Because I Said So!!! Mom Knows Best!

My son went through the trading
card phase. We did not have them when I
was young other then Baseball cards
but trading cards now have become quiet
the thing. Stores carry them near the check
out counters for impulse buys and let me tell
you this strategy works! Not only did I have my
son chasing me through the house begging to
go to the store for cards when we were at
the store and there was a slim chance he might
have forgotten about them we were reminded
about them in a stagnant line where all we could
do was stare at the display that embodied
his obsession. I would end up spending anywhere
from 5 to 20 dollars a week on those babies! Add
in the extra expenses for Duel kits, actions figures
and other branded merchandise and we are racking
up enough cash to fund a small country.


Garbage pail kids, Pokemon, Yugioh, My
Little Pony, Magic the Gathering were coveted and
prized. What ended up happening with them? Well,
most ended up in a box covered in dust. I wondered
a year or so ago if they still had any value like Baseball
cards do and did some shopping around to see what
they were worth. Turns out not even the paper they
were printed on. They used to be worth something.
For a New York minute. The problem is if you didn't
sell them when the Iron was hot all you are left with,
is, well, Trading cards. The selling them for profit
phase is the only craze my son ever missed.
Last week I was at my Brother in Laws house
where my three Nephews live and heard the
familiar chant, "Mom, can we have some cards?"
knowing that good money was beings thrown
around after bad I shuddered. We have two facts
here that are just a part of life.

1. Cards are here to stay so deal with it.

2. There is no way to escape it.

When a product package showed up on my
doorstep that contained collectors cards geared
for Girls I sighed! Here goes another small fortune
who's investment I will never see a return on.

Then I broke into the packet.

For starters they were not as expensive as the
other cards I used to have to buy were. The Cards
Andrew cried for were priced anywhere from
$3.49 to $5.99. Anything that potentially saves
me money brings a smile to my face. These cards
were priced at only $2.99 for a pack of 5 trading
cards and one sticker card and one Bella Sara
Ticket card. That turned my frown up a little
but what else could they offer that would make
the cards mean more to me ( we already know
the kids are sold on them.) then just another card
that will end up as either a book mark or ground
clutter that I will end up picking up on a daily
basis.

I flipped through the press kit with reluctance
and slowly I was swayed. Some other cards have
items to accompany them but lets get real here.
The only reason that Pokemon and Yugioh have
Action figures and T-shirts are for the company's
to bilk more money from already bankrupt parents.
Take out a second mortgage to buy the complete
set of action figures for you gotta catch um all?
Do they offer anything for free to sweeten the deal
for parents and make their investment more then
just a passing fancy?

NO Way!

These cards didn't fit into the category of "Bilk
Mom and Dad for every last Penny" and that
impressed me.

Bella Sara makes cards that appeal to little
girls and their fantasy's of Princesses, Castles,
Horses and Magic. The skillful designs take the
child into a world of Mythical Delight. As a girl who
grew up with a love for Horses I found that the designer
or Artist who came up with the cards was able to
capture the "Magic" of a fantasy World and combine
it with the tangible dream of a Horse with images
that hold onto the essence of a little girls
imagination. If I were a 6-12 year old girl I
would carry these with me everywhere in a
little purse to show off to everyone as a Grand-
mother would pictures of her Grandchildren.
Though Skeptical at the start of the review
the basic concept of the cards changed what
way the wind was blowing for me.
Still, to make this a product I would be
proud to recommend they would have to
go the extra mile.

Did they?

Funny you should ask, for why yes, they
did!

What ended up selling me on the product
was not just the fact that my daughter would
threaten to hold her breath until she either had
a pack or turned blue. It is not the fact that they
are cheaper then the other trading cards I am
familiar with. It is not the fact that they have
magical intricate pictures that play on a
child's imagination or cater to my sense
of Nostalgia for my own youth and passions.
It is the fact that they offer more then just a
card that will end up in the trash, the floor
or somewhere in the backyard.








It is the fact that they offer an interactive
computer game that complements the
cards and and keeps you child entertained
for hours. It is also the fact it is free! instead
of taking the approach to find yet another
way to get some loot from mom and dad
Bella Sara offers a web site where you
can play games, adopt your own horse
and nurture it along, unlock secrete codes
and spend time in a world they help build
with their own decisions and codes they unlock.
Bella Sara offers hours of Entertainment where
the environment is safe and content you can trust.
There is a Parent control page that lets you
monitor your child and setting that are age
appropriate. Activities pages and print out,
poster's, Jig saw puzzles and even off-line
games. You are not bombarded with
BUY THIS NOW, and Kids ask your Mom,
trash advertising and the free things your
children can do on this site are endless
and engaging. I loved the site and now
respected the cards. The Adopt a Horse
reminded me of Digi Pet my son was
involved in and I remember a pretty
nice sized price tag on that but this site
lets you put your hard earned cash back
on the money tree your kids think you
have access to. The games are great for
a wide age range and even I spent some
considerable time on the site. Consider me
swayed, consider me sold. The web site
and everything it offered to complement
the cards pushed me way over the edge and
I give it an outstanding recommendation!
So long Pokemon, Belle Sara, glad you are
here!









In the press kit I received were also
two packs of cards. Since my Daughter
is still way to young for anything like this
and it would most likely end up in her
mouth and I am not sure how well paper
is digested I thought I would offer them to
you guys. To enter just tell me what you
collected as a child. The contest starts
today and will run to January 3rd at
Midnight. USA and 18 and older can
enter daily and the winner will be contacted
by email and have 72 hours to contact me
with their mailing information. As always
you can earn a bonus entry by entering the
contest of the day and other ways to enter
 are posted below.



http://bellasara.com/index_bs.aspx




Extra entries.
Extra entries only count after the initial entry
is completed.

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post that you are. 3 entries,
please post 3 times.
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per contest, separate post for each entry.
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5 times.

4. Blog about this contest somewhere else
and post the link here. 5 Entries Please
post five times.
Hey there, while you are here don't forget to enter
my  Uneaks and Super Anti-spyware contests!