Why Amazon Locker Is A Mom's Best Friend! + A Giveaway #AmazonLocker #DeliveringSmiles

This post is in partnership with Amazon. All opinions expressed are my own.

Ready for some real talk? Amazon Locker at Whole Foods, is seriously a mom's best friend. Thanks to Amazon Locker, I'm officially DONE with my holiday shopping { which is pretty miraculous, for me!} My favorite part? All of the holiday treats and surprises, have remained a surprise. Friends, with teens and toddlers in the house, that's no easy feat! 

Honest moment? Every year I plan to complete my shopping weeks in advance, yet somehow there's always those last few items that I either procrastinate about or forget entirely. Until the eleventh hour, that is. Then I rush here, there,  and everywhere like a mad women! Is it just me or are other moms with me on this? Gosh, I hope I'm not alone.  Not this year though! I picked up my final gift from an Amazon Locker at Whole Foods in Tribeca over the weekend, while grabbing some essentials for our upcoming holiday meal. It was a literal sigh of relief to be done {and with a whole week + to spare!} I also added a few {super cute} pre-assembled gingerbread houses + gingerbread cookies to my cart to decorate with the kids this week; perfect picks for some no-fuss holiday fun.  I think that's my holiday moto this year. No-fuss. Because again, let's be real.  No-fuss equals more holiday fun!

Read on for more about Amazon Locker + enter to WIN an Amazon.com Gift Card + Whole Foods Market Gift Card!

4 Calling Birds Yarn Craft For Kids

This post is sponsored by PNC. All opinions expressed are my own.

"On the 4th Day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, 4 calling birds....It's officially Day 4 of the 12 Days of Christmas Song, friends! Celebrate by making this super easy (super cute!) 4 calling birds yarn craft with the kids this season!

If you really want to raise the roof with holiday cheer, add the 12 Days of Christmas song to your holiday playlist, sing it with your kids (unabashedly, like no one's listening!) while making this adorable calling birds yarn craft! My younger kids are currently exploring textures, and this craft was a total win! It was easy enough for my 2.5 year old to do, yet still fun enough to hold the attention of my 4.5 year old. It requires the simplest of supplies and the total cost rings in at just under $5.

Have you ever stopped to imagine / guesstimate how much all of the gifts presented in the 12 Days of Christmas Song, would actually cost? Did you know that PNC has been calculating the price tag on the gifts presented in the 12 Days of Christmas Song, for 35 years? They do! It’s called the The PNC Christmas Price Index ®. 

Such a fun tradition, and a great way to help kids (and adults alike) grasp where the economy stands. So many great lessons for young kids, can be derived from the Christmas Price Index ®. You can start by doing this “4 Calling Birds” yarn craft with the kids.

Read on for the full supply list and our easy tutorial, to make this 4 Calling Birds yarn craft with your kids this Holiday season!

#AmazonLocker Is #DeliveringSmiles This Week In NYC With A Free Gift For Every Customer That Selects Delivery To A Manhattan Amazon Locker In A Whole Foods Market!

This post is in partnership with Amazon. All opinions expressed are my own.

Photo: courtesy of Amazon.

Amazon Locker is delivering smiles this week in NYC by giving a free gift to EVERY customer that selects delivery to a Manhattan Amazon Locker, located inside a Whole Foods Market! Super nice free gifts too! Check out the list of surprise gifts, below! This is just happening this week though folks, so HURRY!

