Sarah Simplifies

Sarah Simplifies is Returning!

2011-03-24T12:35:00.001-07:00

Please keep your eyes open! Sarah Simplifies is coming back and will be better than ever!

Christmas in July Giveaway Winners!

2010-08-16T21:15:00.001-07:00

First I'd like to take a minute to thank all of the incredible sponsors! I hope if you're already going on your holiday shopping or whenever you start that you will stop by the sponsors and hopefully find the perfect gift for someone on your holiday list!

Mudpuppy
Loriette’s Grammy
The Shabby Boutique
Barb’s Heartstrokes
Elephant Tales
Meese49
The Painted Butterfly Studio

Mudpuppy Giveaway
tina reynolds said...
I follow your blog eaglesforjack@gmail.com 6/8
JULY 30, 2010 8:05 PM
Loriette’s Grammy Giveaway
Chrystal said...
#6-Follow publicly via Google Friend Connect (Chrystal)

chrystaljns @ gmail dot com
JULY 30, 2010 4:24 PM

The Shabby Boutique First Giveaway
Julie said...
posted the Christmas in July button on my blog:

http://vballmommy79.blogspot.com/

entry 4

jmatek@wi.rr.com
JULY 14, 2010 2:43 PM

Barb’s Heartstrokes giveaway
kyla g said...
I'm a GFC follower! #6
irshsmil9 @ yahoo.com
JULY 29, 2010 11:25 AM

Elephant Tales Giveaway

Rachel C said...
entered Jess Kay designs 3
rach62803@yahoo.com
JULY 15, 2010 8:03 PM

Meese49 giveaway
Snowflake07 said...
RSS feed subscriber #2
JULY 15, 2010 6:34 PM

The Shabby Boutique’s 2nd giveaway
Jennifer said...
Entry#2
So Beautiful:)
AUGUST 14, 2010 6:04 AM

hondaray6 said...
follow on twitter- hondaray6
August 15, 2010 8:22 AM

The Painted Butterfly Studio giveaway
pam said...
I follow via google #1

pamfreecycle@gmai.com
JULY 25, 2010 4:34 AM

JessKay Designs Winner....

2010-08-05T20:00:00.001-07:00

Congrats to the winner of the JessKay Designs giveaway!

Mimi the kitten said...
Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter (@ThatKittenMimi) #2.

Thanks to all who participated!

My Apologies!

2010-08-04T20:21:00.000-07:00

You know what? I love my readers! You guys are awesome! You stick around and read and if I've been away for awhile you come back! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! You are beyond awesome!!! I do have to apologize because the Christmas in July event got cut short. Trust me- I'm VERY bummed about this because I had some more GREAT giveaways lined up. I am going to talk to the sponsors and see if they'd like to participate in our Christmas Countdown! I'm also going to extend all of the giveaways by a week and will change that info tomorrow. The only giveaway that is ending is the JessKay Designs giveaway & I will announce that winner tomorrow (why not draw out the suspense a bit more!)

Also, just so you guys know I really don't just "blow off" the log I wasn't around because of a family emergency. My sister was pregnant with her second and having a really rough time of it. Her blood pressure sky rocketed but they wanted to wait until 39 weeks because of some issues my oldest nephew had when he was born (and he was a week late so they really wanted as much time as they could buy). I'm now the proud Aunt to Lucas William who is simply gorgeous but the little guy is having some severe jaundice issues. So at first I was taking care of my nephew so my sister could rest and then I was taking care of him because my sister had her C section and then Luke was in the hospital, released and then readmitted after 24 hours. He's home now but his bili numbers are on the rise again. Hopefully this can be controlled without him being admitted again. Anyway, just wanted to explain my absence.

Remember- JessKay Designs giveaway posted tomorrow!

Sarah

On the 8th Day of Christmas Painted Butterfly Studio giveaway

2010-07-19T21:16:00.000-07:00

I think you're really going to love tonight's giveaway! Julie from Painted Butterfly Studio is SOOOOOOOOO incredibly talented! If you have a little girl in your life one of the most fun things is dressing her right??? I remember when I was first introduced to the world of custom boutiques- wow! Fun stuff! Nothing like dressing your princess like the princess she is right? Julie is one of those women who makes incredible custom pieces for kids. Here is some of her work from Painted Butterfly Studio:

Wouldn't this make an awesome Back to School outfit????

Gorgeous! Completely Gorgeous!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE ME so I'm completely drooling over this!!!

Have you gone over to Painted Butterfly Studio to take a look around? If not what are you waiting for?????

Julie is giving one Sarah Simplifies winner a personalized Gingerbread t-shirts up to a size 10. The shirt is a $25 value. AWESOME!!!

Each piece of appliques are individually hand-drawn and cut, heat-bonded, securely satin stitched and inner stitches are covered with fusible bond for an itch-free finish. This particular tee features little buttons and some hand stitching as well! Wait- it gets better! Julie is offering every Sarah Simplifies reader that purchases from her from now until the end of the Painted Butterfly Studio giveaway FREE SHIPPING!!! In the Message to Seller box tell her that you're a Sarah Simplifies reader and she will reimburse your shipping fee!

Want to buy the shirt right now and not wait for the giveaway to end? Ok-
BUY IT HERE

Win It:
Mandatory: This must be done or all other entries will be deleted.
1)Publicly follow Sarah Simplifies (this has to show up on your Dashboard for it to count)leave a comment that you are a Sarah Simplifies follower- counts as 8 entries (leave 8 comments)
2) Head on over to Painted Butterfly Studio and take a look around. Come back here and leave a comment of what your favorite item is. Click HERE to go to Painted Butterfly Studio- 1 entry (leave 1 comment)
So just for publicly following Sarah Simplifies and going to Painted Butterfly Studio & telling me what you'd love to bring home you will get 9, count them, 9 entries!

Extra Entries:
-Blog about this contest and leave a link worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Add my Christmas in July button to your blog 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Subscribe to Sarah Simplifies worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Networked Blogs 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Enter the JessKay Designs giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Mudpuppy giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Loriette's Grammy giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Barb's Heartstrokes giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Elephant Tales giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Meese49 giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Make Painted Butterfly Studio a favorite store if you are an etsy.com buyer worth 2 entry (leave 2 comments)
-Buy something from Painted Butterfly Studio (leave a message that you're a Sarah Simplifies reader) 10 entries (leave 10 comments)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will end on August 15th. Any comments left after August 15th 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Please make sure that you have a visible email link or include it in your entry
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on August 16th of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that time frame another winner is chosen.
Open to US and Canadian residents only

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review and/or giveaway.

On the Seventh Day of Christmas- more Shabby Boutique!!!

2010-07-16T21:19:00.000-07:00

I'm so sorry that I didn't get a post up last night. The best laid plans have a tendency of going awry don't they? Tonight there is a giveaway with two winners! Its sponsored by The Shabby Boutique again. If you missed the first giveaway from The Shabby Boutique please read it HERE. Tonight's giveaway from The Shabby Boutique are these lovely sand dollar rose ornaments. One has is tied with a blue ribbon and one with a pink ribbon. These are so delicate and dainty aren't they??!!!??

I've got some really exciting news too! If you sign up for Jewel's Blog HERE and leave a comment that you're a Sarah Simplifies with your email address you will then get 20% off one Christmas item of your choice from The Shabby Boutique! Leave a message to seller saying that you are a reader from Sarah Simplifies and Jewel will then reimburse you the 20% via Paypal. Pretty cool, huh?

So same rules as before but to lay it all out there again, here's the breakdown!

Buy It: HERE

Win It:
Mandatory: This must be done or all other entries will be deleted.
1)Publicly follow Sarah Simplifies (this has to show up on your Dashboard for it to count)leave a comment that you are a Sarah Simplifies follower- counts as 8 entries (leave 8 comments)
2) Head on over to The Shabby Boutique and take a look around. Come back here and leave a comment of what your favorite item is. Click HERE to go to The Shabby Boutique- 1 entry (leave 1 comment)
So just for publicly following Sarah Simplifies and going to The Shabby Boutique & telling me what you'd love to bring home you will get 9, count them, 9 entries!

Extra Entries:
-Blog about this contest and leave a link worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Add my Christmas in July button to your blog 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Subscribe to Sarah Simplifies worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Networked Blogs 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Enter the JessKay Designs giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Mudpuppy giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Loriette's Grammy giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Barb's Heartstrokes giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Elephant Tales giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Meese49 giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Make The Shabby Boutique a favorite store if you are an etsy.com buyer worth 2 entry (leave 2 comments)
-Buy something from The Shabby Boutique (leave a message that you're a Sarah Simplifies reader) 10 entries (leave 10 comments)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will end on August 15th. Any comments left after August 15th 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Please make sure that you have a visible email link or include it in your entry
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on August 16th of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that time frame another winner is chosen.
Open to US and Canadian residents only

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review and/or giveaway.

On the Sixth Day of Christmas, Meese49's Cigarbox Santa Purse Giveaway!

2010-07-14T20:34:00.000-07:00

I've always been kind of enthralled with cigar box purses. They just seem so whimsical! I saw this purse and knew that I had to ask for Meese49 to participate in our Christmas in July event! Check this out!

Isn't that simply darling??!!!?? Michelle of Meese49 is just one of those truly crafty people. She makes seasonal seasons in pumpkins that are just awesome and tabletop decor. Take a peek:

I think the cleverness of using the funkins as the base of a decoration is unbelievable! I also might have to snatch the autumn tabletop decoration for myself. Fall is my favorite season and I'd love to decorate for it. Is it me or does it seem like there is a serious lack of autumn inspired decor?

Michelle was kind enough to answer my holiday/craft questions. I love getting the insight to these really crafty people- don't you? Lets dig into Michelle's mind for a few minutes!

What is your name? Michelle Worley

How long have you been selling on Etsy? little over 2 years

How did you pick your shops name? I have a service dog who I named Moose as a puppy. My friends told me I should use the plural of moose=meese(lol) and that was that. The numbers are special to me.

What is your favorite item in your shop? My pumpkins

What is your favorite holiday? Halloween

What is your favorite Christmas memory or tradition? Christmas light looking with my mom and dad in my pjs and going to McDonalds with my parents after Christmas Eve mass for dinner.

What is your favorite Christmas song or carol? I have a lot of favorites but the one I like to play on the piano and sing is Silent Night

How long have you been crafting? since I was 3 yrs old. How did you get started? My grandmothers sewed, knit and crochet. My mom is an Oil and Acrylics Painter, art teacher and sewer so I grew up around arts and crafts.

What inspires or motivates you? Nature, my 2 dogs, and music

What advice would you give someone wanting to sell on Etsy? Do what you enjoy and don't worry if anyone else will like it

What do you do, if anything, to try to live a greener lifestyle? I have an Environmental Degree so I have done a lot with the water and animals in my area. I use recycle bags and try to use recycle items in my crafts where I can.

If you could go on vacation anywhere where would you go? Europe (Germany, the UK, Ireland, Scotland, Italy and Poland)

Do you have a season or a favorite that is your favorite to create for? I love the fall and winter months. In Fl we don't actually get seasons much but creating items for those seasons make it feel like fall and winter.

So you know you want to bring this cigar box purse home and maybe even another holiday decoration. Here are the details!

Buy It: HERE
Michelle is also being kind enough to offer a 15% discount to Sarah Simplifies readers! When you check out with your item enter "JulyBlog15" in the messages to seller box. Then you will receive a 15% discount sent to your paypal account. Pretty cool huh?!!?

Win It:
Mandatory: This must be done or all other entries will be deleted.
1)Publicly follow Sarah Simplifies (this has to show up on your Dashboard for it to count)leave a comment that you are a Sarah Simplifies follower- counts as 8 entries (leave 8 comments)
2) Head on over to Meese49 and take a look around. Come back here and leave a comment of what your favorite item is. Click HERE to go to Meese49- 1 entry (leave 1 comment)
So just for publicly following Sarah Simplifies and going to Meese49 & telling me what you'd love to bring home you will get 9, count them, 9 entries!

Extra Entries:
-Blog about this contest and leave a link worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Add my Christmas in July button to your blog 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Subscribe to Sarah Simplifies worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Networked Blogs 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Enter the JessKay Designs giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Mudpuppy giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Loriette's Grammy giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Shabby Boutique giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Barb's Heartstrokes giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Elephant Tales giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Make Meese49 a favorite store if you are an etsy.com buyer worth 2 entry (leave 2 comments)
-Buy something from Meese49 (leave a message that you're a Sarah Simplifies reader) 10 entries (leave 10 comments) Don't forget about that discount code! :)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will end on August 15th. Any comments left after August 15th 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Please make sure that you have a visible email link or include it in your entry
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on August 16th of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that time frame another winner is chosen.
Open to US and Canadian residents only

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review and/or giveaway.

On the Fifth Day of Christmas: Elephant Tales Giveaway

2010-07-13T21:58:00.000-07:00

Are you guys having an awesome Christmas in July yet??!!!?? Tonight's giveaway is a personalized hanging block from Elephant Tales. Susan the owner of Elephant Tales is one really, really crafty lady! Her shop offers personalized wooden blocks, personalized wooden yo-yo's, bottle cap jewelry, Tooth Fairy bottles, art clips and much more! Take a look!

Pretty cool stuff, huh??? :) I thought you might like it! This is what Elephant Tales is contributing to the Christmas in July Event:

The winner will be able to choose any type of personalized wooden block, birth announcement, wedding block, baptism block or Christmas ornament block.

Want to know how you can bring home an Elephant Tales wooden block?
Buy It: HERE

Want to know how to win?
Win It:
Mandatory: This must be done or all other entries will be deleted.
1)Publicly follow Sarah Simplifies (this has to show up on your Dashboard for it to count)leave a comment that you are a Sarah Simplifies follower- counts as 8 entries (leave 8 comments)
2) Head on over to Elephant Tales and take a look around. Come back here and leave a comment of what your favorite item is. Click HERE to go to Elephant Tales- 1 entry (leave 1 comment)
So just for publicly following Sarah Simplifies and going to Elephant Tales & telling me what you'd love to bring home you will get 9, count them, 9 entries!

Extra Entries:
-Blog about this contest and leave a link worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Add my Christmas in July button to your blog 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Subscribe to Sarah Simplifies worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Networked Blogs 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Enter the JessKay Designs giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Mudpuppy giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Loriette's Grammy giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Shabby Boutique giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Barb's Heartstrokes giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Make Elephant Tales a favorite store if you are an etsy.com buyer worth 2 entry (leave 2 comments)
-Buy something from Elephant Tales (leave a message that you're a Sarah Simplifies reader) 10 entries (leave 10 comments)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will end on August 15th. Any comments left after August 15th 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Please make sure that you have a visible email link or include it in your entry
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on August 16th of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that time frame another winner is chosen.
Open to US and Canadian residents only

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review and/or giveaway.

On the fourth day of Christmas, Barb's Heartstrokes Giveaway

2010-07-12T20:48:00.000-07:00

So did y'all have a good weekend? I took my daughter to a children's museum about 45 minutes from here & she had a ball! I must say that it was very nicely put together! The water table & acrylic wall painting were definitely the highlights! Are you ready for a bit more Christmas in July fun? I sure am! After weeding the garden a bit this summer & trading gardening notes with my cousin this weekend in some way too humid weather I must admit that Christmas seems kind of nice in theory (someone remind me of that when we're buried in snow- we had a fuzzy bear caterpillar on the porch last week that was WAY furry!)

Anyway, its time for our next Christmas in July giveaway! This giveaway is from Barb's Heartstrokes, another incredible etsy.com shop. I know that I shared my love with the shabby style with you last week. The other style that I absolutely adore is the whole country/primitive look. I love the homey, comfortable feel to it. I love getting issues of Country Sampler magazine and marking items for my wish list! Especially when it comes to Christmas decorating. Barb of Barb's Heartstrokes has absolutely captured that feel in her work. Her medium is hand painting on fiberglass black screen material and it is absolutely INCREDIBLE! I was showing my daughter some of Barb's pieces the other day and she literally wanted to bring all of them home!

Here are some samples of Barb's work

Barb was kind enough to share some of her insights and holiday favorites with us!

