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Tips for Great Family Portraits and Deal on JCPenney Portrait Package

family portrait

A well coordinated family portrait.

A great family portrait is a keepsake you will cherish for many years to come, and display with pride.  To ensure the best results when going to a portrait sitting, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

  • Avoid busy prints and flashy colors, the photo is supposed to feature the person, not the clothes.  This isn’t a fashion shoot, if the clothing takes attention away from the wearer, it is not an asset.
  • Long sleeves tend to help focus attention on to the wearers face, so are often a good choice.
  • If you are overweight: darker clothing, and V or scoop necks have a slimming effect, so keep this in mind when selecting an outfit.
  • Too thin?  Few have this problem, but if you want to have a fuller look in your photographs, select light colors and high necklines.
  • For group portraits: Coordinate everyone’s look.  No you do not need to look like a 60′s family band, but everyone should be at the same level of dressy vs. casual, and be mindful of clashing colors.  A nice way to coordinate the look, is to stick to neutrals, and accent with one or two colors.  Bring a few flowers in the color, if someone doesn’t seem to be matching, the photographer can have them hold a few, this might help tie them into the photo better.
  • Don’t overlook your lower half with the assumption that you will be doing head shots.  You might be surprised to find a full length shot preferable.
baby portrait

Simply lovely.

I take a lot of photos of my daughter.  I love catching her in the moment, and most of my favorite shots of her are ones I took.  That being said, it is also nice to get a picture done in controlled conditions, so that you know you will have a nice printable shot to commemorate an occasion.  I should get down to JCPenney and have a portrait done of my daughter and I together.  I am always the one behind the camera,  I don’t have any pictures of she and I together, since my daughter was a baby.

I put together a Pinterest board featuring some portrait shots I liked.  Check it out for a few ideas.

For the month of April jcpportraits is running a $20 portrait promotion.  The deal includes 6 traditional portrait sheets.  You can mix and match size and images (many studios only let you pick one shot).  They will also include one free  sitting fee, which is usually $9, for those taking advantage of this promotion.  If you are wondering if there is a jcportraits near you, there is a convenient zip code search right on the landing page for the promotion.

family portrait

Such a fun family shot!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of jcpenney Portrait Studio. I was asked to create a Pinterest Board and pin at least five (5) pins. I give jcpenney the right to repin any or all images/original content from this board. I received a promotional item as a thanks for my participation.

Giveaway! Maggies Direct Shopping with Social Rewards (and exclusive sale)

maggies direct logo
Maggies Direct is a new way to shop online.  On this shopping site you get rewarded, for shopping, reviewing and sharing.  The rewards are called Social Bucks, and each is worth $1 in product.  Social Bucks can add up quickly, and with Maggie’s Direct already discount prices, you can get one heck of a deal.

When you share the deals you find on Maggie’s Direct with your friends, you will earn 1 Social Buck for every $10 they spend, and 1 Social Buck for every $20 their friends spend.  You also earn extra Social Bucks during shopping events (like the one below), voting in weekly polls, doing a quick review, and several other things.  Learn more about earning and spending Social Bucks .social bucksThey also have a $5000 shopping spree sweepstakes going on right now, with monthly winners of $500 in Social Bucks!

 

Exclusive Hotel Bedding Sale with Bonus Social Bucks

Through April 15th Maggie’s Direct will give you a 50% kickback in Social Bucks for items purchased off this special sale page!

I was given the opportunity to try some of the products, that are featured in the sale.  I picked the Matelasse Duvet and pillow shams.  I have a silk set the same color as the headboard, but wanted a fresher lighter look for spring (and was tired of panicking every time my messy little daughter would decide to play in there… the matelasse is far easier to clean) This duvet is a perfect 4 Season bed cover.  Unlike many duvets, it is thick enough to be used by itself as a bedspread, as shown below, in cooler weather insert a comforter. The style is classic and the material & construction are durable, so this will serve you for many years to come.

matalasse duvet and shams

Here is what it looks like with a comforter inside.

The duvet is already discounted from $175 to $125, and you would get 62 Social Bucks for the purchase.  If you refer a few friends, do a few polls and review the product you could pretty much get your money back in Social Bucks with minimal effort.  They have a huge clearance sale coming up, so this would come in very handy.

Maggies Direct Giveaway

One lucky Mom Foodie reader will win a $25 Social Bucks credit at Maggie’s Direct, with their Free Shipping, that will leave you a lot of options for a prize :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaways hosted on Blommi are sponsored by third parties. Site owner will of course endeavor to see all prizes are fulfilled, but is not responsible for missing or damaged prizes. Contest ends April 8, 2012 at 11:59 pm CT. Open to US residents , age 18+.

