Travelers Notebook Insert: Flip Through of my Mommy Lhey B6 Clear TN

Hi Friends!  I have been busier sharing on Instagram than on my much neglected blog so please connect with me there too, my handle is @ktnestingspot.

I'm still into subscription boxes...

Sidenote: Did you hear that Julep just discontinued there Maven program?!? I was a saddened by that, as I do really love their makeup products.  My go to eye look uses only their eyeliner and eye shadow stick, plus their top and smoothing base coats are awesome. I can still order but it's nice to have something automatically show up on your doorstep each month.

Anyhoo, my tendencies to get sidetracked evidently are still in full force.  I wanted to jump on here and show off my latest video.  I watch a lot of YouTube on my Kindle, like A LOT of Youtube... it's a fun and relaxing way to "hang" out with my crafty peeps.  From tutorials, unboxings, and more it's really been a joy to see what so many different papercrafters and other creatives are up doing via their YouTube videos. 

I have been wanting to be more involved in the community vs being a passive viewer, although I do happily pass out "Thumbs Up" Likes on their videos and subscribe to a lot of channels.  One of my 2019 New Year Goals was to JUST DO IT and get to my channel and begin posting and not keep recording videos and then deleting because they're not good enough.  Because the truth is, I'm not a professional and it will be a long time, if ever, that they are "good enough".  But in the meantime I'm missing out by not putting out what I AM creating. 

With that being said, here's the first video I created on my iPhone vs my Canon.  I'm enjoying this format because it's streamlined with easier upload and editing right on my phone.  I've still got a long way to go to learn how to use the tools I've got but to start somewhere :)  I hope you enjoy!

Teen Beach Movie, Premiering Friday July 19th & Family Movie Night Fun

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, I received Disney Channel "Teen Beach Movie" products in exchange for a post about the film.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love summer!  Schedules are relaxed and there's time to have fun together as family.  We let our daughter's strict 8 o'clock bedtime slide and a great way to end a hot busy day is with cuddles on the couch, popcorn, and a great movie on the TV.  Already on our schedule, is to enjoy the Disney Channel's premier of "Teen Beach Movie" on Friday July 19 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

This breezy surf-rock musical comedy is going to be perfect for our family to watch together, the video clip previews have already got us excited to dance and sing along.  The movie has a really cute premise: When teen surfing sweethearts Brady and McKenzie surf their way into a classic beach party movie, "Wet Side Story," they find themselves caught in the middle of the two groups vying for control of their beach's hangout.  It's a beach side movie as only Disney can do it, complete with spontaneous song and dance!  As Brady and Mack try to get back home, they inadvertently change the movie's romantic storyline when handsome surfer Tanner falls for McKenzie and biker girl Lela falls for Brady. 

Both the surfers and bikers are stylized with a retro cool look, adding to the old school vibe of the film.  It's a modern twist on classics such as "Gidget," or "Grease," with a message for kids and tweens about the importance of believing in yourself and following your true identity along with positive themes like self-expression, friendship and youth empowerment.  I am glad to have an option for good wholesome entertainment for my soon to seven year old daughter.

Teen Beach Movie is ideal for a family movie night and to get in the mood we threw a beach themed night!  It was complete with decorations and snacks to make our time spent together even more memorable.  To make planning super easy, right now there is a "Teen Beach Movie" party kit at DisneyChannel.com/TeenBeachMovie!

You'll find everything you need there from banners, to food ideas, crafts, and more.  Please excuse the crinkles in part of our banner, my almost two year old got a little excited over all the decorations and couldn't resist playing with it.  He was really, really, into this special family time and it was great to do it all without leaving home!

We decided to get into the mood, using some of the party ideas from the "Teen Beach Movie" site.  Starting with a "Surf's Up!" banner we downloaded and printed and a cool blow up "Teen Beach Movie" surf board sent to me for writing this post.  While ours themed, another beach blow up were certainly add the right touch to your party decorations.  A stack of inter tubes artfully arranged would look great!

