Uncommon Goods Review and $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway Holiday Gift Guide

Is it me or does it seem like as the years go on in your marriage or life that finding a good, different, fun or funny gift for your spouse gets harder and harder? I am always looking to Wow my husband or at least give him something he would not normally buy himself for the Holidays. I found a place called Uncommon Goods that sells stuff just like that, unique and unusual gift ideas. I browsed the For Him section and found all sorts of cool stuff including the Top 10 Gifts for Men. Everything is listed by category like, gifts for geeks, gifts for sports fans, gifts for handymen and much more. Not only do they have great items for the man in your life but they have Holiday Gift ideas for Her, for the Office, Dining and Entertaining, for Kids, Jewelry and Accessories and more.


While checking out all of the categories I came across these cool Cast Iron Tool Bottle Openers in the Handymen section. My husband loves the bottle root beer and a few beers on Football Night Sunday, so I thought this little device would be great for him. It is nice and heavy, made of cast iron and very durable. Not to mention super cute!!



Then in the Sports Fans category I found these super cool Golfers BBQ Set. It is a 3 piece stainless steel set with soft insulated handles that look just like golf grips! Golfing is one of his favorite things to do so I knew this set would be a hit. He chuckled at how unique the set was (just what I was looking for in a gift) and could not wait to break them in on the BBQ.





Looking for something fun and unique for your teen that just seems impossible to shop for? How about these Recycled Knit Arm Warmers?





Or if you are feeling really daring how about these Glass Bacon and Egg Earings. Ahhhh love it!


Ok one more, how about your Mother-in-Law who has everything? I bet you she does not have a Bike Chain Bowl!

For the kitchen crafty person there is a Cheese Making Kit that could be a lot of fun. Or the Spongester for a great Hostess Gift. I am telling you I could go on and on about the fun and unique Holiday Gift ideas Uncommon Goods has, check them out for yourself!

GIVEAWAY

 
Win a $50 Gift Certificate to Uncommon Goods.

To Enter This Giveaway:  

What item would you like to have from Uncommon Goods?

 *Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on. 

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#Win $50 Gift Certificate from @UncommonGoods at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 12/17 http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2011/12/uncommon-goods-review-and-50-gift.html


*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts December 9, 2011 and ends on December 17, 2011 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

eShakti Clothing Review Holiday Gift Guide

This Holiday Season I wanted to get everyone I know and love great things, but I also wanted a few things for my self :) I love clothes, shoes and purses so when I found out about eShakti I wanted to share it with you guys. Strange name right? In Sanskrit, Shakti means power and is pronounced e-Shuck-tee, but e-Shack-tee works, too! eShakti empowers you to choose the fit, color, size and style that suits you and they carry sizes 0-26W.. eShakti features Women's designer fashion clothes, like dresses, tops, sweaters and coats.


I have a slight obsession with jackets and coats, can you blame me, I wear one most of the time in living in Washington! Check out the beautiful jacket I got from eShakti to wear this winter and the next and the next. I would model it for you, but being 9 months pregnant I was not doing it any justice, trust me it looks cute on :)





You can see more of their Cardigans and Jackets here. There are lots of great items to see and great gift ideas for the Holidays.

Looking for a party dress this season? I like the Waterfall Dress, it also comes in BLACK!!

Or a cute blouse to wear with your favorite pair of jeans? How about the Asymmetric pintucked ruffle panel front blouse, in Poppy Red? I love this top!

Here is a bit more about eShakti from their web site-

Our Mission:

eShakti wants you to look your personal best. We know that you are beautiful, confident and uniquely classic. At eShakti, we offer distinctive design and unparalleled fit. Many of our styles are evocative of the past with feminine details and dressmaker finishes for today's modern woman. Our clothes come in a wide array of fabrics and colors in sizes 0 through 26, and our custom capabilities allow you to tailor any item to your specific requirements ensuring you a flattering fit.

Our Vision:

At eShakti, we know that all sizes are not created equal. You no longer have to conform to standard measurements that don't flatter your shape. You can shop for exactly what you want without compromising fit or style. Take advantage of our custom capabilities and let us provide you with a product that was truly made for you!

Our Policy:

eShakti puts you in charge of choosing the fit and styling that best suits your shape. Of course, you may choose any garment without customizing. All eShakti merchandise is guaranteed. If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase for any reason, you can return it for a full refund. In fact, we want to know how we can serve you better, and encourage you to take the time to write us and share your thoughts and comments. 

