Mary Kay Winner!

And the Mary Kay Giveaway winner is... comment #11!

Justine M. said...
I follow #2


Congrats Justine! I just emailed you, so please reply within the next 48 hours.

Valeriya Review and Giveaway!

If I had to pick out what Izzy's favorite article of clothing at the moment is, it would definitely be skirts! Long skirts, short skirts, frilly skirts, plain skirts, any kind of skirt, Izzy loves them all! She loves to twirl around and watch her skirt flitter in the hair! It's so cute! If you have a daughter who is anything like Izzy, you will love this review and giveaway!

Valeriya is an Etsy shop run by none other than Valeriya herself! She is so sweet and you will love all of her creations! Valeriya is originally from Russia and while she was young she learned how to sew from her best friend's mom. She has always been very interested in fashion and actually has a degree in pattern making and custom building! When you see her pieces in person you can definitely tell that she knows her stuff because the quality is very professional! Valeriya moved to the United States after marrying her husband, who was a soldier in the US Army. When Valeriya had her children she decided that she wanted to be a stay at home mom so she started her adorable Etsy shop where she sells clothing, bedding, burp clothes, blankets, and much more! One thing that really impressed me is that Valeriya makes her creations in a smoke-free and pet-free home, which really helps when your child has allergies like mine does!

Now, let me introduce you to the wonderful item I got to review! Valeriya sent me the beautiful Matryoshka Twirl Skirt, which I am totally in love with, as is Izzy! It is so unique and beautifully crafted! What's really nice about it is how many colors are in the print, which makes it easy to match to many different colored shirts. It also looks great with leggings underneath on the chilly days of fall!

Valeriya has also been kind enough to include a choice of one onesie and burp cloth set for one of you lucky ladies! I can't wait to see who wins this! The onesie and burp cloths also make great baby shower or new baby gifts, Valeriya even does free gift wrapping!

Please show Valeriya some love and check out her beautiful shop!

Here are the entry rules:
1. (This is the mandatory entry) Receive one entry for visiting Valeriya and telling me what your favorite item is. Make sure you leave your EMAIL address in this entry.
2. Receive two entries for following my blog and telling me that you do in two separate comments.
3. Receive one entry for being an email subscriber and telling me that you are in a comment.
4. Receive three entries for grabbing my new button and putting it on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
5. Receive one entry per day for following me on Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway! Leave me a comment each day to let me know that you did.
6. Receive one entry per day for updating your Facebook status and including the link to this giveaway. Leave a comment with a status link.
7. Receive five entries for blogging about this giveaway on your blog and leave me the link in a comment.

This giveaway will end on November 4, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

sTuck in the Coop Giveaway!

I am currently obsessed with personalized jewelry, I just love how unique and different each item can be! This is why I'm so excited to announce this new giveaway from sTuck in the Coop, a fabulous Etsy shop run by Heather, a stay at home to her two sons Tucker and Cooper, which is where the name for her shop comes from! Heather makes many different kinds of personalized jewelry and when you browse her shop, you'll realize that the possibilities really are endless!

Some of my favorite items from sTuck in the Coop are the I've Been Brushed with Love necklace, the Family Squared necklace, and the Triple Love Stack necklace. She also makes many other items like bracelets, keychains, and earrings!
Also, Heather has generously decided to give one of you lucky ladies a $35 gift certificate to pick out something fun and personalized for yourself! I can't wait to see who wins!

Here are the entry rules:
1. (This is the mandatory entry) Receive one entry for visiting sTuck in the Coop and telling me what item you'd choose if you win. Make sure you leave your EMAIL address in this entry.
2. Receive two entries for following my blog and telling me that you do in two separate comments.
3. Receive one entry for being an email subscriber and telling me that you are in a comment.
4. Receive three entries for grabbing my new button and putting it on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
5. Receive one entry per day for following me on Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway! Leave me a comment each day to let me know that you did.
6. Receive one entry per day for updating your Facebook status and including the link to this giveaway. Leave a comment with a status link.
7. Receive five entries for blogging about this giveaway on your blog and leave me the link in a comment.

This giveaway will end on November 3, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen

GraycieLu Designs Review!

We just recently started a short and simple chore list for Izzy a few weeks ago. I thought it was a good time for her to start learning about some easy tasks that she could do to help out as part of the family. This way, when the actual "chore-chores" come around in a few years, she will already have the idea in her head about helping out. Her "chores" right now consist of helping to make her bed, feeding the fish with Daddy, and tidying up her toys and books everynight, but her favorite chore to do is to help set the table. She probably would do this even if it didn't mean getting a sticker on her chart each night. She LOVES to set the table. She's actually gotten very good at giving everyone the right silverware and everything!

Wondering how she caught on to setting the table so fast? Enter in GraycieLu Designs and the Help ME Do It Myself Placemat! GraycieLu Designs is an Etsy shop run by Gena, and let me tell you, you will love everything she makes!



Gena sent me the lovely Help ME Do It Myself Placemat, and we love it so much! Izzy has really gotten into learning about setting the table because of her special placemat. The placemat is Montessori-inspired and has the hand-stamped image of a fork, plate/bowl, knife, spoon and cup to help children know where to place each item. The placemat also comes with silverware and a miniature cup, which is really fun for children! Before using the placemat Izzy was starting to learn where each item is supposed to be placed, and after letting her use the placemat for a few days, she really started to get it down! We've had so much fun watching her learn all about setting the table, and we never have to ask her to do it either, she loves it that much! It also helps to have her set the table because it keeps her busy while I add the finishing touches to our dinner. Overall, I am in love with this placemat! Also, the placemat washes and dries amazingly, which is a must with placemats because Izzy tends to spill food on them a lot!