The Teen Beach Movie Party Kit makes it super easy to throw a themed event and leave you with plenty of time for fun!   I was really tempted to go all out with the food but my daughter just wanted fruit and "sammies" aka sandwiches.  I had to remind myself movie night doesn't have to be complicated, what she is going to remember is the time we spend wit her and not how long it took Mommy to make decorations!

Then we laid out our favorite beach towels to get into the beach party mood and popped in one of our favorite Disney DVDs into our player, Jake and the Neverland Pirates to substitute for "Teen Beach Movie" this time. 

Time to dig into some yummy snacks, using the Premier Food Labels and Party Board Surf Boards to carry on our theme. Easy peasy and both kiddos were crazy about the little surf boards. The little signs punched up the level of excitement over the snacks and every day food became extra special.

We had so much fun, here are some more pictures of the silliness to be had!  The photo props and popcorn buckets were sent to me in my kit along with E's bracelet and temporary tattoos but it's easy to get a couple things like leis or inexpensive sunglasses to wear for your beach themed family movie night!

Here is a little video showing more of our family movie night, enjoy!

Our night felt like just a warm up for the big event on Friday, July 19th!  We hope you'll tune it too!

Wreck-It Ralph Now in Theaters

One of the movies most anticipated by the entire family came out this weekend.  I think my husband was shocked pleasantly surprised when our daughter announced she wanted to see it.  She normally favors princess type movies that her avid gamer, both video and role playing, father doesn't quite get.  But there's something for both of them in Wreck-It Ralph. 

What was the last movie your entire family was excited about seeing?  Leave me the title in the comments so we can add it to our list of must see movies.  Then check out this Character's Featurette and get to know who's who in the world of Wreck-It Ralph a bit more.

Which Fairy Are You? Coming Oct 23: Secret of the Wings on 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download

As huge Disney fans, we've been anxiously awaiting the release of the newest Pixie Hallow Fairies movie and are looking forward to it coming out next Tuesday!

Here's a brief synopsis:

Journey with Tinker Bell and her fairy friends into the forbidden world of the mysterious Winter Woods, where curiosity and adventure lead Tink to an amazing discovery and reveal a magical secret that could change her world forever.

They've brought along some new fairy friends to meet you.  Check out the clip to see them in action and then take the quiz below to learn more about the fairies and find out which one you're most like.



Now for the Quiz!


I'd love to know which Fairy you are.  Each time ER has been to Disney World the Fairies always tell her she's a water fairy.  She just loves seeing them in person and on her well loved Tinker Bell movies.  We have the whole collection and will be adding this one too!



Disclosure: Press materials were provided.  Disney enthusiasm real and unbiased.

“The Great Mouse Detective” Mystery in the Mist Edition, 2 Disc Blu-ray & DVD Review

Out earlier this week, "The Great Mouse Detective” Mystery in the Mist Edition is a favorite from my own childhood.  I remember seeing it in the theaters, and it was great fun to share it with my daughter.  The premise of a world not unlike ours but populated by intelligent mice always fascinated me.  Add to that a healthy dose of admiration for the likes of the great detective mind who resided on Baker Street, and well, the “The Great Mouse Detective” was always fated to be a classic to me.

The main character Basil of Baker Street does in fact give a generous nod to his human counterpart and even has his own sidekick in the form of Dawson.  The two are hot on the trail of arch villain Professor Ratigan.  He's responsible for mouse napping the toymaker Hiram; forcing him to make a clockwork Queen.  Hiram is reluctant so Ratigan sends his henchman, Fidget the Bat, to snag Hiram's daughter Olivia in the hopes that threatening to feed her to his pet cat will convince him to work harder.  If this sounds a little convoluted, then you won't be surprised by Ratigan's motivation.  Like any good movie scoundrel with grandiose plans, he wants to take over the world...or as in this case, the mouse world of Victorian era Britan. 

