One Last Cyber Monday Deal

I just scooped up this cute, imitation Junk Food Tees-style Sesame Street 2-in-1 Graphic Tee for my 3 year old son. It's $12.50 at Old Navy , and with code "MONDAY" through midnight tonight, you get 20% off any order plus free shipping (no mininum). Hurry- it's a great time to stock up on basics (or just fun stuff) at Old Navy.

Holiday Sponsor Giveaway: Chases Treasures

Note: Looking for Cyber Monday deals today? Scroll down one post, or click here.


Today's giveaway is from our newest holiday sponsor and a close friend of mine- the owner of Chase's Treasures, Jessica Pickholz. Jessica launched her e-boutique earlier this year in New York City, brimming with personalized kids' gifts, toys, nursery decor, and mom jewelry. She has a keen eye for winner baby gifts, birthday gifts, and holiday gifts. Today's winner will enjoy a $100 gift certificate- here are some of the goodies they can buy:

Crayon Doodlebugz Art Portfolio ($28). Perfect for toting to restaurants, airports, or just Grandma's house, these portfolios have plenty of pockets to hold supplies. 8 washable crayola markers and a crayola doodle pad are included. Several colors choices and personalization available.


Plush Animal Backpacks ($16). Wayyyy too cute, and affordable too.
The backpack doubles as a toy- the stuffed animal in the front is removable.


Little Man Thermal Long Sleeve Shirt ($55). I've seen this in person and they are great- there's an actual (not silkscreened) tie attached.


Mod Cameo Necklace ($62). In a sea of mommy jewelry this holiday season, these resin necklaces on velvet ribbons stand out with their vintage style. They're made by Andrew Hamilton Crawford and are becoming very popular, with the celeb crowd, too.


Personalized Fleece Baby Blankets ($59). I've seen these gracing many NYC bugaboo strollers and wish my kids had had them- they are super comfy and the designs carry them past their newborn days. The penguin design is perfect for the holidays.



Use code "holiday" to enjoy 15% off of your order at Chases Treasures. Valid on all items except personalized stickers.

Win it! 1 MyMomShops reader will win a $100 gift certificate to Chase's Treasures. Here are the contest rules (please read them carefully- we're now accepting extra entries if you post on Twitter!)

1) To enter, please comment on THIS post (click on "comments" below), indicating what your favorite item from Chase's Treasures is.
2) Your entry will be counted ONCE if you just leave a comment, TWICE if you indicate that you have mentioned this giveaway on Twitter (please provide your Twitter name).
3) Post your comment by 11:59pm EST, Thursday, December 3rd. One entry per person, please. US addresses only.
4) One winner will be chosen at random and announced on Friday morning, December 4th.
5) NOTE: If you wish to be contacted by e-mail if you win, please include your e-mail address in your comment. Otherwise you must check back on Friday to see if you won. Unclaimed prizes are forfeited after 72 hours.

Good luck!


Please note: holiday sponsors pay a small fee for their products to be reviewed. We only accept sponsors whose products we would recommend to our readers.

Happy Cyber Monday

Unfortunately I am spending Cyber Monday at jury duty (ironic..some of you know why). So over the weekend I rounded up just a few Cyber Monday deals for you to check out below (the deals apply site-wide at most sites but I've shown you my favorite pick from each). You should also check out my Black Friday posts: 10 Ways to Save Money Shopping Online and a round-up of Black Friday deals and gift picks (some of which still work today). Finally, follow me on Twitter for more late-breaking deals and finds that are not posted here at the blog.

Find any great deals yourself today? Please tell us about them in the comments! Happy Shopping!

Sporty Cashmere Striped Jewelneck (on sale for $79.20, reduced from $99) from LL Bean. All women's sweaters 20% off today (no code needed).











Apple Rows Notepads (on sale for $12.59 through December 2nd, reduced from $17.99) at Shutterfly.













Lap Desks from PB Teen. On sale for $59 (reduced from $79) today only.















Classic Roll-Arm Glider Chair. Receive $100 off every $500 spent today at Restoration Baby & Child.














Wustholf Gourmet 8-piece Knife Set at Crate & Barrel. Regularly $129.95, reduced to $79.95 through today only. You'll need this for holiday cooking.













Dreidl or Latke serving plates in gift box ($40) at Rosanna. Get 15% off all orders through today with code "THANKFUL".












20% off accessories like this Stratus Mirror (regular price $99) with code "M20" at ZGallerie.com.