You can learn more about eShakti by following them on Twitter and being a fan on Facebook. 

*I was not paid or compensated for this post. The opinions in this post are 100% mine. I was provided the products pictured to review for this post by the Company / PR Company.

Doodlebuckets Review and Giveaway Holiday Gift Guide

I love getting food, treats and snacks for the Holidays and if it comes in a basket and delivered to my house even better!! Looking to send someone a special basket with chocolate or coffee or some other treats they may like? Well Doodlebuckets can help you out with that, they have Holiday or Christmas Gift Baskets available to send to your special someone. In our basket there was a little bag of coffee, vanilla caramels, flavored pretzels, tasty peanuts, caramel popcorn, a Holiday Merry Mix and even some Almond Roca... yummy.








Not only do they do Holiday Baskets but they specialize in Baby Gifts and Baby Baskets of all kinds! Doodlebuckets has cute Diaper Cakes, Baby Girl Gift Sets, Baby Shower Gifts, Twins and Multiples Gift Sets and More.




There are gift baskets for All Occasions, check out Doodlebuckets for yourself.


GIVEAWAY

 
Win Doodlebuckets Christmas Gift Basket - Winners Choice Valued at $49.99 or less

To Enter This Giveaway:  

Which Christmas Doodlebuckets Basket would you select if you won? ($49.99 or less)

 *Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on. 

-Like on Doodlebuckets Facebook +1

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-Google 1+ the Christmas Gift Basket Page on their site ( left side middle under New Arrivals) +1

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-Share this giveaway on Facebook ONLY, using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +1 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Copy and Paste This Tweet on Twitter and leave me the link (to find the link click on the time stamp under your tweet. Can be done once a day for the duration of the giveaway) +1 for each tweet

#Win Doodlebuckets Holiday Gift Basket from @Mammato7 at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 12/17 http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2011/12/doodlebuckets-review-and-giveaway.html

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts December 9, 2011 and ends on December 16, 2011 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

DaVinci Gourmet Review and Giveaway Holiday Gift Guide

Here at Frugal Family Tree, we all love reviewing goodies, treats, and yummy food. I was lucky enough to get to review DaVinci Gourmet, a company that makes and sells delicious syrups and sauces. They can be used for making hot or cold drinks, desserts, milkshakes, cocktails and more. They are especially popular for making flavored coffees, lattes and tea. DaVinci offers over 170 flavors of their syrups and sauces, so everyone is bound to find a favorite.

I have tried the Egg Nog and the Peppermint syrups, and the Chocolate and the Caramel sauces. Let me just tell you right now, they are fabulous. We used the chocolate and caramel sauces for ice creme sundaes, and the chocolate sauce was so rich and tasty. We have all decided that ice creme sundaes do lead to happiness.

I used the Egg Nog syrup to stir into my coffee with a little milk and cinnamon and that was really good. It felt very festive and I loved how much money it saved me by not having to go out for my holiday coffee treat.
Next to try was the Peppermint syrup, so I looked on the DaVinci website for a recipe or suggestion on how to use it. I made Peppermint Patty Coffee, and that was delicious, too. This coffee would be an excellent choice for after dinner, instead of a dessert.

DaVinci Gourmet is located right in the heart of Seattle Washington. They have been in business for over two decades. The company started out making high end truffles, but when the Seattle coffee craze came, they jumped into making the flavored syrups that compliment the espresso and coffee drinks that were becoming so popular. The prices for their products are very affordable, and they offer hundreds of recipes to choose from. Visit their website at DaVinciGourmet.com to see all the flavors they offer and ways to use these delicious syrups and sauces. With the holidays just around the corner, this is a great time to try out something new, to treat your guests, or yourself.

GIVEAWAY

 
Win DaVinci Gourmet Flavored Syrups and Sauces.

To Enter This Giveaway:  

What Recipe on DaVinci Gourmet would you like to try?

 *Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on. 

-Like on DaVinci Gourmet Facebook +1

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-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +1
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-Share this giveaway on Facebook ONLY, using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +1 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Copy and Paste This Tweet on Twitter and leave me the link (to find the link click on the time stamp under your tweet. Can be done once a day for the duration of the giveaway) +1 for each tweet

#Win DaVinci Gourmet Flavored Syrups and Sauces from @DaVinciGourmet at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 12/16 http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2011/12/davinci-gourmet-review-and-giveaway.html


*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts December 9, 2011 and ends on December 16, 2011 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

Horizon Group Velv-Its Jumbo Poster Craft Review and Giveaway Holiday Gift Guide

I have been tying to be more crafty, its one of my New Years resolutions! In my quest for craftiness I have been finding a few companies that carry fun crafts for kids. Horizon Group USA makes Velv-Its, they are fun fuzzy posters craft projects that you color in. They are great for kids since there is no need to worry about coloring in the lines. The Velv-Its posters come with 5 colored markers to make the picture colorful.

