I Got Something to Say

The title of this post is a quote by the character Jerri Blank from Strangers With Candy. I feel like I should share with my readers some things. I wrote a post a while back called When Blogging Relationships Go Bad about my horrible experience with a company I worked with on my blog. You can read the post here if you are not familiar with what I am talking about. The long of the short of it is, I was working with a company that promised me a full sponsorship to BlogHer in exchange for advertising, posts and even a Twitter party that ended up being a nightmare. I turned and looked the other way while she bashed other bloggers and even a NASCAR star. I did think it was wrong but I didn’t stick up for my fellow bloggers. I feel bad because I should have been the voice for the masses;I thought that she was being mean and rude. I regret that.

After a while I tried to let it go and not let it bother me. I have received numerous requests and comments asking me to tell who it is. I have remained silent as a professional courtesy but in light of the increase of new bloggers, I have decided to break my vow of silence and share with you all so you don’t get taken as well. It was Bea’s Gift Baskets. There I said it. Like I said there are quite a few new bloggers out there and I want to warn them, I don’t want anyone to be treated like I was. It still hurts; even more so with everyone starting to talk about BlogHer and BlogHer related events like the parties. It also still hurts that I spent all that time working on the posts and twitter party that wasn’t review related. They got free advertising. I got nothing but disappointment. I am sure you are thinking well you got those gift baskets at least that is something right?

I went to the dollar store, it is kind of new and yes, it still had eau du Dollar store smell. I was browsing around by the food and I saw an item that was supposed to be “gourmet” in one of those gift baskets. I was like wow; those are the exact same chocolate covered pretzels that were in one of my gift baskets. I just thought well they could have sprung for the Flips if they wanted to be cheap. The Flips are like 3 dollars a bag versus the dollar store ones. It makes me wonder how many more dollar store items are in those overpriced gift baskets.

There is nothing wrong with the dollar store, I shop there. I love the dollar store, but if you are paying 90 dollars for something you should at least get 50 dollars worth of food, a 20 dollar basket then the company nets 20 bucks or something along those lines. Maybe 40 dollars worth of food but there shouldn’t be items that you can get at the dollar store. I just think that is unethical and deceitful. That of course is my opinion.

I just wanted to share this with my fellow bloggers and readers. Maybe even the weary traveler passing through my blog. I don’t want to see anyone taken by Bea’s Gift Baskets like I was. So, how can we prevent this from happening?

1. Make sure you get everything in writing. Granted I had everything in email and that would have been fine, but when you are dealing with something like this extra forms like contracts are a good way to go. I know she didn’t mention contracts once until after she pulled out and didn’t want to do what I consider the right thing.

2. Don’t turn the other way or put up with others that talk bad about other people. Chances are they are bad mouthing you to someone else. You should work with companies that conduct their selves in a professional manner.

3. If your gut tells you it is too good to be true, it just might be or if the person gives off a weird clingy vibe you should probably walk away. Always trust your gut and your heart.

4. If a person you are working with is lying to others, 99% of the time they are lying to you.

5. Talk to others about their experiences, I know that everyone can make up their own minds about things they want to do, but listen to what others have to say and keep it in mind for when you make your decision.

I hope you find these tips helpful and keep them in mind in the future. Thanks for reading!

Puzzle Name 2 tier Step Stool from Bea's Gift Baskets and Gifts Review!

Our kids are growing up in a world that they are just too small for sometimes. They can’t reach the sink to brush their teeth or wash their hands. They have to have someone pick them up and hold them to do these tasks. Of course there are times it is good that your children can’t reach the counter or sink. I suggest that every child has a step stool. They are helpful when they need to reach something.

We always do a lot of holiday cooking and baking. This year I think that Noah is big enough to help out with simple tasks. I have cooked with him before. Although it was lots of fun it was kind of a pain because he is just so small. I can’t wait to have him stand on his little step stool that I got to review from Bea’s Gift Baskets and Gifts. He is going to stand next to me while we bake.

I have been buzzing about Bea's lot lately. I have been talking about the gift baskets but they also sell step stools. These step stools are hand crafted out of fine wood. They also have a puzzle on the top of the step stool with your child’s name on them. They are completely made to order. It takes about 2 to 3 weeks to make but trust me it is totally worth it. The staff at Bea’s was wonderful and I was updated on the status of my stool from the time that I ordered to the time I opened the box.



