The Cool Pepper » Toys

Trading Vintage Halloween Items for Cash

Jackson — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:07:10 +0000

If you sometimes find yourself scrambling for extra money as the holidays approach, now might be a good time to take stock of old collectibles you might have stored away in the dark and forgotten corners of your attic. The Halloween season brings out some very serious collectors, and that old Halloween merchandise that has been collecting dust might be worth quite a bit to someone.

Most people do not realize that there are collectors for almost anything that you can imagine. When people form an emotional connection to something, it is not unusual for them to build impressive collections around that specific thing or event. Halloween is a holiday that many associate with joyful childhood memories. Even after people grow up and move past the stage of trick or treating, the wonderful memories linger. It should not be too surprising then to find out that almost anything old and related to Halloween is now quite collectible.

Vintage Halloween decorations, old boxed costumes, and even old store displays are extremely popular today on sites like eBay. Sellers often get hundreds of dollars for the old Halloween merchandise the offer up at auctions. Some of the most popular collectibles in the postcard category are the antique Halloween postcards that people have had in storage for over a century. Not every one of these old cards will draw large amounts of money, but if you happen to have one that features the work of a popular artist from those days, you could easily earn a few hundred dollars just for taking the time to take a picture of the card and listing it for sale.

Another popular Halloween item among collectors is vintage costumes. For collectors, not just any costume will do though. Collectors often look for specific brands of costume. If you happen to have an old, boxed costume manufactured by Ben Cooper, Incorporated, you might have a winner on your hands. These were relatively inexpensive costumes when they were originally sold, but the fact that they managed to licence major characters like Spider Man early on has made them quite collectible. The fact that the company is no longer in existence has also added to the appeal of the Ben Cooper name.

As holiday collectibles go, vintage Halloween items are without a doubt some of the most popular second hand items being sold today. They connect people to their nostalgic memories of youth and they also look great when they are set up as a vintage style holiday display. If you personally do not have any use for these old Halloween collectibles, it is almost a sure bet that someone will be more than willing to pay for your old treasures.

Getting A Kids Trampoline

Jackson — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 01:31:03 +0000

There are not a lot of activities that can be done indoors—especially when we talk about “active” activities. Most people, especially teenagers and kids prefer playing computers or watching movies instead of working out, like jumping on a trampoline. What most people don’t know is that working out on a trampoline has a lot of benefits. It will help you lose weight, develop more bone density and strengthen your cardiovascular system.

You can either go for a large trampoline or a smaller indoor trampoline for kids. Kids trampoline comes in different sizes, with each appropriate for different age groups. Just remember that the older the kids, the bigger their trampoline should be.

When you decide to buy a kids trampoline, go for something with safety features. While trampolines for kids are much lower than the one designed for outdoors, a safety handle or a net enclosure wouldn’t hurt. Also look for something with a woven mat, which will prevent your kids from slipping.

If you need an indoor trampoline for you, there are a lot of trampolines especially made for working out. Though these have the same size as a childrens trampoline, they have a stronger mat designed to hold heavier weight.

I really love the idea of having an indoor trampoline at home. The kids can have endless hours of fun, plus it entices them to work out, all because they see it as fun. Having an indoor trampoline will also help you get the amount of work out that you need. Have fun jumping up and down the trampoline while watching TV and it will help you burn a lot of calories.

Even when you are in a tight budget, you’d no doubt find a trampoline for you. There are a lot of affordable models online, and you can also get one second- hand. Just make sure to look for something with complete pieces (like the springs) to make sure that what you’d be getting is till safe to use. For more trampoline reviews, check out myfirsttrampoline.net

Choosing a Hello Kitty Watch

Jackson — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 05:33:14 +0000

Some fantastic and stunning Hello Kitty watches have emerged onto the fashion retail market in 2011 including designs that can suit any budget, price, or any occasion – so whether you are looking for a Hello Kitty watch as a cheap party time gift for a younger girl, or want something for yourself that will be acceptable for a classy and sophisticated night out, then we have a short selection of the best ones that are currently available to buy online.