1. What is your name? Barb Stock
2. How long have you been selling on Etsy? Brand new since April 2010
3. How did you pick your shops name? ‘Heartstrokes ’ came about because I was an Intensive Care Cardiac nurse and was learning to paint. So between my job and learning to paint they were both quite a challenge. But anything that is a challenge usually is worth it. So when I started a business it seemed natural to combine the two.
4. What is your favorite item in your shop? That is a hard question to answer…I end up falling in love with what ever I happen to be painting at the present time. But my latest favorite is

I love this Witch!
5. What is your favorite holiday? Actually Halloween
6. What is your favorite Christmas memory or tradition? Since marrying my husband every Christmas Eve we light traditional luminaries in our driveway and side walk to guide the Christ child to our house. My children get the biggest thrill out of that.
7. What is your favorite Christmas song or carol? O Holy Night
8. How long have you been crafting? I have been painting for about 14 years.
How did you get started? My husband was in the Air force and was deployed overseas so I took an acrylic painting class at a local craft store and loved it!
9. What inspires or motivates you? Fun whimsical patterns and COLORS!
10. What advice would you give someone wanting to sell on Etsy? Jump in and get started. I wanted to do it for awhile but was to timid to start. It is quite a leaning curve and everyday there is something new to learn. But all the fun people I have met along the way have been by far the greatest part.
11. Do you have a favorite Etsy shop (other than yours)? Look at Dimdi’s watercolor art work at http://www.etsy.com/shop/dimdi It is incredible to me.
12. What do you do, if anything, to try to live a greener lifestyle? I grew up with parents that insisted we recycle, reuse, and reduce on everything so it has always been apart of my life. We grow, can, and freeze most of our food. We try to walk instead of taking the car and that has help not only cut down on gas money but we have become healthier.
13. If you could go on vacation anywhere where would you go? Antarctic. My son loves penguins and it is a land that looks very intriguing to me.
14. Do you have a season or a favorite that is your favorite to create for? Each one has a special feeling and it is the colors that attract me. Once I am tired of orange, purples, and black of Halloween I move to the reds and greens of Christmas then on to the blues of winter then there is all the bright colors of Spring!

Don't you just love the way the colors Barb uses just pop against the black background??? The winner of the Barb's Heartstrokes giveaway is going to receive this darling ornament

So you want to know how to win it, right? Read on my friend!

Buy It:
Barb's Heartstrokes HERE

Win It:
Mandatory: This must be done or all other entries will be deleted.
1)Publicly follow Sarah Simplifies (this has to show up on your Dashboard for it to count)leave a comment that you are a Sarah Simplifies follower- counts as 8 entries (leave 8 comments)
2) Head on over to Barb's Heartstrokes and take a look around. Come back here and leave a comment of what your favorite item is. Click HERE to go to Barb's Heartstrokes- 1 entry (leave 1 comment)
So just for publicly following Sarah Simplifies and going to Barb's Heartstrokes & telling me what you'd love to bring home you will get 9, count them, 9 entries!

Extra Entries:
-Blog about this contest and leave a link worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Add my Christmas in July button to your blog 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Subscribe to Sarah Simplifies worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Networked Blogs 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Enter the JessKay Designs giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Mudpuppy giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Loriette's Grammy giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Shabby Boutique giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Make Barb's Heartstrokes a favorite store if you are an etsy.com buyer worth 2 entry (leave 2 comments)
-Buy something from Barb's Heartstrokes (leave a message that you're a Sarah Simplifies reader) 10 entries (leave 10 comments)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will end on August 15th. Any comments left after August 15th 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Please make sure that you have a visible email link or include it in your entry
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on August 16th of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that time frame another winner is chosen.
Open to US and Canadian residents only

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review and/or giveaway.

On the Third Day of Christmas: The Shabby Boutique Giveaway

2010-07-09T15:21:00.000-07:00

The owner of The Shabby Boutique has so generously decided to giveaway several items in the Sarah Simplifies Christmas in July event. Today I'm sharing the first one with you. I must confess that I'm a huge fan of the whole shabby style! I think its because I was brought up having a "thing" for roses and roses figure so prominently in the Shabby style. My middle name is Rose after my Mom's paternal grandmother and its also my daughters name as well. When I was born my dad had a tea rose corsage made and put on my hospital gown (see what I mean when I say I was brought up having a "thing" for roses???).

So lets take a peek at what The Shabby Boutique is giving away today!

Don't you just love it??!!!?? It makes me what to have Christmas rolling around the corner instead of dealing with highs in the high 80's! So you want to know how to win this lovely right? Ask and ye shall receive!

Buy It:
Go HERE

Win It:
Mandatory: This must be done or all other entries will be deleted.
1)Publicly follow Sarah Simplifies (this has to show up on your Dashboard for it to count)leave a comment that you are a Sarah Simplifies follower- counts as 8 entries (leave 8 comments)
2) Head on over to The Shabby Boutique and take a look around. Come back here and leave a comment of what your favorite item is. Click HERE to go to The Shabby Boutique- 1 entry (leave 1 comment)
So just for publicly following Sarah Simplifies and going to The Shabby Boutique & telling me what you'd love to bring home you will get 9, count them, 9 entries!

Extra Entries:
-Blog about this contest and leave a link worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Add my Christmas in July button to your blog 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Subscribe to Sarah Simplifies worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Networked Blogs 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Enter the JessKay Designs giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Mudpuppy giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Loriette's Grammy Giveaway 3 entries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Make The Shabby Boutique a favorite store if you are an etsy.com buyer worth 2 entry (leave 2 comments)
-Buy something from The Shabby Boutique (leave a message that you're a Sarah Simplifies reader) 10 entries (leave 10 comments)
and just for fun
-Leave a comment telling your favorite memory for 3 entries (leave 3 comments)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will end on August 15th. Any comments left after August 15th 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Please make sure that you have a visible email link or include it in your entry
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on August 16th of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that time frame another winner is chosen.
Open to US and Canadian residents only

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review and/or giveaway.

Gulf Coast Spill

2010-07-09T09:05:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share this website with all of you. Please in no way think I am encouraging you to give money to the effort or the organizations listed on this site. If you can- wonderful. If you can't- that's ok too. There are many other things you can do. Salons here are gathering the clippings from customers haircuts and sending them to a company that makes mats of hair that helps absorb the oil. It just seems as time goes by the crisis is getting the attention it was although the need is still very real. I was so proud of my daughter when she saw a brown pelican covered in oil and demanded to know what she could do to help. It was such a wonderful teaching opportunity! The organizations listed here are also by no means the only ones worthy of helping with this crisis- I'm just sharing this as a starting point. Please share this with friends, family, fellow bloggers and tweet about it! Every little bit helps!

Network for Good Help animals and wildlife threatened by the oil spill HERE

On the second day of Christmas- Loriette's Grammy Giveaway

2010-07-08T19:58:00.000-07:00

I know y'all know about my love for Etsy and you're going to see LOTS of Etsy shops in the Christmas in July giveaway. Etsy is so awesome in so many ways. It is crafted items that are made with care- isn't that the kind of item you want to buy- and give? Our next Christmas in July Giveaway is from Loriette's Grammy. Barbara is the owner of Loriette's Grammy and was kind enough to do an interview as part of the giveaway. Grab a cup of tea (iced is ok!) and join us for awhile!

-What is your name? Barbara Redmon, or Barbilu
-How long have you been selling on Etsy? About 2 years
-How did you pick your shops name? This shop is based on my first grand child's middle name, and the name is a tribute to her two great grand mothers. Mariette and Lola, making Loriette. I do wish I had thought this out better, as it would have been Loriette's Designs.
-What is your favorite item in your shop? This is my favorite thing in my shop and has been for quite some time. I would love to put it on my bed and would if it were not for the husband.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/32312841/ooak-shabby-chic-in-pink-and-grays-throw
-What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
-What is your favorite Christmas memory or tradition? Christmas Morning with the children. The happy faces and joy of anyone receiving a gift that you have picked out especially for them or created especially for them is what makes it all so fun.
-What is your favorite Christmas song or carol? Jingle Bells and We Wish You a Merry Christmas, well there are more too... but you did say a favorite.. I love lots of them.
-How long have you been crafting? How did you get started? All my life in some way or another. I grew up with a very creative mother. She started sewing at age 3. She was from Belgium and they had a flat in Paris, where she would go with sketch pad in hand to the designer stores and go home and make the outfit. I am not as good as her in the clothing making, but I do like to make my way in the design of household items and my brooches etc.
-What inspires or motivates you? Everything, I love flowers and the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, but odd things inspire me as well... and I strive to recycle/upcycle/repurpos as much as I can. Other things that inspire me, Babies, dancing girls, the color of food, lollipops, blueberries, pigtails, the texture of nature, like rocks, dirt, moss growing on a tree and the list goes on and on.
-What advice would you give someone wanting to sell on Etsy? List every day if you can at different times in the day and take great pictures.
-Do you have a favorite Etsy shop (other than yours).. way to many of them and they are always changing. A few that I find I keep finding something I like and what do you know it is so and so.
-What do you do, if anything, to try to live a greener lifestyle? Oh, drive my family nuts...compost all food and paper and some other things... also recycle everything I can... from the container the strawberries come in to cereal boxes (I use to ship things in them) to tiny pieces of fabric. I grow some of my own food and I buy green/organic as much as I can. I just had a guy come and remove the bees from a hornets hive from my home in as humane a way as possible. They freeze them and milk them of their venom and this does not kill them. I found it very interesting. My husband would have loved to kill them, but I would not let him.
-If you could go on vacation anywhere where would you go? To a cabin on a lake and bring my sewing machine and crafting materials, a book to read and fresh food... and by myself would be good. I love my alone time.
-Do you have a season or a favorite that is your favorite to create for? I love to create for eclectic people, and when I find someone who enjoys my things then I am inspired to get even more creative

So would you like to see what Barbara is giving away?

Love it don't you???? :) I knew you would! Barbara makes the most awesome brooches, bracelets and baubles! You SO need to go to her shop Loriette's Grammy and check things out! I'm just jealous of anyone that can make yo- yo's! I'm relatively crafty but those just don't happen for me! So, in the spirit of giving Barbara is giving away this darling brooch and without further ado I'm going to tell you how to win it!

Win It:
Mandatory: This must be done or all other entries will be deleted.
1)Publicly follow Sarah Simplifies (this has to show up on your Dashboard for it to count)leave a comment that you are a Sarah Simplifies follower- counts as 8 entries (leave 8 comments)
2) Head on over to Loriette's Grammy and take a look around. Come back here and leave a comment of what your favorite item is. Click HERE to go to Loriette's Grammy- 1 entry (leave 1 comment)
So just for publicly following Sarah Simplifies and going to Mudpuppy & telling me what you'd love to bring home you will get 9, count them, 9 entries!

Extra Entries:
-Blog about this contest and leave a link worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Add my Christmas in July button to your blog 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Subscribe to Sarah Simplifies worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Networked Blogs 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Enter the JessKay Designs giveaway 3 enteries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Enter the Mudpuppy giveaway 3 enteries (leave 3 comments w/ your email)
-Make Loriette's Grammy a favorite store if you are an etsy.com buyer worth 2 entry (leave 2 comments)
-Buy something from Loriette's Grammy (leave a message that you're a Sarah Simplifies reader) 10 entries (leave 10 comments)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will end on August 15th. Any comments left after August 15th 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Please make sure that you have a visible email link or include it in your entry
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on August 16th of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that time frame another winner is chosen.
Open to US and Canadian residents only

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review and/or giveaway.

On the first Day of Christmas.... Mudpuppy Review & Giveaway!

2010-07-07T19:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much for being patient! I really had this all set up & ready to roll on July 1st. Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans right? My mom gets epidural cortisone shots for her back. Well, the last one went awry and she started suffering from spinal fluid headaches as well as her legs not wanting to work. The Dr. decided against a blood patch instead seeing if it would heal itself. Thankfully for the most part it has. My mom isn't 100% but she's WAY better than she was! Now...on to the good stuff, right????

This month we're doing an ENTIRE month of Christmas giveaways! The first up is an oh so cute Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer cube puzzle from Mudpuppy! This thing is so darling! My daughter is quite the puzzle aficionado and its an area that she has absolutely no delays in. Therefore, I LOVE shopping for new puzzles for her. Also, my family is a bit over the top when it comes to Christmas. I knew I had this Christmas in July event coming up and when I saw all of the super cute Christmas items Mudpuppy has to offer I knew I'd found a fit! Mudpuppy has sticker scene sets, advent calendars & puzzles. I love knowing that I can get something for my daughter that actually has a good chance of being liked more than the box it comes in (c'mon- all of you parents know what I mean!). Here are a few pics of Mudpuppys offerings:

and this little cutie that Mudpuppy sent me to review! Its also going to come live with a lucky Sarah Simplifies reader!

I've got to say that first of my daughter loved this puzzle. Secondly this isn't your cheapo might last for a few weeks kind of puzzle. This was a great, bright printed graphic on a nice thick base. This puzzle can definitely make it through a few holiday seasons and most likely more than one child! So, you want to know how to get this puzzle? Well, I'm here to serve!

Buy It:
Go to Mudpuppy HERE

Win It:
Mandatory: This must be done or all other entries will be deleted.
1)Publicly follow Sarah Simplifies (this has to show up on your Dashboard for it to count)leave a comment that you are a Sarah Simplifies follower- counts as 8 entries (leave 8 comments)
2) Head on over to Mudpuppy and take a look around. Come back here and leave a comment of what your favorite item is. Click HERE to go to Mudpuppy- 1 entry (leave 1 comment)
So just for publicly following Sarah Simplifies and going to Mudpuppy & telling me what you'd love to bring home you will get 9, count them, 9 entries!

Extra Entries:
-Blog about this contest and leave a link worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Add my button to your blog 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Subscribe to Sarah Simplifies worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Networked Blogs 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Enter the JessaKay Designs giveaway 3 enteries (leave 3 comments)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will end on August 15th. Any comments left after August 15th 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Please make sure that you have a visible email link or include it in your entry
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on August 16th of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that time frame another winner is chosen.
Open to US and Canadian residents only

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review and/or giveaway.

JessKay Designs Giveaway

2010-06-23T11:49:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited about this giveaway! JessKay Designs has GORGEOUS jewelry! Seriously! I'm not kidding! I LOVE LOVE LOVE these:

and how cute is this:

and aren't these to die for?????

Ok, now take a second to wipe your chin because I know you're drooling over JessKay Designs just like I was! Here's the best part! Jessica from JessKay Designs is giving one Sarah Simplifies reader these beautiful earrings

So I'm sure you're asking yourself where you can find JessKay Designs. Ask and ye shall receive! Just click HERE

Buy It:
JessKay Designs HERE

Win It:
Mandatory: This must be done or all other entries will be deleted.
1)Publicly follow Sarah Simplifies (this has to show up on your Dashboard for it to count)leave a comment that you are a Sarah Simplifies follower- counts as 8 entries (leave 8 comments)
2) Head on over to JessKay Designs and take a look around. Come back here and leave a comment of what your favorite item is. Click HERE to go to JessKay Designs- 1 entry (leave 1 comment)
If you are not a blogger you can send an email to 8 people and CC me at SarahSimplifies@yahoo.com since you cannot publicly follow and receive your 8 entries that way.

Extra Entries:
-Blog about this contest and leave a link worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Subscribe to Sarah Simplifies worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Make JessKay Designs a favorite store if you are an etsy.com buyer worth 2 entry (leave 2 comments)
-Buy something from JessKay Designs (leave a message that you're a Sarah Simplifies reader) 10 entries (leave 10 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Networked Blogs 3 entries (leave 3 comments)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will end on July 23rd. Any comments left after July 23rd 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on July 24th of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that time frame another winner is chosen.

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review and/or giveaway.

SmartKnitKIDS® Giveaway Winner is:

2010-06-23T11:42:00.003-07:00

Rachel C

Congrats! I'll email you in a few minutes!!!

Sarah

SmartKnitKIDS® Giveaway Winner is:

2010-06-23T11:42:00.001-07:00

Seize the Night Designs Giveaway Winner

2010-06-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

Congrats the winner of the Seize the Night Designs Giveaway Winner is:

jeni@pnkgeeni said...
I am publicly following your blog - 1

June 8, 2010 3:52 PM

I'll send you an email in a few minutes!

Sarah

July Event

2010-06-21T10:57:00.000-07:00

Oh, just a bit of a teaser because I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited about the July event coming up and I want y'all to be psyched too! It's going to be SO awesome! If anyone knows how to make a button for a blog could you drop me an email????? Thanks!

Sarah

Boogie Wipes Giveaway Winner

2010-06-21T10:53:00.000-07:00

The winner of the Boogie Wipes Giveaway is.....

Boogie Wipes Winner is:
USCGWifey said...
Sent request for facebook Cara G
uscgwifey at gmail dot com
MAY 22, 2010 5:14 AM

I will send you an email in a second! Congrats!!!

I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaackkkkk!

2010-06-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks for understanding about me needing some time to get my daughter settled into a summer routine! I've come up with a daily schedule that runs in 1/2 hour incriments. Hopefully my dd will stay interested without getting bored. At this point I just want to make sure she doesn't lose too many skills over the summer. The wonderful school district here fired all the therapists at the end of the school year so they could hire in newer, less experienced (and cheaper) therapist.

We bought some fairytale eggplants yesterday. If you don't like the bitterness that sometimes accompanies eggplants you have to try these! They are mini eggplants (about 4 1/2 inches) with very few if any seeds and no bitterness! My parents also started a fairy garden for my daughter as part of her birthday gift. So far she has a mini rose bush, some thyme thats a ground cover and a purple flower that I forgot the name of. Next up on our agenda is a trip to Chicago tomorrow to Shriners Hospital. My daughter hasn't seen her plastic surgeon in 2 years and the developmental psychologist in 3 years. I can't say that I'm looking forward to the trip. We usually drive up and back in 1 day. They will also decide when my daughters next surgery is. Fun stuff I tell you! So what all have you been up to? I'm going to announce winners for a few giveaways and then post a giveaway in a bit! Hope you're having a great summer!