Friends, does the shopping and laundry list of holiday related to-do's have you stressed yet? Can I be honest for a moment? The holidays are a bit overwhelming with four kids. The shopping, the holiday events, the big holiday meal prep...it can be migraine inducing if I'm not careful. Whether you're a busy mom like me, or a busy grandparent, or just busy in general (aren't we all?!) this year, Amazon and Whole Foods Market are teaming up to help us all to step out of the rat race, and actually celebrate and enjoy the holiday season with the ones we love! How? Amazon Locker. It's that simple. Did you know that Amazon Locker is now conveniently located in nearly every Whole Foods Market store location? Whether you reside in an apartment building that doesn't allow for secure delivery of packages or you're a parent trying to keep the gifts a secret and the kids surprised, Amazon Locker is definitely the way to go this holiday season. I just started delivering to an Amazon Locker and I'm kinda' loving it! Amazon Locker allows for secure zero-hassle pick-ups and returns, and with four kids lets be real, we are always in need of something from Whole Foods! I can shop for groceries, pick up the gifts from an Amazon Locker, and be on my merry way. 

Whether you're already hip to the convenience of using Amazon Locker or you have yet to give an Amazon Locker a try, this week is definitely the week to deliver to an Amazon Locker in Whole Foods Store locations in Manhattan! Why, you ask?! Amazon is giving away free high-end surprise gifts!  Starting today (December 11th, 2018) through December 17th, 2018  EVERY Amazon customer who orders to and picks up from an Amazon Locker at a Whole Foods Market Manhattan store location will receive a FREE SURPRISE GIFT!  The free surprise gifts include some of this year's most popular items like, Bose SoundLink speakers, Sony wireless noise cancelling headphones, Amazon devices (including Kindle, Echo Dot, and Echo Smart Speaker,) and household items like the latest Oral-B electric toothbrush, Amazon.com gift cards and Whole Foods Market gift cards (*promotion limit of 1 free gift per customer.)

Now, what are you waiting for? Wrap up your shopping on Amazon, select an Amazon Locker location located inside a Manhattan Whole Foods Market, and pick up your order + free surprise gift + groceries for your holiday meal, all in one convenient stop!

Keep an eye out for more on my experience with Amazon Locker (and a really fun holiday surprise that I have planned for all of YOU, this weekend!)

Happy Shopping and Happy Holidays, friends!

Learn more about Amazon Locker at: www.amazon.com/locker 

2 Turtle Doves Mini Embroidery Hoop Ornaments + Free Printable Template #ChristmasPriceIndex

This post is sponsored by PNC. All opinions expressed are my own.

"On the 2nd Day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, 2 Turtle Doves..." It's officially Day 2 of the 12 Days of Christmas Song, friends! Celebrate by making these simple and beautiful 2 Turtle Doves Mini Embroidery Hoop Ornaments with the kids, using our new free printable template. 

If you love the Holiday season as much as I do, this 2 Turtle Doves Mini Embroidery Hoop Ornament Craft needs no further explanation! It's inspired by the iconic 12 Days of Christmas Song, of course! So many fond memories of belting out that song each year as a child, in carefree giddy anticipation of "the big day”! Oh, what I wouldn't give to have a bit of that childhood naivete back. Those 12 gifts? Super-duper expensive, folks! Really, have you ever stopped to guesstimate what 2 turtle doves cost? As an adult, I certainly have, and so have the folks at PNC. For 35 years, actually; officially dubbed The PNC Christmas Price Index ®.  Each year, PNC calculates the increase/decrease/sameness in the total current cost of each of the gifts presented in the 12 days of Christmas Song. 

Read on for the full supply list (ringing in at about $5) and for our easy step-by-step tutorial, to make your own 2 Turtle Doves Mini Embroidery Hoop Ornaments with the kids this holiday season!

"Giving Is Electric" - A Simple Act of Kindness Can Be Life-Changing!

Have you ever stopped to think about how something that may seem simple to one person, could be potentially life-changing to another? Honestly, I've thought allot about just that over recent months. When I watched "Giving is Electric" this afternoon, I cried. This is a simple act of kindness, from a brand that chose to care and a charitable organization that has made it their mission to invest in our youth. Yet this simple act of kindness can potentially change this very motivated and deserving young man's life, forever. The chain reaction of possibility that one simple act of goodness can set in motion, is just incredible to think about, isn't it?