Anyone with toddlers definitely needs to check out the Help ME Do It Myself Placemat! I love so many of Gena's other items, especially the Baby Shower Decoration and Gift Pack with 6 GraycieLu Onesies, which is so adorable I can't even stand it! I also love the Breastfeeding is NOT a Crime Onesie, it's perfect for a new mom who breastfeeds!

The photo you see above is of the Help ME Do It Myself Placemat, and there are pictures of Izzy using it to come soon! My camera has been ornery for the past week and will not upload any photos! My hubby is going to take a look at it tonight, so there should be pictures of Izzy using it tomorrow!

Three Yellow Starfish Winner!

The winner of the Three Yellow Starfish giveaway is...

comment #6!

Amy said...
My favorite thing is the reversible pinafore in Petal Party orange.



Amy, I will email you right now about this! Congrats!

Also, there are a few people that haven't responded yet to their emails about winning the ECO-Week giveaways, check your spam if you don't see the email. Please respond by tomorrow (it will be 48 hours tomorrow), otherwise you may lose your ability to claim the prize. Thanks!

Winners, Winners, and more Winners!

Thanks for making ECO-Week such a wonderful event! Thanks also for all of your contributions with tips! I'm going to announce the winners all at once so here it goes! I have emailed all of you, so please reply within 48 hours. Also, after I announce the winners you'll see some of the great ECO tips that you girls left for me!

I wish you all could have won something, but don't worry, I'm putting new giveaways up all the time! The good news is that the Christmas Extravaganza starts in less than one month and it will be even bigger and better than ECO-Week!

Seventh Generation Winner: comment #27!
Little Miss Emmy Lou said...
BLOGGED!

http://littlemissemmylou.blogspot.com/2009/10/eco-week-giveaways.html


Celery Street Winner: comment #46!

Traci Fritz said...
Daily tweet 10/13
http://twitter.com/tdfritz/status/4835752048



Bag It Conscious Winner: comment #69!
Julie said...
# 1 follower



Kid Bean Winner: comment #19!
Cassidy said...
I love the cloth diapers! I would love to try a Swaddlebees!


Speesees Winner: comment #121!
Extra entry #1.
Laura C


Neena Baby Winner: comment #27!
Attila & Tamara said...
Grabbed your new button #3

http://szogediek.blogspot.com/



Kolcraft Winner: comment #178
zealandsmom said...

button 3


Now for some tips! You all left such amazing tips, so here they are (There were a few repeats, so I just summed them up when that happened)! If your tip is accidentally missing, please comment on this post with it and I'll add it. Also, feel free to add more tips you may have thought of!

Use old washcloths and towels to reuse instead of paper towels to clean up a mess or to clean the house.

Make homemade detergent.

Use baking soda to clean

Recycle!

Use old washcloths or old prefold diapers to clean with instead of paper towels. Then throw them in the wash with the towels!

Instead of buying small mountains of books, CDs, DVDs and even magazines that you barely use, check materials out of your neighborhood library, or relax inside the quiet halls and browse on site.

Carry your own silverware when going out to eat and instead of using plastic forks/spoons/knifes from the restaurants, use those you have with you and take home to wash for the next time - save water and less plastic trash!

Once again, thank you all for participating in ECO-Week, I had so much fun bringing you these great products! I can't wait until the Christmas event to begin now!

Kidorable Review!

We live in a very rainy part of the country, which is good, since we love rain! I was thrilled when I found out that we were going to have the opportunity to review a rain gear set from Kidorable. Izzy got to review the Ladybug Rain Coat, the Ladybug Rain Boots, and the Ladybug Umbrella, which by the way, are so adorable I can't even stand it! Anyway, so it was sunny the day the package arrived, and we anxiously awaited a rainy day. Well, you know the saying, "When it rains, it pours"? That's what finally happened and we quickly got dressed in the rain gear and went outside. Izzy looked adorable splashing around in the puddles and pretending to fly like a ladybug!

Kidorable features amazing outerwear for children, and believe me, it's all so cute you'll have a hard time deciding which items to buy! Besides my all time favorite of the Ladybug Collection, I also love the Frog Collection, which would be adorable on a little boy! I love that Kidorable features such creative designs in their outerwear, and that the price and quality can't be beat. It's all so...well...KIDORABLE!

Please show Kidorable some love by visiting their website and learning even more about their great childrens items (they even have knit items to match the rain gear!). While you're there, make sure you sign up for their birthday club, which will entitle you to a free gift for your child! Also, check out their facebook fan page by clicking here! I know you'll all love your Kidorable rain gear just as much as we do!

Mary Kay Makeup Review and Giveaway!

I think my daughter is a future makeup artist. She LOVES makeup. She loves to pretend to put makeup on, she loves to watch me put makeup on, and she absolutely loves it whenever I let her put a dab of lip gloss on for fun at home! So...you can imagine how excited Izzy and I were when our package full of Mary Kay makeup arrived one day! The Mary Kay company very generously sent me many different products to review, including sugar scrubs (review and giveaway to come during Christmas), shower gels, moisturizer, and more! She wanted to help open every box and try every lip balm! She was so excited!