18.31% (yes that's correct) off everything in-store at Bright & Bold with code "31SAVE" today only. Kids Envirosax Bags ($8.95/pair)








Free shipping on orders over $50 at SkipHop with code "FREESHIP" including their new Wishbone 3-in-1 Bike ($249)










Toddler Push Sleigh ($99.95) by Sensational Beginnings. Save 15% on new orders of $75 or more with code "SANTA" today only.













Women's Little Miss Sunshine Tee ($40) from Junk Food Clothing Save 20% on all orders with code "Blackout" today.












Katina Shoes (on sale for $40, originally $50) at Eleven. Free shipping on all orders (no code needed) today.












Baby Girls' Lil Lovebug Outfit ($74.50 for entire outfit including boots) at Children's Place Free shipping on all orders on Cyber Monday with code "FSCM9".











Toy Shop Playhouse ($435) by Craftsbury Kids. 15% off all orders today with code "BF09".

The Guggenheim, Lego-Style

A super gift for NYC kids, this Solomon Guggenheim Museum Model by Lego is perhaps the most highbrow Lego set I've seen (and well-timed, two, since Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece museum celebrates its 50th anniversary this year). Recommended for ages 10 and older (hmmm, could I even do this?), the set includes 208 pieces and a 48-page instruction and information booklet. Buy it for $40 at the shop of a certain museum just down the road on Fifth Avenue, The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Hanukkah Cards

Hanukkah is sneaking up early this year- the first night is on Friday, December 11th, now less than 2 weeks away. I ordered these cards, but here were 3 other top contenders:

Happy Hanukkah Reveal Card (starting at $2.77 per card) by Photoworks.


Holiday Daisies Greetings Card (starting at $1.69 per card) by Good Greetings.

Hanukkah Wishes - Holiday Greeting Card (starting at $1.74 per card) by Tiny Prints.

Very Happy at Happy Chickadee

Since my daughter has outgrown her Dora dinnerware, I thought that Hanukkah might be a good time to buy her a new personalized plate. I also wanted one that was BPA-free and was not sure if I could find something that fit the bill- but I did at Happy Chickadee, a girls-only boutique that I introduced to you last year. They have a big selection of trendy, personalized BPA-free plates by Lima Bean Kids. The blue mermaid plate shown at left is my favorite- and you can choose your own fonts and colors, too, for whichever design you select. The 10" melamine plates are dishwasher safe and, yes, BPA-free. Shipping is just $1 on any order right now, plus a portion of all sales goes to your choice of 3 charities. I'm a happy customer here. Visit Happy Chickadee.

Enjoy a 10% discount on any purchase (use code "mymomshops10") plus $1 shipping on any order at Happy Chickadee.

Olliegraphic at Sarah & Abraham

One of my favorite shops for personalized stationery, Sarah and Abraham, has just introduced a new collection called "Olliegraphic", in collaboration with Chicago artist, Meg Bartholomy. Olliegraphic features lots of options to make your stationery and prints truly cusomized- you can choose hair style, eye chape, eye color and skin tone. I like the stationery (12 cards for about $19.50), gift labels (24 labels for about $28), and canvas prints (starting around $49 for an 8 x 10 print) best. View the entire Olliegraphic collection here.

Babies for Babies

How sweet are these Dimple Dolls? Designed for infants and toddlers, they make a perfect holiday gifts for baby girls (or boys), or the young at heart. Each doll is dressed in a sleeper onesie and a cap with a little bell hidden inside (it's stitched securely so it's safe for infants to snuggle with), and arrives with a coordinating sleepsack and little basket. Choose from one of four colors. $29.98 at Hearthsong.

More Hamm?

Of all of Amazon.com's Black Friday deals, this relatively inexpensive one appeals to me most- Mad Men Season 2 on DVD (the season where Don disappears in California, remember?). It's reduced to just $14 from an original price of $49.98. For addicts like me, waiting for the fourth season next summer is only made bearable by rewatching the early episodes (and having the opportunity to listen to the audio commentary the second time around). Buy it at Amazon.com.

Black Friday (and Saturday) at Tiny Prints

I know that many of my readers are about to order their holiday cards, and Tiny Prints is one of their favorite destinations (mine, too). If you order your cards by tomorrow night (11/28/09 at 11:59 PT), you will get 10 off orders of $49 or more, $20 off orders of $99 or more, or $40 off orders of $199 or more using "THANKSALE". At right, a colorful and splashy Hidden Flowers - Holiday Greeting Card designed exclusively for Tiny Prints by Tea Collection. Browse Tiny Prints for more beautiful designs.

Use code "THANKSALE" by November 28th to save up to $40 on your order at TinyPrints.

