MyBrownBaby Fresh: The 2010 Holiday Gift Guide For Your People

And after a week-long guide highlighting beautiful products created or sold by businesses of color for men, women, and kids, I'm closing out the MyBrownBaby Fresh 2010 Holiday Gift Guide with beautiful items you can cop for your people—your hair stylist, your neighbor, your girl, the hostess with the mostess, and so many more. As with the earlier guides, I carefully handpicked each item. I do hope you enjoy them. Happy shopping!

Heart of Haiti Vase of Memories

I can’t think of a more thoughtful gift than one that keeps on giving. That’s why I’m so proud to introduce Heart of Haiti, a Fair Winds Trading campaign that is using commerce and culture to create social change in Haiti, where our brothers and sisters are still picking up the pieces more than one year after a hurricane devastated the country. Through the sale of Heart of Haiti products, artisans are able to earn life-changing income for themselves, their families and their communities—money that is helping to repair homes, pay school fees, feed and clothe families and give Haitians access to better nutrition and improved education and healthcare. Indeed, the Heart of Haiti collection already has led to employment of 350 Haitians and has provided some financial benefits for an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 people in the country. The handmade products include quilts, metalwork, ceramics and paintings, all created by Haitian master artisans who make the products by hand from recycled materials. The bright, exuberant design of the hand-painted papier-mache Heart of Haiti Meeting bowl caught my eye; its spirit, full of movement and color, stood out like a beautiful work of art. An incredible gift for an incredible cause! Visit the Heart of Haiti at Macy’s to see more beautiful handmade products and to make your gift-giving count. Prices start at $10.

Silhouette Mimosa Pillow, by AphroChic

Nope, I never think any one person can have too many pillows. The hubs does. Especially when he’s making up our bed and has to position the 400 bazillion pillows I have for it. I just think they’re beautiful pieces of jewelry that make statements all over the house—on the bed, a pretty chair, the couch, a quiet corner of the floor. I fell in love with the design aesthetic of Afrochic last year, when I stumbled on her design blog. She describes her line as modern, soulful styles, and I couldn’t agree more; she’s got pillows, wallpaper, placemats and shower curtains that are absolutely to die for. This stunner features AphroChic’s signature silhouette on the front and rows of many more on the back; the sun yellow simply shines against the crisp white—a combination sure to add joy to any room. Wrap this pillow in some clear wrap with a big bow and your hostess gift will be the envy of the party. Silhouette Mimosa Pillow, $90 at AphroChic. 

Wines From African American-Owned Wineries 

Let the stats tell it and almost 10 percent of American wine drinkers are African American—a significant number considering we make up only about 12 percent of the population. That means we’ve got some wine lovers among us. Why not treat them to a bottle of vino from an African American vinter? There are only a handful, but they’re much easier to find, thanks to the Association of African American Vintners, a consortium of seven black-owned wineries. Check out the association’s website, which will lead you to the online stores of the wineries, who either will happily tell you where you can get your hot little hands on a bottle of their wine, or will ship their goodies to you (provided your state allows it). Association of African American Vintners. 

A Collection of Black Movies

Raise your hand if you’re a total black film junkie! *Insert image of Denene waving her hands in the air and acting like she really does care* That’s why when I saw the Top 25 African-American Films Of All Time list on the civil rights blog, The Defenders Online, I made a vow to up my film game this Christmas. I mean, I have a nice collection, but I sure can use a film upgrade, particularly if said upgrade includes classics like Stormy Weather, Claudine, Imitation of Life, and Cooley High. A group of, say, five flicks from The Defenders Online list would give a nice kick-start to someone’s great film collection. (Um, hint hint.) 

MyBrownBaby Fresh: The 2010 Holiday Gift Guide For Men

Photo by √oхέƒx™

I don't know about you guys, but every year around this time, I start sweating about what the heck to get the hubs for Christmas. He's one of those, "I don't really know what I want" kinda guys, which completely eliminates all shortcuts when it comes to my finding presents for him. I'm guessing that wrapping up a big, bountiful box of socks and underwear for the man you love isn't acceptable anymore, unless you're, like, eight. So you gotta get creative. Or take a few notes from this, the MyBrownBaby Fresh 2010 Holiday Gift Guide For Men. I found some awesome pieces, either made by people of color or sold in black-owned stores. Take a look and if you're so moved, support these businesses as you look for unique, one-of-a-kind gifts for the men in your life.