One of the products I was extremely excited about receiving was the new refillable Mary Kay Compact! It is amazing! Because of its design it is eco-friendly because instead of throwing your compact away when it's empty like you normally would have to do, you get to keep refilling it with more makeup! The compact is the perfect size because it fits easily into small purses, and it also fits nicely in the palm of your hand if you are using it on the go (it has a very handy mirror inside)! Another aspect of the compact that is great is the revolutionary magnetic closure, which means you never have to worry again about your compact accidentally opening and spilling! The aspect I most love about this compact is that I can change out the colors and products whenever I want to. This was very handy for me when I went on vacation and wanted to take some dressier makeup shades for going out at night. It was so nice to have my bronzer, my eye shadows, and my lip gloss in one handy spot!

One thing that's super exciting is that my personal Mary Kay consultant Sheila is going to be offering first time customers through my blog a 20% discount during the giveaway time frame! Click here to access her website. When you make a purchase just make a note in the comment section at checkout about the review and giveaway. Also, if you make a purchase from her after the giveaway is over you will still get a 15% discount for mentioning The Mommy Homemaker. There is also a Gift with Purchase for all orders totalling over $40.00 (while supplies last). Another perk is that shipping is complimentary to anyone who orders from out of town!

And now guess what... one of you lucky ladies is going to be winning a compact full of mineral makeup! All you have to do is enter!

Here are the entry rules:
1. (This is the mandatory entry) Receive one entry for visiting Mary Kay and telling me what your favorite item is. Make sure you leave your EMAIL address in this entry.
2. Receive two entries for following my blog and telling me that you do in two separate comments.
3. Receive one entry for being an email subscriber and telling me that you are in a comment.
4. Receive three entries for grabbing my new button and putting it on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
5. Receive five entries for purchasing something from Mary Kay during the giveaway time.
6. Receive one entry per day for following me on Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway! Leave me a comment each day to let me know that you did.
7. Receive one entry per day for updating your Facebook status and including the link to this giveaway. Leave a comment with a status link.
8. Receive five entries for blogging about this giveaway on your blog and leave me the link in a comment.

This giveaway will end on October 28, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen

More extra entries! :-)

Ok girls, for every entry you've entered of mine during ECO-Week, you'll get one extra entry to be used in whichever giveaway you want. Example: If you entered 3 giveaways, that means 3 extra entries. Have fun!

Three Yellow Starfish Giveaway!

Bloomers have got to be the cutest thing ever invented for babies and toddlers. They are so simple in form, yet look adorable on every child! Three Yellow Starfish is a wonderful Etsy shop run by Margaret, and boy will you be in love when you see her beautiful children's items! Some of my favorite items include Perfectly Plum Ruffle Bottom Bloomers and the Underwater Sisters Reversible Pinafore In Magenta, but everything is just beautiful! You will have so much fun deciding which items you want when you take a look at her store, everything is just precious!

Margaret has also been kind enough to offer one of you lucky ladies the Lime Olive Baby Bloomers in your choice of size. Whoever wins this is going to have one stylish child! Now all you have to do is enter!

Here are the entry rules:
1. (This is the mandatory entry) Receive one entry for visiting Three Yellow Starfish and telling me what your favorite item is. Make sure you leave your EMAIL address in this entry.
2. Receive two entries for following my blog and telling me that you do in two separate comments.
3. Receive one entry for being an email subscriber and telling me that you are in a comment.
4. Receive three entries for grabbing my new button and putting it on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
5. Receive five entries for purchasing something from Three Yellow Starfish during the giveaway time.
6. Receive one entry per day for following Three Yellow Starfish and also myself on Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway! Leave me a comment each day to let me know that you did.
7. Receive one entry per day for updating your Facebook status and including the link to this giveaway. You must also become a fan of Three Yellow Starfish on Facebook. Leave a comment with a status link.
8. Receive five entries for blogging about this giveaway on your blog and leave me the link in a comment.

This giveaway will end on October 26, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen

Extra Entries!

Ok girls, for every person you personally tell about the Jeep Stroller Giveaway you will get 2 extra entries...and there's no limit (just please be honest though)!

Also, the first person to comment on this post and tell me what day Earth Day is next year gets an extra 5 entries into the giveaway of their choice!

Lastly (for today), the first 3 people to comment on this post and tell me about a money saving eco-tip will get 3 extra entries into the giveaway of their choice!

(Once you post your comment on this post, please add your extra entries where needed)

Have fun!

Kolcraft (Jeep Stroller) Review and Giveaway!

First off, I am absolutely ecstatic to be bringing you this amazing review and giveaway! Second off, I can't wait to see who wins!

I am always on the lookout for fun ways to stay in shape, be it through indoor or outdoor activities. When I found out I'd be getting to work with Kolcraft on this review and giveaway I was so excited, because hey, what could be more eco-friendly then enjoying the great outdoors while staying healthy!? I've always wanted a jogging stroller, but never really had the opportunity to try any out, so I wasn't sure which features would be important to me or not. Well, let's just say that the stroller Kolcraft sent me has pretty much every feature you could ever dream of in a jogging stroller! Now, before I get ahead of myself in describing this fabulous stroller, let me tell you some facts about Kolcraft. The company was founded in 1946 and has remained a forerunner in products for babies and toddlers, especially because they have been America's #1 Crib Mattress manufacturer for many decades. As a company, Kolcraft strives to ensure that they are making quality products that will assist parents and caregivers in their daily lives.