Hello Kitty Women’s Leather Studded Watch

Why not add a touch of punk attitude to your look? The studded leather Hello Kitty watch sits on a high quality a black leather strap and is available at a cheap price of only twenty five dollars. The Hello Kitty watch includes a white dial in analog format and has been designed by the world renowned designer Kimora Lee Simmons. The cute watch face is made with a smooth metal and includes a round and silver bezel. If you want the streetwise punk look in 2011 then you can’t go wrong with this Hello Kitty watch for punks. You can also match it up with one of the Sex Pistols style Hello Kitty T Shirt designs to really stand out from the alternative crowd!

Hello Kitty Kimora Lee Simmons White Ceramic Watch

This analog Hello Kitty watch is the most extravagant you that money can buy and is yet again from the Kimora Lee Simmons design house. And you won’t be surprised to hear that it has the price tag to match retailed at no less than just under one thousand dollars! However, one glance at this Hello Kitty watch and you soon see why: it is completely made from high quality ceramic plus is said to be water resistant to a depth of one hundred feet if you feel so inclined to take it deep sea diving! It also has a a mother of pearl dial to add the final touch of extravagance which helps to make it one of the most stunning Hello Kitty watch that has ever hit the fashion world.

The Hello Kitty Classic Ribbon Analog Watch in Pink

We all know that pink is the standard Hello Kitty color so it comes as no surprise that one of the most popular Hello Watches comes in this color. It is another analog watch and is set on a pink leather strap that is extremely hard wearing to help with everyday use. It retails for under fifty dollars and the watch face shows the Hello Kitty logo in pink.

Those are just three of the best Hello Kitty watches that we think you could buy in 2011, so with these three different designs and price tags you can easily add a new and cute timepiece to your Hello Kitty collection. Why not buy one online today from the Kitty Shopaholic online shop – they always can guarantee a quick delivery and are well respected in amongst Hello Kitty fans as being the most competitively priced Hello Kitty store.

PS3 Bundle: Surprise Your Children

Jackson — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 18:15:54 +0000

When you are already a parent, determining what is best for your children is indeed a very difficult task. In as much as you want to give them only the best, you end up being hated because of your acts. Say for instance you put off the television because you have to send them off to study. You might have good intentions for doing so, but your children might end up mad at you.

However, as parents, the first step to understand their situation and the move for reconciliation must always come from you. You should understand that children might not yet be in their right minds to understand your intention.

In order to show them that you really love them and you never meant to punish them, why not bring home a surprise they would surely love? If you have no idea yet, then try bringing home a PS3 bundle. This is a complete set of PS3 console, headset, accessories and many other that will make your children be truly amused. This idea is among the best PS3 deals you can ever have. By buying this, you do not just make your children happy, but you also give yourself the chance of not spending a lot of money for a big surprise.

You can now make up with your children and let them feel that you really do no want to curtail their source of happiness. This move will not just make you a good parent, but for your children, you become the best parent.

However, since you were the one who gave the gadget, try to still set rules. By this, at least you can still control them and ensure that they spend an hour or two for their studies upon reaching home. To top it all, do not forget to also play with them. When you do this, you spend your extra time with them. You don’t have to go somewhere else just to strengthen your family’s bond.

Lego Batman: Two Face’s Escape and The Batmobile

Jackson — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 01:11:51 +0000

The Lego company recently released several Lego sets based on Batman. These sets typically involve the character Batman, an evil villain of sorts, and several vehicles, including the Batmobile. One such LEGO Batman set many children find particularly enjoyable is the LEGO 7781 set, also known as The Bat mobile: Two Face’s Escape. This set contains a total of 386 small Lego pieces, and only costs around $30 which is a reasonable price considering the number of pieces included. The 7781 includes three Batman Lego men, Batman, Two Face and his henchman. Two Face is the character in the Batman comics who suffers from several mental disorders and who has had his face horribly disfigured by acid.

The set also includes the famous Batmobile, cleverly designed with flames, wings, missiles and a small storage compartment in the rear. However, it appears that the manufacturers of this set were determined to focus their attention more on Two Face instead of Batman. He also owns a vehicle, which appears to be quite ordinary and harmless at first glance, but contains a set of secret guns installed on various fold out compartments of the vehicle. The vehicle is covered in stickers to make it resemble a bank van; it is also white and grey.

The 7781 set also includes a roadblock, gate and street lamp, as well as new batman equipment, a newly designed pistol and machine gun. They are the perfect tools to set up various scenarios, fascinating children for many hours. The set is not only suitable for children; many young adults find it quite entertaining to set up and even play with. Since the set includes 386 pieces, putting together everything can be quite a tedious task. Once everything is set up properly, one can either play out various Batman scenarios, or simply place it on a shelf to admire.