I really haven't disappeared!

2010-06-17T12:34:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry if it seems that way! My daughters birthday was last week & in addition I've spent some time trying to get her set up in a summer schedule. My daughter is one of those kids that needs a strict schedule to adhere to and summer always throws her for a loop! We met with her Occupational Therapist last week and I think I've come up with a good game plan. I will be back full force next week! Stay tuned because you're going to love, I mean really LOVE, the July event coming!!!! Thanks for understanding!

Sarah

Jazzy's Crochet Giveaway Winner is....

2010-06-09T06:23:00.000-07:00

LIZ said...
hi, i am follower

email me :)
liz_crowny@yahoo.com
pintaliztiirene.blogspot.com

thankies for helding this giveaway

#4

I will send you an email right now- CONGRATS!!!!!!!!

Dapple Review

2010-06-09T06:01:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure of testing a couple of Dapple products so I could offer this review. I was sent a travel size Dapple Dish Liquid and a package of Dapple Toy Cleaner Wipes in travel size. I've been washing my dishes in "green" dish liquids for quite awhile now. For the most part I just grab whatever is at WalMart or the grocery store- you know what I mean- Seventh Generation and Clorox Green Works. I've always been happy with those products and like that if my daughter wants to help do dishes its safe enough for her to use. I've got to say that now I'm a HUGE Dapple Dish Liquid fan. It washes dishes so well and leaves them squeaky clean. Seriously- the squeaked! I think its because Dapple Dish Liquid has some baking soda in it. I've read in the past that adding either vinegar or baking soda to your dish pan or liquid would help clean. Well, vinegar separates and if you have any open cuts it hurts. Since I tried Dapple and fell in love with it I used it all up and then went back to a bottle of dish liquid under the sink. I tried adding baking soda to that. Well the baking soda all settled on the bottom and would remix well until I was near the bottom of the bottle and could really shake it up well. This was never the case with the Dapple Dish Liquid. That was the definite selling point for Dapple! It was just a lovely clear liquid that did an amazing job. I also like that there are refill packs available for Dapple Dish Liquid. The Dapple toy wipes were just as wonderful. The pack fit in my purse and I was able to whip one out when we were at lunch with my nephew & he dropped a toy he was playing with. I love that it wasn't too wet- because you know that they'd drop the toy right away again. I can see how the toy wipes would be a huge asset to any family traveling or that has young kids that still have a case of the "oops dropsy's".

Dapple products are available at buybuybaby.com, bedbathandbeyond.com, ToysRUs.com and Diapers.com, or click HERE to find a store near you.

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. A complimentary product/service was provided to facilitate this review. However all opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review.

Giveaway Roundup!

2010-06-04T12:37:00.000-07:00

This weeks Giveaway Roundup is HUGE!!! Have fun- remember you can't win if you don't enter!!!

-One Scrappy Mom is giving away a Hoover Floormate HERE
-Leslie Loves Veggies has an Honest Tea Half & Half giveaway HERE
-Frugal Mommy of 2 girls has a Glitter Me Tees jewelry giveaway HERE
-Piece of Me has a Coleman/ Sterns Puddle Jumper giveaway HERE
-Love Comma Ashley has a Lily Organics basket giveaway HERE
http://www.lilyorganics.com
-Mommie 911 has a Seventh Generation giveaway with some great cleaning tips HERE
-This Mom Loves has an anniversary giveaway HERE
-Oh My Giveaways has a Maggie's Soap Nuts giveaway HERE
-Leslie Loves Veggies has a Fortunes to live By necklace giveaway HERE
-Frugal Plus has a Crock Pot Fix It and Forget It giveaway HERE
-Confessions of a Psychotic Housewife has a My Baby Clothes Boutique Giveaway HERE
http://www.mybabyclothesboutique.com/
-Mom Dot Com has a Nestle (and Freezer) giveaway HERE
-The Life of a Coast Guard Wife as an All Natural Makeup giveaway HERE
-Getting Kinda Crunchy has a Meridane Design giveaway HERE
-Geting Kinda Crunchy has a Fling Bins giveaway HERE
-Getting Kinda Crunchy has a wee little changes reuseable snack bag giveaway HERE
-Mom's Focus on Cyber World has a Tribest Single Serving Blender/Grinder PB-250 giveaway HERE
-Leslie Loves Veggies has a Pedia Lax Gummie Fiber giveaway HERE
-Leslie Loves Veggies has a Viva Vegan Cookbook giveaway HERE
-Leslie Loves Veggies has a copy of Cooking with Chef Michelle to giveaway HERE
-3 Kids and Us has a Nestle and freezer giveaway HERE
-3 Kids and Us has a Cooking with Paula Deen cookware giveaway HERE
-Leslie Loves Veggies has a Slant glassware giveaway HERE
-Leslie Loves Veggies has a Gayles Sweet N Sassy BBQ giveaway HERE
-Shrimp Salad Circus has a Shelly Frances Mineral Makeup Giveaway HERE
-Mom's Focus on Cyber World has a Little Luvee giveaway HERE
-Mom's Focus on Cyber World is giving away a copy of Tooth Fairy HERE
-Mom's Focus on Cyber World has a Michael Angelo giveaway HERE
-Mom's Focus on Cyber World has a My Lip Stuff giveaway HERE
-Kristie's List has a CSN stores giveaway HERE
-The Life of a Coast Guard Wife has a Overall Beauty giveaway HERE
-Mommy Kat & Kids has a Boon meal giveaway HERE
-Mommy Kat & Kids has a DIY Sock Monkey giveaway HERE
-Liz has a Life has a Dripstick giveaway HERE
-Wild and Precious has a Birthday Jewelry from Spain giveaway HERE
-Mommy's Idea has a Kidscraft giveaway HERE
-My Family Treat has a Lunch Punch giveaway HERE
-EcoKaren has a Clean & Green Giveaway HERE
-One Scrappy Mom has a Make Your Eyes Shimmer Giveaway HERE
-A Pina Colada has a CSN stores giveaway HERE
-Trapped Between a Scream and a Hug has a Cuddle Ems giveaway HERE
-Mommies with Cents have a Nap Nanny Giveaway HERE
-Midday Escapes has a Zuvo Water Purifier Giveaway HERE
-The Freebie Spot is giving away a copy of Three Wishes HERE
-The Freebie Spot has Don't Drink ____, Drink WAT-AAH giveaway HERE
-Mom of all Trades as a Skoy Cloth giveaway HERE
-BellaBugs is giving away a gift certificate to her store HERE
-One2Try has a Zuvo Water Purator giveaway HERE

Three Lollies Giveaway Winner

2010-06-03T20:50:00.000-07:00

is.....

Emily said...
didnt know health care professionals came up with this
emmy1981 at aol dot com

May 20, 2010 5:33 PM!!!

SmartKnitKIDS® patented seamless socks Giveaway

2010-06-01T10:58:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited about being able to offer this giveaway from SmartKnitKIDS. If you don't remember my review about SmartKnitKIDS you can find it HERE

The socks are completely seamless! This is such a wonderful thing if you have a child with sensory issues! Since I'm feeling like today is a Monday its going to be a super easy giveaway! (I like the extra day off but it always messes me up a bit, kwim?)

The winner will receive a pair of socks in their choice of style and color from SmartKnitKIDS.

Buy It:
Go to SmartKnitKIDS website and buy, buy, buy!

Win It:
Mandatory: This must be done or all other entries will be deleted.
1)Publicly follow Sarah Simplifies (this has to show up on your Dashboard for it to count)leave a comment that you are a Sarah Simplifies follower- counts as 8 entries (leave 8 comments)
2) Head on over to SmartKnitKIDS and take a look around. Come back here and leave a comment of what your favorite style and color is. Click HERE to go to SmartKnitKIDS- 1 entry (leave 1 comment)

Extra Entries:
-Blog about this contest and leave a link worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Subscribe to Sarah Simplifies worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Networked Blogs 3 entries (leave 3 comments)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will end on June 22nd. Any comments left after June 22nd 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on June 23rd of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that time frame another winner is chosen.

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. A complimentary product/service was provided to facilitate this review. However all opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review and/or giveaway.

Seize the Night Designs Giveaway!

2010-06-01T10:27:00.000-07:00

I am so excited about this giveaway! Not only does the person behind Seize the Night Designs have an awesome name- she's a Sarah too (I know it we're everywhere!) but she also makes some really awesome jewelry. Head on over to the Seize the Night Designs and take a look around and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about!

Sarah from Seize the Night Designs is giving a $15 gift certificate to a Sarah Simplifies reader. Its incredibly easy too!

Buy It:
Go to Seize the Night Designs and buy whatever your little heart desires!

Win It:
Mandatory: This must be done or all other entries will be deleted.
1)Publicly follow Sarah Simplifies (this has to show up on your Dashboard for it to count)leave a comment that you are a Sarah Simplifies follower- counts as 8 entries (leave 8 comments)
2) Head on over to Seize the Night Designs and take a look around. Come back here and leave a comment of what your favorite item is. Click HERE to go to Seize the Night Designs- 1 entry (leave 1 comment)

Extra Entries:
-Blog about this contest and leave a link worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Subscribe to Sarah Simplifies worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Make Seize the Night Designs a favorite store if you are an etsy.com buyer worth 2 entry (leave 2 comments)
-Buy something from Seize the Night Designs (leave a message that you're a Sarah Simplifies reader) 10 entries (leave 10 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Networked Blogs 3 entries (leave 3 comments)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will end on June 22nd. Any comments left after June 22nd 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on June 23rd of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that time frame another winner is chosen.

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. A complimentary product/service was provided to facilitate this review. However all opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review and/or giveaway.

ABC's of Yoga for Kids Winner Is....

2010-05-29T08:01:00.000-07:00

Congrats!!!!!!!

sweetpea18 said...
i learned that the book has received several awards including the family choice award.

heatheranya at hotmail dot com

May 17, 2010 5:26 PM

More giveaways coming this weekend!!!

Giveaway Roundup!

2010-05-28T12:06:00.000-07:00

Here is this weeks Giveaway Roundup! Have y'all been entering the contests on the blogosphere?!!? I love it! I won 3 or 4 different onces THIS week! I love winning stuff! So without further ado here is your chance to win some stuff!

- Mahayla's Mommy is having an EcoSmart giveaway HERE
-The Nurse Mommy is giving away a Mobi Tykelight Jr HERE
-Inside the Yellow House is giving away a Yellow House Baby Sweater HERE
-Leslie Loves Veggies has a Keurig giveaway HERE
-Mommy Kat & Kids has an Eleven Shoes giveaway HERE
-Leslie Loves Veggies has a Wintergreen Northern Wear giveaway HERE
-Moomette's Magnificents has a P&G/ Target giveaway HERE
-The Indie Tot has a Sweet Tashie Cupcake Topper giveaway HERE
-Indie Spotting is giving away a copy of Martha Stewarts Encyclopedia of crafts HERE
-One Scrappy Mom is having a CafePress giveaway HERE
-In the Know Mom has a Fabkins giveaway HERE
-Theta Mom has a Leapfrog Digital Camera giveaway HERE
-Courageous Mother has a "Aluckyhorseshoe" Etsy shop giveaway HERE
-Olive Bites has a PeaseBlossom Studio Handmade Leather Journal giveaway HERE
-Did you See That? is giving away a copy of CareBears Shares-a-lot in Care-a-lot DVD HERE
-Extreme Personal Measures has an EZ Mealz giveaway HERE
-Extreme Personal Measures has a EvoraPlus giveaway HERE
-Babies Gotta Have it has a Go! Go! Sports Girls giveaway HERE
-One Scrappy Mommy has a Corel software giveaway HERE
-Our Family Treat is giving away a Piggy Paints gift certificate HERE
-Mommies With Cents has a Safety First Snack & Scribble Booster giveaway HERE
-My Real Reviews is giving away a Baby Everywhere Safety Organizer HERE
-Piece of Me has a Barley & Birch Tshirt giveaway HERE
-The Phizzingtub has a CSN stores gift certificate giveaway HERE
-Couponer 101 has a Sams Club giveaway HERE
-One Scrappy Mom has a grab guard giveaway HERE
-One Scrappy Mom has a Mama Mantras giveaway HERE

So ready to start in the garden!

2010-05-26T11:38:00.000-07:00

Our garden finally got tilled last weekend! Hopefully this weekend I'll be out there with my daughter planting! My daughters peditrician and I talked yesterday about going towards a more natural food diet and he's on board. I'm so excited! My daughter gets out of school next week and I'm going to see if we can follow a clean, locally grown diet. I have a few reviews & giveaways to get up for you guys- my daughter is having some stomach problems and I'm waiting to hear back from the Dr's office about tests they were scheduling. Then hopefully I'll get to spend some real time online!

Boogie Wipes Review & Giveaway

2010-05-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

We usually joke about the weather here in Illinois- if you don't like it wait 10 minutes and it'll change. It's often true too! The one thing that doesn't change- much to my dismay, is the allergy season. Actually, it does change- it seems to be lasting longer and longer! My daughter and I both have horrible allergy problems. If its green and grows we're allergic to it. My daughter is also allergic to dogs- and we own 2! Last weekend we did a TON of yard work. Trying to get the garden ready to be tilled and add compost. Renovating the side yard and pulling weeds (upon weeds and more weeds). I was relatively ok with the help of a little Zyrtec. My poor baby on the other hand was totally miserable the rest of the weekend. Her little nose was so stuffed! Fortunately the nice ladies at Boogie Wipes sent me a pack of Boogie Wipes. What a huge help!!! They are awesome!

The ladies at Boogie Wipes are going to send a pack of Boogie Wipes to a Sarah Simplifies Reader. Its as always easy peasy with lots of Extra Entry possibilities!

Mandatory Entry:
-Must be done before any entries can be valid.
-Follow Sarah Simplifies PUBLICALLY on Google Friend Connect (It must show up on your dashboard to count)
-Go to Boogie Wipes site and tell me something you learned or why you'd like to win this. Leave a comment

Extra Entries:
-Follow Boogie Wipes on Facebook HERE 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Boogie Wipes on Twitter HERE 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Blog about this contest and leave a link 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Subscribe to Sarah Simplifies via email 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies via Networked Blogs 3 entries on right hand column (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 5 entries (leave 3 comments)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will end on June 12th. Any comments left after June 12th 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on June 13th of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that time frame another winner is chosen.

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. A complimentary product/service was provided to facilitate this review. However all opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review.

Giveaway Roundup!

2010-05-21T10:41:00.001-07:00

I think (at least I hope!) y'all will be happy with this weeks Giveaway Roundup! Tons of stuff for you to try to win! I LOVE WINNING! Don't you???? :) Over 25 giveaways from around the blogosphere!

-Leslie Loves Veggie is having an Ocean Minded giveaway HERE
-Babies Gotta Have it is giving away a Crest Pro Health Sensitive Shield HERE
-WAHM Resource Site has a Baby Bunch Cupcake Onesie giveaway HERE
-Simply Stacie is giving away a copy of The Pocket Therapist (this looks so good!) HERE
-The Life of a Coast Guard Wife has a Sunglass Warehouse HERE
-A Child Writes is having a Corner Art giveaway HERE
-Brea's Mommy is having a CSN stores giveaway HERE
-MommaLovesMee is having a Wett Giggles giveaway HERE
-Rants in My Pants is having a Raspberry Baby wrap giveaway HERE
-Save Your Money Mama has a Tao Digital Keychain HERE
-Leslie Loves Veggies is having a SugarPlum Gourmet Chocolate Giveaway HERE
-Leslie Loves Veggies is having a Reisenthel loopshopper L giveaway HERE
-Oh My Giveaway is having a Tropical Traditions Green Label Coconut Oil Giveaway HERE
-Mommy Kat & Kids is giving away a Lazy Dog Designs Farmers Market bag HERE
-Secret Suburb Society is giving away a copy of What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life HERE
-Leslie Loves Veggies is giving away a copy of For Every Season there is a Salad Cookbook HERE
-Getting Kinda Crunchy is having a giveaway with 8 Ecogadgets and a Sodastream giveaway HERE
-Getting Kinda Crunchy is having a BeBe AuLait Hooter Hiders giveaway HERE
-Mommy Kat & Kids is having a Scentsy giveaway HERE
-Journey of Grace is having a CSN Stores giveaway HERE
-Moms Wear Your Tees has a Revolution Foods Giveaway HERE
-Frugal MD Mom is giving away a 1 year membership to Blue Mountain Cards HERE
-The Mom Reviews is having a Debbie Macomber Hannah's List 11 book giveaway HERE
-Go Yay! has an Ocean Sinus Irrigation giveaway HERE
-Piece of Me is having a KidsCraft Playhouse giveaway HERE
-Simply Stacie is giving away a copy of Put On Your Crown by Queen Latifah HERE
-Frugal Front Porch is having an Archives.com giveaway HERE
-Heavenly Savings is giving away a copy of Still the One by Robin Wells HERE
-Heavenly Savings is giving away a copy of This is Why You're Fat (and How to Get Thin Forever) HERE

A few questions answered

2010-05-20T11:58:00.000-07:00

I've had a few emails recently so I've decided to answer some of the questions here. Tomorrow will be a giveaway & Giveaway Roundup listing- quite the day!

