Label Daddy: Revew and Giveaway

THE REVIEW:

When I was younger, I used to go to summer camp. And my dad would get these really dorky labels to put in all my clothes, or he would use a permanent marker to write my name in it. And every year most of the labels would fall off before the summer was over. And then we would need to re-label some of the stuff for the next year.



I was so excited to find Label Daddy. These
labels are AWESOME! They are microwave safe, dishwasher safe, and washer & dryer safe. They make clothing labels, shoe labels, sports labels, all purpose labels, return address labels and photo stickers and more!



I received a sample pack of labels, and these are just such high quality! They are durable, and easy to apply. And they are so nice looking (not like the dorky labels of my youth). You can get them laminated or not laminated.

I need to order some small all purpose labels to put on Sara's sippy cups. When we go to play dates and all the kids have the same cup, it is so hard to keep track which is which. A label that will stay on through the dishwasher will be a life-saver!



Where did the idea come from? (from the website):
"The daddies were inspired to create Label Daddy soon after becoming parents themselves. They would often hear many fellow parents complain that too much time was spent labeling and re-labeling clothes and other items that their children took to camp or school with so-called permanent markers that often faded in the wash. They realized this was the moment they had been waiting for, the opportunity to use their respective business experience to create a stylish, adorable, and extremely useful product. A product that would be easy to use, time efficient for mom, durable for dad, inexpensive for both and very personalized."

Sounds great, right? Can't wait to get some right now?

THE GIVEAWAY:

Well, one lucky winner is going to receive a $30 gift certificate to Label Daddy. This is definitely another one of those giveaways that I am sad that I can not win.

To enter:
Head on over to Label Daddy and leave me a comment letting me know which labels you would pick if you are the winner. Do not just say "Enter Me", I will delete these comments. Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you in the comment. If you are the winner, you have 3 days to claim your prize before I pick a new winner, so please remember to check back here.

Additional ways to get entries (you must leave me a comment for each extra entry, letting me know about it):
* Sign up for my feed: (if you are already a subscriber, leave me a message letting me know in the comment section).

* Blog about this giveaway, come back here and post the link in the comment section.

* Follow me on Twitter:

* Tweet about this giveaway, copy it for me and post it here.

* Fave me on Technorati:

There are 6 different ways to enter, please leave a separate comment for each one.

Giveaway ends on February 14, 2009. This giveaway is open to readers in the US only.





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Journal Buddies: A Girl's Journal for Sharing and Celebrating Magnificence Review

Are you looking for something really neat and special to give your kids? If so, then you need to check out Journal Buddies. It is an innovative kids journal that are interactive, creative, easy, effective and fun.

The essence of the Journal Buddies Books are sharing, creativity, and kindness combined with guided journaling creates an unforgettable experience in building and improving a child's self-esteem.



"Journal Buddies: A Girl's Journal for Sharing and Celebrating Magnificence"
has been awarded the Dove Family-Approved Seal.

Dove's Review of Journal Buddies states that it is "a very creative way to help
encourage self esteem in young girls. It is so important in this day and age to
help children with their self-image. This delightful ingenious journal will show
them a way to capture their imagination, ideas and thoughts and share them with
others. Giving the diary concept a different look. This is a perfect gift for
young girls." To learn more about Dove's review of Journal Buddies visit here

There is also Journal Buddies: A Boy's Journal for Discovering and Sharing Excellence available for boys.

Thanks to the Family Review Network for the opportunity to review this great product!





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Do you know about CPSIA?

As parents and concerned citizens I’m sure most of us at one time or another have been confronted with the question of lead poisoning. But have you asked yourself what your government is doing to protect your children from lead contained in toys? The answer? They're banning toys, taking books from schools and libraries, hurting low income families, killing entrepreneurial spirit and risking putting the economy in an even greater depression than we've seen in decades. I'd like to introduce you to their solution: the CPSIA.

Do you know about the CPSIA? No? Then I ask you to take a few minutes to find out about it.

The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on 10 February, 2009 and will impact many, many people in a negative way. Make no mistake, this is very real. View it for yourself. If Forbes, the American Library Association and numerous other media are paying attention, perhaps you should too.

How will these new laws affect you? Well, here are a few examples:

To the Parents of Young Students:
Due to the new law, expect to see the cost of school supplies sky rocket. While those paper clips weren't originally intended for your student to use, they will need to be tested now that your 11-year-old needs them for his school project. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being used by children under 12.

To the Avid Reader:
Due to the new law, all children's books will be pulled from library and school shelves, as there is no exemption for them. That’s okay though, there's always television. Our children don’t need to learn the love of reading after all.
Article from the American Library Association http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1322

To the Lover of All Things Handmade:
Due to the new law, you will now be given a cotton ball and an instruction manual so you can make it yourself since that blanket you originally had your eye on for $50 will now cost you around $1,000 after it's passed testing. It won't even be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making one-of-a-kind items virtually impossible. So that gorgeous hand-knit hat you bought your child this past winter won’t be available next winter.

