A SMURFTASTIC Party with Crowdtap!

I recently had the opportunity to host A SMURFTASTIC Party with Crowdtap.  I've talked about Crowdtap a few times but, in case it's new to you, I'll share the basics again.                                                   
The Low-Down on Crowdtap:
Crowdtap bills itself as a site “where brands and consumers collaborate.”  It is a unique site in several ways -- the biggest difference being that you also earn for a charity (5% of your site earnings -- or more, if you choose -- plus 5% matching by Crowdtap), which you choose from about a dozen that the site currently supports.  My total earnings on Crowdtap are over $530 thus far, with over $60 going to charities of my choice!

When you participate in short poll questions, which they call “Quick Hits”, you have a chance at earning some cash (currently, redemptions are in the form of Amazon gift cards only).  Members are offered opportunities to participate in a variety of discussions, called “Actions”, and have the potential to win a “Top Award” ($10 or $20 -- I have won 27x to date).  Best of all, if you fit the right demographics for participating brands, you can receive great products FREE!  Participation in “Sample Shares” or "Hosted Parties" is so much fun -- you receive product samples or party supplies for yourself, as well as things to share with friends.  After you have had a chance to try the product or host your party, you submit a report about your sample share/hosted party and earn a cash award ($2 for an approved report, or $5 for an excellent report).  Pretty cool, huh?  Free products AND some cash -- just for giving them a try and sharing your opinions!

Now, enter The SMURFS:

This hosted party opportunity was for the promotion of the new SMURFS movie, now out on Blu-Ray and DVD.  Whether you grew up loving the Smurfs in the late 70's and early 80's, or if you are too young to remember the original Smurfs craze, The Smurfs is a movie that is fun & entertaining for the everyone!

"When the evil wizard Gargamel chases the tiny blue Smurfs out of their village, they tumble from their magical world and into ours -- in fact, smack dab in the middle of Central Park. Just three apples high and stuck in the Big Apple, the Smurfs must find a way to get back to their village before Gargamel tracks them down."



The movie features a star-studded cast, including:                                        
Hank Azaria (Gargamel)
Neil Patrick Harris (Patrick Winslow)
Jayma Mays (Grace Winslow)
Sofía Vergara (Odile)
Jonathan Winters (Papa voice)
Katy Perry (Smurfette voice)
George Lopez (Grouchy voice)
Jeff Foxworthy (Handy - voice)
Wolfgang Puck (Chef - voice)
Paul Reubens, aka Pee Wee Herman (Jokey - voice)                                       
Creating our SMURFTASTIC Party:
I invited my sister (the HUGE Smurfs fan!) and her 2 girls (8 & 10), plus my neighbor and 2 of her 3 girls (4 & 7, the baby is only 15 months old), and my mom and husband.

I knew this would be the PERFECT party for my sister!  Back in the late 70's and early 80's, she collected every Smurfs figurine and plush character she could find -- her collection is impressive and she still has all of the little Smurf figurines.  A few years ago, her kids came across them and could not imagine what kind of silly things they were, and they thought their mom was nuts for having so many and liking them so much.  However, now that the Smurfs are featured in the movie and have become popular again, the kids are really into them!

Some of my sister's Smurf figurines - the 100+ she brought over would not fit in one shot.

In true Smurfs fashion, I made sure to serve "blue" foods at the party:                                                          
"Smurfberry" cookies (my chewy lemon cookies with dried blueberries)
Berry Blue Jell-O
Blue Berry Kool-Aid Bursts
Blue cotton candy
Blue corn chips


Decorations were blue and white balloons, and I also bought 2 large (36") Smurf mylar balloons to "greet" everyone as they came in the front door.


Party favors included Smurfs rings, Smurfs sticker sheets, and Smurfs temporary tattoos, in addition to a tote bag featuring one of each girl's finished coloring sheets (details on that below)!







The Coloring Sheets were a HUGE hit!

I asked my sister to bring her Smurf figurine collection, because I figured it would be fun to display them for everyone to see, and then to let the kids pose them with their colored sheets.  They tried to find appropriate figurines for each coloring sheet -- for instance, if it had Papa Smurf and Smurfette, they'd want to be sure to pose those characters' figurines with the finished coloring sheet.

Check out the great job the kids did -- they even took turns wearing the Smurf hat and Brainy Smurf's glasses -- and my older niece even painted her nails Smurf Blue for the occasion! (Note, my neighbor asked that I not include photos of her girls online, so only my nieces are shown.)

More Fun...and GAMES!
In addition to the activities included in the digital kit, I purchased a few inexpensive Smurfs games from Amazon. These games are fun & easy for kids to play with little direction or supervision:
                * Pop N Race                 * Make A Match                * Big Roll Bingo 

I bought Iron-On Transfer Sheets so the kids could make custom tote bags using their own coloring sheets. The process is easy: just scan the colored sheet, then print the image onto the transfer paper using an InkJet printer, then have an adult iron the image onto the chosen fabric. When the fabric and iron-on image have cooled, the backing can peeled away to reveal a bright, colorful image.  You could also make t-shirts, but I thought the tote bags would be nice for the kids to carry home their party treats and their coloring sheets.