 

Tory Leather Cuff, by Urban Heirlooms

Okay, so yeah—I have a thing for cuffs. I think they’re the epitome of cool, especially when they’re attached to the arm of a boho hipster with an affinity for geek chic. I know. That was a lot. Think Common and Pharrell. Or your man. This leather beauty is one of the many goodies created by Urban Heirlooms, totally one of my Etsy obsessions. There, you’ll find eclectic handmade leather goods—key fobs, wallets and clutches, messengers, belts, key necklaces, and more—crafted from recycled and new materials, all with rich colors and textures beautiful enough for us to buy, and manly enough for our guys to wear. Cuffs start at $65; other great leather goods start at $35, at Urban Heirlooms.  

 

Thorocraft Xanders boots, by Sir & Madame

This Chicago-based, husband-and-wife-owned boutique boasts a lofty motto: “Classic With a Twist,” and Sir & Madame definitely lives up to the hype. For the fellas, I’m loving the one-pocket button downs, the cashmere varsity shawl cardigans, the aviators and the Han Cholo jewelry line carried by the store—all sexy swag. Thorocraft Xanders boots, $230. 

 

Billykirk Laptop Flight Bag, by The Brooklyn Circus

I absolutely can not stand bulky, cloppy canvas laptop bags. At. All. They completely ruin the lines and take all manner of style away from the boys. But I do recognize that your boo would rather slow-drag with a porcupine than carry a man bag, so I conducted an exhaustive search for a laptop bag that’s the perfect combo of stylish and rugged, and came across The Brooklyn Circus shop, a funky men’s boutique with lots of hipster gear that you can feel confident putting under the tree. There are shoes, hats, jeans, polos, varsity jackets and polos—lots of great finds. Dig this plaid and cognac leather laptop; it’s handmade by Amish artisans, and the leather is treated with natural oils, beeswax, and vegetable-based dyes to help it “age with dignity.” It’s a perfectly dignified place for his laptop, for sure. $260 for the Billykirk Padded Laptop Flight Bag.

 

Nocturn, by Painted Negative

Of course, if he had his way, his office would be painted white, with a light from WalMart, a chair from IKEA, and, if he was feeling especially Nate Berkus, a picture of the family might find it’s way to his desk or something. He doesn’t have to work that way, though. You can bring a little life to his space with a piece of artwork. A framed, signed piece of fine art photography is a perfect option: it’s usually small, so it’s not overwhelming; it’s reasonably priced; and it’s an impressive, thoughtful gift. I found photographer Fahd Husain on Etsy at Painted Negative, and promptly made myself at home, gazing at all of the dramatic, distinguished photos he’s offering up. I thought this piece, Nocturne, was especially mystical, with its deep contrasts and compelling composition. Stunning. $75 for 9 by 18-inch photo on matte archival paper, exclusively at Painted Negative. 

 

Tickets To A Pro Ball Game

With the NFL playoffs right around the corner, tickets to a pro football game would make you the envy of the women and the ruler of men. Or at least earn you enough cool points for a few nights of control over the remote, and maybe a minute or two of quality alone-time away from the kids or something. Hey, I dreams big. If his home or favorite team sucks rocks and doesn’t make it to the playoffs, don’t fret: The NBA season is just heating up. Splurge and get tickets in a section as close to the court as you can afford, and let him take his best buddy instead of you. He’ll love you long time. Trust. Get tickets at Ticketmaster.com.

MyBrownBaby Fresh: The 2010 Holiday Gift Guide For The Ladies

Photo by L*u*z*A*

Yes, day three of the MyBrownBaby Fresh 2010 Gift Guide—and this one is for the ladies! I combed the web in search of goodies made and or sold by people of color and found THE BEST gifts—like dolls, stationery, jewelry, art, children's books, clothes, and beauty products you'll be proud to give to the favorite people on your list. Earlier this week, I featured delicious treats for the little girls and boys in your life. Today: Great gifts we women would LOVE to find under the Christmas tree. Click on the headlines or the prices at the end of each listing to get to the online stores selling these precious goodies, all of which have the MyBrownBaby Fresh stamp of approval. Happy shopping! 