To the Environmentalist:
Due to the new law, all items in non-compliance will now be dumped into our already overflowing landfills. Imagine not just products from the small business owners, but the Big Box Stores as well. You can't sell it so you must toss it. Or be potentially sued for selling it. You can't even give them away. If you are caught, it is still a violation.

To the Second-Hand Shopper:
Due to the new law, you will now need to spend $20 for that brand new pair of jeans for your 2-year old, rather than shop at the Goodwill for second hand. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.

To the Entrepreneur:
Due to this new law, you will be forced to adhere to strict testing of your unique products or discontinue to make and/or sell them. Small businesses will be likely to be unable to afford the cost of testing and be forced to close up shop. Due to the current economic state, you'll have to hope for the best when it comes to finding a new job in Corporate America.

To the Antique Toy Collector:
Due to the new law, you'd better start buying now because it's all going to private collection and will no longer be available to purchase. “Because the new rules apply retroactively, toys and clothes already on the shelf will have to be thrown out if they aren't certified as safe.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123189645948879745.html

To the American Economy:
Already struggling under an economy that hasn’t been this weak in decades, the American economy will be hit harder with the inevitable loss of jobs and revenues from suppliers, small businesses and consumers. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake.

To the Worldwide Economy:
Due to this new law, many foreign manufacturers have already pulled out of the US market. You can imagine the impact of this on their businesses.

If you think this is exaggerating, here is a recent article from Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/16/cpsia-safety-toys-oped-cx_wo_0116olson.html

And for those of you prepared to be stupefied and boggled, The New Law
http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html

Did you know? If this upsets or alarms you, please react.





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The Melting Pot Candle Co. Review and Giveaway

THE REVIEW:

So I have previously mentioned that I am part of the Crunchy Congo. One of the other shops in the Congo is The Melting Pot Candle Co.. She was kind enough to send me a gift set with a burner, some tarts and some tea lights.



I opened it up today and smelled the tarts for the first time, and holy moly, they were AMAZING! I wish there was some way for you all to be able to smell it through the computer, because it is just spectacular.

There are so many scents to choose from. You can even make your own scent if you want. The featured fragrance right now it Hot Cocoa. She sent me one, and it is spectacular. It really smelled good enough to eat.



I did not know what a tart was before I received my package, but I found this information on her site:
What is a tart?
A tart is a wick less candle that is warmed in a tart burner. As the wax is melted it gives off a fabulous fragrance that fills the room!



The Melting Pot Candle Co. also does random acts of kindness. Every month, The Melting Pot will be selecting one person to receive a FREE gift. It is our way of giving back. Basically, if you know someone who needs a "pick me up" or is going through a rough time, send their info to The Melting Pot and every month they will select someone to get a free package just to make them smile. How spectacular is that!

Sounds wonderful, huh? Well, you can head over to her spot on the congo, her hyenacart or her main store to purchase some tarts and burners for yourself or a friend.

THE GIVEAWAY:

Or maybe you will be the lucky winner who will win a full set- includes a burner, 3 cup tarts and 3 tealights.



To enter:
Head on over to The Melting Pot Candle Co. and leave me a comment letting me know which scent you would pick if you are the winner. Do not just say "Enter Me", I will delete these comments. Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you in the comment.

Additional ways to get entries (you must leave me a comment for each extra entry, letting me know about it):
* Sign up for my feed: (if you are already a subscriber, leave me a message letting me know in the comment section).

* Blog about this giveaway, come back here and post the link in the comment section.

* Follow me on Twitter:

* Tweet about this giveaway, copy it for me and post it here.

* Fave me on Technorati:

There are 6 different ways to enter, please leave a separate comment for each one.

Giveaway ends on February 10, 2009. This giveaway is open to readers in the US only.





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Mr. FuzzyPants Jewelry Review

So in my random Etsy searching I have come across Mr.FuzzyPants. The name was so unusual, I figured that I had to stop and check it out. When I got there are saw the beautiful items, I was very impressed.



And then I read the profile and realized that Reyna, the owner and crafter of Mr.FuzzyPants is eleven-year old! How cool is that! Her mom (owner of Morningbird) supervises her shop.



Reyna likes to work with beads, wire and polymer clay. Her favorite thing to make are any type of bracelet, charm, beaded, memory wire and any other kind she can manage. Here is another beautiful example.



And the name- inspired by her pet hamster, Rube. So if you are looking for some beautiful items to buy, please go and check her out!