Basil and Dawson become involved in the caper when Olivia convinces them to help her and Basil sees a chance to catch his nemesis Ratigan.  Thus sending the trio out into the streets of London and famous sites such as the Thames River, Big Ben, and even into Buckingham Palace itself as they attempt to foil his attempt to assassinate the Queen of the Mice and take over.

While the film clocks in at a scant 74 minutes, its great fun the whole time with clever detective work, action, seemingly impossible escapes, and fun with a happy ending.  How Ratigan ever thought his robot version would fool anyone is amusing, she wobbles way too much.  I also especially liked the legendary Vincent Price as Professor Ratigan.  The climatic end in which he meets his doom might be a little intense for the very young because it's dark, rainy, and thunderous with lightening.  Our hero and Ratigan are fighting it out, and our villain truly does look monstrous and scary.  Basil makes a miraculous return after falling great depths.

The picture quality is excellent, sure beats the old much beloved Disney VHS tapes of yesteryear that were watched over and over growing up. This classic will be a welcome edition to your Disney home movies.  The only thing I don't like about The Great Mouse Detective is that there weren't further adventures.  The ending leaves the door open for sequels and I for one am still hoping for more.

Currently available “The Great Mouse Detective” Mystery in the Mist Edition 2-Disc Blu-ray & DVD Combo Pack has a suggested retail price of $29.99 US and is rated G. Special features include:

• You Think You Can Sleuth: Viewers get an introduction to private investigating to kick off the “Great Mouse Detective” film
• The World’s Greatest Criminal Mind: Sing-A-Long Song: Young fans can sing along with Vincent Price to the song’s villainous vocals.
• The Making of the Great Mouse Detective: In this bonus feature, fans get a behind the scenes look at this classic film.

Disclosure: A complimentary review copy was provided.  The experiences and opinions related within are both personal and unbiased.

Polly Pocket Playtime Pet Shop Play Set

We're back with our second installment of play time with Polly Pocket!  The Playtime Pet Shop Play Set has been a big hit with my six year old daughter and all the little friends we've had over for play dates this month.  This colorful set has several neat features, making it an extra special way to play.  It comes with extras like pet leashes, food bowl, and even toys to make it more realistic. 

The pet shop theme is very popular, as most little kiddos like the idea of having many animal friends to play with.  Mine included!  Plus this is one pet friendly shop with many fun areas to for the animals to play in.  Let's check out some of our favorite features before we get to the video, with my daughter's take on the it!

Polly has a comfy swing seat and a special spot for one of her friends to sit.  The animal bunk beds are nearby.  ER likes to put the kitty on one level and the sleeping kittens on another so they can be close by to their mother.

To the left of Polly's swing is another perch, perfect for the love birds.  It comes off, but as you can see I've left the plastic ties on for the time being.  It holds it securely when ER moves the Polly Pocket Playtime Pet Shop from her bedroom upstairs, downstairs.  ER really likes to attach the birds to Polly's arm so it looks like she is holding them.

On the other side of the swings is a pet care center, where the animals can be washed before being put to bed.  I love that a little shelf for their toiletries and even a little towel has been included.  The green slider has a spot to stick in Polly's feet so she can "stand" and bathe the pets.

A carrier is included so that when the animals are adopted they can travel in style.  It opens and closes securely.  Please note this brown and white dog is not part of this set.  It's from the Polly Pocket Hangout House, Kitchen add on set, which you saw in our Polly Pocket post last month. 

I'm sorry if there is any confusion, my daughter snuck this one into the pile of accessories to play with and I didn't notice until I was processing the photos.  When I asked her about it, ER said that of course this puppy would be in the travel carrier.  She was adopted earlier and came back to visit her friends still at the pet shop.  Even though she is only six she totally said that in a voice that said, "Duh, Mom!"  Oh the imagination that one has!

There is a cool hidden trap door where the pets can drop down a level and be ready to get picked up by their new owners.  There is also a slide that both pets and Polly can take. 

