Lil' Princess Bowtique Review and Giveaway!

A little girl can never have too many bows! Bows come in every color, shape, and size, and without them a little girl's outfit is just not complete! We were recently given the opportunity to review the most beautiful bows from Lil' Princess Bowtique, an Etsy shop run by Alice, who is one of the sweetest people I've met online through this blog! Alice has two children, a 4 year old daughter and 2 year old son, and of course her daughter loves the hair bows! This is what got Alice started in making her bows, and eventually her hobby grew into a passion, which lead to her starting her own online business to sell the bows.

Alice's inspiration comes from her daughter, who especially loves all things glitter and rhinestone, which is why many of her bows feature rhinestones. As you can see by browsing her shop, Alice loves to use many different colors and prints of ribbon. Some of her best work comes from mixing and matching the different ribbons on a particular hair clip, which makes it very fun and unique. She also is happy to make custom work, and appreciates knowing she is making her customers smile!

Alice's favorite set of bows is the Colorful Stitches set (seen above), which is the one she sent to Izzy and I to try! I love this set because the bows are very versatile and can be matched to many different outfits. Some of my other favorites include the Pink Snowflakes set, which is great for wintertime, and the Flower Bouquet set. But, to be honest, pretty much all of her bows are my favorites! What I personally really love about Alice's bows are the variety of unique patterns and colors, because sometimes it can be hard to find bows that are more customized to a certain outfit. We don't have to worry now though, since we have lots of ways to find out all about Alice's beautiful bows! One of the things I'm most impressed with when it comes to Alice's bows is how well they stay in Izzy's hair. She is a very active toddler, and she usually spends most of her time dancing around, but the bows stay put so well!

You can find Alice of course at her shop, at her blog, her Facebook fan page, and through her Twitter account. With all these ways to stay in touch with Alice, you'll always be up to date on what she's currently adding to her shop!

Now guess what... one of you lucky ladies is going to be winning a generous stash of bows for your own little princess! The winner will receive 1 custom colors set of 6 hair clips, their choice of of any of the 5 clips sets, and also their choice of one set of the wide clips! Someone's princess is going to be very happy!

I know this picture of Izzy looks silly, but I just wanted you all to see up close the size of the clips and how they look in Izzy's hair.

Here are the entry rules:
1. (This is the mandatory entry) Receive one entry for visiting Lil' Princess Bowtique and telling me an item you'd pick 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 both Alice and I 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 becoming a Facebook fan of Alice's and updating your status about the giveaway, 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.
8. Receive 3 bonus entries for grabbing my new Christmas button!

This giveaway will end on November 16, 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.

Thank God for Chocolate and Good Friends!

The past week has been a long and busy one. I was pretty tired by the time the evening set in last night, but I had some girlfriends coming over for dinner so I tried to perk up by drinking my diet Coke with lime (I love that stuff!). As I'm sure all you moms know, it's hard to find time for ourselves, we get so wrapped up in making sure everything is taken care of with our families that it leaves little time for ourselves.

My friends came over last night and I tried to make Chinese steamed dumplings and egg drop soup. The dumplings turned into one giant dumpling when they steamed and something went wrong with the soup, which we renamed "scrambled egg soup". Normally I'm a pretty good cook, but last night was just terrible! Thank God for good friends and good chocolate, which is what we gobbled up after tasting the results of my attempt to make homemade Chinese food!

I think we laughed non-stop for like 3 hours. Yeah, the food didn't turn out, but everything was fine because we had chocolate, good friends, and a movie! We watched The Proposal, which was really cute, and we just laughed. I don't think I've laughed so much in one night for a long time. It was so nice to relax with some chocolate and good friends last night, and even though we stayed up too late, making for a rough morning, I really needed that time last night to de-stress.

So, I guess what I'm rambling on about is this. I admit it, I can be a little "uptight" sometimes. I like my schedule. I like a VERY organized home. I like knowing what's going to happen next. I like when everything turns out okay. That is what makes me relaxed and happy. BUT, life is full of surprises, homes aren't always perfectly organized when you have a toddler, not knowing what's coming next is part of the life's adventure, and sometimes it's more fun when things don't turn out right. At least we have one hilarious story now about the giant steamed dumpling and scrambled egg soup!

