Our definition of toy changes as we grow. My favorite toy when I was a kid was my stuffed animal whom I creatively named “Teddy” (as it turns out, he was a monkey, not a bear). Today, my favorite toy is my Kitchen-Aid mixer (no, I’m not giving one of those away).
Toys for Your Kids
Many months ago, I was contacted by Action Toys about reviewing their new cupcake toy, Crazy for Cupcakes. Since my baby is still in the womb (his favorite toy is the umbilical cord), I thought that I would recruit some product tester kids. Sadly, the coordination effort on that task ended up being far more work than I anticipated. So instead, I’m offering the toy to you for your kid to try.
This photo supplied by Action Toys. All other photos in this post are by J. Pollack Photography.Each “cupcake” in this toy contains four parts – a cup, cake, frosting, and a topper. Your child can mix and match to create his/her own cupcake masterpieces. Some of the parts are also scented. I tried really hard to smell them through the plastic, but the smell does not come through. If you win, you’ll have to let me know what you think.
Toys for Your Taste Buds
You will most likely not want to share with your child the second toy I’m giving away .
Sure, your kids like chocolate. I, for one, have plans to raise a chocolate snob who will prefer single-origin bean-to-bar chocolate over the cheap stuff. But if you have to share with your children, try to keep your little ones from eating a whole bar in a single sitting – you’re going to want this chocolate to last.
Amano, one of my favorite chocolate companies (see the interview with owner Art Pollard on my now defunct blog, Food Interviews), has recently come out with three new chocolate bars. I had the luxury of trying free samples of all of them and wanted to pass on that joy to one of my readers.
Two of the three new bars are Amano’s first milk chocolate bars. I’ve grown to prefer dark chocolate and the milk chocolate seemed too sweet to me. I certainly wouldn’t turn them down, though! They were really good for milk chocolate. I liked the Ocumare a bit better than the Jembrana – it had more complex flavors. If you love milk chocolate, though, you may love them both.
The Montanya bar. Ah, the Montanya bar. Wait – don’t stop my day dreaming. This bar was heavenly. It was so full of smoky, spicy bursts of flavor that after I ate a small square, I didn’t want to eat anything else for an hour so that the last little bit of flavor could linger in my mouth. To say I loved this bar would be an understatement. If you don’t win it, you should buy it!
How Do I Win?
Entering to win toys for your kids or toys for your taste buds is easy:
- Leave a comment on this post by midnight PST on Tuesday, June 23. In the comment, include:
- If you would like to to enter to win both prizes or enter twice for a prize you really want:
- Tweet about this contest with a link to this post.
- Leave a second comment on this post. In the comment, include:
- Your Twitter ID
- What prize you’re entering for with your tweet
Good luck!!
mmmmm, chocolate. my girl would like the toys, but i NEED the chocolate! (btw, i email links to your blog to the Husband as hints … ) email: 47thoughts at gmail
yummmm! chocolate! i would love some please :-D email:alby.yeli@sprint.blackberry.net
just retweeted your post! reeeally want that chocolate! :-)
TwitterID: KrazeCoacher
Oh, chocolatey goodness. YUM.
I want the chocolate. :) Am going to RT you in about 2 seconds. (TwitterID: karamichele)
YUMMY. I choose the chocolate!
Email: walkermk at gmail dot com
Must….have…chocolate!
Just retweeted! (Twitter ID: MKW1)
Alright, while the chocolate would be wonderful I have to go for the Cupcake Toys!! My daughter would squeal with joy to have these. Who can resist scented frosting!?
Email: mistressdanzig at gmail dot com
Would love to be in the drawing for the cupcakes toys! My email address is chrissyhallows@yahoo.com
I love reading your tweets! Your cupcakes always look so yummy!
Thank you!
Oooo Amano! I would definitely go for that!
Tweeting your post! lsuaimzgurl
I want in for more chocolate!
Let’s win that chocolate!
Cassie Nielsen
mrs.cassienielsen@gmail.com
Yay!
Oh, definitely have to go for the chocolate.
Though the cupcakes are adorable. But not edible, unfortunately.
byf208@gmail.com
I never turn down a good bit of chocolate! Thanks!