My favorite detail is the food dispenser.  Press the lever and food drops down, cute! 

Like the Hangout House we got last month, the Polly Pocket Playtime Pet Shop Play Set also has the ever popular elevator feature.  Now let's check out what ER has to say!
My daughter says the Pet Shop is her favorite yet, she has four Polly Pocket sets in total including the two we were sent to review, because of all the animals. She likes it even though Polly and the animals do not have the suction cups on them to hold the pieces in place like the Hangout House. That made it easier for things to stay in place if the table or house were bumped.

ER keeps everything in a canvas storage box so loosing pieces from the Pet Shop hasn't been an issue so far and it's easy for her to carry the box around when she wants to play somewhere other than her bedroom. She carries the Hangout House in a box too, because she is on the petite size and the irregular shape of the house can make it difficult for her to hang on too, even with most of the movable parts suctioned cupped to it.

She likes how this play set has more detail, like the trap door, spinning pet display, and the pet bunks that are built right into the actual play set so you don't have to worry about moving them about. The Pet Shop is also more elaborate than the base Hangout House so that's another plus, although it does have higher price tag.

Besides the Polly Pocket Playtime Pet Shop Play Set we also received a Polly Pocket DVD featuring "Friends Finish First".  You can also view it, and many more videos, online in the video section of the Polly Pocket website. 

In the video Polly and her friends are taking part in a roller blading race, on what must be the coolest track ever!  They've been having fun together, when a producer picks Polly and her friends to be in the adventure of a lifetime and compete against one another in a roller blading contest.  She thinks Polly has star qualities and is a fierce competitor who will do anything to be crowned the first adventurista ever!  It's not all fun and games, Dr. Alexandra Cassandra's had an ulterior motive.  She wants to produce the most watched show ever and thinks the competition will get high ratings.  Along the way Polly is torn between winning and friends.  She figures out what really matters and teaches Dr. Alexandra Cassandra too.

My daughter thought "Friends Finish First" was very exciting to watch, with all the fast paced action and the amazing tricks the girls perform.  Her favorite part was when everyone celebrates on a fantastical shiny floating blimp-like vehicle that Dr. Alexandara Cassandra gets around in.  It's like a flying cruise ship and thought the idea of being in the sky and swimming in a pool was pretty neat. 

She liked the video so much that now she enjoys watching others on Polly Pocket's website as well.  She likes the modern and hip look of the characters and how it feels less babyish than the preschool shows she can see on TV.  You can also play games and check out Polly World there.  I really like how the all of these features on the site combine to make it a really fun way to continue the fun online.  The games were basic enough for ER to have fun without getting frustrated.  She's quite the fashionista so she really liked getting to virtually dress up Polly.

I know we will continue to play with and enjoy our Polly Pocket play sets after this review campaign. ER is hoping a vehicle of some sort and some additional clothing options for her dolls will show up under the Christmas tree. She really likes their trendy fashions! She'd also like a Polly Pocket with "real" hair as opposed to the plastic molded hair.

Polly Pocket and her friends are the perfect for girls who are outgrowing preschool toys but who aren't ready for more mature looking dolls and play sets. Mine is scared of the more Gothic themed toys that seem to be popping up. I am glad we have a more wholesome alternative in the form of Polly Pocket for her to continue her make believe play.

The Polly Pocket Playtime Pet Shop Play Set retails for $29.99 and is available at the Mattel shop and many local retailers. Does your child like Polly Pocket?  How does he or she like playing in Polly Pocket's world?



Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Mattel Polly Pocket. I received a product samples and a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.

Mattel's Polly Pocket Hangout House Playset & Stick N Play Room Review

My daughter turned six last month and two of her friends gave her Polly Pocket sets as birthday gifts.  While my kiddo has no shortage of toys, those were our introduction to the world of Polly Pocket.  ER really liked them and was already talking about wanting to add to her collection.  I'm not sure who was more excited, her or I, when the opportunity to try out some new Polly Pocket play sets came my way through Mom Central.  As part of the blog tour I will be featuring Mattel's Polly Pocket on my blog both this month and the next.  The coolest part, naturally, is getting to check out all the newest toys!

