ENDED Aurora Gifts-12 Giveaways of Christmas:Win Milly the Pinkest Kitty or Retro YooHoo Friend of Your Choice! 01/05

ENDED: Giveaway EXTENDED- Now Open Until 1/8!!

Aurora Gifts was wonderful enough to send me items to review for my Holiday Gift Guide from two of their most popular lines of products: YooHoo Friends and Milly the Pinkest Kitten. My daughter has wanted a Milly plush doll for months - I wanted to save them for a Christmas gift but I couldn't wait. She was ecstatic when she saw the first Milly surprise - an adorable pink kitten nestled in a Strawberry Cupcake Carrier! The carrier is lightly scented with the aroma of sweet strawberries. I don't think there' s anything cuter than a pink kitten inside a strawberry cupcake!

Milly the Pinkest Kitten 8" WANNA BE FRILLY MILLY BALLERINA is perfectly pink! Milly features a cute pink ballerina outfit and matching sparkly tiarra. This was the second item we received and I did hold out until my daughter's birthday party to give her this one. This was the one she'd been asking for so when she saw it - it was so adorable! She squealed and showed it to all the other little girls - they loved it too. Ballerinas are very popular in our family and so are kittens - when you combine the two you have the perfect girly gift!

Now Milly is obviously quite girly- but if you have boys or maybe your girls who aren't into frilly, pink kittens -don't worry! Aurora Gifts also has something for your child as well! YooHoo & Friends is a wildly popular line of toys from Aurora. We received two of the Retro YooHoo Friends:Lemmee  Punk Rocker and YooHoo Love. 



With their big eyes and bushy tails, these little things are too cute! When you press their tummy, each   ones makes a different sound:Lemme whistles and YooHoo Love makes a sweet kiss sound. There are several Retro YooHoo Friends to choose from, including Pamee Singer-she's my daughter's favorite and a Beatles type YooHoo Friend called 60s British Rocker. You can purchase the 5' or 9' YooHoo Friends and they come in about 50 different selections! The prices are unbelievably affordable, from $7-$15!!

12/18 is the DEADLINE to place your order for any of the toys from Aurora Gifts if you want them to get to you by Christmas!!!

Win It: One lucky reader will win a Milly the Pinkest Kitty or Retro YooHoo Friend of  their choice!  

Mandatory Requirement for entry-Visit Aurora Gifts then come back here and leave me a comment letting me know which Milly or YooHoo Friend you want to win.Optional Bonus Entries:-

Like Aurora World on Facebook

-Subscribe to Dixie Diva Deals by email (be sure to confirm/validate your subscription) -you also qualify if you already a subscriber(+2 entries)-"Like" Dixie Diva Deals on Facebook(+1)-Follow me on Twitter @DivaMomDeals(+1)-Post this Giveaway on a Giveaway Linky (1 entry for each linky you post this link to, be sure to let me know where you posted it)-Blog this giveaway & include in your blog post a link back to this giveaway-leave me a link to your blog post (+2 entries)-Tweet this giveaway with the following and leave me a link to your tweet (can be done twice daily, 2 hours apart for 1 entry per tweet):

#win Milly the Pinkest Kitty or YooHoo Friend #Giveaway Dixie Diva Deals 12 Giveaways of Christmas #HolidayGiftGuide #giveaway

-Enter any of my other Giveaways for 1 extra entry per Giveaway you enter(let me know which you entered, leave a separate comment for each)

*UPDATE* Giveaway extended since it wasn't showing up on blog after domain change. Now Ends 11:59 pm CST 1/08.*This giveaway will end January 2, 2011 at 11:59 pm CST.  The winner will be chosen via random.org and will have 48 hours to respond.  If no response, a new winner will be chosen.

Disclosure: I received the products mentioned in this review for free to facilitate my review. My opinion was not affected in any way. All views are my own and I cannot guarantee that you will have the same opinion.

Read more...

Prima Princessa Presents The Nutcracker DVD Review: Perfect Gift for Little Girls at $6.99 + Receive by 12/24

Become a ballerina! Prima Princessa brings you England's world famous Birmingham Royal Ballet performing excerpts from The Nutcracker that will inspire the ballerina in you! Come join in the holiday fun with Prima Princessa as she takes you to a magical show filled with snow fairies, toy soldiers, tutus, pirouettes and plies.

