Guidecraft Complete Kitchen Center Review & Giveaway!

Win a new Complete Kitchen Center from Guidecraft (ARV $370)!

What they say...

 This compact Kitchen Center features 5 major appliances in one attractive play island. Complete with stove, oven, microwave, sink, and dishwasher with removable plate rack. Ergonomically kid-friendly counter-top provides food prep and dish washing area. Features turning knobs, silk-screened controls, acrylic windows on appliance doors, write-on wipe-off board, and wooden shelves for loads of storage.

What we think...
This is a FANTASTIC play kitchen that will become an heirloom toy in your family! The materials are very high quality and I was impressed by not only the strength of the wood it's made with, but the beauty of it as you can see the grain patterns. Once assembled, everything sits snugly and is balanced so you don't need to worry about your child tipping it over. The benefits of a child having a play kitchen are so many as it helps develop social skills, problem solving, organizing, large and small motor skills, and even verbal communications if you facilitate it. Since the colors and style of this kitchen are clearly gender neutral, I think it's an excellent choice for any family!

The only downside I found to this was that the directions were a bit tricky. It took me 2.5 hours to assemble this and I had to elicit the help of my carpenter husband to help me out. :-\ Granted, this was done very late at night and I was watching TV while I put it together, so you could probably get it down to 2 hours if you were snappy about it and didn't have to waste time figuring out how to do certain things.

The directions are only picture ones, which is actually faster for me than deciphering written ones. HOWEVER. The directions fail to mention that you need a philips' head screw driver (not included) and also fail to mention how to use certain hardware pieces (and I don't know what these pieces are called, so you'll just have to take my word on it that I would have not ever figured it out unless my husband had already known how to use these things). The tricky part is Step 3. What you need to do is take the screw and screw the bottom part of it into the "holes" of the counter bottom using the phillips' head. Only screw in until the threads change thickness. Then you place the round thing-a-ma-jigs into the holes in the kitchen base's side and lay the countertop down on top. The screws will then end up sitting in the round thing-a-ma-jigs which you need to turn clockwise to lock down the counter top. I thought I had done this (after being told how to), but my husband's strength was needed to really get it locked down. Once everything was said and done though, the kitchen looked awesome and I am not at all worried about it going anywhere.

We gave this to LoveBug for her second birthday (October 31!). It definitely passed the toddler-test. She kept saying "woah! WOAH!" while opening it (wide eyed and with a smile)...and then she couldn't wait any longer to play, so she ducked herself under the remaining wrapping paper so she could get to the fun. It's been a whole 28.5 hours now and she hasn't stopped playing with it except to sleep!

 

Can it get any more fun than the Guidecraft Complete Kitchen Center?!

 Buy It! Give your child the gift of learning through play by snagging one of these kitchens at Guidecraft's website (www.Guidecraft.com) for $370 or at Amazon for $277.99 (best price I found while writing this post).

Win It! *You MUST be publicly following this blog in order to win. Just click the "Follow (with Google Friend Connect)" button in the far right hand column near the top of this page. Problems? Send me an email and I'll help you out! lifemoresimply@yahoo.com.* Contest ends 12/1/10 at noon, EST.

To win, leave me a comment below telling me one other toy you would LOVE to have from Guidecraft! Be sure to include your email address in EVERY entry and leave a separate comment for each entry as well.


Additional entries (after the above is completed):
1) Tell me WHY you want to win this.

2) Subscribe to Life More Simply via email.

3) "Like" our Facebook page.

4) Follow us on Twitter (LifeMoreSimply).

5) Blog about this contest ---3 entries!

6) After you've "liked"/"friended" Life More Simply on Facebook, put this as your status: "I'm hoping to win the Complete Play Kitchen Center from Guidecraft for Christmas ($370!!!!) at http://tinyurl.com/WinGuidecraft ! @Life More Simply" (my name will come up in BLUE if you did it right). 1 entry/day.

7) Tweet this message (up to two times a day for 1 entry each): "Win the Complete Kitchen Center from @Guidecraft and @LifeMoreSimply (ARV $370)! http://tinyurl.com/WinGuidecraft #play #toy #win #contest"

8) Post this message on Guidecraft's Facebook Wall:  I'm hoping to win the Complete Play Kitchen Center from Guidecraft for Christmas ($370!!!!) at http://tinyurl.com/WinGuidecraft ! @Life More Simply

9) Spread the word on a parenting forum, message board, or any other way and tell me how you did it with a link!

10) Sign up to Design America's Next Diaper:  http://lifemoresimply.blogspot.com/p/life-more-simply-review-panel.html

*Note: Guidecraft supplied me with the product for review and giveaway. No other compensation was received and the opinions expressed are all mine.*

Two BIG Secrets

I have two big secrets, and seriously, I am bursting at the seams. So instead of holding it inside me any longer, I'm going to tell ALL of you whom decide to read this blog post...