The Smurfs...now on Blu-Ray & DVD:
We purchased the 3-Disc Holiday Blu-ray Gift Set. It was the best value and this set enabled us to give the Blu-ray disc to our nieces and keep the DVD here, since we have not yet upgraded to Blu-ray. They come to visit us pretty often, and we figured it would be nice to have the DVD here and we can all watch it together. When our nieces watch it at home, I know my sister will be glued to the TV. She was so excited to see that the Smurfs are back, and she is going to really enjoy watching the movie with her girls -- it's a great movie for the whole family!

Thank you, Crowdtap and The SMURFS for helping me throw A SMURFTASTIC PARTY!

Want to throw a SMURFTASTIC party of your own?
The Crowdtap party hosts were provided with the following helpful links, which you can use to create an awesome Smurfs theme party:

Welcome Brochure

Coloring Sheets

Papa Smurf Potion Commotion Game

Clumsy's Central Park Dash Game

Goldrun iPhone App

Download tons of fun games, apps, teaser videos, coloring sheets, and more

Check 'em out and have a SMURFTASTIC time!

ABBA You Can Dance (for Wii) and Crowdtap -- Dancing and Donating!

Yes...you read that right!  DANCING to the beats of the ABBA You Can Dance Nintendo Wii game, from the creators of the award-winning Just Dance® games...and DONATING to charity with Crowdtap!

You might not be familiar with Crowdtap just yet (more on that in a bit), but surely everyone knows ABBA -- especially from their resurgence with the 2008 "Mamma Mia!" movie. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2010, ABBA  topped the charts worldwide from 1972 to 1982. They have sold over 370 million records worldwide, which makes them the fourth best-selling artists in the history of recorded music, behind only The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson!

A little background on the Crowdtap site:
Crowdtap bills itself as a site “where brands and consumers collaborate.”  It is a unique site in several ways -- the biggest difference being that you also earn for a charity (5% of your site earnings -- or more, if you wish -- plus 5% matching by Crowdtap), which you choose from about a dozen that the site currently supports.  My total earnings on Crowdtap are over $530 thus far, with over $60 going to charities of my choice!

When you participate in short poll questions, which they call “Quick Hits”, you have a chance at earning some cash (currently, redemptions are in the form of Amazon gift cards only).  Members are offered opportunities to participate in a variety of discussions, called “Actions”, and have the potential to win a “Top Award” ($10 or $20 -- I have won 27x to date).  Best of all, if you fit the right demographics for participating brands, you can receive great products FREE!  Participation in “Sample Shares” or "Hosted Parties" is so much fun -- you receive product samples or party supplies for yourself, as well as things to share with friends.  After you have had a chance to try the product or host your party, you submit a report about your sample share/hosted party and earn a cash award ($2 for an approved report, or $5 for an excellent report).  What's not to like about free products AND some cash -- just for giving them a try and sharing your opinions?!

So, about my latest Crowdtap opportunity!
ABBA, the legendary 70s Swedish pop group, now has a Wii "You Can Dance" game and Crowdtap members were recently given the opportunity to apply for the chance to receive the game and host a Brand party!  I was one of the lucky members selected to host a party, and received this awesome party package!

In addition to the Wii game, the party pack also included an ABBA You Can Dance t-shirt and ABBA’s “Gold” Album!  Pretty amazing, huh?  ALL FREE!



ABBA You Can Dance Nintendo Wii game Product Features:
* The Timeless Music of ABBA
Enjoy all the hits - 26 in all - from ABBA's rich catalog of classic songs, now digitally remastered for Wii and your home entertainment system.
* You Can Dance
Unleash your inner dancing queen and play for fun or to set a new top score to challenge yourself and others. Play any way you want with up to four friends.
* Mini-Musical
Perform a story through the music of ABBA! Experience the magic as you play a role in a mini-musical of ABBA's songs.
* Karaoke Mode
Up to two additional friends can join in on vocals. Simply follow along with the on-screen lyrics.
* A Must-Have for Fans
Get immersed in the amazing world of ABBA with authentic content including their music videos, live concert footage, and classic photos!


Check out the game's track listing:
Angeleyes
As Good As New
Bang-A-Boomerang
Dancing Queen (two versions available)
Does Your Mother Know
Fernando
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)
Head Over Heels
Hole In Your Soul
Honey, Honey
I'm A Marionette
I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
If It Wasn't For The Nights
Knowing Me, Knowing You
Lay All Your Love On Me
Mamma Mia
Money, Money, Money
People Need Love
SOS
Summer Night City
Super Trouper
Take A Chance On Me
The Winner Takes It All
Voulez-vous
Waterloo
When I Kissed The Teacher

Party Recap:
We all had such a great time, dancing and singing along with both the Wii game and the CD!  Everyone wore tie-dye shirts, my nieces wore tiaras & boas (so they could be "Dancing Queens"), and we enjoyed party foods -- including a cheese fondue and a chocolate fondue!  At the end of the party, we all voted to crown my sister the "Dancing Queen"!  She received the ABBA t-shirt and the kids made her a "Dancing Queen" sash, which they placed on her along with one of their tiaras!  The party was a fun time for all!