Huge Limited Time Deal on Quality Linens

maggies direct logoI have the pleasure of introducing you to Maggie’s Direct, a new sort of online shopping, that not only offers great deals, but rewards you for your online social sharing. I will be filling you in on more about Maggie’s soon (as well as their awesome Blogger’s Program), but at the moment, I would like to give you a quick heads up about a big sale that kicked off this morning.
Exclusive Shopping Event for friends of this blog. Get 50% back in Social Bucks (1 Social Buck = 1 dollar in product credit) on any of these items.

Limited Time Deal on Quality Hotel Linens

Maggie’s Direct already has prices significantly below MSRP, and Free Shipping on all orders within the continental United States ($15 to AK/HI and $20 to Canada), but this exclusive sale event really sweetens the deal, so dress your whole bed.

All purchases from the Hotel Collection event page will earn the purchaser 50% back in Social Bucks, no minimum order.  Social bucks are Maggie’s Direct online currency. 

1 social buck = $1

maggies social bucks

I recently received a lovely European made Matelasse duvet and shams from Maggie’s, and am quite pleased  with them (a more thorough review with personal pics coming very soon, but they are just as pictured & described).

I will use my own order as an example, of how things work during the event:

  • MSRP of the Queen size European Duvet and 2Queen  shams = $303
  • Maggie’s direct price for these items = $183 (already a significant discount)
  • You would get $91 back in social bucks, to use toward your next purchase*, even clearance (big 75% off clearance event coming up soon BTW).
  • So it is like getting the set for $92 !

Plus, you can earn even more social bucks by sharing the deals you get with your friends.  You will get a 10% credit in social bucks for your friend’s purchases, and if they in turn refer someone, you will get a 5% credit from their purchases.

* Social Bucks from product orders vest in 30 days to allow for returns.

Get Rewarded for Using Your Current MasterCard to Holiday Shop #heres2mom #cbias

heres to momDo you end out doing all the holiday gift shopping? Don’t you deserve a little bonus for all that time and effort?  MasterCard is ready and willing to give you one!  Just register your MasterCard credit or debit on the Here’s to Mom page on the MasterCard website, and when you spend $200 online between the time you sign-up and December 31st 2011, they will reward you with a $20 prepaid MasterCard.  Registration is a quick and easy process, which takes less than a minute, and requires very little information.

register

If you are like myself, and try to do as much holiday shopping as possible online, to avoid the shopping crowds, then this is the perfect opportunity for you.  You can shop anywhere you wish online, and break up the purchases however you like.  The only requirements are that, you must be a U.S. resident, the purchases be made on a registered MasterCard, and meet the $200 threshold.bhg holiday storeI kicked off my shopping for this promotion at holiday.bhg.com.  The shop has a wonderful array of unique kitchen items.  The bake ware selection is particularly enticing.  I’m a Bad Santa, I bought myself a little present on their website.  My splurge was the Mini Tart Pan with Tamper, a BHG exclusive.  Check out my Google+ story, to see some of the other great options there.mini tart pan and tamper

Don’t wait to register your MasterCard, at Here’s to Mom, since purchases don’t count retroactively.

Offer is only open to U.S. residents, ends 12/31/2011

Join the #cbias gang during a Twitter party on December 15th at 1 p.m. EST  (#heres2mom).  We will be discussing the promotion and the party hosts will be giving out prizes, as well. (register at: http://bit.ly/tomj42)

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias.  All experiences and opinions presented here are my own.

Hot Online Discount Codes! From Kmart and Sears

online kmart  sears coupon codesKmart Discount Codes

$5 0ff $45
Exclusive Online Only Savings! EXTRA $5 off Kmart.com orders of $45 or more with code KMFUN

$10 off $60
Exclusive Online Only Savings EXTRA $10 off $60 on Kmart.com orders with code DEC2SAVINGS 12/4-12/10

$20 off $200
Online Only! EXTRA $20 off Toys & Games orders of $200 or more, code K20OFF200TOYS12 11/27-12/9

Sears Discount Codes

$15 0ff $75 on Clothing
Online Only! EXTRA $15 off $75 on Clothing, Shoes, Jewelry and Bed & Bath with REALGIFTS 12/5-12/24

$5 0ff $50
Exclusive Online Only Savings EXTRA $5 off Sears.com orders of $50 with code SEARS2011 thru 12/31/11

$10 0ff $100 on Toys & Games
Online Only! EXTRA $10 off $100 on Toys & Games with code S10OFF100TOYS12 11/27-12/24

$20 0ff $200 off Toys & Games
Online Only! EXTRA $20 off Toys & Games orders of $200 or more with code S20OFF200TOYS12 11/27-12/24

 

Big Discounts on Purchases with CouponCodes4U

discount codesIf there is such a thing, I must be allergic to paying full price.  I swear, each time I have to do it, I feel a bit flushed, and maybe even a bit faint (ok, perhaps that is a bit of an exaggeration) I don’t go crazy with clipping paper coupons, since it is time consuming, and I always end out finding coupons tucked in my purse, or on my fridge about a week after they expire.  That drives me crazy, but I always search out online Discount codes, before making purchases, especially larger ones.  Using a site like CouponCodes4U can make the code finding process easy.