Lacy Shrug in Red Raspberry, by Yarncoture

These ain’t your grandmama’s knit scarves. For sure, I had a really hard time picking just one item to feature from Yarncoture, a Texas-based hand-knitting and crochet boutique run by a stay-at-home mom of five. It was her scarves—bold, eclectic, flower-child colorful—that caught my eye first. But then I saw this hot pink shrug—the sweetest, most perfect sweater for the sweetest, most perfect little black dress. And then there were all the fingerless cuff gloves. And the ribbed knit cowls. And some pretty little coin purses. And, by God, cute little luggage tags and neckwarmer and cuff sets made by… wait on it… her kids. There are some seriously beautiful pieces here, but if you don’t see what you’re looking for, YarnCoture will custom design a little something extra special for you, based on whatever your little heart desires. You. Can’t. Lose. LOVE! $98 for The Lacy Shrug in Red Rasberry; scarves start at about $30, exclusively at Yarncoture.

Apollonia Ruffled Cuff, by Lunaversoul

But seriously? I almost didn’t list this bracelet because I was all, “You know, I could just buy this one for myself and put it in a cute little bag and tag it, ‘Merry Christmas To Meeeee!’” Lucky for you, dear hearts, I took my finger off the PayPal trigger and left this absolutely stunning bracelet available for purchase at Lunaversoul, one of the funkiest, edgiest lines of handmade jewelry I’ve come across in a hot minute. Designer Camisha Jackson dares you to “take your outfit to the next level” with her eclectic, one-of-a-kind pieces, which she says are “guaranteed to turn heads while adding that little extra spice to your favorite outfit.” Hit up her site for more unique bracelets, necklaces, and earrings—each piece hotter and fresher than the last. Try not to hurt yourselves. Apollonia Ruffled Bracelet Cuff, $50; jewelry from $27 at Lunaversoul Handmade Jewelry. 

Just Act Natural T-Shirt, by Differently

My girl Jennae Peterson, purveyor of Green Your Décor and business partner with her husband, Ras,  says the couple’s line of t-shirts are “fashion with a purpose… a symbol of strength and determination.” I say they’re simply fly. And you can stay fly, too, in one of Differently’s offbeat, creative tees; the colors are juicy and the messages are downright addictive. My personal faves among 16 must-have designs: The flirty “I Have A Kinky Relationship With My Hair,” the thoughtful “Positive Black Stereotype” tee, the hip, “Rasta Empress” tee, and the keeping-it-all-the-way green tee,  “Eat Local,” featuring the state of your choice. And in keeping with Jennae’s dedication to the environment, the shirts are made with one-off printing on organic and recycled cotton tees. Totally swaggalicious! T-shirts from $25 at Differently. 

Ndebele Souix Earrings, by ModAfrInspired Arts

Designer Sauda Jackson says the jewelry she creates for Transformation Absurd:earArtz merges social and spiritual sustainability. I say her earrings, made with recycled objects as eclectic as broken CDs, found beads, and telephone wire—are simply fierce. Each one-of-a-kind, handmade pair is an absolute work of art that merges ancient with modern, Africa with America, simplicity with, “dang, how’d she do that?” beauty. It was the color, pattern and shape that made me gravite to the Ndebele Souix earrings, but it was the description that sold me: “An indigenous collaboration in art, Native American and the Ndebele of South Africa.” A celebration of culture—that’s what I’m talking about! Earrings starting at $10, exclusively at ModAfrInspiredArts.   

Night Peony Draped Frock, by Tracey Reese 

I mean, how can you go wrong in a Tracey Reese? Um, you can’t. Especially in this super sexy knee-length, silk, peony print dress. The straps criss-cross the bodice, while the shimmering sequin belt cinches the waist. Both the fold-over hem and that hot pink in the print totally seal the deal. Now, this dress, by one of the few African American designers to make it big in the lily-white world of fashion, is a bit pricey; it’ll set you back by more than $400. But if you head on over to the Tracey Reese online store, there are some equally beautiful dresses, tops, bottoms, shoes and coats available for prices as low as $130. Yup! $408 for the Tracy Reese Night Peony Draped Frock, at Tracey Reese. 

