Enter Harry Potter's magical world with the Book of Spells for PS3

One of the best things about JK Rowling's Harry Potter series is that there is so much scope for the imagination.  Readers can really get the feeling that a secret magical world could exist, and they put their books down with a renewed sense of wonder and possibility.

I'm all for the power of imagination alone, but there's no denying that a few props go a long way towards helping kids act out and enjoy their fantasies.  There's a lot of Harry Potter merchandise out there to help kids immerse themselves in Harry Potter's world -- toy wands, capes, notebooks with Gryffindor and Hufflepuff emblems embazoned on the front, even Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans in sweet shops -- but in my opinion, one of the best products out there for Harry Potter fans is Wonderbook's new Book of Spells for the Playstation 3.  Thanks to the magic of JK Rowling and the magic of the PS3, the Book of Spells will help young Muggles everywhere learn to cast spells just like Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest of the magical world.  Sony sent us a copy of the Book of Spells to review, and we are spellbound!

Inside the box, you'll find a Book of Spells disc for the PS3 and the PS3 Wpnderbook.  When I first saw the Wonderbook, I was honestly disappointed.  It looks nothing like a book of spells!  The blue tones and geometric patterns make the Wonderbook look more like something out of the world of TRON than the world of Harry Potter.

But wait.... you're still in the Muggle world.  Once you pop the disc into your PS3 and turn on your TV, you'll be guided through a very easy setup.  Basically all you have to do is make sure the Wonderbook and your Playstation Move controller are easily visible by your Playstation Eye camera.  Then take your eyes off that decidedly non-magical-looking Wonderbook and look into your TV screen.....

...and once you look into your TV screen, the Wonderbook is magically transformed into Miranda Goshawk's Book of Spells (one of Harry Potter's Hogwarts textbooks), and the PlayStation Move controller is magically transformed into a magic wand!

Here's a tip:  if you can't see your book of spells in your TV very well, try propping it up.

You'll be able to see everything much more clearly.

Now the fun can begin.  Players can select their wand as well as which Hogwarts House they want to belong to.  They can take a photo of themselves that comes out moving magically just like the photographs in Harry's magical world.  It even has that distinctive sepia tone.

As players make their way through the pages of the Book of Spells, they'll learn to perform 20 magical spells, most of which Harry Potter readers will recognize -- Accio, Alohamora, Expelliarmus, Diffindo, Lumos, Aguamenti, Protego, Reducto, Stupefy, Expecto Patronum, and more.  Like at Hogwarts, players start with the easiest spells and gradually learn the more difficult and more powerful spells.  Along the way, players (or should I say students of magic) get to read wizarding tales, collect trophies and solve conundrums.

The kids are loving it!  Learning the motions for each spell is not too difficult because there are onscreen prompts to help, and there's a small window that shows you what you look like as you wave your wand (remember, Swish and Flick!).  However So far they've only mastered Wingardium Leviosa and Alohamora, but they're enjoying every minute.

I'm really impressed by the Book of Spells.  This is augmented reality at its best -- the use of the PS3's Move technology plus the cool Wonderbook (I understand now why the Wonderbook is filled with generic, QR code-like symbols.... they'll probably be releasing other titles in the future to be used with the Wonderbook!), the beautiful graphics plus the accurate settings (you'll find yourself in the herbology lab, in the restricted section of the Hogwarts library, etc... ) plus the introduction of familiar objects and characters (Golden Galleons,  gnomes, etc...) make it feel like you've really entered Harry's world.  You can see JK Rowling's hand in every detail, from the funny back stories for each of the spells to the way Miranda Goshawk sometimes appears and tries to shove boogers up your nose.  It's totally magical.  I can't think of a kid who wouldn't love it.  This Muggle is sold!


Disclosure: As a Playstation Family blogger, I received a review copy of Wonderbook: Book of Spells. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Valentines Giveaway: Scented Body Products from Good Earth Beauty

February 14th is coming soon, and it's never too soon to start thinking about showering your little sweethearts with a sweet little trinket to celebrate Valentine's Day.  These adorable hand cream and lip gloss products look and smell like a luscious strawberry cupcake.  They're made by Natural Products Worldwide and were sent to me by Good Earth Beauty, an online retailer of natural beauty products.  I've always adored fruit-scented body products, and I liked these so much that I decided they'd be the perfect product to feature as a Valentine's Day gift idea for little girls.  Check out the photos below for a closer look:

The hand cream is packaged in an adorable pink polka-dotted box, looking just like a luscious cupcake (okay, that's a stretch, it looks more like a toy cupcake for a doll, but it's still cute!).  