Lucky Winners!

Here are the winners from the sTuck in the Coop and Valeriya giveaways!

The winner of the sTuck in the Coop giveaway is comment #9!
Lil'Princess Bowtique said...
I like the birthstone buttercup! how cute!


The winner of the Valeriya giveaway is comment #20
Little Miss Emmy Lou said...
I follow your blog!


Congrats to both of you! I just emailed you both, please respond within the next 48 hours to claim your prize.

Relish Review and Giveaway!

If you were to ask my husband what his favorite thing about me is, it would be my cooking. I don't like to brag, but when it comes to cooking, it's the one thing I feel like I'm really good at. Add in the fact that I'm 100% Italian and you can understand that I was raised to be a good family chef! I love to cook for my family, and I love it that the way to my hubby's heart is through his stomach!

Even though I love to cook, I sometimes find myself in a rut, feeling like I cook the same few meals over and over again. Remember the Italian thing, yeah, we eat a lot of pasta! This is why I am in love with Relish, an online customizable meal planning service that totally rocks my socks off! Basically how it works is after you sign up you start to receive weekly emails (on Thursdays) with a quick link back to the site. Once you log in you get to customize your weekly dinner menus to your own tastes and preferences. You can download the Express Menu or you can create a Custom Menu. What I've been incredibly impressed with is the variety of meal options that Relish features. They offer meals including vegetarian, gluten-free, kid-friendly, quick, low calorie and simple-gourmet menus. All you have to do is click on the five dinners and side dishes you'd like to prepare during the week and the grocery list will automatically be assembled for you!

The great people at Relish gave me a trial subscription and I have fallen in love with everything Relish has to offer! Some more aspects of Relish that I've really come to appreciate is that everything is kitchen-tested and takes 30 minutes or less to prepare, which is perfect for busy moms on the go! Plus, the fact that the grocery list is assembled for you means no more guessing on which items and ingredients to buy each week, which saves money because it cuts down on impulse buying! The subscription is also managable if you're on a budget, and it only costs $7 per month.

Everyone will love Relish, both the foodies and the cooking-challenged! Anyone can plan a fun and healthy menu by utilizing all of the online tools at your disposal through your Relish subscription! There are so many more features that I love about Relish, but I could go on and on. You will just have to check it out more for yourself, you will definitely not regret it! Also, the awesome part of this is that Relish is going to be awarding one of you lucky ladies a complimentary 1 year subscription (worth $58.80) and an awesome Spoonula from Crate and Barrel!


I can't wait to hear all about the winner's experience with Relish! And don't forget, a Relish subscription would make a great gift idea for the food lover on everyone's list!

***If you subscribe to Relish before the giveaway is over and you are chosen as the winner, your Relish account will be credited!***

Here are the entry rules:
1. (This is the mandatory entry) Receive one entry for visiting Relish and telling me something you learned from the site. 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 10, 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.

Where Has Marina Been?

6 weeks! I have 6 weeks until I am officially a college graduate! I am SO SO SO excited that I barely stand it!

While I am looking forward to being done with my undergraduate degree, I am still very much mindful of everything I have to get done... in 6 short weeks. I have about 45 pages of papers to write, 6 tests, and some other homework until I am free! Add in everything else I have going on in life and it makes for one busy month and a half.

So, if you're wondering where I've been lately, I've been a bit swamped. However, since the end is now so close, I feel like I'm in the homestretch now and if I just stay the course I'll make it to the finish line! Want to know what's been keeping me sane these past few weeks?

It's the fact that I am so totally excited for my Christmas Extravaganza to start! In just a couple of weeks it will officially be Christmas time at The Mommy Homemaker and I am so excited to reveal all of the reviews, giveaways, holiday tips, and more that I have to share with you! Until then... keep an eye out for some pre-holiday giveaways!

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.