Mmm I pick chocolate- but feel free to send me any and all cupcakes :)
Twitter ID: allveggedout
Giving away dark chocolate?! Yes please! totally RTing you on Twitter in just a minute.
email: kt.lantz at gmail.com
Twitter: ktl513
Those chocolate bars look so good! It’s been a while since I’ve sunk my teeth into a chocolate bar. I’ve got my fingers crossed!
I WOULD BE SO HAPPY IF I WIN THOSE
CUP CAKE TOYS..LOV TO BAKE CUP CAKES..MY ID : vrindamahesh2002@gmail.com
The chocolate bars look great!
crynyd at gmail dot com
Done and done with the Retweeting. Woohoo chocolate! :D
Twitter: ktl513
I love your blog! I follow you religiously on my google reader but this is the first time I’ve left a comment. I’m always excited to see what you’re doing next. I’m dying for that chocolate! email: ldslawgirl at gmail
i need teh Amano Chocolate. flyergal82 at yahoo dot com
I’d LOVE the chance to try the chocolate. Yum.
cecilylunt@yahoo.com
I would love to win the cupcake toys for my niece, she would love them!
bewmedia at gmail dot com
Second comment for second entry.
I still want chocolate. :)
My kids would love the cupcakes, we have tea parties at home but with a diabetic kiddo we fake the cupcakes since we can’t always make healthy low carb ones so plastic fun ones would be a hoot! I hope we win ’em!
pancreasmom.blogspot.com
I would definitely love the Amano chocolate! I’ve never gotten the chance to try quality chocolate, but Amano sounds fabulous.
i would like the toys. My son loves to pretend to bake cupcakes like mommy. This would be perfect for him!
my email is cupcake79720@yahoo.com
my twitter is cupcakediva2
I’m reposting your tweet
p.s. oh-how i wish you were giving away a kitchen aid stand mixer! thats on my dream list right now! cupcake diva is struggling with the hand mixer! :)
I would love the cupcake toy for my wee baby girl! I know she would have a ball with that!
My email is bonnie.k.padgett at gmail.com.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for the chance to win!
The chocolate sounds delicious. I envy you being able to review samples. e-mail kerry.kassie@gmail.com
Definitely the chocolate. Yum-o. My email is casablancabride at yahoo dot com
I’d like the cupcakes. I work with some little kiddos who would love those :)
melissa at dal dot ca
I also have a baby on the way who would most likely love those adorable cupcakes. And, my 4 year old’s nick name is cupcake! So cute, thanks for sharing…and for having them as a give away:-)
Andrea
ymdirandrea@aol.com
Would LOVE to try the chocolate. Dark chocolate is good, but milk chocolate is definitely my favorite!
Thanks for offering the giveaway!
Amano Chocolate! Rachael.m.dickson@gmail.com Please please. : D
Second Comment- yay twitter!
RachaelDickson
Chocolate! Chocolate! : D
I want the chocolate!!!!
irina.sagarbarria at gmail dot com
I tweeted:
http://twitter.com/nina0205/statuses/2218766817
irina.sagarbarria at gmail dot com
Stef about the ricotta cake , so sorry to hear it didn’t work.
I used cornmeal /polenta which is called here.
Not the cooked polenta.
ya know, living within 20 miles of NYC you’d be sadly surprised at how little variety we get for chocolate. it’s truly depressing, so yes, i’d love to be entered for the chocolate! jenn776 at gmail dot com
thanks for the chance!
Ooohhh! I’d love the chocolate. tosterhouse at gmail dot com
My daughter would love that cupcake set!!
YUMMY! I HAVE MANY CUPCAKE IDEAS FOR THAT AMANO CHOCOLATE SET!! SHH-DONT’ TELL MY KIDS–THEY WOULD WANT THE OTHER TOY SET BUT I’M ALL ABOUT ME RIGHT NOW AND THE CHOCOLATE!! LOL
cupcake toys for me please? Love your blog! oregonrorabacks@yahoo.com
My daughter would LOVE the cupcakes to play with while I am baking. We were inspired by your cupcakes and have been making a new batch every Tuesday.
tweet for the chocolate
lovemyabbie
Oh, the chocolate, absolutely :)
chocolate, chocolate, chocolate!!
email: yranan@gmail.com
The toys are cute… but since I don’t have kids, I would love to try the Amano chocolate bars. And maybe I would share with my husband… but just a little! LOL
exoduslaughin (at) yahoo (dot) com
ok, i did an rt on twitter, i would still like the cupcake toys. :) have a cupcake-a-licious day!
guess i should have left my info…
twitter id cupcakediva2
email cupcake79720@yahoo.com
I would love Chocolate!!!
email: cakesbyapril@ymail.com
Toys, please! They would make an awesome birthday gift for my daughter who turns 4 in July!