Savings from these discounts can really make a huge difference.  While in most cases discount codes can not be stacked, on occasion they can, that equates to huge savings.  Even if codes can’t be stacked timing your purchase to occur during a free shipping promotion, then adding a percent or dollars off discount at check-out is very savvy shopping.

Don’t just look at big ticket purchases for savings though.  Smaller repetitive discounts add up to huge savings over time.  For example, if you are a frequent vitamin user, going on a site like CouponCodes4U, and utilizing a Puritan Discount code found there, can profoundly cut the expense of your monthly supplements.discount

California Wine Club Membership: Perfect for the Holidays (plus Discount Code)

california wine club discountI shared my experience with California Wine Club with you a few months back.  I case you forgot, I liked the shipment quite a lot.   They have now gifted me a 3 month membership. So I am going to share with you what came in this month (I am receiving the red/white combo, but they offer 2 white or 2 red, if that is what you prefer). These shipments would be wonderful to have on hand during the holidays, and would of course make a lovely gift [Don't miss the special reader discount below]

This month’s featured winery is Perry Creek Vineyards.  The winery located in fair Play California, specializes in Zinfandel (one of my fave wines), but also produces quality white wines too.

zinman zinfandelTheir signature wine is the Zinfandel called “Zinman”, so I was glad this one was included in my shipment. It is an easy to drink red wine, with nice berry & chocolate flavor.  I could taste the oak aging in it, but it was not at all overpowering.  This is one of those wines that would go with so many different foods.  It can handle a spicy ethnic dinner and go right through to a chocolatey dessert.  Now that’s flexibility!  I am not surprised at all that this wine has won several awards, and was classified as a Best Buy, from Wine Spectator.  I would get this one again.

perry creek chardonnayThe second wine in the shipment was the Perry Creek Chardonnay.  It had a bit of mixed tropical fruit flavor, but I didn’t actually pull out individual fruit flavors on this one.  The alcohol content in this one also tasted more present than in many chardonnays I’ve had.  A good drinkable wine, but not a personal fave.  That is the great thing about a shipment like this though, trying out new wines, so you know what you like.

 The California Wine Club makes tasting wine an easy and enjoyable experience, that you can have right in your own home.  Each moth the club sends 2 bottles from a small California winery, nicely packaged to ensure no broken bottles.   An informative magazine is included with each shipment, which tells you about the producing winery, the family that runs it and information about the wines themselves.  If you have never experienced small estate wines before, you’re sure to be surprised at how distinctive they each are, and knowing about the people that made your wine, adds a little to the enjoyment, as well.

California Wine Club Discount for my Readers

The California Wine Club has generously offered a special trial deal for my readers. Just $13 for the first shipment with no obligation to stay!

If you prefer to do two red or two white wines, rather than one of each no problem.  To take advantage of this deal use the promo code: blommi and follow this link to  The California Wine Club.  You will also get 10% off gifts!

Disclosure: Samples provided for purpose of review.  All opinions are my own.

Stay on Budget with TrimBack.com

With the holidays coming up, most families are trying to keep a close eye on their budgets, so they can provide some nice gifts for their loved ones this year. A great way to stay on budget without going without items you would typically buy is through the effective use of coupons and discounts, and often the combination of the two.  Scouring the web for deals can be a bit time consuming though.

TrimBack.com is an excellent resource for smart shoppers.  The site keeps you up to date on the hottest current discounts and coupon codes.  It also offers printable coupons for both grocers and retail stores.  With the ability to search over 50,000 coupons you are sure to find something to help you save a few dollars on that purchase you are mulling over.  The site even has seasonal sections,  as well as a free shipping category (paying for shipping drives me insane).

Coupons and promotions on Trimback.com are rated by users, so you have a good idea if the codes will actually work, prior to placing your order.  With deals from great stores like Kohls, Dell.com, Macys, GameStop, Amazon, plus many, many more, you are sure to catch a terrific deal on whatever you are shopping for.save money with coupon codes

Quad 4 Laptop just $399 at Circuit City

quad 4 processor laptop cheap

In the low end price range most laptops have dual core processors, but Circuit City currently has the Acer Aspire AS5552-7474icon for just $399. This was the by far best processor I could find in the under $400 price range.

  • AMD Phenom II X4 N970 2.2GHz
  • 4GB DDR3 (upgradeable to 8GB)
  •  320GB HDD
  • DVDRW
  • Radeon HD 4250
  • 15.6″ Display
  • Windows 7 Home Premium, 64-bit

I don’t usually share many tech deals, so In case you are wondering, I came across this while shopping for a replacement laptop for myself.