I loved Cabbage Patch Dolls, Strawberry Shortcake and Barbie when I was young. During the eighties, my Mom and other relatives would spend hours waiting for them to go on sale at local stores. I always ended up getting one of my favorites when Christmas arrived. Some of these dolls have gone on to be collector’s items.

I was fortunate that my family was always able to get me one of my favorite dolls when my birthday rolled around. Nobody ever had to resort to fighting in parking lots to buy me a doll. I saw videos of people actually fighting over dolls back then and it looked ridiculous to me.

My Strawberry Shortcake dolls and accessories still smell of artificial strawberry scent. I took them out of storage the other day and the aroma took me back to my childhood. Sometimes I think I liked the accessories more than the dolls themselves. I try to keep these nice so that I can pass them on eventually.

Another favorite doll is the Barbie doll. As a child, I enjoyed playing with Malibu Barbie and the ken doll as well. I enjoyed the fashionable clothes and shoes for Barbie. I could spend hours changing her outfits and accessories. I also like to style the doll’s hair. Barbies of course offer a great variety in hair styles.

The most exciting gift I received was the Barbie with her own red sports car. Barbie is a lovely doll for girls of all ages. In addition, in our new day and age you can have a Barbie doll created to look they way you want them to look. Many young girls ruin the value of their dolls by “customizing” them with either makeup or by cutting their hair. Both of these things should be avoided.

I plan on passing my Barbie dolls down to my own family. Many of the dolls though do have some nice collectible value. There are a lot of people who sell their vintage Barbies on places like eBay for a nice profit. Although I’ve kept mine in very nice condition, I am just to attached to them to want to sell them.

Back in the 80’s, the cabbage patch doll was also a big hit. I had to have one. So my collection of the cabbage patch doll began. I started out with a cabbage patch with blond hair. I then received the premie cabbage patch doll. I wanted an African American one too, so a year later for Christmas I got one of those as a gift too. I loved going over to my friends house and playing with them.

I loved to get dress up clothes for all of my dolls. I loved getting the birth certificates they came with Cabbage Patch dolls and the signature that each one had on its bottom. The scent of baby powder still reminds me of them. I remember when the doll first came out they became so popular and were in high demand. I still have the dolls that I collected over the years. Collecting dolls is now part of my life, even though I never started a formal collection on purpose. Doll collecting is something I enjoy doing and will keep on doing for the rest of my life.

You might also enjoy reading more about old Michael Jackson dolls and vintage celluloid dolls

I have many cashmere garments in my wardrobe; from sweaters to scarves, gloves and robes, but I crave for more. I love cashmere wool. And this offer could not come at a better time. With Christmas approaching, I was thinking of buying gifts for family and friends. This is just what I wanted. 100% Cashmere Wool Super Soft Feel Scarf/Muffler in 76 Radiant colors! And if you hurry you can avail of the limited time free shipping offer in Amazon.com!

Cashmere or also known as ‘Pashmina’ is made from wool obtained from ‘Cashmere goats’ which are found in the valleys of Kashmir in India. These soft cuddly materials make it the perfect winter wear. They give you more warmth than the normal wool.

100% cashmere wool is usually very expensive, but with this limited time offer, grab the opportunity to own cashmere scarves/mufflers at a very low price and enhance your wardrobe. You can drape cashmere scarves anyway you like. Make it a neck wear which looks amazing over a coat, jacket or sweaters. It gives you a very stylish look!

Wear them over jeans and top for an open air concert or drape it over your church outfit; it is a versatile fabric, gives you a cool hip as well as a sophisticated look! Cashmere scarves make a great neck wear. Loop it around your neck or collar, and it will compliment your coat, jacket or sweater.

They can fold into small sizes which are convenient to pack without taking a lot of space in your luggage. Though they look good round the year, but are a perfect fabric for winters. They look extremely trendy and give richness to your attire. There is nothing better than a good quality 100% Cashmere scarf to add class to your outfit. There are so soft and comfortable that it feels like you are wearing a ‘cloud’.

They make a fabulous fashion accessory for your outfit. You can wrap them over your shoulders or hang them over one shoulder; ‘Scottish Style’, it can be looped around your collar or worn as a scarf. Wear them over formal or casual outfits. Drape it anyway you like. It’s going to look sophisticated and trendy!

100% Cashmere is usually very expensive, but you can get a great ‘holiday season’ offer on 100% Cashmere Wool Super Soft Feel Scarves/Mufflers for only $27.99! You get to choose from 76 vibrant colors. These cool scarves/mufflers can be worn by both men and women. I bought a black cashmere scarf for my husband. I think nothing looks better on a man than a black cashmere scarf over a trendy jacket!