1) I've been asked about my daughter being a special needs child.
My daughter was born with something called bicoronal craniosynostosis. Basically what that means is that when she was born that where there should have been two soft spots near the front of her head there wasn't. The bone had prematurely fused together. What does this mean? Well, soft spots exist so babies brains have room to grow without pressure. Since my daughters had prematurely fused together that affected the way her skull was shaped, the way her brain could grow and that in time if there wasn't surgical intervention her brain would start to have pressure on it. My daughter had her first surgery at 7 1/2 months old. It was basically to make room for the brain to grow and relieve any pressure that had started. The thing is once you've messed with the brain you've messed with the entire body. That said my daughter has a variety of health problems, thankfully most of them small, and has global delays. For example she was pretty basically non verbal until she was a bit over 3 years old. She didn't walk until about 20 months old. She has some learning disabilities but loves school so what more can I ask for? She isn't done having surgeries and won't be until she is fully grown. The biggest health issue we face on a daily basis is the fact that she cannot regulate her body temperate. Her normal body temp is around 97.1*. If she gets too warm its a big problem. It can be because she's too active (playing, dancing etc) or because its warm outside. She can go from being fine one minute to running 102* the next. Summertime is always hard on her because she can't go out and play like "normal" kids.

2) Have I always been "green"
I'm still not always green but I'm really trying. I've always been pretty passionate about treating our earth and animals well. Since having my daughter and the more educated I become the more I'm trying to be green. Better for every ones health and I want her to have every advantage!

3) My post the other day pertaining to the country having the ability to go to sustainable energy brought an angry email wanting to know where I got my information.

A book that I finished a few months ago. The Complete Idiots Guide to Green Living by Trish Riley. Check it out at Amazon. Its a really great book that breaks things down in easy to digest bits with great suggestions. I'm trying to come up with a way to run maybe a weekly synopsis of green living books starting with this one.

4) Yes I am a bookworm. I read constantly. The book I'm reading right now is:

Another book you can find at Amazon. I'd also give it a thumbs up. I'm also a magazine junkie. You can find a list of my favorites in a past post HERE. I also love what is often called "trash" books. Debbie Macomber, Fern Michaels and Nora Roberts are at the top of my favorite author lists.

5) Do I have any hobbies?
Well, of course! In addition to being a bookworm, I'm a complete Internet junkie. This blog has been a great outlet for that. I love gardening. Its been a very weird spring here in Illinois and I still haven't been able to plant my garden. There is something so wonderful about being responsible for what you're eating. I'm pretty craft and sell barrettes that I make at a boutique here in town. I love watching TV when I have time. Unfortunately most of the shows I like (NCIS, Criminal Minds, The Mentalist and Sons of Anarchy) aren't shows I can watch when my daughter is around so I try to tape things and then its hit or miss.

So, that is a bit more about me. Have some more questions? Drop an email and I'll try to address them sometime soon!

Please contact your elected officials

2010-05-17T12:57:00.001-07:00

In the last few months we have seen human tragedy in the mine crisis and an ecological disaster in the form of BPs oil drilling mishap. At first glance these things may not seem related but they are. They are both due to the American dependence on fossil fuels. This country has the knowledge and means to switch to completely sustainable energy. So, why don't we? Good question and the answer is as usual the almighty dollar. The oil & coal companies spend an incredible amount of money "donating" and backing politicians. Please take a look at your politicians finance records as well as letting them know you wanting them to encourage and subsidize sustainable energy. Although money does talk we are living in a time of political turmoil and every vote counts. Please make your vote count and let your elected officials know that you don't want the fossil fuel businesses rewarded or granted "a get out of jail free card" because of their monetary backing. Let them know you believe the US has a completely reliable future in sustainable energy. Make your voice heard today.

Jazzys Crochet Pot Scrubbers Review & Giveaway

2010-05-16T15:13:00.000-07:00

Its another Etsy giveaway!!! Are you guys on the Etsy.com bandwagon yet? Seriously you can spend hours browsing around on there and still have only seen a fraction of it! Our newest Etsy.com giveaway is from Jazzys Crochet. Janet is the owner of the shop and she has a collection of scrubbers that is AWESOME! Some for the kitchen? Check- would you like yarn or nylon? Some to wash your face? Check! Want some crocheted dishcloths? Check! Kitchen towels with crocheted tops? Check! Janet also has some really great hair scrunchies and baby hats! Her prices are so reasonable its just awesome!

Janet sent me two scrubbies to try out. One yarn scrubbie and one nylon scrubbie. I love them both! The yarn scrubbie is awesome for washing dishes with as well as wiping down things. The nylon scrubbie absolutely ROCKS for washing dishes and scrubbing things that need a bit more "oomph" to it (think cleaning out the microwave or the stove top). Now it gets even better! Janet is offering a Sarah Simplifies reader their choice of a yarn scrubbie or a nylon scrubbie! Here are the details!

Buy It:
Go HERE

Win It:
Mandatory entry:
This must be done or all other entries will be erased.
Go to Jazzys Crochet HERE and take a look around. Come back here and tell me what mix sounds the best to you!

Extra entries:

Extra Entries:
-Become a PUBLIC follower of Sarah Simplifies worth 8 entries (leave 8 comments)
-Blog about this contest and leave a link worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Subscribe to Sarah Simplifies worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 5 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Make Lindy's Delights a favorite store if you are an etsy.com buyer worth 2 entry (leave 2 comments)
-Buy something from Jazzys Crochet (leave a message that you're a Sarah Simplifies reader) 10 entries (leave 10 comments)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will end on June 6th. Any comments left after June 6th 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on June 7th of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that time frame another winner is chosen.

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. A complimentary product/service was provided to facilitate this review. However all opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review.

Giveaway Roundup!

2010-05-14T11:50:00.001-07:00

I'm FINALLY returning with the Giveaway Roundup!!! I hope you guys are having fun signing up for the various giveaways around the blogosphere! Its a short list this week (next weeks is longer I think!) So without further ado here is a list of this weeks blog giveaways!

Frugal Plus is having a Guidecraft Center Stage Puppet show giveaway HERE

Mommies With Cents is having a Happy Neuron giveaway HERE (You have to check this out! Totally cool site that keeps your brain going!)

In the Know Mom is having a Phil & Teds metoo giveaway HERE

Simply Stacie is having a Princess Katie & Racer Steve giveaway HERE

The Life of a Coast Guard Wife is have an e.l.f. giveaway HERE

Mom State of Mind is having a U Print Busines Card Giveaway HERE

Mommies With Cents is having a Gardeners Supply columnar apple tree giveaway HERE

Return to Sender is having a LucieLu Giveaway HERE
http://www.lucielu.com/
Perfect for plus sized gals- awesome clothes!!!!!!!!!

Mommies With Cents is having a Humphreys Teething Supply giveaway HERE

Throwing our arms wide open is having a Love Coffee giveaway HERE
This is supporting a couple trying to adopt a child from Uganda- take a peek!

The Cucina Famiglia is having a Zero Water giveaway HERE

St. Louis Family is having an Alba Botanica giveaway HERE

Oh My Giveaway is having a Misikko Hana flat iron giveaway HERE

The Greer Five is having an Eco Touch Car Kit giveaway HERE

Haute Whimsy is giving away a Ruche necklace HERE

Three Lollies Giveaway

2010-05-11T16:08:00.001-07:00

Have you heard of Three Lollies yet? They are the awesome people that make Preggie Pops, Preggie Pop Drops, Queasy Pops and Queasy Drops! I was first introduced to Preggie Pops shortly after giving birth to my daughter. Isn't that the way it always works? I have morning sickness for 7 1/2 months and THEN mind out about an awesome natural remedy for morning sickness! My sister on the other hand was very glad I knew about them and was able to send them her way with her first and second pregnancy. Actually, the ladies at threelollies.com send me some preggie pops and preggie pop drops that I pasted along to my sister at the beginning of her second pregnancy.

This is right from the threelollies.com website:

Preggie Pops
What are Preggie Pops?
Preggie Pops are naturally flavored and specially formulated lollipops made for pregnant women. For generations, women have sought out certain natural therapies to ease morning sickness. As healthcare professionals, we have developed a solution: convenient, delicious, high quality and all natural lollipops. Preggie Pops offer relief via a combination of essential oils, aromatherapy and our unique delivery system. In addition, our Preggie Pops alleviate dry mouth, provide quick calories and energy during labor, and are an overall soothing and comforting way to address the needs of pregnant women. Preggie Pops are also drug free and healthcare provider recommended.

Now they also have Queasy pops and Queasy pop drops which are good for tummy aches that aren't related to pregnancy. Stuff like general tummy woes and motion sickness. This is something so right up my alley it isn't even funny. I am one of those people who doesn't do motion well. Seriously- my daughter and I were on our front porch swing this last weekend & I got sick. Its so wrong its almost funny! I've always been a fan of natural remedies and for as long as I can remember my mom was always doling out pepermint candy for upset stomachs. Three Lollies take it one step further by using aromatherapy as well!

Three Lollies have generously offered to send a set of Preggie Pops or Queasy Pops to a lucky Sarah Simplifies reader!

Mandatory Entry:
Its so easy! Go to the three lollies website HERE and tell me something you didn't know. Leave a comment. Thats it! Easy peasy I tell you! This does have to be done though or all entries are null and void.

Extra Entries:
-Become a PUBLIC follower of Sarah Simplifies worth 8 entries (leave 8 comments)
-Blog about this contest and leave a link worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will end on June 1st. (Where did May go???) Any comments left after June 1, 2010 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on June 2nd of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that time frame another winner is chosen.

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. A complimentary product/service was provided to facilitate this review. However all opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review.

Circle Creek Home Soaps Giveaway Winner Is...

2010-05-11T16:07:00.001-07:00

tree said...
i'm a public follower! #4

enchantedtree(at)hotmail.com

May 3, 2010 5:06 AM

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!

Ekoh Cosmetics Review

2010-05-10T11:39:00.000-07:00

I was recently given the opportunity to try Ekoh Cosmetics Skin Retreat. Ekoh Cosmetics describes the Skin Retreat as "All-in-one 24-hour treatment formula calms, soothes, and hydrates". I know I've mentioned on here that trying to figure out my skin as a start the dreaded "aging process" hasn't been easy or all that fun. I'm one of those people that wants to wear makeup, wash my face and be done. Unfortunately, I'm one of those people that has had many, many, many sunburns (take me outside for more than 10 minutes & I start to fry!). I also managed a tanning salon for awhile and thinking that was safer spent TONS of time in tanning beds. Ooops! I'm also one of those people that has a hard time doing anything at night other than just washing my face. To me it doesn't feel natural to put something on your skin when you're going to sleep. It just feels like you should give your skin a break? I digress to my aging skin dilemna- it seems as though it really is a good idea to moisturize at night.

Taking this knowledge to heart I've been washing my face and then applying the Ekoh Cosmetics Skin Retreat for the past week at bedtime. I'm very pleased with the results! I never felt over hydrated (ie like an oil slick) before or after waking up. A nice side effect is the smoother feel my face has started to develope! I'm also finding that I'm not using as much moisturizer during the day- another plus. I was also really excited when I looked at the list of ingredients. Its nice to be able to put something on your skin, knowing full well that its being absorbed into your body, and not worrying a bit! I could get very used to that! Ekoh Cosmetics has a Pre-Party Prep Facial Scrub that I'd definitely try out based on my experience with the Skin Retreat. You can learn more about Ekoh Skincare HERE

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. A complimentary product/service was provided to facilitate this review. However all opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review.

ABC's of Yoga for Kids Review & Giveaway!

2010-05-07T11:16:00.000-07:00

I started trying to get my daughter into yoga about a year ago. I'm one of those people that would like to be good at yoga but I'm still a work in progress. That said I also know that yoga can be beneficial to kids in SO many ways! It helps them academically as well as physically. Honestly, I think anyone would be hard pressed to find a downside to yoga, especially yoga for kids. One of the first people that agreed to a review and giveaway when I started Sarah Simplifies was Teresa Anne Power of ABC's of Yoga for Kids. Teresa is a Yoga Instructor and Author of
the AWARD WINNING book, The ABCS of Yoga for Kids. Teresa sent me a copy of her book The ABCs of Yoga for Kids. This book is amazing!!! One of the problems I had when I first started buying yoga for kids videos for my daughter is that they videos I had didn't actually have a segment that just showed the different yoga positions. Since I'm by no means a yoga expert I couldn't really show my daughter the right positions so we just muddled our way through (Meditation is so much more my thing!). I would have given my eyeteeth when I first started introducing my daughter to yoga! Things would have been so much smoother! Then we can go into the fact that the illustrations (by Kathleen Rietz) are GORGEOUS!!! The book is literally an ABC book that shows a different position (or positions depending on the letter and available positions) for each letter. It was so nice to look at my daughter and say "lets be a frog" and show her a still picture!!! This book is going to be part of our library for a long, long time! Its also going to be my go to birthday gift for awhile!

Now, for the really fun part! Teresa Anne Power is giving one incredibly lucky Sarah Simplifies reader a copy of her ABC Yoga for Kids 24 x 36 in. Poster! In addition to that Sarah Simplifies readers are getting free shipping from Teresa's website HERE You just need to enter the code SIMPLIFY

- To buy ABC's of Yoga for Kids book or poster go HERE

- To win a copy of ABC Yoga for Kids 24 x 36 in. Poster its easy peasy with lots of bonus entries!
Mandatory Entry:
Go to the ABC's of Yoga for Kids website HERE and take a look around. Come back here and leave a comment about something you have learned. This entry must be completed or all other entries will be deleted.

Extra Entries:
-Become a PUBLIC follower of Sarah Simplifies worth 8 entries (leave 8 comments)
-Blog about this contest and leave a link worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will end on May 28th. Any comments left after May 28th 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on May 29th of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that time frame another winner is chosen.

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. A complimentary product/service was provided to facilitate this review. However all opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review.

SmartKnitKIDS® patented seamless socks Review

2010-05-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

I recently had the opportunity to review two pairs of socks from SmartKnitKIDS® patented seamless socks. My daughter has some sensory issues and her feet are definitely a hot topic so I was thrilled to have this opportunity. I've also discovered that many people, even if they don't have any sensory issues, don't like having to deal with the seams in socks. One of my girl friends has to turn socks inside out and that is only a temporary fix for her little one. In addition to the sensory issues my daughters feet are always hot. From the time she started school there has been a pick up routine. She gets in the car, buckles up and instantly sheds her shoes and socks. It doesn't matter what the weather is, those bad boys are coming off. The SmartKnitKids socks arrived and my daughter was more than happy to try them on. She the lack of a seam right away and started wiggling her toes in glee. The part that I liked is that the socks actually stayed on her feet- for several hours! That is most definitely a record! Actually there are all sorts of little "bonus" features to the SmartKnitKids socks. The following is from their website:

SmartKnitKIDS® patented seamless socks are perfect for children experiencing sensory processing diﬀerences, hypersensitivity or who simply can’t stand annoying seams! These super soft socks for sensitive little feet will not wrinkle or bunch and are proven to reduce irritation.

No Seams to Bug Ya!
Completely free of seams, the patented kids' socks are designed to provide comfort and relief to children who struggle with “bumps & lumps” in their socks.

Reduces annoying wrinkling and bunching in the shoe
Corespun yarns using Lycra and form-ﬁtting design result in children's socks that “hug” the foot reducing wrinkling and bunching. The form fitting design also helps to keep socks on the wiggliest of toes.

UNIQUE NO HEEL DESIGN
“No heel” design allows children to put on socks with confidence and keeps little feet from outgrowing their socks so quickly.

Comfortable Non-Binding Top
Our non-binding Halo Top™ fits comfortably without slipping down the leg.Regular socks often have elastic bands at the tops of the sock that can often pinch, bind or be a source of irritation.

Keeps Feet Dry & Healthy
SmartKnitKIDS™ Socks are made with high-tech ﬁbers that wick moisture away helping control odor or "stinky feet".

I've got to tell you- these socks are definitely on the thumbs up list in our house & I think I'm going to buy a few pairs for my nephew. He doesn't have any sensory issues but is very prone to not keeping on his socks because "they feel ick". If you have any little people in your life with sensory issues or a general dislike for socks I encourage you to try a pair from SmartKnitKIDS! I think you'll be very glad you did!!!

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. A complimentary product/service was provided to facilitate this review. However all opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review.

This post was interrupted.....by life!

2010-05-04T07:58:00.000-07:00

Please accept my apologies! Things slightly derailed in my life last week and then I spent 2 days fighting with blogger trying to even sign in here! There is lots of business to wrap up and new things to do so lets get to it! I will announce the winner of the Nurture Your Body giveaway here. Also today and tomorrow I will post a few reviews & giveaways. Hopefully there won't be too much of a problem for awhile!

Now for the winner of the Nurture My Body giveaway- Picked using radom.org is:
Nancy said...
#3

I follow via Google Friend: allibrary.

Nancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

April 18, 2010 1:36 PM

CONGRATS Nancy!!! I will send you an email right now!

Is there a map? And a scholarship fund????