Taraji Clutch, by Fran J Collection

How adorable is this little clutch? I peeped it first in the December 2010 issue of Essence magazine and couldn’t resist adding it to the MyBrownBaby gift guide; it strikes all the right notes—the bamboo brown tones, the wooden circle texture, the neat, oblong shape. Couldn’t you just see your girl rocking this with a hot top, the perfect pair of skinny jeans, and the most delicious stiletto in your arsenal? Even better: As a special gift to Essence readers, the $129 price tag has been knocked down to $116 (but it looks like the discount price applies to all). You might want to scoop this one up for the special fashionista in your life, but you’ll have to be quick about it: Each bag is handcrafted and takes at least two weeks for delivery, so you’ll have to order quickly to get it in time to put The Taraji Clutch under the Christmas tree. $116 at Fran J. Collection 

MyBrownBaby Fresh: The 2010 Holiday Gift Guide For Brown Boys

Welcome to day two of the MyBrownBaby Fresh 2010 Gift Guide. I combed the web in search of goodies made and or sold by people of color and found THE BEST gifts—like dolls, stationery, jewelry, art, children's books, clothes, and beauty products you'll be proud to give to the favorite people on your list. Yesterday, I featured delicious treats for the little girls in your life. Next up: Great gifts for the little boys you love. Click on the headlines or the prices at the end of each listing to get to the online stores selling these precious goodies, all of which have the MyBrownBaby Fresh stamp of approval. Happy shopping! 

College Bound T-Shirt, by Cocoa Babies 

Because what’s better than setting the bar high for our boys? And how cute are these t-shirts anyway? Cocoa Babies has a bunch of great t-shirts for children with lots of positive messages; the logo that caught my eye was the one with “College Bound” written across the chest, but “Destined For Greatness” is adorable, too, as is the “Lil Brotha” bib (replete with the black fist), and the “Strong Black Man In the Making” onesie. Yessir! From $7.99, exclusively at Cocoa Babies.

NFL Playmakers Series Adrian Peterson 

Action Figure

And if you thought finding dolls that look like little black girls is hard, try getting your hands on a non-white action figure. I ‘clare fo’ sweet baby Jesus, I think it might be easier to find a black Santa in Vermont than a super hero/action figure with brown skin and African American features in a toy store. *church hand held high—and let the choir sang, “Amen.”* But after an exhaustive search, I found one, doggonit! It’s a 4-inch scale figure of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson in all his chocolatey goodness. He’s got more than 20 points of movement for a wicked amount of posing options. Pair it with some imagination, and you’ve gotten the little boy in your life some maximum playtime. All day! $7.99 at Entertainment Earth.

Supersoaker Wars Shotblast Water Blaster

I  know, I know—here I am promoting toy guns. But dig this precious pearl I learned just yesterday: The Super Soaker, one of the most popular toy water guns in history, was invented by… wait on it… an African American rocket scientist named Dr. Lonnie Johnson. Which brings a whole ‘nother meaning to the beauty of this baby, touted as the hugest air-powered water blaster in the super soaker arsenal. Pump the handle for a quick load from the large-capacity tank and use the tactical rail to line up shots—and remind the special boy in your life that he should thank Dr. Johnson, a man who looks just like him, for all the great waterpower.  The Supersoaker Wars Shotblast Water Blaster - Red is $19.15 at Amazon.

Custom Cuff, by Michelle Verbeeck

I’m just saying—how fly would your brown boy be with one of these babies on his arm? I simply l-o-v-e Michele Verbeek’s do-it-yourself jewelry designs, which allow you to create eye-grabbing masterpieces for even the most finicky wearers. Choose a manly-looking leather (the chocolate brown is delicious), accent it with a nickel, bronze or silver metal, and pick the perfect message and—voila!—you’ve got a hot cuff for the styling brown boy in your life. And Michelle is great: She works from any style you conjure up on your own, and gets them to you, speedy and easy-peasy. A Michele V. cuff with “Brown Boys Rule” would make the little guy love you long time. Custom cuffs from $18, at Michele Verbeeck. 

The Karate Kid

Yes, I’m well aware that practically every little human being on the planet saw this flick when it was in theaters earlier this year, but Karate Kid, with the super cute Jaden Smith peeling back the black boy layers—tough as leather, but totally in need of love and hugs; bullied but determined to find strength; super cool but a total fish-out-of-water—is a movie every black boy should have in his DVD collection. The messages of love, acceptance, adversity, overcoming, strength, humility, discipline—all of these are wrapped up in this storyline in a way that we don’t often get to see when it comes to children of color on the big screen. And did I mention that the lead character is an African American boy? ‘Nuff said.  The Karate Kid is $17.99 on Amazon

