Bonggamom Finds

Born This Way Ball: Sharing every Monsterrific Moment with Skype

Saturday, January 19, 2013

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.

Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- list your giveaways here

Friday, January 18, 2013

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!

The Hip Hop Dance Experience

Thursday, January 17, 2013

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.

Cebu Best Mango Chocolate

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

When a cousin of mine first handed me a piece of Cebu Best Mango Chocolate, I will admit that I was skeptical. Philippine mangoes coated in Belgian chocolate? Sounds fantastic -- after all, it's a given fact that anything, especially fruit, tastes better with chocolate -- but how good is the chocolate? I spent a week pigging out on Belgian chocolate in Bruges last summer, so I have high standards.

After the third piece, any doubts I had were cast aside along with the foil wrapping. This stuff is like crack, mango-flavored, chocolate-coated crack! The Belgian chocolate tastes fabulous, silky and smooth and dark and delicious. I prefer it at room temperature, so the mango is chewy and the chocolate isn't too brittle, so if you're in a cold country, leave it out for a few minutes before that first bite. I've only seen a dark chocolate variety so far which is fine with me, but I think a milk chocolate version would be a hit as well.

The packaging is just as delicious as what's inside. Individual pieces of dried Philippine mango are coated in Belgian chocolate and wrapped individually in foil for freshness. They come in boxes of 12 or 24. The boxes look really nice, like something you'd find in a good chocolate shop, so they make great presents.

The million-dollar question, of course, is where do you find them? My cousin said they were only available at the Cebu Best store in Cebu, but we found the small (12-piece) boxes for sale at Terminal 2 (the domestic wing) of Manila International Airport. They cost a whopping P800 ($20) for 12 pieces, putting them in the chocolate truffle price range, but after doing some online research I discovered that those prices are jacked way up. Cebu Best actually sells them for P300 for the small (12-piece) box, and P600 for the large (24-piece) box. I've also found sites claiming to have found them at Metro Supermarket in Alabang and select Kultura Filipino shops around Metro Manila -- but sadly, I couldn't find any US-based or online stores that carry them. I'll keep checking the Cebu Best website and hoping they find a US distribution channel, because something this good needs to be shared with the world!

Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

WD TV Live brings the best of internet entertainment to your HD TV

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

For a software engineer (Alfie) and a blogger (me), our home entertainment setup is pretty low-tech. We subscribe to Dish Network and occasionally stream episodes of tv episodes that we've missed onto an iPad/ or laptop, but nary do internet and home entertainment meet. I've always felt like we don't take full advantage of the internet to watch movies and tv, but we've taken the first step to correct that with WD Live TV device, a streaming set top box from Western Digital that's ready to go, straight out of the box.

Last year I attended a Western Digital event where they set up a lucky group of bloggers with the WD Live TV, a WD My Net N900 wireless router (which is specially designed for the home with multiple streaming devices) and a MyBook Live home cloud storage device so we could update our home network. WD TV Live is the first thing we installed, and it has earned a permanent place on our tv entertainment system!

Here are some things I like about WD TV Live:

You can connect a USB stick, USB device (i.e. digital camera, videocam, etc..) so you can listen to music, watch movies or view slideshows of your photos on your HD TV. Great for parties!

The device connects to your home wifi network so you can access music, movies or photos from the devices on your home network.

It's super easy to set up and use.

There's an app that allows you to use your smartphone as a remote control device.

What I don't like:

Unless you have a Netflix or Hulu subscription, the choices for streaming and watching movies from the internet are limited -- notably, you can't watch movies from Amazon Instant Video or iTunes. Because of that limitation, so far we use it mostly to play music from our Pandora and Spotify playlists However, that alone is actually a good enough reason to keep the WD TV Live around -- after all, music sounds much, much better on our stereo system than on a laptop or tablet's tinny speakers!