A few weeks ago a Polly Pocket Hangout House arrived and we had to open it immediately!  ER was literally squealing and jumping up with excitement.  This lightweight play house has three levels of rooms, elevator, spinning "staircase", and pet basket.  It's coolest features include a bed that flips over to turn into a roof top pool.

Polly Pocket heading up on the elevator.

It's time to swim now, but later it'll turn into a bed!

Time for a snack with my favorite pet pooch and some delicious looking treats, all of which come with the set.  There's lot to play with!

The addition of the larger sized suction cups on the accessories makes this toy idea for being played with inside and out.  They make it less likely that bits and pieces will get lost during transportation.  My daughter has taken her set outside onto the back porch and up onto the playhouse, that's part of her play structure.  When she carries it up the ladder the pieces stay put and we haven't had any problems with parts coming off and dropping into the grass.  We also put the entire thing into a fabric container box and took it over to Grammy & Papa's house, everything made it there and back safely.  There were no loose pieces in the box.

Besides the Polly Pocket Hangout House we also got a Stick N'Play Room to expand our set.  This is the kitchen.   The extra sets are nice because you can easily slide them into the house to expand your play area.  My daughter enjoyed how the pie is sized just right to actually fit inside of the stove and the little mixer is one of her favorite pieces of her entire Polly Pocket collection.  I was happy to see that the Kerstie® doll that included was a brunette, providing a bit of diversity to the dolls.

More Stick N'Play rooms are available all of which also slide into the main Hangout House frame.  There's a Patio and a Game Room both of which look like a lot of fun and are on ER's wish list.  In fact, if I had to choose Stick N'Play Rooms to purchase first I would pick one of those two over the Kitchen just because I think they provide a bit more variety.  The Polly Pocket Hangout House already comes with a kitchen like room and accessories like a refrigerator.

I can already tell that Polly Pocket is going to become a big part of my six year old's playtime and that her collection will continue to grow.  She has been wanting toys that were more mature than some of her preschool aged sets now that she is going into first grade.  Polly Pocket's hip appearance, modern accessories, and smaller pieces fit the bill perfectly.  I know she likes Polly Pocket but I'll let her tell you in her own words what she thinks in the video below.  (Subscribers will need to click over to view.)




I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Mattel Polly Pocket. I received a product samples and a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.

Review: Dr. Seuss' The Lorax 3D Blu-ray and DVD

Our copy Dr. Seuss' The Lorax has gotten a lot of play since showing up on our doorstep for review.  It's even the title our six year old picked to take along in the car for the DVD player and to her grandparents when she slept over.  Proof positive that it's already a favorite!  I can see why it's a hit with both children and adults.  It's one of those rare films that can entertain both age groups without periods of dullness for either.  The reference to Mission Impossible got a grin from me, and even though she wasn't familiar with the theme music, it was animated cleverly enough to get laughs from her. 
Released at the beginning of the month, Dr. Seuss' The Lorax is vibrantly brought to life in Thneedville.  Life seems to be great for all of its residents, who are protected by the large wall surrounding it. It keeps them safe from the deteriorating environmental conditions outside.  There's no reason for anyone to ever want to leave, the sun is shining, streets are clean, vehicles are large, and it could indeed be a utopia of sorts, all overseen by the town's benefactor the wealthy and uber successful entrepreneur of clean air, Aloysius O'Hare.  He keeps a tight watch on the citizens aided by his trench coat wearing henchmen and cleverly placed cameras throughout the city.

No where in Thneedville are there any real trees, Ted's family even owns one that's battery operated and changes colors for the season.    It's his dream girl Aubrey, who sparks his desire to find a real tree so he can impress her and like all movie heros, end up with the girl.  His quest takes him outside of the wall and into the post apocalyptic looking countryside, where it's dark, eerie, and there are tree stumps as far as the eye can see. This is where Ted can find the one person who can help him, the mysterious character the Once-ler, who tells him the story of Truffala Valley deforestation and the lesson the Lorax tried to teach him. 

