Review and Giveaway: Mabel's Labels CLOSED

Thank you to Mabel's Labels for participating in the Bloggy Birthday Blowout Event on Goodie Goodie Gumdops!

How many times have you gone to a playdate and found that your kid has the same exact sippy cup as another? Or gone to an indoor play area and found an identical pair of sneakers in the cubby? It comes with the toddler territory, I guess, but it seems we're bound for the lost and found.

One little lady is trying to change all that. She goes by the name of Mabel.

Mabel's Labels are the brainchild of four moms who grew tired of their childrens' items leaving the home, never to return again. So, they invented dishwasher-safe, microwave-safe, laundry-safe, UV-resistant, peel and stick labels to keep track of the stuff kids tend to lose. Versatile and long-lasting, Mabel has a label for just about anything!

Mabel's Labels are useful for back-to-school, camp, church, playgroups, daycare or just everyday organization. You can not only personalize your labels with a name or initials but also with a cute icon like a ladybug or princess for a girl or an airplane or football helmet for a boy. There are also plenty of gender-neutral designs to choose from like a peace sign or sunshine.

But Mabel's Labels aren't just for kids! There are spice/canister labels for mom and cord control labels for dad:

Mabel also offers allergy and 411 labels, shoe labels, bag tags and stationary sets! What hasn't this clever lady thought of?!

I had the pleasure of working with Mabel's Labels last fall to review a variety of products from their Classic line (you can read that review here). But I was fortunate enough to review a colorful new line of Mabel's Labels called LOL, or Label Out Loud labels. LOL labels have all the same features of the best-selling, original Classic line but with vibrant new color combos and designs.

We received a set of standard Sticky LOL labels in the Train design and a set of Skinny Mini LOL labels in the Tent design for Nate. He loves trains so the first choice was a no-brainer but I thought the latter would be perfect to prepare for our fall camping excursions. Just as I expected, I love the LOL labels just as much as our Classic labels. Maybe even a little more, with their bright, cheery designs!

We use them mostly with our Take and Toss sippy cups (as those tend to be popular among my mommy friends) but they can be used on toys, books, lunchboxes, backpacks, and more. The Skinny Mini labels would also be great for smaller objects like utensils, inhalers/medical devices, graphic calculators, or snack cups. I love that they really hold up over time and seem like they'd withstand anything my toddler can dish out. They really add some character to otherwise ordinary items.

Bottom line: If you want to protect your child's possessions from loss or theft with cuteness and convenience, Mabel's Labels are a wonderful option.

BUY IT: You can purchase Mabel's Labels and other products online at www.mabel.ca.

WIN IT: One lucky reader is going to win a LOL Essentials Combo, including 30 sticky labels, 40 iron-on labels or 70 Tag Mates, 12 shoe labels and 2 Teeny Tags - a $48 value - just in time for late summer camp or back-to-school!

MAIN COURSE (MANDATORY ENTRY): Go to Mabel's Labels, click "BUY NOW" and tell me which design motif you would choose for your labels. Remember to please leave your email address in your comment if it isn't visible on your profile to prevent disqualification!

SUGAR ON TOP (BONUS ENTRIES): To maximize your chances of winning, you may do any or all of the following. Be sure to complete the above mandatory entry or your bonus entries will not count!

1.) Follow my blog and/or subscribe via reader or email. Comment telling me which method you chose. If you already follow or subscribe, that counts! (1 entry each)

2.) Follow me and Mabel's Labels on Twitter and tweet about this contest. You can do this daily! You may use the following tweet or come up with one of your own:

Labels for the stuff kids lose! Win a @mabelhood LOL Essentials Combo for school or camp @kris10chumley ENDS 7/30 http://bit.ly/bbejKF

Just leave me a comment with your tweet link. (1 entry per day max)

3.) Follow the Mabelhood blog via RSS feed. (1 entry)

4.) Subscribe to the Mabel's Labels newsletter. (1 entry)

5.) Become a fan of Mabel's Labels on Facebook. (1 entry)

6.) "Like" Goodie Goodie Gumdrops on Facebook. (1 entry)

7.) Add my Bloggy Birthday Blowout event button to your site and comment with a link where I can find it. (1 entry)

8.) Add my blog button to your site and comment with a link where I can find it. (1 entry)

Giveaway will end on July 30, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. Open to U.S. and Canada. Winner will be chosen via Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to congratulatory email or prize will be forfeited and another winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer: As noted above, I received a free set of labels from Caitlin at Mabel's Labels to facilitate my candid review. I was not compensated in any other way for this post. The thoughts and opinions expressed in my review and purely mine. Your experience may differ.

