Give Your Favourite Traveler the Gift of Safety with These 3 Master Lock Gift Ideas-Giveaway

December 2, 2016 by Kathryn 93 Comments

Almost everyone has at least one die-hard traveler on their holiday shopping list and if you’re wondering what to get your favourite wanderer, Master Lock has some great choices for helping to keep travellers safe as they wander the world! Here are my top three choices for travel gifts this Christmas:

1) Master Lock 5900D Safe Space

The Safe Space has always been one of my favourite Master Lock products. It’s portable, durable and is sized just right for keeping cash, passports and insurance paperwork secure, whether you’re heading out on a road trip or flying to another country. The cable cord lets you lock the Safe Space to an immovable item for extra security, while a simple four-digit code provides quick access to the contents when you need it. [Read more…]

Hasbro Has the Hottest Holiday Gifts for Boys-Giveaway

November 25, 2016 by Kathryn 159 Comments

Every year when Christmas rolls around, my boys make a long wish list of all the gifts they’re hoping to find under the tree. And every year, there are fun-filled toys from Hasbro on that list! Hasbro has so many brands that my active boys love and if you’re on the hunt for the best Christmas gifts for your little men this year, these are my top toy choices!

NERF N-Strike Mega Mastadon Blaster

This battery-powered blaster is sure to provide hours of fun both indoors and out. My boys love the challenge of hitting a target with the bouncy NERF darts, so I’ll often set up a paper target outdoors and let them blast away to their heart’s content. This blaster is especially fun since it doesn’t use hand pumping to build air pressure. The blaster features a rotating drum that holds 24 NERF darts and motorized blasting action. When cold weather has my boys wanting to stay indoors, bundling them up, snapping on some safety goggles and pulling out these blasters is a sure-fire way to ensure they’ll get fresh air and exercise! [Read more…]

Surprise Kids on Christmas Morning with the Newest Building Sets from PLAYMOBIL-Giveaway

November 16, 2016 by Kathryn 150 Comments

When Benjamin was about four years old, he had birthday money to spend and used it to buy a PLAYMOBIL horse and stable set. It was my first experience with PLAYMOBIL and I fell in love with the high quality, interactive building/play sets at first sight. The company is constantly coming out with new themes and this year, PLAYMOBIL has some great choices for kids of all ages! Since Benjamin has just started skating and gained an interest in hockey, my personal favourites are the new PLAYMOBIL licenced NHL Hockey sets. Recently I received the NHL Score Clock with Referees and the NHL Arena so I could see for myself what they were like.

The NHL Score Clock features an actual working score clock and two referees, so that kids can keep track of the score as they pretend to play. With a countdown clock, sound effects and whistles for the referees, this set lets kids get the full hockey experience as they play! And with the logos of all the NHL teams emblazoning the clock, kids will be ready to cheer on their favourite teams. [Read more…]

Give the World this Holiday Season with Artisan Boxes from GlobeIn-Giveaway

November 16, 2016 by Kathryn 114 Comments

When it comes to great Christmas gifts, I have a special fondness for items from other countries. A simple home décor item that was handmade by a talented artisan in another country usually becomes a memento that’s treasured for years. And if you’re shopping for somebody that loves exotic items as much as I do, GlobeIn has a great gift option you’ll want to check out! The company’s Artisan Boxes come in a variety of different themes and feature one-of-a-kind items from other countries. I recently had the chance to check out the Savour Box for myself and I couldn’t wait for it to arrive.

This beautiful set is perfect for an avid cook and features hand painted salt & pepper shakers from the Palestinian Territories, a matching hand painted spoon rest, a hand-carved spice bowl from India and either a palm leaf basket from Mexico or hand-harvested sea salt from the Philippines. Every one of the items was absolutely beautiful, but I loved that they were all so useful too!

[Read more…]

GrafoMap Custom Map Prints Make a Great Gift for Dads and Grads-Giveaway

June 16, 2016 by Kathryn 37 Comments

June is the month of shopping for dads and grads, and if you’re looking for the perfect gift, you can’t go wrong with a GrafoMap! These unique maps can be created using any longitude and latitude to showcase a specific town or city, a great memento to let Dad reminisce about his childhood or help your grad remember his hometown as he heads off to college! Recently I had the chance to create and review my own GrafoMap and I couldn’t wait to see what they were like.

