Kate's Bows Review

I received this patriotic headwrap the other day:

Super cute, right? This handmade headband is from Kate's Bows. It features a red and white striped headband with a blue sequined bow attached to it. Riley looked adorable when I tried it on her, but I wasn't able to get her to sit still long enough with it on to capture a photo of it on her yet! It's soft and stretchy, so it fits quite well on her head. It's going to be absolutely perfect for the Fourth of July!

Connect:

You can find Kate's Bows on ETSY. Be sure to check out Kate's Bows on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM, too!

Disclosure: I won this item from a giveaway, and I just wanted to share my thoughts on it with you. All opinions are 100% my own.

My Memories Suite Review and Giveaway

I love scrapbooking, but the truth is that I just don't seem to have that much time for it (or really a lot of the crafty things that I would love to do, for that matter) these days. So, when I was contacted by My Memories with the opportunity to review the My Memories Suite digital scrapbooking software, I jumped at the chance (since I figured I could complete a project much easier and faster than traditional scrapbooking and I'd simply be able to "save" my progress if I only had a few minutes to work on something). 

This scrapbook software is easy to use, and you can create an amazing looking scrapbook page relativity quickly! It comes with a variety papers, layouts, embellishments, and more already loaded on it to help you get started. Plus, their website offers a ton of affordable digital scrapbooking kits and items that you can purchase to use with the software (there's several free items, as well)!

Riley has a ton of photos marking her first birthday (photos of her one her birthday, smash cakes photos by two wonderful photographers, photos from her first birthday party, etc.) that I haven't really gotten to do much with yet, so one of the first things I just had to do was create a little something using some of those photos! I decided to use one of their pre-made birthday designer templates (the And Many More - Pink template), and in just a few minutes, I was able to create this cute page:

 

I also created my very own page from scratch - a pretty fall layout - to compliment photos from our recent visit to a local pumpkin patch. I LOVE LOVE LOVE how it turned out!

My Memories Suite is so much fun! This software allows you to do more than just digital scrapbooking, too. There's a ton of things you can do and create -- from printables to blog buttons and more! And I love that if I'm ever in need of inspiration or tutorials, I can just visit the MyMemories Gallery or their YouTube channel for a ton of ideas.

Where to Buy:
www.mymemories.com

Connect:
You can find My Memories on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, and YOUTUBE. Be sure to check out their BLOG, as well!

Giveaway Time!
One lucky reader will win a copy of the My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software. To enter the giveaway, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a free download of this program in exchange for this review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Jessa's Sunshine Crochet Review

I love crocheted items!

Just take a look at these precious little things I got in the mail the other day:

 

  

Aren't they cute?! 

The Crochet Pumpkin Hat and Count Batty are from Jessa's Sunshine Crochet. (I was lucky to win not one but TWO giveaways on her blog during her weekly giveaways last month/October Celebration!! I was soooo happily surprised!) Both of them are beautifully crocheted. The pumpkin hat, topped off with a stem, curly vine, and leaf, is amazing. The ribbed texture is a such a nice detail. And Riley just loved Count Batty! I wouldn't normally use the word "adorable" to describe a bat, but, in this case, I definitely would! 

The talented lady behind Jessa's Sunshine Crochet makes crochet hats, headbands, clothing, photo props, and more! You can see photos of her other great creations on her Facebook page.

Connect:

You can find Jessa's Sunshine Crochet on FACEBOOK. Be sure to check out her BLOG, too!

Disclosure: I won these items from a giveaway, and I just wanted to share my thoughts on them with you. All opinions are 100% my own.

VTech Crazy Legs Learning Bug Review

Riley received some wonderful gifts at her birthday party, and, of course, that includes the favorite gift of practically all children -- TOYS. One toy that she has taken a particular liking to is the VTech Crazy Legs Learning Bug. 

This cute ladybug toy is educational and loads of fun! From a shape sorter to a pull toy, there's certainly a lot packed into it and so many ways to play. My favorite feature is that the shapes are attached to the toy so that they can't get lost. Plus, it has two modes - a learning mode and a music mode. Riley gets so excited when it lights up and the fun little melodies play. She just loves to clap and dance along with the music!

My only complaint is that a lot of toys have a volume control, but this one does not. I would love to see this toy have some sort of volume control on it, as it can be quite loud. Other than that, I think it's a toy is great! Riley hasn't had it all that long, but she has played with it quite a bit and it seems to be one of her favorites already!

Connect:
You can find VTech on FACEBOOK and TWITTER.

