If you aren’t familiar with Club Penguin, it is a free online virtual world where kids can play in a safe environment. Although the game is aimed at 6-14 year olds, I know a lot of parents who find themselves wanting to play along with their kids. One of the best things about it is that there are a number of safeguards in place to prevent kids from sharing personal information (even inadvertently) with other players. Kids can play mini games for free but if they want to accumulate clothes and other items, they will need a monthly membership.

I asked my 8-year-old to tell me in her own words about Club Penguin. She said “It’s this really fun game where you go around playing and earning coins and get to buy fun outfits.” I guess that sums it up! Try Club Penguin for free and tell us what you think.

I’m addicted to Big Fish Games. There…I admitted it. They have just the kind of games that appeal to me. The games are more about using your mind to solve puzzles than memorizing 6 different buttons to push at the same time that you move your joystick and pull a trigger.

For the next 48 hours you can download one of their best selling adventure games, Hidden Expedition Amazon, for only $1.99. The CD of this game usually sells on Amazon for $11.88 PLUS shipping. You can download the game from Big Fish immediately and play it for less than 2 bucks. You can even try their games for free before you commit to buying them.

If you would like to get a look at the game before you download it, check out the Amazon video below. This price ends on July 16 so take advantage quickly! Be sure to use coupon code hidden199.

As someone who has used many different CD/DVD creation utilities and software packages, I can tell you the task can seem daunting.  However, if done right, the results can be fantastic.   Roxio Creator 2011 takes all the complex tasks and simplifies them so even novices can create breathtaking home video DVDs or photo CDs.  But the software isn’t just for video beginners – it has so many options, even an experienced video editor can agree the software is full featured and can be used for a wide variety of situations.

Creating photo CDs (especially for grandparents who live far away), is always a good idea but can be cumbersome and difficult.  Roxio helps you each step of the way to make amazing photo discs that can play on any DVD player or computer.  Also, new in this version of Creator is the ability to take your current photos and videos and turn them into 3D!  Imagine taking all those old photos and breathing new 3D life into them and reliving those experiences all over again.  No need to buy a special camera or anything else.   Roxio will take both your old photos and any new photos and make them 3D.

Creator is not just for visual media.   Use it to rip and catalog your CD collection and organize your music.  You can even use it to capture and clean the sound from old vinyl LPs.  Don’t let those LPs sit on the shelf any longer and possibly warp – protect them by digitizing them and make them sound great.  Once you have all your music, create a modern version of the mix-tape and create your own CD of your favorite tracks.

And last but not least, for those of us who “live in the cloud”, Roxio now offers a way that you can access your photos, videos, and music all remotely with any internet connected computer.  Traveling to a relatives?  No need to create photo CDs ahead of time and spending time putting specific photos on the disc!  Just use Creator 2011 and access every photo back on your home PC while you are traveling.

Don’t forget:  Roxio is available on SunshineRewards for Roxio cash back and coupons for many of their other products too!

Special Thanks to Roxio for donating a copy of Creator 2011 for a Sunshine Rewards Holiday contest!

From now through Monday (November 8), new customers can use the code “sunshinegame” (without quotes) to buy the full version of any standard game (excludes collector’s editions) for only $2.99. Plus, all Sunshine Rewards members will get an increased cash back of 20%. That’s a savings of up to 73%. And because you can download the game immediately, there is no shipping charge. Many of the games on Big Fish sell on Amazon for upwards of $20.

Even if you are not usually a “gamer,” I challenge you to give Big Fish Games a try this weekend. I can personally say that after trying just one game, I ended up loving them and my whole family is now all playing their games. There are no advertisements on the games and they are completely safe to download. If you need some ideas of which games to get started with, here are some favorites from Big Fish Game players as well as our own Sunshine Rewards members:

• Diner Dash
• My Kingdom for the Princess
• Cooking Dash
• Bejeweled 2 Deluxe
• Dora Saves the Snow Princess

Click here to see all of the Big Fish Games coupons and cash back deals at Sunshine Rewards. And check out the video below if you want to see a game in action.

We skipped an episode of podcasting because we were preparing for Affiliate Summit. So we figured that we had better bring our members back something good! Unlike most of our podcasts that have a clear theme, you won’t find anything that links together these three merchant reviews except that they are all merchants that we learned about at Affiliate Summit East in New York. Each of the three is unique in its own right, and we were able to see up close and personal the products from each of them while we were in New York.

Show Notes:

• Cindy walked us through the new ShopKenPaves.com website. Ken Paves is known for being a hairdresser to the stars (including Jessica Simpson). Now you can get his line of hair extensions, cosmetics, and hair products online. (Earn 5% cash back on purchases from Sunshine Rewards)
• Tricia revealed (shockingly) that she colors her hair.
• We were all very impressed with what we learned about Ken Paves and the care that goes into formulating everything that he sells. Look for a video on the videoblog soon where you can see Angie trying out bangs!
• Tricia introduced the Christian products site DaySpring. You may have seen some of their products at your local Hallmark store. They are the world’s largest producer of Christian greetings.
• DaySpring features free shipping on orders over $50 directly on their site, and you can find coupons codes online for $ off certain minimums. (Earn 7% cash back from Sunshine Rewards and check out our exclusive DaySpring coupon!)
• Do you Poken? After being introduced to the Poken at Affiliate Summit, Angie introduced us to the Poken Zoo program. We have a feeling that if you haven’t seen a Poken yet, you will be seeing one soon! (Earn 10% back on purchases through Sunshine Rewards.)
• Pokens allow you to exchange social networking information with people just by touching your Pokens to each other. You have to check out the site to see how cool they are. Angie already ordered her little pink “Geisha.”

