Stuff those stockings with Prima Princessa!

I love it when I'm right. Last year, right about this time, I had the pleasure of reviewing a brand new DVD produced by two moms called Prima Princessa presents Swan Lake. It's a sweet little production designed to introduce little girls to the world of ballet with a fairy princess ballerina named Prima Princessa as the star of the show.

What's not to like? So I was pretty excited when Prima Princessa present The Nutcracker arrived in my mail box. Ijust knew that this was going to turn into a successful series!

As in the original DVD, Prima Princessa transports a group of pre-school girls to see a professional baller performance. And what's better than The Nutcracker for the upcoming Christmas season?

Prima Princessa narrates the story (which makes it a lot more interesting for me, too, and now I actually can say I understand the story behind the performance!) and seems to know exactly when to break to allow her young charges time to practice the ballet moves they've learned. That little intermission gives Buttercup time to play, pretend, and laugh along with the girls on TV.

Prima Princessa presents The Nutcracker is definitely going to be played a lot as the holidays draw closer, and each time Buttercup gets more and more excited when the opening credits start up. Why not order now and stow it away for a sweet little Christmas stocking stuffer for your own little princess?

And an FYI from one mom to another---make sure the volume is turned off on your computer speakers before checking out the product site. I'm a huge Prima Princessa fan, but am not crazy about sites that automatically start talking to me (and Prima Princessa has a lot to say!), especially since I do a lot of online shopping when the family is asleep. So if you wanna keep it a surprise, and I'm sure you do, just hit "mute" and make it a Merry Christmas!

Beaded bliss with MJennings Designs

If you want to get a head start on Christmas shopping for the women in your life, I'd like to recommend Mjennings Designs. Forget the lines and the hassle of trying to buy what everyone else is getting. Instead, take a look at this talented designer's site and I'm sure you'll find something you like for a niece, sister, or maybe yourself!

Christenings, school spirit, Greek pride, and holidays are also covered. There's plenty to choose from, and if you don't see what you like, send an email and request a custom creation!

We were lucky enough to receive a beautiful necklace for my niece that she proudly wears to school and for special occasions. It's gorgeous, and so is every item I have been browsing on the Mjennings Designs site.

I can't post a picture, but I can supply this link to the current Child-size collection, perfect for the little girl in your life.

Have a Poof-tastic Halloween!

The days are (sorta) getting on the cooler side as summer comes to a close. And that means that before we all know it, we' are going to be bombarded with the coming holidays.

First up is Halloween. I'm sure you've already seen advertisements for some super cute costumes for little ones in catalogs and in some of the stores. But have you seen Prissy Poofs? Buttercup and I absolutely love the cutesy and fun ballerina-inspired world of make-believe fun these little outfits provide.

Prissy Poofs was kind enough to send Buttercup a Patriotic Poof, which she proudly donned for the holiday festivities. And they are also going one step above and offering one lucky reader the chance to choose their choice of Spooky-Poof for Halloween! (Everybody say "THANK YOU!")

These are really cute and a sure-fire way to help your little girl stand out from the crowd while trick-or-treating. My favorites are the Lucky Pony Poof, the Bumblebee Poof, and the Ladybug Poof. Trust me, if Buttercup saw a photo of that one, I wouldn't hear the end of it until the "Lah-dee bug" showed up in the mail.

To enter, simply visit the site and let me know which Spooky-poof you would choose (and what size) if selected the winner. Make sure to include your email or Twitter ID so I can contact you if you are selected as winner. Entries will be accepted until midnight, EST, on August 28, 2009 and winners have four days to respond or an alternate will be selected. Please note that the contest is limited to the United States only. You must be 18 years or older to enter.

Additional extra entries are also available if you:
* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest at berriesweet.info (at) gmail (dot) com and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!

Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address or Twitter ID to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address or Twitter ID to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

Pretty and natural...and good for your little girl

With all of the attention on organic foods for babies and children, sometimes I forget that what goes ON the body is just as important as what goes IN. Thanks to Sparklehearts, young girls now have a safe and pure option for skincare.

Their press release really caught my attention with the following information: "Most girls would wince in disgust if you told them their favorite body wash contained a chemical that is produced by boiling bugs (called carmine.) And, most parents would wince in disgust if you told them their daughter’s body lotion contained sulfates, phthalates and dozens of toxins and chemicals."

This is where I shuddered and said "yuck!"

Jordan, my favorite little reviewer, gave the bubble bath a try and happily called me soon after to report that it smelled good and made her skin feel soft. And most important to this six-year-old? "The bubbles last a long time!"