Prima Princessa Presents The Nutcracker is an Award Winning dvd that is a fantastic gift or stocking stuffer for any little girls on your Christmas list. I mentioned yesterday that this dvd was a great value at just $6.99 on Amazon, plus you get a $5 Amazon Video on Demand Credit(1 promotional credit per customer). I hadn't received my copy at that time to provide a review, but we did today and have watched it three times so far! 

 My daughter, who is five, rarely likes anything that is not a cartoon but she absolutely loved Prima Princessa's Nutcracker. I did too, as I found it to be both educational and entertaining. I love that it engages the children by having them learn and try new ballet steps. I can honestly say that this is the only way my daughter would ever sit through a performance of "The Nutcracker" for longer than 2 minutes. 

We had to get a lollipop similar to these so my daughter can perform
for my parents this weekend with her tutu and lollipop.

Review: Cartoon fairy ballerina, Prima Princessa, visits a group of girls and boys at home. The children and Prima Princessa gather around a gorgeously decorated screen to watch  a live performance of "The Nutcracker", performed by England's famous Birmingham Royal Ballet. Prima delightfully narrates the performance in segments, so that children understand what is going on, which was one of my favorite features of the dvd. Without the narration, my daughter would not have been able to understand the story at all. Between acts, there is a montage that teaches dance steps to the children at home-these are fantastic. I love that while Prima Princessa is pronouncing the name of the step, the word is on the screen so the children can see how it is spelled. The dance lesson montage features clips of dancers from SAB, official academy of the New York City Ballet in studio doing the featured step, footage of animals doing similar movements, flowers blooming, tops spinning - I wish that I could accurately describe the sequences because they are wonderful. Extras on the DVD include a Holiday party with cookie and gingerbread house decorating, Christmas crafting, and Holiday Freeze Dancing!

Notice the Prima Princessa stage on the left. This is what the children gather around to watch the performance
- my daughter is adamant about wanting that very same stage for Christmas!

  My daughter's Review: The Sugar Plum Queen was BEAUTIFUL. It was magical. I loved it. The little boy was mean when he broke Clara's nutcracker. The tutus were beautiful. I'm going to watch it a lot.


 To Buy: Remember that you still have time to order Prima Princessa Presents The Nutcracker from Amazon and receive it before 12/24! It is priced at just $6.99 and there is a special offer for $5 worth of eligible movies and TV shows from Amazon Video On Demand after you order your item. Limited to one promotional credit per customer.


I wish that there were more dvds like this one on the market. I can see why it won the Parents Choice Award this year - it was fully deserved! I plan to purchase the rest of the series for my daughter and order the Prima Princessa Nutcracker dvd for my 4 year old cousin, who is taking ballet this year. It will still get here by Christmas because Amazon offers FREE 2 day shipping!!!

For FREE Prima Princessa coloring pages, Fun Educational Games & Activities for kids and a Holiday Freeze Dancing Video, visit the Prima Princessa website. 

Disclosure: I was provided the DVD facilitate an honest review. I was not compensated in any way. 

Read more...

Cupcake Cuties Review: Designer Cupcake Decorating Kits for Every Occasion

Cupcake Cuties offers more than 30 varieties of designer cupcake decorating kits for Christmas, Weddings, Birthdays, New Years and nearly every occasion you can think of. The kits allow you to create an affordable but extraordinary cupcake display in 3 easy steps. You don't need cake decorating experience to make a beautiful cupcake display with Cupcake Cuties kits. The kits contain everything you need to effortlessly transform a plain cupcake into one that is adorably decorated and party ready. 

 For parties, I love having cupcakes instead of traditional cake. They are so much easier to serve- especially when you are hosting a party for kids. The problem I had though is that there is only so much you can do when it comes to decorating a cupcake and I am not at all skilled in cake decorating. Of course my daughter wanted an elaborate display when it came to her birthday cake this year - I found a perfect compromise with the Cupcake Cuties Popcorn theme decorating kit.

