as well as announced here. They will have 48 hours to reply. Open to US residents 18+



Disclosure: ABCD Diaries was given a copy of The Knight Life "Chivalry Ain't Dead" for review purposes only. We were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.

The Knight Life Review and Giveaway...

Synopsis(from Amazon.com)

"The Knight Life is a hilariously twisted view of life through the eyes and pen of its creator, community-oriented urban hipster and award-winning cartoonist Keith Knight. The Knight Life deftly blends political insight and neurotic humor in a uniquely fluid and dynamic style, offering a comic strip that's fresh, sharp, topical and funny. Designed for daily newspapers, The Knight Life follows Knight's long-running, 2007 Harvey Award-winning weekly comic strip "The K Chronicles," which appears on salon.com. An unabashedly provocative political and social satire, The Knight Life tackles contemporary issues like consumer culture, bacon, the media, race, family and everything else, gently mocking the minutiae of daily life with self-deprecating humor, honesty and goofiness-a combination that's perfect for the comics. And The Knight Life's energetic style reminds readers that comics can look funny as well as read funny. The result is accessible yet edgy, compassionate and political-and never preachy. Cartoonist and comic historian R.C. Harvey said, "The Knight Life is undeniably the best new laugh- and thought-provoker on the comics page. Not since Calvin and Hobbes has there been so novel an entertainment in the funnies."(2009) "

What we thought:

If you like reading the Sunday comics, this is the book for you! Even if you aren't a regular funny paper reader you should really read this one. The Knight Life "Chivalry Ain't Dead" is funny and at the same time smart. Knight's strip is thought-provoking and so entertaining! We loved that he took today's issues and put a humorous spin on them. What an amazing outlook. Even in the worst of times, he manages to find something to laugh and joke about. We think this would make an awesome coffee table book to share with friends and family, but once you pick it up you might find you've read the whole thing in just one sitting! Our resident funny paper connoisseur(4 year old A who always asks us to read her the comics and laughs hilariously even if she doesn't get the joke:) and the rest of ABCD Diaries give The Knight Life "Chivalry Ain't Dead" an A+!

Buy It: You can find The Knight Life "Chivalry Ain't Dead" at Keith Knight's official site or your nearest bookseller.

Win It: Hatchette book group has generously offered 2 lucky ABCD Diaries readers a copy of The Knight Life "Chivalry Ain't Dead". To win, tell us your favorite comic strip:)

Extra Entries:
1.Follow ABCD Diaries via Google Friend Connect(if you already follow, leave a comment saying so)
2.Follow ABCD Diaries via Twitter(leave id)
3.Tweet about this giveaway(leave link)+2 entries...comment twice please:)
4.Blog about this giveaway(leave link) +2 entries...comment twice please:)
5.Enter any other current giveaways on ABCD Diaries and leave a comment saying so.

Giveaway ends Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 11:59 cst. Winners will be chosen via random.org and emailed as well as announced here. They will have 48 hours to reply. Open to US residents 18+

Disclosure: ABCD Diaries was given a copy of The Knight Life "Chivalry Ain't Dead" for review purposes only. We were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.

Seventh Generation Natural Baby Starter Kit Review and HUGE Giveaway...

Seventh Generation is awesome. Its just that simple.



We were given the opportunity to test the amazing Natural Baby Starter Kit, and we have fallen in love:)


First up, the Disinfecting Wipes, Multi-Surface Cleaner and Bathroom Cleaner...

We loved:

-their convenience

-their yummy Lemongrass and Thyme scent

-their ability to easily wipe away messes, and kill 99.9% of germs botanically

The bathroom cleaner work amazingly well on soap scum!


The paper towels...

We loved:

-their durability

-they're made from 100% recycled paper




The Natural All Purpose Cleaner...