These 100% cashmere woolen scarves/mufflers are elegant, fashionable and stylish. Plus with this offer it’s affordable too. So don’t miss it! You simply will not get a better price than this! Buy one today!

Want to know what are the Hottest Christmas Presents this year? We have made our list of the Top 10 Christmas Presents and have also found the best price online. Go Now and see our updated list of Christmas presents for 2009

Planning: It is absolutely important to initiate collecting advertisements whenever you can find them so that you are able to initiate making decisions when to what things you want to buy and where they will be priced the cheapest. Sometimes this can be at a physical mall and at times it can be online. Either way, you want to produce an outline of these discounts so you can take advantage of them!

Never always suppose that a sale assures it is the best price of the season. Shops may have some wonderful sales going on during this time, however this does not automatically mean that every item in the store is at its lowest price. As soon as Christmas approaches, often shops will discount things down even more, so keep a cool head. Getting too involved up in the holiday shopping frenzy will mean you spend more than you intended to spend.

Look online before buying: Once you have gathered your ads and have your shopping plan, make sure you verify online.

Repeatedly, online malls will often have Black Friday sales that include special reductions and often free shipping. Make sure that you take the time to balance their deals with the physical retail big box stores you want to visit.

Seeing that we are in rough times you have to also spare some thought to then money you are spending. Although it may seem like you are receiving a great deal on that sizable item you also should think about whether you really need it. Will your life be any worse off if you don’t get that TV

Venturing out to the Black Friday sales can be a fun experience if you do not become too stressed about it and have a prepared plan of action. Bear in mind, it is intended to be the beginning of the holiday season, so have fun!

Taking part in the madness that is the thanksgiving local at your local mall can be a test on your nerves and give you some real stress.

This is your first Christmas as the proud Grandparent. There is no greater joy than that of greeting a new baby, except perhaps that joy of greeting a new grandbaby. Grandparenthood is a special club that encourages reckless spoiling of those beloved creatures. There was no true maxim than that of: many a child is spoiled because you can’t spank Grandma.

If this year is your first year celebrating Christmas as a grandparent, congratulations! Not since the magical days spent with your own children will the Holidays seem so full. There are however a few pitfalls that new grandparents are susceptible to. For a joyous celebration that won’t create ill will here are a few tips to follow.

Holiday Gift Giving

This is the season of giving, and it is so much fun to give gifts to a toddler or baby. Baby clothes are so much fun to pick out and wrap. Toys are much more exciting to purchase and watch being unwrapped than the offerings for adults. It is easy to go overboard.

Remember, gifts are often expected at Christmas time, and they are very appreciated but an over abundance of gifts rivaling the collection of Ritchie Rich is not likely to engender the appreciation of the new parents. Try to set a limit for yourself. Your grandbaby does not need every single toy or pair of shoes you lay eyes on.

If you are not sure what the limit should be have an honest conversation with your grandbaby’s parents. When everyone is on the same page from the beginning there is much less chance of hurting feelings or over stepping some unknown boundary.

Special Gifts

When it comes to specific gifts some are just off limits to grandparents. This means that perhaps your daughter-in-law feels it a parental right to purchase her baby girl that all important first doll. Perhaps it is the unknown wish of your child to present his or her own baby with a keepsake quilt.

The problem with these special gifts is not so much the desire to be the one to give it to the baby, but the symbolism behind it. The flip side of the special gift scenario is that of contraband gifts. Perhaps guns or overly frivolous Barbies have been placed on the no-no list by the baby’s parent. As the grandparent you may have no idea what these special or contraband gifts might be.

Again it is time to discuss gift options with your grandbaby’s parents. No grandparent wants to become the stereotypical ‘in-law’. Keeping communication lines open will ensure that Christmas is a time of fun giving and spoiling that leaves everyone with feelings of love and respect.

For many years, kids have loved Radio Flyer wagons, and they have been on birthday and Christmas lists for many kids over the year. For many children this wagon has become a place to imagine and come up with all kinds of adventures. Of course while you may be familiar with this toy, you may not know much about the history of these unique wagons.

Believe it or not, it was an Italian immigrant that was behind the Radio Flyer wagons. His name was Antonio Pasin, and he had the idea himself. Being a good wood worker and quite determined he began working in New York City. Soon he had enough money to buy the tools he needed to have a workshop of his own. He started building these little toy wagons and he would sell them.

Decades later he would start producing more of the wagons. He wanted to make wagons that would work for any child and they began to develop more than just wood wagons. They started making steel wagons, which were given the name, Radio Flyer wagons. He named them this because of the invention of the radio and his amazement with the concept of flight.

Later Pasin would bring the Radio Flyer wagons to the Chicago World’s Fair. The wagons became quite popular and made Pasin and his wagons very famous. They actually became the most well known manufacturers of these types of wagons and even years later these wagons are still some of the most popular, and even more models have been added to their line up.