Where to Buy:
You can find the VTech Crazy Legs Learning Bug in stores and at online retailers.

Disclosure: This toy was received as a gift at her party, and I thought that I'd shared my thoughts on it with you. All opinions are 100% my own.

Chris Mann "Roads" Album Review

If you're a fan of NBC's The Voice, then you may already be familiar with Chris Mann. As a finalist on the show last season, he competed on Christina Aguilera's team, and by the end of the season, he had TWO songs on the iTunes Top 10 Pop Singles Chart. 

Now, he has an album out! 

His debut album, Roads, was released on October 30th, and I've been listening to it all throughout the week!

Roads boasts a wildly eclectic assortment of songs, ranging from Willie Nelson’s “Always on My Mind” and Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now” to “Ave Maria” and Damien Rice’s “The Blowers’ Daughter,” with the latter featuring a special guest appearance from Christina Aguilera. Mann co-wrote two songs, “Cuore,” based on Bach’s “Air on a G String,” and the contemporary ballad “Falling.”

My Thoughts!
This is a great album! His voice is full of emotion and power and is simply beautiful to listen to. The Blowers’ Daughter is my top favorite from the album. It's a song that I've liked for quite some time, and this version is amazing.
 

Where to buy:
You can find Roads on iTunes and Amazon.com.

Connect:
For the latest news about Chris Mann, visit ChrisMannMusic.com. You can also check out Chris on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

This is a review post from One2One Network. I was provided with a copy of the album and I am eligible for a prize drawing. All opinions stated are my own.

The Blue Eyed Owl

Love vintage items? Then you'll love The Blue Eyed Owl! This Etsy shop is filled with a nice selection of lovely and unique handmade and vintage pretties.

About The Blue Eyed Owl:

The Blue Eyed Owl was the light at the end of my tunnel. After being forced to resign from teaching kindergarten due to a mystery illness, I was determined to get healthy and start over.

My love of vintage, history, creating, and writing evolved into the perfect sized business. I am able to enjoy motherhood as well as chase my dreams. None of which would be possible without my supportive husband and daughter.

My favorite part about being a shop owner and blogger is the community of like-minded, hard working men and women. I can't remember the last time I felt like I was "working." When you discover what it is you love the most, and turn that passion into a job, everyday feels like play.

I first heard about The Blue Eyed Owl from Kari of The Sweetest Memory when I entered her Sweet One Year Anniversary Giveaway a little while back. I ended up being the lucky winner of the prize from The Blue Eyed Owl, which was a $15 credit to the shop. The Etsy shop happened to be on vacation when I won, so the super sweet shop owner, Liz, offered to send some "surprise" handmade accessories. And they were certainly some great surprises! I was sent a golden-yellow felt bow (that I ended up attaching to a brown headband that I already owned so that Riley could wear it easier), perfect for summer and fall, and a gold sequined bow on an ivory headband. These bows are two of my favorites right now because they can go with a lot of different looks/outfits and are perfect for this time of year. Plus, both of them are just adorable!!!
Photo time!!! :)

Where to Buy:
Visit The Blue Eyed Owl's Etsy shop -- Facebook page to check out all of their pretty items. They often post great deals, discounts, and giveaways!

Connect:
You can find The Blue Eyed Owl on FACEBOOK and TWITTER. Be sure to check out the The Blue Eyed Owl blog, too!

Disclosure: I won these hair accessories from a giveaway and thought that I'd shared my thoughts with you. All opinions are 100% my own.

Bows By Bella Boo

A couple weeks ago, I won a headband from Bows By Bella Boo (from a giveaway on their Facebook page). All of their headbands are super cute, especially the one I received!

Curious to see what it looks like? 

Then check out Miss Riley showing off her new cutest hair accessory below: 

Beautiful, isn't it?! 

It's a purple & lime green flower placed on a pink band. The color combination is just perfect (although I'll admit that those colors aren't ones that I'm typically attracted to when buying Riley hair bows and headbands, but that's simply because I'm kinda, sorta obsessed with everything pink lol -- BUT I do love it!). I completely adore the pink button accent in the center (Buttons are the cutest, aren't they?!). I think this headband is just as precious as it is well made, and it looks so very sweet on Miss Riley!

Where to Buy:
Head over to Bows By Bella Boo's Facebook page to check out all of their pretty items. They often post great deals, discounts, and giveaways!

Disclosure: I won this headband from a giveaway by Bows By Bella Boo and simply wanted to shared my thoughts on the shop/headband. All opinions are 100% my own.

