Welcome...

So the most recent newsletter with an entire page of my shopping tips (this time) was sent yesterday. I've been writing little bits for the newsletter for a couple of months now and I am starting to forget what I've written. So I thought I'd compile all the entries here, and more, so that they could be searched through more easily.

I'll add new things when I find them or at least try to make a posting once a week.

Hope you enjoy!

Sam

Sam's sites - October Newsletter

Having a spooky halloween party?

Try Walmart, Target and Pottery Barn/ Pottery Barn Kids for party essentials and costumes!

• www.walmart.com 
• www.target.com 
• www.potterybarn.com  
• www.potterybarnkids.com

I think you know you have officially become a mother when you begin thinking about Christmas gifts in September.  So here are some ideas...

Australian Based Sites:

Let's save on the shipping and handling and just have something shipped straight to the recipient. You say lazy, I say eco-friendly! My plan is to ship everything to the mothers and have them do the distribution on the big day.

• Western Australian based "The Good Store" prides itself on its useful present ideas. Believing that "to be genuinely cool, things worth owning should last for ages, do something worth doing, look good and provide a simple pleasure in their everyday use", and that concept works for me!. www.thegoodstore.com.au

• An awesome concept, Top 3 By Design stock the top three items in many many categories www.top3bydesign.com.au

• Myer has a 'limited' range of products for sale on their website too. I wonder if we can still earn Myer One points? This is probably a good starting point for those who really don't know where to start, as it's split into categories: Gifts for Home/Him/Her etc. http://gifts.myer.com.au/default.aspx

• BigW have some online items too - http://www.bigw.com.au/onlinestores.html
• Then there are the old favourites - www.wishlist.com.au and
• www.petersofkensignton.com.au

For the kids...

• www.urbanbaby.com.au/
• www.littlestyles.com.au especially if you're looking for shoes now worn buy Suri Cruise.
• www.mummysfavourite.com.au a great collection of toys including the very cute stuffed Australian Animals.
• www.kidscentral.com.au/elc Everything from Lego to Snow Queen Palaces.

At the risk of going overboard I have a huge list of Australian Baby and kids blogs and online stores. Let me know if you'd like to see some (more) of those.

American websites...

Of course there are plenty of other sites, here are just a few.

• Perhaps a good place to start the search for the perfect gift might be: www.gifts.com/ you can search by occasion, recipient, personality type or take the easy road and look at the top 10 gifts.
• Looking for something a little different? Maybe handmade? Try http://www.etsy.com/buy.php I don't think there is anything you couldn't find here.
• www.Amazon.com 
• www.saksfifthavenue.com 
• www.barneys.com

For the kids

• www.babyearth.com
• www.diapers.com - yes they have more than just nappies, toys & gear
• www.csnbaby.com
• www.kidonyc.com/ very cool toys.

Photo gifts 

Have you given any thought to those? It's a guaranteed Grandparent pleaser... Here are some of the sites I know about -

• www.Shutterfly.com (This is my personal favourite, I find it quick and easy to navigate the books are a great quality and production and shipping is fairly quick) 
  
• www.snapfish.com and www.snapfish.com.au
• www.bigw.com.au
  
• www.mypublisher.com
• www.smilebooks.com
• www.momento.com.au
• www.albumprinter.com.au

Hope this very long list helps! If not, I might be available as a personal shopper!

Samantha