Read more about WD TV Live's features on the Western Digital website

Disclosure: I received a WD TV Live unit from Western Digital. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Social Media Commerce For Dummies

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

The use of social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Instagram, Pinterest, online forums, etc..) has exploded in the past five years, and social media has revolutionized the way businesses work. Social media commerce is playing an increasingly important role in the way companies get their message out, build their brands, expand their businesses, interact with their customers and find new customers.

As a blogger, I'm continually in awe of how powerful social media can be in informing and influencing people. Companies are running sweepstakes on Facebook, offering secret sales via Instagram, generating traffic to their websites via gorgeous photos on Pinterest, and solving customer problems on Twitter. But social commerce can be a two-edged sword. Just ask McDonald's who tried to encourage customers to share their stories of real food and people behind their brand using the hashtags #meetthefarmers and #mcdstories -- but wound up getting tons of negative exposure as customers used the hashtags to tweet their McD horror stories. Or ask KitchenAid, whose employee sent out an offensive (and unauthorized) tweet about Obama's grandmother during the first 2012 presidential debate -- and had to deal with the negative backlash for quite a while.

To help navigate the world of social media commerce, the For Dummies series of books has published Social Media Commerce for Dummies which introduces readers to social media commerce and explains how to best utilize it for your blog or business. I found the book to be quite comprehensive, covering all the basics like Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Amazon, blogs, review sites, affiliate marketing, etc... They give great examples of companies that used social media successfully and unsuccessfully. All their books are great at explaining basic concepts without assuming any prior knowledge of the book's subject, so readers with some experience with social media will find themselves skipping and skimming. I found the book somewhat light on the newer social media marketing trends like flash sale sites (i.e. Zulily, Very Jane) but given the speed on innovation on the web, that's to be expected. On the whole, it's a great tool for small business owners, whether they're on eBay or Etsy or on their own online site. I'm definitely recommending this for some friends of mine who just published their first children's book on Amazon, and for anyone like them!

From the website:
Capture customers and sales with social media commerce

Social media commerce is a booming industry. By using social networks in the context of e-commerce transactions, brands large and small are making their products more available and more convenient for customers. This one-of-a-kind guide introduces you to social media commerce and explains how you can use social media to provide better customer service, collect payments online, and build your customer base. Online marketing expert Marsha Collier helps you determine where you have the best opportunity to reach your market, which sites you should integrate with, and much more.

Your customers are communicating with each other via social media; making purchasing opportunities available on social media sites adds convenience for your customer and opens up new sales opportunities
This step-by-step guide explains social media commerce and shows what you can accomplish.

Helps you determine the sites where your business should have a presence
Demonstrates how customers can help promote your brand as they recommend products and services to others on their social networks
Author Marsha Collier is the undisputed expert on eBay and a recognized authority on social media marketing
Social Media Commerce For Dummies helps you offer your customers better service while giving them the opportunity to share information about your product with their social media contacts.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of the book. Text in italics was taken from the For Dummies online store. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Meet Saige, American Girl of the Year 2013

Monday, January 14, 2013

Happy 2013! For my first review post of the New Year, I decided to go with what else but American Girl's new Girl of the Year, Saige Copeland. Horse lovers who didn't get a chance to collect Nicki, American Girl's 2007 Girl of the Year doll, will be delighted to know that Saige also loves to ride horses. Saige is also the first Girl of the Year artist, a fact that my daughter is really excited about. We gave The Pea a painting set much like Saige's own Paint Set, complete with easel, canvas and supplies, for Christmas this year, so when American Girl sent us Saige to review, it was the perfect complement to The Pea's present. It also gave me the chance to take some close-up photos of Saige for everyone to enjoy! Check them out:

Saige has turquoise eyes and long, wavy auburn hair. She has a smattering of freckles over her nose and cheeks. I think the freckles are a sweet touch that make her seem like a real girl!

Saige's hair comes styled in a twist braid. It's a nice style and length, but I wish they had included a nicer elastic band! I don't expect this style to last too long in its pristine state before it starts frizzing up, so we'll probably set it in a tighter braid after a few weeks.