.My young assistant accidentally had the cupcakes facing the wrong way but they still looked adorable!
Each kit contains 24 self adhesive cupcake sleeves  and enough decorative garnish (depending on the kit, toppings can include sprinkes, marshmallows, jimmies and more) for 24 decorated cupcakes. It is incredibly simple to create a Cupcake Cuties display. All you need is a batch of cupcakes and icing. Everything else is included in the kit. The designs are so cute and unique! You would pay at least $3-$4 each for these if you bought them from a bakery but purchasing a kit from Cupcake Cuties lets you assemble your own designer cupcakes for around $1 each! So these kits provide an affordable and simple way to create a whimsical, unique display that will make your guests think you are a cupcake decorating domestic diva.

How to Use Cupcake Cuties Kit: Peel off the backing then wrap the sleeve snugly around the frosted cupcake. Make sure the ends are pressed together firmly. This took less than a minute per cupcake. You can then add the decorative toppings. In our case, the topping consisted of marshmallows and yellow sprinkles. We were in a huge time crunch and I actually bought pre made, plain cupcakes with white frosting only.Then we had a little assembly line going where myself and two of my teenage cousins each had a task: one would apply the sleeve, one would apply the marshmallows and the last one would add the sprinkles. We finished 20 cupcakes in about 20 minutes!  The night after the party, I used a few of the sleeves, sprinkles and marshmallows that were left over and let my daughter make her own Popcorn Cupcake. It was so much fun - if a 5 year old can do it, anyone can!

 

 Notice that the cupcake topping now has a brighter yellow hue- one of my helpers saw the can of "Cake Spray Paint" that I'd purchased and assumed that the cupcakes should be sprayed - they looked SO MUCH better before that, with just marshmallows and sprinkles. We used Star candles to go along with the movie night theme but since my daughter was sick, we just let her blow out the candles on a small, plain cake so that everyone didn't wake up the next morning with a cold.

BUY IT: Purchase Cupcake Cuties at their website for $24. 

Join Cutie of the Month and get a different Cupcake Cutie package each month preparing you for the upcoming holidays. Pay just $22 per month. Join now for FREE Shipping. 
I absolutely loved the Cupcake Cuties kit. It saved so much time and all my guests complimented the cupcake display and popcorn/movie theme. I plan to use Cupcake Cuties kits in the future - especially for kids' parties! 
Disclosure: I received a free product to facilitate this review but this did not influence my opinion in any way. All opinons are completely my own and I have not been compensated in any way. 

Read more...

Oneida Holiday Review: Gifts for Kids, College Students, Newlyweds, Grandparents & EVERYONE On Your List

FEATURED HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE REVIEW:

 Oneida has incredible holiday sets for up to 70% off right now. Today is Day 12 of their 12 Deals of Christmas. The savings are unbelievable. I love the Oneida Pro Series Hard Anodized Cookware Hard Anodized 10 Piece Cookware Set, priced at just $95(reg.$250) -it's just $85 after the customer appreciation savings! Another one of my favorites is the Snowmates Dinnerware Collection, with prices starting at just $2.99. Oneida is also offering FREE SHIPPING on purchases of $25 or more for a limited time.

Oneida Holiday Dinnerware HoHoHo Set

                             Oneida is perhaps best known for high quality flatware but they also carry a wide selection of dinnerware, cookware, drinkware and other kitchenware. I was able to review a selection of their amazing Dinnerware from the Culinaria line. I found this set to be the perfect gift for nearly everyone on my holiday gift list. If you are looking for a family gift, you will find a wide range of fantastic options at Oneida - the Culinaria line of Dinnerware is sure to please even the pickiest of gift recipients.