When Noah’s stool came I was so excited I was excited all day to see it. UPS brought it to my house and I opened the box. I took it out with Noah standing right next to me. He saw it and immediately said that’s my name. He must of done the puzzle like twenty times before it was time for bed. He stood on the stool some too. It is a strong step stool. It even held me. Of course it is a child’s stool and is meant for a child not for adults.

Noah loves his new step stool. He enjoys the puzzle and likes to be big and tall. I like it because it is well made. Plastic step stools make me nervous. Plastic isn’t very strong and it can crack easily without warning. I have had plastic step stools flip over and crack on me when I was younger. So I am very happy to have such a great step stool that is sturdy and fun for him to use. It is Noah’s size. He can get climb up it with ease and climb down easily.

So with the help of this cool step stool and Bea’s Gift Baskets and Gifts, Noah can now reach the sink and the counter by himself. He is at the age where he is becoming much more independent. This is a great tool to help him do so. The stool is put away for only the times that he needs it or he’d turn on the sink and go swimming in the bathroom. That would be a complete disaster. So it is in a closet where he can’t get it out unless I am with him. The step stool would be a wonderful gift for that special child in your life for any occasion. If you are looking for a gorgeous step stool for your child that is well made and very sturdy please check out Bea’s Gift Baskets and Gifts.

Don’t forget to check out all the other gift baskets and great baby gifts. They are constantly adding new items so check it out often.

Thank you to Bea’s Gift Baskets and Gifts for sending me a complimentary Step stool to review. Noah thanks you too!

You are invited to Bea's Gift Baskets and Gifts Holiday Twitter Party!!

Grab a cup of hot chocolate and don’t skimp on the marshmallows and join us for a holiday Twitter Party with Bea’s Gift Baskets and Gifts on Monday December 14, 2009 at 8 pm Eastern. We will be sharing gift ideas with each other, chatting, answering questions and there are great prizes. I hope that you can take some time to come hang out with us and learn a thing or two about great holiday gifts and more about Bea’s Gift Baskets and Gifts. It’s just a little break from all the hustle and bustle of the shopping and running around preparing for the holidays. December is such a fun month but boy can it be hectic. So, I invite you to come share in the fun and help us celebrate the holidays!

The prizes include Gift Baskets from Bea’s Gift Baskets and Gifts, Ciao Italia Five Ingredient Favorites cookbook, Food To Live By Organic Cookbook, Cooking up Holiday Fun Christmas Ornament ,$10.00 Starbucks Gift Card, a pack of holiday ring pops, a coupon for a free pack of Nancy's appetizers, and a five pack of incense and more.

To participate Just log in to Twitter on Monday December 14th 2009 at 8 pm and chat with us and answer the questions! You need to tweet with the hashtag #beasgiftbaskets It would be really helpful if you added the following names on Twitter so you know who are hosting.

@Sheilacakes7

@Giftgiver79

@GabbyLowe

@drala625

@Jumpinbeans09

So tell all of your friends and We will see you there!


If you don’t have a Twitter account you can sign up for a free account and it only takes a few minutes!

Holiday Celebrations Large Gift Basket from Bea's Gift Baskets and Gifts Review!

I have yet another wonderful gift basket from Bea’s Gift Baskets and Gifts. Bea’s Gift Baskets and Gifts is an online store that sells amazing gift baskets. I have always loved gift baskets especially at Christmas time. I always liked to look at them at the stores. They don’t hold a candle to the great gift baskets at Bea’s Gift baskets. They are the perfect holiday gift with tons to choose from you can get something for everyone. They also have great corporate gift baskets too for those of you that have employees to shop for. They even have discounts for corporate orders. You will amaze your loved ones or your employees or clients with these gift baskets.

The staff are so helpful and the customer service is really the best. They are so caring and prompt. They will put a smile on even Scrooge’s face.

This time I got the Holiday Celebrations Large Gift Basket. It was full of all kinds of goodies. It has everything from Veggie Spread to Salami and Summer Sausage to candies and chocolate. There is even some Wolfgang Puck Coffee! This gift basket is a plethora of delicious treats. I was once again very impressed with the gift basket I received. I knew that the gift basket was going to be great but I was still very impressed at the size of the basket and the goodies in the basket.

Noah’s eyes were huge when he saw the basket. He was telling me about all the candy in the basket. There was some decorative Holly in the basket and Noah calls them Holly balls. I told them that they are Holly Berries. The presentation was absolutely perfect. Everything was artistically placed. You can tell they put time and care in to putting them together. He wanted to dig right in to the basket and consume everything. We both love sweets and snacks. It must have been because I ate a lot of sweets and snacks when I was pregnant with him. I am so happy to have the opportunity to receive another gift basket.