2010-04-28T12:17:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm being a bit sarcastic right now. Hopefully this won't be a problem. I've spent approximately 10 hours over the last 3 days contacting different green/ eco friendly companies that would like to participate in a review and/or a giveaway for the wonderful readers I have here at Sarah Simplifies. Know what? In that amount of time you can go through a SERIOUS number of businesses! For the most part these companies are really incredible and very willing to share. Either their products via a review and/or giveaway or a coupon code. I love that so many businesses believe in their products and missions and want to share that.

Now for the down side. In some ways going green can be a) incredibly expensive and b) non-existent in a category you're looking for. It just really makes me angry sometimes. Why is it that doing the healthy, right things for our families should be so difficult- sometimes. (Please don't think this applies all the way around- if you've been reading along with me you'll see that isn't the case). One example that I'll share with you is bedding, beds and mattresses. My daughter is more precious to me than anything in this world and since she was born my journey in going green has stepped up some. As I've mentioned before my daughter is a special needs child and having the healthiest environment for her as a means of making her life easier is of utmost importance to me. Before my daughter was born I was green to the extent of being passionately anti- animal testing and protecting the earth as a whole. I've always been a believer in the concept that we inherit the earth from our children and we're doing a pretty piss poor job of making them proud. Then my sister had my nephew and her whole life did a 180*. She then got became a hardcore organic foodie and lifestyle follower. No toxins in their home. It was pretty easy for us to share information and as a whole our worlds have become greener and more organic.

Now on to the rest of my rant. My daughter needs a new mattress. Really she does- right now her mattress is the one from her crib and its on the floor. Most nights my daughter winds up in my room anyway. That said it would still be really nice for her to have a mattress. Now in my before I knew better days would have headed over to Sam's Club and gotten a mattress for her. I just can't do that now. I completely understand and agree with the fact that we should all be sleeping on organic material mattresses. Have you checked out the prices on those bad boys lately????? Anyone want to help me rob a bank? Just kidding but for a single mom to a special needs child that one isn't very obtainable.

My last rant for the day. My daughter is 6 (she'll be 7 in June). She's a big kid. Not fat like her mommy but big. We're talking 4'3" and her weight is proportionate to her height. She is wearing a size 8 or a 10/12. I'm very picky about clothes fitting nicely, not being short and not having my 6 year old look like she's 36. If you want organic clothing in that size range it is really slim pickings! The things I've found I love (Hello Zehn Naturals!) but its really hard! If you have a baby you can find organic clothing options coming out your ears! Most places go through 4T or 6/6x after that its every man for themselves. I know that manufacturers are slowly but surely realizing that green options are important to consumers- now could they just step it up a bit????

Ok- I'm done with the ranting and raving for now. Thanks for not virtually slapping me! On the really up side of all of this I've come across some really great companies, many completely new to me, that I can't wait to share with you guys either in reviews or giveaways. The fun is just starting!

Lindy's Delights Review & Giveaway

2010-04-27T12:18:00.000-07:00

I have another great Etsy giveaway for you! I had the pleasure of trying Lindy's Delights Triple Chocolate Chunk Scones and trust me- it was a pleasure! I made them with my daughters help on Sunday afternoon. It was just one of those kind of gray, rainy, blah kind of days. Baking & tea seemed in order and what goes better with tea than scones?!!!? The scones are super easy to make. Pour mix into a bowl, add cream and vanilla, stir until moist and then kneed on a floured board. After that sprinkle the top & bottom with sugar & pop in a preheated oven.

The scones were SO delicious! We ate them right out of the oven with a bit of butter and cups of tea. I still get such a kick out of my 6 year old drinking tea! She kept on calling them cookies no matter how many times I told her they were scones. We also indulged in them later that night & I ate the last one the next day & they were wonderful each time! (Actually I got in BIG trouble for eating the last one!)

Now for the really good stuff- I have a package of Lemon Poppyseed scone mix for one incredibly lucky Sarah Simplifies reader! Entering is easy peasy & there are many opportunities for extra entries!

Mandatory entry:
This must be done or all other entries will be erased.
Go to Lindy's Delights HERE and take a look around. Come back here and tell me what mix sounds the best to you!

Extra entries:

Extra Entries:
-Become a PUBLIC follower of Sarah Simplifies worth 8 entries (leave 8 comments)
-Blog about this contest and leave a link worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Make Lindy's Delights a favorite store if you are an etsy.com buyer worth 2 entry (leave 2 comments)
-Buy something from Lindy's Delights 10 entries (leave 10 comments)(Think Mother's Day- these would be a great gift with some incredible tea mixes or an easy for kids to make with minimum supervision Mother's Day treat!)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will end on May 16th. Any comments left after May 16th 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on May 17th of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that time frame another winner is chosen.

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. A complimentary product/service was provided to facilitate this review. However all opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review.

Giveaway Roundup!

2010-04-23T12:03:00.000-07:00

Here is this weeks list of various giveaways from the blogosphere. Have fun entering them! Its so nice to get something in the mail other than bills isn't it??? :)

-3 kids and Us is giving away an Electrolux & Arm & Hammer Spring Cleaning giveaway HERE

-Ladybug Soup is having a Madeline Movie giveaway HERE

-WAHM Resource Site is having a Princess Couture Designs giveaway HERE

-Freebie Spot is having a I has a hot dog book giveaway HERE

-Mom Start is having a Kate Hines jewelery giveaway HERE

-Crazy House is having a $50 giftcard giveaway to the store of choice from Beso HERE

-Insanity Bliss is having a Scentsy-ble giveaway HERE

-A Wrestling Addicted Mommy is having a Wear What you like giveaway HERE

-Helix Elemental Art Spot is giving away a hot pink heart on ice pendant necklace HERE

-Babies Gotta Have It is having a Marcal Small Steps giveaway HERE

-Simply Stacie is having a Strawberry Kids giveaway HERE

-The Review Stew is having a Uprint Custom Thank you card giveaway HERE

-Redhead Recipes is having a Sparkle paw recipe card giveaway HERE

-Thyme for Herbs is having a birdfeeder giveaway HERE

-Etsymom is having a Wooden Hive giveaway HERE

-Simply Stacie is having an Ecomom giveaway HERE

-Cute Clips & More is giving away a set of vinyl labels HERE

-Mom Start is having a NYC getaway giveaway HERE

-Thyme for Herbs is giveaway a bird feeder & waterer HERE

-Newly Wife is giving away recipe cards & wine charms HERE

-Ladybug Soup is giving away a copy of Ocean between Us HERE

-Return to Sender is having an Alight.com giveaway HERE

-The Poppy Place is giving away a Zhuzhu pet HERE

-Rogue Southern Belle is giving away a Stella & Dot bracelet giveaway HERE

-Embraced Chaos is having a Goodie Books giveaway HERE

-Ladybug Soup is giving away a copy of I has a Hot Dog book HERE

-Happy Healthy Homemade is giving away a Raley's Cookbook HERE

-Mom Start is having a New York Style Giveaway HERE

-Sweep Your State is having a mini scrapbook giveaway HERE

-Mommies With Cents is having a Episencial Giveaway HERE

-Mama Manifesto is having a Innobaby Smart Feeding giveaway HERE

-A Wrestling Addicted Mommy is having a Uprinting brochure giveaway HERE

-Leslie Loves Veggies is having a Fantasy Jewelry giveaway HERE

-Brea's Mommy Went Wickless is giving away a 6 pack of hanging freshners HERE

-Simply Stacie is having a Red Rock giveaway HERE

-Cincinnati Coupons is having a reusable Glambags giveaway HERE

-Newly Wife is having a Happy Together gumball necklace giveaway HERE

-Three Peas in a Pod is having a Fruit2O Essentials giveaway HERE

-Moms Wear Your Tees is having a Golden Moon Tea giveaway HERE

-Katydid and Kid are giving away a hat from Hatagirl HERE

-Mom Start is having a Clarisonic Mia giveaway HERE

-At Home with Books is giving away a copy of Whiter than Snow by Sandra Dallas HERE

-Aubut Family is giving away a Naturepedic mattress HERE

-Freebie Spot is giving away a $25 Macy's giftcard HERE

-Ladybug Soup is giving away a Creativity for Kids book HERE

-Motherhood Moment is having a Breyers Yo Crunch yogurt giveaway HERE

-Mom Start is having a Wilson Cupcake Extravaganza HERE

Earth Day

2010-04-22T16:25:00.000-07:00

I've spent a few days trying to figure out how I wanted to address Earth Day. It all started when I read an article last week that was questioning the importance of Earth Day and debating if it is still relevant or not. I know that there are people who don't believe that global warming is occurring and that's their opinion. Even if global warming isn't your motive is there any harm in living a healthier lifestyle- for both you & our planet? I'm a firm believer in what you put out into the universe is returned- both positive and negative. So, before I babble a whole lot more I would encourage you to live every day likes its earth day. Being nice to the earth can result in a happier, healthier, more wealthy you and what's wrong with that?

Circle Creek Home Soaps Review & Giveaway

2010-04-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

I don’t know if you remember my post on Etsy from a few weeks ago. If not you can read about it HERE.

Today I have the great pleasure of having Sarah Simplifies first giveaway from an Etsy seller! Circle Creek Home makes some absolutely incredible smelling soaps! John and Brenda the owners of Circle Creek Home are super friendly and really are excited about the product they make and sell. I find it so comforting and am much more inclined to buy something from someone who is passionate about what they do. You can find Circle Creek Home right HERE.

Brenda sent me two bars of Circle Creek Home soap to try, citrus lime-zip and sweet orange clove. Now I have to tell you that my daughter loves getting mail when it gets here and when the soap from Circle Creek Home arrived she came running in yelling “I don’t know what it is but it smells really lishious” (her version of delicious). The soaps come neatly wrapped in waxed paper with personalized, hand stamped labels. As I was doing a sniff test on the soaps my mom decided that she had to try them as she’s a citrus scent fan. I usually cut my soap bars in 2 or 3 pieces anyway. Its an easy way of helping the soap last longer & not losing it down the drain which is just a bummer. I got out a regular kitchen knife to cut the bars and it slid through them like it was butter. A really great sign that there is a nice oil ratio in the soap! What does this mean for you? A soap that is more moisturizing! Gotta like that!

Now for the fun part! Circle Creek Home is giving one very lucky Sarah Simplifies winner 4 bars of Circle Creek Home soap! ALSO, if you buy soap from Circle Creek Home you will receive a FREE bar soap in your choice of scent! In the note to seller box mention that you are a Sarah Simplifies reader and what scent soap you would like for your free bar and it will be included with your order! (This offer lasts for the duration of the giveaway ending on May 9th)

Can’t wait for the giveaway to be done to find out if you’ve won?

Buy it!
Circle Creek Home
(don’t forget to tell them you’re a Sarah Simplifies reader and what scent soap you want as your free bar!)

Win it
Mandatory Entry:
Go to Circle Creek Home and browse around. Come back here and tell me what scent soap you’d like to try. This must be done or all other entries are null and void.

Extra Entries:
-Become a PUBLIC follower of Sarah Simplifies worth 8 entries (leave 8 comments)
-Blog about this contest and leave a link worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Make Circle Creek Home a favorite store if you are an etsy.com buyer worth 1 entry (leave 1 comment)
-Buy something from Circle Creek Home 5 entries (leave 5 comments)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will end on May 9th. Any comments left after May 9th 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on May 10th of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that time frame another winner is chosen.

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. A complimentary product/service was provided to facilitate this review. However all opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review.

Emmett Cooper Haircare Hydration Rinse Review

2010-04-20T16:18:00.000-07:00

I was recently given the opportunity to try a product by Emmett Cooper Haircare. I must admit that before I received this item to review it I had never heard of Emmett Cooper Haircare. These products are the result of 2 haircare pros, Emmett Cooper and Naieem Abdool, working together to make a product that they actually wanted to use. They realized that there was a market for haircare products that were made with certified organic ingredients that could work well.

The product that I received to review was the Emmett Cooper Hydration Rinse. I don't just like this product, I absolutely LOVE it! Enough that I'm willing to buy it online (I'm a bit cheap when it comes to ordering online- I hate the whole shipping cost thing!) I might even introduce my beautician to this line and see what she thinks! I have very thick hair. I'm not trying to brag, as its actually a pain more than anything else. Since I have seriously thick hair it often looks weighted down and tends to get oily quickly. I love the way my hair looks when I've conditioned it but hate the it looks the end of the day. Neither of those situations was an issue with the Emmett Cooper Hydration Rinse! Also when I read the label I thought "rinse" and immediately got the idea of a thin, runny product. Nope! This stuff is very thick! It has a lovely fragrance but isn't overpowering and makes my hair look great! I definitely give the Emmett Cooper Haircare Hydration rinse a thumbs up! If you are interested in checking out the Emmett Cooper Haircare Hydration Rinse or any of their other products you can go HERE for the Emmett Copper Haircare website. Check it out! Buy it! You'll like it!

The first step

2010-04-19T11:16:00.001-07:00

Somethings its the first step, sometimes its making little changes a habit that stick, sometimes its just declaring you're doing it. I think this applies to anything that you're trying to change in your life. This weekend I had one of those moments of am I going to take the easy way or am I going to do the right thing (the right thing in a going green perspective). It was over a little thing too- it was a quicky reheated pizza dinner and I went to grab paper plates. The thought that paper plates weren't the way to go green entered my mind and there was my hand going back and forth between the 2 different cabinets trying to decide which I was going go with. Easy paper plates or real dishes. I'm glad to say that I finally went with the real dishes. This isn't a huge step forward in going green but it is the subject of my post today because I think anyone who is trying to go green has moments like this. It got me to thinking and the one thing I hear over and over when reading or listening about going green is:
a) one person can make a difference
b) the little things are the things that will make a difference in the long run

So enter some more thinking on my part (man insomnia is a BAD thing sometimes!) and I know I'm not the only person who has the desire to live a greener life. I also know that I'm not the only person who sometimes does better with a bit of motivation or a sense of competition. This got me to thinking about a challenge for Sarah Simplifies readers. I will mention 1 or 2 little changes you can work on making that week. Then its a matter of seeing how well you do making this changes- for a week and then making them a matter of habit. This would of course be a matter of the honor system but I'm sure there is something we can come up with for our best "greenie" of the week, month, etc.

So what do you think? Feel like taking on a challenge?

Giveaway Roundup!

2010-04-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

Here is this weeks Giveaway Roundup. Not quite as big but still lots of stuff to try to win! Give it a try- you'll love winning! :)

Networking Witches is having a Mommy Pads giveaway HERE

Jot Giveaways is having a Little Ones Apron giveaway HERE

Something Snapee is having an Aller ease giveaway HERE

Classically Amber is having a Lisa Lenard Jewelry giveaway HERE

Moms Wear Your Tees is having a Happy Baby Food giveaway HERE

Thanks Mail Carrier is having a plasmacar giveaway HERE
http://plasmarttoys.com/

Mom's Green Shopping List is having an Eco-nomical Baby Guide giveaway HERE

Lesley Loves Veggies is having a Tetley Tea giveaway HERE

Moonstruck Mommy is having an organic insect killer giveaway HERE

Kristies List is having a Starbucks giftcard giveaway HERE

Mommy Kat & Kids is having an Ecotool brush giveaway HERE

Life's Sweet Passions is having a CSN Stores Bilibo giveaway HERE

The Aubut Family is having a Capturing Couture giveaway HERE

Akron Ohio Moms is having a Bendaroos giveaway HERE
http://www.bendaroosfun.com/

The Untenured Teacher is having a pocket chart giveaway HERE
http://www.allchildrensfurniture.com/

Just Stop Screaming is having a Go gurt giveaway HERE

Weewaldorf is having a forrest friends magnet giveaway HERE

Simply Stacie is having a RC Tees giveaway HERE

Rikrak Studios is having an I love my sponsors giveaway HERE

Simply Stacie is having an I has hotdogs giveaway HERE

The Coast Guard Wife is having a "What Its Like to Live Green" review & Giveaway HERE

Canadian Free Stuff is having a Monave Mineral Makeup giveaway HERE

Two of a Kind Working on a Full House is having a RCA My Small Wonder digital camcorder giveaway HERE
http://www2.audiovox.com/corporate/welcome.do

Two of a Kind Working on a Full House is having a Pink Paisley Monogrammed Kozie giveaway HERE
http://www.thepinkpaisley.net/

Candid Clever Cost Effective is having a Alight giveaway HERE

Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls is having a Say Anything Jewelry by Stephanie Wilde giveaway HERE

Leslie Loves Veggies is having a Golden Path Alchemy giveaway HERE

Leslie Loves Veggies having having an Uncertain Pilgrim giveaway HERE

Nurture My Body Review & Giveaway

2010-04-12T10:55:00.000-07:00

I was recently given the opportunity to try the Cleansing Milk by Nurture My Body. Nurture My Body is a company that offers beauty products made with NO toxic ingredients. Actually, they're made with certified organic ingredients, not tested on animals, and phthalate-free. The added bonus is that the packaging is eco friendly too!!! Nurture My Body has a baby line, skin care, hair care and body care.

