Giveaway: $25 GC to Petite Trinklets, 7/29-8/12

Welcome to the Petite Trinklets $25 Gift Certificate Giveaway!
Sponsored by Petite Trinklets

I’ve always been a little envious of the talented folks who make jewelry! Not only do they have to be artistic to design their jewelry, but it seems like it must take such skill and attention to detail in order to put intricate pieces together!

Mommy’s Obsessions has teamed up with Petite Trinklets to bring you a fantastic giveaway for the chance to spoil yourself with some new gorgeous, handmade jewelry!
Photo Credits: Petite Trinklets
Petite Trinklets is owned and operated by jewelry maker Anita, who originally started her business journey with the shop Anci Decor. As Anci Decor flourished, she decided to take her business to the next level by creating her newest line, Petite Trinklets. Petite Trinklets features gorgeous, handmade jewelry that is simple, yet classy and timeless.

Being a mom is one of the hardest jobs in the world, and we deserve to spoil ourselves sometimes too! Petite Trinklets makes gorgeous handmade jewelry that can be worn for every occasion, whether you’re just running out to the grocery store, or if you’re headed for a night on the town with your spouse. If you’re not a jewelry person, that’s okay too! Petite Trinklets jewelry makes for a wonderful gift for a loved one! They even make wedding party jewelry too!

To Purchase: Visit Petite Trinklets on Etsy and chose the piece of jewelry that fits your personality the best!

To Win: Mommy’s Obsessions & Petite Trinklets want to give one lucky reader a $25 Gift Certificate!

 

The Giveaway will close late on the evening of August 12th. The winner will be chosen at random through  Giveaway Tools.  The winner will be announced both on Giveaway Tools form as well as notified by email and announced on Mommy’s Obsessions Facebook. The winner will then have 48 hours to claim their prize otherwise they will forfeit said prize and a new winner will be chosen. The winner will have their prize sent to them by Petite Trinklets, Mommy’s Obsessions and other participating bloggers are not responsible for prize shipment. Must be 18 years and older. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google are in no way affiliated with this giveaway. No Purchase Necessary. Void where prohibited by law. US Only. Please direct questions, comments, and concerns to Mommy’s Obsessions. Mommy’s Obsessions has been provided with product to review by Petite Trinklets but has not been monetarily compensated for this giveaway. This disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

 

Note- My Life: A Work in Progress was not compensated for this giveaway.
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Toddler #DIY #Craft Time! Make Your Own Felt #Easter Bag

Baby J will be 2 years old next month, and we haven’t established that many family traditions yet. The biggest reason is that his dad has been gone so much (all of which will change this summer, when J starts shore duty- woohoo!), and I just haven’t felt like celebrating holidays on my own.

But this Easter, Baby J and I are going up North to visit his aunt, uncle, cousins, and grandmother. So I’m making an effort to celebrate this holiday!

I’ve seen cute little felt Easter bags at several stores recently, and it occurred to me that a bag would be a fun, easy craft to make with Baby J. Because he’s so little, I did do most of the work on my own, but I let him help me “place” the decorations on the bag and pretend to glue them on. After the bag was finished, he ran off with it and kept trying to shove his cars and trucks inside, so apparently the bag was a hit.

To make your own easter bag, you’ll need the following:

  • Glue gun and glue
  • 5-7 pieces of 9″x12″ felt in multiple colors*
  • Coordinating thread and needle (or sewing machine)
  • Scissors
  • Easter coloring sheets
  • Ruler
  • Marker or pen

*I used 2 pieces of blue felt for the bag itself, and then chose 5 other colors for the decorations. I did have plenty of leftover fabric, so you could probably make do with fewer pieces. If you have extras…save them for another craft!

We bought our felt pieces from Michaels, but I’ve seen them at Hancock Fabrics, as well.

“Instagramming” our shopping trip…
Our selection (I let Baby J help pick)

Steps:

1. Do a web search for “free easter coloring pages printable” or a similar search term.

For our craft, I gathered several images from this collection of printable Easter egg color sheets, a flower coloring page, and a bunny coloring sheet. The great thing about this bag is you can customize it to whatever design you want! If you’d rather design a religious Easter bag instead of secular, there are a number of free religious coloring pages online (crosses, lilies, etc.).

2. Print out your selected pages and cut out the drawings. Then using the cut-out drawings and a marker or pen, trace designs on your felt (make sure to keep 2 whole pieces of felt untouched on the side, to make the bag itself).

