Mix it up with Kool Kid Legs from Mamarunswithscissors (plus giveaway!)

The layered look, or twofer, is a simple but revolutionary idea--take a tee shirt and sew on long sleeves in contrasting colors. Twofers remain a top trend and are now a staple of most boys' wardrobes. While sleeves in unexpected (or even clashing) colors make otherwise ho-hum tees look cool, prints, plaids and stripes make them look even cooler. Which is why I was thrilled to run across Kool Kid Legs by Mamarunswithscissors.

Kool Kid Legs are handmade arm/leg warmers that can be mix-and-matched with any tee to create something unique, one-of-a-kind, and a little wild. I LOVE the argyle print and the Tim Burton-esqe black and red stripes, above. Kool Kid Legs are super cozy, stay put, and save money too, because adding long sleeves extends the life of pricey designer tees. They are the perfect accessory for spring, when it starts out cool in the morning and gets warm later. If your boy gets too hot on the playground, he can just slip off his sleeves! For those of you with baby boys, Kool Kid Legs are great to pair with onesies.

Mamarunswithscissors is giving away a pair of 14 inch Kool Kid Legs to one lucky Unboring Boys reader! Just visit Mamarunswithscissors' shop, then email unboringboys@yahoo.com with KOOL KID LEGS in the subject line and tell us what design you like. We'll draw a winner at random February 28th. U.S. residents only, please. Good luck! In the meantime, Mamarunswithscissors is offering free shipping on all orders through 2/28 for readers. Just use the keyword "Unboring" when ordering.

Cloth Napkins from JuniperBerries (Win a set!)

Even small changes make a difference, so last year, my family resolved to use reusable bags for all our shopping. For 2010, we're using cloth napkins instead of paper.

To get my boys excited about the switch, I searched for some fun designs that boys would like. I knew I'd found the coolest napkins ever when I ran across Juniperberries' Mad Kitty napkins ($7/set of 2). Even if you aren't a cat person, it's hard not to fall in love with these adorable tabbies in lab coats!

Juniperberries is giving away a 2-piece set of Mad Kitty napkins to one lucky Unboring Boys reader! Just visit JuniperBerries' Esty shop, then email unboringboys@yahoo.com with MAD KITTY in the subject line and tell us what other napkin designs you like. We'll draw a winner at random February 7th. U.S. residents only, please. Good luck!

P.S. Moms, while you're looking at napkin designs, check out JuniperBerries' to-die-for collection of aprons. Even if you're just making macaroni and cheese from the box, you will look chic in their gorgeous black and white floral half apron, just $18!

Win a Set of Thank You Notes for Boys from Bugaboo Announcements!

Writing can seem like a chore for my 6-year-old son, Nick, who is still working on strengthening his grip. That's why I love these fill-in-the-blank notes from Bugaboo Announcements (13.95 for 12). They're the perfect "training" notes for kids like Nick, who are learning the importance of thanking others but struggle when it comes to writing whole paragraphs.

Even for confident writers, composing a stack of thank you cards can seem overwhelming. Here, some ideas for making it fun:

1) Put together a box of special markers, pens and stickers only to be used for writing thank you notes.

2) Give your unboring boy a set of cool personalized note cards, like Alien note cards (16.95 for 12) and matching return labels (7.95 for 24 labels). Bugaboo Announcements carries an awesome collection of cards with fun, original, and all-occasion designs that boys will love.

3) Do your boys need a little extra motivation to write thank you notes? Allow them to play with new toys the day they are received. After that, put the toys away until thank you notes have been written and mailed.

4) Before sitting down to write, talk to your child about the gift. What does he like about it? Who gave it to him and what makes that person special? This will help him figure out what to write.

5) Involve your son in every part of the process, from stamping the envelopes to dropping the cards at the post office.

6) Set a goal of writing one or two thank you notes a day, depending on your child's age, to keep the task from becoming overwhelming.

Bugaboo Announcements is giving away a set of 12 note cards from their Bugaboo Notes stationary line to one lucky Unboring Boys reader! Just visit Bugaboo Announcements's Etsy shop or their website at www.bugabooannouncements.com, then email unboringboys@yahoo.com with BUGABOO in the subject line and tell us which card design you would choose should you win. We'll draw a winner at random January 24th. U.S. residents only, please. Good luck!