I've used the Cleansing Milk cleanser for the past week and I have to say I love it! The Nurture My Body website says the Cleansing Milk is good for normal to oily and combination skin. Most of my life I've had oily skin but as I've gotten older I've noticed that I have some areas that are actually dry. I suppose this means I have combination skin. The problem is usually if I use a combination skin product my skin is very dry & tight in places and if I use something for dry skin that I become very shiny looking- ugh! Well, much to my delight when I used the Nurture My Body Cleansing Milk my skin looked & felt fantastic! Not too shiny, definitely not dry- just right! It was such a pleasure to find this item! I'm definitely a fan and plan on continuing my use of Nurture My Body Cleansing Milk and I plan on trying some of their other products since I'm so happy with the Cleansing Milk.

Want to buy something from Nurture My Body? Go HERE

Want to WIN something from Nurture My Body? Well, its your lucky day! One lucky Sarah Simplifies winner is going to win a Nurture My Body Cleansing Milk! This is so easy (I know its Monday and no one needs to tax themselves today, right?)

Mandatory Entry:
Go to Nurture My Body and sign up to win a $50 Nurture My Body Gift box. Honestly its win win isn't it???? Come back here & leave a comment after this is completed. This must be done or all other entries will be deleted.

Click HERE to go to Nurture My Body

Extra Entries:
Extra Entries:
-Become a PUBLIC follower of Sarah Simplifies worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Blog about this contest and leave a link worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Nurture My Body on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Nurture My Body on Twitter HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will last one week. Any comments left after April 29th 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on April 30th of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that timeframe another winner is chosen.

Disclaimer- NO monetary payments were received for this post. A complimentary product/service was provided to facilitate this review. However all opinions expressed are my own. Different people may have different experiences with products and/or the company. I was not compensated in any other way for this review.

Giveaway Roundup!

2010-04-09T12:27:00.000-07:00

Here's this list weeks list of giveaways. GOOD LUCK!!!

In the Know Mom Eleven Shoes Giveaway HERE

Julie's Journal MicroDry BathMat Giveaway HERE

Leslie Loves Veggies Cedarlane Food Giveaway HERE

Mommy Kat and Kids Late July Organics Snack Giveaway HERE

Mommy Kat and Kids Wallies Giveaway HERE

The Secret Suburb Society Eco Luxe Life Triology Traveler Giveaway HERE

A Frugal Friend Thomas the Train DVD giveaway HERE

Star Struck Luck Cuisinart Waffle Maker Giveaway HERE

Books 4 Mom Vickie Hinze Forget Me Not book Giveaway HERE

Wishing Penny Weleda Oral Care giveaway HERE

Wishing Penny Green World Bags Giveaway HERE

Kiddies Corner Deals Hana Professional Flat Iron Giveaway HERE

Thanks Mail Carrier Pillow Pet Giveaway HERE

Simply Stacie Planet Wise Inc Giveaway HERE

Crazy House Sodastream Soda Maker Giveaway HERE

Confessions of a Scrapaholic What's It like living green giveaway HERE

St. Louis Family Life Avalon Giveaway HERE

Piece of Me Baby Genius Giveaway HERE

Leslie Loves Veggies Olivias Croutons Giveaway HERE

An Herbal Bedfellow Tropical Traditions Organic Vinegar Giveaway HERE

The Mama Dramalogues and Cookie Jar Giveaway HERE

Busy Bee Lifestyle Room It Up Giveaway HERE

Candid Clever Cost Effective Alex & Ani Giveaway HERE

Picture This Creations Bucket Bag Giveaway HERE

Inspired Gifts Blog Mothers & Daughters Photo Book Giveaway HERE

Shop with Me Mama Ryn Sandals Giveaway HERE

Barefoot Childhoot Barefoot Books Giveaway HERE

In the Know Mom Olsen Haus Shoes Giveaway HERE

The Shopping Mama Elizabeth Horton Giveaway HERE

The Shopping Mama Vibrant Trains Giveaway HERE

Survey Junkie Down East Basics Giveaway HERE

In the Mommy Business Business Card Giveaway HERE

In The Mommy Business Scrabble Necklace Giveaway HERE

Networking Witches Rebagz Giveaway HERE

Networking Witches Bear Paws Sandals Giveaway HERE

Networking Witches Enigizer Giveaway HERE

Whatever Dee Wants Buttoned Up Giveaway HERE

Evoluchun's Misc. Three Lollies Queasy Pops Giveaway HERE

Babies Gotta Have It Posh Little Tutu giveaway HERE

The Funky Monkey Amella Carmels Giveaway HERE

The Glimpse Replace Plastic Giveaway HERE

Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls VitaTop Giveaways HERE

Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls Creativity For Kids Giveaway HERE

Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls Flexi 8 Giveaway HERE

Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls Contours Lite Stroller Giveaway HERE

The Not So Blog Le Baby Hair Gel Giveaway HERE

As They Grow Up Schleich Toys Giveaway HERE
http://www.schleich-s.com/index_en.php?lang=2

Precious Peas Buttoned Up Giveaway HERE

Precious Peas Eyes Cream Shades Sunglasses Giveaway HERE

Etsy

2010-04-07T07:47:00.001-07:00

I've spent some time trying to get the review and giveaway calendar for April and May set up. While I was doing this I noticed how many incredible Etsy.com sellers where on this list. Most blog readers know about Etsy.com but not all do so I thought I'd make todays post an intro to/ lovefest about Etsy.com!

Etsy.com is an online marketplace for homemade, handmade goods! You will find some of the most amazing things on Etsy.com Just a few things I think are pretty cool are:

Gardner's Lotion HERE

Bohemian Poppies Fabric Bin In Jadeite Upcycled Vintage Fabric HERE

Wristlet Clutch Vintage Inspired handmade HERE

This is just a small sampling. There are MILLIONS of items for sale on Etsy.com! I love the concept of Etsy.com for a few reasons. First and foremost, it gives you a great opportunity to buy handmade items and a fair price. I think that the allure of handmade items is coming back and I love that Etsy.com is a showplace for that. Etsy.com is a way that many people who craft homemade items can sell them to a much larger audience than they would normally have access to. This is a great way for people to work from home and supplement their incomes. There are lots of items and sellers that are selling upcycled items on Etsy.com! WOOHOO! I love the concept of upcycled items. Unfortunately there aren't that many brick and mortar stores that support this movement so once again Etsy.com is a great showcase!

So, if you haven't check it out yet (or lately!) take some time and take a peek at Etsy.com!

Terracycle- Have you heard of them?

2010-04-06T12:14:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of Terracycle yet? This company is so COOL! They take used trash in the form of drink pouches, toothpaste tubes, and sunscreen tubes and recycle them into great products like tote bags, cork boards and laptop cases. Isn't this a basic idea of going green???? There is a 2nd (or 3rd, 4th or 5th) life in almost everything we use! This company is such an awesome way to introduce this process to kids too! They drink a juice pouch and then use a tote bag made from juice pouches to go to school, the pool or where ever!

For the month of April Terracycle products are going to be available AT EACH AND EVERY Walmart store in the U.S.! On your next trip to Wally World take a second to check out a few Terracycle products! One of the things I struggle with the most in this journey to become green is how to properly explain things in terms that my daughter can understand. Well, my kiddo loves trips to Wally World and I think she's going to score a juicebag tote this month!

Terracycle is currently recycling, or as they call it terracycling, these brands:
Drink Pouch Brigade™
Colgate® Oral Care Brigade™
AVEENO® Beauty Brigade
Candy Wrapper Brigade™
Sprout® Brigade™
If you can go to the Terracycle website HERE you can find out about joining a terracycle brigade and earning money to help terracycle! Going green can make you green!

HERE you can search for a list places that you can buy Terracycle products via zipcode.

So, I hope you take a few minutes and check out the Terracycle webiste or take a peek while you are at Walmart this month!

On, a completely different note, I'd like to thank all of the wonderful readers and sponsors I've contacted for Sarah Simplifies. I have HUGE plans for this blog & sincerely hope you take this journey with me. That said all journeys at times have a stumbling block or two and Sarah Simplifies as hit its first one already. Its really early in this blogs journey and I wasn't expecting it at all but hope I can weather through this and that my wonderful readers will stick with the blog through this. My dad was diagnosed with cancer last week and I've been very focused on that. I had plans for dedicating a lot of time to the blog, contacts and making a wonderful success of this blog. While I think this blog is going to be successful I am going to have to divide time between family and blog more than I had been counting on. I promise to try to get as many reviews, posts and contests out to you as possible! Its just not going to be an everyday thing like I hoped! I hope that this change of events won't detract from the experience of Sarah Simplifies in the long run. Thanks so much for your understanding!

Sarah

Giveaway Roundup!

2010-04-01T09:29:00.000-07:00

I'm going to do the Giveaway Roundup today and try to do a product review for you this afternoon as well! Have an awesome time entering these giveaways!!!

-Office Gals Green My World Giveaway HERE
-The Fabulous Won Pillow Pet giveaway HERE
http://www.getpillowpets.com/Default.asp?bhcp=1
-Katydid and Kid Channel Your Inner Flirt Apron Giveaway HERE
-Katydid and Kid Kidcraft Shuttle Playhouse HERE
-Leslie Loves Veggies BabyBearShop better to kiss you with Giveaway HERE
-Piece of Me Expressiva Nursingware Giveaway HERE
-Leslie Loves Veggies BabyBearShop Recycled Glass Soy Candle Giveaway HERE
-Trapped Between a Scream and a Hug Camille's Closet Giveaway HERE
-A Mom Can Dream Safe Size Choker Safety Plate Giveaway HERE
-A Mom Can Dream Skoy Cloth Giveaway HERE
-A Mom Can Dream Snorg Tee Shirt Giveaway HERE
-Wild & Precious Whimsey Giveaway HERE
-Look What Mom Found Cosmetics Pallets giveaway HERE
-Look What Mom Found Gummy Lump Melissa & Doug Giveaway HERE
-Look What Mom Found Beauty Fusion InFATuation Lip Plumping Giveaway HERE
-Piece of Me Sunglass Warehouse Giveaway HERE
-Mama Manifesto Tot Yoga DVD Giveaway HERE
-Leslie Loves Veggies California Blooms Dozen Rose Giveaway HERE
-Lots of Little Blessings Shiny Little Blessings Giveaway HERE
-Katydid and Kid Sophia Travel Tote Giveaway HERE
-My Four Monkeys Heart of my Heart 365 Reflections Giveaway HERE
-My Four Monkeys Bob the Builder and Madeline Movie Giveaway HERE
-My Four Monkeys Mommy Power Discovering Your Mommy book Giveaway HERE
-Fireflies and Jellybeans Life is Pitts Checker giveaway HERE
-Thanks Mail Carrier Hallmark Kids Cards Giveaway HERE
-Leslie Loves Veggies Butterfly Effect Room Spray & Candle Giveaway HERE
-Hair on the Brain GlamBands Giveaway HERE
-Hair on the Brain Perricone No Foundation Foundation Giveaway HERE
-Hair on the Brain Multipleye Mascara Giveaway HERE
-The Freebie Fairy Seventh Generation Giveaway HERE
-Parents with Style Select Comfort Plush Blanket Giveaway HERE
-Bluegrass Love Sephora Giveaway HERE
-AnnOnandOn Wilton Giveaway HERE
-Leslie Loves Veggies Microwave in a Mug Cookbook Giveaway HERE
-Sarahs Blog of Fun Pillow Pet giveaway HERE
-MelindaJoy Outback Giveaway HERE
-Audrey's Giveaway Blog Wine Barrel Giveaway HERE
-What's Up Paper Cup Rachelle's Jewelry Giveaway HERE
-Perfect Blue Moon Fling Bin Giveaway HERE
-Thanks Mail Carrier Kor One Hydration Giveaway HERE
-No Time Mom portable DVD Giveaway HERE
-The One Fantastical Justice Juels Giveaway HERE
-Joyful Reviews Hometown Seeds Giveaway HERE
-Jot Giveaways Hat Peddler Giveaway HERE
-The Survey Junkie Gift Guide Help Your Body Naturally Giveaway HERE
-Mommy PR Castle Baths Spa Giveaway HERE
-Savvy Coupon Mommy Ipod Touch Giveaway HERE
-Aubut Family Crane Humidifier giveaway HERE
-Secret Life of a WAHM Personalized Pillowcase Giveaway HERE

Going green

2010-03-29T15:43:00.000-07:00

So in this going green area of my life I find somethings are very easy to do.

-gardening. I love to garden and know that its better for the earth and my health plus it gives me some really great bonding time with my daughter so no problem there! Then there are things that I have a hard time with.

-cleaning supplies. There are tons of safe for the environment and safe for me ready made products as well as recipes to make my own. No problem there. (Well, except for paper towels. I'd like to cut down my paper towel usage)

-Trying to cut down my electricity and water usage. Pretty self explainatory! :)

Then there are some areas that I just am not doing so well in. Such as:

- makeup. I love makeup. I used to wear it everyday and I do feel better when I do wear it. That said I haven't found any organic makeup that I'm will to pitch all my other stuff for. Now my one steadfast rule is that I will not wear makeup that is any way, shape or form associated with animal testing.

-clothing. I'm a plus sized gal. I'm trying to slim down but for now I am were I am. I have a child that is in a size 8. These are both area that are very hard to find organic clothing. Then when you find it its usually cost prohibative. I'd love to have this turn around.

-recycling. Now I know this is easy. Unfortunately, at this time my living situation is somewhat prohibiting this. My daughter & I live with my parents & room is tight. I have got some plans in the works for building a recycle center on our side porch area where our garbage cans are. If I get this off the ground I will definitely let you know how it goes!

So, what areas of going green are easy for you? What areas are you trying to work on?

Sarah

Zehn Naturals Tee Shirt giveaway!

2010-03-27T11:25:00.000-07:00

I’m so excited! Its time for the first giveaway here at Sarah Simplifies! I’ve had a lot of fun contacting companies and shops and met some wonderful people in the process! I have a lot of great stuff in store for more readers that I’m sure you’re going to love so let’s get this party started!

I was given the opportunity to review a shirt from Zehn Naturals. I was really excited about this company from the beginning because they carry 2 size groups that you don’t find often in Organic Tees- Women’s Plus Sizes and Children’s (past a size 4T or 6 it’s really hard to find organic tee’s and clothing for kids).

Just a few things about Zehn Naturals that I feel are well worth mentioning:
-all the shirts are 100% Certified Organic Cotton Printed with Earth Friendly Inks
-For every tee Shirt sold Zehn Naturals plants a tree- Really how cool is that?
- 10% Pre-tax profit donation policy that includes donations for Education, Arts, Healthcare and the Environment
-The tag that accompanies the tee is on Seed paper. (I love this concept!)

As for the actual tee Shirt that was sent to me it absolutely meets every expectation I could have and then a few more! The shirt is as soft as all get out which is usual with organic cotton but you really do need to feel it to experience it! The printing on the shirt is nice and clear and looks like it will most definitely hold up in the washing process. Something that the Princess loved is that the shirt is tagless. I think I’ve mentioned that my daughter is a special needs child and one of her issues is sensory integration disorder. I have spent A LOT of time removing tags from clothing. Zehn Naturals tee Shirts are tagless with the pertinent information printed instead so this made me a very happy mom! I’ve got to say that based on my experience with Zehn Naturals that I will not only buy from them in the future but I can also wholeheartedly recommend them to others! So, you’re asking yourself how you can check out Zehn Naturals? Well here are the important links!
Website
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Now are you ready for the good stuff? Zehn Naturals is going to give one Sarah Simplifies reader a tee shirt of their choice! Yep! One lucky reader is going to get to pop over to Zehn Naturals and pick their favorite tee shirt and in a few days it will be in their mailbox.

Awesome huh? So how do you get to participate in this giveaway? Its easy I tell you! Below are the requirements and there are plenty of opportunities for extra entries! Please make sure you use an email address on your entry or that it is available on your blog!
Mandatory Entry: (This has to be done or all other entries are invalid)
Go to Zehn Naturals and tell me what your favorite tee shirt is. Leave a comment telling me which you’d pick. I told you it was easy!

Extra Entries:
-Become a PUBLIC follower of Sarah Simplifies worth 8 entries (leave 8 comments)
-Blog about this contest and leave a link worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Sarah Simplifies on Twitter HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Zehn Naturals on Facebook HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Follow Zehn Naturals on Twitter HERE worth 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
-Buy something from Zehn Naturals. Use the code blog25 for a discount! And let them now you came from Sarah Simplifies! Worth 5 entries (leave 5 comments)

Now for the fine print:
The giveaway will last one week. Any comments left after Saturday April 3rd 11:59PM CST will not be counted
Winner will randomly be chosen from all entries
Winner will be notified on April 5th of their lucky win! They will have 72 hours in which to claim their prize. If the prize in not claimed within that timeframe another winner is chosen.

-I was given a free shirt from Zehn Naturals in order to conduct my review of the shirt.

Safe Seed Pledge

2010-03-24T21:44:00.000-07:00

Hi! I hope y'all didn't think I'd forgotten about you! I've actually had a crazy amount of correspondence regarding the blog- honestly you guys are going to love the reviews & giveaways coming up! Also, my dad was hospitalized this past weekend. What should have been a fairly simple procedure has landed him in the hospital with an infection that isn't responding to antibiotics. Its been a bit crazy and scary here lately. That said I will try to post as much as I can. That said I doubt there will be a Giveaway Roundup this week because I just don't have the time to check those out- so how about a giveaway instead?