 

Culinaria, Chili Square 16 piece Service for 4 
$160.00 $99.95

Oneida Culinaria Dinneware Review: For my Holiday Gift Guide, Oneida was generous enough to let me select an item to review. I chose the Culinaria, Chili Square 16 piece Service for 4 Dinnerware Set. It is so gorgeous! It is the nicest dinnerware set that I've owned. I would have been thrilled to receive this set when I was in my first apartment - I would have loved to receive this set ANYTIME actually. I think that it is a perfect gift for most adults, especially students or graduates who are living on their own for the first time, newlyweds - it's even perfect for the newly divorced. It's great to have new dinnerware, cookware, flatware, etc. when you're making a fresh start! Also, if you have Empty Nesters or a grandparent who has moved to a smaller home or apartment on your gift list, a new set of Dinnerware Service Set for 4 is a great gift that is often overlooked during the holidays. This set also makes a great family gift. I could go on and on with my gifting ideas! The Culinaria line will definitely please adults of any age and it's also a great gift to purchase for your own family. 

There are several colors to choose from, from the bold Chili that I chose, to the soft yellow Poundcake pictured above. You can also choose between the traditional round plates or go with the square plates. I love both but I've always wanted a set of square plates so that is the style I selected and I am so glad that I did! I love the size of all the dishes, especially the oversized bowls and mugs. You can see in my picture below that the bowls hold a very large salad. I know - the plates are for salad but I put my baked apple in the salad plate. Even though the salad is wilted and the food is pretty bland, it looks good on my dinnerware! When I was sick a couple of weeks ago, the chicken soup and chamomile tea both seemed to taste so much better when I ate and drank from my new Culinaria bowl and mug! 

• Set Includes 4 Each: Dinner Plates, Salad Plates, Soup Bowls and Mugs
• Twice fired, Vitrified durable stoneware, glass-like finish
• Dishwasher and microwave safe
• Mix and match Culinaria's colors for a unique table presentation

    

Product Description from the Oneida website:This Culinaria 16 Piece Service for 4 makes a brilliant statement on your table. A square silhouette gives this set a contemporary flair, while the Restaurant Rolled Edge and finger touch grip provide a pleasing tactile quality along with easy handling.

This Culinaria 16 Piece Service for 4 makes a brilliant statement on your table. A square silhouette gives this set a contemporary flair, while the Restaurant Rolled Edge and finger touch grip provide a pleasing tactile quality along with easy handling. 

From grandparents to newlyweds and everyone in between, Oneida's selection of Dinnerware features gift ideas that will please even those who are the hardest to shop for on your holiday list!

Disclosure: I received a free product for purposes of this review. My opinion was not affected by this in any way. All opinions are my own and come from my experiences with the product, I cannot guarantee that you will have the same opinions. I was not compensated for this review.

Read more...

Holiday Gift Guide Feature: Acqua Essentials Caviahue Eye Contour Cream Review

 I recently had the opportunity to review Caviahue Eye Contour Cream from Acqua Essentials.  I found the eye cream to be extremely effective, moisturizing and refreshing. The area around my eyes looks brighter, smoother and more youthful. The cream's formula is non greasy and it absorbs quickly. It is the perfect eye cream for anyone who wants to prevent thin, sagging under eye skin and lines. It is also a great treatment for existing crow's feet and it helps thin eye skin recover elasticity. I found it to be a wonderful eye cream for women who wear concealer and eye makeup because it hydrates instantly, which keeps concealer from caking under  your eyes. It also helps your eye makeup go on smoothly and since it has a non greasy formula that absorbs quickly, your eyeliner and eyeshadow won't smudge or rub off right away like it will when you use greasy eye creams.Keep reading to find out how you can get a FREE (pay S&H)sampler package of luxurious products from Acqua Essentials, Save 20% with their Holiday Sale and to learn more about Caviahue Eye Contour Cream!Benefits of Caviahue Eye Contour Cream(from AcquaEssentials.com):

• Specifically formulated for the delicate areas around the eyes
• Contains Caviahue thermal water for an ultimate hydration
• Helps the thin eye contour skin recover elasticity and fullness
• Helps you get rid of the earliest sign of facial aging: wrinkles on the eye contour area
• Its active ingredients driven to all skin’s layers help pause the decay of under eye and other eye areas 
• Helps diminish crow's feet

Acqua Essentials specializes in beauty and skin care products from the most prestigious spas throughout Europe and Latin America. They have made these beauty, skin care, anti aging, anti cellulite and other amazing spa products available exclusively on their website. They carry the skin care lines Caviahue, Mondariz and Exel.  With Acqua Essentials, you can have these natural and thermal water based products shipped straight to you, allowing you to get the benefits of a spa treatment from one of the most prestigious spas in the world, without leaving your home! 

