AND THE WINNER IS....

Congratulations ROBYNK!  You've won the dress of your choice from Faith Works 4 U!  They have so many adorable dresses, I don't know how you'll pick just one.

Please e-mail me at afomft@gmail.com by end of day Wednesday, June 10th to claim your prize. If I do not hear from you by then, a new winner will be chosen.  And a huge thank you to Faith Works 4 U for this fabulous giveaway!

FABULOUS FOR MOM FRIDAY: Octavia Bloom {DISCOUNT}

I am a true New York City girl and if you peeked into my closet you'd see black, black and more black.  But when the weather warms up, my style does a 180 and all I want to wear is color.  Blues and yellows and oranges and pinks - you name it, I'll put it on.  And that doesn't just go for my clothes - when it comes to accessories, the brighter, the better.  So when I found the jewelry from Octavia Bloom, I was all aflutter.

Each design is like a brilliant burst of color and I honestly wish I could get one of each.  If I had to pick a favorite, I'd say it's the Louie Sunbathing Necklace.  How fabulous would this be with a sundress?

The Olivene style is smaller than the Louie but makes just as much of a statement.

And if you like both, go for the Lola, which features one Louie and one Olivene charm.  So pretty!

Octavia Bloom carries a gorgeous line of earrings too, like the sassy Remington Rae.

And the delightful Ms. Dapper.

So if you're looking to add some fun to your days in the sun, check out the gorgeous goodies from Octavia Bloom.  Even a simple white tank top will look like haute couture with one of her terrific pieces.  Come to think of it, they'd even work with black.  This New York girl may be wearing color all year long now!

And I've got some great news!  Octavia Bloom is offering readers of AFOMFT 20% off all purchases!  Just mention AFOMFT in the message to seller box when you check out and the discount will be refunded to you via Paypal when your order ships.  Please note the discount does not apply to shipping costs.  Happy shopping!

Images: Octavia Bloom

What's Old Is New Again {GIVEAWAY}

Is there anything more comfortable than an old worn in t-shirt?  I have a few that I refused to toss until they had so many holes in them that they weren't good for anything other than dusting.  But now that my friend Melissa has started Nookie Scooter, my "vintage" Bon Jovi concert tee may have a chance at a second life - as a dress!  Take a peek at what she did with an old Tootsie Pop top.

Holy cuteness!  Nookie Scooter is full of adorable t-shirt creations and there are so many things to like about them.  First, they're all up-cycled and feature "found" tees and knits.  Second, each one is totally unique so you know you'll never see another child wearing the same one yours is.  And third, they're not just for girls!  This fun recycled tee is unisex.

And what little guy wouldn't leap a tall building in a single bound to sport one of these superhero hoodies?

But as a mom of two girls, I'll always be drawn to the darling dresses.  Love is totally appropriate for these two sparkle-y numbers.

And I can totally see one of my independent toddlers sporting this sassy one.

Melissa just started screen-printing her knits too.  This Western-inspired design would be perfect for a little cowgirl.  How fab would it be paired with a great pair of boots?

And every little princess loves a frog, especially one with rhinestones.

You can even get coordinating dresses for your little one's doll. 

Nookie Scooter has pre-made dresses, hoodies, shirts and more in the store and lots more tees to choose from.  If you see one you like, just convo Melissa and she'll transform it just for you.  The "All My Homies From the Street" shirt cracks me up.

 
If you've got a shirt of your own that holds a special place in your heart, Melissa can work with that too.  She took a fireman's tee and made it into this sweet dress for his daughter.

I may have to take a trip down to Chinatown to buy a few Italia shirts so my little princepessas can have two of these!

So what are you waiting for?  Go dig out your favorite old t-shirts and send 'em off to Nookie Scooter.  Your kid will be the coolest one on the playground rocking an up-cycled outfit made from your vintage Poison tee.  And I've got some rocking news for you! 

Melissa gas generously offered to give a $25 credit to one lucky AFOMFT reader!  You can use it toward anything currently in her store or put it toward a custom order using a shirt of your own or one from her stash.  To enter, visit Nookie Scooter and make the store a favorite.  Then post a comment here telling me you did along with what design in her shop you'll choose if you win OR what t-shirt of yours you'll send in to have transformed by Melissa (these are mandatory).  For additional entries:

• Subscribe to AFOMFT or let us know you are a subscriber
• "Like" AFOMFT on Facebook -- http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFTFBFAN
• "Like" Nookie Scooter on Facebook -- http://www.facebook.com/NookieScooter
• Ask your friends to "like" AFOMFT on Facebook by sending them this link - http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFTFBFAN - and post a comment here with the names of each one who does.  You'll earn one entry per new friend who "likes" our page and names will be cross-checked.  
• Follow AFOMFT on Twitter (@AFOMFT or click the birdie icon on the sidebar) and tweet this post by clicking the graphic above or this giveaway:  Enter to #win a $25 credit to make an upcycled outfit from your fave T for your little one @AFOMFT - http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFT
• Click here to vote for AFOMFT on Top Baby Blogs and post a comment here that you did - .  You can vote once per day per computer so if you vote every day or on different computers, be sure to post one comment for each one.
• Grab our button and put it on your blog or website and post a link here showing us.
• Blog about AFOMFT or this giveaway (worth 2 entries so please post two comments) and post a link to the post.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry (two if you've blogged about the giveaway) and make sure to include a link to your tweet, blog post, etc. All entries must be posted on AFOMFT as a direct comment to this post.  Comments on Facebook will not count as entries.  This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada and ends June 10th at 11:59 pm EST. The winner will be selected by random.org and announced on AFOMFT on June 11th. If the winner doesn't contact AFOMFT within 48 hours, a new drawing will be held so be sure to check back to see if you've won!

Images: Nookie Scooter

Pear Tree Greetings Address Labels {GIVEAWAY & DISCOUNT}

When I was a kid, I loved stickers.  The scratch 'n sniff ones, the sparkly ones, the puffy ones.... I wasn't picky.  As long as they stuck in my album, they were for me.  And even now as an adult, I haven't quite outgrown my fondness for sticky stuff.  The difference is that now it manifests itself in a more useful way.  With address labels.  Lots and lots of address labels.

I know what you're thinking.  Who the heck needs them anymore?  Sure, we use e-mail for most correspondence and pay bills online but as a return address on your mail isn't the only way to use them.  Order them without the address and use them as gift tags.  These would be perfect to put on a package of homemade treats!

Or stick some to a fun favor to use as birthday invitations.  How cute would these look on a toy truck or construction hat?

The possibilities are endless!  And so are the choices of labels at Pear Tree Greetings.  Some of my favorite designs include this busy bee, which would be perfect for Gabrielle and Alaina:

The adorable airplane:

And this fun photo style:

The best part about the Pear Tree Greetings labels is the price - you can get a dozen of them for just $2.99!  That's 25 cents a label.  Now there's no excuse for getting a few for the holidays, some others for your child's birthday party and some more for yourself!  I'm planning on ordering an assortment to put in my baby shower gift for a friend.  She's having a little boy so here's what I have in mind:

So fun! 

Pear Tree Greetings carries more than just address labels - they have baby announcements, birthday cards, mommy cards and more.  I received a set of personalized stationery from their site for Gabrielle and Alaina and the quality was great.  And guess what?  Some of you will get to see for yourself - for free.

Today's giveaway is a little different than the ones I normally do because there won't be one winner - there will be five!  That's right, Pear Tree Greetings has generously offered to give away one set of address labels to five different AFOMFT readers!  To enter, visit Pear Tree Greetings and post a comment here telling me which address labels you'll choose if you win and how you'll use them (answering both is mandatory).  For additional entries:

• Subscribe to AFOMFT or let us know you are a subscriber
• "Like" AFOMFT on Facebook -- http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFTFBFAN
• "Like" Pear Tree Greetings on Facebook -- http://www.facebook.com/PearTreeGreetings
• Ask your friends to "like" AFOMFT on Facebook by sending them this link - http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFTFBFAN - and post a comment here with the names of each one who does.  You'll earn one entry per new friend who "likes" our page and names will be cross-checked.  
• Follow Pear Tree Greetings & AFOMFT on Twitter (@PearTreeGrtngs & @AFOMFT or click the birdie icon on the sidebar) and tweet this post by clicking the graphic above or this giveaway:  #Win a set of fab address labels from @PearTreeGrtngs from @AFOMFT - http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFT
• Click here to vote for AFOMFT on Top Baby Blogs and post a comment here that you did - .  You can vote once per day per computer so if you vote every day or on different computers, be sure to post one comment for each one.
• Grab our button and put it on your blog or website and post a link here showing us.
• Blog about AFOMFT or this giveaway (worth 2 entries so please post two comments) and post a link to the post.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry (two if you've blogged about the giveaway) and make sure to include a link to your tweet, blog post, etc. All entries must be posted on AFOMFT as a direct comment to this post.  Comments on Facebook will not count as entries.  This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada and ends June 9th at 11:59 pm EST. The winners will be selected by random.org and announced on AFOMFT on June 10th. If the winners don't contact AFOMFT within 48 hours, a new drawing will be held so be sure to check back to see if you've won!

And that's not all!  For the month of June, Pear Tree Greetings is offering readers of AFOMFT 10% off orders of $19 or more with code PEARJUN10.  Happy shopping!

Please note that I am now a Pearista, which means I have partnered with Pear Tree Greetings to offer great giveaways and discounts to my readers.  I do not receive any monetary compensation from them but they will occasionally send me free product to try out.  Whether I choose to post about their company or not is totally up to me and my opinion of their products is solely based on my experience using them. 