That being, said, Kolcraft also sells some products from other brands such as Contours, Sealy, and the one I'm most excited about- Jeep!

The Jeep stroller that Kolcraft sent me is the Jeep Overland Limited Jogging Stroller (retails for $219.99) and boy was I excited to open the box when it arrived! Izzy was also jumping up and down because of course she knew it was for her to ride in! Adam was also so excited that he was putting it together at around 11:30 at night the day it arrived! This stroller has so many awesome features, and this is what the website has to say about everything.

• Music On the Move® Parent Tray Allows Parent & Baby to Enjoy Their Favorite Tunes Using Their Own CD or MP3 Player. Includes Speakers, Amplifier & Jack. Includes 2 Cup Holders for Parents
• Soft-Ride 16 Inch Air Filled Tires with Air Pump
• Smart Handle® Adjusts to Multiple Heights
• Convenient Free Stand™ Stands Upright When You Fold
• Multi-Position Reclining Seat
• Large Basket, Water Bottle Holder & 2 Cargo Pockets for Storage
• Snack tray with Cup Holder
• Speed & Distance Odometer
• Adjustable 5 Point Harness, Safety Tether & Reflectors for Safety

Can you say...WOW!?!?
I also want to point out that the stroller's instructions were very easy to read and my husband had no issues in the assembly of the stroller. All in all, we are IN LOVE with this stroller! It's fairly big, so it's not a stroller you'd want to take on regular quick trips to the mall or anything, but it's an amazing jogging stroller for when you are out running, walking, or jogging! I highly recommend this stroller to everyone with a child old enough to sit unassisted, and I know you will just love the ease of jogging with it, because it's easy to control while running fast and slow (not to mention how much fun your child will have riding in it as you run faster)! I honestly can't believe I waited until now to try a jogging stroller, and looking back I wish I would have tried one way sooner!

Now it's your turn to try your hand at winning one! Also, keep an eye out for announcements because I'm going to be giving out lots of extra entries for this item!

Here are the entry rules:
1 entry:(This is the mandatory one): go to Kolcraft and then come back here and tell me what your favorite items are. Leave me your email address is this comment please.
2 entries: Be a blog follower of my blog and leave 2 separate comments telling me this.
1 entry: be an email subscriber and tell me in a comment.
3 entries: grab my NEW button and put it up on your blog, then leave 3 separate comments.
3 entries: grab my ECO-Week button and put it up on your blog, then leave 3 separate comments.
5 entries: blog about ECO-Week and leave me the link. Leave 5 separate comments.
1 entry per day: update your Facebook or Twitter (follow me on Twitter) status and leave me a comment with a link each time.

This giveaway will end on October 25, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

Neena Creates and Neena Baby Review and Giveaway!

I love shirts with words and phrases on them, I think they are really personalized and can be really fun. This is why I love the Etsy shops Neena Creates and Neena Baby, which are run by the lovely Penelope.

Penelope has a passion for making eco-friendly clothing for both children and adults. She runs two great Etsy shops and her clothing is so unique! She likes to focus on love-themed items and she uses a lot of phrases, which is so fun! She hand prints the tees and accessories, and because she is always concerned with keeping everything eco-friendly she uses clothing that is upcycled, vintage, made from organic cotton or eco-friendly fabrics.

Penelope sent Izzy the JE T'AIME 100% organic cotton body suit, and we love it! Our camera is being silly right now (Izzy smudged the lense), and because of the light color of the onesie, I think the picture that best shows the details is the photo from Penelope's Etsy shop. The onesie is so soft and it wears very nicely. While most people use a machine to do traditional silk screens, Penelope does everything by hand. She uses an embroidery hoop and voile for the screen, and then she uses a paint brush to push the ink through. This process gives her pieces a more unique and personalized feel, which I totally love about her clothing! You will all love her beautiful creations for both children and adults!

So...want to try your hand at winning a onesie like the one Izzy got? All you have to do is enter!

Here are the entry rules:
1 entry:(This is the mandatory one): go to Neena Baby and then come back here and tell me what your favorite items are. Leave me your email address is this comment please.
2 entries: Be a blog follower of my blog and leave 2 separate comments telling me this.
1 entry: be an email subscriber and tell me in a comment.
3 entries: grab my NEW button and put it up on your blog, then leave 3 separate comments.
3 entries: grab my ECO-Week button and put it up on your blog, then leave 3 separate comments.
5 entries: blog about ECO-Week and leave me the link. Leave 5 separate comments.
1 entry per day: update your Facebook or Twitter (follow me on Twitter) status and leave me a comment with a link each time.

This giveaway will end on October 24, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

Speesees Review and Giveaway!

One of my favorite things to do is shop for clothes for Izzy, especially when I get to find adorable and unique outfits that fit her personality really well. I recently got the chance to review a hoodie for Izzy from Speesees. Speesees is a great children's organic clothing store and I am in love with them! Their mission statement reads, "Our mission at speesees is to be fun, fair + organic in the products we make, the way we conduct business + the baby steps we take towards creating a more sustainable future for the animal, plant + human speesees on our children's planet. We're in this together". This statement rings so true, and it is obvious to see just by looking at the quality of their clothing and the care they take in producing it.