My sister and Mike came over for Thanksgiving. I showed them my new gift basket and I thought Mike was going to fall over from all the goodies I showed them. They really liked the gift basket too. I kept an eye on the basket in case my sister decided to help her self. Thankfully she didn’t. I did share some Cheese Straws with her and Mike. They are so good. The quality is excellent. Everything is gourmet and fresh and delicious. I can’t wait to dig in some more and enjoy some more treats from Bea’s Gift Baskets and Gifts.

So please check out Bea’s Gift Baskets and Gifts for all your holiday gift needs. They also have gift baskets for all occasions and for everyone. They have FREE
SHIPPING on orders over $50 in order to help with the economy. The free shipping offer is only good in the US.

Thank you so much to Bea’s Gift Baskets and Gifts for sending me a complimentary Holiday Celebrations Gift Basketfor my review.

Tremendous Tote Bag Giveaway from Bea's Gift Baskets and Gifts

Bea’s Gift Baskets and Gifts not only sells gift baskets but they also sell a bunch of adorable baby items. They have baby gift baskets of course but they also sell tote bags in pink trim or blue trim. The tote bag is called the Tremendous Tote Bag.

It would be a great gift for a new mom to carry around all the baby’s items in. I know my son’s diaper bag was always stuffed when we were going out for more than a couple hours. These are extremely spacious and they can hold a lot of stuff. Of Course you could also get this tote bag for your child or a friend or yourself.

From the Bea’s Gift Baskets & Gifts website:
The Tremendous Tote Bag is Big, Tough, Great Looking, with Great Features, you'll want one for yourself even. You may want to give one to all your friends. 21" Wide x 14" High x 7" Depth. Colored Straps Bottom & Top, Lined Interior for Easy wiping, Key Clip-No More Digging, Front Outside Pocket, Inside Zippered Pocket.

The tote bag would be a great beach bag or as a carry on bag for your next flight. Think of how many groceries you could hold in it. If you or a loved one does a craft such as knitting it would hold all the yarn and knitting needles. They are so cute. For only 40 dollars, it would be a good inexpensive holiday gift for a loved one.

Thank you to Bea’s Gift Baskets & Gifts for providing this Tremendous Tote bag for a giveaway. I did not receive anything for this giveaway.

One lucky winner will win a Tremendous Tote Bag from Bea’s Gift Baskets & Gifts in the winner’s choice of pink or blue trim. You can also get this tote bag personalized (up to 8 letters) if you would like.

Mandatory Entry: Go to Bea’s Gift Baskets & Gifts look around and tell me something else you would love to own. Please be specific.

You must do the mandatory entry for the bonus entries to count.

Bonus Entries:

Subscribe to my blog via email

Follow my blog

Follow @sheilacakes7 and tweet about this giveaway. Please remember to include the link to this post. You may do this entry once a day.

Tell me who you would give this to or if you are going to keep it what you will put in it

Please remember to put your email address in your comments

This giveaway will end November 30, 2009 at 11:59 pm ET

This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. ONLY

Help Ryan Newman by purchasing a special gift basket from Bea's Gift Baskets & Gifts

Ladies and Gentlemen start your engines! Get a great gift basket and Help a wonderful foundation

I am so pleased to be able to share this with you. Bea’s Gift Baskets & Gifts has teamed up with Ryan Newman to work on a very special project. Bea’s has designed a NASCAR themed beautiful gift basket. The gift basket is for Ryan Newman Foundation. This gift basket is the perfect gift for the NASCAR fan in your life or even as a treat for yourself. Bea’s Gift Baskets & Gifts will donate all of the proceeds of the baskets to the charity. What a wonderful thing to be a part of. I am so excited to help spread the word of this for all of those in need.


Ryan Newman Foundation’s mission is to educate and encourage people to spay/neuter their pets and to adopt dogs and cats from animal shelters; to educate children and adults about the importance of conservation so the beauty of the great outdoors can be appreciated by future generations; and to provide college scholarship funding through the Rich Vogler Scholarship program to students interested in auto racing careers. This gift basket would be a great holiday gift for Ryan Newman fans. Ryan Newman also has a large hardback book called Pit Road Pets would be great for any age.