We loved:

-Its free and clear

-No harsh fumes

Oh my golly wally! This stuff was crazy good! We recently bought our first house and last week we were laying tile in the kitchen. We pulled out the stove(which I'm pretty sure was the original with the 1982 house) and I'm pretty sure it had never been moved. The sides were filthy with grease and grime that had run in between the stove and the wall. Seventh Generation cut through the filth on the first try. I had told B we should just replace the appliance rather than trying to get everything thing off, so its safe to say Seventh Generation has already saved us hundreds of dollars:)

The Natural 2X Concentrated Baby Laundry Detergent...

We loved:

-Its free of dyes and fragrances

-It fights tough bay stains

-Its non-toxic and biodegradable

It really did leave the kids clothes softer and cleaned them very well(it also worked on Mommy and Daddy's clothes:)

The Chlorine Free Baby Wipes and refill...

We loved:

-Soft cloth feeling

-Free of dyes and fragrances

-Hypo-allergenic

I was a little concerned at first, because these were a lot thinner than the brand we previously swore by, but the cleaned just as well and I had the added benefit of knowing these were extra gentle on D' sensitive baby skin:)

The Chlorine Free Diapers...

We loved:

-Knowing these were chlorine free

-Their absorbency

-They weren't bulky

These were pretty good diapers, and we've tried a lot of diapers:) Again, we had the added benefit of knowing how gentle these were on little D's bottom:)

Buy It: You can find Seventh Generation products at Whole Foods, Babies R Us, Target and grocery stores including Kroger and HEB...check here for the store nearest you. You can purchase online through Seventh Generation's site, Amazon.com, Diapers.com and Drugstore.com

Win It: Now for the super awesome HUGE giveaway!!! Seventh Generation has generously offered one lucky ABCD Diaries reader a Baby Starter Kit including all the products we reviewed and a reusable tote bag. To win, tell us which Seventh Generation item you are most excited to try.

Extra Entries:

1.Follow ABCD Diaries via Google Friend Connect(if you already follow, leave a comment saying so)

2. Sign up for the Seventh Generation Newsletter

3.Tell us where your nearest Seventh Generation retailer is

4.Like Seventh Generation on Facebook

5.Follow ABCD Diaries via Twitter(leave id)

6.Follow Seventh Generation via Twitter(leave id)

7.Tweet about this giveaway(leave link)+2 entries...comment twice please:)

8.Blog about this giveaway(leave link) +2 entries...comment twice please:)

9.Enter any other current giveaways on ABCD Diaries and leave a comment saying so.

Giveaway ends Friday, June 25, 2010 at 11:59 cst. Winner will be chosen via random.org and emailed as well as announced here. They will have 48 hours to reply. Open to US residents 18+

Disclosure: ABCD Diaries was given a Natural Baby Starter Kit for review purposes only. We were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.

Out of the Box Games Review...

Our family loves to play games, so when we were given the opportunity to test Out of the Box games we were super excited. This is the game we got to try out:
We have played this game several times and the last month and I'm pretty sure its going to become a staple in our family game night repertoire. Everyone who has played it has loved it! This is one of those quick-thinking board games and the idea is to get more letters pulled to your team's side of the "street" by thinking of a word from a certain category that includes the most available letters. It sounds a lot easier than it is though...once that timer starts dwindling you are sometimes hard pressed to even think of any word from the chosen category!

This game has already provided our family with hours of fun and I'm sure will continue to every time we play boardgames. It is marketed for ages 12+, but there is a junior version for younger kiddos. Word on the Street takes minutes to learn, each game lasts about 20-30 minutes and retails for $24.99.

Although this game is loads of fun it also is very educational...it improves vocabulary, promotes spelling skills, develops interpersonal skills, promotes interaction and motivates players. It has won the Major Fun Award. ABCD Diaries gives Word on the Street and A+ for all the gamers in your family! Thanks, Out of the Box games for letting us test this fun-filled game!!

Disclosure:ABCD Diaries was given Word on the Street for review purposes only. we were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.