(c) (photo property of this Star Toy Co Blog – shows Tom’s Toys San Luis Obispo stuffed snake toys hanging on wall spelling out name)

The Santa Maria Town Center Mall is undergoing a fabulous transformation under it’s new ownership. The goal seems to be turning it into not just a shopping experience, but a family event. We took our grandkids there the other day and they had a lot of fun.

Many new businesses are coming to the Town Center Mall (east) including TOM’S TOYS. Tom’s Toys is an independently owned old-fashioned kind of toystore with a mix of specialty toys and mainstream toys.

What makes a specialty toystore different from a big box store? Well for one, the customer service extras: On your way to a birthday party? Purchase your gift at Tom’s Toys and ask if they can wrap it for you FREE! It’s what they do!

Tom’s Toys is no longer owned by ‘Tom’, who used to call it Uncle Tom’s Toys.  Ted Frankel has been the owner for the last 30 years or so. Ted likes offering great deals and frequent sales to his customers.

Besides the new Santa Maria CA store opening soon, Tom’s Toys is also located in San Luis Obispo on Higuera Street (see photo above), and in Montrose and Beverly Hills. Each store has it’s own unique personality and variety of toys to choose from.

Pre AFTER HALLOWEEN COSTUME SALE at Castles N Crowns .com

All of Harrisons Halloween Costumes are ON SALE HERE, at greatly reduced prices for their entire DESIGNER LINE OF COTTON BABY COSTUMES. Prices start at $1.00!

Styles include (size not age 0-6 months):

Frankenbaby (cutest design)

Dracula Vampire (most clever design)

Spider (most popular gender-neutral design for both boys and girls)

Vampira (girl spider dress design)

Witchie (most popular girl design)

Baby Capes (0-12 months: $1)

Baby Witch Hats (0-4 months: $1 and 0-9 months: $1)

Update on Contest Winner #3 – Leslie of Madera CA won! Thanks to all who entered the contest hosted by the Green Halloween organization and Celebrate Green organization.

This is not a onesie!

Onesies(TM) are actually a trademarked name of the Gerber company’s bodysuit for infants. We always thought a onesie was like a t-shirt, simply a common name for a piece of clothing, like pants or socks or jeans. (Or maybe like some people say kleenex, when they mean tissue).

Several children’s clothing companies have been notified by Gerber to remove/change any reference to Onesie or onesie on their websites if those items are not Gerber brand Onesies (TM). We will gladly do the same.

Our Harrisons Halloween 100% Cotton Adorable Spooky Baby Halloween Costumes will no longer be described as including a onesie — instead they include a ONE PIECE BODYSHIRT.

Sorry Gerber! We never meant to use a word that does not belong to us! We think we have corrected every usage of that term on our website and our blogs. If we’ve missed any, it was unintentional and in error — we’ve looked and reviewed, and honestly think we corrected all references… If not, we hope our readers will point them out to us, with our thanks.

We love Gerber products and the famous ONESIE! We just happen to sell our own brand which will no longer use that term, and apologize for our misunderstanding of that terminology.

If you have a new baby ages 0-6 months (or size 0-6 months) and are in need of a free halloween costume, you might want to look at this:

Harrisons Halloween Costumes (sold online at Castles N Crowns) is offering a free 100% Cotton “Adorable Spooky Baby Costume”, one per family. Just write to them at harrisonshalloweencostumes at yahoo dot com and tell them why you’d like a free vampire or vampira cotton costume.

There is no charge for the brand new designer costume (reg. price $24.95), but you will have to pay $6.95 shipping via credit or debit card through a paypal invoice (you do Not need a paypal account).

THE FREE COSTUMES ARE EITHER BOY VAMPIRE OR GIRL VAMPIRA only. Deadline: Monday October 12, 2009.

If you would like to purchase other cotton baby costumes from Harrisons Halloween and Castles N Crowns, they also offer Witchie girl, FrankenBaby and Spider, SOLD HERE.

Harrisons Halloween would like to donate some of their 100% COTTON Harrisons Halloween Costumes (“Adorable Spooky Baby Costumes for Baby’s First Halloween”) to non-profit organizations who might be interested in giving them away or using for fundraisers. Sizes: Newborn to 6 months only. Deadline: Monday October 12, 2009.

According to the organization Green Halloween dot org, these are the only Non-Petroleum Based Infant Cotton Costumes on the market today.