Twist off the cupcake top and you'll find a light, satiny moisturizing cream that your skin simply drinks up.  The strawberry scent is strong enough for you to enjoy when putting the lotion on, but not so overpowering that you smell like a strawberry all day.

The lip gloss case looks like a miniature version of the hand cream case.  It has a generous amount of strawberry scented lip gloss that glides on smooth and smells heavenly.  

Both the hand cream and the lip gloss also come in other cupcake-inspired scents like Lemon Fluff, Raspberry Twister, Chocolate Sprinkle and okay I have to stop because if those scents smell as nice as the Strawberry Cream, my tummy is going to start rumbling!  Fortunately these cupcakes are zero sugar, fat and calories -- and since they're all-natural (like all the products that Good Earth Beauty sells), you never have to feel guilty about using them.  Put together, the lip gloss and hand cream make the perfect Valentine's Day present or birthday present for the sweetest little (or big) girl!

Check out Good Earth Beauty's entire line of products -- they're all natural, in many cases they're also organic, and none of them have been tested on animals.  

Win a set of Scented Body Products from Good Earth Beauty
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a set of Natural Products body products, courtesy of Good Earth Beauty:

* One Strawberry Cream Cupcake Hand Cream
* One Strawberry Cream Cupcake Lip Gloss


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which of the natural products brands sold by Good Earth Beauty you have tried before, or want to try.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Follow bonggamom on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on your Pinterest board (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) "Like Bonggamom Finds" on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the Good Earth Beauty giveaway!

6) Tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day until giveaway end date)
You could win a set of yummy strawberry scented body products fr Good Earth Beauty! Giveaway ends Feb 14 ow.ly/hfw4f

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on Feb. 14, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on Feb. 15 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.


Disclosure: I received review samples of the products featured above.   Thanks to Good Earth Beauty for providing the prize for this giveaway.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Carry Your Baby in Affordable Carriers from Evenflo {Giveaway}

This is the very first photo I have babywearing The Pea.  She was just under 1 month old, and as you can see from the photo, I still hadn't quite gotten the hang of it (she's riding too low and too far away from my chest -- the straps need to be tightened!), but I could already see what a great idea this newfangled infant carrier was.  Not only could I carry The Pea around with me, hold her close to me, I  could do it and still have my arms free!  The Pea, of course was on board (literally!) from day 1:  I doubt there's a baby alive who doesn't love snuggling close to her mama, feeling her warmth and smell, being rocked to sleep by her mama's motion and the beating of her heart.

Twelve years later, the babywearing movement is still going strong.  Infant carriers are more ergonomic than ever and more comfortable than ever.  They're easier to use and easier to care for.  They come in different styles to suit every kind of baby and every kind of lifestyle.  They come in the cutest colors, patterns and designs. Even better, they are now much, much more affordable, so parents with any kind of budget can experience the closeness that comes with wearing their baby!  Check out these soft infant carriers from Evenflo, all under $30 at Walmart.  Each one is safe and comfy and stylish, so parents can get out and about with their babies:

Evenflo - Soft Infant Carrier, Bright Lime – SRP: $15.00

SecureLock buckles and side-entry clips keep the Evenflo Infant Carrier safe and secure. With patented Auto-Fit back straps, the Evenflo Infant Carrier is comfortable for parents and babies will benefit from the added padding in the head rest and shoulder straps. Unexpected spit-ups and spills are no problem, since this soft baby carrier is constructed in machine washable fabrics.

· For infants 7-25 lbs.
· Baby backpack has 2 carrying positions: baby can face in or face out
· Added padding in the head rest and shoulder straps
· SecureLock buckles keep baby safe
· The padded back straps adjust automatically for complete comfort
· The side-entry buckle "clicks" to help keep baby secured

Evenflo - Breathable Soft Infant Carrier, Marianna – SRP: $20

The Breathable Carrier is easy and safe to use with the single side-entry buckle and patented, adjustable back straps.

