Cool Mama Pix - Top 10 Products for November

I just love this time of year, don't you?  The weather is gorgeous and the trees are turning their festive fall colors.  We have a wonderful selection of products for fall that I know you will absolutely adore.

Harvest Gold Leaves Booties - These are the cutest little felt shoes for baby.
Digital Holder - Vary stylish for the digital mom to hold your must have digital item.
Turkey Gobble Sweater - Your child's teddy bear needs to be festive too. This is so cute and fun.
Freshwater Pearl Ring - This is definitely to die for and great for gift giving.
Twilight Velveteen Ruffles - Great bottoms to compliment your daughters holiday attire.
Tabble Bracelet - I haven't see anything like these bracelets made with glass beads and ribbon. Really cute.
Honey Pot Basket - Versatile and unique.
Mini Can of Onsies - Yes, a decorative paint can filled with baby onsies.
Tile Pendant Necklace - This pendant is for the person who loves autumn.
Owl Banner & Garland Party Decor - Perfect to compliment your home and will look great if you have a holiday party.

Check out the complete description and image at www.modmamamarketplace.com/cool-mama-pix.html.

6 Tips for Sticking to Your Budget This Christmas

Christmas will be here before you know it and every year there are reports on the news about how deeply in debt people become every Christmas. Is it possible to have a nice Christmas without maxing out the credit cards and going broke?  Well I've done some research to hopefully ease the burden. Here are a few simple tips that could save you a bundle.  

Hide the credit cards - By not using credit cards you are already a step ahead of the game.  There's no worry about the interest and all those payments that come due after the first of the year.  If you are already using credit cards carefully you might be able to continue using them for Christmas gifts, just be sure to pay it off when the bill comes due.

Make a list - Sit down and make a list of all the people you would like to give gifts.  Once the list is made, stick to it.  Decide how much to spend on each person and write it beside each name. Then when you go shopping there will be a price range for each gift. It will help avoid overspending. Even a dollar over expected spending can add up if there is a large shopping list.

Draw names - Many families help cut back on holiday spending by drawing names. Each person in the family only shops for one other person whose name they have drawn.  Instead of buying several gifts, even if they are inexpensive, each person can get one nicer gift.  This makes shopping easier too. Instead of trying to fill a huge list, just take your time and focus on getting that "perfect" gift for just one person.

Shop ahead - Get organized and have good hiding places.  By doing this you can purchase Christmas gifts all year round, taking advantage of after Christmas sales, out of season and clearance sales.  Go ahead and wrap and label the gifts. This helps keep people from seeing what was purchased and you won't forget which gift was for whom.

Lay-away - Some stores offer a lay-away program, so you can pay a little at a time each month.  By doing this, you can budget things out over a period of time. By combining this with the list and budget plan, you can cut out the interest incurred using credit cards and still make a monthly payment.

Gift cards - While gift cards are convenient for gift giving, many people feel they are impersonal.  Gift cards can also help you shop on a budget, if shopping ahead of time.  Purchase the gift cards in the amount you can afford each week or month.  Tuck them away in an envelope in a safe place until you have the amount needed to purchase the gifts.  You can keep an eye out for sales on certain items this way, as well.  Be sure to check to see if the cards have an expiration date. Some expire after a certain time once activated and others have no expiration date at all. Some are even "rechargeable" and more money can be added as needed.

No matter what plan you choose, the best thing is to get organized and plan ahead.  Spur of the moment shopping is the worst for anyone's budget.  It's too easy to just grab something on impulse and blow the best of intentions.

Publicity Opportunity

Jewelry for Moms: Editor for a top baby magazine is looking for jewelry for Moms, launched this year, under $200, for its Holiday Gift Guide. Please include the following information: (1) Web site where item can be purchased; (2) Link to picture of product (NO ATTACHMENTS); (3) Retail price; (4) Brief description of product and what makes it unique, as well as size, color and style options. Deadline: Friday, October 8, 2010, noon CST. To be considered, please answer the questions above, and include your contact information, and send to info@soleimedia.com with Subject Line "Baby." No attachments, please. Solei Media will contact you if the reporter is interested, thanks. Solei Media is our sister marketing site.