If you need to, use pins or tape to keep the cut-outs secure, while tracing them.

3. Cut out your felt decorations.

Time to make the bag!

4. Cut a one inch strip of fabric off the top of each fabric rectangle. These strips will be the bag handles.

5. Pin each end of the straps to the wrong side (inside) of the bag. Pin them 2″ in and 1/2″ down. **

Make sure the straps aren’t twisted. Also any markings that are leftover from tracing should be facing the inside of the bag.

**If you’re planning on using the bag for heavier items, pin the straps 2″ in and 1″ down. When you get to step 5, you will sew the straps in two places- at 1/4″ and 1/2″. This will make the straps more secure, but it’s not necessary if the bag’s only holding candy and small toys, etc.

Pin at 2″ from the top edges.

6. Sew the straps on at a 1/4″ (half way). Once the machine needle is secure and all the way through the fabric, it’s fine to remove the pin that was holding your fabric together.

Sew over the strap several times to secure and strengthen it. I sewed back and forth for a total of four times.

7. Pin the sides and bottom of your bag together, then sew at a 1/2″.

8. Turn your bag right side out, and start gluing on your decorations.

We tried using a natural craft glue first, but I had trouble getting the decorations to stay on, so after Baby J was in bed, I used a glue gun.

Once the glue is dry, your bag is ready for use!

I wonder if mommy’s herbs will fit in here?
 What Easter crafts have you made? Do you have any family traditions (from any holiday) that you’d like to share?
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Review: Halo Pocket Power for charging on the go #holidaygiftguide

Halo2Cloud.com sent me several of their products to test and write about, so be on the lookout for more reviews soon! Today I’ll focus on the Halo Pocket Power 2800 and the Halo Starlight 2800. Both are universal power chargers that can be slipped in your pocket or bag.

Having used the Halo Pocket Power several times now (once when I was desperate), I highly recommend looking into buying one for yourself! It definitely would make a great gift for a loved one too, because it’s truly practical.

The Halo Pocket Power 2800 currently retails for $49.95, and it’s a back-up charger for your electronics like cell phones, cameras, and Bluetooth devices.

Halo Pocket Power 2800 charging an iPhone 4s
Halo Pocket Power 2800 charging an iPhone 4s

Similar in size and capabilities, the new Halo Starlight 2800 can be purchased for $59.99. The Starlight includes a built-in LED flashlight and retractable cord with two of the most popular charging tips.

Halo Starlight 2800
Halo Starlight 2800 with included accessories

I spent this past Thanksgiving week at my parents’ house in Minnesota. On the day Baby J and I were supposed to fly back home, I could not find my regular wall charger anywhere, and I was the only one with an iPhone, so there were no wall chargers to borrow. I’d signed up for flight text notifications from my airlines, which are much more convenient and minute-by-minute then constantly logging onto the computer and checking that way. I also needed to get in touch with the friend who was picking us up from the airport. I was desperate to get my phone charged, and very thankful when I finally remembered that I had a Pocket Power in my carry-on!

Not only did the Pocket Power charge my iPhone within an hour, but several days later, the Pocket Power is still on power level “yellow” when I turn it on. That means it still has 34 to 66 percent of a charge on it. So I could use the Pocket Power again before having to recharge the device. I’m impressed with how long and much power it holds.

Both the Pocket Power and Starlight are about the size of a tube of mascara and have little bags for storing. They’re compatible with devices that use micro USB, mini USB, or 30-pin. You can also use them with any device that has a charging cable equipped with a “male” USB connection cable, like iPhone 5.

These power chargers are simple to use. They initially charge through a USB port. If you have an adaptor, you can do it through a wall outlet, but I’ve been using my laptop. Once it’s charged, you can toss the Pocket Power or Starlight into your purse, diaper bag, etc., for when you’re on the go.

They are also really fashionable. The Pocket Power comes in both solid colors and designs like zebra and leopard print. The Starlight is available in solid metallic colors and has a “quilted” look to it.

Halo Starlight power on the go
Halo Starlight with LED light lit

The only downside I’ve found is that I have to take my Lifeproof case all the way off my iPhone before I can use the Pocket Power or Starlight to charge the phone. The part that plugs into my iPhone is too big if the case is on (If you have a Lifeproof case, you probably understand what I’m talking about. If not, don’t worry about it).

To learn more about the Halo portable chargers and their other products, visit Halo2Cloud.com.

Where would you use your Halo Pocket Power?

General Disclaimer- Floral

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