· For children 7-25 lbs
· This carrier is versatile with 2 carrying positions, baby can face in or
face out
· Breathable mesh panels to help you and baby keep cool
· Removable bid
· Added padding in the head rest and shoulder straps where it counts
· SecureLock buckles baby safe
· Padded back straps adjust automatically for complete comfort
· Side entry buckle "clicks" to help keep baby secured
· Easy to clean fabrics are machine washable

Evenflo - Active Soft Carrier, Paisley – SRP: $29.88

This Evenflo Carrier has three carrying positions that offer versatility for you and your growing baby. It's easy and safe to use with the single side-entry buckle and patented, adjustable back straps.

· For children 7-32 lbs.
· 3 carrying positions
· Comfortable seat that adjusts
· Lumbar support
· Removable bib
· Added padding in the head rest and shoulder straps
· Secure lock buckles
· Padded back straps adjust for optimal comfort
· Side-entry buckle "clicks" to help keep baby secured
· Easy-clean fabric is machine washable

Evenflo - Active Soft Carrier - Stealth - SRP $29.88

Ready to take your baby out into the world with you? The Evenflo soft carrier has three carrying positions and an adjustable seat that offer versatility for you and your growing baby. This comfortable baby carrier has a padded headrest and removable bib. Plus, the Evenflo baby carrier is easy and safe to use with a single side-entry buckle that clicks to help keep baby secured. This Evenflo soft carrier also has patented, automatically adjustable back straps and lumbar support so you stay comfortable whether you're going on a nature hike or a stroll around the block. The Evenflo baby carrier is made for children 7 to 32 lbs. The easy-clean fabric is machine washable.

The Evenflo soft carrier
· For children 7-32 lbs.
· 3 carrying positions
· Comfortable seat that adjusts
· Lumbar support
· Removable bib
· Added padding in the head rest and shoulder straps
· Secure lock buckles
· Padded back straps adjust for optimal comfort
· Side-entry buckle "clicks" to help keep baby secured
· Easy-clean fabric is machine washable

Two soft infant carriers, three babies and twelve years after the first time I "wore" my baby, whenever I see a parent wearing his or her baby, I get a rush of fond memories and a pang of longing to carry my own babies -- not enough to rush out and have more babies, but just enough to want to borrow a baby and a baby carrier for a moment or two!


Win an Evenflo soft infant carrier
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive an Evenflo Marianna Soft Infant Carrier

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which of the four Evenflo infant carriers listed above would best suit your family's lifestyle.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Follow bonggamom on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on your Pinterest board (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) "Like Bonggamom Finds" on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the Evenflo giveaway!

6) Tweet this (1 entry)
You could win an Evenflo Marianna soft baby carrier from Evenflo!  Giveaway ends Feb. 12, enter on @bonggafinds at http://ow.ly/hcfoa

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on Feb. 12, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on Feb. 13 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.






Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post.Thanks to Evenflo for providing the giveaway prize.  Product information (in italics) is provided by Evenflo. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- list your giveaways here

Welcome to Bonggamom's Friday Finds! I'm glad so many of you are finding this to be a useful way to get more traffic to your giveaways. And as a person who loves entering giveaways, I have to admit it's a great, easy way to find out where all the best giveaways are.

So feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter everyone else's, too!

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Tips for a great party by American Girl

Happy 20th Birthday, American Girl Magazine!  American Girl is kicking off a yearlong celebration with a special Cover Contest where readers can enter to appear on the 2013 Best of AG special issue.  They're also starting 2013 with a birthday-themed issue (Jan/Feb 2013) featuring fun facts about American Girl readers and a special "Then and Now" section that looks back at how girls' lives have changed (or stayed the same) in the past 20 years.  Their special birthday issue has lots of tips and tricks for throwing the best birthday party ever.  Girls will enjoy tips for frosting cakes, ideas for one-of-a-kind snacks (I can't wait to try their Crispy Cake made with marshmallow rice krispy treats and candy sprinkles!), decorating do's and don'ts, and readers' birthday cake drawings.

You can purchase American Girl Magazine's birthday issue at AmericanGirl.com, or subscribe to American Girl Magazine so your daughter doesn't have to miss a single issue. American Girl also has some fun birthday themed activities (check out the online invitation maker!) on the American Girl Magazine Play! section, as well as in the American Girl Magazine archive.  In addition, American Girl has given me some more tips that will help every girl plan and enjoy a successful birthday party:

1) Make the party list early.  For many girls, this is the toughest part of planning a party.  Make it easier by giving yourself time to think about it.  Review the list with your parents and then mail or email invitations.  Be sure to ask those girls you invited not to talk about the party around others who weren't invited.