You will need to email us your contact name and information, including your organization’s website. Also let us know how these infant costumes can help your organization or your fundraiser. You will also need to email (or bring in person) a Tax Donation Letter on your official letterhead.

Retail Value of each costume is $24.99 each. These are Designer Costumes, designed by Santa Barbara mom and imported for affordability.

They do giveaways every year and in the past have been taken advantage of by people who give out false information — this year they will require your tax ID number and will need to verify everything before they make the donation. Donation quantities up to 40 per organization. Let us know how many you need. Please only take as many as you can use.

They would also be glad to donate to needy individuals (only one or two per person), but please only if you really have a baby in the 0-6 months age range. Tell us a little about yourself and why you would like one of these costumes for your baby.

If you would like to read about the costumes and see more photos, please go to the Harrisons Halloween blog at:
http://harrisonshalloweencostumes.wordpress.com/

5 Styles to choose from:
Frankenstein
Count Dracula Vampire
Scary Spider
Witchie (Girl dress up to 9 months)
Vampira (girl dress up to 9 months)

Harrisons Halloween – Costumes For Your Little Monster! Baby’s First Halloween Costume in 100% Cotton. Adorably Spooky Baby Costumes. FREE TO NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.

NOTE: Must pick up in person locally in Buellton CA.

Posted on Santa Barbara Craigslist here.

If you are interested in purchasing these costumes at retail price, please BUY HERE.

If you would like to purchase in BULK (low min. of 10 or more) at a LESS THAN WHOLESALE discount, please email us at harrisonshalloweencostumes at yahoo dot com. No resale number required.

COTTON Infant Outfit Off-White 0-6 Months DOLLAR SALE!

Two piece off-white cotton pants and top with bubble ruching design in fabric.

CLEARANCE PRICE: ALL SALES FINAL.

Size 0-6 months. 100% Cotton.

Free Booties and Hat included.

Click Here to BUY at Castles N Crowns.

Castles N Crowns is having a dollar sale on select items here:

On sale for only one dollar each:

Pirate Eye Patch and Earring

Magic Wands

Scary Spider Wands

Witch Hats (infant / cotton)

Black Capes (infant / cotton)

Lullaby CD

Halloween Witch Hat Infant Size 0-9 months DOLLAR SALE at Castles N Crowns (designer baby costumes by Harrisons Halloween Costumes)

Black Witch Hat for 0-4 months or 5-9 months.
Black Ribbon Ties at chin.

Shown with OPTIONAL FLOWER SOLD SEPARATELY.

(Could also be used as pet costume hat or doll costume hat.)

Matches their Halloween Dress sold separately.
Or buy complete baby Witchie Costume here.

Harrisons Halloween Costumes is having a dollar sale on Baby Capes and Baby Witch Hats, sold at Castles N Crowns.

Black 100% Cotton Cape for infants 0-12 months.
Ribbon Ties at neck.

Cape is approx. 14.5 inches long. Neck approx. 10-14 inches.
Arm slits for optional use. Great Halloween Costume accessory.

Machine Wash Cold. Tumble Gentle. Imported.

DOLLAR SALE. Reg. Price: $9.99 SALE PRICE: $1 each!

Celebrate your baby’s first Green Halloween with an adorable, 100% cotton get-up from Harrison’s Halloween Costumes! Designed by a hip California mom looking for cute and spooky costumes for parents, grandparents, and gift givers with a sense of humor.

Five styles available:

“Frankenbaby” (cute Frankenstein)
“Dracula” Vampire
“Scary Spider”
“Witchie” girl witch dress
“Vampira” girl vampire dress

Sizes 0-6 months only.

How to win?

All you need to do is reply to Green Halloween’s post. Easy!

Stay tuned for your third and final opportunity to win a Harrison’s costume. (They’ll also be announcing additional opportunities for more great, Green Halloween gear on their site.)

Harrison’s Halloween Costumes are the only 100% cotton (non-petroleum-based) baby costumes that Green Halloween and Celebrate Green have seen on the market. They’re available for sale at CastlesNCrowns.com.

For other safe, eco-friendly costume ideas, visit Green Halloween’s costume page.

Winners chosen at random. Comments must be received by SEPTEMBER 18TH at 11:59am PST. Must be at least 10 entries. One per person, please.

UPDATE: Unfortunately, there were only 8 contest entries for this giveaway, so no winner this time! Try again next time!