Review: Mabel's Labels

As the mom of a 1-year old, I spend most of my time tracking down items that have become victims of hide and seek. Toys, sippy cups, clothes, utensils - they're all at risk when clutched in those chubby fingers. I think its in the Toddler Instruction Manual, page 56. I spend so much money on kiddie stuff. The last thing I need is to constantly replace our belongings when they're lost at playgroups, playgrounds or friends' houses.

Luckily, there's one little lady that has come to the rescue: Mabel. Mabel with her life-saving labels.

Mabel's Labels is a family-owned, Canadian-based business that manufactures fun, durable sticky labels for all the common things that kids lose. It began in 2002 when the four "mompreneurs" became sick of chasing down their childrens' items after leaving them in various places. They knew they weren't alone in their frustration, so they joined forces to find a solution. Hence, Mabel's Labels were born.

Mabel's Labels are customized to fit the style or personality of any child. Each label is personalized with a child's name (first and/or last name), favorite colors, and an icon of your choice (animal, flower, shape, etc.).

The Mabel's Label's product line includes :

• Sticky Labels (classic labels which are dishwasher/microwave-safe and UV resistant)
• Skinny-Minis (just like original Sticky Labels but smaller)
• Shoe Labels (extra sticky, durable labels that fit on the insole of footwear)
• Bag Tags (sturdy metal tags for backpacks, luggage, etc.)
• Teeny Tags (smaller Bag Tags for lunchpacks, pencil cases, etc.)
  
• Tag-Mates (peel-and-stick, laundry-safe clothing identification labels)
  
• Iron-On Labels (laundry-safe adhesive labels for tagless clothing)
  

Mabel's Labels aren't just for kids - there are also products for us adults! There are household labels to identify and organize bins, canisters and cords, as well as stationary such as mommy cards and return address labels. Their most recent addition includes kid safety products such as allergy alert labels and "411" wristbands in case a little one wanders off.

The company has been a raving success, having been featured on shows like "The View" and "The Early Show", and in Parents magazine, The Washington Post and Newsday. They've won Best Product Awards from Baby Gizmo and iParenting Media and the owners were bestowed the 2007 SavvyMom "Mompreneur of the Year" Award. Celebrities such as Brooke Shields, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tori Spelling and Reese Witherspoon are even fans of Mabel's Labels!

I was fortunate enough to review a combination of Mabel's Labels, including Skinny Minis, Shoe Labels, Teeny Tags and Tag Mates. The colors were very vibrant and the sailboat design we chose was even more adorable in person. They were also packaged very securely.

The Skinny Minis are the perfect size for sippy cups, feeding supplies and small toys. I ran one of our sippy cups through the top rack of the dishwasher with a label affixed and it came out good as new. Since Nate is notorious for performing the latter on his Take 'N Toss cups and bowls, this will help set them apart when they land among his playmates' same exact ones.



I also placed some of the Tag Mates on Nate's clothes and washed them in mild detergent to see how they'd hold up. The label was still stuck in place after washing and drying. There were no air bubbles or signs of leaching ink.



The Teeny Tags were perfect to attach to our travel changing pad but they're so versatile, you could use them for any small to medium-sized bag.



Another feature I loved was that each package of labels had their own cute, fool-proof instructions.



We haven't yet tried the Shoe Labels but if they are as easy to use as the other sets, I'm sure we'll love them too.

Bottom line: Mabel's Labels may not save your items from being cast into the toilet or the trash can (is that just my kid?!) but they are priceless for daycare, church, playdates or school - where things are easily misplaced or popularly mistaken for others'. The labels are practical, sturdy and stylish and I would definitely recommend them for parents with school-aged children or younger.

BUY IT: Mabel's Labels can be designed and purchased online or by phone. You can purchase individual packs of labels or combo packs which include an assortment of labels. Prices range from $18-21 per package to $34-55 per combo pack. Considering the number of labels included in each package - and the number of belongings you will no longer have to replace due to loss - I'd say this is quite affordable.

Mabel's Labels also offers a creative fundraising program for schools, teams, clubs and other organizations. They'll even do the fulfillment of orders with their paperless system!

Don't dig through one more lost and found box. Just get able with Mabel.

Special thanks to Caitlin at Mabel's Labels for this review opportunity!

Disclaimer: I was offered this review opportunity because of my membership at The PR Place. As I mentioned, I was sent a variety of personalized labels along with a reusable tote bag from Mabel's Labels to facilitate my candid review. I was not compensated in any other way for my post.