Animals are important. They need to be spayed and neutered to prevent overpopulation. There are many stray starving animals out there already, some who never find homes. We used to have a family of outdoor neighborhood cats that decided to live under our deck when I was in Jr. High. We would feed them and give them water to drink and even blankets when it was cold out. They would keep having kittens too. One day they stopped coming around. I like to think that a nice family either adopted them or took them to the Humane Society. Animal adoption is a wonderful thing. You should always look for pets to adopt at the Humane Society. All pets deserve a warm home where they are loved and taken care of.

Remember the song America the Beautiful? We really need to all do our part to keep it beautiful. Children need to be taught to recycle and not litter. It really upsets me when I see piles of trash by the road or on a river bank. It really doesn’t take much effort to throw something away. If there isn’t a trash can you can hold on to it until you find one. It is not a good thing to throw trash out your window when you are driving down the road. It isn’t safe and it is not good for the environment. I remember when I was little I went to Cocoa Beach and the beach was filthy. It was really upsetting to me. I waited so long to go to the beach and it wasn’t even a good trip because it was dirty. I still remember the condition the beach was in to this day. We have to preserve the Earth now for our children and grand children and great grandchildren. I know I don’t want anyone to live in a dirty world.

I invite you all to shop at Bea’s Gift Baskets & Gifts and purchase the special gift basket to help this wonderful charity. You can order them from the Bea’s website. So order yours today!

Bea's Gift Baskets & Gifts Review

Do you have someone who is hard to shop for? Are you sick of buying the same old gift for your dad? How many ties does he really need? Do you have an office full of employees to get gifts for? Do you want something exciting and different? How about a gift basket from Bea’s Gift Baskets & Gifts? Bea’s makes gorgeous gift baskets. Not just the normal meat and cheese gift baskets. You know like all those other companies. Bea’s has something for EVERYONE from babies to grandparents.

Bea’s has beautiful gift baskets full of candy. Some with fruits, some of the gift baskets have the option of adding a movie or bookstore gift card. There are so many gifts to choose from. You could even pick what gift basket to get someone by their personality. The staff is always adding new baskets and gifts.

Everything is extremely fresh. Bea’s Gift Baskets & Gifts uses only the finest products. The presentations are spectacular. These aren’t the same gift baskets you might be used to. Bea’s Gift Baskets & Gifts has excellent customer service. They definitely put the customer first and treat them as they are part of their family. They will make sure you have a smile on your face because they truly care about their customers. The staff will go above and beyond to assist you.

I had the opportunity to review the Grand Italian Gourmet Gift Basket. It shipped so fast which was great. I was so impressed when I opened the box. I said wow. The basket was beautiful. The basket’s design was in it’s self a work of art. It was so impressive. I almost didn’t want to open it because it was so perfect looking. Even my son commented on how beautiful the basket was. I imagined how impressed someone would be when they were surprised with such a grand gift basket.

I opened the basket and I started marveling at all my goodies inside. There were two types of pasta, salmon, olive oil in an “oil can”, pasta sauce and so much more. Everything you would need for a traditional Italian dinner. There was even cake and cookies for dessert. It all looked so delicious. There were some decorations in the basket too. The fake grapes were immediately taken by my son to play with. He would talk about the grapes. It was really cute. I also wanted to mention that the basket itself is a nice strong basket. It is not one of those cheap flimsy ones that break easily. Just think of all the things you can do with your basket when it is empty.

We have been enjoying our goodies from our Grand Italian Gourmet Gift Basket. There is so much in the basket. Everything we have tried so far is delicious. The cookies are so good. As everyone knows my son is a cookie monster. It didn’t take long until he started asking me for a cookie. We are going to have a spaghetti dinner with the pasta and sauce soon. I can’t wait. I will definitely make my top secret homemade garlic bread to go with it. Did I mention how much I love garlic? It is my favorite.

I feel very lucky to receive of such a wonderful, delicious and gorgeous gift basket. Thank you so much to Bea’s Gift Baskets & Gifts for sending me such a great gift basket for my review.

So check out Bea’s Gift Baskets & Gifts for all of your gift basket needs. They have something for everyone and for all kinds of occasions such as Christmas, weddings, and birthdays. They also love doing corporate gift’s as well. Bea’s Gift Baskets & Gifts has FREE SHIPPING for orders over $50! If you want to delight your clients, family or friends please visit Bea’s Gift Baskets & Gifts. I know you will be very happy with your purchase and gift.