I'm totally in love with Saige's outfit! I think it's the best GOTY outfit to date. The cut and color of Saige's dress is superb. The 2-tiered skirt is a classic look, and the dress looks like something a real kid could wear: so pretty, yet so comfortable and practical. The shade of blue complements Saige's hair perfectly, and the splash of color (note: the design is embroidered, not beaded) on the hipline gives the dress a nice visual focus point.

Saige's ring bears a closer look: it's an oval turquoise ring that anyone would love to own. The ring is adjustable so it can fit on Saige's thumb, pinkie or index finger, but pry it open carefully so the metal doesn't break. I'm going to look for a silver chain or turquoise ribbon so we can tie the ring around Saige's neck like a cameo and hopefully avoid losing this teeny tiny gem of an accessory!

I actually own a pair of boots that look almost exactly like Saige's! Mine are suede and they only come up to my lower calves, but obviously American Girl and I share the same good taste :)

Saige is the first GOTY to come with ears already pierced, along with a pair of silver flower earrings. So cute! Saige's Accessory Set comes with even more beautiful earrings and jewelry -- you can check out the entire Saige line at Americangirlcom.

Disclosure: I received a sample doll to review, courtesy of American Girl. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- list your giveaways here

Friday, January 11, 2013

Day 12 Twelve Days of Giveaways

Saturday, January 05, 2013

On the 12th day of Christmas, Bonggamom gives to thee.... a Little Big Planet for PS Vita game! This game takes advantage of the PS Vita's special features to give gamers the Little Big Planet 2 experience, on the go. Little Big Planet is one of my son Jammy's favorite PS Vita games. He loves going through the obstacles in each level, jumping, swinging, killing bad guys by popping their bubbles, unlock mini games (like the whack-a-mole with sackboy's head!). He says his favorite features are being able to decorate the game with stickers (you can take pictures and use them as stickers, or pop bubbles in the game and collect the stickers inside them for points). We have Little Big Planet for the PSP, and this version for the PS Vita has so many more features -- for instance, you can play with multiple players and play with your online friends. You can use the front and rear cameras to capture your surroundings and add them to your game. You can even create your own levels and games for a truly customized experience!

Here's how to enter today's giveaway:

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this page telling me your child's favorite PS Vita game.

Bonus Entries

1) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (5 entries)

2) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Facebook (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) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered to win a Little Big Planet game for PS Vita in Day 12 of the 12 Days of Christmas giveaway!

6) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this (1 entry per day):
Enter Day 12 @bonggafinds 12 Days of Giveaways: a Little Big Planet game for PS Vita! Giveaway ends Jan. 16 at http://tinyurl.com/c3bmu69

7) Add the Bonggamom Finds Twelve Days of Giveaways button on your blog sidebar -- get the code here (1 entry)

8) Join any of the open giveaways in the Twelve Days of Giveaways series (see full list at the end of this post, 1 entry per giveaway you've joined).

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on January 16, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on Jan. 17 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

Join all of Bonggamom Finds' Twelve Days of Giveaways! All giveaways are now live!
Day 1, December 25: Leapfrog LeapPad 2 bundle (ends today!!)
Day 2, December 26: $25 Visa gift card from C&H Light (ends tomorrow!!)
Day 3, December 27: Nerf Firevision Sports Hyper Bounce Ball
Day 4, December 28: My Little Pony
Day 5, December 29: Littlest Pet Shop Fairies
Day 6, December 30: Wreck It Ralph iPad apps
Day 7, December 31: $50 EdenFantasys gift card
Day 8, January 1: $50 Levenger gift card

Day 9, January 2: Spot It! game from Blue Orange

Day 10, January 3: $50 gift certificate to 1800Lighting.com

Day 11, January 4: Yo Gabba Gabba! Music is Awesome CD

Day 12, January 5: Little Big Planet Game for PS Vita

Disclosure: I am a Sony Playstation Family blogger. I received a review copy of the game and a second copy to give away, courtesy of PlayStation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Day 11 Twelve Days of Giveaways