No Slippy Hair Clippy Review & Giveaway *Closed*

Riley doesn't have much hair yet, but hair bows are already a must for my little fashionista (even though they're sometimes hard to stay in)! No outfit is complete without the perfect hair bow. Riley has a bow or headband in her hair every time we go out. Why? Because they just look so stinkin' cute! Plus, this momma loves her baby girl looking super girlie and not being mistaken for a boy (yes, it has happened more than once…and one time she was even wearing a dress…HELLO people…)! Of course, I think she's adorable on her own, without any bows or other hair "pretties," but somehow she's even more adorable when she does wear them.

So, if you're like me and love having your daughter look girlie to the max, No Slippy Hair Clippy has you covered. No Slippy Hair Clippy carries a variety of baby hair accessories, including headbands, hair clips, and more! Plus, their patent pending design allows the clips to stay in place and not slip, which is perfect for those little ones who have very fine/thin hair or who don't yet have much at all. They also offer hair accessories for girls, teens, and women! All of their products are hand-crafted in the USA, too!


About No Slippy Hair Clippy:

Our first "no-slip hair clip" was invented out of sheer frustration in 2000. It took a mom with an almost-bald baby girl to invent a hair clip that would stay securely in place and look cute. For countless generations, baby girls have often been mistaken for boys, and until No Slippy Hair Clippy® opened its doors in 2001, you couldn’t find a hair accessory created specifically to stay in baby-fine hair. Thanks to us, your daughter’s generation no longer has to worry about being mistaken for a BOY!

Our hair clips are quite unique, with a patent pending. Originally designed with a magnet to enhance the hold, we now use a more expensive Plush Swiss Velvet wrapped completely around the metal clip, to provide an identical snug, secure grip. It’s now lighter weight, and so soft she won’t even know it’s there! Our clips won’t hurt if she pulls them out, either, and because we use the highest quality clips available, they don’t bend easily, like others do. Truly the world’s finest non-slip clip®!

Over time, we have continued to grow and to add new products, and we now design hair accessories for girls, teens and women, as well as babies. We offer three different sizes and types of clips; a Mini, a Standard Pinch, and a French Clip for girls of all ages with lots of hair. All are non-slip clips®, and they also won't slide in fine hair of any length. We also offer no-slip headbands, including an organic cotton head wrap, the first of its kind!

No Slippy Hair Clippy® has been nominated every year since 2005 by retailers across the US for the prestigious "Earnie" award for design excellence, and is also a celebrity favorite, photographed often in Hollywood and around the world on celebrities and their children alike.

And now (because we can't help setting trends), a new line of Clipettes™ using our tried and true manufacturing methods with different no-slip materials, is making its debut as a value-based division of No Slippy Hair Clippy®.

My Thoughts!
No Slippy Hair Clippy sent a few of their most popular clips for Miss Riley to try. And they are definitely cute!!! We received Presley in orange/turquoise, Emily in pearl pink, Clipettes Dots in white, and Belinda in turquoise.

Let me just say that I adore all of the No Slippy Hair Clippy hair clips we received! A lot of hair clips and accessories seem to slide out just as quickly as we place them in Riley's hair, but not these clips! The No Slippy Hair Clippy hair clips are true to their name. I was amazed that they stay in place so well. Plus, Riley looks absolutely precious wearing them!

Presley is a 1 ¼” mini clip lined with orange velvet and is embellished with a little orange/turquoise butterfly applique. The velvet lining makes the clip super soft and helps it stay in place. The mini clip is just the perfect size for little ones. Emily is a 1 ¾” pinch clip lined with pink velvet and adorned with a 2” pink grosgrain bow. The simple, classic grosgrain bow makes Emily one of my favorite No Slippy Hair Clippy clips! The Clipettes Dots are a pair of 1 ¾” pinch clips fully lined with an adorable white/pink polka dot printed grosgrain ribbon. Another of my favorites, is Belinda, which is a turquoise/lime green flower placed on a 2 ⅜” french clip.

In addition to the clips, they also sent a pretty pink ribbon so that we can clip the new hair clips on it to keep them organized and all in one place. Love it!

And now its time for Riley to show off a few of her new adorable No Slippy Hair Clippy hair clips! Check out her cuteness in the photos below:

wearing the Presley clip

wearing the Belinda clip

wearing the Emily clip

Overall, I'm really happy with the hair clips from No Slippy Hair Clippy! (And so is Riley! Just check out those sweet smiles!) As you can see, the clips are indeed really cute! But what I love most is that they actually do stay in place even in Riley's baby fine hair! I definitely plan on buying some more of their hair accessories in the future, especially a headband or two.

