SWAGG is a free mobile app (download here) that lets you shop smarter using your mobile phone. Buy, send or swap SWAGG GIFTS and organize your old school plastic gift cards.

For every download of the app between now and Dec. 31, 2010, SWAGG will donate $1 to Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) , up to $125,000.

Clever Girls Collective and SWAGG are sending a pair of movie fans to the Sundance Film Festival! Download the SWAGG app and then visit the Ultimate SWAGG Getaway Sweepstakes site to enter to win a trip for two to the Sundance Film Festival. Entry deadline is January 3, 2011, 11:59pm, PST.

Stand Up To Cancer @SU2C is a non-profit who strives to end cancer. They raise money for research and new treatments. Grants are given to teams of scientists who feel no need to compete against each other for money. Instead their full focus is on treatment. Celebrities donate their time each year for a live TV show that is shown on multiple television stations. Throughout the year, they create videos and take part in other events to keep Stand Up To Cancer in the Limelight.

The winner of the Sundance Sweepstakes will receive (for two people):

• 2 night/3 day stay at Yarrow Hotel in Park City Utah (Jan 21 – Jan 23, 2011)
• Ground transportation to and from hotel to airport in Park City, Utah
• Dinner for two at Tao Lounge, including 2 nightclub passes
• All access to The House of SWAGG Gifting Suite
• 2 tickets to a movie premiere on Saturday, January 22nd — movie tbd
• $4,000 value

Learn more about the coolest new app that revolutionizes the whole shopping, gifting, and gift card-organizing experience and Download the SWAGG app to your iPhone or Droid. I was selected for this sponsorship by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity.

Buying baby furniture can be a long process because there are so many choices. You may want to go modern or traditional. You may want to spend a lot of money and decorate to your heart’s content or be frugal but still make the room show all of the love you have for your baby. Deciding on colors, types of wood, fabrics, convenience and of course safety are other reasons to start doing some research and then actually shopping.

Make a list of the items you’ll need for the nursery from books or searching online. Then go through to see what is necessary for you and your family. If you have some hand-me-downs, check to see if they’ve been recalled before putting them into use again.

Sometimes you’ll be lucky and find a collection of furniture that you like and settle on. That makes getting ready so much easier! For example the Oeuf Furniture Collection is one that you may fall in love with. You can start with the Oeuf crib which is in natural birch and then go from there. Add sheets, wall hangings, a dresser, the mattress, possibly a bassinet and don’t forget the Oeuf changing station.

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1. Renaissance Festival – Every year, when the Renaissance Festival comes to town, scores of people attend – and a great deal of them attend in costume. Most costume retailers online have an assortment of Renaissance and historical costumes to choose from. Another option is to browse thrift stores and vintage clothing retailers, and put together your own costume.
2. Theme Parties – Theme parties are becoming quite popular! A lot of people enjoy throwing decade parties – the 20s, 50s, and 80s are the most popular decades – where guests dress up and dance to period music in a house decorated with period décor. Other theme parties include vampire parties, pirate parties, and just about anything else the host can think of!
3. Book Release Parties – What better way to celebrate the release of a long-awaited new book than with a costume? This kind of party was popular for the release of Harry Potter and Twilight Saga books, with many attendees dressing up as their favorite characters.
4. Conventions - It is almost impossible to go to a convention without seeing tons of attendees in costume. The classic example is the Star Trek Convention, but costumes are popular at others too, such as Disney, anime, and comic book conventions.
5. Masquerades - Many of us, when we think of masquerades, think of formal balls, such as those in Phantom of the Opera and The Man in the Iron Mask. Masquerades are still around today, however — they are simply parties were everyone is expected to come wearing a costume and mask. The excitement is in not knowing who you are partying with, of course!
6. St. Patrick’s Day – St. Patty’s Day is one of our favorite holidays! This is the day when everyone is Irish – you get the luck, the drinking, and everything else. Whether you are going to a St. Patty’s Day parade or a party at your friend’s house, costumes are welcomed and encouraged!
7. Mardi Gras – Depending on where you live, Mardi Gras may be a big deal, or not much at all. But you don’t have to live in New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras! Instead of staying home watching the parade on TV, invite some friends over for a private Mardi Gras celebration – and tell them to come in costume!
8. Christmas - Everyone loves Christmas — whether they celebrate religiously or not, this is a fun and festive holiday season for many people. This is also a time when you see a lot of costumes at work and at parties: elf costumes, Santa and Mrs. Claus costumes, reindeer antlers, and so on. May everyone be merry and wear a great costume!
9. Photos – One of the most fun times to get dressed up in costumes is for photos. Think about it – you could send pictures of your adorable newborn in an even more adorable costume for double the oohs and ahhs.