Friday, January 04, 2013

On the eleventh day of Christmas, Bonggamom gives to thee..... a Yo Gabba Gabba cd! Four lucky Bonggamom Finds readers will receive a copy of the Yo Gabba Gabba! Music Is Awesome... Volume 4 CD. The CD is now available online and via major retail stores, and includes educational tracks from the likes of famous acts such as Metric, Peter, Bjorn and John, Belle & Sebastian and many more.

About Yo Gabba Gabba!
Yo Gabba Gabba! is an award-winning, live-action television series and live stage show whose unconventional formula has created a triple stacked fan base, making it one of the most popular entertainment properties among preschoolers, parents and indie music lovers alike. Yo Gabba Gabba! is created by Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz and is produced by The Magic Store and W!LDBRAIN Entertainment. Yo Gabba Gabba! airs seven days a week on Nick Jr. and in several major territories

Here's the YO GABBA GABBA! Music is Awesome!: Volume 4 Track Listing:
1. Yo Gabba Gabba! - Live Show Intro Remix
2. Biz Markie - Pancakes & Syrup
3. Yo Gabba Gabba! - That Is What Friends Are For
4. The Roots - We Have Fun
5. Yo Gabba Gabba! - Teamwork
6. Peter, Bjorn & John - I Wish I Was A Spy
7. CSS - Dinosaur Dinosaur
8. Yo Gabba Gabba! - Mixing Up Colors Remix
9. Rocket From The Crypt - He's A Chef
10. Yo Gabba Gabba! -Balloons (Live Show Version)
11. George Clinton - Atomic Frogs
12. Cut Copy - Fantastic Voyages
13. Yo Gabba Gabba! - Dinosaurs Are Really Really
14. YMCK - Fruit Song
15. Yo Gabba Gabba! - Let's Be Awesome While We Wait
16. Metric - Everybody Has A Talent
17. The Aquabats - Share
18. Yo Gabba Gabba! - Summertime
19. Belle & Sebastian - You Can Do It If You Try
20. Yo Gabba Gabba! - Clean It Up
21. Mariachi El Bronx - Friends Can Make You Smile
22. The Bird And The Bee - Cover Your Mouth
23. Yo Gabba Gabba! - Rest Up
24. Paco - Listen
25. Digital Unicorn - Green Remix

Here's how to enter today's giveaway:

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this page telling me your child's favorite Yo Gabba Gabba character.

Bonus Entries

1) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (5 entries)

2) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Facebook (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) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered to win a Yo Gabba Gabba cd in Day 11 of the 12 Days of Christmas giveaway!

6) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this (1 entry per day):
Enter Day 11 of @bonggafinds 12 Days of Giveaways: a Yo Gabba Gabba cd! 4 winners, ends Jan. 15 at http://tinyurl.com/blv95qm

7) Add the Bonggamom Finds Twelve Days of Giveaways button on your blog sidebar -- get the code here (1 entry)

8) Join any of the open giveaways in the Twelve Days of Giveaways series (see full list at the end of this post, 1 entry per giveaway you've joined).

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on January 15, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on Jan. 16 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

Join all of Bonggamom Finds' Twelve Days of Giveaways! Here are the holiday giveaways that are live....
Day 1, December 25: Leapfrog LeapPad 2 bundle
Day 2, December 26: $25 Visa gift card from C&H Light
Day 3, December 27: Nerf Firevision Sports Hyper Bounce Ball
Day 4, December 28: My Little Pony
Day 5, December 29: Littlest Pet Shop Fairies
Day 6, December 30: Wreck It Ralph iPad apps
Day 7, December 31: $50 EdenFantasys gift card
Day 8, January 1: $50 Levenger gift card

Day 9, January 2: Spot It! game from Blue Orange

Day 10, January 3: $50 gift certificate to 1800Lighting.com

.... and here are the giveaways that are coming your way....