Black Friday Deals: A Round-Up

If you're a seasoned online shopper like me, your e-mail inboxes are flooded today with special offers from stores. Here are some of my favorites that I've rounded up for you, as well as some holiday gift picks:


Inkspot Workshop. 20% off your order of $50 or more with code "SECRET". Through November 30th. My pick: Reindeer Role Call Photo Cards (36 for $59.50 before discount).











Rikshaw Design. Everything in stock (hand-blocked kids' bedding, pillows and accessories made from Indian cotton voile) will be marked 25% off. No coupon needed. Through November 30th. My pick: Udaipur Elephant PIllow ($52 before discount).








Alex Casey Baby. 15% off through November 30th with code "FIFTEEN1". My pick: Stop and Go Backpack ($45 before discount).













Hip Littles. Use code "happy" for 15" off for a limited time. My pick: Cardboard Playhouse ($75 before discount).














R-Nichols. Complimentary personalization on all cards. No code needed- just provide your information in the comments section. Through November 30th. My pick: The Climbers notecards ($20 for box of 10 cards, before discount)












Little Uni. 10% off holiday design tees (tree, menorah, ornament)- send an e-mail to info@littleuni.com after placing your order with "HOLIDAY" in the subject line, and they'll refund your 10%. My pick: Pink Stars and Circles Christmas Tree (prices vary on item of clothing chosen)










Lil Swanky. 25% off all orders with code "TURKEY" today only. My pick: Morfs Zoe Applique Tee ($68 before discount)












Rock Scissor Paper. 20% off best-selling personalized stationery through today only. No coupon needed- prices already marked down. My pick: Fashion Floral Mums Personalized Stationery ($16 for a box of 10 cards, already discounted)










Two Tinas. 30% off everything with code "FRIENDS30". Through November 30th. My pick: Traffic Jam Initial Blanket ($48 before discount)











Little Maven. 25% off plus free shipping with code "GIVING". Through November 30th. My pick: Boys' holiday cardigan sweater ($58 before discount)













Company Kids. 20% off sitewide with code "T9NKFF". Through November 29th. My pick: Applique Stockings ($20 before discount)










Land of Nod. Free shipping with code "CELEBRATE". Through November 30th. My pick: Foosball Table ($59)













Janie and Jack. 20% off, no code needed. Through November 29th. My pick: Gingerbread Nightgown ($33 before discount).









BrownEyeBlue. 40% off all cards plus free shipping (no code needed). Full disclosure: this is my own Etsy shop. My pick: Your Choice of Any 3 Greeting Cards ($7.50 plus free shipping).





Obviously this is just a small sampling of coupon codes you can use on Black Friday- they are everywhere. Read my post from earlier today about how to save even more money while shopping online. And be sure to follow me on Twitter for more late-breaking news and deals (feel free to post those you discover below in the comments, too). Good luck shopping!

Black Friday: 10 Ways to Save Money Shopping Online

I've been meaning to write this post for months about how to save money while shopping online. Really, the tips below apply to shopping year-round, but they are particularly helpful as holiday shopping kicks into full gear today, Black Friday. I am a pretty savvy Internet shopper and I've learned some good tricks (besides the most obvious one, which is setting a budget for yourself). Here are some of my tips for saving money while shopping online:

Tip #1: Skip the Mall. Buy Online.
The vast majority of my purchases are made online. Why? Because if I spot an item (particularly clothing or toys) that I like in a store, there is an excellent chance that I'll find a better deal online. I jot down the name and style and anything else to help me remember, and then search online (often I do a Google search and then clicking on the "shopping" results). I've saved money on everything from designer shoes (Zappos.com), to toys (Melissa & Doug toys from Gummy Lump). Plus, you'll be able to hone in more easily on what you really need/want to buy, instead of being tempted by everything within sight.

Tip #2: Search Online for Coupon Codes
Before I click and buy, I always stop by RetailMeNot.com and CouponChief.com to see if I can find a discount or free shipping code. If those fail, sometimes I go to Google's blogsearch and search for "(store name) discount or coupon" there because many blogs (mine included) sometimes pass along coupon codes. Click here and bookmark it so you'll always see the coupon codes we've offered her at MyMomShops.

Tip #3: Ask for Discounts.
OK, so you haven't found a discount code. Ask for one- it never hurts. Particularly at small e-boutiques or at Etsy storefronts, you never know if they might give you a discount, especially at holiday time when they're thirsty for sales.

Tip #4: Shop at Amazon.com, and join Amazon.com Prime.
I can't tell you how much money I've saved by paying the yearly $79 Amazon Prime fee. Amazon Prime members get free two-day shipping on huge array of items (in my experience, nearly all books, CDs, DVDs, and now many toys, too). So you don't ever need the $25 minimum for free shipping, and you don't need to order things weeks in advance. Forgot that a friend's birthday is 3 days away? No problem. Use your Amazon Prime membership to send a $20 gift (no shipping fee) that will arrive in just 48 hours. The $79 fee will quickly pay for itself. Oh, and bookmark Amazon's baby outlet and toy outlet.

