**The products for this review and giveaway were provided by NameArt.com. All opinions are my own.

My kids love to see their names on things. There's just something about having an item personalized that makes it more special...even for an adult! I love to find unique ways of personalizing things for my kids, which is why I was happy when introduced to NameArt.com. 

Unlike the concept of monograms and personalized children's gifts that are limited to select fonts and colors, NameArt.com provides a one-of-a-kind present that's customized and artistic.Looking over the Name Art website for the first time, I was impressed with the way they combined whimsical art and smart technology.

Featuring 20+ hand-drawn and colored letter styles to choose from (from fairies and wizards to robots and teddy bears) everyone is sure to find a style that's perfect for the child in their lives. Even the colors of the letters can be changed to suit the child's taste as well as the feel of the room it's going in.

There are a variety of gifts to choose from, beginning at just $11. With everything from name plates and place mats to pillow cases, bookmarks and more...the possibilities are endless, yet affordable. 

I was excited to learn we were going to have the chance to review a package for each of the kids which would include a bookmark, placemat, fine art print and name bar. It helped that I was given the chance to go through the process of creating and ordering the products right online. This gave me the opportunity to see just how easy and fun it is to create these gifts. 

To start I simply went to the NameArt.com website, entered my kids' names and then customized the letter styles and coloring of each letter. I even noticed that for most fonts there are more than one style of lettering to consider! Each letter can be different colors or versions, too. This was probably my favorite part, as there are so many fun styles to choose from! It was a lot of fun to create a name for each of my kids.

 Kaelyn loves mermaids, so I knew I had to do that for her. I was able to even change the hair color of the mermaids which was fun too! 

I knew Kaden would love the monster theme and Caysen would like the dragons (because they remind him of dinosaurs which he loves!). I was able to customize them perfectly to my kids' taste which was great! What a fantastic way to give children a personalized gift that is truly one of a kind!

Creating and customizing each name was truly that easy. Each page gave clear instructions on what needed to be done next, and in no time I had all three names done and ready to check out. It couldn't have been easier and is something anyone (whether they're tech savvy or not) could do. 

I thought it would take quite a while to receive since these items were personalized. However, in just over a week from when I placed the order, they were sitting on my doorstep. How great is that?! I was very impressed!

Out of the package I couldn't believe the quality, color and unique look of each of the items. It was great! The kids were tickled to see their names on bookmarks, placemats, fine art prints and a name bar. It was very special to them and they checked each piece out in complete awe.

The placemats probably caught their attention most, as they were excited to have their very own place at the table. We don't eat a meal without them now! The quality is great and they wash up wonderfully...good as new each time. It's been fun to watch as Kaden (who is not reading yet) points and recognizes each of the letters in his name. I can see how this will be beneficial to learning how to read and write his name when the time comes.

The fine art prints are really neat too, as they are a fun addition to their bedroom walls. Who doesn't like to have a personalized item in their room...especially children?! I know mine do. They LOVE it! Kaelyn especially likes it, as the colors go with her bedroom and the mermaids are one of her favorite things right now.

She is also very much into reading, so having her very own bookmark was exciting. It made it even better that it had her name on it (personalized with mermaids)! It has actually made it even more fun for her to read and has gotten Kaden more interested as well!

My favorite item was the name plate. The quality is amazing, and I love that it comes with it's very own stand to sit on a dresser, table, etc. Each of my kids have theirs on their dressers and it is such a nice finishing touch to their bedroom decor. I love seeing their names in each of their rooms, knowing how special it is to them too.

It's been fun when people come over, to see how proud the kids are of their personalized items. They love to show them off to people and have gotten such a positive response. 

I am a big fan of NameArt.com and would definitely recommend it to others. It was an easy and fun process of creating the Name Art online, and the quality and beauty of the products are one-of-a-kind and top-notch.

Win It: I'm so excited because NameArt.com is offering one lucky reader will get their choice of any one poster, placemat, fine art print OR name bar. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

This giveaway is open to US only and will end August 2nd.

**I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for G-Project. I received a G-Go and G-Zip to facilitate my review. 

Although summer had a late start this year, the past few weeks have been perfect! It's been hot and beautiful, the perfect time to spend outdoors with the family. Whether we're playing in the yard, lounging by the pool, or taking a walk....summer is an active time for our family. With being on the go so much, we like for our favorite music to come along too! That's why I was excited to learn about the newly launched G-Project line of outdoor, rugged speakers. 

To make listening to music outdoors and on the go possible, we were sent a G-ZIP Wired Travel Speaker and G-Go Portable Wireless Speaker.

When the speakers arrived, I drawn to the fun size and color of the G-Zip right away. This fun-sized speaker is not only great in color, but also lightweight and compact. This makes it easy to toss in a purse or backpack for on the go fun.

The kids and I go on walks often, and enjoy our trips to the park for picnics and play too! I have found that the G-ZIP is perfect for outings like this. It plays with any device that has a 3.5mm headphone jack and has a built-in rechargeable battery. I just make sure it's all charged up before we leave and once it is, it has 8 hours of play time. YAY!

It's super easy to use and hook up to my iPhone or iPod and in seconds I am able to have the music playing.

For the size, I wasn't sure what to expect as far as sound quality, but have been very impressed! The sound is crisp and clear! When I'm not using the speaker, I love that the audio cable is retractable. It's always there when I need it, but can be hidden away when I don't.

Overall I really have loved using this rugged, portable speaker. It's easy to use, great quality, and makes our outdoor adventures even more fun!

We have also been using the G-GO Portable Wireless Speaker. There are many features I love about this speaker, including it's fun, rugged appearance.