Secret #1: I received the AWESOME, all natural, best-2nd-birthday-present-EVER, "Complete Kitchen Center" from Guidecraft in the mail yesterday! This is a $370 + shipping item that I received in exchange for an upcoming review.

Okay, why am I so happy about this that I could throw up while I giggle? Because my daughter LOVES to play pretend and this is going to be her birthday present (turning two on October 31!). But it gets even better for you, because I'm going to be giving one of these away in November! WOWOWOW!

Secret #2:  I am starting my own business. Really. I can't tell you everything, but it involves organic fabrics, a hybrid diaper system, clothing for little ones, and lots of beautiful love. HOWEVER. I need two things to help get me started (well, three, including a large sum of money from any investors who may be interested!): a Snap Press, and a website designer.

Here's how you can help get me a snap press as well as win KAMsnaps.com gift certificates and your choice of over $3000 worth of other prizes:

Win a $20 @KAMsnaps.com gift certificate towards snaps, pliers, or a press, plus your choice among over $3000 worth in prizes including Ooga Booga fabric and designer jewelry/handbags. Go to http://bit.ly/bwXrGR to enter.

It's very fast and easy to enter, but I really need you to put me down as your "referrer" when you enter, because if you win, then I win, too! Please write: Rachel E., lifemoresimply at yahoo.com for the referrer's information.

The second way you can help me get my business going is by helping me with my website. I just purchased my own domain name and will be moving this whole blog over to www.LifeMoreSimply.com as soon as I get the time to figure out how to do so. I want to overhaul everything, though, and get a "shop" set up on the same domain for my business. If you do website designing, send me an email at lifemoresimply@yahoo.com with "website design" in the title! Since I need to pinch every penny possible, I am hoping to find a brilliant person who will do the job in exchange for some PR from me that would include permanent links for them in my shop and my blog, as well as a blog post where I rave about how wonderful you are. The first person whom I like that contacts me can have the job. Unless April from http://www.aprilshowersblogdesign.com/ reads this and wants the job. Then she gets it because, well, she rocks.

Wow, I sure do feel better having gotten my secrets out!

RiNGLEY Natural Teething Toys Review & Giveaway!

RiNGLEY teething toys are awesome for three reasons: 1) made of all natural products-- untreated wood and organic cotton; 2) combines two textures to meet baby's biting needs: terrycloth friction and the smoothness of the hard wood; 3) can be used wet or dry. I was sent one of these to review and it quickly became a staple diaper bag item. While we do use a baltic amber necklace on my daughter to alleviate teething pain, she still has the need to chew on things while teething and has absolutely loved the RiNGLEY. Since receiving it, we have thrown away all other teething toys and now refer to our RiNGLEY as "The Bite Toy." It is a fabulous product and one that I think should honestly be in every parent's tool bag. Why I never thought to invent my own, I don't know.

Their website says it best:

RiNGLEY is the original Canadian natural teether that combines two efficient teething tools: untreated Maple wood and 100% organic cotton terrycloth.

RiNGLEY provides two very different textures that enable children to satisfy their teething needs. Made free from dye and without harmful chemicals.

RiNGLEY provides babies and toddlers with two safe and efficient textures that enable children to satisfy their teething needs.

RiNGLEY's design allows your child to easily grip the ring and cloth. It can be used wet or dry and easily reaches around a child's gums and teeth.

RiNGLEY was designed with a child's development in mind. Since infants learn through tactile stimulus, touching and putting things in their mouths, the need for a product made without harmful chemicals and dyes is important. RiNGLEY is an organic and natural toy for babies to chew and teethe on.

RiNGLEY comes in four styles: knotted, straight, junior and ball. Handmade in Toronto, Canada.

The four styles range in price from $16.00-$20.00 and all can be unattached from the wooden ring (velcro type enclosure) to ensure washing abilities. We received the "junior" style to review (see photo at the top of this post) and have found that it's the perfect size for little hands and mouths, and a fun shape for even playing with (my daughter really enjoyed playing with the knots). We've been using it for months now with no signs of wear. If the knots come undone, you simply re-knot the end. I LOVE this teething toy and am so glad I found out about RiNGLEY! You won't regret buying this for your own child or as a gift for another child. It's the perfect way to provide a natural product to help your child cut his or her teeth!

Buy It! Visit www.ringleynaturalteethingtoys.com. I also found that you can get the straight style for a penny cheaper on Amazon. :-)

Win It! Check out RiNGLEY's selection on their website and let me know which style you'd prefer. Be sure to include an email address and separate comment for each entry! Contest will end Monday, 8/20/10, at 3pm EST.

Extra Entries:

• Follow me in any way; one entry per following method (Google Friend Connect, Twitter, Facebook, etc.)
• Subscribe to me via email
• Blog about this contest with a link and photo (3 entries)
• Grab my button (3 entries)
• Email some friends about this contest or my blog and CC "lifemoresimply @ yahoo.com"
• Tweet about this contest with a link (max 2x/day, at least 2 hours apart). Include @lifemoresimply.
• Spread the word on a natural parenting forum or elsewhere and include the link here