2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL PS3 Game – Review & Giveaway (12/16) #SfSHolidayGiftGuide

 2011 Holiday Gift Guide, cartoon network, For the Kids, games, Giveaways, holiday gift guide, Playstation games, PS3, Reviews, video games  22 Responses »
Dec 032011
 
2011 Holiday Gift Guide – Suggestions for Kids

(Be sure to check out all the other great Gift Guide items and giveaways here.)
It can sometimes be hard to find age-appropriate video games for the preteen set.  Many games kids consider too “babyish”, some are too complicated in the game play and many are too graphic.  The Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL is none of those things.
Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL is a brawler video game with 26 playable characters from shows like Johnny Bravo, The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Laboratory and many more.  There are six play modes: story mode, battle mode, arcade mode, PTE mode, Fight the Drones mode and training mode; with both story mode and battle mode up too 4 players can play together (or against each other!).  You’ll also find 26 different battle arenas in which to play.  Cool items and characters can be unlocked in the PTE store using the coins you earn battling.

A2 tested out the game for us first.  He thought it was okay, but shared that he felt kids 8-14 would probably enjoy it most.  I also think that adults who enjoy some of the Cartoon Network TV shows would enjoy this game as a fun break from more “serious” games, too.  (I always enjoy a good Dexter’s Lab.)
The controls are very intuitive, especially for those familiar with the brawler genre.  All of the character each have four special moves, but this doesn’t make the game complicated.
Below is a screen grab of a battle scene with Johnny Bravo so you can have a feel for what the game play looks like.  As you can see it’s all fun, cartoon-y stuff, not blood and gore.

You can also check out the video below from the developers.

Where to Buy:
Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL is rated E (Everyone age 10+) and in addition to the PS3 version ($39.99) it is available on the Xbox 360 ($39.99) and Nintendo Wii ($29.99).
Want to Win?

One winner will receive a copy of Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL for the PS3.  To enter fill out the Rafflecopter form below.  Reminder: Rafflecopter sometimes takes a moment to load; if you don’t see it after a minute, please try refreshing your browser.

ENTER HERE:

I received a copy of the game in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received and all opinions are 100% mine and my family’s.

2011 Holiday Gift Guide: The Sportula Personalized Spatulas #SfSHolidayGiftGuide

 2011 Holiday Gift Guide, For Him, Reviews  34 Responses »
Nov 302011
 

2011 Holiday Gift Guide – Suggestions For Him

(Be sure to check out all the other great Gift Guide items and giveaways here.)
Sportula Products

The Sportula is a great gift for a number of people on your list.  Those that are hard to shop for, those who have everything, those that have a favorite hobby, those that love to grill – and, of course, tailgating!

The Sportula is a cross between a spatula and a fan item.  The “flipping surface” of the Sportula has a laser-cut design that allows you to showcase everything from your favorite college team to your own corporate logo.  They are made of heavy stainless steel, with the handle being hard maple with brass rivets.  The lettering on the handle is custom heat-stamped and the end of the handle has a built-in bottle opener (also makes for a good hanging hook).

Sportula Products

Being from Kentucky, we are big UK fans.  And most UK fans are quite serious about their tailgating.  So I LOVE that the Sportula comes in a UK Wildcats design.  I can think of a half-dozen people on our Christmas shopping lists that would love to show off their Cat Pride with one of these.  (Hubby is looking forward to flipping some burgers with this.)

Sportula Products

If you’re not big into college sports, though, there are plenty of other choices.  If you have a current or former member of the military you’re shopping for, they might like one of the patriotic designs.  Or maybe you have a hobbyist on your list.  They have everything from fishing, hunting, golfing – and a bunch more.  You can even tell Dad and Grandpa how special you think they are.

Where to Buy:

You can purchase the Sportula direct from their website.  Prices range from $19.99 to $29.99.  They’re also available (on sale!) from Amazon.

Want to Win?

Two winners will each receive a Sportula of their choice!  Giveaway closed.

I received a product in order to facilitate my review.  No other compensation was received and all opinions are 100% mine and my family’s.

2011 Holiday Gift Guide – Puppy & Bean Shirts And Onesies #SfSHolidayGiftGuide

 2011 Holiday Gift Guide, For Babies, For Toddlers, Reviews  28 Responses »
Nov 272011
 

2011 Holiday Gift Guide – Baby & Toddler Suggestions

(Be sure to check out all the other great Gift Guide items and giveaways here.