Not only that, but I greatly appreciate that it's water resistant. No matter if we're headed to the beach, the pool or even if I want to take it in the shower....it's the perfect speaker for the job! I have found it to be very durable with the protective rubber base as well.

Another favorite feature of mine, is definitely the fact that it streams audio wireless via any Bluetooth capable device. This makes it easy to connect with my iPhone or iPod without having to worry about cords. It's super easy to connect, and in no time I have my music playing poolside.

Poolside

It is not rechargeable like the G-Zip, but it is battery powered which makes it easy to take with us outside wherever we're at. There's even a handle to make carrying it a breeze.

Most importantly, the sound quality is fantastic. I've been really impressed with the sound when it's loud. It's easy to hear outside and clear. Even my hubby who is picky about speakers, really likes it.



I love the G-Project, especially for times we're outdoors near water, like the beach or the pool (which is a lot this time of year). This and the G-Zip have definitely made it easier to take our favorite music with us wherever we're going.

Your child’s room is the room where your child will do the most growing, living and thinking. A child that lives in a room which is an expression of their interests will grow and thrive. Unfortunately, too many children's rooms are just empty canvases. If you’re looking for a way to stimulate your child and planning to redo their room according to their interests, here are some great ideas.

Let’s Sail Away

Image via Flickr by clarism_4 

What child doesn’t love the ocean? There’s just something magical about being able to go on a boat and sailing away to parts unknown. You just know they will contain adventure and fun. To bring sailing to your child’s room, you can start by painting or papering the walls in nautical themes. Then use ship flags as wall art and banners. The right shades can also be reminiscent of a ship. Images of sailboats, old maps and illustrations of exotic places will help keep the room visually interesting and educational.

Artistic Endeavors

Children are born creative. However, some are more creative than others. For a parent looking to encourage a child’s creativity, look to the walls. Chalkboard paint is now readily available. You can actually turn one whole wall into a larger than life chalk canvas. You can also paint another wall with special steel paint that holds magnets. For the floors, an easy to clean wood laminate floor is best. This will allow your child to express themselves without making a huge mess. Bright drapes and bedding can also show that this is the room of an artist.

Around The World

Image via Flickr by Adrián Pérez 

All children long to see the world. You can bring the world to them by incorporating maps into your decorating. Don't limit yourself to just the walls, furniture can also be covered in colorful, modern or antique maps. Trinkets from around the world will help pull the room together and give it a unified feel.

Budding Builder

If your child loves Legos, then you might want to consider incorporating them into your decorating. You can purchase several Lego green mats and attach them to one wall until it’s completely covered. This allows the child to express themselves by creating their own space against that wall. Brightly colored Legos can be complemented with brightly colored bedding, drapes, rugs or furniture.

The Bookworm

Image via Flickr by Maegan Tintari 

For children who love to read, a reading nook is ideal. So what do you do if your home doesn’t come with a built in nook? These are actually easily created by flanking a window with two large bookshelves. Then, simply place a long chest with a flat top in your new nook and cover it with pillows. Not only does this create the perfect reading nook, the bookshelves and chest can add much needed storage to a child’s room.

Draperies, along with bedding, accessories and furniture can help customize your child’s room. Childhood is all about finding yourself and turning into the person you were meant to be. Enabling your child to express themselves through room decoration is an excellent place to start.

**I was provided a Kohl's gift card to facilitate this back-to-school shopping review. All opinions are my own.

It's hard to believe, but school will be here before we know it! As a parent with a school-aged child, we are already busy starting to back-to-school shop! Needing essentials like clothing, backpacks, shoes, etc...I like to do as much of my shopping in one place as possible.

One of our favorite stores to shop at year-round is Kohl's. They offer a large variety of clothing for the whole family, home decor, accessories, and more...all in one place. No matter what the occasion, we are always pleased with the quality and savings at Kohl's.

That's why, with back-to-school nearing, Kohl's is our main stop for getting our kids school-ready!  As a big fan of Kohl's, I was excited to learn we were going to receive a gift card to facilitate a back-to-school shopping review.

Back to school season officially began this month and we've already visited Kohl's gearing up for the school season. As we shopped around, we were really impressed with all of the great deals and the variety they offer for school age children, teachers, and even must-haves for dorm rooms!

As a former teacher, I noticed the women's apparel as we were walking back to the children's clothing. There was a lot of variety for teachers getting ready to go back to school, to choose from with everything from dressy to more casual and comfortable.

As always, the children's clothing department was excellent! We needed quite a bit for Kaelyn as she prepares for Kindergarten and it was nice to find everything from undergarments and socks to shoes, pants and shirts for both the summer and fall/winter seasons!

 

I love the quality of the brands at Kohl's, as well as the fact that many of the children's clothes can be mix and matched. We were able to find some cute short outfits and legging outfits for Kaelyn, that she'll be able to mix and match and get a lot of use out of. This is a cost-effective way to shop, and still gives her plenty of outfits to wear throughout each season.

We also spotted the backpacks and lunch bags which is also something we needed for Kaelyn! YAY!

 

As I mentioned they also have a fabulous shoe department, as well as essentials for college students as well! I found many great deals on furniture for dorm rooms, fun bathroom necessities, bedding, storage options, decor and more!

 

Our back-to-school shopping was a success with Kohl's. We were able to find the things we needed at great prices. On top of their already low prices, Kohl's offers great savings with their credit card,  coupons and Kohl's cash. We find that we save a lot of money by shopping at Kohl's...I love it!

If you're getting ready for back-to-school shopping, I would definitely recommend Kohl's as a one-stop shopping experience. It's a friendly environment, with a variety of high quality, stylish and affordable clothing items and products for the whole family!