I’d love the chocolate!
vitriolicvixen@gmail.com
That chocolate looks amazing. I’d love to try it!
snucci at gmail.com
I would like to win the chocolate, because no matter how much I tell myself I am a little kid and would love to play with those cupcake toys, I am an adult, so I must suffer and eat chocolate instead. ;)
iwishiwasaboyscout@sbcglobal.net
Mmmm, DH was just saying the other day that we haven’t had any Amano chocolate in a while and he’d love some. :) I think that was a hint! So, I’d love to win the chocolate!
I would love the Crazy for Cupcakes set for my little girl Abby, so cute :)
I love baking, therefore my nieces and nephews love it, so I’m going for the cupcake toys=) karajoelle@gmail.com
Oh, the Amano!
oh my, Amano!
(twitter: flesh_and_bones)
Cupcake toys please!!
email: natalie.unzueta@gmail.com
I’m actually so addicted to chocolate that if there’s none in the house I’ll get into my cocoa powder. I don’t want to break this addiction though, I want to feed it!
I would love to win the Toys for my Taste Buds. The Amano Chocolate Bars look so divine. I would love to send you a link to my Twitter but I don’t have one!!
jenna.dick@gmail.com
I’m a chocolate lover. mirandasmother@gmail.com
Hmmm, chocolate! I’d love that.
E-mail: claudiadesmarais at gmail.
Cheers :o)
Saw this on FoodGawker…I could win a chocolate bar?…Make my day!
ragarm at gmail.com
AMANO!!!
myfun dot c3 at gmail dot com
Amano Chocolate….yum.
megdthomas@hotmail.com
I would like to enter for the cupcake toys. My three-year old son loves to help put baking cups in a cupcake pan and stirring the batter for real cupcakes. I think he would get many hours (and months) of enjoyment from the toy cupcake playset.
email:cakeblast[at]gmail[dot]com
I have ben wanting to try the amano chocolate for a while.
Tblackthorne@gmail.com
I’d like to enter for the chocolate, please! camille(at)brokenrecord.ca
Yum, I’d love the chocolate bars!
I’m entering for the chocolate, but I have to say that I would have loved the cupcake toy when I was younger. My fave thing to play with was my fisher-price kitchen, and when my mom got me a scented dunkin donuts play food set, i was in heaven. email boston2dc at gmail dot com
I love trying new things, and chocolate is no exception. I’m intrigued by the tastes of these chocolate bars! Thanks for the contest! :)
scram2001@Yahoo.com
The chocolate sounds amazing!
And I’ll attempt to retweet your post (TwitterID:CrumbsCookieJar)
And once again, love to try the chocolate! crumbsinthecookiejar at gmail.com
I would definitely go for the chocolate!
I NEED some dark chocolate power, please!!!!
retrotravelgirl@adelphia.net
I have no children so I would want the chocolate! Yum! The sad thing is, I have only recently begun to like dark chocolate. I was missing out!
cmh2147 at columbia dot edu
I would love the Amano Chocolate! Sounds delicious!
shannon dot uva at gmail dot com
I’d love to have some Amano chocolate to play with (or just enjoy)!
I’ve always wanted to try the Amano chocolate. Thanks for doing a giveaway! tingtingng at gmail.
I would love to try the chocolate. Thanks for the giveaway.
maryDOTavingerATgmailDOTcom
Crazy for Cupcakes – Batch 2 is my pick!
janamichelle@sbcglobal.net
That chocolate looks delicious!
Vivadawolf @ gmail.com
Would love Crazy for Cupcakes
michelejdaley at gmail dot com
So nice to have stumbled on to your blog! Even nicer to discover that by doing so I could win chocolate. Holy smokes. My email address is karalackie@gmail.com
tweeted – http://twitter.com/phxbne/status/2242404592
I would love the Cupcakes! Er, I mean MY KIDS would love them :)
katiekarr at gmail dot com
If Canadians are eligible, I’d like to enter for the chocolate, please.
ikkinlala AT yahoo DOT ca
As much as I would love the chocolate, I have to go for the toys. Kendra is very into textures, and building things (at least stacking things) so she’d love them!