Although we tend to think of Halloween as the supreme costume holiday – and in many ways, it is – there are many other reasons throughout the year to dress up. Wearing costumes is fun because it gives an opportunity to be someone else for a little while, or at least to have fun like someone else! What are some of your favorite excuses to dress up?

About the Author: This post is by Vern, who enjoys writing about everything from business to biology and fashion to fiction. This post was inspired by an adventure in shopping for childrens costumes with his daughter for a school play.

Children grow quickly and there’s often that struggle choosing between clothes and shoes that fit perfectly and those that have a little “give” so they last longer. It’s rare for a child to go through a school year with the same pair of shoes or the same outfit.

When buying children’s shoes and clothing, look at the fit carefully. It’s important not to buy anything too large as it will feel uncomfortable and not look right on your child. Shoe fit is very important for children because shoes that are too large or too small can cause blisters, pain and difficulty walking.

Remember back in the day when you’d go shopping for children’s shoes and there would be a salesperson to fit shoes? They knew exactly what to do. They ‘d measure, try on shoes and check the fit as you walked. I found a video that teaches you how to do your own fitting for boys school shoes. You can use this for girls shoes as well. You’ll learn how to check fit around the ankles, heels and the width of the foot.

You’ll be buying the right fitting shoes on your own after you watch this video.

Looks are important during the teen years, especially fitting in with how your friends look and what they wear. If someone makes a comment that you look different it feels like you’re going to be branded “different” forever. When choosing prescription glasses, a teen needs to find a pair that makes him or her feel fashionable so they’ll fit in. Keep in mind that they’re either going to be wearing their glasses for reading or all the time.  You want to assure they’ll wear them.

Not only is it important that your teen likes the glasses chosen, but be sure that they fit his or her face, coloring and style. Let your teen take his or her time in making a choice. If buying glasses online, there’s nothing wrong with you visiting a number of brick and mortar stores to try on glasses to see what looks good. Be patient because it’s best that your teen be comfortable with their choice. It may even be a good idea to buy 2 pairs of glasses, which you can afford to do if you’re buying from GlassesUSA.com, so they can switch pairs. They can also have an extra pair in case one is lost.

Buying eyeglasses for your teen need not be a chore if you take their thoughts and feelings into consideration.

Sponsored post by GlassesUSA.com

She can also give the topper a try to see if she likes it before we spend the money of the memory foam mattress itself. If I can find one that doesn’t cost that much, I’ll go ahead and get topper first, let her use if until her mattress gives out and then decide on what type of mattress to buy. It’s like giving the memory foam mattresses a try out.

Try to find bedroom furniture that isn’t too juvenile because soon they’ll be teens, which means embarrassment on having “baby furniture”. Look at bedroom furniture that doesn’t have a theme as their opinions change often. Consider getting a desk if you can fit it so they a place to do their homework. Of course you as a parent have a big say in what is bought, but your tween also needs to add their opinion to their own bedroom furniture choice.

Since a memory foam mattress contours to her body when she moves too, she’ll be more comfortable and be able to sleep better. She’s very thin and I also think that a memory foam mattress will help her not feel every bump from the bed frame. I may surprise her with a memory foam mattress this summer. Believe it or not, she’ll be thrilled!

There’s a fragrance named I Love Dior perfume For Women. Isn’t that proof of a woman’s desire for something from the Dior collection? Dior handbags are the rage and are gorgeous. The the logo on them is stunning and there are so many different styles.

Dior cosmetics are another good choice for Mother’s Day. Look through your wife or Mother’s make up bag to see what color and type she uses and purchase the same or go to the department store where she buys her make up to get a list of what she likes. Don’t forget Dior sunglasses, fine jewelery and shoes.

Be sure to wrap your Mother’s Day gift in special paper and a unique bow. Then sit back and listen to her squeal in delight when she opens her Dior present!

Using pressure gates that lead to outside, especially ones that fit sliding glass doors, is one solution to keeping your baby safe inside your home. The ones that automatically close behind you are one of the safest. Pressure gates means that the gate is mounted with hardware that won’t damage walls.

Don’t forget to install stairway gates to prevent injuries from falls. Babies seem to be fascinated by the free fall drop of steps. So keep those areas safe. Even though baby gates may not be a cute gift, they make great baby shower gifts as many families don’t own them, especially with a new baby.

Consider shopping for your home safety needs at KidSafeInc.com who also provided me with the information for this post. They provide all types of baby gates and other safety items for your home too.