I considered making a map of my own hometown of Lumsden, but instead I decided to create a print of my fiance’s hometown area instead. He was raised on an acreage in the Penetanguishine/Midland area and at first, I wasn’t sure which one to choose for the map. Eventually, I realized that I could use his exact address to create a map that centred right on the house where he was raised. The resulting map print, with glimpses of Georgian Bay around it, was graphically stunning!

[Read more…]

Mattel Has 9 Holiday Gifts That Are This Year’s #ListToppers for Kids-Giveaway #PlayAdvocate

December 9, 2015 by Kathryn 143 Comments

Holiday shopping is in full swing right now, and if you’re still looking for that perfect gift, Mattel has some great suggestions for you! From trains that do tricks to trendy tree decorations, there’s something for kids of all ages in this collection! Check out the nine toys that are sure to be list toppers for kids this year!

Fisher-Price® Thomas & Friends™ Turbo Flip Thomas™ Ages 3+Y | $59.99 | Available at Walmart, Toy’R’Us® and Amazon®

The original Thomas the Tank Engine™ train was made of wood and got pushed around on traditional tracks. Who would’ve guessed that one day Thomas would have such amazing features? A remote control, light-up track projector and the ability to do jaw-dropping backflips and wheelies make Turbo Flip Thomas™ a toy for a new generation.

Barbie® Rock ‘n Royal Courtney and Erika Dolls™ Ages 3Y+ | $29.99 | Available at Walmart, Toys’R’Us® and Amazon®

Have you ever watched the Barbie® Rock ‘N Royals™ movie and wished Barbie® could perform a private concert in your own home? Well, if you haven’t, you can bet your kids have. The Barbie® Rock ‘n Royal™ Courtney and Erika dolls sing songs from the movie and can perform an awesome rock concert. Their variety of songs and fashion outfits are perfect for hours of playtime fun this holiday season. [Read more…]

Let Your Kids Get a Little Gross this Christmas with The Ugglys Pet Shop-Giveaway

December 7, 2015 by Kathryn 76 Comments

Do your kids prefer weird and gross to cute and cuddly? Do they laugh hysterically at rude noises and bad smells? Does just saying the word “fart” cause a reaction in your house? Then this Christmas, the perfect gift may just be The Ugglys Pet Shop toys! These bizarre pets may not seem lovable, but kids can’t get enough of their weird wackiness.

Recently I received an assortment of The Ugglys Pet Shop figurines and accessories to review, and with two school-aged boys in the house, I was pretty sure they’d be popular. I liked the collectible size of the pets and I have to admit that they really were pretty cute, in a gross way! Just like real pets, there were cats, dogs, birds, monkeys and lizards to choose from, all with their own unique style. [Read more…]

These 6 Gifts from Mattel are Holiday #ListToppers this Christmas-Giveaway #PlayAdvocate

November 19, 2015 by Kathryn 210 Comments

The holidays are quickly approaching and if you’ve started the search for that perfect gift for your little one, Mattel Canada has you covered with must-have gifts that are sure to be List Toppers! From toddler to tween, there’s something new for everyone on your Christmas list! Check out these six amazing recommendations for holiday gift giving.

Fisher-Price® Bright Beats Dance & Move BeatBo
Ages 9M + | $49.99 | Available at Walmart, Toys “R” Us® and Amazon®

Imagine if you were learning to talk and you had this bouncing, bubbly character to help. For kids nine months and older, Beatbo will jam out to tunes while teaching kids about letters, numbers, counting, music and more. He’ll take baby’s first words and remix them into a party hit! Learning to talk has never been this exciting.

Barbie® 2015 Holiday Doll
Ages 3Y+ | $44.99 | Available at Walmart, Toys “R” Us® and Amazon®

As you’re welcoming the holidays this year, what better gift than someone who embraces the season whole heartedly? Barbie®, dressed in her elegant garnet-coloured gown, is ready for the party. An annual attendee, Holiday Barbie® has been attending December parties for more than 25 years. A dress with silver snow flakes and red cascading ruffles makes 2015 Holiday Barbie® a must for the occasion. The 2015 edition of the Holiday Barbie® Doll will also make a great addition to anyone’s collection. [Read more…]