Where to Buy:

Head over to www.HairClippy.com to see their full selection of hair accessories for your baby, little girl, teenager, or even yourself!

Connect:

For all the latest from No Slippy Hair Clippy, visit their BLOG and check them out on FACEBOOK and TWITTER. You might also want to sign up for their NEWSLETTER to receive special promotions and coupon codes

Giveaway:

One lucky reader is going to WIN a $25 credit to spend at No Slippy Hair Clippy!

Mandatory Entry:

Either “like” No Slippy Hair Clippy on Facebook, follow them on Twitter (@iclippy), OR follow their blog.

Extra Entries:

~Follow the No Slippy Hair Clippy blog via Google Friend Connect  (+1 entry - if that wasn’t your mandatory entry)

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The giveaway will end on May 12, 2012 at 11:59 PM (CST). The mandatory entry MUST be completed in order to have a chance of winning. Extra Entries are optional. Please leave your email address in your comment if it's not visible in your blogger profile. The winner will be chosen by random.org and will be contacted by email/announced on Heard It from the Hills. The winner will have 72 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Open to US only.

No compensation was received for this post. No Slippy Hair Clippy did provide me with products to sample for the purpose of this review; however, all opinions expressed are my own, honest opinions. This giveaway is no way endorsed, sponsored, or affiliated with Facebook.

Melondipity Review

I sort of have an obsession with baby hats and hair accessories! How about you? I'm sure I'm not alone with this obsession. There are just so many cute baby products out there, and I can't help but think how darling little Miss Riley would look in them. She has quite a collection of hair bows and a couple hats so far, and I'm quite certain she is a fashionista in the making! Well, recently I came across Melondipity, a shop filled with adorable and unique baby hats, headbands, and other hair accessories, which I think I just pushed my obsession even further (LOL)!

About Melondipity:

Melondipity began with one mom searching for an adorable and unique hat for her daughter and has grown into a family-owned business run by parents - all for their children.

Since its beginning in 2009, Melondipity has become a nationally recognized name with loyal customers in all 50 states and several countries throughout the world, and we still pride ourselves, on hand selecting all our products and making each customer feel as special as the unique headwear they purchase.

At Melondipity, our number one goal has always been to provide a great experience for our customers through the products we offer, our user- friendly website and our overall customer care. The one of a kind products we offer are hand selected to be not only adorable and unique, but also the highest quality. We pride ourselves on our great selection, and we appreciate and encourage your feedback on any of our products. Our hope is that the ability to easily interact with us about our products, our site, our service, or whatever else is on your mind will help to keep our products and services relevant and our customers happy.

My Thoughts!
We were sent the Holiday Pom Poms hat for Miss Riley, and I simply can not get over how ADORABLE it is! It looks even more precious than I imagined it would on her. The quality is top notch, and the hat is nice and soft! This Holiday Pom Poms hat is done in the most cheerful shade of red and is adorned with two large pom-poms on the top of the hat, which makes it perfect for Christmas! This hat is a size 0-6 months, and it fits great - and even allows room to grow! Plus, with it having a solid red color, it makes it a great casual, everyday hat that will keep her little noggin' cozy and warm during these oh so cold months of winter. It is perfect as a photography prop, as well (and trust me, you will want to take a ton of photos of your little one in this hat).

I hope you are ready for some serious cuteness overload because here's Riley sporting her new little hat:

*More photos coming soon*

In addition to the Holiday Pom Poms hat, Melondipity offers a wide variety of other hats for both girls and boys, including flower hats, animal hats, beanies, and more. And if you're looking for the perfect hat for those Christmas photo-ops, they have a wonderful selection of holiday hats that you must check out!

Here are some other hats and headbands that I absolutely adore and think would be super cute on Riley:

Where to Buy:
Head over to Melondipity.com to see their full selection of hats and headbands for your little one!

UPDATE (12/16): Melondipity is offering 10% off all purchases when you use the code "holidaymelon10" at checkout! This is valid December 16th only. Plus, you get FREE SHIPPING! It's the last day to order for guaranteed delivery by Christmas, so head over there ASAP if you want to buy a cute hat for your little one!

Connect:
To keep up with all the latest promotions, offerings, and more from Melondipity, you can follow them out on FACEBOOK and TWITTER. Be sure to check out the Melondipity blog, too!


No compensation was received for this post. Melondipity did provide me with a product to sample for the purpose of this review; however, all opinions expressed are my own, honest opinions.