This is all good news, of course, but what especially impresses me is that Sparklehearts products are made from 99.6% natural ingredients and contain no harmful toxins or nasty surprise ingredients. Instead, your little girl can indulge herself as she pleases with essential oils, violet extracts, Shea butter, and other natural ingredients.

The best part, of course, is that the moms behind Sparklehearts created a product that is both natural and safe as well as prettily packaged so as to appeal to their dedicated young consumers. Who doesn't like pretty? Especially when it's natural?

Check out Sparklehearts for more information and learn how to stay away from "Skinemies!"

Change it up with Mag-tagz!

One of the coolest parts of reviewing new products is learning about the very inventive moms behind some pretty sweet stuff.

Take Mag-Tagz, for instance. This mom-invented interchangeable line of magnetic jewelery for young girls is fun, cute, smart, and makes me wish I had thought of it! Anita Wentworth (the mom in question!) is on to something here. Gone are the days where yesterday's favorite accessory is long-forgotten. Instead, girls can choose to change up their look with a variety of affordable tagz (or charms), trade with friends, play online games (with chances to win a Nintendo Wii! All participants receive a special, limited edition tag just for playing!)and even enter their own designs and possibly see their idea become a super cute Mag-Tag! Seriously, this woman thought of everything.

The idea is pretty simple: Just get your little girl a magnetic base of choice (like the super cute and limited edition green world flower design, which was a recent design contest winner), and then she's on her way. The interchangeable tagz come in small and large sizes and are priced just right, too.

Mag-tagz are a wonderful choice for girls five and up. Since Buttercup is too young, we had new best friend, "J", try it out, and the reaction was exactly what I am sure Wentworth was going for. Within seconds of putting the necklace on and being explained the concept, "J" was smiling from ear to ear as she made plans to share and trade tagz with a friend living thousands of miles away.

Here she is showing off her new Mag-tagz bling...



Cute, huh?

If you'd like to see this smile on your own kid's face, you can visit www.mag-tagz.com and start your collection now, or you can try and win a necklace and either a small green earth or bee mag-tag here! Mag-tagz is offering one lucky Berrie Sweet Picks reader the chance to win, and I think that's pretty sweet.

To enter, simply click here and post a comment sharing which tgag you or your daughter like the best. Make sure to include your email so I can contact you if you are selected as winner. Entries will be accepted until midnight, EST, on May 26, 2009 and winners have four days to respond or an alternate will be selected. Please note that the contest is limited to the United States and Canada, only. You must be 18 years or older to enter.

Adoitional extra entries are also available if you:
* Become a fan of Berrie Sweet Picks on Facebook
* subscribe to my RSS feed and comment letting me know you did so.
* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest at berriesweet.info (at) gmail (dot) com and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!
* Grab my Berrie Sweet Picks button and place it on your blog page. I'll check!
* Follow me on Twitter! (nickname: berriesweetest)
* Tweet the contest by saying "Mag-tagz giveaway at Berrie Sweet Picks!
* Vlog about the contest and post at www.newbaby.com!

Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

Only one person can win, but everyone can benefit from coupon code of "blogger20" which will get you 20 percent off an order of $20 or more! So what are you waiting for? Change it up!

ChicBuds Jr are sweet!

I love sparklies and so does my niece, Jade. So when I got an offer from ChicBuds to review a pair of their new ChicBuds JR for kids, I knew exactly who to have try them out.

ChicBuds are just plain sweet (if I do say so myself! Check out my review here!) And the Jr's are even sweeter. Just enough bling to for your tween/teen to make their girlfriends jealous without the hefty price tag, making them a perfect last minute gift for all of the birthday parties she fits into her busy social calendar.

Jade loves her Jr's, and had the following to say:

"I liked the headphones a lot. well, they were kinda to big for my ears but i liked them because i would take them to my friend's house and they were really easy to use because there was two people and having to be retractable made it easier. I never have to worry about themm getting tangled anymore."

Jsde told me she went out to the store and bought a set of small (and cheap) off-brand gel cover ear buds to create a better fit with her new fave accessory, and all is well!

So who wants in on a chance to win a pair of ChicBuds Jr? Gift them to your daughter or save as a gift for a special niece! (You MUST be 18 to enter, so ask a relative to enter for you if necessarry!) To enter, please leave me a comment telling me one other ChicBuds item you'd LOVE to see reviewed on Berrie Sweet Picks! Entries will be accepted until midnight (Mountain Time!) on April 17. Good luck!