2) Plan ahead.  Don't try to wing it during the party by thinking up activities as you go.  Keep in mind that if you're making a craft and using paint or glue, you'll want to finish early so that everything can dry before the end of the party.

3) Have a family plan.  Which rooms are off limits?  Make a plan for siblings and for pets, too.  Hint: If your siblings must be around the house that day, make them part of the party crew.  If your little sis is involved by taking coats or helping to serve food, she might be less likely to disrupt your party.

4) Make room for fun!  Put wastebaskets and recycling bins where they're going to be needed, such as next to the food table or craft table.  If you plan to use any equipment such as a DVD player, a speaker system, or a video-game console, make sure that it's working properly and that you know exactly how to operate it.  And be sure to remove any breakables.

5) Can't-miss crafts to make:

Thread assorted beads onto elastic cording and tie a double knot when the string fits around your wrist.  Instant friendship bracelets!
Knot fleece strips or ribbon pieces around hair elastics.  Instant hair accessories!

6) Can't-miss things to do:

• Silly hair styling
• Movies
• Balloon volleyball
• Scavenger hunt for things in magazines
• Group singing games

7) Light the way.  Having a slumber party?  Put a night light in the bathroom, and keep hallways lit.  When your friends first arrive, give them a tour of the house so they know where everything is.

8) Make your own!  Sundae bars are always popular food treats.  You can also create make-your-own bars with toppings for:

• Hot pretzel toppings
• Tacos
• Nachos
• Popcorn
• Mini pizzas

9) Always let sleeping girls lie.  Have a separate "snooze room" for girls who want to go to sleep.  That way, sleepy girls can go to bed while night owls can stay up and play.

10) For tons of fun mix-and-match party ideas, check out the special 20th birthday issue of American Girl magazine!



Disclosure: I received a review copy of the latest issue of American Girl Magazine.  Party tips (in italics) is provided by American Girl. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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American Girl Magazine Special Birthday Coloring Page

American Girl Magazine turns 20 this year, and their latest issue is all about celebrations and parties!  Their Jan/Feb 2013 kicks off a yearlong celebration with lots of tips and tricks for throwing the best party ever.  You'll find ideas for party snacks, favors, games and activities, along with true birthday tales from American Girl readers.

Best of all, the birthday issue has a special birthday-themed pull-out coloring page!  I've said it before and I'll say it again, coloring pages are one of the best activities to keep guests occupied -- early arrivals can color while waiting for everyone else, stragglers at the end of the party can color while waiting for their parents, and everyone can color between party games!  I've scanned the pull-out so that anyone planning an American Girl-themed party can make copies for all their guests to enjoy:

These three pages are actually one long panoramic coloring sheet, so you can print each one individually and connect them, or print the full image below:

Click on each image to access the full-sized image, then right-click and select "Save As..." to download the image to your computer.

If you prefer your documents in Adobe PDF format, here is a link to the same coloring pages on my Scribd account.  To download, just click on the link or on the Download icon (with the downward-facing arrow)

American Girl Birthday Coloring pages by bonggamom

You can subscribe to American Girl Magazine online, or if you just want the birthday issue, you can purchase the American Girl Magazine birthday issue individually at AmericanGirl.com.

For more American Girl party activities, check out the American Girl Magazine archives.  They have some great ideas from past issues for girls to download or enjoy online.

Need more American Girl coloring fun?   Here are links to more of my American Girl coloring pages. Have fun!
Coconut and Licorice
American Girl Fashions
Rebecca Paper Dolls


Disclosure: I received a sample issue of American Girl Magazine to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Entenmann's celebrates Rich Frosted Donut's 40th Birthday {giveaway}

Entenmann's fans will be celebrating the 40th birthday of Entenmann's Rich Frosted Donut. Yup, Rich is forty years old!  Additionally, on January 31st, the 400,000,000 Rich Frosted Donut will be rolling off the production line in Carlisle, Pennsylvania on January 31st.