No without further ado, the real post for today! I'm relatively new to the world of gardening but it truly has become an all consuming passion. Last year was the first year the I had my own veggie garden and we also belonged to a CSA. The gardening adventures began when I won a Money Garden set of seeds. From there I went crazy and bought a ton of other seeds. At one point last spring I had over 1500 seedlings on my dining room table! The basic reason for me getting into gardening is that I wanted to be sure of what was going into my daughters body and there is no better way than growing the food yourself. As I've become more acclimated to gardening and its finer points I stumbled upon something called the Safe Seed Pledge. Here is a copy of the pledge:

The Safe Seed Pledge:
"Agriculture and seeds provide the basis upon which our lives depend. We must protect this foundation as a safe and genetically stable source for future generations. For the benefit of all farmers, gardeners and consumers who want an alternative,

We pledge that we do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants.
The mechanical transfer of genetic material outside of natural reproductive methods and between genera, families or kingdoms, poses great biological risks as well as economic, political, and cultural threats. We feel that genetically engineered varieties have been insufficiently tested prior to public release. More research and testing is necessary to further assess the potential risks of genetically engineered seeds. Further, we wish to support agricultural progress that leads to healthier soils, genetically diverse agricultural ecosystems and ultimately healthy people and communities."

Now I will be the first to say that there is a rather obvious loophole in the pledge if you want to be a naysayer. That out of the way, if you want to give the benefit of the doubt there are a lot of companies that have signed the Safe Seed Pledge. Here is a list that I found when I Googled Safe Seed Pledge Companies. The list is broken down by state- what a great way of being able to buy close to home so you can keep it green in that aspect as well!

ARIZONA:

Native Seeds/SEARCH
526 North 4th Ave.
Tucson, AZ 85705
Tel: 520-622-5561
Fax: 520-622-5591
www.nativeseeds.org

Old Pueblo Plant & Seed Company
P.O. Box 86441
Tucson, AZ 85745-6441
Tel: 520-201-2136
Fax: 623-201-2136
www.oldpueblocompany.com

Westwind Seeds and Gardenscapes LLC
6336 N. Oracle #326-246
Tucson, AZ 85704
Tel: 520-887-2106
reggie@westwindseeds.com
www.westwindseeds.com

CALIFORNIA :

Bountiful Gardens
18001 Shafer Ranch Rd
Willits , CA 95490
Tel: 707-459-6410
Fax:707-459-1925
Email: bountiful@sonic.net
www.bountifulgardens.org

Environmental Seed Producers
PO Box 2709
Lompoc, CA 93438
Tel: 805-735-8888
Fax: 805-735-8798
www.espseeds.com

Harmony Farm Supply and Nursery
PO Box 460
Graton, CA 95444
Tel: 707-823-9125
Fax: 707-823-1734
Email: info@harmonyfarm.com
www.harmonyfarm.com

KUSA Seed Research Foundation
PO Box 761
Ojai , CA 93024

The Natural Gardening Company
541 King Road
Petaluma, CA 94952
Tel: 707-766-9303
Fax: 707-766-9747
www.naturalgardening.com

Peaceful Valley Farm Supply
PO Box 2209
Grass Valley, CA 95945
Tel: 888-784-1722
Fax: 530-272-4769
Email: contact@groworganic.com
www.groworganic.com

Redwood City Seed Company
Box 361
Redwood City, CA 94064
Tel: 650-325-7333
www.redwoodcityseed.com

Renee’s Garden
7359 West Zayante Road
Felton, CA 95018
Tel: 831-335-7228
Fax: 831-335-7227
www.reneesgarden.com

Seed Dreams
PO Box 1476
Santa Cruz, CA 95061
Tel: 831-234-8668

COLORADO:

2BSEEDS
5023 W. 120th Ave. #312
Broomfield, CO 80020
www.2BSEEDS.com

Botanical Interests, Inc.
660 Compton Street,
Broomfield, CO 80020
Tel: 303-464-6464
Fax: 303-464-6468
Email: inform@botanicalinterests.com
www.botanicalinterests.com

Golden Harvest Organics LLC
404 North Impala Drive
Fort Collins, CO 80521
Fax: 413-383-2836
www.ghorganics.com

Grant's Plants, Seeds & Such
7048 S. Fairifax Street
Centennial, CO 80122
Tel: 303-263-5840
email: grant@grantsplants.com

Sourcepoint Organic Seeds
1452 2900 Road
Hotchkiss, CO 81419
Tel: 970-250-0951

CONNECTICUT:

Butterbrooke Farm
78 Barry Rd
Oxford, CT 06478
Tel: 203-888-2000

Comstock Ferre & Co.
263 Main St.
Wethersfield, CT 06109
Tel: 860-571-6950
Fax: 860-571-6595
www.comstockferre.com

John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds
23 Tulip Drive
Bantam, CT 06750
Tel: 860-567-6086
Fax: 860-567-5323
www.kitchengardenseeds.com

New England Seed Company
3580 Main Street, Bldg 10
Hartford, CT 06120
Tel: 800-783-7891 or 860-724-1240
Fax: 860-724-1273
Email: newenglsee@aol.com
www.neseed.com

Select Seeds Company
180 Stickney Hill Road
Union, CT 06076
Tel: 860-684-9310
Fax: 860-684-9224
Email: info@selectseeds.com
www.selectseeds.com

FLORIDA:

E.O.N.S., Inc.
P.O. Box 4604
Hallandale, FL 33009
Tel: 954-454-6186
Fax: 954-458-5976
www.eonseed.com

Florida Mycology Research Center
P.O. Box 18105
Pensacola, FL 32523
Tel: 850-327-4378
www.mushroomsfmrc.com

The Pepper Gal
P.O. Box 23006
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33307
Tel: 954-537-5540
Fax: 954-566-2208
Email: peppergal@mindspring.com

IDAHO:

High Altitude Gardens and Seeds Trust
4150 Black Oak Drive
Hailey, ID 83333
Tel: 208-788-4363
Fax: 208-788-3452
Email: mcdorman@seedsave.org
http://www.seedstrust.com

ILLINOIS:

Borries Open Pollinated Seed Corn Farm
16293 E. 1400th Ave
Teutopolis, IL 62467
Tel: 217 857-3377

Underwood Gardens
1414 Zimmerman Road
Woodstock, IL 60098
Email: info@underwoodgardens.com
www.underwoodgardens.com

IOWA:

Sand Hill Preservation Center
1878 230th St
Calamus, IA 52729
Tel: 319-246-2299

Seed Savers Exchange
3094 North Winn Road
Decorah, IA 52101
Tel: 608-382-5990
Fax: 608-382-5872
www.seedsavers.org

KANSAS:

Skyfire Garden Seeds
1313 23rd Road
Kanopolis, KS 67454
Email: seedsaver@myvine.com
www.grapevine.net/~mctaylor

KENTUCKY:

Ferry Morse Seed Company
600 Stephen Beale Drive
P.O. Box 1620
Fulton, KY 42041
Tel: 800-626-3392
Fax: 502-472-0566

MAINE:

FedCo Seeds
PO Box 520A
Waterville, ME 04903
Tel: 207-873-7333
Fax: 207-872-8317
www.fedcoseeds.com

Johnny's Selected Seeds
955 Benton Avenue
Winslow, ME 04901
Tel: 207-861-3900
Fax: 800-738-6314
Email: homegarden@johnnyseeds.com
www.johnnyseeds.com

The Heirloom Garden of Maine
512 North Ridge Road
Montville, ME 04941
Tel: 207-342-2116
Fax: 207-342-3407
Email: info@theheirloomgarden.com
www.theheirloomgarden.com

Wood Prairie Farm Organic Seed Potatoes
49 Kinney Rd
Bridgewater, ME 04735
Tel: 800-829-9765
Fax: 800-300-6494
www.woodprarie.com

MINNESOTA:

Melissa's Seeds
PO Box 242
Hastings, MN 55033

MISSOURI:

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
2278 Baker Creek Road
Mansfield, MO 65704
Tel: 417-924-8917
www.rareseeds.com

Barney's Ginseng Patch
433 SSE Highway B
Montgomery City, MO 63361
Tel: 573-564-2575

Gardeners Choice Heirloom Seeds
P.O. Box 642
Bolivar, MO 65613
www.gardenerschoiceheirloomseeds.com

Granny's Heirloom Seeds
P.O Box 264
Humansville, MO 65674
Tel: 417-350-7065
www.grannysheirloomseeds.com

Green Thumb Seeds
17011 West 280th Street
Bethany, MO 64424

Morgan County Wholesale
18761 Kelsay Road
Barnett, MO 65011
Tel: 573-378-2655

NEW HAMPSHIRE:

BLM Enterprises/Markham Farm
283 Turnpike Road
New Ipswich, NH 03071
Tel: 603-878-4509
Fax: 603-878-5990
www.markhamfarm.com

NEW MEXICO:

Creekside Garden
PO Box 707
Reserve, NM 87830
Tel: 575-533-6768
Fax: 575-533-6768

Gourmet Seed International, LLC
HC12 Box 510
Tatum, NM 88267-9700
Tel: 505-398-6111
Fax: 505-398-6151
Email: customerservice@gourmetseed.com
www.gourmetseed.com

Italian Seed and Tool
HC12 Box 510
Tatum, NM 88267-9700
Tel: 505-398-6111
Fax: 505-398-6151
Email: customerservice@italianseedandtool.com
www.italianseedandtool.com

Plants of the Southwest
Aqua Fria Rt 6 Box 11A
Santa Fe, NM 87201
Tel: 505-438-8888
Fax: 505-438-8800
www.plantsofthesouthwest.com

NEW YORK:

Ommas - Aarden
3059 ST. RT. 12D
Boonville, NY 13309
Tel: 315-348-6033
Fax: 315-348-5593 (Please call ahead)
Email: kc@ommas-aarden.net

NORTH CAROLINA:

Christopher Weeks Peppers
PO Box 3207
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
Email: peppers@pinn.net

Sow True Seed
P.O. Box 18508
Asheville, NC 28814
www.sowtrue.com

OHIO:

Companion Plants, Inc.
7247 N. Coolville Ridge
Athens, OH 45701
Tel: 740-592-4643
Fax: 740-593-3092
Email: complants@frognet.net
www.companionplants.com

OKLAHOMA:

Red Sky Farm
35545 EW1170
Seminole, OK 74868
Tel: 405-382-9883
Email: redskyfarm@rsib.net

OREGON:

Anioleka Seeds
1475 SunGlo Drive
Grants Pass, OR 97527
www.seedfest.co.uk

Goodwin Creek Gardens
PO Box 83
Williams, OR 97544
Tel: 800-846-7359
Fax: 541-846-7357
www.goodwincreekgardens.com

Horizon Herbs
PO Box 69
Williams, OR 97544
Tel: 541-846-6704
Fax: 541-846-6233
Email: herbseed@chatlink.com

Nichol's Garden Nursery
1190 Old Salem Road, NE
Albany, OR 97321
Tel: 541-928-9280 or 800-422-3985
Fax: 541-967-8406
Email: nichols@gardennursery.com
www.nicholsgardennursery.com

Siskiyou Seeds
3220 East Fork Rd.
Williams, OR 97544

Sow Organic Seed
Box 527
1130 Tetherow Road
Williams, OR 97544
www.organicseed.com

Territorial Seed Company
PO Box 158
Cottage Grove, OR 97424
Tel: 541-942-9547
Fax: 541-942-9881
Email: tsc@ordata.com
www.territorial-seed.com

Thyme Garden – Herb Seed Company
20546 Alsea Highway
Alsea, OR 97324
Tel & Fax: 541-487-8671
Email: herbs@thymegarden.com
www.thymegarden.com

Victory Seed Company
PO Box 192
Molalla, OR 97038
Tel/Fax: 503-829-3126
Email: safeseed@victoryseeds.com
www.victoryseeds.com

Wild Garden Seed and Shoulder to Shoulder Farm
PO Box 1509
Philomath, OR 97370
Tel: 541-929-4068
Email: frank@wildgardenseed.com
www.wildgardenseed.com

PENNSYLVANIA:

ContainerSeeds.com
64 Greenwood Street
Wellsboro, PA 16901
Tel: 570-724-5172
Email: pat@containerseeds.com
www.containerseeds.com

Heirloom Seed Project
Landis Valley Museum
2451 Kissel Hill Road
Lancaster, PA 17601
Tel: 717-569-0401 ext: 202
Fax: 717-560-3545

Heirloom Seeds
PO Box 245
West Elizabeth, PA 15088
Tel/Fax: 415-384-0852
Email: mail@heirloomseeds.com
www.heirloomseeds.com

SOUTH CAROLINA:

Seeds for the South
410 Whaley Pond Rd
Graniteville, SC 29829
Tel: 803-232-1119
www.seedsforthesouth.com

TENNESSEE:

New Hope Seed Company
P.O. Box 443
Bon Aqua, TN 37025
Email: farmergrass@newhopeseed.com

UTAH:

Hometown Seeds.com
507 N. 1500 W.
Orem, UT 84057
www.hometownseeds.com

VERMONT:

The Cook's Garden
PO Box 535
Londonderry, VT 05148
Tel: 800-457-9703
Fax: 802-824-9556
Email: catalog@cooksgarden.com
www.cooksgarden.com

Dirt Works
1195 Dog Team Road
New Haven, VT 05472-4000
Tel: 877-213-3828 (Toll Free)
www.dirtworks.net

Ladybug Herbs of Vermont
943 Richard Woolcutt Road
Wolcott, VT 05680
Tel/Fax: 802-888-5940
Email: vtherbs@pover.net
www.ladybugherbsofvermont.com

Weed Farm Herbs
613 Quaker St.
Lincoln, VT 05443
Tel: 802-453-7395
Email: weedfarm@gmavt.net

VIRGINIA:

Garden Medicinals and Culinaries
PO Box 320
Earlysville, VA 22936
Tel: 804-964-9113
Fax: 804-973-8717
www.gardenmedicinals.com

Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants
PO Box 316, Monticello
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Tel: 804-984-9821
Fax: 804-984-0358
www.monticello.org/shop

WASHINGTON:

Frosty Hollow Ecological Restoration
Box 53
Langley, WA 98260
Tel: 360-579-2332
Fax: 360-579-4080
Email: wean@whidbey.net

Garlicsmiths
967 Mingo Mountain Road
Kettle Falls, WA 99141
Tel: 509-738-4470

I hope this gives you some great ideas for your garden this year!

Sarah

Um, hello....Mother Nature?

2010-03-20T14:53:00.001-07:00

Ok- we'd been having BEAUTIFUL weather here for the past week! I even bought the Princess some summer type clothes! I was ready to dig into my garden & have a wonderful time.....today we had mad crazy snow! What is up with that???? Personally, I must confess that I was more than happy to be done with the white stuff so this is raining on my parade a bit. Anybody else having weird weather patterns?

In random other musings I have made some great contacts & have some absolutely fabulous reviews & giveaways coming up! I'm so excited & hope you are too! Have a great weekend!

Sarah

Giveaway Roundup!

2010-03-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

Well I hope you find a few contests worth entering! Honestly, I love entering these because there is such a high from getting something in the mailbox that you won! Its a nice easy thrill to take part in! Enjoy!

Sarah

Glimpse Reviews Loads of Loot Giveaway

Glimpse Reviews A Little Extra Love Giveaway

Glimpse Reviews Easy Daysies Giveaway

Glimpse Reviews Keeping it Healthy Giveaway

Glimpse Reviews Just Like Me Giveaway

Mamabuzz Exergen Temporal Scan Thermometer giveaway

MamaBzz Soopsori Ecowooden Toy Giveaway

Home Grown Families Money Savvy Pig Giveaway

Stay At Home Mom Toxic Friendships Book review & giveaway

Stay At Home Mom Three Cups Review & Giveaway

The Adventures of Paul & Natalie Me Time Positive Day Peaceful Night CD giveaway

Heavenly Savings Peace Nights Review & Giveaway

Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls Envirosax Giveaway

Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls Baby Bunch Giveaway

Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls Stubby Pencil Studio Giveaway

Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls Girlie Bows Giveaway

Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls ladesign giveaway

Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls Crazy Husky Craft Giveaway

Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls Oh Sew Sweet Boutique Giveaway

As They Grow Up Jumping Jack Shoes Giveaway

Helene’s Dream London Blue Topaz Earring giveaway

Funky Monkey Tomat Giveaway

Wild & Precious Life Bonnybee Designs Pearl Giveaway
http://www.etsy.com/shop/bonnybeedesigns?page=1

The Coupon High Alexas Angels cross necklace giveaway

Leslie Loves Veggies Fill in The Blankie Giveaway

That’s IT Mom Random House Ugly Doll books giveaway

My Four Monkeys God Never Blinks Book giveaway

The Shopping Mama Kia Sorenta got a Makeover Makeup Giveaway!

Trapped Between a Scream and a hug Earrings giveaway

Green Mama’s Pad Plum Organics Revolution Foods Giveaway

Moody Maria Skin Actives Dream Cream Giveaway

Three Peas in a Pod Zippity Doo's Giveaway

Something to check out!