Izzy got to review the Lamb Jacket, and it is seriously the cutest thing ever! The little ears are just adorable, and the fabric is so soft! It is made with 100% organic sherpa cotton with plush trim and nickel-free snaps. It comes in sizes that should fit most children up to around age 3. I do think it runs a bit big, so I think Izzy will probably fit into the largest size until she hits 4. This jacket not only wears beautifully, but it also washes beautifully, which is very important since the jacket is a creme color. Izzy has worn it many times and it still looks brand new! It's hard to see the details of the jacket on Izzy in a picture, so I posted the picture of the jacket from the website. The jacket retails for $36, and the best part is that one of you lucky ladies will be winning one for your child (it's gender neutral)!

Here are the entry rules:
1 entry:(This is the mandatory one): go to Speesees and then come back here and tell me what your favorite items are. Leave me your email address is this comment please.
2 entries: Be a blog follower of my blog and leave 2 separate comments telling me this.
1 entry: be an email subscriber and tell me in a comment.
3 entries: grab my NEW button and put it up on your blog, then leave 3 separate comments.
3 entries: grab my ECO-Week button and put it up on your blog, then leave 3 separate comments.
5 entries: blog about ECO-Week and leave me the link. Leave 5 separate comments.
1 entry per day: update your Facebook or Twitter (follow me on Twitter) status and leave me a comment with a link each time.

This giveaway will end on October 23, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

Element Bars Review

I recently got the chance to review Element Bars, an innovative new company that makes customizable nutrition bars. At Element Bars, customers are able to choose which ingredients they do or don't want in their nutrition bar. One thing that sets Element Bars apart from most energy, nutrition, or granola bars is that the ingredients that are used or either unprocessed or minimally processed, which leaves them as fresh and as healthy as possible.

When creating an Element Bar you start off by choosing your core, fruit, nuts, sweets, and boosts. You can even add things based on certain parts of your body that you want to protect, such as your GI health or brain/memory function. The fact that you can totally customize your own bars means that you have full control over which ingredients you will be eating. You can also name your bars after you create them!

Not sure which ingredients you think you'd like in your bar? You can try out different combinations by choosing popular bars that they sell such as the "Mmmm...Oaty" or "Hungry for Health Bar". There are so many different possible combinations that you are sure to find a bar for even the pickiest eaters! I got to try the popular bar "Crispy Cranberry" and I loved it! I brought it with me while running errands one morning and it definitely filled me up! It had just the right amount of crunchiness and sweet, and it was also packed with nutrition.

Because these bars can be a bit pricey (about $3 per bar) I would especially recommend them to adults who are already eating energy and nutrition bars. It's also important to keep in mind that these aren't your average granola bars that take a whole 3 bites to finish. These are substantial bars that fill you up and keep you energized for a long time. All in all, I think Element Bars are fantastic and you should all check them out!

New HEART Designs Giveaway Winner!

I know this is late, sorry guys! I've been battling an upper-respiratory virus that has delayed some things this week. Well, without further delay...the winner is...

Comment #8 from fancygrlnancy!

Congrats! I will be emailing you shortly to let you know!

Also, stay tuned for lots of exciting things to be posted today!

Announcement!

Hey everyone, I just wanted to let you all know that the grand finale item of ECO-Week (which will be posted on the 19th) will be a $220 value Jeep Stroller from Kolcraft! I am so excited about this giveaway and I'm so excited to write all about our experience with the one we have! So, because of the grand finale day coming next week, I wanted to let you all know that whoever blogs about ECO-Week will not only get their regular entries in the other giveaways, they will also get 10 extra entries into the Jeep Stroller giveaway!!! I will also be giving other entry options once the date gets closer. Once you blog about ECO-Week let me know in a comment on here, that way we can make sure you remember to add in all your extra entries once the Kolcraft giveaway is up! Have a great night everybody!

Kid Bean Review and Giveaway!

One of Izzy's favorite activities lately has been learning her letters. She is such a little sponge at this age and I love how into learning new things she has been! This is why when I found out we'd be getting the chance to review the Uncle Goose Lowercase Wooden ABC Blocks from Kid Bean I was so excited! Kid Bean is an eco-friendly company that makes vegan products for the entire family. Some of my favorite items include the dollhouse and castle toys and also the maternity and nursing items. Kid Bean was started by a vegan mother of two who researches and reviews every item that they sell. You will love the selection of eco-friendly products that they feature!

Because of this, I was so excited to try out the blocks with Izzy. Not only are the blocks fun for her to play with, but they are also educational. The 28 blocks in the set are handmade and include 4 complete lowercase alphabets (great for young children learning to spell simple words), 3 sets of numbers, and 28 different baby animals. The blocks are embossed with bright colored paint that is non-toxic, and they are made with fair-trade labor in the United States. We have just had a blast playing with these blocks and not only do I get to enjoy these blocks, but one of you lucky ladies will also win a set (worth $34) for your own little learner!

Here are the entry rules:
1 entry:(This is the mandatory one): go to Kid Bean and then come back here and tell me what your favorite items are. Leave me your email address is this comment please.
2 entries: Be a blog follower of my blog and leave 2 separate comments telling me this.
1 entry: be an email subscriber and tell me in a comment.
3 entries: grab my NEW button and put it up on your blog, then leave 3 separate comments.
3 entries: grab my ECO-Week button and put it up on your blog, then leave 3 separate comments.
5 entries: blog about ECO-Week and leave me the link. Leave 5 separate comments.
1 entry per day: update your Facebook or Twitter (follow me on Twitter) status and leave me a comment with a link each time.