Rich is not only a super-yummy donut, he's also a super-nice guy and super-star mascot!  I did a bit of research and found everything you need to know about Rich:

Rich was created in 1972 in Entenmann’s Bay Shore Bakery and will be celebrating his 40th Birthday nationwide on January 31, 2013. After 32 joyous years in Long Island, Rich decided it was time for a move and landed in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It is common knowledge that throughout his four decades, Rich has been made the Proud Papa of various types of rich frosted Entenmann’s donuts, such as the Rich Frosted Pop‘Ems and Rich Frosted Mini Donuts. Throughout his life, Rich has always been a popular donut; in fact, he has been Entenmann’s number one seller since his birth. Now, in 2013, the same week Rich celebrates his 40th Birthday on January 31, 2013, he will also be celebrating the 400,000,000 Rich Frosted Donut to be coming off the production line in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Donut lovers everywhere enjoy Rich and his various offspring: Rich Frosted Pop'Ems and Rich Frosted Mini Donuts.  But as we know, it takes two to tango -- so where did all those baby donuts come from?  Rich has been notoriously reticient about details of his private life... until now.  This year, Rich will also unveil the biggest secret of his life – Mrs. Rich Frosted. He's been known to date these four lovely ladies:

Glazed Buttermilk Donut

Crumb Topped Donut

Plain Donut

Powdered Donut

Who will it be? What’s your guess?  Entenmann's is running a Facebook survey for consumers to vote on who they believe is “Mrs. Rich Frosted.” The choices will include Glazed Buttermilk Donut, Crumb Cake Donut, Plain Donut and Powdered Donut;  Rich and Entenmann's Bakery will reveal all on January 31, 2013!

Also, don't forget to enter Rich's 40th Birthday Celebration Sweepstakes!  Entenmann’s is celebrating the 40th Birthday of the Rich Frosted Donut by giving away 40 great prizes! Each week, 40 fans will be selected to win a birthday prize pack, including: a Happy Birthday Rich stuffed donut toy, a t-shirt, and two $6 donut coupons.  You can enter on the Entenmann's website or the Entenmann's Facebook page.


Win an Entenmann's Prize Package
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a  ‘Rich 40 for 40’ prize package, which includes:
1 Entenmann’s Travel Mug
1 Rich Frosted T-Shirt
2 Entenmann’s Coupons

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post with your candidate for Mrs. Rich Frosted -- will it be the Glazed Buttermilk Donut, Crumb Topped Donut, Plain Donut or Powdered Donut?

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1)  Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on your Pinterest board (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) "Like Bonggamom Finds" on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the Entenmann's giveaway!

6) Tweet this (1 entry)

@Entenmanns celebrates Rich Frosted Donuts bday, U get the prizes! Enter 2 win a Rich tshirt & more on @bonggafinds http://ow.ly/h2hZe 

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on Feb. 6, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on Feb. 7 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US  residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.




Disclosure: I received discount coupons and promotional items from Entenmann's but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information (in italics) is provided by Entenmann's. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Beat the blues with the KMR Triple Threat Giveaway

Did you know that yesterday was Blue Monday?  The third monday of January is supposedly the most depressing day of the year.  I don't know if there's any science or statistics behind it, and it seems to apply only to Northern Hemisphere countries (I first heard about it on the UK channel Sky Sports), but apparently the  combination of the cold/snow/rain, limited daylight, post-holiday blues, post-holiday BILLS and failed New Year's resolutions get people down in the dumps.

To combat the post-holiday, mid-winter blues, experts suggest getting lots of exercise and making an effort to expose yourself to natural light (i.e. sit by a window or take a walk outdoors during an office break).  Personally, I like to indulge in a manicure or take a nice, long, hot shower or buy a new blouse -- anything that lifts my spirits and boosts my confidence!   To that end, here is a great post-holiday giveaway from KMR Communications to pamper your body and soul!  One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win all 3 items:

1 bottle (3.4 fl. oz.) Emeshel X Eau De Parfum (MSRP $150)
World-renowned perfumer Dominique Preyssas has created a luxurious fragrance for Emeshel that is a delicate balance of femininity and power. Perfumes created by Dominique include Balenciaga, Bogart, Jaguar, Gant and Nicole Farhi. Radiant, sensual and feminine, Emeshel X celebrates women by capturing their natural beauty and ardent spirit. This fresh, smooth floral fragrance evokes a sublime powdery rose. The effect is chic, comfortable, and entirely addictive. X is an oriental, sensual fragrance that captures the many facets of the woman.