Additional extra entries are also available if you:
* Become a fan of Berrie Sweet Picks on Facebook
* Become a fan of ChicBuds on Facebook
* subscribe to my RSS feed and comment letting me know you did so.
* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest at berriesweet.info (at) gmail (dot) com and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!
* Grab my Berrie Sweet Picks button and place it on your blog page. I'll check!
* Follow me on Twitter! (nickname: berriesweetest)
* Follow ChicBuds on Twitter (nickname: chicbuds)
* Tweet the contest and leave a comment with your username telling me what you said to your "tweeple"!
* Vlog about the contest and post at www.newbaby.com!

Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

chicBuds: that's "hot"

I am so excited to have been selected as a mom vlogger for NewBaby.com! Not only did I get a sweet lil' flip video camera to share mommy moments on their site, I also get to use my new toy for vlogging reviews of the great products I get to try. I'll still write, of course, but some products just lend themselves to a video, and this was certainly one of them.

My first vlog review comes courtesy from chicBuds, which are a pretty hot commodity right now. (They say Paris Hilton has a pair!) ChicBuds are available at Dillard's and Fred Meyer, and retail for $49.00. Watch the vlog review for my thoughts and let me know what you think!



So about that contest! but you can win a pair right here!(Everyone together now on a huge THANK YOU to Nikki from chicBuds!) To enter to win a pair, stop by their site and then leave me a berrie (read: comment) telling me which color bud and crystal combo you'd choose if selected the winner. You have until midnight, EST. on November 28. One lucky woman gets to bling it up in time for the holidays!

Additional extra entries are also available if you:
* subscribe to my RSS feed and comment letting me know you did so.
* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest at berriesweet.info (at) gmail (dot) com and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!
* Grab my Berrie Sweet Picks button and place it on your blog page. I'll check!
* Follow me on Twitter! (nickname: berriesweetest)
* Tweet the contest and leave a comment with your username telling me what you said to your "tweeple"! Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

Lift me up, Lollitop!

My daughter is going to hate me for this when she is older, but I'm having the time of my life dressing her up like the little doll that she is. With all the great products we receive for review, there really isn't a day that goes by without her sportin' something that makes her the envy of playgroup.

Lollitops USA was one perfect example of "Where'd you get that?" syndrome in full force. Buttercup isn't old enough to realize that the sweet lil' hat with the honkin' flower on it can also be turned into a purse (and she really didn't give two figs when I tried having her wear it as one, either), but everyone else sure wanted to try it out.

The neighbors. The neighbors' kids. The lady at the store. The little girl at the library. For as long as Buttercup decided to amuse me by allowing the Lollitop to remain upon her head, we left with admirers in our wake. Which, perhaps, is why Buttercup left it on her little head for so long. She does love her public, after all.

Lollitops really are the coolest thing I have seen in a long time. Owner/designer Kim Spaan hit it right on the money with her unique take on all-things-girly with this darling purse/hat. In fact, I'm pretty sure if Buttercup was older that she would be demanding two Lollitops so she could wear one as a hat and carry the other as a purse. I know I would if I could get it to fit on my head.

Lollitops go for $30 a piece, but free shipping when you buy two or more will come in handy for decking the little girls in your family out in style for the coming holidays, won't it?

Buttercup was treated to the Hot Cha Cha design, and I'm eyeing the Midnight Honeybee, Glitter Girl, and I'm loving the Cherries Jublilee! Which one is your favorite?



Not sure? Well, you have two weeks to decide because Lollitops has generously offered TWO (berrie) lucky winners the chance to win their own Lollitop of their choice! To enter, you need to visit the site and leave me a berrie (read: comment) telling me which design you'd love to win if selected. Comments will be accepted until midnight, EST, Nov. 14 and the winner will have four days from the announcement date to contact me or an alternate winner will be selected.

As always, extra entries will be available for those who:

* subscribe to my RSS feed and comment letting me know you did so.
* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!
* Grab my Berrie Sweet Picks button and place it on your blog page. I'll check!
* Follow me on Twitter! (nickname: berriesweetest)
* Tweet the contest. To be eligible, you must use "Berrie Sweet Picks" in your tweet and leave me a comment letting me know you did so. And yep-I'll check!

Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

Little girls, ballerinas, and fairies...Oh My!

Okay, if you aren't new here, you already known that Buttercup loves music and is just learning how to bop to the music. She's almost 16 months, and I would bet my life that music is going to be a BIG part of hers when she is older.