I would love to win the chocolates!!
marcantiques@yahoo.com
I lost my job…in FEBRUARY. I could certainly use a nice treat these days, AKA- bring on the chocolate! Thank you!
(ABattilana at AOL dot com)
I’d like to be entered to win the Crazy for Cupcakes. My grandson would LOVE this in his little kitchen. Thanks.
Sheila
chiliburger@icehouse.net
Crazy for Cupcakes is what I would like to win. Grandkids, dontcha know.
Harv
harvey@norlift.com
chocolates! the cupcake toys are cute though. (:
carmencooksblog [at} gmail.com
I’d love the chocolate!
aniasurvey@gmail.com
As much fun as I’d likely have with the toy, I’m definitely going to have to root for the chocolate. :) ktoriberrie (at) aol (dot) com.
oooh the chocolate…definitely, absolutely the chocolate.
email: erinenglert at gmail
would LOVE the chocolate.. but will keep reading regardless… :)
gojiraphilia at hotmail
I’m a lactose intolerant masochist–enter me for the chocolate, please!
ooffeebucks.ebay [at] gmail.com
I think I’d have to go for the chocolate…my boys have way too many toys already. :)
greenj50@hotmail.com
That chocolate looks to die for! Definietly the chocolate.
vicanddi@yahoo.com
I’d love to try the chocolate!
junkstuffk3@gmail.com
I would LOVE to win the Amano Chocolate!!!
e-mail: rachaelclj@yahoo.com
Chocolate, please!
e-mail: corynnchan@yahoo.com
I would love to have the chocolate!
E-mail: knh.tan@gmail.com
I would like to have the chocolate. Thank you!
E-mail: jitchan@gmail.com
while I’d love the chocolate, I’ll be selfless and go for the cupcake toys for my children. Jere email: james106@snet.net
I would love to try these! Thanks for the giveaway. I might even share them with my daughter. Or not.
mmm… chocolate :)
bluetonic at yahoo dot com
Chocolate, of course!
littlemurcielago@mindspring.com
I pick the Amano chocolate! Thanks for the giveaway :)
twitterid: alesbica
I LOVE CHOCOLATE!!! Thats my pick!!
I’m all for the chocolate!! I’d love to try some good quality chocolate! email: elims2376@yahoo.com
Chocolate!! Enough said!!
I would LOVE the cupcake toys!!
nicole.fullerton (at) gmail.com
Amano Chocolate
email in profile or
gotfire[at] yahoodotcom
Please enter me for the chocolate. TY!
Enter me for the toys please. My kids would have so much fun with them! My email is on my profile. Thanks.
Well, I really want the chocolate, but feel stingy not asking for the toy. Oh, well, I’d like the chocolate. Bad Mommy.
I would choose Crazy for Cupcakes for my niece :)
ReggieM1961*AT*gmail*DOT*com
Crazy for Cupcakes
dearandrea
at sbcglobal.net
I’m entering for Crazy for Cupcakes
I’m entering for crazy cupcakes on behalf of my two year old who is crazy for cupcakes. tajalli.love@gmail.com
Totally chocolate!!
wildeyedpixie@gmail.com
Would LOVE those chocolate bars!! Such a sucker for choc…
jo_jo_ba@hotmail.com
Tweeted an entry @jo_jo_ba for Amano chocolate!!
jo_jo_ba@hotmail.com
I’d like the Crazy for Cupcakes toys.
doot65[at]comcast{dot}net
I’d love the chocolate!
I want the Crazy for Cupcakes toys!
as much as i would like the chocolate I am going to ask for the Crazy for Cupcakes toys because my daughter carly would love them. thanks eaglesforjack@gmail.com
Definitely the chocolate! Yum! It looks like something I would HOARD… :-)
ladyufshalott at yahoo.com
I would love the bars!
renee
yeloechikee at hotmail dot com
My son loves a toy like that at his daycare – we’d love the Crazy for Cupcakes for home!
bridgetc at sitkoff dot net