Friday Link Love—11.30.07

I'm woefully behind on linking up the love, but I have a bunch o' stuff rolling around my desk that I have wanted to share for weeks now.  Brain dump alert!

I receive lots of solicitations from PR people and from companies. Look at this! Please blog this! Most of the emails end up getting deleted, but sometimes, 1 or 2 of them catch my eye.  If I mention goods or services it's because it meets one or more of the following criteria:

1. I would use it myself/My kids would use it.
2. It makes a parent's life easier.
3. It's a mom-based business.
4. There's something in it for you (the reader).
5. It's not totally lame.

• Discovery Girls is a magazine created by girls for girls. My gals are too young to read it, but it's something I wouldn't mind them taking a gander at when they are old enough. You might flip through it and think, "Wow. This is really...girly. It focuses a lot on 'stuff.'" But just think back to when you were 10. I was into: Judy Blume books, Andy Gibb, and trying on my mom's makeup. Not necessarily in that order. The friendship-focused books offer up simple, sensible, easy-to-swallow advice.
• Speaking of girls, Ubisoft is a videogame company that has created a line of Nintendo DS games aimed at girls. They are called "Imagine games" and include "Babyz," "Fashion Designer," "Pet Horsez," and "Master Chef." (PS: Kreeaytiv spelling drivz me nutz.) Did I want to review them? I agreed but asked, "Where are the doctor and president games for girls?" Their answer: focus group.  Again I had to think back to when I was a tween and what I would have been interested in. You had Fashion Plates and a giant Barbie Head, too? Mmmm hmmm, that's what I thought.  My 8yo niece tested the games out for a week over Thanksgiving.  In her words: "I like it." and "Fun!" Then she said her DS battery ran out. If you are looking for a techie holiday gift for your tween gal, you might want to check these out.
• And more with the girls, what can I say?  It takes a twirl to raise a girl is something you understand if you have girls and is the tagline for Twirly Girl, a mom-based biz that focuses on, you got, twirly dresses. These would make a special holiday gift for the twirliest girl on your list. The dresses are super-fun (layers and layers of fabric), super-soft, super-versatile (reversible), and most of all: super-duper-twirly. You can even design one of your own from the hippie-chic fabric. But the best part about these dresses is the little booklet that accompanies each one. Very sweet.
• Tis the season for online shopping and for me that includes gifts and flowers.  When the 1-800-Flowers folks said they would extend a $10 discount to you all, I said, okay, but there's always a catch, right? I'm supposed to reference two links to gifts they are trying to push (that's how these things go). If the gift ideas weren't cool, I would have taken a pass, but they are, so here: Check out the sweet Barefoot Contessa gift basket (love her) among other offerings from your fave celeb chefs, and the unique bouquets designed by celebrity floral designers (these would be beautiful gifts for a far away loved one or would be stunning on your holiday table or sideboard.)  Use the link above and coupon code: all2u. Enjoy!

Bon weekend `a  vous tous!

Comments

[dgm]

Andy Gibb! He was to be all mine until that damn Victoria Principal got in the way. And then she broke up with him! He was never the same, and that is why he died of that inflamed heart thingy.

I blame Victoria.