Acqua Essentials Has Products for Men too!  Above: Mondariz Hydro Man Cream.

Find a gift for EVERY adult or teen on your holiday gift list. Aqua Essentials has many amazing products for Men, including the Mondariz Hydro Man Cream pictured above. If you need a gift for someone who is hard to shop for, the person who has everything or someone who needs a little pampering, visit Acqua Essentials now to get your order by Christmas Eve. You could also reward yourself for all your hard work this Holiday Season with a luxurious Gift Pack!

 Aqua Essentials offers 100% Satisfaction Guarantee on all products. You can get a full refund within 30 days if you are not satisfied with your purchase by returning the unused portion of the product and the reason you weren't satisfied. *Visit Acqua Essentials now to save 20% on your entire purchase! Use code ACQUA at checkout. Get FREE Shipping on purchases $60 and up. FREE Samples are included with EVERY order!

  A few weeks ago, I came across an offer for a Sampler Pack of products from  Acqua Essentials. The package contained several different samples of skin care products, including anti aging treatments. I was extremely impressed with every single sample so I contacted the company about the possibility of reviewing one of their products for my readers. They agreed to send me the product of my choice.  I had been searching for an effective anti aging eye treatment because I recently noticed that my eyes have started showing signs of aging, including -GASP-crepey skin and lines when I smile. I knew that I need to take immediate action to fight the wrinkles, so I chose to review Caviahue Eye Contour Cream. 

 I worked in the Cosmetics Industry for years and I've tried many of the high end anti-aging eye treatments on the market and I have also tested many drugstore brand eye creams. Most were either not effective, had a greasy formula or an unpleasant fragrance. I have extremely sensitive eyes and can't tolerate most of the harsh chemicals or fragrances that are in many eye gels or creams. I was relieved when I applied Caviahue Eye Contour Cream and found it to be refreshing, effective and fragrance free. When I put it on, I feel like saying Ahhhhh every single time. Product Results: I have been using Caviahue Eye Contour Cream for three weeks and I can already see a difference. It was formulated with a blend of thermal water, vitamins, retinol, squalane and antioxidant agents.  My under eye area looks radiant. As I mentioned above, the skin had started to look crepe-y, thin and dull but Caviahue Eye Contour Cream has helped restore elasticity to my under eye area and it now looks brighter and smoother. My eyes instantly feel better when I apply this cream. I use it under my eyes, around my eyes and sometimes on my lids and brows.  It only takes a small amount and you should apply it twice a day, in the morning and at night. Use a gentle massage according to the directions on the product site. After three weeks of using the cream twice a day, I still have well over half a bottle left. That means that one bottle will last me close to three months!I highly recommend Caviahue Eye Contour Cream to anyone who wants their eye area to look younger and refreshed. 
Buy it: You can purchase Caviahue and all other lines sold by Acqua Essentials at their website. Remember to use code ACQUA to save 20% through the Holiday Season.Sampler Pack Product Information: Purchase a Sampler Pack of products for just the cost of Shipping and Handling ($5.84). I actually got a couple of applications from each sample packet(0.10 fl oz. per packet) because each sample had plenty of product. So 6 applications of the cream samples made a total of 24 applications for the creams, my mother and I shared the mud sample-a pretty fantastic value for just $5.84! See the product information from Acqua Essentials below.

Our sample pack is a great way to get to know our products. Order one today! 

Simply pay for shipping, $5.84, to receive:

• 1 Caviahue Thermal Mud Sample (one application)
• 3 Caviahue Anti Wrinkle Cream Samples (three applications)
• 3 Caviahue Nourishing-Moisturizing Cream Samples (three applications)
• 3 Mondariz Hydro-Woman Cream Samples (three applications)
• 3 Mondariz Hydro-Man Cream Samples (three applications)

Expect to receive your sample pack in 2 to 7 business days if you order it on its own.