3 Steps to Beautiful Brows Kit by Billion Dollar Brows (MSRP $85)
Condition, Color, and Control Your Brows. This kit will give you the beautiful brows you want in three simple steps. 

Condition: Brow Boost Bonus Size. Our deep conditioning treatment is designed to help strengthen & condition Thin, over-tweezed brows. A natural formula with no scary side effects, you will see visibly fuller brows in as little as 30 days. Depending on individual use, this bonus size edition will last at least 60 days.

Color: Universal Brow Pencil. No more guessing games! Formulated to work with all skin tones & hair colors. This amazing pencil goes on smooth and natural. Perfect for creating beautiful, natural brows for when you’re on-the-go. The pencil’s versatile color works with almost all hair colors and skin tones. Use the brush on the opposite end of the pencil to blend to perfection!

Control: Clear Brow Gel Bonus Size. Our Brow Gel will lock in your look, giving your eyebrows a long-lasting, radiant glow while keeping them perfectly in place all day. It’s the perfect finishing touch for giving your brows a polished, perfectly manicured look. This bonus size Brow Gel will, depending on individual use, last at least 60 days.

Daily Essentials Anti Aging Skin Kit by HydraFacial MD (MSRP $150)
The HydraFacial MD® Daily Essentials™ kits provide you with detoxification, rejuvenation, and protection while targeting your specific skin concerns. The HydraFacial MD® Daily Essentials™ are an extension of the treatment, maintaining and enhancing results between procedures. Each product is formulated with the same performing ingredients found in each in-office treatment. Together they are essential for achieving healthy skin.


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and share a tip for beating the midwinter blues

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1)  Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on your Pinterest board (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) "Like Bonggamom Finds" on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the KMR Triple Threat giveaway!

6) Tweet this (1 entry)
Enter to win a beauty products prize pack on @bonggafinds!  Giveaway ends Feb. 6 at http://ow.ly/h2cm5

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on Feb. 6, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on Feb. 7 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US  residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.


Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. Product information (in italics) is provided by KMR Communications.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Born This Way Ball: Sharing every Monsterrific Moment with Skype

Holy Mother Monster!  I attended Lady Gaga's Born This Way Ball concert last night at the HP Pavilion San Jose, and it was the best big pop concert I've attended in over a decade.  Actually, it's the *only* big pop concert (i.e. huge venue, big production numbers with dancers, costume changes, sets, etc. versus smaller venues and musicians/singers rocking out with their bands) I've attended in over a decade!

It has been over a decade since I attended a big pop concert, so the biggest change I noticed at the concert were the number of people taking photos and videos -- it seems like everyone was holding up a smartphone or digital camera!  Thank goodness for modern technology!

Lady Gaga was in San Jose for one night only and the place was packed to the rafters, so naturally those of us lucky enough to attend the concert took every opportunity to celebrate and share our experience.   Fortunately, Skype, one of the Born This Way Ball concert sponsors, has come up with tons of ways to share every moment with family and friends!  If you're planning to watch Born This Way Ball (check out tour dates and locations, through March 2013), make sure you read all about it below:

Skype mobile app
Everyone knows that Skype is great for staying in touch with friends and family.  We have family across both oceans (my family is in the Philippines and Alfie's family is in the UK), so we are big fans of Skype!  With Skype, Alfie's parents can see my kids wearing the new pajamas that they were given for Christmas, and Jammy can greet my dad Happy Birthday by playing Happy Birthday on the keyboard as they watch.

And with the Skype mobile app, you don't have to limit yourself to telling your friends how amazing Lady Gaga is -- you can show them.  You can send photos, videos and IMs (great for coordinating concert meetups with friends) from the Born This Way Ball, or any other concert, for free.  You can share pictures and photos with multiple people at the same time, so you spend more time watching the concert and less time scrolling through your contacts list.


Skype blue carpet
Skype's blue carpet area is a great place to get that all-important "I Was There" photo because it has a great backdrop (featuring the Born This Way Ball poster) and the lighting is good.  Just hand your camera to the Skype representative and strike your best pose! If you forgot your camera or if you're saving the battery to take lots of photos and videos during the show, don't worry. The Skype rep will take a photo for you, and instantly send it right to your smartphone via Skype file sharing -- so make sure you've downloaded the Skype app to your phone and created a Skype account!