We Could Be Brothers, by Derrick Barnes

Buy several copies of this book and hand it out like candy to the brown boys in your life. So rare is a jewel like this middle grade novel, by Ruby & the Booker Boys author and MyBrownBaby favorite Derrick Barnes, that we as parents of brown babies need to do everything within our power to make We Could Be Brothers a bestseller so many more novels like it can follow. In this critically-acclaimed, fast-paced book, two 13-year-old African American boys become friends during a three-day stint in an after school suspension—punishment stemming from run-ins with the school’s resident menace, Tariq Molten. During the three-day span, the boys bond over a multitude of subjects—from hip hop and black women to masculinity and the “N” word—and before long, the three boys are on a collision course, an intersection that will change their lives forever. “We Could Be Brothers” hits all the right notes, with themes that revolve around mentorship, brotherhood, and that old adage, “each one, teach one.” Your brown boy will love this young adult literary masterpiece. And you’ll love that he loves it! We Could Be Brothers is $12.95 on Amazon.

PHOTO CREDIT: √oхέƒx™

MyBrownBaby Fresh: The 2010 Holiday Gift Guide For Brown Girls

                            

Toys R Us, Target, WalMart, Macy's, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, The Gap—they're popular stores that get plenty of our cash come gift-giving time. But every year, I do try my best to throw some of my holiday shopping dollars to small businesses owned by blacks and other people of color—to support them, to make a statement with my gift-giving, and certainly because these businesses tend to cater to my style—our flavor. 

Admittedly, finding those companies can be a bit of a challenge, especially if you don't know where to start looking. But don't fret, my pretties: You know MyBrownBaby's got your back. This year, I combed the web in search of goodies made and or sold by people of color and found THE BEST gifts—like dolls, stationery, jewelry, art, children's books, clothes, and beauty products you'll be proud to give to the favorite people on your list. 

First up: Delicious treats for the little girls in your life. Click on the headlines or the prices at the end of each listing to get to the online stores selling these precious goodies, all of which have the MyBrownBaby Fresh stamp of approval. Happy shopping! 

Handcrafted Dolls, by The Handmade Project

To the rear, Barbie! In a sunny room in Austin, TX, a doll maker is handcrafting these beautiful dolls for our little girls, who all-too-often have slim pickings when it comes to toy playmates that look just like them. Each 12-inch Handmade Project doll has a hand-embroidered face, a 100 percent cotton body and hair made of wool felt—designed specifically to reflect the hair and skin tone of our little girls. The dolls are made in a pet-free, smoke-free studio, and come with a free PDF sewing pattern with easy-to-follow illustrated instructions for making play food for your kiddo. For kids 3 and up. $19.50, exclusively at The Handmade Project on Etsy. 

Pretty Puff Dolls, by Black Bubble

Another great doll option are these AH-DORABLE (!) Pretty Puff Dolls. They're plush by design but  come with—wait on it... afro puffs pony tails! The designer says she made them "to show minority girls, teens, and women that being different, having brown skin and kinky hair is absolutely a thing of beauty." Indeed! And so are these super cute dolls, available in four different styles. $24.99 at Pretty Puffs Boutique. 

Sunday Best Note Cards, by She’s Got Papers

And what little girl doesn’t like to write notes? Inspire her to jot down her “sweet nothings” and “thank yous” on these adorable note cards from She’s Got Papers, a line of whimsical stationery designed specifically for the little lady in your life. Choose between five different adorable folded 4x6 note card designs for little girls, three hip designs for tweens, or an entire collection of folded note and flat cards and playdate “business” cards for the grown ladies. $12 for a collection of  six Sunday Best note cards and matching envelopes, here at She’s Got Papers.

Coconut Balm Ball, by The Peace & Beauty Project

All natural everything! This handmade, all-purpose coconut balm, made with organic coconut oil, coconut butter and coconut wax and housed in this beautiful sustainable, albacia wood container, moisturizes everything from her pucker to her tootsies—and for a worthy purpose. Proceeds from the sale of this all-natural balm allow four girls to join in on the Peace & Beauty Project’s programming, which educates and inspires young brown girls to learn about the beauty products we put on our bodies, how they affect us and what we can do to be greener and safer—all-the-while boosting their self-esteem. Give your baby this coconut balm and help four more babies uplift themselves—a gift that gives! $25, exclusively at The Peace & Beauty Project.

