Have a Clippy Christmas!

Merry, merry, merry Christmas! Here's to celebrating the wonderful year that was and to welcoming the joyous year ahead (hopefully with hair clips from Clippy!)

I'm sure you ladies will all be busy with your own holiday get-togethers, but here's a little something for laughs (or boos and then laughs for making a fool of yourself!) You know how sometimes the corniest, cheesiest jokes often make you laugh even more? Come on, someone has to do it :)

Christmas Jokes from kaboose.com:

What do elves learn in school?
The elf-abet!

What is the difference between the Christmas alphabet and the ordinary alphabet?
The Christmas alphabet has no L (Noel)!

What Christmas carol is a favorite of parents?
Silent Night

Why does Santa have three gardens?
So he can hoe hoe hoe!

What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?
Frostbite!

What does a cat on the beach have in common with Christmas?
Sandy Claws!

What do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus?
Claustrophobic!

Ha-ha-happy holidays :)

Sweets for Your Sweet

Valentine's Day may be a long way to go, but that shouldn't stop you from giving away some sweet lovin'. Here's a sweet (literally!) giveaway idea from teaching-tiny-tots.com. To make it sweeter, ask your little darling to give you a hand. It's so easy! Be careful, though, your little helper might want some for him/herself!



What you'll need:
2 clear cone-shaped pastry bags (usually in stores with cake decorating supplies)
small bowls
spoon
2 twist ties or 2 small rubber bands
hot cocoa mix
small marshmallows
1 red gumdrop
mini chocolate chips
ribbon
small gift card
small measuring cup with lip
scissors

What to do:
1. Put marshmallow in a bowl.
2. Put the chocolate chips in a second bowl.
3. Pour 3-4 packets of cocoa into one of the cone-shaped pastry bags. You can measure with a small measuring cup to make it easier to pour.
4. Twist right above the cocoa and secure with a twist tie or small rubber band.
5. Trim extra plastic on top, leaving an inch.
6. Place cocoa-filled pastry bag into another empty plastic pastry bag.
7. Place 3-4 tablespoons of chocolate chips so that they are layered on top of the cocoa.
8. Add marshmallows to add top layer.
9. Place red gumdrop on top.
10. Twist the bag shut and secure with a twist tie or small rubber bands.
11. Add a ribbon and gift card. Be creative! Your card can say: "Here's a gift that will warm you up. Just add some hot water and stir into your favorite cup."

It's perfect for ANY occasion! To warm up your loved ones on Christmas eve, as a sweet greeting for a birthday (your chocoholic friends would love it), as an alternative "treat" for Trick or Treaters on Halloween, or even just to comfort on a blah day.

Image courtesy of teaching-tiny-tots.com.

Click for a Clip!

There's something about Christmas.

You see it, you feel it, you even smell it. It wafts about you playfully in the air. You can't quite explain what it is but somehow you just know. The atmosphere seems a little cheerier, people seem a little warmer, and sometimes, even food tastes a little better! There's simply no other experience like it on any other day throughout the year.

I don't know about you, but Christmastime is my favorite time of the year. In my family, Christmas has always been one crazy production number of sorts! Come December, the household becomes abuzz with activity. We set up decorations, we plan for holiday reunions and get-togethers, we make tons of Christmas cards, we cook up a storm in the kitchen for holiday dinners and of course, we shop until we drop for Christmas gifts! It all sounds stressful, and believe me it is, but it's actually a lot of fun too.

This is also the time of year when we can celebrate some family Christmas traditions. Some friends have made it a habit to drink hot cocoa by the fireplace come Christmas Eve. Others gather 'round and share what they're thankful for. Others watch old Christmas movies. One of my closest friends always makes it a point to dress up her little angel for the holidays. I kid you not---no mother in her right mind would miss any opportunity to show her child off to everyone!

Last year, she dressed her baby up as a ballerina, perfectly pretty in pink in her tutu and matching hair accessories. Needless to say, all the neighbors missed no opportunity to fawn over her. Some even threw in compliments like "She takes after her mom..." which I'm sure my friend didn't mind at all! What made it even better was that her hair clip stayed on her hair the whole time. I remember times when my friend would spend the day just clipping and clipping and clipping her baby's hair accessories, as they would always slip since her hair is very fine.

This Christmas, my friend is dressing her baby up as a princess. But I just know for sure that getting her a tiara would be a nightmare. It will either keep falling off her head for being too loose, or hurt her head for being too tight. We ladies love to say "no pain, no gain," but certainly not when it comes to our babies! My solution for her is to get her a baby-friendly but equally "royal" hair clip instead.