This giveaway will end on October 20, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

Bag It Conscious Review and Giveaway!

So you want to know Izzy's favorite thing to pull out of kitchen drawers and spread all around the apartment is? Disposable plastic bags. She tears them all out of the box and throws them in the air and tries to catch them. Not only is this fascinating use of plastic bags wasteful, but I have to run around cleaning them up! I just can not keep her out of the plastic bag boxes! Anyone else have a toddler that does this? Anyone else sick of buying plastic bags and having to run to the store every time you realize you're out of them? Or maybe you just want to use something instead of plastic bags that would be better for the environment? If so, this giveaway is definitely for you!

Bag It Conscious is an Etsy shop run by Lizzy (you can find it at
http://www.bagitconscious.etsy.com/, and not only are her bags absolutely adorable, but she is also passionate about what she does! She has a bag for every use and in every color! You will love picking out different reusable bags for every member of your family. The sandwich bags are made of 100% cotton and lined with material that is waterproof, which is really nice, since I usually have to wipe crumbs out of our bags, and it wipes down amazingly with a damp rag! None of the seams are exposed, and the tops close with Velcro. The bags can even be thrown in your washing machine and line dried! All in all, we are in love with our reusable sandwich bag that Lizzy sent to us to review, and you will absolutely love yours too! I can't wait to buy some more for our family to use, and also to give as gifts! I think they'd make great Christmas gifts for teachers, co-workers, and pretty much everyone else on your list! Who wouldn't love a fun and eco-friendly bag to use to not only pack their lunch in, but to also brighten up their lunchbox! Plus, Lizzy offers discounts when you buy 3 or more bags, which come on ladies, you know we all love a great bargain!

And one of you lucky ladies is going to be winning the sandwich bag you see above, so enter many times to win this great bag!

Here are the entry rules:
1 entry:(This is the mandatory one): go to Bag It Conscious and then come back here and tell me what your favorite items are. Leave me your email address is this comment please.
2 entries: Be a blog follower of my blog and leave 2 separate comments telling me this.
1 entry: be an email subscriber and tell me in a comment.
3 entries: grab my NEW button and put it up on your blog, then leave 3 separate comments.
3 entries: grab my ECO-Week button and put it up on your blog, then leave 3 separate comments.
5 entries: blog about ECO-Week and leave me the link. Leave 5 separate comments.
1 entry per day: update your Facebook or Twitter (follow me on Twitter) status and leave me a comment with a link each time.

This giveaway will end on October 19, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

Celery Street Review and Giveaway!

It has been almost a year since we gave up the diaper bag in our family. For the most part, our daily errands don't require me to pack a massive bag of supplies, so I usually stick to using a large purse for Izzy's activities, snacks, etc. I had been contemplating buying a lunch bag to pack Izzy's lunch, snacks, and drinks in while we are out of the house for quite some time now.

So, you can imagine my excitement when I found out that we were going to be reviewing a lunch bag from Celery Street! Celery Street is a great company based out of Indianapolis that features products that are eco-friendly, recycled, reused, and refurbished. Their items include everything from lunch bags to housewares to pet items to jewelry and much, much more! I had so much fun browsing their website and getting ideas for all of my upcoming gift-giving events! Celery Street is perfectly summed up by this poem featured on their site.

Who are we?

We are trying to be green.
We raise green children.
We hang out with green people.
We discuss green topics.
We eat green food.
We drink green wine.
We recycle in green containers.
We use green toenail polish.
We paint our house green.
We turn our thermostat down
Or up (depending on the season).
We crack green jokes.
We laugh.
We start a green business.
This is fun.
This is smart.
This is green.
It’s CeleryStreet.com.

Izzy and I received the Mimi the Sardine lunch bag in Floral Pink that you see in the photo above. I LOVE this lunch bag! It serves all of our food carrying needs and it does so in a very stylish way! First off, it's easy to clean, all you have to do is wipe it off or you can even throw in the washing machine! Second of all, it really insulates your food, keeping it chilled for a good few hours. What I've been doing lately is packing Izzy's lunch in it the night before our day of errands and then just grabbing it out of the fridge in the morning. It's simple and quick, which makes my day get started much easier. Izzy loves to carry it around with her, and the handles are a great size for both adults and toddlers to hold on to. Overall, this lunch bag has not disappointed us in any way, and it has now become a staple in our traveling needs! It's also great because when Izzy is done eating her lunch I can simply roll up the bag and put it in my purse! Want to know the best part... one of you lucky ladies is going to win your choice of a Mimi the Sardine lunch bag!

Now all you have to do is enter!


Here are the entry rules:
1 entry:(This is the mandatory one): go to Celery Street and then come back here and tell me which lunch bag you will choose, and also what other products you may like. Leave me your email address is this comment please.
2 entries: Be a blog follower of my blog and leave 2 separate comments telling me this.
1 entry: be an email subscriber and tell me in a comment.
3 entries: grab my NEW button and put it up on your blog, then leave 3 separate comments.
3 entries: grab my ECO-Week button and put it up on your blog, then leave 3 separate comments.
5 entries: blog about ECO-Week and leave me the link. Leave 5 separate comments.
1 entry per day: update your Facebook or Twitter (follow me on Twitter) status and leave me a comment with a link each time.