Five Pairs of Shoes That Every Woman Should Have

We know that everyone loves shoes, buys shoes and has many pairs of shoes in their closets. I don't enjoy shoe shopping because shoes are expensive and I go overboard. Still I love shoes, I have at least 16 pairs of shoes...maybe more, but whose counting. While you might not need all the shoes that you have in your closets, here are five pairs of shoes that every woman should have:

1. Great Looking Business Shoes. You need to have a special pair of smart shoes for work. These should look great, and match well with your suit. They will be perfect for interviews, as well as those important presentations and business trips. They would usually be black shoes with medium size heel, to make you look taller and in control, but still comfortable enough to wear all day.  
2. Great Looking Shoes to Wear With Jeans. Who wears jeans with sneakers anymore? As jeans are becoming cooler, and more embellished, you need something cuter then a basic sneaker to go with them. We recommend cool high heel sandals in the summer, or great looking boots in the winter.  
3. Great Looking Sneakers. You still need to exercise and go to the gym. While you will not wear sneakers with your stylish jeans, you still need sneakers for exercising and walking outside. There are lots of different sneakers on the market now - pick the ones that fit you, and that fit your exercise routine.  
4. Cool Dressy Shoes. You have that gorgeous dress, and you need matching shoes to go with it. Get something fun and gorgeous to go with the dress. Splurge a little - here the right shoes will make all the difference.  
5. The Pink Shoes. You know, everyone has at least one pair of completely impractical, bright pink or bright red shoes. You found them at the store, they didn't really match any of your outfits, but you just had to have them.  

Which ones of these types of shoes do you have in your closet?  So now you know a little bit about shoes. Even if you don't know everything, you've done something worthwhile: you've expanded your knowledge.

It's Giveaway Time!!!!!

Little Camo Dude

Your little one will look cute as a button in these fashionable hats brought to you by Zazzle Hats .  They are a great accessory for any outfit.  One boy and one girl hat will be given away (yes...2 separate giveaways).  Even if you don't have small children, they are the perfect gift to give to someone special in your life.


How to enter you ask....here's how!

1.  "Like" us on Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mod-Mama-Marketplace/142680529095997
2.  Follow us on Twitter   @ModMamaMarket 
3.  Blog about this giveaway on your own blog linking back to here (if you have a blog)
4. Comment on this blog post about your entries, so we know to include you in the giveaway.

My Pink Petals

The winner will be announced on our blog and through Facebook and Twitter on October 11th.


If you have any questions, please let me know info@modmamamarketplace.com.

Holiday Gift Guide

We will be putting together an online holiday gift guide called Shopping Made Easier.  This guide will showcase YOUR products just in time for holiday gift giving.  You can submit your products to info@modmamamarketplace.com with the following information:

• Description of Product
• Link to Product
• Website URL
• Product Photo(s)
• Why you feel the product would be a great fit as part of the holiday gift guide? 

Product placement in the gift guide is FREE.  If you are interested in advertising in the guide, please email us for advertising guidelines.

Product Submission Deadline - October 20th!!!

Back to School Means Football

Once the school buses start to roll and the bells begin to ring, you know it won’t be long before Friday night football begins. Whether your child plays or not, it’s likely that they will want to attend some of the games during the year. It’s normal for students to attend high school or college football games, not so much for the game, but for the social aspect of the game.

Friday night football games are a major social event at most high schools, especially if the game is a home game. The students will probably get out of class for an afternoon pep rally in preparation for the game. Students and cheerleaders alike yell and cheer as they vow to “Beat the Wildcats” or “Stomp the Bulldogs.” The players sit back and bask in the adulation as the crowd encourages them to do their best.

Of course, all this pre-game encouragement probably won’t affect the outcome of the game. It is the hard work and dedication of the coaching staff and players during practice that makes or breaks the evening. The fans at the game, however, can have an effect as they spur the players toward victory, amidst the smells of hot dogs, cotton candy, and the sounds of people yelling and laughing in the crowds.

The football game is also the place to be seen. Quite often the teenagers who come to the game don’t even watch it. They walk the track around the field and talk to their friends. Students buy soft drinks and walk miles around the track, hoping that they’ll get noticed by that one person they have a crush on. The game, however, continues to play on despite their lack of interest.

If high school football isn’t enough to keep a family busy, there are also college level games to consider. Some college and university towns go crazy when football season starts. The players, while trying to work hard and maintain a decent grade point average, don’t want to let the students, alumni, and other fans down.

Football rivalries are another aspect of the football mystique. The teams, usually from within the same state, will meet once a year for a regular game. Often these rivalry games are during homecoming week. Alumni gather at their alma mater to remember the good old days when they played on the team, and they expect a great game – one more win against that rival.

The cycle begins again each year. A week or two after school starts, football season kicks into gear. The football game – the players, the coaches, and the spectators – all have a part to play in the ritual of autumn. Football, although a loss might not be the end of the world, you sure couldn’t tell it from the reactions of the people that enjoy the game and follow it religiously.