Day 12, January 5: Little Big Planet Game for PS Vita

(note: each giveaway link will go live on the specified date)

Disclosure: CDs for giveaway prizes (including an extra one for review purposes) were provided by Yo Gabba Gabba. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- list your giveaways here

Friday, January 04, 2013

Day 10 Twelve Days of Giveaways

Thursday, January 03, 2013

On the tenth day of Christmas, Bonggamom gives to thee.... a $50 gift certificate to 1800Lighting.com! They have literally thousands of light fixtures, lamps and other home accessories, in every style you can think of. Their collection of Mission/Arts & Crafts items is superb; we actually own several of the products you can find at 1800Lighting.com. Here are two of them:

This Arroyo Craftsman porch light helps guests (and postmen) see their surroundings when they're on our front porch.

This Arroyo Craftsman outdoor wall sconce is on our back porch.

I love the Arts&Crafts style so I'm happy as a clam browsing the 1800Lighting.com website, but they have lots of other styles, so whether you prefer Modern or Shaker or Victorian or some other style, you're sure to find a piece at 1800Lighting.com that complements the rest of your home.

Here's how to enter today's giveaway:

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this page telling me your favorite item on the 1800Lighting.com online site.

Bonus Entries

1) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (5 entries)

2) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Facebook (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) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered to win a $50 gift card to 1800Lighting.com in Day 10 of the 12 Days of Christmas giveaway!

6) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this (1 entry per day):
Enter Day 10 of @bonggafinds 12 Days of Giveaways: a $50 gc to 1800Lighting.com! Giveaway ends Jan. 14 at http://tinyurl.com/cow34lt

7) Add the Bonggamom Finds Twelve Days of Giveaways button on your blog sidebar -- get the code here (1 entry)

8) Join any of the open giveaways in the Twelve Days of Giveaways series (see full list at the end of this post, 1 entry per giveaway you've joined).

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

Join all of Bonggamom Finds' Twelve Days of Giveaways! Here are the holiday giveaways that are live....
Day 1, December 25: Leapfrog LeapPad 2 bundle
Day 2, December 26: $25 Visa gift card from C&H Light
Day 3, December 27: Nerf Firevision Sports Hyper Bounce Ball
Day 4, December 28: My Little Pony
Day 5, December 29: Littlest Pet Shop Fairies
Day 6, December 30: Wreck It Ralph iPad apps
Day 7, December 31: $50 EdenFantasys gift card
Day 8, January 1: $50 Levenger gift card

Day 9, January 2: Spot It! game from Blue Orange

.... and here are the giveaways that are coming your way....

Day 11, January 4: Yo Gabba Gabba! Music is Awesome CD

Day 12, January 5: Little Big Planet Game for PS Vita

(note: each giveaway link will go live on the specified date)

Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. Giveaway prize was provided by Capitol Lighting as compensation for a previous post.. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Day 9 Twelve Days of Giveaways

Wednesday, January 02, 2013

On the ninth day of Christmas, Bonggamom gives to thee..... a fun travel game! One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a Spot It! On the Road game from Blue Orange. It's a travel version of their award-winning Spot It! game, sized and themed just right for families driving to and from their holiday destinations all across the country. There is just so much to love about Spot It! On the Road. I love that it's so simple and yet so much fun. I love that kids of all ages can play, including their parents. I love that it doesn't involve batteries or a touchscreen. I love how it fits neatly into a small, portable tin. I love that it turns a long, boring roadtrip from a necessary time suck while getting from A to B, into an enjoyable part of the whole family holiday experience. It's sure to hold off the "Are We There" whines, for a while at least!

Here's how to enter today's giveaway:

Required Entry
Check out the Blue Orange website and leave a comment on this page telling me which of their games you would most like to play with your family.