This giveaway will end on October 18, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

Seventh Generation Review and Giveaway!

One of the most important goals for me as a mom is keeping my daughter safe and healthy. I like to know that the food she's eating is good for her, and not full of harmful chemicals, I like to make sure the air she breathes is clean, and I like to watch out for what products I use in our home. Cleaning products are a big deal in our home. I have become a neat freak since becoming a mom. Now, whether our home is always as neat and tidy as I want is up for debate. I've had to let go a little bit and realize that with our crazy schedules with school, work, and family, our home may not always be in the supermom perfect state of organization that I'd like it to be.

However, one thing I can make sure I do in terms of our everyday cleaning is to use products that are not going to let harmful chemicals get into the air that we breathe. This is why I was so excited to learn about Seventh Generation. This comany is fabulous when it comes to eco-friendly products! I love it! I was so excited when I got the opportunity to review the Living Home Starter Kit. I got to try out glass cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, shower cleaner, tub and tile cleaner, kitchen cleaner, natural paper towels, and a reusable tote! I was in cleaning heaven as I used to the products for the first time! One of the aspects I loved was that the products smell so good (my favorite were the grapefruit and manderin orange sents!), which is a lot different than the usual chemical-filled products I've used in the past.

Another thing I liked about the products was that they worked just as well, if not better than most of the traditional chemical-saturated cleaning products. One thing I noticed is that I sometimes need to use a bit more elbow grease with the kitchen cleaner in terms of scraping bits of grease off the stove, but to me, that wasn't a big deal because I'd rather have to use a little bit more elbow grease than use a product that is full of chemicals but easier to use.

The product that I was most impressed with was the glass cleaner! It left no streaks and wiped clean very easily! The best part was that I was able to let Izzy help me with the windows (she LOVES to clean windows for some reason!) because the products were non-toxic. Of course it goes without saying that you should still never let the products be within reach of children or let them use the products on their own, because even though they are non-toxic, you should still always keep them stored away from young children.

Now, guess what... one of you lucky ladies is going to win your very own Living Home Starter Kit! All you have to do now is enter the giveaway!

Here are the entry rules:
1 entry:(This is the mandatory one): go to Seventh Generation and then come back here and leave me a comment about something you learned about the products. Leave me your email address is this comment please.
2 entries: Be a blog follower of my blog and leave 2 separate comments telling me this.
1 entry: be an email subscriber and tell me in a comment.
3 entries: grab my NEW button and put it up on your blog, then leave 3 separate comments.
3 entries: grab my ECO-Week button and put it up on your blog, then leave 3 separate comments.
5 entries: blog about ECO-Week and leave me the link. Leave 5 separate comments.
1 entry per day: update your Facebook or Twitter (follow me on Twitter) status and leave me a comment with a link each time.

This giveaway will end on October 17, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

Tiny Bubbles Review!

My daughter is a budding fashionista. There is simply no way around this, though we've tried to at least keep her attitude in check. Izzy likes to make sure we always remember that she is a girly girl. She loves frilly dresses, glitzy hair bows, and her latest fascination...coats! She loves her rain coat, winter coat, and her favorite of late...her Tiny Bubbles Coat! Tiny Bubbles is an Etsy shop run by Barbara, who is absolutely phenomenal! The coat she sent to us for Izzy to review was the Lourdes jacket, and it is the prettiest shade of periwinkle! It brings out the color of Izzy's blue eyes so beautifully! Don't mind the fact that she is crunching on a lollipop in the photo, it was the only way I could get her to pose in the picture since she wanted to go outside so badly to show "Chipper" the squirrel her new coat!

The jacket retails for $25 and this price is very reasonable when you consider the workmanship and quality of the item. The stiching is very high quality, and the wool felted material wears very nicely. I especially like the satin lining on the inside, which makes it look very nice. It looks like a jacket you'd find in an upscale childrens boutique! This coat is warm enough for spring and the early fall months, and it looks great dressed up or down. Please show Barbara some love and check out her gorgeous childrens items!

Extra entries for ECO-Week!

First off, I've had to extend ECO-Week to being 2 weeks long instead of just one because there was simply too much to pack into one week! So get ready for some fun!

I just want to let you all know something exciting that will be part of ECO-Week...extra entries!

Besides the usual entry options posted for each giveaway I will also be offering 1 extry entry (the limit is 1 per day, and you can add your extra entry to each giveaway) into each giveaway for every ECO tip you give me on here. Leave the comments with tips on this post and at the end of ECO-Week I will write up a special post documenting all of the great tips that people leave. The tips can range from anything from cloth diaper solutions to saving electricity to green cleaning. I will welcome them all! Good luck everyone, this will be an awesome event!

The Boy's Store Winner...and some other announcements!

Hey everyone, my blog makeover is officially up on my blog! I am so excited about the new look of everything! Also, I'm very appreciative of Tara at Blog Makeovers by Tara. I think she did a great job! If you're interested in blog makovers, buttons, headers, or any other graphics needs for your blog, please check her out! She also made my ECO-Week button, so kuddos for that too Tara!

We also have The Boy's Store giveaway winner to announce... comment #8 left by Traci Fritz! I will be emailing you shortly, and you will have 48 hours to respond. Congrats Traci!