M2M Polish in Myr-Mint, Sun Kiss and Kiwi

Total cuteness in a bottle, that’s what these yummy polishes are. And if your girls are anything like mine, all that cuteness needs to be on nails. Choose from 28 colors—the Mint, Sun Kiss and Kiwi are girly and perfectly playful for little girls—and pair the polish with a nail file, fingernail polish remover, a handful of cotton balls and you’ve got the perfect little manicure set for your little fashionista. The beauty of these polishes is that not only are they free of harmful products like formaldehyde, toluene and DBP, but a percentage of each sale will be donated to aiding the people of Haiti, home of M2M partner Melky Jean, sister of Wyclef. $11 per bottle at M2MdamoreJon.com.

 Miss You, Mina, by Denene Millner

Yes, this would be shameless self-promotion, but even if I didn’t write it, I’d still think “Miss You, Mina” is a terrific gift for the tween in your life. If she’s a fan of the Scholastic Candy Apple Series—what tween girl isn’t?!—then she’ll be quite excited about “Mina,” the first in the almost 30-book series to feature an African American character. Mina is a 12-year-old soccer and art fanatic from New Jersey who spends her summer living with her uber-cool aunt in Ft. Green, Brooklyn, while attending an art camp in New York City’s SoHo. There, she learns how to deal with mean girls and who to count as a true friend, and in the process, she discovers her art—and self—while studying the history of  culture and black folk in Harlem. It’s a fun, meaningful read for the booklover in your life! $5.99, here on Amazon or wherever books are sold.  Miss You, Mina (Candy Apple)

PHOTO CREDIT: √oхέƒx™

Get Your Spin On: XBox 360 DJ Hero Giveaway

Editor's note: CONGRATULATIONS, BLAQBUTTERFLY—you're the winner of the DJ Hero Bundle Giveaway, courtesy of MyBrownBaby and Sprite! Thanks to everyone who participated; the contest is now closed.

So I was in the Best Buy the other day, ticking off a few presents on my Christmas list and sweating the new purple iPod nano with video capabilities when I heard a devastating mix of Marvin Gaye's "Heard It Through the Grapevine" over the hot beat from The Gorillaz's "Feel Good Inc." Every bone in my body wanted to rail against it; who would dare mess with the integrity of Marvin's "Grapevine?" But it sounded so darn gooood with all the mixing and scratching. And I couldn't help but to move it just a little.

Okay, a lot.

After a quick investigation through the aisles, I stumbled across a Best Buy guy working it out on the DJ Hero 1s and 2s, the new Activision game that's all the rage for Christmas this year. Think Guitar Hero, but way cooler, especially if you appreciate the poetry dee-jays create when they're working the wheels of steel. For sure, I gave it a whirl, but sadly, Spinderella I am not. I think with a little practice, though, I could be kinda dope with it—or at least look good trying.

And so can you if you win this super duper giveaway! The company that makes one of my favorite crisp, non-caffeinated soft drinks is teaming up with MyBrownBaby to give away one copy of Xbox DJ Hero Bundle, including the game and turntable. That's right: Get your Eric B./Jam-Master Jay/Kid Capri/Funkmaster Flex on, courtesy of MyBrownBaby and Sprite!

How do you win? Really simple:

Mandatory:
1. FOLLOW OR SUBSCRIBE via email to MyBrownBaby, and leave a comment saying you are.
2. In comments, shout out your favorite club song ever—the one that makes you kick off your shoes and dance like a lunatic every time.

Optional:
3. TWEET "I'm trying to get on the DJ Hero wheels of steel courtesy of @mybrownbaby and Sprite! http://shar.es/aDdFJ" (you can tweet up to four times for four separate extra entries.)

This contest ends December 31, 2009 at 11:59 p.m., and is open to MyBrownBaby subscribers/followers in the continental U.S. and Canada. The winner will be chosen via Random.org and announced on January 2, 2010. You must leave your contact information to collect your prize. A 360i representative will conduct prize fulfillment. (Note: MyBrownBaby received neither compensation nor goods for this giveaway—I just thought it'd be fun to let one of my readers get their deejay on.)

