Momtrends Holiday Soiree: Celebrating the Holidays in Style

The Holiday season is officially here, and what better way to kick it off than with friends and style. Last week, Momtrends hosted their annual Holiday Soiree, where, together with fellow bloggers and editors, I got a glimpse of some stylish gifts and entertaining ideas.

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Nambe offers a beautiful selection of gifts, including place settings, serving ware, jewelry and so much more. As a major silver fan, I fell in love with several of the rings. What I loved about Nambe’s offerings was that they look highend, yet at an attainable price range. I have this fun ring on my wish list!  

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Arizona Teas shared an array of 100% natural Good Brew teas. I kept going back for the delicious Lemon tea and Peach tea. The fresh taste of these teas are ideal for those who like iced tea all year round. 

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Avery as a perpetual DIYer, I loved absolutely everything that Avery was showcasing at the Soiree. While I loved the funny emoji labels that use the circle tags, I also love those square labels and gift tags. I plan on doing several DIY projects to showcase here on the blog, so keep your eye open for those fun gems.

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Mabel’s Labels is another one of my all-time faves and staples. Mabel’s Labels are the preeminent brand in personalized labels, so it’s no surprise that they have personalized gifts covered too. I’m definitely eyeing those personalized books. My little guy loves Paw Patrol, so we’ll have to ask Santa for those fun books. The stocking stuffer label set are my faves. I decided that I’m going to use those as labels for my nephews this year. Fun and functional!

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American Girl Doll has a beautiful lineup of classic dolls. Wellie Wishers are a popular segment that features a diverse cast of sweet dolls. I personally fell in love with the Asian doll, Emerson. Like the other gorgeous Wellie Wishers, Emerson is a lower price point at just $60.

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Avon always has a fantastic variety of makeup and other beauty products to pamper yourself or to save for gifts. Aside from Avon’s gorgeous palettes, these wonderful products are a great option for a home-based business. I loved learning how some people sell Avon to offset school expenses and other expenses.

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Armigami is a glamorous multi-function shawl that comes in a variety of fabrics and textures. It can be worn as a shawl over the shoulders, a cape, a bolero, a skirt and so much more. This unique shawl would be ideal for nights on the town to traveling to use in lieu of a blanket or coat. I was so fortunate to win the gorgeous black sequined Armigami which I can’t wait to wear to my community holiday party!

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I loved learning about Pearhead, a fun gift company that offers so many unique novelties, many of which can be personalized. IMG 2206In addition to baby  handprint gift sets, Pearhead offers pet gifts, ornaments, fun signs and even photo prop sets, which we had a blast trying out ourselves!

 

 

A big thank you to Nicole and the rest of the Momtrends crew for throwing another fabulous Holiday Soiree! Thank you to the sponsors for the generous gift bag, many of which were mentioned. Keep your eye out for my gift guide which will feature more items from these companies.

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Free Thank You Printable: You’re The Balm

School just ended and we had so many things to celebrate with our wonderful teachers. Littles had a lot of help with his transition into preschool. I was so grateful that these wonderful educators always take such great care of my boy. I felt we could go a bit further than a gift card or generic card. So, I combined some fairly inexpensive beauty items that I absolutely love with a catchy phrase, and voilá!

 I made a super easy thank you gift that conveyed my thanks for multiple teachers and aides who took care of my special needs preschooler all day.

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For this gift, I bought multiple flavors of EOS lip balm and lotions. I then bagged and added a ribbon and a tag. I really think the tag turned out super cute for something I whipped up in just a few minutes. End result: You’re the Balm thank you gifts! EOS balm and lotions can be found at Target and Bed Bath and Beyond. And when they’re on sale or if you have a coupon, it makes them that much sweeter.

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I noticed that there’s a few new flavors and loved being able to incorporate them into my gift. I definitely want to try the tangerine medicated lip balms for myself. As for the lotions? I can’t get over the easy to grab and portable packaging. The scents are fresh and sweet; the only thing about these lotions is that I’d love to see even more scents!

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And these You’re the Balm thank you gifts can be used beyond teacher gifts! I shared the printable on Facebook and my friend used it for her friend’s bachelorette and bridesmaid’s gifts. When it comes to giving small beauty gifts to show your gratitude, the possibilities are endless. And because I’m all about sharing the love, please download the printable here! If you do use it, don’t forget to Pin it or comment below or on Facebook and tell me how you used it!

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NKT Faves: Friday Fab 5

 

Influenced by hip hop legend Fab 5 Freddy, I thought I’d jumpstart a weekly feature list: Friday Fab 5. As a product blogger, I often acquire really great samples and don’t get to post about them until way later.

With Friday Fab 5, I thought I could photograph a group of finds that we’re using and currently enjoying, whether we bought them or were provided as a sample. I plan to include kid and family-centric products, and maybe a few products that I enjoy for myself.  As always, I will include the info about the find and whether we bought or received as a sample.

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1. Melissa and Doug Water Wow

My husband often brings home random samples from his office. One morning this week, he left this activity book on the couch. Littles found the book and begged for me to open it. Upon first investigation, admittedly, I was annoyed that this used water, because toddlers + water typically equals wet mess. Melissa and Doug proved me wrong this time around. The Water Wow uses a chubby water filled paintbrush to “color” thick cardboard pages. After filling the refillable paintbrush, the child can easily swipe the brush on the dry white pages to reveal a pre-determined colorful picture. After coloring all four pages of animal-themed images, my guy was excited that he could do it all by himself. Unfortunately, he was quickly frustrated that he’d have to wait for the pages to dry to color the in the book all over again. I love the size of the Water Wow book because it’s perfect for small hands and easy to throw in a bag for travel.  However, I’d love to see a few more pages, or perhaps, even a bigger book to engage kids even longer. The water color concept isn’t anything new, but I have to say, this mess-less water color play pattern is ingenious!