Skype video booth
Who doesn't love hamming it up with friends at a photo booth?  For the Born This Way Ball, Skype has gone one step further by providing a video booth where concertgoers can leave a video message for Lady Gaga.  You can check out some of the videos fans have made on the Skypeball website for each show on the tour.

After leaving a video message, the video booth also takes 4 photos and prints them out for you as a fun souvenir.  You can even download your photos and video from the Skypeball website using the unique code printed on your keepsake photo.

Skype reporter
At every show, look for the roaming Skype reporter!  You'll get the chance to show off your monsterrific outfit for the cameras, and a chance to get upgrades to the Monster Pit, which is the area right in front of the stage.  You'll be close enough almost to touch Lady Gaga -- or at least close enough to throw a jean jacket onto the stage -- hopefully Lady Gaga will pick it up and wear it (which happened twice at our concert)!

Even if you won't get the chance to attend, you can still share in the excitement and keep up with what's going on at the concert via Skype's social media channels.  You might even be able to win a prize or two, including tickets to a future Born This Way Ball show!

Twitter
Follow @SkypeEvents on Twitter and keep an eye out for the #SkypeShare hashtag on concert nights; you'll get up-to-the-minute updates and get a chance to submit questions to Lady Gaga for her live pre-show group video call!

Tumblr
Check out photos and videos of the show on Skype's Tumblr account.

Pinterest
Enter the Skype Blue Carpet Pinterest Sweepstakes for the chance to win a Skype Prize Pack which includes a Skype Mobile Camera Lens, Skype Phone skin, Skype T-shirt and Skype phone credits and more. To enter, just repin any image from Skype's BTWBall Pinterest board.

SkypeBall Sweepstakes
Skype is giving away concert tickets to watch the Born This Way Ball, and to be Skype's official blue carpet reporter at one of the shows!  You can enter both sweepstakes at the SkypeBall website.



Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets to the Born This Way Ball and access to the Skype Suite for myself and my family, courtesy of Skype.  I was not required to write, nor was I compensated for, this post.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- list your giveaways here

Welcome to Bonggamom's Friday Finds! I'm glad so many of you are finding this to be a useful way to get more traffic to your giveaways. And as a person who loves entering giveaways, I have to admit it's a great, easy way to find out where all the best giveaways are.

So feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter everyone else's, too!

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The Hip Hop Dance Experience

Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this post. Please visit Ubi.com to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. #UbiChamps


Over the years The Pea has tried a number of extracurricular activities -- soccer, karate, volleyball, ice skating -- but the one that has really stuck with her is dance.  She just loves to express herself through movement!  She takes dance classes several times a week, in addition to rehearsals for performances throughout the year.  Even her videogame preferences reflect this -- her all-time favorite videogame is Just Dance 4 for the Wii!  So The Pea was the perfect test subject for another of Ubisoft's dance games: The Hip Hop Dance Experience.

About the game
Drop it like it’s hot with hip-hop’s hottest dance game. The Hip-Hop Dance Experience is the first authentic hip-hop game in the dance category. Dance to the most popular tracks of the genre with original moves designed by the most famous hip-hop choreographers in the industry. Trigger lavish visual effects worthy of the best music videos and avatar customization unique in the market. Experience the world of hip-hop through music, dance and design with The Hip-Hop Dance Experience.

Since The Pea dances to Just Dance on the Wii pretty much every week, she was able to find her way around The Hip-Hop Dance easily:  changing avatars, picking a song to dance to, going from regular mode to Dance Party mode to Dance Marathon mode and so on.  I think this game is meant for kids who are somewhat older (recommended age is 13 and up).  She's not as familiar with the songs on this game, and she pretty much stuck to the four songs she knew best:  Sexy and I Know it by LMFAO, Wild Ones by Flo Rida, Moment 4 Life by Nicki Minaj and Hard by Rihanna.  Also, even the more basic moves are a bit more difficult than what she has done in the Just Dance Series.  But it does make a nice change and a good challenge for her -- plus it's good practice for some of the moves she's learning in dance class!  She's determined to keep at it -- and even if she decides that hip-hop is not her style, she can still have the Hip-Hop Dance Experience in our living room, if not in the dance studio.


Disclosure: I am a UbiChamps blogger and received a copy of the game (via Clever Girls Collective) to review.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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