If you wrote “adorable shirts” this year on your shopping list for babies and toddlers you’re going to be able to cross off a name or two. Puppy & Bean was started as a way to help caregivers remember the humor that comes with the job – humor that can sometimes be lost in the daily challenges of parenting or care-giving.  The shirts are a fun way to embrace the moments that show us what complex little beings toddlers can be, and the ways they like to demonstrate it.

I had the pleasure of meeting Laurel at the ABC Kids Expo this year and she is just as sweet as her clothing line!  If you’d like to “meet” her, too, watch the short video below.

The toddler shirts are 100% preshrunk combed ringspun cotton and the onesies and youth shirts are 100% organic combed ringspun cotton.  They also carry a few other branded items, like tote bags, water bottles, mugs, and a signature shirt for women and men.  I love a number of their designs, but the “Catch Me”, “love @ first sight” and “Silly Bean” are a few of my favorite.  We received an adorable Snuggly Bean shirt which fits Baby C.’s personality perfectly.  I love how soft the shirts are and how well they fit.

Puppy & Bean Shirts and Onesies

I’m not the only one who loves Puppy & Bean.  Jewel had her baby shower sponsored by Puppy & Bean (the “love @ first sight” shirt above was designed especially for Jewel’s boy Kase).  A number of other celebrities (Rachel Zoe, Nicole Sullivan) also love them.  Google also just profiled them as a successful small business.

You can stay up-to-date with Puppy & Bean by liking them on Facebook and following them on Twitter

Where to Buy:

Visit Puppy & Bean and shop their online store.  Onesies are $24 and toddler shirts are $20.

Do you prefer tees or onesies for your little one?

I received a shirt in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received and all opinions are 100% mine and my family’s.

2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Ballreich Chips Gift Baskets #SfSHolidayGiftGuide

 2011 Holiday Gift Guide, For Him  60 Responses »
Nov 142011
 

2011 Holiday Gift Guide – Gifts For Him

One gift idea that fits almost anyone – especially those hard-to-shop-for guys on your list – is a gift basket.  And you really can’t go wrong with a basket of snacks and other edible goodies.

Ballreich’s can provide you with a variety of gift baskets for men full of tasty snacks for a number of different occasions.  They are a family-owned company that was founded in Tiffin, OH, in 1920 by Fred Ballreich and his wife Ethel.  They called their chips “Marcelled”, which means wavy, after the popular ladies’ wavy hairstyle of the time.

Gift Baskets for Men: Ballreich Chips Gift Baskets

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2011 Holiday Gift Guide Starts Today! Great Reviews & Giveaways for Everyone on Your Lists #SfSHolidayGiftGuide

 2011 Holiday Gift Guide, Christmas, gift guide, gifts, Giveaways, Holidays  6 Responses »
Nov 142011
 
I couldn’t wait any longer so today I am officially kicking off my 2011 Holiday Gift Guide!  For the next month or so I will be bringing you a number of reviews and giveaways to help you complete your shopping lists.

As sponsors are confirmed I will be adding them to the 2011 Holiday Gift Guide page.  Here you’ll be able to get a sneak peak at the products coming; you’ll also find links to each sponsor’s website in case you’d like more information.  And as each item’s review and giveaway goes live, you’ll also be able to click the image and go directly to the giveaway.
I’m also bringing you two special additions.  The first will be the “For Your Holiday Table” supplement.  Towards the end of the month I will have reviews and giveaways that focus on tasty treats  to serve at your parties plus decorating items for entertaining.  These will all happen over the same weekend as opposed to spread throughout the month (meaning that there will be tons of great giveaway prizes for you to win that weekend, especially!).
The second special treat is an ongoing giveaway that starts today and ends on 12/16.  The giveaway is for a Christmas Stocking full of gifts, treats and gift cards.  Each day after you enter the new Gift Guide giveaways you can come back to this post and fill out the Rafflecopter form below.  For each Gift Guide giveaway you enter you’ll get an entry into the Christmas Stocking giveaway.  There will also be an extra “Bonus Entry” each day that you can complete.
ENTER HERE:

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