Checking Our List #26: Blabla’s Basil Bunny Knit Mini Doll from Maukilo {Review & Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, Machell!}

When I think back to the holiday gifts that I unwrapped and loved when I was a child, none of them included cords and chargers and had to be the "latest edition" in fear of otherwise not being cool. Am I that old or have times just really changed?

As much as I know that my kids are going to want those items as they get older, for now I love the idea of filling their lives with high quality, unique and beautiful items that are not only fun and entertaining, but made to last a lifetime. Things that will inspire their imagination and hold up to the endless hours of playtime that my girls will put them through.

And, with that in mind, there really are only a few names that I instantly think of in terms of where to look. As much as we have tried, and loved, quite a few different brands, styles and types of toys, one website that I am positive that I can always count on for the widest selection of heirloom-quality European and American toys is none other than Maukilo.com.

With a huge selection of the finest wooden puzzles, games, books and playthings, Maukilo has something for infants all the way through the big kid years. As well as being finely constructed, everything Maukilo sells far exceeds safety standards so that there is never any question that it lives up to their motto of "Buy once. Play forever."

We have been fortunate to review many of the amazing items that Maukilo offers in the past, but never anything from their adorable dolls & furniture collection. So I had no doubt that Big Sister E and Little Sister B were going to be thrilled (I have to admit, I was pretty interested, too) with the opportunity to see one of their beautiful Blabla dolls in person.

When Blabla's Basil Bunny Knit Mini Doll arrived, I was just as impressed as I thought I would be. I've seen Blabla items in passing before, but have never touched them or held them close enough to see the details that go into each and every one of these adorable animals.

Hand-knitted in Peru from the finest 100% natural cotton and slightly under-stuffed for that cuddly feel, this 12-inch bunny has a cute, smiling face, big floppy ears and is covered in gender-neutral stripes (done with non-toxic dyes). Looking closely, it was easy to see that a lot of care had gone into making sure that this handcrafted animal was beautifully finished from every angle.

Having passed my inspection, I handed Basil Bunny over to the two people who I knew would be the real judges. Big Sister E and Little Sister B aren't shy about letting me know if a stuffed animal doesn't interest them, so I wondered if they would see the same uniqueness or appreciate the handiwork like I did. They took one look and...
Kisses all around! As soon as the lovefest began, I knew that Blabla not only had created a sweet stuffed friend but that he was now officially welcome to stay. And, considering his cuteness and overall appeal to just about any age and personality, I couldn't help but agree. As a baby gift or as a holiday present, the Basil Bunny Knit Doll is a high quality gift idea that would be a hit for kids and parents alike.

Whether you browse at Maukilo by age, price or brand, you'll be sure to find plenty of options that fit your child's interests. Or, for even easier shopping, having their selection broken down into individual categories such as pretend play, construction toys or outdoor toys ensures that you can find a particular item or type of items with only a few clicks.

For toys that are going to be treasured and last for years to come, Maukilo.com is a great place to shop this holiday season. And, thanks to their generosity, one person will have an adorable stuffed pal to give to one child on their list, because...

One lucky person will win Blabla's Basil Bunny Knit Mini Doll
from Maukilo! ARV $33.99!

To enter to win: Visit Maukilo.com and tell me another of their high quality items that you would love to give as a holiday gift.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry if you head over to A Mom's Balancing Act and enter to win Haba's Memo My Toys from Maukilo!
1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow Maukilo on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook. 1 more Extra Entry if you leave the following message on their wall: Maukilo is a great place for holiday gifts! I just entered to win a Blabla Basil Bunny Knit Doll at Thanks, Mail Carrier! http://bit.ly/eeJQfQ
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the Holiday Gift Guide giveaways (Checking Our List giveaways ONLY) running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

Checking Our List 26: WIN a Blabla Basil Bunny Knit Doll (ARV $34) from Maukilo.com! #thxmailcarrier http://bit.ly/eeJQfQ #giveaway #win

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email or become a fan on Facebook.
3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you have our Checking Our List {Holiday Gift Guide 2010} button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to Thanks, Mail Carrier and Maukilo.com. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on December 23rd at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to Maukilo.com for providing a Blabla Basil Bunny Knit Mini Doll for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.