Watch "Giving is Electric" : Cubs Charities^® and SWAGTRON^® team up to provide Cubs Scholar Sean Waight with a very special gift: reliable transportation to his internship, college and beyond. 

This story is absolute goodness. So glad that the Cubs Charities® Scholars Program and companies with heart, like SWAGTRON®, exist!

 

Let's all help to send some goodness out into our communities this holiday season and throughout the upcoming year.

Happy Holidays, friends!

One Savvy Mom!™ Top 2018 Holiday Gift Picks -Top Toys & Gifts For Kids + A Giveaway

This season truly is the most magical time of the year for children! There's nothing quiet like watching your little one light up in awe of the twinkling Christmas lights and the surprises around the Christmas Tree, is there? Oh, to be a kid! There are so many fun new toys that hit the stores this year. Have you heard of the Razor E Prime Electric Scooter? You guys, we've been having a blast zipping around on our Razor E Prime scooters! They are absolutely whisper quiet. You wouldn't even know that they are powered by a battery, that is, if you didn't catch a glimpse at just how fast they go! The Razor E Prime hits speeds of up to 15 miles per hour (on a fully charged battery) and it's super easy to start and brake with the convenient hand controls. So fun! Have a young artist in the house? The MagicPad allows you to draw /write on a clear surface and bring your art to life with beautiful glowing lights (8 different light effects/settings.)  I love, love, LOVE that the MagicPad allows kids to practice handwriting,practice spelling, and get creative on a reusable fun lighted surface that's both portable and screen-free. Because you all know how I feel about young kids and screens. Does the little girl in your life absolutely love American Girl? The 2018 American Girl of the year, Luciana Vega, inspires little girls to reach for the stars (literally!) as this year's  girl of the year is an aspiring astronaut! We absolutely adore the fun story-line for Luciana Vega, the 18" Doll (and book set,) and her extensive line of accessories and play sets that help young girls bring her story-line to life, through hands-on imaginative play.

Have you ever thought of giving a gift that literally keeps the fun going all year-round? How about annual / season passes to a local museum, zoo, or theme park? This year we've added a few fun ideas for "family experience" gifts to our list for kids. Such a fun way to keep the fun going, long after the holiday season has ended.

Read on for the full list of my Top 2018 Holiday Toys & Gifts For Kids picks, and enter to win a prize pack that includes 3 of my top picks!

One Savvy Mom!™ Top 2018 Holiday Gift Picks -Top Gifts For Her + A Giveaway

It's that time of year again! I'm so excited to share my top holiday gift picks "for her," today! Looking for some great gift ideas for the women in your life? Whether you're looking for a great gift for a friend, a wife, a sister, a mom, a grand mom (or perhaps gifts for all!) you're likely to find the perfect present on this year's list of top holiday gift picks "for her."

Read on for my Top 2018 Holiday Gift Picks "for her," and enter for your chance to win a prize pack that includes 2 of my top picks!

How To Donate To Toys For Tots Using Amazon's Alexa #DeliveringSmiles

This post is in partnership with Amazon. All opinions expressed are my own.

As a busy mom of 4, I know all too well how busy and hectic the holiday season can get! Before we head into the whirlwind that is the month of December, can we all pause to remember children in need of a little holiday cheer this season? Amazon is making it easier than ever for you to donate to Toys For Tots this year, with the help of Alexa. My favorite part about this charitable effort? Amazon is MATCHING customer donations throughout the end of the year - toy for toy - literally doubling customer contributions! What better way to maximize your efforts to give back this holiday season?!

To donate a toy (or many!) to Toys for Tots via Alexa, simply start by saying, "Alexa, donate to Toys for Tots."  Now, if you can, go have a little chat with Alexa! 

Happy Holidays, friends!