For mommies who love to play dress-up too, there's plenty to choose from--different styles and colors, but all adorable. Plus, you don't have to deal with those uncooperative clips anymore, just make sure to choose non-slip hair accessories.

Dainty little hair clips make perfect baby gifts too. Now, I know, I know, it's just days before Christmas. But you don't have to go out there and drown in all the holiday rush. You can easily complete your gift list by doing your holiday shopping online. I myself have been doing it for years and have found it very helpful. No more walking around all day, no more dodging that lady who also wants to get that dress, those shoes, etc., no more wasting time and energy on those long lines! You can shop for a lot more, too, for a lot less time. So go get hair accessories and more for your baby, for your niece, for your friend's baby, for your neighbor's baby, for every sweet little girl that you love. I'm sure you'll complete your baby gift list in no time.

Worried that the gifts won't make it to you by Christmas? Don't worry. Brands like No Slippy Hair Clippy can ship hair clips in 24 hours, safely stored in beautiful gift boxes and just waitin' for you to give them away. So for a no-fuss, stress-free baby gift shopping experience, as my friend's little girl would say, "go clicky for clippy!"

Here's to hoping your holidays are as lovely as your little girls are!

Meatball Mania!

What's a holiday without holiday food? One of my favorites has got to be meatballs! They're yummy, easy to make and just about everybody loves it. It's kind of nostalgic, too, as I remember helping my mom to make these for Christmas when I was a kid. Of course, my mom's recipe is a huge family secret (We have all sworn to secrecy, sorry!) But I recently found a recipe in AllRecipes.com that approximates hers. Plus, it's even easier. Since this season is all about sharing and giving, try this out yourself and tell me how it turns out!




Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground veal
1/2 lb ground pork
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
1 1/2 tbsp chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cups stale Italian bread, crumbled
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 cup olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese

Procedure:
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Fry meatballs in batches. When the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp, remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel. (If your mixture is too wet, cover the meatballs while they are cooking so that they hold their shape better.)
2. Place cooked meatballs into marinara sauce and cook 15 more minutes.
3. Blend breadcrumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the water 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape. (You may use about 1 1/4 cups of water).
4. Shape into meatballs. Combine beef, veal and pork in a large bowl. Add garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.

Serve to starving guests and if the kids are around, pop in a DVD of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs :) Happy holidays!

'Tis the Season to be Clippy...

Fa La La La La... You know the rest.

Well, 'tis the season for giving, too! And since I'm feeling a little bit like Santa today, I've decided to give away our cutest holiday hair clips for free. Still a wee bit early for Christmas, don't you think? But since you're all in my Nice Mommas list, go ahead and enjoy the early gift!

For every purchase worth $25 or more from our regular offerings, you can choose any No Slippy Hair Clippy hair clip here that you can get for free. No dilly-dallying, ladies. It's only until December 25! So mix and match lovely hair accessories to give away as gifts and if you reach the minimum amount, you get one more adorable clippy to give away or keep!







Speaking of giving, you should also check out our newest Baby Gift section in the website. We have lots of adorable hair clips, hair clip holders plus a Clippy shirt that your girls would love. Sigh... if only we had such pretty hair accessories when we were kids!

While you're at it, go ahead and pick a lovely gift bag or gift box from the site to dress up your gifts with. Lovely holidays!

Gifts Kids Can Make

Okay, Christmas is SERIOUSLY just around the corner. There's no denying it anymore at this point. If you haven't done any gift shopping yet, you may want to start thinking about it now. But if you don't fancy getting into the mad, mad Christmas rush, why not make the gifts yourself? And to make it fun (or, inevitably, very challenging), let your kids join in! When they see you tinkering with all the arts and crafts, they'd want to join in anyway...

AmazingMoms.com has lots of great gift suggestions, including easy-to-follow step-by-step procedures for each one. Each gift requires very little materials to make. You might even already have some lying around at home! The gifts are categorized according to kids ages. The ones for kids aged 2-6 are easier, while those for kids aged 9 and up are a wee bit more difficult. But all gifts are lovely and since you're making them, will be all the more special to the recipient.

Here's one that I really liked:

REINDEER CRAFT TREAT HOLDER





You'll need:
scissors
craft glue, glue stick or glue dots
terracotta clay pots (2"-5")
plastic eyes
red pom-poms
three shades of brown craft foam, cardstock paper or construction paper

How to make it:
1. With one shade of brown, cut the antlers to match the size of your pot. If you are making the large reindeer, use a child's handprint as pattern.
2. Cut the ears with the other shad of brown. You can use a lighter shade of brown to add yet another layer to the ears, but it's not necessary.
3. Attach the ears to the back of the pot. Then add the antlers.
4. Glue the eyes and nose to the front of the pot.
5. Fill the pot with candy, nuts or other goodies. It's that simple!