Tip #5. Shop at Ebay for last season's trends.
Do your kids really care that their clothing is from Fall '08 instead of Fall '09? Of course not. Ebay is a fantastic place to score deals on kids' clothing of all brands. It works great for bigger chain brands like Gymboree or Janie & Jack. I've ordered some of R's favorite clothing from past Gymboree seasons in bigger sizes thanks to Ebay. And it's much cheaper than it was the first time around. Plus, for holiday toys, you can often find toys that are sold out elsewhere online (and last year's hot toys- which are still appealing to the little kids- are now cheaper).

Tip #6. Visit the "Deals of the Day" sites.
There's a new crop of sites that offer one or two baby/kids items each day, heavily discounted. You have to check them regularly to see what they're selling and then act fast, but it's worth it. Some of the ones I frequent myself are Zulily, The Mini Social, and Mama Bargains.

Tip #7. Check Facebook and Twitter for deals at sites you like.
Lots of shops have their own Facebook and Twitter pages now where they post exclusive deals, sales, and coupon codes. You wouldn't see these otherwise, even if you subscribe to their newsletter. So check your favorite site's hompages to see if they link to Facebook or Twitter, and then follow them. Also follow MyMomShops (me) on Twitter where I pass along scores of coupon codes and deals that I don't otherwise have time to post in full at the blog itself.

Tip #8. DON'T buy in bulk.
I've been burned by this. I find a deal on a great toy and then I buy ten of them, thinking I'll stock up for birthday gifts. Trouble is, there always ends up being some reason why the gift is not really the right gift for the kids whose birthday is coming up. Better to buy smaller amounts so you don't feel pressured to make gifts "fit." The exception would be for baby gifts. If you find an awesome, non-personalized baby gift for peanuts, scoop up lots of it...in both pink and blue.

Tip #9. Go cheap on gift wrap and cards.
Don't get me wrong- you know I'm a paperphile and love nothing more than gorgeous luxury gift-wrap and cards. But I can't afford to use it all the time. Instead, I stock up on discount gift wrap, tissue paper, and gift wrap at Jack's 99 Cent Store or at The Current Catalog. I use gift labels (much cheaper than individual cards) or even make my own using plain white labels that the kids decorate.

Tip #10. Read this blog.
Of course, I had to add this. I've always been proud that MyMomShops is not a "snobby" blog. I post beautiful things, but sometimes they just happen to come from Target or Kohls. If you love shopping but are watching every dollar, I think you'll like what I post.

That's it for now. I hope this has given you some confidence about saving money this holiday season. I will post more tips in the comments here as I think of them, and I encourage you to do the same. What helps you save money shopping online during the holidays?

And check back later today for specific Black Friday deals and gift tips...you won't want to miss them.

Every Last Penny

Before I was a mom, I had a long career in non-profits, including both fundraising and grantmaking for New York City charities. I've told you about two non-profits that are close to my heart (and whose boards I serve on), The Blue Card and YAI.

Today seems the right day to mention a charity that my children and I have chosen to support this winter, The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund. Every year since 1912, The New York Times has told the stories of local individuals and families in distress. They are people of all backgrounds and ages in the NYC area. Readers' donations- which are administered and distributed via seven participating social welfare agencies- make a difference in these people's lives. In 1912, 117 contributors sent in $3,630.88. In 2008-2009, 10,838 readers contributed $6.9 million.

Last month, my 6-year-old and I read about this story about a poverty-stricken family in the Bronx- a single mother, daughter, and autistic son- who shared one futon to sleep at night, causing the daughter to suffer from fatigue in school every day. Last year, the Fund gave them family $1200 to buy new furniture, something that has measurably improved their quality of life. The daughter (now 10 years old) was pictured on her new bed (see photo above). This photo seemed to resonate with my own daughter. "She didn't have a bed before?" she asked incredulously. "And where did her doll sleep?"


This year we continued our tradition of emptying our change jar to see how much we've collected, and the kids get to decide where to donate this money. This year, we collected $27.14 which we will give to the The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund. Last year, R. had balked at giving all the money away. This year, she eagerly counted right down to the pennies and said, "Maybe they can help two kids with this."

Not all of the New York Times Neediest Cases stories are appropriate for children my daughter's age (first grade), but some are. Check them out with your own kids here, and click here to make a donation.

Happy Thanksgiving.