Many of you know that I love when QVC carries the American Girl dolls. They usually carry sets that are not available anywhere else and at prices that you can’t find anywhere else. I have purchased 6 sets through them in the past few years and so I am always looking out for their next show.

I have heard some rumbling on the "street" that the next show will be in September for the 2nd Anniversary of American Girl on QVC. There is also some talk that they will possibly carry Lainey who is the Girl of the Year this year in an effort to give her a push before the end of the year. I also have heard talk that Rebecca will be featured since she is the only AG historical doll that hasn’t been on QVC yet. I wouldn’t be surprised if they gave a deal with the new My American Girl dolls. Probably the new dolls with extra outfits.

This is still all in the rumor stage as I have no confirmation for sure but I will keep my ear to the ground and as soon as I know for sure I will be sure to let you guys know. I know that QVC just started their Christmas in July sales and that they have a Christmas in August series planned also. There is a possibility we will see the AG dolls in August but I believe September was the first show last year. Let me know if you hear anything and I will keep an eye out too!

The new My American Girl dolls are pretty much just like you dolls. They are sold to look like your child with similar hair, eye color and features like freckles. What makes these dolls different than the old just like you dolls they sold. These dolls have their own internet world called innerstaru.com. The catalog says this about innerstaru.com:

"a fun, enriching, and safe online world created for you and your doll. Together, you can play games, make friends, earn awards, and learn to be your very best in everything you do!"

The online version of your doll will look just like the live version and therefor very similar to your child. This will give your child a new way to play with their dolls. It will be similar to a Webkinz with American Girl dolls instead of pets! I know my girls are going to want to have one of these. They have been asking for one of the just like you dolls so this will be even better. The doll sets come with doll, outfit, accessories and full-access to the online world at innerstaru.com for $95. You will also be able to customize the dolls with any of the amazing outfit sets and accessories to make the doll even more like your child. Whether she likes to cheer, play soccer, swim or ice skate there is a set to match her interests.

I love that American Girl is trying to stay innovative and not become stagnant with the same old items. I think girls today will love the option to see and interact with their dolls online. It will give them new and exciting things to do with the dolls each day. Enjoy!

• Business cards with your child’s name, address and phone number on it. I put these in my child’s school bag to give to friends at school so that they have the contact information for homework help, parties and play dates.
• I purchase the address labels with a small picture (they have so many to choose from) and my child’s name on it to put on school supplies and books. A cute way to keep their items from being lost.
• I purchase the post cards to announce birthday parties or get togethers. I also use this to make cards for reminding other parents in my child’s class about upcoming events we need volunteers or help with.
• I use the canvas tote bags with personalized fronts to hold sports items, activity materials (like guitar books) or items I need to return like books and movies. I hang these on hooks on the back door so we won’t lose them or forget them.
• I order a special t-shirt for the kids when they are having a birthday party or special event that are personalized just for them. They love feeling special and it helps them remember the event. I also will let their guests sign the shirts to help them remember who was there.
• I order address labels with the family name, phone number and address on it to put on DS consoles, games, camera’s, Ipods and other equipment so that they can be returned if lost.

As you can see there are just so many different ways to use the items from Vista Print. They are constantly having free product specials where you can get items for free and only pay the shipping. They have amazing customer service and their products are top quality. I ordered 3 sets of address labels with my kids’ names on them to use for labeling school supplies. I paid 10.XX for the order and that included shipping. I get 140 labels for each and because I put just their names I can use them for anything or any year. I have a special offer for you guys to use to try out Vista Print products. Just click the banner below and you will be taken to a page to try out free Vista Print products. Choose from 12 different free items and just pay shipping and handling. This is a terrific way to try out some of the items I mentioned above for FREE!!! Let me know what you use your VP products for!

I was reading an article last week about it being the 58th or so anniversary of the invention of the bar code. Can you remember what life was like before bar codes and those nice little POS systems that allow cashiers to scan the product and give you a total in a matter of seconds? I remember when products still had price tags created by those little sticker guns. I remember when a cash register had numbers you pressed and hit total. We have "come a long way baby!"

Is the advancement good or bad? I think most people would say absolutely 100% good! We can do things in a much more efficient and precise manner. These bar codes help to track sales, inventory, price, and so many other items that merchants need to know and they don’t use the man power that was once required. This has to be a good thing to do more with less resources.

Where is the issue? I have noticed that I am getting so much mail in the past few years from places I have shopped but that I have not provided my mailing information. It doesn’t really bother me but I did have to stop and realize that these nifty little bar codes are the reason they have my information. They know who I am, where I live, what I purchase and which coupons and specials will be most likely to induce me to come in to their store. All without asking me a single question. While I think this is amazing when it comes to merchandising and marketing I have to wonder if all of that information is safe and sound locked away somewhere or is there going to come a time when it will all come back to bite me and the retailer in the bottom?

In any case, happy anniversary to the bar code. You certainly have made life more interesting and efficient!

 I am so excited I just had to come and tell you guys! Two of my very favorite things are reading books and earning money online. Now I have found a way to combine them both in a great deal that you guys will love! I have been a member of Sunshine Rewards for several years now and have earned almost $2300 by taking surveys and shopping online. I cash out these earnings in Disney gift cards and then use the money for my trips to Walt Disney World. I have found so many great deals through SR on things I already need or things that make my life easier.