Click here for more gift ideas.

Image courtesy of AmazingMoms.com

Holiday Partying Without Adding the Pounds

Let's face it, ladies. Sometimes it's hard to ignore that perfectly roasted turkey beckoning us to get just a little more. It lies golden on the dining table, the sheen coming from the buttery fats glazed over it. Even from afar, you can almost hear its crisp skin breaking, to reveal the moist tender meat underneath. Ahhh... the holidays.

But then 20 pounds later, you find that giving in to the turkey (or steak or pasta or...) was not a very nice thing to do. Of course, I'm not saying that you should starve yourself these holidays. Go ahead and celebrate! But remember to pace yourself and take everything in moderation.

For all the celebration dinners you will be having, here are a few helpful and DOABLE tips from E-zine Articles:

1. Eat your food mindfully. If you slow down your pace and become more conscious of the food, you will naturally eat less and make better food choices without anyone catching on. Here is the trick, chew every bite of food thoroughly and then swallow EVERY morsel in your mouth before taking the next bite.

2. Divide your plate. To be sure you are getting the right foods in the right amount at a dinner party, divide your plate. Fill the top half with vegetables or salad and the bottom half with one serving of protein and one serving of carbohydrate. You get a complete and healthy meal without counting calories.

3. Drink water. Carry around a glass of water (even add a splash of lemon or fruit) like it is attached to your hand. This will allow you to do something other than reach for a snack and it is social.

4. Don't go too hungry. You are not doing yourself or your body any favors by starving before a party. Your body will store more of what you eat at the party as fat if you starve ahead of time because you throw off your natural balance. Eat light but often before the party.

5. Use a stopper. This is a great trick. It is simply having something ready to do that is not compatible with snacking. A quick and easily available stopper is a minty piece of gum or breath mint.

Click here to read the article.

See? That doesn't seem so hard! More importantly, you still get to enjoy the food (come on, who goes to a party without the intention of eating?).

I do have an additional tip and I think it's so fabulous: dress up your little darling with super adorable baby hair accessories and you'll be too busy with all the guests' attention that it would be impossible to overeat! These make great baby gifts, too.



Happy, lovely holidays!

Baby Gift Ideas for Christmas!

Barely a month to go before Christmas... The holiday season never fails to stir up the spirit of giving within all of us. Whether it's something as simple as a greeting card for an old friend or as grandiose as jewelry for a loved one, gift-giving is never as joyous as it is during the holidays.

But more than anything, and I’m sure you would agree, Christmas really is for the children. So don’t be a Scrooge this holiday season and spread some Christmas joy to them, too!

Here comes the hard part: what to give... While little kids are generally appreciative of anything they receive (I suspect it's the tearing of gift wrappers that truly excites them!), it's still better if your gift truly stands out. Here are a couple of tips:

Choose something unique. Do away with the cutesy stuffed animals and dolls! They'll likely get two or three of those come Christmas eve. If you have the time (and a little talent), get artsy and make a toy yourself. Or make something educational BUT fun at the same time, like making your own funny story or fairy tale into a book that mom can read to them.

Gear them up for the year ahead. How? By getting them a new set of clothes (do get their sizes right, of course). Little girls will always be in love with pretty frilly dresses. But don’t stop there: like any perfect gift, top it with the perfect bow! I've got just the thing for you. You'll love our adorable designs:

Pediped Clips (available in 5 styles)

And because I love you, for a limited time, you can choose any clip from our website which you can get for free when purchasing $25 or more from our regular offerings. Choose from over 20 super cute baby bows and hair clips!

An Early Christmas Gift

You can always tell when Christmas is around the corner. Somehow the atmosphere turns cheery and everyone seems to have a joyful air about them. While it's still 40+ days away, I seem to be getting gifts early this year.

I recently read a wonderful review from lovely mom Christine, of The IE Mommy, who wrote about how much she and her twin girls adore No Slippy Hair Clippy Headbands!

Here's an excerpt of what she had to say:

"We have three Christmas events to attend with family this year, two Christmas parties, one holiday celebration, caroling and a gift wrapping demo…I think No Slippy Hair Clippy Headbands are going to make getting my girls dressed and ready to go…just a bit easier this year!"

You can read the rest of her review here.

Thank you so much for your kind words, Christine. It thrills me to know that our accessories will prettify your girls this Christmas. Here's to a lovely holiday season!