2010-03-17T11:02:00.000-07:00

I've been making some contacts while trying to get some great giveaways & reviews set up for Sarah Simplifies. In that search I was told about a coupon combination effort from Crunchy Clean and zJayne HERE

Now in full disclosure I have to say that I have not used products from either site but they both are in line with my principals of using green items in the home. So if you have a minute head over HERE and take a peek! If you order from either place please let me know what you think!

Happy St. Patricks Day!

2010-03-17T10:50:00.000-07:00

Well, I must confess that I don't have a drop of Irish blood in me, nope I'm 50% Polish and 50% Lithuaian, but St. Patricks is a fun way to break up a week & you've got to love its color! I sent my daughter to school with a Flashing Shamrock necklace- how long do you think that it will last before driving the teacher totally batty?!!?

I've still been working on my gardening journal and figuring out the best route in succession planting to take within a square foot garden. Since I have such a limited space to dedicate to my garden, 8' x 20', I figure this is my best option for optimum harvest results. I did have to tell my daughter that we weren't going to plant corn this year. She wasn't exactly a happy camper. Unfortunately corn takes a fair amount of space since you have to plant 4 rows for proper pollination. Then there is the great corn incident of last year. Our corn was still going strong in early October when we had to go out of town for a wedding. I promised my daughter that we would harvest the corn when we got home. Well, upon getting home we discovered that our corn had been decimated by some critters! Now I have no problem sharing some of my harvest with the critters that roam around but I do have a problem with "donating" the entire harvest! We have some wooden flower boxes near our garden and lined up, all neat in a row were the eaten clean corncobs! It was very disappointing! That said I'm going to try a few other things this year instead of corn. Eggplant and garbonzo beans are topping the list.

What are you planning on planting in your garden this year? Do you have any tips for keeping critters at bay? (Please keep tips non harmful!) Have you already started planting?

Where do you buy books?

2010-03-15T12:59:00.000-07:00

I'm a bookworm- I admit it! I love reading & usually have a stack of magazines & shelves of books to pick through. Since I'm still on the mend from my staph infection I've been doing more "junk" reading than usual. Last week I read the latest Joanne Fluke & Fern Michaels books. Both were great. I decided that I wanted to indulge a bit more so I was browsing books at Target today. There was absolutely NOTHING there that grabbed my eye! I was so disappointed! Short of going to Borders or Barnes & Noble I've noticed a trend in stores condensing their book sections. What a bummer. Where do you go for books? What is your favorite genre? What is the best book you've read lately? Drop a comment & let me know!

Giveaway Roundup!

2010-03-12T08:26:00.000-08:00

This weeks Giveaway Roundup is better than last weeks! I hope y'all take a peek at these giveaways. Most of them are pretty easy to enter (ie leave a comment!) and its such a thrill to find out you've won something! It does great things for your state of mind! So without further ado here is this weeks list of giveaways!

Mom Start Swag Bag giveaway

Mom Start PhotoWorks $50.00 giftcard giveaway

Mom Start Chicken Soup for the Soul Teacher Tales

Mom Start Yoplait Nourish Your Inner Goddess spa giveaway

Mom Start Chicken Soup for the Soul Nascar book giveaway

Mom Start My Princess To Go Party Giveaway

Thank, Mail Carrier Randomline Fun on the Go Giveaway
http://randomline.com/

Leslie Loves Veggies Our little Books Giveaway

Got A Lot to Give Uprint 500 business card giveaway

Piece of Me Dr. Bloom Chewable Jewels giveaway

StL Family Life Aveeno baby care basket giveaway

Katydid and Kid Random Line on the go giveaway

Blessings Abound Mommy Misikko Corioliss Flat Iron Giveaway

All Things Bloggy RosyHandbags $25 giftcard giveaway

Glimpse Wysi Cloth giveaway

Guard Wife Mr. Furry Fur Fur DVD Giveaway

The Life of a Coast Guard Wife Magnapod giveaway

Frugal Housewife Protect a Bed giveaway

Got a Lot to Give Pocket Scarf Giveaway

Got a Lot to Give Pansy Hairclip giveaway

Moms Wear Your Tshirts Premades for a Purpose Giveaway

Moms Wear Your Tshirts Circle of Friends giveaway

Leslie Loves Veggies Fibers I Heart shirt giveaway

In the know mom Smart Girls Who Surf Giveaway

Not Just Baby Brain

Leslie Loves Veggies Tallulah Jane Natural perfume giveaway

My Four Monkeys TagLine Designs Giveaway

My Four Monkeys Fibers.com $25 giveaway

Simple Traditions Lip Balm Giveaway

Dealafina Meditation CD giveaway

Real Heart Prints Slow Cooker giveaway

Through Green Colored Glasses Espadrille Store Giveaway

Spring Fever & Spring Cleaning!

2010-03-11T09:36:00.000-08:00

So in the Midwest we've finally started to thaw out & see the light at the end of the tunnel- Spring is coming! A few mornings ago I just sat in my living room listening to the birds- what a welcome sound! Along with spring and the desire to get outside is the feeling of renewal. Somehow part of that always seems to be a big Spring cleaning. Now I'll be honest- I'm not big on cleaning but once I get going I do enjoy it if for nothing else the end result. One thing that has helped make cleaner easier is my switch to earth friendly people friendly cleaners. My daughter loves to clean and now she can without me worrying that the cleaners might harm her. Its a win win situation! She loves doing it & I get a hand! A few Christmases ago my sister gave me the book Clean House Clean Planet by Karen Logan. I love this book! Its Karen sharing her recipes for housecleaning and different solutions for cleaning in a healthy way. The recipes are very easy & work well. (A side note I did find it a bit irritating that Karen pushed the sales of her own bottles but I guess everyone has to make a living!) If you take a peek at Amazon they have used copies staring at $3.23- its definitely worth checking out!

If you don't have the time or inclination to read an entire book doing a simple google search of natural cleaning recipes will yield big results. Here are just a few to check out.

Earth Easy Nontoxic Home Cleaning HERE

Care2 How to Make a Non-Toxic Cleaning Kit HERE
It includes a creamy scrub cleaner and its written by Annie B. Bond who is someone well worth taking the time to read. Her website is HERE

Water & Sewerage Dept. of Detroit Guide to Non-Toxic Cleaners Recipes for a Clean Home and a Cleaner Environment. This is a 22 page booklet in PDF format. You can find it HERE

I hope this gives you a good jumping off point for natural Spring cleaning!

Staph Infection

2010-03-09T14:03:00.000-08:00

Ok- hopefully this doesn't cross the bounds into too much information but I thought since this happened to me & someone else I know that maybe a good general warning might be worthwhile! As I mentioned last friday I have been dealing with a staph infection. Let me tell you- it is NOT fun and it is REALLY painful! The amazing thing was that I had been at the Dr. with the staph infection and didn't mention because I thought it was a pimple! Yes you heard me right- I thought it was a pimple. Nothing more than an annoying little zit so I didn't mention it to her and consequently treatment wasn't started until 4 days later. In retrospect I could have saved myself so much time and agony if I knew the warning signs of a staph infection! Now this entire post is just from my personal experience and by no means am I a Dr but if you have something that looks like a pimple but is painful you might want to mention it to your Dr. Here is a bit of what the timeline looked like for me. Everytime I tell this to a different Dr I wonder if it would have progressed this much if I would have mentioned it the friday before.

Feb 26- Saw Dr. about a sinus infection. Didn't mention pimple like thing on my stomach.
Feb 27 & 28- was irritated by thing so I tried warm compresses
March 1- decided I was as smart as a Dr and tried performing surgery on myself (clearly never a good idea!) By the evening I was in very bad pain & called the Dr. after hours line. An appointment was made for the next morning.
March 2- Congrats you have a staph infection. Started Bactrim and told to apply warm compresses & come back on Thurs.
March 4- Returned for follow up. At that point my Dr. prescribed a second antibiotic to be taken with the Bactrim and a painkiller. A follow up appointment was made for Monday.
March 5- The infection had changed so much in 24 hours I didn't feel comfortable going into the weekend without my Dr. checking it again. Dr. agreed that the medical intervention was necessary but not quite yet (there wasn't enough infection centralized to cut into- gross I know!) An appointment was made with a surgeon for Monday afternoon. I was told if the wound opened over the weekend to get to the hospital as it would need to be professionally cleaned & packed.
March 6- still in a lot of pain and would was weeping but not open. The infection was very centralized by this point in time.
March 7- Again gross I'm sorry but the wound went from weeping to oozing and I began to fear that healthy tissue would get infected so I went to the ER. Dr. said I was very close to it breaking opening and would have been in before morning anyway. The Dr. gave me a local which is a horror story all its own but I won't share that! Then it was surgically opened, a sample taken in case the antibiotics don't finish clearing it up. The the wound was cleaned, irrigated and dead tissue was taken off. After that it was packed and I was told to keep my appointment with my regular Dr. and the surgeon.
March 8- My primary care told me to continue antibiotics and make a follow up appointment to have the wound repack depending on what the surgeon did that afternoon. Surgeon had no bedside manner whatsoever and yanked packed out without even warning me- grrrrrrrrrrr! After that he said it looked good & to follow up in a week.

All of this because it looked like I had a zit on my stomach and thought it wasn't worth mentioning to the Dr. Moral of the story- if you're not sure have it checked!

Giveaway Roundup!

2010-03-05T10:51:00.000-08:00

Its a very very short list for todays Giveaway Roundup. I have a staph infection & have been to the hospital 3x this week. Consequently I've spent very little time on line! I'll try to get more for next week.

Real Heart Prints Country Bob’s Sauce Giveaway

Thanks Mail Carrier Safety Cares (Child Aviation Restraint System) Giveaway http://www.kidsflysafe.com/
Did You See That Breyers YoCrunch 100 Calorie Yogurt pack giveaway

Canadian Contests & Giveaways Rhythm & Blues CD giveaway

Go Green Street Happy Green Bee Organic Sock giveaway

Dogwood Lane Designs Glass Pendant Giveaway

April Marie Mai $35 store giftcard

Be Adorned Pearl Necklace giveaway

Who says its not easy being green?

2010-03-04T11:57:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love doing crafts using recyclables & was so excited to see that Family Fun had a section dedicated to the topic! Hooray for them! To check it out click HERE

Some great reads

2010-03-02T12:14:00.001-08:00

The following are some of my favorite magazines. Check them out & let me know what you think!

Mary Jane's Farm
Countryside and Small Stock Journal
Kiwi Magazine
Country Magazine
Country Extra Magazine
E Magazine
Natural Health
Country Living
Natural Life
Country Woman
Backwoods Home
Body and Soul

Giveaway Roundup!

2010-02-26T11:13:00.001-08:00

Healthy Wealthy Moms Cookie Melts giveaway
Busy Mommy Media Britax Stroller Giveaway
Mommies with Cents General Mills & Target Giftcard Giveaway
Did You See That? Celtic Woman Songs from the Heart giveaway
Leslie Loves Veggies Willow Book giveaway
Mommy Kat & Kids Sunny & Chic Boutique headband giveaway
Leslie Loves Veggies Reading Glasses Shopper Giveaway
Wedsmack Chanel tattoo giveaway
Visart Pendant giveaway
Frugal Mommy of 2 girls K Geddes St. Patricks bracelet giveaway
Leslie loves veggies Pillsbury Sweet Roll giveaways
Blog Enterprises Joy of Soap giveaway
Mom wear your Teas & Golden Moon Teas online giveaway
The Online Nanny Diaries Penelopes Porch necklace giveaway
Leslie Loves Veggies Flirty Girl Tees Giveaway
Mahayla’s Mommy Kidorable Giveaway
Zoey’s Closet Custom Hospital Gown Giveaway
Salad for Breakfast Tracy Designs giveaway
Frugal Mommy of 2 girls Wilton Giveaway
Frugal Mommy of 2 girls Giggle Baby Designs Giveaway
Maternal Maddness Uprinting Labels giveaway
My Four Monkeys Oopsy giveaway
Budget Saving Mom Home Depot giftcard giveaway
Piece of Me Pawparazzi Pets Giveaway
Mommy Has to Work Re Usies Giveaway
Mommy Has to Work Ecojot Giveaway
Mahayla’s Mommy Pillow Pets Giveaway
The Art of Random Willy-nillyness Crisco Olive Oil giveaway
The Sweet Life First Act Guitar Giveaway

A VERY Handy tool!

2010-02-25T07:58:00.000-08:00

In all of the reading I've done lately I keep on coming back to space as an issue. One of the way many people combat this issue is square foot gardening. A concept developed by Mel Bartholomew and written about in his book (don't forget to check amazon!) and website. The basic idea behind square foot gardening is to use raised 4' x 4' beds that are broken into 12"x 12" squares. Each 12" x 12" square can contain a certain number of plants. For example one 12" x 12" square can contain: 9 beet plants or 1 brussel sprout plant or 1 cabbage plant or 4 head lettuce or 16 leaf lettuce. The list goes on and on.

Raised beds themselves have a lot of advantages. The soil warms up much faster being the biggest. The fact that raised beds can be at various heights to accomodate gardens of all ages and physical abilities. All in all square foot gardening in raised beds seems to be a gardens best chance of high yields. Just one big thing to remember when constructing your raised bed- put some time into researching what wood you use to construct them. You want a wood that is strong & rot resistant but IS NOT chemically treated (c'mon do you really want one more chemical around your food?)

Now onto the VERY Handy tool part! Go to www.gardeners.com Hello! There are several pre-planned garden plans (Salad Bar, Kids Garden, Plant it and forget it and High Yield to name a few) to look at if that is your deal or if you like the planning aspect they have a wonderful tool that helps you with that. Really I can't talk up this plan your own device enough. You enter your available space and click on what crops you want to plant. It tells you how many can be planted in each 12" x 12" square. I don't think it could be any easier! Then if you've been doing some reading on succession planting and/ or multiple season planting you can add that into this mix.

Happy Gardening!

Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter

2010-02-23T21:14:00.000-08:00

So, does anyone have one of these? I was so excited to see them for $9.99 at my locals Walgreens. Much more in my price range than the previously seen prices of $20 or $30. I bought a few and thought that I'd grow my grape & cherry tomatoes in them. Well, I did a bit of research and guess what I plan on returning??? Please let me know what good and bad experiences you've had with a Topsy Turvy planter. Thanks!

My new Gardening "Bible"

2010-02-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

So last year was my first attempt at gardening. In terms of produce harvested the garden was a dismal failure :( Part of this is because I had NO idea what I was doing! I just forged ahead and hoped for the best. I can say that it was a smashing success in terms of being a learning lesson! Oh, before I forget our tomatoes were beyond successful and we had tomatoes coming out of our ears! So I decided to use this past winter as a time to learn about gardening. I hunkered down and read a lot of books & spent a fair amount of time online. There are 2 books that were so incredibly helpful and full of information. Today I'm going to share the first with you. Crockett's Victory Garden

Amazon has several copies of this book available starting at $4.49. Now I must tell you this book was first published in 1977. Please don't let that fact that its old dissuade you from getting this book. The information by no means is dated! The book is written as a month by month guide and every month is further broken down into various crops. I loved this because it was very easy to make a gardening calendar and start a garden notebook. (Another really useful tool! Google Garden Notebook for ideas & worksheets!)

On my next post I'll share another very valuable book in setting up my garden!

Giveaway Roundup!

2010-02-19T10:34:00.000-08:00

I've been checking through the blogosphere for great giveaways & found some great ones for y'all to check out! Have fun entering!

The Freebie Spot is giving away a $50 giftcard
Babies Gotta Have It Aden + Anais Sleep Sack Giveaway
Glimpse Reviews Jinja Ninja Giveaway
Glimpse Reviews “Fill Your Own” Water Bottle Giveaway
Glimpse Reviews Nova Nature Toy Giveaway
Coffee Mugs and Sippy Cups Boutique Hat Giveaway
Moms by Heart.net Artisan Bread & Extras Giveaway
Real Heart Prints Rainbow Brite CD Giveaway
Frugal Mommy of 2 girls EasyLunchBoxes.com Giveaway
Frugal Mommy of 2 girls Aquabling giveaway
Frugal Mommy of 2 girls Addison Lynn Desings Giveaway
Frugal Mommy of 2 girls Sticheroos Giveaway
Frugal Mommy of 2 girls Mayfair Lane Giveaway
Frugal Mommy of 2 girls Affordable Scarves giveaway
Frugal Mommy of 2 girls Trendy Tadpole Giveaway
Frugal Mommy of 2 girls Kidz Gear Headphones Giveaway
The Not So Blog Me & My Feet Giveaway
The Not So Blog Caress Evenly Gorgeous Giveaway
Moms Wear Your Tees $40 Kangaroodle Gift Certificate
Fertility Authority VitaClay Rice and Slow Cooker Giveaway
A Wrestling Addicted Mommy Curious George 2 Soundtrack
The Girl is a Mom Mustela Giveaway
The Girl is a Mom Bummas Giveaway
Thanks Mail Carrier Great Big Outdoor Playball Giveaway with HearthSong (Make sure you get the Thanks Mail Carrier link for this one!)