Harry Potter Mini Embroidery Hoop DIY Christmas Tree Ornaments - Kids Sewing Series at One Savvy Mom™ Project #9 {Free Template}

Love all things Harry Potter? Looking for a fun Harry Potter themed DIY Christmas tree décor? These Harry Potter Mini Embroidery Hoop DIY Christmas Tree Ornaments are PERFECT then! This is a great Harry Potter Christmas craft for the Harry Potter fanatic and they're also perfect for gifting to the Harry Potter fans in your life, this Holiday Season! My favorite part? It costs under $5 to make this pair of Harry Potter Mini Hoop Ornaments (Harry Potter + Hedwig!)These Harry Potter Mini Embroidery Hoop DIY Christmas Tree Ornaments are project #9 in our Kids Sewing Series, here at One Savvy Mom™.

Hi friends, how have you been? We spent Saturday at the holiday craft fair, selling all of the fun goodies and tree ornaments that we crafted over the past month or so. This was such a fun activity (for a great cause!) I sure hope that the stars align and we can do it again next year (perhaps even as an annual family tradition!) Mid-week last week, while we were gathering and boxing everything that we had completed, my daughter started talking about The Crimes of Grindewald movie that just hit theaters. Which snowballed into a conversation about her love of all things Harry Potter, and then eventually, a dare of sorts to make a mini hoop template that was Harry Potter themed. She said I couldn't. I said it was definitely doable, and well, here we are! These were actually very easy to assemble. Definitely a project that a child could do (I recommend for ages 8+.) 

Read on to grab our free Harry Potter and Hedwig printable templates and make your own Harry Potter Mini Embroidery Hoop DIY Christmas Tree Ornaments, this Holiday Season!

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer Mini Embroidery Hoop Ornament w/ Free Template - Kids Sewing Series at One Savvy Mom™ Project #8

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, had a very shiny nose...Gosh, friends! How adorable is this Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer Mini Embroidery Hoop Ornament?! My daughter and I made several of these 4" embroidery hoop Christmas ornaments over the weekend. They were super simple to put together! They're actually they're just slightly modified version of the deer template from our Woodland Animal Embroidery Hoops, that we shared here with a free printable template back in the Fall. This is project #8 in our Kids Sewing Series, here at One Savvy Mom™.

After coming across a yard of brown fabric and felt in our tote of craft scraps and a ball of red yarn, the idea for this Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer Mini Embroidery Hoop Ornament was hatched! These ornaments make a great handmade Christmas gift idea. They also make a great holiday keepsake craft for the kids to make and for you to cherish as a parent, for years to come.

Read on for the simple supply list, our free printable template and our easy tutorial, to make your own Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Mini Embroidery Hoop Ornament, this holiday season!

DIY Dollar Tree Funnel Set Angels

These DIY Dollar Tree Funnel Set Angels are made from a 3 piece funnel set, and other simple supplies from Dollar Tree! Total cost rang in at about $6 each, to make. The pictured DIY Dollar Tree Funnel Angel stands at about 18" tall, and is perfect for displaying during the Christmas season (or even adding to the top of your Christmas tree!)

Hi friends, how was your week? We are super busy these days, but in the very best ways! These DIY Dollar Tree Funnel Set Angels, were our project of the day, yesterday. By stacking the funnels, and using them as a form/ base, it gives the illusion that the Angel is wearing a 3-tiered dress. My oldest daughter helped me assemble several of these, in about an hour and a half. I prepped everything by cutting down all of the ribbon into 5" strips, bundled the raffia to create Angel wings, and cut down all of the felt to create the face/hair. Then she helped me assemble them, using low temp hot glue. I was originally planning on leaving the faces without features - but my daughter had the idea of stitching on closed eyes / a mouth on each Angel, before gluing the felt down. I absolutely LOVE how they turned out, and I'm so glad that she suggested this super simple add-on. If you made our Dollar Tree Funnel Set Christmas Trees last year, these are just as easy to assemble! These make great handmade holiday décor and they'd also make a great gift!

Read on for the simple supply list and our easy tutorial to make your own DIY Dollar Tree Funnel Set Angels, this holiday season!