We were sent the Velv-Its Jumbo Horse Poster for our review. Since we love animals it was great to color the poster as we made our best impression of a horse! My son is a little young for the poster and I am a bit too old for it but together we did have fun coloring it. Our horse ended up pink, orange and yellow with brown grass but it was how my son wanted it. It was fun to be able to share in the time spent laying on out tummies coloring to our hearts content.

You can find all the great Craft products and craft ideas on the Horizon Group USA website CraftProjectIdeas.com

They also have a Christmas craft page full of crafty ideas.

GIVEAWAY

 
Win a Velv-Its Jumbo Horse Poster

To Enter This Giveaway:  

What other products made by Horizon Group USA do you like?

 *Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on. 

-Like on Craft Project Ideas Facebook +1

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-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +1
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-Share this giveaway on Facebook ONLY, using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +1 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Copy and Paste This Tweet on Twitter and leave me the link (to find the link click on the time stamp under your tweet. Can be done once a day for the duration of the giveaway) +1 for each tweet

#Win a Jumbo Horse Velv-Its Poster from @CraftPrjctIdeas at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 12/16 http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2011/12/horizon-group-velv-its-jumbo-poster.html


*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts December 8, 2011 and ends on December 16 , 2011 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

Hallmark Recorable Book and Ornament Review and Giveaway Holiday Gift Guide

I have loved the Hallmark company since I was a little girl. My mom loves to buy cards from there and we can spend hours looking at all the cards. During the Holidays Hallmark ornaments are a special item to give and get. There is a bit of magic in a Hallmark ornament with the details and care that go into the making of them. The first Christmas my son had I knew I HAD to have a Hallmark First Christmas ornament for him. I looked all over my local area for the one I wanted but they were sold out! (I should have been looking sooner for one!) I wanted to cry my eyes out that my baby boy would not have a First Christmas ornament on Christmas day .My Mom, Nana, found the sweetest Classic Winnie the Pooh first Christmas ornament and shipped it to me for my son. Nana saved the day for me with that precious little ornament. I did end up finding the other First Christmas ornament online that I wanted for me son so now he has two super special Hallmark First Christmas ornaments on the tree just for him. 

My sons first Christmas ornaments

Every year Hallmark comes out with great new ones too. We are wanting to get a new yearly Hallmark ornament each year to put a picture of our son in. I was thrilled when I learned that they made Recordable Keepsake Ornaments. The one I reviewed is an awesome combination of a yearly one, a photo one and a recordable one. How awesome is that! I am waiting to put a picture of him on Christmas day this year in it so next year I can remember the day but we are working on the message we will record. My son loves animals so he and I make the noises of what animals says what. I say "Cows say?" He response back with "Mooo Mooo" then I say "Sheep say?" he says "Baaaa Baaaa" when I ask him what a Pig says he grabs his nose and makes a piggy snorting noise, it cracks me up every time. We say dog, cat, and more animals and that is what I want to record on the Hallmark 2011 A Year to Remember ornament. It melts my heart when he and I have our animal noises conversation and this way no matter how big he gets I will have his sweet animal sounds recorded.

Another awesome item I was able to review is the Hallmark Recordable Story Books. I have seen these in stores and the commercial with the Solider getting the one in the mail from his little girl Sam makes me teary eyed every time I see it. The book I selected to review is one of my favorite baby books by Nancy Tillman, the book On the Night You Were Born. This book is so precious and of course has my sons favorite thing, animals in it. I recorded me reading it to him when he was sitting there with me. He pointed to the bears and said bear and when he saw there were Giraffes in the book he happily shrieked "Giafe!" Giraffes are his super duper favorite animal and I love to see how much joy he gets when he sees one. I almost started to cry as I was making the recording but did not want to mess it up. Hallmark sure knows how to make perfect gifts for families.

I encourage everyone to get a recordable Hallmark item this holiday season. I know we have cell phone messages, videos and all that sort of stuff but a book or ornament with your sweet little one talking on it no matter how old they are or will get it will always be something special.