Also, MyBrownBaby readers can go to My Coke Rewards® to enter to win instantly a brand new Xbox 360 Entertainment System (2 winners per day) and Activision’s™ DJ Hero (2 winners per hour). Just type in the code found on specially-marked multipacks of Sprite®/Sprite Zero™ up to 2 times each day until 12/31/09 at 11:59 p ET for a chance to win instantly. Remember: You must have a My Coke Rewards® account and be at least 13-years-old to win. Membership is free and no purchase is necessary. Void where prohibited. For official rules including odds, alternate method of entry and prize descriptions, click HERE.

Good luck!

And the MyBrownBaby Happy For the Holidays Giveaway Winners Are...

Whoosh—the MyBrownBaby Happy For the Holidays Giveaway was a beast! We featured some incredible artists. Shined a spotlight on beautiful stores with delicious wares. Gabbed about some of our favorite movie and stars. And talked cold, hard cash. Well over 400 people participated in the contests, blogging, tweeting, facebooking, commenting, and subscribing to win. To all of the MyBrownBaby regulars and the new subscribers, too, THANK YOU for being here. You are appreciated. I hope you continue to enjoy the posts here at MyBrownBaby and become a part of our fantastic community of parents.

A word about how I picked the winners: Because MyBrownBaby doesn't have numbered comments and I didn't want to take the chance of miscounting, I decided to type the names of every person who entered (times their number of entries) and have my girls, Mari and Lila, get their Kiki Shepard on by picking the winners from the bags shown in the picture above. It was fair. And random. And, from the looks on their faces, fun. Woot woot! You ready?

Without further ado... THE WINNERS!

HOME DECOR GIVEAWAY: DELYMA

AUTOGRAPHED CHILDREN'S BOOKS: COCOAMOMMY

BEST BLACK '90s MOVIES GIVEAWAY: EXECUMAMA

$110 KODAK VISA CARD: BRIKsSTAT

CONGRATULATIONS, EVERYONE!

The MyBrownBaby Happy For The Holidays $110 Kodak Visa Gift Card Giveaway

I started my Christmas shopping yesterday (finally!) and it hurt my feelings to hand over all my lil’ bit a money to The Man. Like seriously. You should have seen me cross-referencing and googling and checking shipping fees and coupon coding my way through my list. See, these days, I can’t afford to be anything but frugal when it comes to what I buy, because really, I need every penny of our hard-earned cash to stay in our bank account as long as possible.

Period.

Which is why I’m SO excited about today’s giveaway—the last in the MyBrownBaby Happy For the Holidays Giveaway Week. Today’s giveaway is *sung/shouted like Oprah on her Christmas show*…

Cold.

Hard.

Caaaaash.

That’s right: I’m giving away a $110 Visa Card, courtesy of Kodak, as part of the "Kodak Save $110 Tour,” which is traveling across the country to show families how they can save an average $110 annually on ink by using Kodak’s All-in-One inkjet printers. Kodak’s All-in-One inkjet printers are revolutionizing the inkjet printer business by offering what they say is the lowest total ink replacement in the industry—$14.99 for color cartridges, $9.99 for black—which means you’re putting more money in your purse, and not in your printer. In fact, Kodak is so serious about its economical inks that it’s touring the country to let prospective customers test-drive Kodak’s latest printers (which are being offered at $50 off at Staples and Best Buy through January 2010!) and learn firsthand how to save on printing costs. For sure, if you stop by a “Save $110 Tour” van (click HERE to see if the tour is in a city near you) to get the 411 on Kodak products, you’ll have a chance to win the newest Kodak ESP 3250 or 5250 or a $110 Kodak Visa Gift Card.

That’s what I’m talking about! Putting money in a girl’s super cute purse is a great look—for sure!

Want to try for a chance to win a $110 Kodak Visa card here at the MyBrownBaby Happy For the Holidays Giveaway Week? Let’s get it! Here’s how:

MANDATORY: (separate comments for each, please!)

Follow Kodak on Twitter @KodakSave110 and tell them MyBrownBaby sent you.

Visit Kodak's Print and Proper website and tell me which printer will be on your wish list.

FOR EXTRA ENTRIES (separate comments for each, please!)

TWEET “I’m trying to get @KodakSave110 and @MyBrownBaby to put a $110 Kodak Visa Card in my purse! http://shar.es/aIt52"

FOLLOW MyBrownBaby

SUBSCRIBE to MyBrownBaby

ADD the MyBrownBaby button to your blog

THIS CONTEST ENDS AT 11:59 P.M. on TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2009. THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10th, 2009. It is open to residents in the continental U.S.