Thank you so much, Crowdtap and the Just Dance® brand!

Crowdtap & Playtex Sport Body Wipes

So, back in November, a Facebook friend invited me to join this new site called Crowdtap.  Crowdtap bills itself as a site “where brands and consumers collaborate.”  It is a unique site in several ways -- the biggest difference being that you also earn for a charity (5% of your site earnings, which are then matched by Crowdtap), which you choose from about a dozen that the site currently supports.  My total earnings on Crowdtap are over $230 thus far!

When you participate in short poll questions, which they call “Quick Hits”, you have a chance at earning some cash (currently, redemptions are in the form of Amazon gift cards only).  Members are offered opportunities to participate in a variety of discussions, called “Actions”, and have the potential to win a “Top Award” ($10 or $20 -- I have won 9x to date).  Best of all, if you fit the right demographics for participating brands, you can receive free samples of some great products!  Participation in “Sample Shares” is great -- you receive samples for yourself, as well as a few friends.  After you have had a chance to try the product, you submit a report about your sample share and earn a cash award ($2 for an approved report, or $5 for an excellent report).  Pretty cool, huh?  Free samples AND some cash -- just for giving them a try and sharing your opinions!

I recently qualified for the Playtex Sport Body Wipes sample share and have to say, these wipes are fantastic!  Do you ever find yourself needing a quick “refresh” -- after a workout, doing yard work, attending outdoor events, long days traveling, or just rushing around and feeling sweaty or grimy?  So often, there is just no time to drop everything and shower -- especially if you are out & about, trying to get a million things done.  This is when you will really want to have Playtex Sport Body Wipes on hand!

The wipes are available in 2 packaging options:  20-count singles (individually wrapped) and 24-count travel pack (re-sealable package), each retailing for $2.99 -- that’s about  $0.15 per wipe. When you have a coupon (there is currently one available in the All You magazine), these are even more of a bargain!

For those with sensitive skin, like myself, you will appreciate that the wipes are ALCOHOL-FREE!  I was relieved to discover that, as I did not want to use a product that would dry or irritate my skin.  The wipes cleanse without being harsh, and leave your skin feeling soft and refreshed.  They do have a light “cool cucumber” scent, which most people in the sample share have reported that they like.  I don’t mind it, as it is not overpowering.  However, I would really love an unscented variety, as that is always my preference (and my husband would love to use an unscented wipe, too -- guys also like to feel clean & refreshed!).

I shared my samples with a few friends and they all had positive feedback.  Most are planning to purchase Playtex Sport Body Wipes, especially with the heat & humidity starting to ramp up in most parts of the U.S., with summer fast approaching.  Some comments from friends:

* “I was pleasantly surprised that it was much softer and more durable than those (the tiny hand wipes you find in restaurants, like BBQ places) wipes.”

* “I was concerned that it would leave a sticky feel behind (have found this to be true with scented wipes in the past)...however, it did not! My arms, particularly, feel soft and smooth - not sticky or dry.”

* “I only had to use one wipe - the ‘wetness’ lasted to do my upper body...was surprised there was enough wipe to go around.”

Personally, I can’t wait to have these wipes “at the ready” when we go to all the summer carnivals, festivals, and amusement parks, as well as when I am working launch/chase/pack-up for hot air balloon flights with my pilot friend -- I'll be working up a sweat this summer!  Wiping off with a wet paper towel, as I’ve done many times in the past, just does not cut it -- and paper towels leave a nasty trail of paper bits on your skin.

Also, these wipes will be AWESOME when we go on cruises.  We travel in the fall & winter months, but the Caribbean heat and humidity is a year-round dilemma for many.  I always dread that aspect, as I’ve never been one to enjoy being out all day in the heat.  Now I can’t wait for our next cruise, knowing that I will be able to use these wipes to feel clean and refreshed, instead of looking and feeling like a “hot mess”!

THANK YOU, Crowdtap & Playtex Sport Body Wipes!

Welcome!

OK...so I finally decided to create a blog.  I have no idea what exactly I will be posting, or how often.  However, I figured I had to start somewhere!

You might be wondering why this blog is called "Phinger Food".  Well, a friend of mine originally thought this photo (below) was for the Philadelphia Phillies -- because I'm from Philly.  She decided to called me "Phoamie Phinger" -- you know, those giant foam fingers they sell at stadiums!  Because this "Phinger" is actually plush, the "Phoamie" part dropped off...but "Phinger" has stuck, as a nickname of sorts.  Combine that with my enjoyment of cooking and baking, and there you have it: Phinger Food!

In addition to cooking and baking, I also enjoy photography, travel (especially cruising!), and online earning sites.  You can expect to see me post about any and all of these, and perhaps other things along the way.

~~ Welcome to Phinger Food! ~~