Images: Pear Tree Greetings

YOU TAKEOVER TUESDAY: Gifts Worth Giving {GIVEAWAY}

Today's YOU TAKEOVER TUESDAY question comes from Amanda in Beech Grove, Indiana:

Dear AFOMFT, My daughter is three and all of a sudden, she has a ton of birthday parties to go to.  I'd like to save myself the time and trouble of trying to come up with a different present for each kid so is there a great gift you can suggest that will work for boys and girls in the 2-4 age range?  And it's a huge plus if it's $25or less!

I feel your pain, Amanda.  Gabrielle and Alaina have gone to more birthday parties in the past few months than I think I did in my entire childhood, and coming up with what to give is never easy.  How many more toys or outfits do most kids need, right?  Luckily, I recently stumbled upon a fabulous option that's going on my go-to list for gift ideas - personalized book plates from Jack and Izzy:

Is that cute or what?  And before you say anything about butterflies being too girly, check out the airplane version:

I love how sweet they look in the front of a book!

There are lots of different images and color combinations to choose from so even if you buy the same gift for12 kids, each one can still be unique.

And you can give Jack and Izzy's book plates to grown ups too.  The modern monogram style would make a terrific gift for your child's teacher.

The best part about this gift idea is the price - you get 35 book plates customized to your specifications and packaged in a custom tin for $18!  For that price, you could wrap them up with a few books too.

And here's another adorable - and affordable - product from Jack and Izzy that would also make a perfect present - personalized note cards:

I've gotten note cards with the girls' names on them as gifts a few times and they always come in handy.  They're also terrific to give at baby showers or to new arrivals too.

Amanda, I hope that my suggestions from Jack and Izzy solve your gift-giving dilemma. And now I've got a present for one of you!

Sarah, the owner and designer of Jack and Izzy, has graciously offered to give a set of personalized book plates to a lucky AFOMFT reader!  To enter, visit Jack and Izzy and post a comment here telling me which illustration choice and scallop color you'll choose if you win (this is mandatory).  For additional entries:

• Subscribe to AFOMFT or let us know you are a subscriber
• "Like" AFOMFT on Facebook -- http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFTFBFAN
• Ask your friends to "like" AFOMFT on Facebook by sending them this link - http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFTFBFAN - and post a comment here with the names of each one who does.  You'll earn one entry per new friend who "likes" our page and names will be cross-checked.  
• Visit Jack and Izzy and make the store a favorite.
• Follow AFOMFT on Twitter (@AFOMFT or click the birdie icon on the sidebar) and tweet this post by clicking the graphic above or this giveaway:  Win a set of personalized book plates for your little one from @AFOMFT - http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFT
• Click here to vote for AFOMFT on Top Baby Blogs and post a comment here that you did - .  You can vote once per day per computer so if you vote every day or on different computers, be sure to post one comment for each one.
• Grab our button and put it on your blog or website and post a link here showing us.
• Blog about AFOMFT or this giveaway (worth 2 entries so please post two comments) and post a link to the post.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry (two if you've blogged about the giveaway) and make sure to include a link to your tweet, blog post, etc. All entries must be posted on AFOMFT as a direct comment to this post.  Comments on Facebook will not count as entries.  This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada and ends June 7th at 11:59 pm EST. The winner will be selected by random.org and announced on AFOMFT on June 8th. If the winner doesn't contact AFOMFT within 48 hours, a new drawing will be held so be sure to check back to see if you've won!

If you'd like help from A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS or want to share something fabulous you've found, we want to hear from you!  Have a party theme but want help finding decorations?  Just redecorated your kid's room and want to show it off?  Shoot me an e-mail at afomft@gmail.com if you're on the hunt for the perfect product and just can't find it or if there's something you love and want to share. We'll do our best to help out and every reader featured on YOU TAKEOVER TUESDAY will receive a special gift from AFOMFT. What are you waiting for? Hit us up!

Images: Jack and Izzy

AND THE WINNER IS....

Congratulations HESSETWINS!  You've won the $20 credit toward the Father's Day gift of your choice!  I can't wait to see which of these great choices you pick.

Please e-mail me at afomft@gmail.com by end of day Wednesday, June 3rd to claim your prize. If I do not hear from you by then, a new winner will be chosen.  

AND THE WINNER IS....

Congratulations NATALIE JANE!  You've won the $50 Gift Certificate to Tamara Handbags!  You posted that you'd put the credit toward the Leah baby messenger bag.  Great choice!

Please e-mail me at afomft@gmail.com by end of day Wednesday, June 3rd to claim your prize. If I do not hear from you by then, a new winner will be chosen.  And a huge thank you to Tamara Handbags for this fabulous giveaway!