I was a little skeptical of the Prima Princessa presents Swan Lake DVD that was sent to me, only because I wasn't sure if it was going to actually hold Buttercup's attention. But then I popped it in, and just because I wanted to amuse myself I also put a tutu on her, and we sat down to learn about Swan Lake.

Prima Princessa is a fairy ballerina (the best kind, right?) who transports a group of pre-school girls to see Swan Lake, as performed by the Paris Opera Ballet. Not only does Prima Princessa narrate the story, she also magically transports the girls back home in between acts so they can dress up in their own tutus and learn simple ballet steps. What you see is really a group of little girls having a lot of fun pretending, but that's really the point, isn't it?

First, let me tell you that the moms behind this little number are absolute geniuses! The DVD was created to help introduce 2-6 yr olds to the world of Ballet in a fun and educational way, and they hit their mark. The bonus is that by watching it with Buttercup, now I actually understand what's going on!

I love ballet, mind you, but I was about as educated on the difference between a plie and a jette as I was on the difference between Odelle and Odette! Now that I know, it all makes a whole lot more sense.

Now, Buttercup is younger than the recommended age, but she did dance to the music and always stopped what she was doing to see the little girls practicing the steps they learned while giggling like crazy. I can see already that this DVD is going to have a very long lifespan in out house and am looking forward to watching this single DVD blossom into a very successful series.

Prima Princessa presents Swan Lake is available here at Amazon.com for $17.99. But if you'd like to try to win your own copy first, just visit the Prima Princessa site or its Amazon page and leave me a comment telling me why you think this DVD would be perfect for your little fairy ballerina!

Extra entries are also available if you:
* subscribe to my RSS feed and comment letting me know you did so.
* Blog about the contest and link to the giveaway.
* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!
* Grab my button and place it on your sidebar, linking to Berrie Sweet Picks. (I'll check!)
* Follow me on Twitter! (nickname: berriesweetest)
* You also can earn 1 extra entry per $1 donated FOR THIS CONTEST ONLY to my DonorsChoose.org Blogger Challenge. Just click on the widget at the top right of my blog page and select the project you'd like to help sponsor and then leave me a comment telling me how much you donated.
Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

I'll pick one name at midnight (EST) on October 16 and will email the winner to let them know they won! The winner has 4 days to respond, or an alternate will be chosen. Good luck!

Blog Bash Review: Poof-tastic birthday!

When I found out I was pregnant with Buttercup, I immediately started making plans for a boy. And I am not ashamed to admit that I was a bit let down when I learned I was actually having a girl.



Fast forward to bows, and pink, and well, PrissyPoofs, and I'm having the time of my life. Little girl stuff is too cute, and I am loving every minute.

And when it came time to choose outfits for Buttercup's One Year photo session with MG Photography, I immediately knew I wanted her in a PrissyPoof. While my husband might look at it and ask why a tu-tu is such a big deal, Moms will understand why I see dreams and hopes and make-believe and beauty and fun and so much more with what PrissyPoofs has to offer for little girls. (Sorry boy Mommas! This is one company where it is all about the girlies!)

Since their opening in 2000, the PrissyPoofs team has been taking dress-up to a whole new level with high-quality tulle poofs (because tu-tu just so much less fun to say, isn't it?), that are comfortable for play.

They are also surprisingly easy to care for, with a toss in the delicate cycle for unimbellished poofs (hand wash the extra fancy stuff!)or a bit of steam from a hot shower helping to add the poofiness back to your princess' poof!

Dress-up options are almost limitless, with PrissyPoofs offering so-berrie-cute options like the GeniePoof, the LuckyPonyPoof, or the CottonCandyCowgirlPoof. Add in your own details like leggings, T-shirts, onsies, denim jackets, and everything else in your little girl's dress-up wardrobe, and you've got hours of fun ahead.

PrissyPoofs are sized from 6-months up to a size 7/8 for years of enjoyment. And for those extra-special photos for your newborn princess, you can check out the
TeenyPoof options.

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Can't wait to get started with some Poof-tastic dress-up fun? PrissyPoofs is offering one lucky reader a Milkshake package in the size and color of the winner's choice. Buttercup wore her KnottyPoof for her one-year pics and looked so cute it hurt, and I can testify to her love of the Milkshake "PLAY!" CD. (She tries to snap her fingers and "sing" along to the lyrics whenever I play it. It's A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!)
To enter, visit the PrissyPoofs site and then leave me a berrie (read: comment) telling me what your favorite poof is. Comments will be accepted until June 27 and one winner will be announced on June 28.