Bonus Entries

1) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (5 entries)

2) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Facebook (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) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered Day 9 of the 12 Days of Christmas giveaway!

6) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this (1 entry per day):
Enter to win a Spot It! game fr Blue Orange in Day 9 of @bonggafinds 12 Days of Giveaways! Giveaway ends Jan. 13 at http://tinyurl.com/coq7rja

7) Add the Bonggamom Finds Twelve Days of Giveaways button on your blog sidebar -- get the code here (1 entry)

8) Join any of the open giveaways in the Twelve Days of Giveaways series (see full list at the end of this post, 1 entry per giveaway you've joined).

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on January 13, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on Jan. 14 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

Join all of Bonggamom Finds' Twelve Days of Giveaways! Here are the holiday giveaways that are live....
Day 1, December 25: Leapfrog LeapPad 2 bundle
Day 2, December 26: $25 Visa gift card from C&H Light
Day 3, December 27: Nerf Firevision Sports Hyper Bounce Ball
Day 4, December 28: My Little Pony
Day 5, December 29: Littlest Pet Shop Fairies
Day 6, December 30: Wreck It Ralph iPad apps
Day 7, December 31: $50 EdenFantasys gift card
Day 8, January 1: $50 Levenger gift card

.... and here are the giveaways that are coming your way....
Day 10, January 3: $50 gift certificate to 1800Lighting.com

Day 11, January 4: Yo Gabba Gabba! Music is Awesome CD

Day 12, January 5: Little Big Planet Game for PS Vita

(note: each giveaway link will go live on the specified day)

Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Day 8 Twelve Days of Giveaways

Tuesday, January 01, 2013

On the eighth day of Christmas, Bonggamom gives to thee... a $50 Levenger gift card! The Christmas and New Year's parties might be over, but the celebration is still going strong on Bonggamom Finds. The winner will be able to use their $50 Levenger gift card towards the purchase of any of the gorgeous, high-end writing or organization products on Levenger's website. Here are some of the things you can find:

Their iPad cases are stylish, yet practical.

This fountain pen has a stylus tip at the other end, so you can always write in style, whether you're using paper or iPad.

How adorable are these bookends?

These are just a few of the things you'll find in at Levenger. What luxury for people who love to read and write!

Here's how to enter today's giveaway:

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this page telling me your favorite item on the Levenger online store.

Bonus Entries

1) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (5 entries)

2) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Facebook (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) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered to win a $50 Levenger gift card in Day 8 of the 12 Days of Christmas giveaway!

6) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this (1 entry per day):
Enter Day 8 of @bonggafinds 12 Days of Giveaways: a $50 Levenger gift card! Giveaway ends Jan. 12 at http://tinyurl.com/bmcd3q6

7) Add the Bonggamom Finds Twelve Days of Giveaways button on your blog sidebar -- get the code here (1 entry)

8) Join any of the open giveaways in the Twelve Days of Giveaways series (see full list at the end of this post, 1 entry per giveaway you've joined).

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

Join all of Bonggamom Finds' Twelve Days of Giveaways! Here are the holiday giveaways that are live....
Day 1, December 25: Leapfrog LeapPad 2 bundle
Day 2, December 26: $25 Visa gift card from C&H Light
Day 3, December 27: Nerf Firevision Sports Hyper Bounce Ball
Day 4, December 28: My Little Pony
Day 5, December 29: Littlest Pet Shop Fairies
Day 6, December 30: Wreck It Ralph iPad apps
Day 7, December 31: $50 EdenFantasys gift card

.... and here are the giveaways that are coming your way....

Day 9, January 2: Spot It! Game from Blue Orange

Day 10, January 3: $50 gift certificate to 1800Lighting.com

Day 11, January 4: Yo Gabba Gabba! Music is Awesome CD

Day 12, January 5: Little Big Planet Game for PS Vita

(note: each giveaway link will go live on the specified day)

Disclosure: This giveaway prize was provided to me by Levenger as compensation for a previous post.. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.