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Hip-T Review and Giveaway

The Review:

So in my web travels, I have found some cool things. One of the recent items that I have found is the hip-t. What is the hip-t you ask?

From the site:
"hip-T noun: stretch fabric hip wrap worn over your jeans, and under your shirt: create sassy layers without the t-shirt tangle and prevent rear view sneak peaks."



Don't you hate it when you sit down and your shirt rids up or your pants are just a little too low and you end up showing skin that you don't want to or even your underwear? Do you hate thong peek-a-boo? How about plumber's crack?

The hip-t is your solution (and was my solution). I was offered a hip-t of my choice and color. Now I will say that I am a big girl and was not sure that they would have something in my size, but they did. The sizing goes from XXsmall to 3X. I am a size 2x right now and the 2x was a perfect fit. I absolutely love it! I have been wearing it everyday since I got it. There are all the colors of the rainbow available. There are regular and lacy. There are also sassy prints, like zebra. There really is something for everyone (unless for some reason you like to show your crack, and then it is not for you, LOL).



The Giveaway:

Sounds great right! Well, one of our readers are going to get one free! Hip-t has been generous enough one in a giveaway, winners choice of anything in stock.

To enter:
Head on over to hip-t and leave me a comment letting me know which hip-t you would choose if you win. Do not just say "Enter Me", I will delete these comments. Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you in the comment.

Additional ways to get entries (you must leave me a comment for each extra entry, letting me know about it):
* Sign up for my feed: (if you are already a subscriber, leave me a message letting me know in the comment section).

* Blog about this giveaway, come back here and post the link in the comment section.

* Follow me on Twitter:

* Tweet about this giveaway, copy it for me and post it here.

* Fave me on Technorati:

There are 6 different ways to enter, please leave a separate comment for each one.

Giveaway ends on February 8, 2009. This giveaway is open to readers in the US only.





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Vaseline Clinical Therapy Lotion Review and Giveaway

I am sure that you have all heard of the Prescribe the Nation Campaign from Vaseline. I know that I have seen the commercials and loved them.

Basically, it started in Kodiak; one of Alaska's many small towns, with a population of 6,000. Due to the location, Kodiak endures an extremely icy climate leaving many of its residents with dull, dry and cracking skin. This very reason is why Vaseline thought the demographic would be perfect to demonstrate the effectiveness of Clinical Therapy Lotion.

Vaseline turned to Petal Ruch, a voice coach and 50-year-old mother of four, who tried the product and felt it really worked, to start a word-of-mouth campaign for new Vaseline Clinical Therapy Lotion. If she liked it, she could then freely "prescribe" it to anyone else she thought needed it. Through word-of-mouth, her experience spread to more than 600 townspeople—including 39 cousins, a Russian music group, a knife maker, police detective, owners of fishing vessels, and many others-- whom also discovered that Clinical Therapy works.

View her story here

What is Clinical Therapy you ask?

It is a prescription-strength lotion that is available without a prescription and it provides 60% more moisture than a prescription lotion. The best part is that it's not greasy, watered down or too thick and is available lightly fragranced and unfragranced making Clinical Therapy great for the entire family.

I was lucky enough to receive a few bottles of Vaseline Clinical Therapy courtesy of Family Review Network. I just started to try it yesterday. It is awesome! I got the lightly fragranced one and was a little concerned because I don't normally like fragrances but I love this one. It really is a light, fresh barely noticeable scent. It made my skin so nice and soft!

I am so excited to "prescribe" this to one of my co-workers. She has really dry skin and is always looking for a great lotion to help with this and I know this is going to work out great for her!

Do you want to give it a try? I am going to be giving a set of two bottles (one for you and one so for you to "prescribe" to someone else) to a lucky winner!

To enter:
Head on over to Prescribe the Nation and leave me a comment letting me who you would like to prescribe this to and why. Do not just say "Enter Me", I will delete these comments. Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you in the comment.

Additional ways to get entries (you must leave me a comment for each extra entry, letting me know about it):
* Sign up for my feed: (if you are already a subscriber, leave me a message letting me know in the comment section).

* Blog about this giveaway, come back here and post the link in the comment section.

* Follow me on Twitter:

* Tweet about this giveaway, copy it for me and post it here.

* Fave me on Technorati:

There are 6 different ways to enter, please leave a separate comment for each one.

Giveaway ends on February 2, 2009. This giveaway is open to readers in the US only.





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Signature Sensuality Review

Disclaimer: This review is for adults, (the site being reviewed is extremely tasteful and has nothing explicit or graphic on it but it is still for adults only) If you are younger than 18 (or think you may be offended by this), please stop reading now and tune back in tomorrow for another review. Thanks!







