mom central

Secret Santa, You Were Good to Me

December 20, 2011 By Blonde Mom 1 Comment

I mentioned last week that I got to play blogger Secret Santa (not to be confused Dirty Santa or Bad Santa or Ricky the Santa Monkey, which is an odd tale of Chrismas past here at Casa Blonde Mom Blog) through a Mom Central campaign for JC Penney.

JC Penney, or Penney’s as we say in the South, has a new custom holiday tag that allows you to record a personal audio greeting for the lucky recipient as well as listen to your special audio greeting, thanks to the magic of the smart phone. Even someone like me, who rarely scans QR codes, can figure it out and it’s a fun, easy way to add a little personal touch to a gift.

I provided a couple of hints for my Secret Santa blogger buddy to guide her in her online shopping and look what arrived on our doorstep yesterday!

I scanned the QR tag on my gift with my phone and was greeted with a nice holiday message from Mary at Sweeping Me. Thanks Mary! I love the gift you sent!

My Secret Santa buddy was Jennifer from The Rebel Chick (love her blog name.) Jennifer likes to cook and entertain so I chose a gift that would be something she could use for guests. I hope she likes her gift!

I really felt like I was living on the edge by choosing this candy apple red cookware. This is what happens when you’re old and married. Cookware in pretty colors is EXCITING! Our cookware is going on 15 years old and has seen better days so I thought I’d treat us to a house gift that we could really make use of.

Wait, this means hubby is going to expect me to cook more in 2012, doesn’t it…(ha!)

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of jcpenney and received a jcpenney Secret Santa Gift and a promotional item to thank me for participating. All opinions expressed are my own.

Filed Under: Bloggy Things, Retail Therapy, Reviews & Giveaways 1 Comment

Santa’s Got A Brand New Tag (Thanks JC Penney!)

December 16, 2011 By Blonde Mom 1 Comment

Despite my good intentions of not being a total slacker mom I end up doing a lot of Christmas shopping at the last minute every year. (Are ya’ll even surprised?)

I usually don’t get crankin’ on my list until December and inevitably there are those last minute items that sometimes aren’t checked off until Christmas Eve or Christmas Eve Eve. I also am a huge, and I mean HUGE, fan of shopping online from the convenience of home in my PJs with my Harry, Frank, and the Nutcracker playing in the background.

When Mom Central asked me if I’d like to try JC Penney’s new custom tag as part of a fun Secret Santa program I didn’t hesitate to say yes as it combined my two favorite things—online shopping and technology. I also happen to already be a fan of JC Penney and their great sales. Their online gift guide is so well organized that it’s easy to find the perfect gift, and in the right price range, too.

This is not the usual Secret Santa gig, however. JC Penney has a great new custom gift tag this holiday season with a fun, high tech twist. Using a special QR code you create a tag with a custom audio message.

How’s it work? Swing by your local JC Penney to pick up a tag and set aside a whopping 5 minutes to create a tag with real “wow” factor. These would be so fun for big group gift exchanges or just adding a little extra fun to any gift.

The process is so simple even I can do it (and I’m not a big user of QR codes, believe it or not!) Here you go:

Step 1: Use the QR reader on your Smart Phone to scan the QR Code. I simply downloaded a free app to my Droid.
Step 2: At the prompt, enter your cell phone number.
Step 3: You will receive an automated phone call from JC Penney to walk you through the process of recording your message. You’ll have the option to re-record your holiday message should your children be acting buck wild after school and making too much background noise, like mine.
Step 4: Attach the tag to the gift.

When the recipient receives the gift, they scan the code with their smart phone and hear your pre-recorded message. Pretty nifty! You can also watch a helpful video online at JCPenney.com

With lots of choices in the $50 and under range, I had fun scoping out potential gifts for my Secret Santa blogger buddy after I got a few hints to steer me in the right direction. I can’t reveal the gift I finally chose but it was in the category of entertaining and I wouldn’t mind having one myself. (Note to self…check after Christmas sale!)

Next week I’ll be back to let ya’ll know what I received as my gift from my Secret Santa and also do the big reveal of my blogger Secret Santa friend and what I chose for them.

What do you think about these custom audio holiday gift tags? Do you shop at JC Penney? I really think this is something JC Penney could continue to offer beyond the holidays as a special touch to any gift giving occasion, be it a birthday or a new baby or even a wedding!

Filed Under: Retail Therapy, Reviews & Giveaways 1 Comment

If Lovin’ Dirty Laundry Is Bad, I Don’t Want To Be Good

September 30, 2009 By Blonde Mom 1 Comment

This is the last in a series of posts I’ve written about my Frigidaire Affinity washer and dryer as part of the Mom Central campaign that kicked off in July.

I’ve been married for 12 years and my Affinity front-loading washer and dryer have to be the nicest appliances we’ve ever owned. I feel like Jane Jetson or, better yet, a modern day Betty Draper every time I walk into our utility room. I just need a laundry robot to fold everything, mix martinis, and bake homemade apple pies. Actually toss Don Draper into the mix, strolling into the kitchen to read the paper and drink his morning coffee and, well, that’s my little domestic fantasy, OK?

It’s been a real treat for me because, let’s face it, washing dirty britches is a fairly mundane task. I have been really pleased with the overall quality of the appliances, but I thought I’d point out a few areas that haven’t been all gleaming and spot free, but I can honestly say it’s pretty difficult to find anything too noteworthy. First of all if you are short like me (I am barely 5 ft. 2) and you purchase the pedestals for the appliances (which I highly recommend because OH MY LORD the storage space) then you may have a bit of trouble pouring bleach or liquid detergent into the slots at the top. We also have a small concrete ledge that’s about 2 inches high that our washer and dryer sit on and that makes it even tougher to reach. There is a rubber “lip” at the opening of the washing machine that tends to catch miscellaneous things, mostly random weird stuff my 4-year-old likes to collect in her pockets, like pumpkin seeds and wood mulch chips from the playground. I’ve also read that it’s common for front-loading machines to tend to get stinky, so I’m going to start leaving the washing machine door open so it can air out. But so far I haven’t detected anything smelly, other than our usual two dogs.

Now, how would you like a chance to own a swanky Frigidaire appliance?

Actress Jennifer Garner, a mom to two girls like me, has teamed up with Frigidaire to ask moms to think ahead to November 1 (remember spring forward, fall back)and pledge to use that time to help make a difference in the lives of children. Save the Children created the CHANGE program (Creating Healthy, Active, and Nurturing Growing-up Environments) to promote healthier lifestyles for children living in poverty by providing nutritious snacks and regular opportunities for them to get physically active.

Frigidaire will donate $1 to support CHANGE for anyone who visits Frigidaire.com and pledges to make time for a child. Everyone who pledges will also be entered for a chance to win a new Frigidaire Professional double wall oven. Mom Central is also giving away a Frigidaire Professional double wall oven! Visit Mom Central online and tell them about your pledge and how you would give back your time to children in need. A random winner will be chosen from all entries…good luck!

Filed Under: Bloggy Things, Domestic Diva 1 Comment