Here is a great coupon code to get 20% off personalized greetings (minimum purchase $20) at www.hallmark.com. Discount code: SOCIAL20 (valid 11/1/11 – 1/1/12)

GIVEAWAY

 
Win a Hallmark Keepsake Ornament and Recordable Book.

To Enter This Giveaway:  

What Hallmark Ornament is your favorite?

 *Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on. 

-Like on Hallmark Facebook +1

-Follow Hallmark PR on Twitter +1

-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +1
-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1
-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1

-Share this giveaway on Facebook ONLY, using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +1 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Copy and Paste This Tweet on Twitter and leave me the link (to find the link click on the time stamp under your tweet. Can be done once a day for the duration of the giveaway) +1 for each tweet

#Win a Hallmark Recordable Story and Keepsake Ornament from @HallmarkPR  at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 12/16 http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2011/12/hallmark-recorable-book-and-ornament.html


*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts December 8, 2011 and ends on December 16 , 2011 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize

K'NEX Mario Cart Giveaway Holiday Gift Guide

We are happy that K'NEX is apart of our Holiday Gift Guide this year. JJ and his Dad have been having a blast playing with their Mario Cart Wii building set for JJ's Birthday. We are excited that now one of our readers will be able to win a Mario Cart Wii building set for your family. You can read the review Mario Kart Mario and Yoshi Building set here.

Here is info on the Finish Line Set from their web site-
Bring Mario™ Kart™ Wii to life! Race Mario™ and Yoshi™ to the Finish Line of the Mario™ Circuit Track. The set includes the parts to build Mario™ and Yoshi™, 2 Wild Wing Karts with super-fast, battery-powered motors, a buildable Goombas obstacle and 2 collectible items from the game: a Red Turtle Shell and Bullet Bill! Also includes 16 pieces of buildable, interconnectable track that creates a closed loop - combine this set with other sets from the Mario™ Kart™ Wii Series to build even bigger tracks! Ages 6+

GIVEAWAY

 
Win a Mario Cart Wii  Mario and Yoshi Finish Line KNEX set

To Enter This Giveaway:  

What other KNEX set do you like?

 *Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on. 

-Like on K'NEX Facebook +1

-Join the K'NEX Club for you and your kids +1

-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +1
-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1
-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1

-Share this giveaway on Facebook ONLY, using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +1 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Copy and Paste This Tweet on Twitter and leave me the link (to find the link click on the time stamp under your tweet. Can be done once a day for the duration of the giveaway) +1 for each tweet

#Win a Mario Cart Mario and Yoshi Finish line set from K'NEX at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 12/16 http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2011/12/knex-mario-cart-giveaway-holiday-gift.html


*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts December 8, 2011 and ends on December 16 , 2011 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize

Emily Post's Etiquette, 18th Edition Manners For A New World Review Holiday Gift Guide

Emily Post's Etiquette, the latest and 18th edition, is the new book of manners for this new and changing world. For generations, Emily Post has been the authority on good manners, proper social conduct and how to live a gracious life. But times have changed and just a few years ago the term "social networking" didn't even exist. So many of us are now plugged into the ever expanding world of technology, and good manners are needed there as well.

This new edition of Etiquette tackles all the modern issues that most of us face daily, from texting and Facebook, to tweeting and iPhones. We are introduced to a new generation of the Post Family, Emily's two great-great granddaughters and grandson. These new and younger voices offer answers and insights into some of todays' complicated social questions regarding technology and it's uses. Questions about on-line dating proper behavior on Facebook, tattoos in the workplace and more are just some of the subjects found here. All the questions and social situations that our parents once turned to Emily Post for the answers to, are covered here as well. Weddings, table manners, dress codes, family celebrations and more are all covered in a friendly and easy conversational tone. Thoughtfulness and consideration are just as important today as they always have been.

I think this is an important and excellent book for everyone to have in their household. We all want to have an active, happy social and family life. Good manners are key to good relationships, in the workplace, and making and keeping friends.

You can purchase Emily Post's Etiquette, 18th Edition Manners For A New World from Harper Collins, Barnes and Noble, Books A Million and many other book retailers.

To learn more about Emily Post's new book and other great books publisher by Harper Collins you can like Harper Collins Publishing on facebook and follow Harper Collins Publishing on Twitter. 



* I was not paid or compensated for this post. I was sent a free copy of this book for my review by the publisher/PR company. The opinions are 100% mine and may vary from others.