Also, I am so excited to announce the start of ECO-Week! It will begin tomorrow and there will be giveaways from 8 great companies! There will also be some very informative reviews, and some great ECO tips as well! Stay tuned for everything coming up!

Don't forget to keep entering the New HEART Designs giveaway...it ends tonight!

Where is Marina?

Many of you may be wondering why I've been slightly distant this past week! I am in the middle of mid-terms this week at school, and to top it off I'm in charge of the advertising, promotion, organization, etc for a huge event that an organization I'm part of is hosting at my university tomorrow night. So...that means after tomorrow night I will actually be posting more often! And...I have 2 exciting announcements that will be coming up during the next few days at The Mommy Homemaker. I was lucky enough to get a blog makeover that will be unveiled tonight, and also will be starting a huge event on October 10! This event will be called "ECO-Week" and it will be jam-packed with reviews and tons of giveaways from environmentally friendly companies! I am so excited to be featuring everything from reusable sandwich bags to toys to makeup! It will be so much fun! But now, I'm off to figure out what in the world to wear tomorrow night to the event since half of the clothes I own are in the laundry! Wish me luck!

Don't forget to keep entering the giveaways from The Boy's Store and New HEART Designs!

Winners of the Elibom Designs and Little Beauty's Closet Giveaways!

Congrats to our 2 winners this week!
Sara is the Elibom Designs winner with the winning entry #22!

Sara said...
added button to blog #2


Chelsea is the Little Beauty's Closet winner with the winning entry #5!

Chelsea said...
i follow 1


Congrats to both of you! I will be emailing you shortly.

New HEART Designs Review and Giveaway!

As moms, we have so many different responsibilities every day: errands to run, dinner to cook, kids to bathe...the list goes on and on. Sometimes we need a little reminder for ourselves to take a moment, breathe in, and realize that no matter how stressed out we feel in that second, we will all be okay. I know that I need to remind myself this many times throughout the day, so this review and giveaway are especially near and dear to my heart. This giveaway comes from Jana at New HEART Designs, a great new shop at 1000 Markets, which is a website devoted to handmade items. Jana makes handcrafted sterling silver inspirational jewelry, and it is all so beautiful! She sent me a beautiful necklace featuring the words "believe, trust, breathe". I love it! It looks great with dressy outfits, but it also looks great with a simple t-shirt and jeans. These inspirational necklaces would also make great gifts! Want to know the best part... Jana has been nice enough to offer not only me this necklace, but she will also be making a second one (a $70 value!) for one of you lucky ladies! Here's what you need to do to enter:

1. (This is the mandatory entry) Receive one entry for visiting New HEART Designs and telling me what your favorite item is. Make sure you leave your EMAIL address in this entry.
2. Receive two entries for following my blog and telling me that you do in two separate comments.
3. Receive one entry for being an email subscriber and telling me that you are in a comment.
4. Receive three entries for grabbing my new button and putting it on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
5. Receive five entries for purchasing something from New HEART Designs during the giveaway time.
6. Receive one entry per day for following me on Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway! Leave me a comment each day to let me know that you did. http://twitter.com/mommymarina
7. Receive one entry per day for updating your Facebook status and including the link to this giveaway. Leave a comment with a status link.
8. Receive five entries for blogging about this giveaway on your blog and leave me the link in a comment.

This giveaway will end on October 9, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

The Boy's Store Review and Giveaway!

Everyone I know has a little boy, well, maybe not everyone, but it seems like all of our friends with kids have boys! We literally have one of the only girls! Izzy is going to have lots of boys to look out for her when she is older! I know I have done a lot of giveaways for little girls, so I wanted to do something extra special for the little guys too! So all you mommies with boys out there, listen up, this company is for you!

The number one complaint I hear from my friends in terms of boys clothing is that there aren't as many stores and brands devoted to boys as there are for girls. If this sounds like you, then The Boy's Store is your answer! At The Boy's Store you can find anything and everything related to clothing and accessories for boys! Since I don't have a boy, The Boy's Store sent me an outfit and hat for my friend Cassidy's son to try out, is he adorable or what!? One thing I really like about The Boy's Store is that there are so many unique clothing items that go beyond the usual truck, dinosaur, and sport motifs that are usually found when it comes to boys clothing. For example, I really love this Cowboy themed outfit! You will find some really fun outfits, I promise! Also, I'm so excited to announce that I'm a new affiliate for The Boy's Store, and you will find the link to the store on the rightside column of my blog!

The best part is that The Boy's Store is going to be giving one of you lucky ladies a $25 gift certificate to buy something for your own special little guy! You will have so much fun picking out something special with all of the great choices!

So here's what you need to do to enter:
1. (This is the mandatory entry) Receive one entry for visiting The Boy's Store and telling me what item you'll choose if you win. Make sure you leave your EMAIL address in this entry.
2. Receive two entries for following my blog and telling me that you do in two separate comments.
3. Receive one entry for being an email subscriber and telling me that you are in a comment.
4. Receive three entries for grabbing my new button and putting it on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
5. Receive five entries for purchasing something from The Boy's Store during the giveaway time.
6. Receive one entry per day for following me on Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway! Leave me a comment each day to let me know that you did. http://twitter.com/mommymarina
7. Receive one entry per day for updating your Facebook status and including the link to this giveaway. Leave a comment with a status link.
8. Receive five entries for blogging about this giveaway on your blog and leave me the link in a comment.

This giveaway will end on October 8, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.