Still today Radio Flyer wagons are very popular and the company still makes millions each year. Kids still love the Radio Flyer and have great adventures in these wagons. So it is easy to see why so many children yet today want to have one of these exciting wagons that have been around for so many years.

When you are buying baby toys it certainly be overwhelming– because there are so many to choose from! Any baby toy that you pick needs to keep your baby entertained along with have some educational factors as well. All babies will learn from the toys that they are playing with, so a variety of different toys will help your baby learn.

Sight, sound, taste, smell, a sense of movement, and touch are six senses and this is how babies learn. You should keep these senses in mind when you are buying baby toys, the baby toy you are considering should have at least one thing that will stimulate one of the senses.

Right now it may seems as though everything is going digital, and flashy toys are beginning to get popular. Alone, these baby toys alone are not good enough for your baby. You want to stimulate your child’s curiosity with the standard regular toys as well.

Before buying any baby toys for your baby you should first ask yourself some questions like: will the toy hold the baby’s attention? Is the toy strong, sturdy, and safe? Can the baby figure out how to use it? Will the baby get bored easily while they are playing with it? Is it possible that the baby toy be played with in different ways?

Always be certain that when you are buying baby toys that they are safe, not too big or small, lots of basic colors, and that they can be washed easily. Now it might seem that buying baby toys is overwhelming, but now you know what the best to choose from is. The next time you are looking to buy a baby toy it will be a lot easier. Remember that buying baby toys should be an experience that is fun.

You may want to look at an online list of the very best selling toys to get some ideas for good toys. Then, carefully look around home and see if you can make something similar for your baby, for almost free, instead. This way, buying tools will fit into any family’s budget.

If you want to have a great summer vacation in your own back yard then you may want to consider getting an amazing inflatable water slide. These slides can provide hours of fun for your entire family, but it is important that you follow the inflatable water slide safety tips when using the slides.

Staying safe

Whether you have rented a water slide for the weekend or have purchased one for your family to enjoy all the time, you don’t want their fun to be spoiled by unwanted injuries. By following a few key safety tips you can protect everyone and enable them to have a safe and fun time.

Accessories: Ensuring that everyone who is planning on going down the slide has removed accessories such as glasses and shoes, will keep them safe. A shoe can slide right into someone’s head and eyewear can easily be broken.

Make rules clear: Before anyone ever gets on the water slide you should go over some basic safety guidelines. There should be no running, shoving, jumping, or any other activities that could possibly cause injury. People who don’t want to follow the rules you have set out should be made to sit to the side for awhile. One person breaking the rules could cause everyone’s fun to come to an abrupt end.

One person at a time: It is unsafe for more than one person to be on the slide at a time. The only exception to this rule is when you use a dual slide where two people can slide at one time.

Stay out of the rain: Being out in a thunder and lightning storm is dangerous. There is no outside activity that is worth someone getting electrocuted. You will also want to deflate the slide and put it up until after the storm has passed.

You family can have an awesome time with an inflatable water slide. They are a great way to take an at home vacation without spending a lot of time on the road fighting traffic.

If you are big on detail, you are definitely going to make sure you can get the best party favors out there for your baby shower. A great way to do this is to take matters into your own hands and design the party favors yourself. If you are having a classic Its a Boy baby shower, or any traditional baby boy themed baby shower, this article will provide you with some great ideas and tips for do it yourself party favors for your event.

Some popular choices for party favors in baby boy showers include chocolate rubber duckies, sports themed lollipops, and candy-filled baby blue baby bottles. With some essential items that you can find at your local craft store and a little creativity, you can achieve amazing baby shower party favors that will add to your baby boy theme and that are guaranteed to be loved by your guests. The following ideas are not that time consuming and will definitely not burn a hole in your pocket.

The first idea comes from the fact that there is one thing that baby boys must have while they are bathing”their rubber ducky! Infants and toddlers absolutely love to play with toys when they bathe, especially rubber duckies. To make your edible rubber duckies, first purchase chocolate molds in the shape of toy ducks. You can also find light yellow white chocolate chips for chocolate moldings.

Follow the instructions for melting the chocolate, and fill the molds with the light yellow melted white chocolate. Let the chocolate harden, and remove the chocolate rubber duckies from the molds. Place each chocolate ducky in a small blue paper plate, and use small candies to decorate the blue ponds with flowers and plants. You can secure the rubber duckies to the ponds using a dab of frosting that will help it remain in place. Your guests will love this surprise when they sit down and find cute rubber duckies in a pond at their seat!