Most adult viewers of Dr. Seuss' The Lorax will expect the environmental undertones, but may not expect the message to come in such a delightfully animated, cleverly written, smart and entertaining film.  I've yet to see another character abandon his principals to such a big muscial number with a catchy tune!  Plus the casting of Betty White as Ted's Grammy Norma was ingenious.  The Lorax, while at times gruff and serious, also posesses enough wiseness and caring to make him the perfect foil to O'Hare and one who really does speak for the trees. 
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax is now available on Blu-ray™ 3D Combo Pack and Blu-ray™ Combo Pack ( both sets featuring DVD, Digital Copy and UltraViolet™)  from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. The Dr. Seuss' The Lorax Blu-ray™ 3D Combo Pack will also include three brand new mini-movies including:

• Serenade: Two Bar-ba-loots -- one love shy and the other suave and confident -- battle for the heart of their would-be sweetheart with the help of a colorful cast of characters, including the Humming-Fish and Swomme-Swans.
• Wagon-Ho: Two Bar-ba-loots take The Once-ler’s wagon on a ride they won’t soon forget.
• Forces of Nature: Determined to scare The Once-ler out of Truffula The Lorax decides to create the illusion of ominous forces of nature.

We received the Blu-ray™ Combo Pack to review, I love combo packs!  We have a copy for the car and home plus a digital version we still need to download.  I love that with new technology we have even more options for portability and can use our our netbook, tablet, or even smart phones - when I get one of those, I hope soon!  This movie is perfect for family movie night!  Be sure to download the activity sheet, linked above, and learn how to draw a humming fish with the video embedded below.  Both would make fabulous activities to extend family time!  (Subscribers may need to click over to the post to view.)

Disclosure: A complimentary review copy was provided.  The experiences and opinion related within are personal and unbiased.  No other compensation was received.

Review - Twinkle Toes: The Movie with Video Clip & Coloring Page

Out tomorrow, the Twinkle Toes: The Movie was a big hit with my six year old and I really liked the message for kids.  In it, Grace "Twinkle Toes" Hasting enters a performing arts school after being admitted when the dance teacher she works for applies unbeknownst to Grace.  Why didn't Grace do it herself?  Turns out Grace has a seriously bad case of stage fright and can only show off her amazing skills when no one is looking.

Once there she immediately runs into problems when the reigning star of the school is threatened by Grace and makes her a target for mean taunts and pranks.  With a nod to the times, this takes the form of an embarrassing dance video of Grace being posted online.  It takes the help of her friends to prove what's happening to Grace.

Turning the situation into a positive, Grace builds on her Internet popularity to recruit viewers to contribute toward a benefit show the school puts on to help save their school when budget cuts threaten it's closure.  She overcomes her stage fright just in time to be the star of the show.  One message from the video that I really liked was, Grace learning being different is okay; that you don't have to dance like everyone else to have talent. 

Another is a reminder to teachers, and really all adults, that what we say to kids can really have an impact.  Turns out something a teacher said to Grace is what started her stage fright to begin with.  While I don't say harsh things like that to my daughter, I did I find myself biting my tongue later on when I got frustrated practicing sight words with my daughter and on the verge of asking her how could she not know that word yet!  Instead I moved had her move onto practicing her handwriting while I got my cool back!

Overall, Twinkle Toes: The Movie is an enjoyable video for elementary aged kids, especially those that enjoy dance, and that does a good job of addressing fears your child might share with a good resolution. 

Here is a clip of Grace showing off her skills before a board of judges, determining if she can stay at the school.  She tries to get around her stage fright, by closing her eyes while performing.

Buy Twinkle Toes on Amazon.com, also available at your favorite local retailers: Walmart, Target, and Sketchers stores. You can also learn more and play games on the Twinkle Toes website.