No dogs barking, doorbells ringing, or toilets flushing in this podcast. We almost sounded professional. Almost. Next podcast will be about where you can find college and NFL fan gear.

Father’s Day is June 21, which is right around the corner. This week on She Shops Around, the Sunshine Rewards ladies reviewed three different merchants that would be perfect for Father’s Day Gifts. Father’s Day is no longer about ties for dad. It’s about gadgets and grilling and gifts that make dad feel special.

Show Notes:

• Angie reviewed Omaha Steaks, which all three of us have ordered from before and been pleased. Find out what to do with those coolers after you have received your order. (Earn 3% cash back through SR plus use our Omaha Steaks coupon for free burgers this week)
• Tricia reviewed Buy.com, her “go to” merchant for gifts for her husband. (Earn 2% cash back through SR)
• Cindy reviewed a merchant that is newer to the group, DiscountWatchStore.com. Learn about the different types of watches you can buy and how to be sure you are getting what you want. (Earn 4% back on purchases plus use our exclusive limited time DiscountWatchStore.com coupon)
• Want to win a $10 gift certificate? Be sure to listen to the whole podcast and you will find out how you can be entered!

Next month we will be talking about FAMILY summer fun.

4inkjets.com has printer ink, photo paper, and other printer supplies for 19 different manufacturers which includes 100′s of different printer models.  You should have no problem finding the products that you need.  They also carry both new and remanufactured ink cartridges.  In the past I always ordered new ink cartridges until I discovered the products at 4inkjets.  With their 100% money back satisfaction guarantee, I felt comfortable trying the recycled products.  I found that they were identical to the new cartridges in every way with the exception of price.  I much prefer to pay $10 to $15 for printer ink as opposed to $30 to $40.

Combine BIG cash back and great quality with valuable coupons like 10% off of any order and Free Shipping on every order of $50 or more, and 4inkjets.com is a deal that cannot be beat.  Check out 4inkjets.com at Sunshine Rewards today!

As May draws close to June, we start seeing more about graduations. Whether the graduation is from preschool, kindergarten, high school, college, or even grad school, we are all looking for the perfect gift and party ideas. Today the Sunshine Rewards ladies reviewed three merchants that you do not necessarily think of first when you think about graduation: TheFlip.com, Shindigz. and Magazines.com.

Show notes:

• Tricia and Cindy relived Tricia’s high school graduation and the fact that Cindy repainted the whole house.
• Cindy reviewed TheFlip.com, the official store of the Flip videocamera. Who does the Flip make a great graduation present for? Pretty much everyone on your list. (Get Free shipping and 2% back when you buy your Flip through SR)
• The ladies talked about the different ways that they use their Flip cameras, including for fun, work, and school projects. We pretty much use the Flip for every video in this videoblog.
• Angie walked us through the Shindigz website. In addition to party supplies, they have tips for throwing parties and party activities. Check out our Shindigz coupons and videos.
• Tricia discussed Magazines.com and how to find a magazine that fits for your graduation gift recipient. Get Magazines.com coupons plus GREAT cash back through our SR page.

No major glitches today. Next podcast: weddings and anniversaries. Check out all of our Graduation merchants at Sunshine Rewards.

You can enter to win in three ways, and the contests will end on March 17, 24, and 31. Visit our Win an iPod Shuffle page to get more information. You can enter with Facebook, Twitter, or daily surveys. Also, check out the video below to see my iPod Shuffle and why I love it. (If you don’t win one, you can always buy one at the Apple Store!)

I know this isn’t the best quality video and I am a little late getting it up (notice the Christmas tree in the background??) but my kids were playing Wii Carnival Games again last night and I remembered that I wanted to tell all of you about it!

We got Wii Carnival Games for Christmas and it became an instant hit. The whole family (from 5 to 60+) played it through Christmas (including both set of grandparents). On New Years Eve, the men and kids played. We didn’t come across a single guest who didn’t love Carnival Games. So what’s the attraction?

First, I think it is easy to learn. Because you get instructions before each mini game, you can pick up learning the game as you go. Second, the games are familiar–things like ring toss and strong man. And third, it’s an even playing field for everyone. Some games are skill and others are a little luck. Each mini game requires a different skill set. You may not be good at one but you will be good at something.

Depending on what game mode you select, you can do things like personalize your characters, win carnival prizes, and open new areas. Some of our favorite games are Dunk Tank, Day at the Races, and Skeeball. You can play quite a while without getting bored because there are over 20 games and 250 different prizes.

You can purchase Wii Carnival Games at pretty much any video game or electronic store that we have on Sunshine Rewards.