You can apply the same concept of chocolate molding and designing to make another popular do it yourself baby boy shower party favor craft. This time, look for chocolate lollipop molds in the shape of basketballs, footballs, baseballs, and soccer balls. Sports themed chocolate lollipop favors will be perfect for those parents that are determined on putting their baby boys in the little leagues when they grow a little older.

Buy the colors of chocolate that you need for each type of mold, for example, orange is suitable for basketballs. Melt the chocolate, fill the molds, set the lollipop sticks in place, and let the chocolate harden. Use plastic lollipop sachet wrappers or cellophane paper, both found at your local craft store, to wrap the chocolate lollipops in. Use ribbon to tie the wrapper and as a nice touch.

A classic party favor that never goes out of style is the candy-filled baby bottle. Use baby blue bottles and embellish with ribbon and other types of decorative adornments.

Throwing a sports themed baby shower is becoming more and more popular, especially among young parents in their twenties and thirties. Not only are sports fan baby showers a blast, but they are also very easy to decorate for. You can really do a lot with a sports theme baby shower; from the food you cater to the decorations you use, sports themes are pretty easy to plan.

Although sports themed baby showers are usually held for baby boys, there is no rule that says that one cant have one for a baby girl. This theme is usually reflective of the parents more than the expected baby. Some young couples are huge sports fans, and decide to focus their baby shower on their favorite sport or team.

College graduates often decide to theme their babys shower after their college sports teams, and invite many of their fellow colleagues and friends. In fact, a sports theme is great for a coed or a couples baby shower. Sports themed baby showers can be focused on a specific sport, a favorite college or professional league team, or can be a general sports party.

If you decide to have a general, broad sports theme, you will have an easy time decorating the shower. Balloons, streamers, and decorative posters come in a wide array of shapes and sizes that have to do with sports. There are many football, basketball, baseball, and soccer decorations out there that you can find in party decorating stores. Balloons often come in the shapes of sporting goods like basketballs, soccer balls, footballs, baseballs, and baseball bats. For a sports medley theme, combine several of these balloons and arrange and distribute them throughout your party space.

A really cool idea that will really set a basketball atmosphere is to use basketball hoops that you can stick on the walls to decorate the place. Use black tape to form a court design on the floor, and buy toy basketballs that your guests can play with. You can even use these items to set up a mini basketball game. Everyone will definitely enjoy playing real basketball as a baby shower game!

For a baseball theme, use green and orange rugs to create a floor setting that resemble a baseball court. Use real baseball bases and set them up in the room. Have baseball and baseball bat balloons all over the room, and buy toy baseballs and baseball bats for a mini game.

You can use similar ideas for football and soccer. For instance, for soccer, set up a goal net and give out toy soccer balls to your guests. For football and soccer, you can use green rugs or a green floor overlay and white tape to create the illusion of a court.

Remember to hang up banners and posters to add to the theme. It is also good to have some pompoms on hand to give out to the girls. A cute idea for centerpieces and prizes are trophies. These will look fabulous on your tables and your guests will love to take one home!

Elmo, the red-furred Muppet at Sesame Street, has become very popular until now. For over 20 years in the industry, Elmo has been known for its unforgettable appearance with its red fur, large eyes and orange nose. He is simply adored by his viewers for being optimistic, outgoing, imaginative and friendliness.

The person responsible for the character of Elmo is Kevin Clash. Elmo was just known as a Little Monster until Clash introduced him with his trademark giggle and positive outlook. Clash’s puppeteer passion put Elmo into a different level and gave enough energy to show-off its character. His strong enthusiasm inspired others to develop Elmo’s character.

Elmo is a self-proclaimed three and a half years old and he calls himself the third person. He likes to learn new things, laugh, look at different books and play with his friends. His show, Elmo’s World, introduced his most precious and loved goldfish named Dorothy.

Elmo’s appearance continued into different talkshows such as The Rosie O’Donnell Show, Martha Stewart Living, The Tony Danza Show, Rove Live, The View and even Oprah. He appeared on TV shows such as Teen Kids News, Emeril Live! and The West Wing. Rep. Duke Cunningham requested him to testify before the US Congress and became the only non-human puppet to appear there last April 2002.

Elmo succeeded in teaching kids about trust, friendship, love and learn different talents like singing, dancing and painting. Even parents watch his show with their kids, enjoying different topics such as letters, numbers, Spanish and social lessons. They are very pleased with the content of the lessons, which made learning a fun way. No wonder, Elmo’s World really is educational.

Elmo’s World taught kids a lot including letters, numbers, Spanish and social lessons. They also learned about singing, dancing and painting. But the most important lesson they’ve learned are about friendship, love and trust. More and more parents get hooked on Elmo because of its educational theme. And they do not regret letting their children and probably the children of their children to watch the show.