The deal I found today is something that combines my love for books with my love for Sunshine Rewards. Sunshine Rewards is partnering with BookSwim to offer a contest that will give the winner and a friend a 2 month membership to BookSwim! This is an awesome deal and one that book lovers everywhere should take advantage of.

What is BookSwim? BookSwim is the Netflix of the book world. It is a membership club that offers members the chance to read books, three at a time, for a low monthly fee. When you are finished with the books you send them back and they send you a new book from your list. This eliminates the need to store or dispose of books on your own. You can simply read them and send them back. Many would say that you could do the same thing at the local library. However, have you ever tried to get a new release from the local library? You can sit on a waiting list for weeks. By the time you get the book to read you already know everything that happens in it because it has been discussed on the news, newspapers, blogs and internet. BookSwim has new releases available right away. You can read as many books as you want in a month having three of them at a time. This is the answer for avid book readers like myself who hate to have old books lying around but don’t want to waste my time with book swaps and can’t get a good return from half price book stores.

How do you enter to win this contest? It’s easy and fast. Just go to the Sunshine Rewards Videoblog and watch Tricia discuss BookSwim and the contest. Then choose one or all 4 options for entering the contest. The winner will receive a 2 month membership to BookSwim for themselves and their nominee. What a great way to share reading with a friend!

Not lucky? Never win? Impatient? You can also sign up for BookSwim today and get your membership started right away. The prices are really good at around $24 a month for the 3 books at a time membership. With books costing $20 a piece for new releases you will pay for your membership after the first book each month. A plus is that you don’t have to get rid of or store the books afterward. If you are a fast reader this club is for you!

Go visit Sunshine Rewards! Go watch the Videoblog! Go win a BookSwim membership! Enjoy!

We are now working on our October Disney trip and I went in search of a better option. I finally found what I think is going to be the perfect bag. I knew I wanted a Baggallini Bag because they are water resistant, have a lot of pockets and zipper compartments and they hold up really well. I did some searching and found that Shoebuy.com (my favorite place to buy shoes too) had a Baggallini Bon Voyage Bagg that should work perfectly. It is small and has a tiny strap. I knew I needed a smaller, thinner strap because the messenger bag was like a sore thumb in my pictures from one Disney trip. This one is perfect. The bag has a lot of places to store money, keys, cards and will hold a camera also. It is lightweight and water resistant. I got the black with khaki inside because I didn’t want it to stand out. My last Baggallini was red and was definitely the first thing people saw coming. I can’t wait to try it out! The best part about Shoebuy is that they have free shipping and free return shipping so if you order it and don’t like it you just send it back free of charge. They also have great sales all the time and if you make a purchase more than once in 30-60 days they will offer you a member discount of 10% off of your order that can be used in conjunction with any sales they have. Enjoy!

The new nook is an electronic e-reader that allows you to have millions of books, magazines and newspapers at your finger tips anywhere you are. It works using 3G wireless or Wi Fi and books can be purchased in seconds. There are also many free books available as well as the option to share books with your friends for free. This would be the perfect gift for graduates and Dads who love to read. It would also be a great gift for moms who will be spending a lot of time outside this summer at kids’ sporting events or just watching the kids play outside. The nook gives you access to any of your books at your fingertip and it is lightweight and easy to use. You can choose different fonts and use the back light and low glare for reading outside the home or in dim lit areas. Best of all the nook means you don’t have to store or dispose of books when you are done with them. No more books lying around that you will never read again or trying to haul boxes of books to donate or trade with other people. It also means you can have a new book as soon as you need it. No need to run out to the store at the last minute to find something to read on a vacation or long car trip. Just press a few buttons and you have a new book at your fingertips. The nook runs about $259 and will more than pay for itself in no time. If you use one of the link from this post to purchase it you will also receive free shipping from Barnes & Nobles through Sunshine Rewards’ exclusive coupon. I would love to hear from any of you who might have purchased this already and how you like it. Enjoy!

Hello American Girl fans! I am so excited to say that two of my favorite merchants are once again teaming up for some great deals. QVC will be featuring the American Girl doll collection on its show and online on October 25th, 2009 from 6-7am and also from 1-2pm. I have to say though that you have to be open to check the online site throughout the day because I have found the products released online early every time so far.

These QVC sales have been very good for myself and my 2 AG loving girls. We have gotten something from the last 3 shows that QVC did and always have gotten a good deal. You won’t find all product that AG sells on the shows. What you will find are really great sets that you can’t find on the AG site. We have gotten sets with the dolls, accessories, books and outfits. Some have 2 outfits and some have 3. Some have really special accessories and some have 2 books. We have bought sets with Kitt, Mia, Elizabeth, Julie, Molly and Carissa. I don’t know who will be featured this time but I would bet my money that Kristen will be part of the show since she is being discontinued. I know last year they featured Samantha right before she was put in the archives. I can’t promise she will be on there but I would bet she would be. In September they featured Julie and Molly so they could also be back. They do usually have some sort of Bitty Baby Sets.

Mark you calenders and make sure you keep checking back here. As soon as I find out more information about what may be featured I will be sure to let you guys know! Once the day arrives the best way to see what they have is to click the link below and then type American Girl in the search box on QVC. This way it will bring up everything QVC is selling that is related to the American Girl product. Good luck!