Only 1 sample pack allowed per customer, per address.

Disclosure: I received a free product sample to facilitate my review. It did not influence my opinion in any way. All reviews are from my own unique experience and I can't guarantee that you will have the same opinions.

Read more...

ENDED- 12 Giveaways of Christmas: Relieve Tension & Muscles Aches With Boiron Arnicare Gel-Giveaway #2

12 Giveaways of Christmas Event-Giveaway #2 If this holiday season has you tense and aching from head to toe like me, you will want to enter this giveaway! Boiron's Arnicare Gel is for use on sore muscles, bruises, swelling from injuries and trauma. It seems that every member of my family is a little bit clumsy, including my daughter. Luckily, Arnica Gel is homeopathic, paraben free and safe to use on both adults and children. Unlike many topical pain ointments, Arnicare has no fragrance and it is very easy to apply. The gel absorbs quickly, provides a cooling effect and instantly provided relief to my aching neck. I REALLY love that it has no terrible odor! You can visit this link to print a coupon for $2 your next purchase of Arnicare - it doesn't expire until 2012! It is also homeopathic, which I like.  I didn't know very much about Homeopathy until I read the information on the What Is Homeopathy site. It was very informative and helpful for me. 
About Arnicare Gel:Arnicare Gel is recommended by doctors, plastic surgeons and pharmacists and is used by professional athletes. It contains Arnica montana, a  mountain plant from the daisy family, whose healing properties have been used for centuries. Arincare Gel is made by Boiron, a world leader in homeopathy.
Buy It: You can visit the Boiron Where to Buy site to find stores near you that sell Arnicare. You can also purchase Arnicare Gel from Amazon.com and many other online retailers, including Drugstore.com. 

Print a coupon for $2 off Arnicare Gel or Cream 
Win It: Winner will receive 2.6oz Tube of Boiron Arnicare Gel How to Enter:Mandatory Requirement for entry-Follow my blog publicly using Google Friend Connect (see sidebar). Leave a comment letting know that you follow me publicly (you qualify whether you are a new or current follower). Be sure to leave an email address letting me know where I can reach you in case you win! I do verify all winning entries so be sure to complete the requirement so you can get your prize if you win! You can also do the optional bonus entries after you complete the mandatory entry if you want - you can do any of them or none of them, it is up to you! Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each entry you complete.Optional Bonus Entries:-Visit Boiron's Homeopathy site then leave me a comment letting me something you learned about Homeopathy for 3 extra entries -Subscribe to Dixie Diva Deals by email (be sure to confirm/validate your subscription) -you also qualify if you already a subscriber(+2 entries)-"Like" Dixie Diva Deals on Facebook(+1)-Follow me on Twitter @DivaMomDeals(+1)-Post this Giveaway on a Giveaway Linky (1 entry for each linky you post this link to, be sure to let me know where you posted it)-Blog this giveaway & include in your blog post a link back to this giveaway-leave me a link to your blog post (+2 entries)-Tweet this giveaway with the following and leave me a link to your tweet (can be done twice daily, 2 hours apart for 1 entry per tweet):#Win $20 Fandango GC, Arnicare, Softlips & other prizes @DivaMomDeals 12 Giveaways of Christmas Holiday #Giveaway http://bit.ly/dmIftW-Enter the "Frumpy to Fabulous:Flaunting It" Giveaway for 3 extra entries!(this entry can only be earned thru 12/13)-Enter any of my other 12 Giveaways of Christmas Giveaways for 1 extra entry (let me know which you entered, leave a separate comment for each)

Disclosure: I received a free sample of this product to facilitate my review. It did not influence my opinion in any way. I did not receive compensation for this review and all opinions are from my own experience. I do not claim to be an expert in Homeopathy or anything else for that matter. 

Giveaway open to U.S. Residents only, Giveaway Ends at 11:59 pm CST 12/18. Winner selected by random.org and will be notified by email within 24 hours of the end of this contest. If the winner doesn't respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be selected. The screenshot from random.org winning number will be posted at the bottom of this giveaway within 48 hours after the end of the giveaway. Good Luck!! 

Winner lewalk with comment 62, verified

Read more...