So, as you can see, this Lego Batman set is quite spectacular, and well worth the five out of five rank it has received. If you or your children happen to enjoy playing with Lego you should consider purchasing this set, as it is well worth the price. Just take into consideration the fact that, as with all LEGO, small children may choke on the pieces if not supervised.

Unique iCarly Party Favors for Teen Birthdays

Jackson — Sun, 09 May 2010 03:11:17 +0000

ICarly is the most popular program aired on Nickelodeon and is liked by both adults and the kids. Is your little girl also a fan of iCarly, then why not plan her birthday party with this wonderful theme. You may come across many unique iCarly party favors that can be used as goody bags for young girls.

First you need to start out with the decorations. The balloons and streamers can be in shades of pink and purple and can be hung from the corners of the walls or from the ceilings. You might also be interested in adding some iCarly banners at the entrance. For added effect the tables can also be decorated with iCarly tablecloths that can be purchased from any party supply stores. You can even go in for cute kids birthday party favors in colors of purple and pink.

The invitations that need to be sent out to the guests can be designed on purple or pink papers and stickers of iCarly can be used to decorate the invitations. We all know that iCarly loves computers so you might even be interested in sending out invitations through emails. There are a number of online resources that offer unique iCarly invitations at affordable rates.

Since kids are active, they might want to utilize this energy into some fun filled games and activities. Some fun filled games that could be included for this theme are Karoke, Dress up, Pinning the tail on the donkey, musical chairs and many more.

The food and beverage list for the party could range from finger sandwiches, peanut butter and jelly on party rolls, burgers, cheese cubes, chips, cookies. The birthday cake could be baked in the shape of iCarly or of her friends. Beverages that you could include are strawberry milkshakes, fruit punches and many more.

Coming to the iCarly birthday party favors, you could either purchase them from online stores or make one yourself by including items such as glitter headbands, bracelets, LED microphones, lip gloss, nail polish, cookies, candies and many more. These pretty iCarly party favors are a hit amongst little girls and will surely enjoy their goodies.

Popular Nursery Bedding Themes

Jackson — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:38:48 +0000

When you plan out your nursery decorations, the first step is to decide which nursery bedding themes to choose as it would determine the rest of your decorations. For many adults disney nursery bedding is one the first thing that comes to mind – everyone has fond memories of Disney characters and movies from our childhood. Sure they may be new cartoons at the moment, but nothing brings forth coziness like Disney characters that we are familiar with. Can you think of a Disney character that did not bring a smile in your face?

There are a few things you need to consider before you decide on your nursery theme. First, would you use this nursery room solely for the baby or are you going to share it with your older children? If so, then you should stick to themes that would not be too infantile and at the same time would still look like a childs room.

Aside from that, do you think you would still have the urge to redecorate this room again in the future. It might be exciting in the beginning but when you have other children already you might be too tired to redo everything and so it’s probably best to come up with nursery bedding themes that would not outgrow your kids.

Classic Winnie the pooh nursery bedding is the choice for most parents. For baby girls, they love the pink and green color scheme that they have with their 4-piece Winnie the pooh crib bedding set. Some Winnie the pooh nursery bedding on the other hand offer neutral colored bed sheets in creme with a slight hint of blue, this would be perfect for your baby boy. Aside from the fact that it is not too gender-specific, it your older kids would love them as well.

To further enhance your classic Winnie the pooh nursery bedding add some other details. Frame a picture of Eeyore, Tigger, Piglet and Winnie the pooh in one side of your wall. If you want to maintain the bedding scheme without going overboard with Winnie the Pooh accessories then use matching colors in your accessories without the Winnie the pooh logo.

Playhouses for Girls

Jackson — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 20:28:16 +0000

Children of all ages like to have a place that they can call their own. Playhouses for girls are a perfect way to let the child have her own space to explore their little imaginations in play.

For smaller girls and toddlers there are molded plastic playhouses. These playhouses have many different styles and colors available for girls. They also come with many different options as far as furniture and accessories. The molded plastic is perfect for little hands as it weather resistant and does not hold heat in or give off splinters like the wooden styles.

