Super Quick Eco-Frugal Tip

Want a new book that doesn't leave behind a heavy carbon footprint ? Join a book swap group.

Tickly Octopus Review and Giveaway

*CLOSED*
WINNER #10 Tracy66 CONGRATULATIONS!

Lately Penelope has been getting more into doing crafts. She loves creating things with her little hands. I have been trying to find things that she can do with little help from me and that she will enjoy. When I heard about Tickly Octopus I knew it would be something she would love. The creator of Tickly Octopus was inspired by a playdate in 2006. After seeing the creative crafts her friend was making with her daughters she came up with the idea of a T-shirt design kit that children could have fun with and put their imagination into. Creating a one of a kind T-shirt that they could wear and show off to the world. This do-it-yourself T-shirt design kit includes handmade peel and stick appliqués of animals and shapes, letters and adornments along with an organic T-shirt canvas. Each appliqué is made with fade resistant felt with a peel and stick adhesive backing. And because each appliqué is handmade they will have a slightly different look adding to the uniqueness of your little ones creation.

Why organic? From the Tickly Octopus website:

Each T-shirt is made from one hundred percent organic cotton saves one-third of a pound of synthetic fertilizers and farm chemicals. Cotton is one of the most intensively sprayed field crops in the world. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that more than 53 million pounds of pesticides and 1.6 billion pounds of synthetic fertilizers were applied to cotton fields in 1996. Organic cotton is good for you; grown and processed without toxic chemicals; minimized damage to soil, water and air. Choosing sustainable children’s clothing is everyday action one person can do to save planet. One choice at a time.

This T-shirt design kit is the perfect craft for toddlers and young kids, it is also very easy. You just peel off the back to reveal the adhesive and place it anywhere you wish on your shirt. Press down firmly and then throw in the dryer for 15 minutes to seal your design. Penelope had so much fun with this!

She also couldn't wait to put on her new shirt. Check out her finished product.

This would make a great gift this holiday season! You can get your Tickly Octopus T-shirt design kit  here. Also be sure to check out Tickly Octopus on Facebook. 

Tickly Octopus has offered one of our readers a chance to win their very own kit.

To Enter: Please leave a comment letting me know who you would give this kit to. You can get extra entries for following us through GFC or Subscribing via email. 

Deadline: This giveaway will end on November 30, 2010. I will choose the winner using Random.org. Please leave a valid email address if it is not visible in your profile. US entries only.

***Monica***

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone.

Mondays With Monica

So last week I shared the cookbook 5 Ingredient Fix with you. Although I thought some of the recipes looked pretty good I was honest and told you that I would probably make very few of them. This week on the other hand I am going to share a cookbook that I absolutely love.

The Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook by Dede Lahman & Neil Kleinberg. This cookbook comes from the owners of the restaurant of the same name. Clinton St. Baking Company is a popular brunch spot in Lower East Side Manhattan and boy do I wish I was in New York right now after taking a look at all the recipes in this book. I literally want to make every single one! According to the book people wait in line for hours to get a bite at this place. When you take a look at some of the items this eatery has to offer I think you will see why. The pictures in this book make the food look sooo good, I love a cookbook that makes you drool over the food. My favorite meals of the day are breakfast and lunch and this book offers some great recipes like a  Spanish Biscuit Sandwich made with their homemade biscuit recipe and a Corn and Clam Chowder that looks and sounds delicious. This cookbook contains a total of 10 chapters with all the recipes you need to make a perfect early meal for your family or friends. From savory breakfasts to sweet desserts, yummy sandwiches to their specialty fried chicken and even some drink recipes like a Hot Buttered Cider which I could totally go for right now in this 20 degree weather. I am anxious to start tasting these dishes that the Clinton St. Baking Company has grown famous for but I am waiting for Chris to get home from work so I can impress him. :) I am definitely recommending this book and if I am every in the New York area this place will be on the top of my list to visit. Just out of curiosity any of you ever eaten there? You can get your copy of Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook on Amazon.

***Monica***

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone.

Super Quick Eco-Frugal Tip

Save on money and help the environment. Use cloth napkins at the dinner table instead of paper napkins

Mondays with Monica...the Late Edition

For those of you who do not know I am obsessed with cookbooks, I have a ton! My collection consists of all sorts of ethnic specific, diet related, food type, and even some vintage cookbooks. I have to say some of my favorite are those that offer family friendly recipes or promise quick meal ideas with few ingredients. Even though I love to cook their are some days when I want to make something fast and effortless. When I received an email about reviewing a cookbook titled 5 Ingredient Fix: Easy, Elegant, and Irresistible Recipes, well I just had to check it out.

The author of 5 Ingredient Fix is a Food Network star with a show of the same title, she is also star of  Food Network Challenge. Her book promises to simplify elegant meals and make them more budget friendly by using fewer ingredients. I have to be honest with you I have never seen Claire Robinson's show so her style of cooking was new to me. At first glance this cookbook looked like a book that would sit on my bookcase but would never get much use. I have certain cookbooks that I keep because the photos are beautiful and while the recipes look delicious I would probably never make them. That was my first impression of this book. After giving it a more thorough look I actually did find some recipes in it that I am anxious to try. For instance there is a recipe for Edamame Hummus that I am going to be making really soon. Penelope loves Edamame and Hummus so she is sure to enjoy this combination. Another recipe that I am going to try is Buttermilk Pecan Chicken, it sounds sooo yummy. I had my husband Chris take a look at the book to see what he thought and he is begging me to make him the Pork Roast with Hard Cider Gravy. While not all the recipes in this book are only 5 ingredients they each do have very few ingredients and seem pretty simple to create. They also are not your ordinary recipes and are elegant as promised in the title. In my opinion most of the recipes would be great to make if you were trying to impress some guests without spending a fortune. I don't think I would make them on a regular basis. In any event this book is going to make a great addition to my collection and I would recommend it to anyone that loves to cook or enjoys cookbooks like I do. You can get your copy of 5 Ingredient Fix: Easy, Elegant, and Irresistable Recipes on Amazon.

***Monica***

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone.

That Time Already?! Shutterfly Review

Can you believe it's already November? Christmas is just around the corner, time to start thinking about this years Christmas card. We have the perfect setting for our photo this year being that we are living in the same state as Santa now. A white Christmas, Yay! As you can tell I love this time of year and I am so eager to start sending out those cards to all our friends and family that are far away. Like last year we will be using Shutterfly again, they always do such a great job and they have so many nice Christmas cards to choose from. I especially like this Holly Frame design and I can already picture Penelope frolicking in the snow while I snap away trying to get that perfect shot. Are you planning a party this Christmas? How about creating your very own Christmas party invites, Shutterfly has several designs to choose from. I am so bummed that we won't be with family this year but I am excited about our first Christmas in our new home. Since we will be sending gifts in the mail this year I thought these Christmas gift tags would look nice enclosed in each package. My favorites are the Beary Merry and the Goody Garland. All this talk about the holidays has got me feeling all warm and fuzzy now. Time to hit the store for some candy cane ice cream and is it too early to go tree shopping?

***Monica***
Shutterfly will be providing me with a promo code good for 50 free holiday cards for writing this post. All opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not influenced in anyway.