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The Camera For Your Bag: Panasonic Lumix FX35K

 

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My husband and I have found the perfect pocket camera with great picture quality - the Panasonic Lumix FX35K. 

 

I realized lately that my 4 megapixel HP camera just wasn't doing it for me when I was taking pictures of the kids.  I stopped taking it places and realized I was doing myself a disservice.  It was time to upgrade.  I would love to get a digital SLR, but our funds were not going to allow that.  I really wanted to stay in the less then $300 range.  I found the Panasonic Lumix FX35.  It's super small and slim, the size of a deck of cards.  The menus are easy to use and it takes great pictures.

One thing I was worried about was that the picture quality.  Would the pictures be hazy?  After reading too many reviews I finally settled on the Lumix.  Many reveiwers kept emphasizing the picture quality on the great Leica lens.  I had hit the jackpot, and to be honest they were right, it's picture quality is superb.  I would say my biggest complaint is the camera's speed, but in truth I'd give that up any day for a clear picture of my boys.  If you're looking for a great small point-and-shoot I highly recommend this one for your bag.

September 9, 2008 in Clutter Control, Gear Reviews, Trip Planning & Family Travel Tips | by Candice Kahn | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Must Have List Pads For Every Traveler

Whenever I go on trips I’m always writing lists of things to do, things to bring, things not to forget etc. I invariably forget to write something down and then I kick myself when I get to my destination having forgot that one item. Which is why I am so glad I found Buttoned Up’s TravelPrep.pad and lobotoME’s packME pads.

travelpreppadinside1.jpgButtoned Up’s TravelPrep.pad is really great for helping to start the ball rolling on getting your trip together. TravelPrep.pad helps you to make all of the reservations and not forget the little details in planning your trip.
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lobotME makes the packME pad, a checklist type pad for when you’re ready to start packing. It’s absolutely wonderful, and it has columns so you can pack for more then one person. The fact that I can pull these two pads out, and not have to ever think out what needs to be done on my next trip, is such a wonderful time saver. Plus the price is so right, how can you not get them?
 
Car & Caboodle Readers: Precious Personalities carries both pads and you can get 15% off of your entire order by using code MWS15

June 26, 2008 in Clutter Control, Luggage & Travel Accessories | by Candice Kahn | Permalink | Comments (0)
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MadBags: A Toy Box For Your Car

 

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Accessible, organized toy storage in your car is an essential for families on the go.  Etsy Seller's MadBags Portable Toy Box   not only holds your kids toys, it also serves as a cupholder.

The two handles on the toy box make it easy to carry your stash in and out of the house.  It also has two straps on the back meant to loop a seatbelt through. This way the toy chest stays anchored in place on the seat.  The two pockets on the outside front serve as the perfect sippy cup holder.

This organizational dream is 10"x7" and made from heaviweight cotton canvas.  It comes in many different patterns, and is super lightweight.  All MadBags products are handmade in the USA.  I own many of her products, and the workmanship is top notch.

I have two Britax Marathon car seats for my sons and the Portable Toy Box fits perfectly between them.The best part is that my boys have learned that when exiting the car, all toys must go back in the toy box. 

If you are looking for a beautiful, functional portable toy box, look no further then MadBags.  If she doesn't have any listed that you like when you visit her shop, contact her and she'll even make custom orders.

June 20, 2008 in Car Accessories, Clutter Control | by Candice Kahn | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Envirosax: the answer to all your shopping bags needs

 

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Need a cute earth friendly shopping bag?  Envirosax are the answer. I ordered one of these bags because I wanted to appeal to my fashion side, while being green. When they arrived I was in love!

Envirosax are made from a wipeable polyester. They are 19.5” by 16.5” open and roll up to a tiny  4”bundle.  Each bag can hold the equivalent of 2.5 plastic grocery bags. In addition, they can hold up to 40 lbs. I’ve put three half gallons of milk in each bag. The handles fit nicely over my shoulder, which is a bonus when carrying groceries and a child into the house.
 
I now keep six of them in my car's trunk and one in my purse at all times. I even use them in the mall when I’m shopping. 
 
When Envirosax came out with kid friendly designs on their bags, I immediately bought one for each of my boys. What a great way to teach my children to take care of mother earth! I keep them in my diaper bag so that when we’re out together they can feel like they are helping their mother too.
 
Car & Caboodle readers: Bailey Bea carries Envirosax, and is giving our readers 15% off her store when you use code CC15 (case sensitive)

May 29, 2008 in Clutter Control, Luggage & Travel Accessories | by Candice Kahn | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Keep Your Car from Looking Trashed - Fashionable Trash Bags

Car Litter Bags by Allyson Hill

Anyone who has kids knows that you need somewhere to put their trash. Wrappers, crumblies, tissues - they all accumulate. Seven months ago I got a new car, and as soon as I got it, I knew I needed a trash bin of some sort. Allyson Hill’s car litter bags make car trash so pretty.  Each bag is made of a heavy weight canvas on the inside and a beautiful designer fabric on the outside. They take regular pet waste bags as the liner.

My kids are great about giving me their trash, but I gotta keep my eyes on the road, so I’m thinking they might need their own backseat trashbag to use. A mom can hope, right? Visit Allyson Hill's etsy shop to purchase these wonderful and unique litter bags for $19.

May 22, 2008 in Car Accessories, Clutter Control | by Candice Kahn | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: litter, trash bags

Avoiding the DVD Shuffle

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You have your mommy-mobile tricked out for the family with surround sound, in-dash DVD with remote, wireless headphones, satellite radio, MP3 connections, the works.  You feel like a pretty cool parent as you drive off with your carload... until you have to take a hard right turn and all of the DVDs, remotes, and other accessories go sliding and slashing across the dash, across the floor, into every cave and crook under the seats.  Sound familiar?  Try an entertainment organizer to contain the mess.

The High Road Entertainment Organizer ($12.99) from busywoman.com is currently on sale for 15% off.  This organizer straps to the back of the seat and hold CDs or DVDs and a box of tissues (which we all know needs its own place in the car).  These days, there are so many options when it comes to keeping our kids entertained on the road that it tends to create even more piles of "stuff".  The High Road Entertainment Organizer helps to keep it all contained, so that when you open the door at your destination all of your DVDs and remotes don't come cascading out onto the pavement.

May 16, 2008 in Car Accessories, Clutter Control, Gear Reviews | by Shani Gilchrist | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: cd, dvd

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