Disclaimer: A complimentary review copy was provided. The experiences and opinions related within are personal and unbiased.

Disney Junior unveils new toy line at Toy Fair 2012

As you know, we love our Disney Junior and when I got sent a link to this video from one of my Disney contacts, I enjoyed it so much I thought other Disney fanatics might like it too. It was so fun seeing the new toys inspired by some of the most popular series.

I can already imagine Brad the kids playing with that pirate ship from "Jake and the Never Land Pirates". I love that Sharon Osbourne the voice of Mama Hook is planning on taking some of the toys home to her son Jack. Isn't she just perfect for Captain Hook's mum?

After getting a couple of glimpses of the toys, I'm also excited to see the new show "Doc McStuffins". I think ER is going to like that a lot! That show's premiere is Friday, March 23rd, we'll be tuning in!

Hartstrings Review

Last weekend ER and I went on a shopping spree at our local Hartstings courtesy of their campaign with MomSelect.  We had a blast checking out their selection of outfits, especially their holiday line.  At the very front of the store, there was an attractive display of seasonal sweaters, and the one with presents caught her eye right away.  I thought, we're not five feet in the store an already she's found several things she wants.  This is a good sign!

Here is a little clip, showing the store to give you an idea of what how clothing is displayed.  The store was clean, bright, and the clothing well organized.  Half the store is devoted to boys and the other to girls.  Smaller sizes are at the front and they get larger as you move back through it.  It was easy to see each line and all the pieces in it, making it easier to put together outfits.  I had planned to pick out clothing for both my five year old and four month old but ER went a little crazy and I decided to splurge on her.  Besides LB is little enough, his feelings won't be hurt!

The Hartstings staff was friendly and helpful, without being intrusive.  We were greeted promptly and offered help and a changing room once the clothing I was carrying began to pile up.  I asked about sizes, wondering if things ran small because they looked like they might to me.  The assistant said most customers found they were running true to size, and while I was doubtful, we did find out that was exactly right upon trying on some things.

I was drawn to a purple in the Fair Isle line, but unfortunately there wasn't much available in ER's size.  It didn't really matter because she's got a mind of her own and once she saw Pink Couture, it was all over.  She saw the Medallion Print Long Sleeve Knit Dress and her eyes lit up.  I knew we'd be leaving with one of those! 

After some negotiation, we grabbed a Black Velvet Tiered Skort to try on with our sweater from the Winter Delights line.  She liked both because of the bling on them and they made the cut.  Thinking we were done, we headed to the register, but she spied the Long Sleeve Pink Knit Tunic Top along the way and HAD to have it.  She decided to swap it with the gift covered sweater you see in the top photo.  So in the end, even though our plan was to find some cute holiday clothes, the only holiday themed thing we left with was the Candy Cane Long Sleeve Knit Top.  The appliqued candy cane on it is thick and detailed, really a quality decoration that will hold up through multiple kids!

We got a knit dress, velvet skort, tunic top, and holiday shirt or two full outfits and a top for a fantastic price.  Each of our items was 40% off and on top of that the entire store was an additional 20% off!  Hartstings is usually found at boutiques and high end departments stores and it was awesome being able to get my little fashionista some fabulous outfits for about 50% off retail!   Unfortunately the store is about an hour away from our home, so it's a bit far to visit regularly.  However, the savings were significant enough to make it worth a visit once a season.  I was especially excited to see that current styles were in the store and available at a big discount.

I thought it would be interesting to hear from my little shopping assistant exactly why she picked out the items she chose and why she likes them.  Enjoy these videos of ER!

Here she is at the Hartstings store, in the changing room.  The florescent lights make the color look a little funky.  In the video below she's by our tree in the great room of our house

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Disclaimer: This post is part of a blog campaign with MomSelect on behalf of Hartstrings.  The experiences and opinions related are personal and unbiased.  A gift card was provided to purchase the outfits, no other compensation was received.