I'll admit, I have been pondering how to do this review for sometime. I think it is really important to let you all know about this, but did not want to offend anyone. Hopefully my disclaimer (and this part which is sort of another disclaimer) will help. The site I am about to post a review about is a site that sells adult toys and books. It is very tasteful and there is nothing explicit or graphic, but it still is a site that sells adult toys and books. If this is not a review you want to read, again, please tune in tomorrow for another review. Thanks!







For those of you who are interested, here you go!



I was contacted by Lauren who is the founder of Signature Sensuality. She just recently started her business selling adult sensual toys and books. She specializes in toys and body products that are organic, chemical free (no parabens, petroleum, or glycerin) and toy materials must be body safe, latex free and she have some that are
environmentally friendly being either rechargeable or renewable.

From the email she sent me:
"I do not sell movies, but I do sell erotic literature. All the packaging on my products must be tasteful and non- graphic as well. Even the toys themselves are not realistic or extremely phallic by design. I cater to busy moms trying to reclaim
intimacy with their partners, help women who have sexual issues and offer an open and appealing environment where women can ask questions and shop without feeling deviant. I market through women's health professionals as well as marriage and sex therapists and strive to provide a feminine approach to a world long dominated and marketed to
by men.
Toys are not for every couple, but I can say that those who try them with their partner find it is the perfect addition to any household with a busy mommy:) I am just getting started, having been in business since July of this year. Most of my business is through home parties at the moment and I am hopeful the web business can
support my choice to stay home with the kids."

Right now she has some great specials running for Valentine's Day! What a great way to spice up the holiday!

Having a healthy sex life (whether it is just you or you and your partner) is very important to all busy mommies, so please check out her site and her blog for more information about her products.

And please let me know what you think about me posting this review. Are you comfortable with me posting other items that are for adults?





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Qlubb.com Review

Here is another website to help you keep that New Year's resolution about getting organized. Qlubb is a great service for busy moms!

When you sign up, you get your own homepage, mine is called Derrick Family and I am using it to keep all of our appointments organized. You get a secure, private site, a public webpage, group event calendar with reminders, shared to-do lists with reminders, group invites/RSVP's, file sharing, and more!

Qlubb is the easiest way to get your real-life groups organized and on the same page. Between our children's classrooms, scout troops, religious groups, social groups, book/wine clubs and families, we are constantly running around trying to plan and coordinate our group activities. Too often, organizing is just simply a source of headaches and undue stress.

Just IMAGINE, with Qlubb, you can:
• Easily organize group events and activities online
• Eliminate email back-and-forth
• Eliminate reminders and nags of events and responsibilities
• Easily delegate tasks to members
• Easily create a secure website for your group
• SPEND MORE TIME ENJOYING YOUR REAL-LIFE GROUPS

Qlubb is a must for the busy mommy.





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Sneak Peak of Nintendo DS Big Bang Mini game

This is actually not a review, but a sneak peak of a game that will be released in a couple of days. I will be doing the review later.

The game is Big Bang Mini for Nintendo DS and it looks really fun! Here is some information from the press release:

A challenging new twist on the retro shooter-style game, Big Bang Mini, developed in conjunction with Studio Arkedo, offers Nintendo DS™ players the opportunity to create their own fireworks displays. Players send up rockets with a sweep of the stylus while avoiding the burning fallout from fireworks which miss their targets. The aim of the game is to collect stars which fall when an enemy is defeated and progress through the game’s 90 levels.

Rated E for Everyone, the game is a ‘shoot ‘em up’ that will make long journeys pass in a flash – whether sat in the back of a car driven by mom or dad, or on the train while commuting to work, such is the game’s appeal to players of all ages. The tutorial arms players with the basic skills quickly, as play is controlled entirely by the stylus. Fast, strategic moves are required to send up fireworks, collect stars and move to safety from falling debris.

The aim was to create an absorbing, yet challenging game for Nintendo DS which fully utilized the unique attributes of the stylus to enhance gameplay, according to Melanie Mroz, CEO of SouthPeak Games. “The classic arcade shoot em up, is a perennial favorite, but it needed a genuinely new twist,” explained Mroz. “There’s a universal attraction to fireworks, and something strangely captivating about creating displays, even in the midst of gameplay. The sweep of the stylus is the ideal way to launch a rocket into the sky with a satisfying swoosh, before it bursts into a kaleidoscope of brilliant shapes and colors – and destroys the opposition. It’s this combination of the old and the new in Big Bang Mini which will have players hooked.”

The game has already received an excellent response from industry reviewers, was awarded ‘Best Game Soundtrack’ at the prestigious video game festival, Prix du Festival du Jeu Vidéo in France, and was also nominated for ‘Best Portable Console Game’.

Big Bang Mini is available at major retailers nationwide on January 20.

I will be posting a review of this game very shortly.





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