Melissa and Doug Water Wow can be found at Michael’s and Amazon. 

 

2. Wet ’n Wild Fantasy Makers

I honestly haven’t used (or seen) Wet ’n Wild since my jr. high days. And clearly, I’m not your most knowledgeable beauty source; however, I love this fun polish. I believe I received this Wet ’n Wild Fantasy Makers in a Halloween sample pack from an event. I was in need of a quick polish change and remembered I had this. The polish was light and easy, and quick to dry. Surpringly, it stayed on for almost a week! Loved this black color with fun sparkles.

 

3. Disney Creative Studio Deluxe Stylus

As major Disney fans, we’re always onboard for reviewing Disney-themed gadgets. I’ll do a thorough review soon, but the boys are both loving the capabilities of this the Disney Creative Studio Deluxe Stylus. They’re able to draw and color via the Disney Creative Studio platform. And truly, I can always get behind a product that entertains both kids and promotes imagination.

 

4. SoapSox

SoapSox is another product that I received to review. It’s been sitting on my desk for months, and I just haven’t had the chance to unpack it to share with the kids…until last night. I gave each kid one SoapSox to play with and it was an absolute hit during bath time. The shark was a true hit with my Sharknado-obsessed kids. You can load the soap through the designated soap pocket and then play with the bath-friendly stuffed animal. I love how functional and fun SoapSox is during bathtime. Best part of this bath toy, after using it, you can pop it in the washing machine! 

 

5. Thames & Kosmos Mini Volcano

Science projects are always a big hit in my house of geeky boys, but projects that blow up and make messes are always favorites. I received this small kit in a Toy Fair gift bag from a visit to the Southard showroom, and let me tell you, it kept my guys entertained for hours. Baking soda and vinegar volcanoes are a staple for creating erupting volcanoes, but this project took it up a notch with a little plastic volcano and some red dye.  Let’s just say I was not a fan of the red dye, but we will be using this mini volcano and goggles over and over again. The goggles might be my favorite part!

 

Glop & Glam: natural hair products for kids

June will always remind me of the end of the school year AND many, many dance recitals. Standing in some barren classroom, alongside of other ballerinas prepping for various performances, my mom would perfect my bun atop of my head and spray—and spray—until every strand of hair was perfect.  With all those girls (and guys) in my dance school spraying away, we sure went through a lot of AquaNet.  We, alone, are probably to blame for the hole in the ozone.

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Well, thank goodness times have changed. Kids who have ballerina buns, cheerleader ‘dos or maybe fauxhawks to perfect, there’s a new line of natural hair products specifically targeted to them. Recently rolled out, Glop and Glam is a line of natural hair products, formulated without harsh chemicals and preservatives that are often found in many adult hair care products. G&G Hair Products are free of Paraben and formaldehyde (Hydantoin DMDM). The products tout natural extracts like Aloe, Echinacea (A E C), and Camellia Oleifera leaf extract (Green Tea) that are said to moisturize and add gloss and texture.  G&G might be intended for kids, but they’re suitable for grown-ups, too.

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G&G sent me some various samples to take a look at and review. Upon opening the box, I was taken aback by the gorgeous packaging. I’m such a nerd for cool packaging, as I’m sure you’ve already figured out! Each product had its own cool scent. Our favorite, however, was the Hair Glop Banana Spike Molding Putty.

glop_banana_tLast week, the boy had a go-see in the city, and after trekking in the rain and sitting in his stroller all morning, his hair was a crazy mess (He has hair like his mama.) I pulled out the Molding Putty, and it worked wonders with his damp, tangly hair. With just a few finger swipes from the container, the boy’s longish and uncontrollable hair was tamed again. It gave his fine-looking, yet thick hair some texture, without making it look overdone. I see a lot of boys wearing the spiky look lately, and this putty would be suitable for creating that look. The putty allowed for his hair to still be pliable, yet hold a definitive style. I loved how the putty was light and not sticky or greasy at all. The banana scent was subtle and not overpowering, again light enough to use for a kid. Every day isn’t a hair product kind of day for us, but when the situation calls for it, without a doubt, the Molding Putty comes in handy.

I tried out the Glam Chocolate Controller on myself and thought it would be suitable for longer hair, even those with hair that has a tendency to frizz. This scent was sweet and yummy, but again, nothing over-the-top.

With the unique packaging, fun scents, light and natural composition, Glop and Glam is a fun and natural alternative to adult hair products. I can definitely see my Tween nieces, nephews and teenage niece using Glop and Glam products regularly.  G&G hair products for kids is sold online and can be found at hair salons; most products are in the $15 price range.

Would you like to try it out for your kid?  I have the Glam Chocolate Controller and Glop Chocolate Cream samples up for grabs.

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Take a look at Glop and Glam products and tell me what products your kid might enjoy and comment below.

For extra entries:

1. Tweet

2. Share

3.  Tell me what is the scent of the leave-in conditioner and detangler mist.

4. Become a fan of NKT on Facebook!

Good luck and please leave a comment for each entry.  This contest will end on July 8th.
**********This contest is now closed**********