Playhouse tents for girls come in many different character or color options. These tents are usually made for indoor play and tend to be a bit small in size. Toddlers would not have a problem walking in and out of the doors on these little playhouses. The tents can come with a padded floor added or without a floor. With the option of a nice padded floor a child could use these playhouse tents for a comfortable sleep over with a friend. Many playhouse tents come with little carrying totes to store them in. The totes can allow for little girls to take them along to a friend’s house.

With a little work old sheds can be restored into perfect playhouses for girls. Windows can be cut into the side of the shed and plexiglass windows can be inserted. The outside of the shed can be painted or have siding installed onto it in the same color as the main house. The interior of the shed can be scraped and painted in any color choice the parent chooses. With a few pieces of wood cabinets can be made, sanded and painted to make the playhouse complete. On outdoor playhouses for girls many parents choose the option of having flower boxes added on. This is very possible on the exterior of an old wooden shed. The use of real flowers in these boxes allows for older girls to get their first hands on experience with gardening.

More elaborate childrens playhouses for girls can be custom built or purchased with many different options. Some of these types of playhouses have electricity in them so that real working lights are added. Running water is another option that luxury playhouses can have added to them. This allows for real working toilets in the playhouse so girls do not have to run into the main house to use the bathroom.

Log Cabin Playhouse

Jackson — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:10:40 +0000

A log cabin style playhouse can be a perfect play area for boys and girls alike. These playhouses can be made from many different materials such as cardboard, plastic and even wood. Age and the child’s size can be used for the determining factors when choosing the right playhouse for a child.

Molded plastic can be purchased in a log cabin style playhouse. These outdoor playhouses are geared for smaller children and are perfect for toddlers. The plastic used for the construction of these playhouses is weather resistant and light in weight. This blow-mold type plastic makes it safer for the child’s little hands. The plastic log cabin playhouse is generally made smaller so that little ones can enter and exit without a problem. They usually have a little table and chairs included with them that are the right size for toddlers to sit and play in.

For children in the five and up age range a wooden log cabin playhouse is more suited. These playhouses can be custom made from treated wooden logs to give it a more realistic feel to it. Many of these types of playhouses have the added option of a loft built into them. Having built in kitchens added and other furniture made from treated wood are more options for a wooden log cabin playhouse.

A custom built log cabin playhouse is a great option for an older child. The options available for a custom built playhouse are almost limitless. Adding electricity to the playhouse can give the child’s playhouse real working lights inside and even a real working doorbell. In more elaborate playhouses with electricity adding a television or stereo can be made possible. Some of the luxury style log cabin playhouses even have the addition of running water so that a real working toilet can be added to the home. Roofing materials, siding colors and style and window options are just some more choices that the parent can make when purchasing a custom built log cabin playhouse. Porch swings, decks and flower boxes can also give the log cabin playhouse more appeal to older children. These playhouses can even be turned into a garden shed or outdoor room after the child grows up.

The Different Kids Army Toys You Can Buy

Jackson — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:32:05 +0000

Army toys seem very popular with kids – perhaps they look up to someone in the family who is in the military or perhaps they have seen the work the army do from watching the television – either way, the different toys available offer them hours of role play fun. Lucky for parents, there are many different army toys available for them to buy. They can choose from action figures, vehicles, role play toys and even games. Children can start collecting toys from either the army, navy, air force or all three services and send their figures and vehicles into battle any time they like.

Army men toys are available in sets of various sizes. Small green army men are most prominent but although they are not articulated, a large number of them will ensure a great play battle. These sorts of figures are also quite inexpensive – you can buy 1000 cheap toy soldiers for about $25. The writers of Toy Story also noticed the popularity of army toys and included a number of green army men in their film. You can now buy an Army Legos set of four of these figures and an army Jeep for about $11. The recent GI Joe film has also created interest in action figures depicting the popular movie characters. These are larger and better quality figures which cost from $10 each.

There are many army vehicles that you can buy for your kids to complete the battle scene. As with anything you can go cheap and get 100 different vehicles for about $25 or you can get better quality, more detailed models made by Unimax from $16 per item. Role play toys are abundant and include items such as helmets, guns and play knives. You can also buy costumes and walkie talkies.

For less active army entertainment, why not consider one of the range of army related board games. Custom Monopoly games have been made for each area of the armed forces or there is the well known strategy game of Risk. Battleships is another popular choice.

So you will not need to look far to buy your kid one of the many army toys on offer. There is bound to be something to suit your kid and your budget.