Mama Palooza- Novica Review and Giveaway

CLOSED

Congratulations! Winner  #68 Mary Alice

From their website:

We want to give artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. And, we want to provide you with access to unique, hard-to-find items at great values that only the Internet infrastructure can allow.

At the deepest essence of our philosophy, we want to create a bridge between you and the many talented artisans across the globe.

We want you to know about who you're buying from. We want you to feel that attachment to the product and to the hands that created it.

In the spirit of the Internet, let us bring you together.

NOVICA. The World is Your Market.

Novica offers some wonderful selections from artists in different regions of the world.  You can find a large variety of  handmade jewelry. From beautiful turquoise necklaces created in Mexico to amber studded earrings artfully made in India. They have some really gorgeous pieces that would make great Mother's Day gifts.  They also have some beautiful home decor. Things like photo frames, vases, and other unique gifts and collectible pieces to fit any one's style or personality.  

Since Novica allowed me the opportunity to review one of their products I decided to do a search for elephants on their site. My mother collects elephants and I was hoping to find her something that she would love. Guess what I did! After looking through all the creations I found this Ceramic Teapot, Elephant Green Tea.

With all the elephant figurines and trinkets my mom has I knew this one would be a unique piece to her collection. This lovely piece of art was handcrafted by artist Putu Oka Mahendra in Bali. It is dishwasher safe, microwave safe and lead and toxin free, but I really think my mom is just going to display it somewhere for all to see.

I was very impressed at how quickly I received this item from Novica, it was packaged with great care. When I received my package it was dented ( most likely done while in the shipping process ) and I feared the worse. I was pleasantly surprised to find my tea pot was completely protected and safe. I also received an artisan story card with a beautiful picture of Bali on it and thoughtfully signed.

All in all I think Novica is a great place to purchase something different. If you are interested in getting something for mom but still not sure what check out the suggestions for Gifts for Mom at Novica.

 

Novica is generously offering one Girly Girl reader a $50 gift code.

To Enter: Please visit Novica and tell me something you would purchase. You can also get extra entries for following GGG through GFC, Subscribing via email, liking us on Facebook and following via Twitter.

In addition if you leave a comment via our contact form or email telling me what it means to be a mom to you or something special about your mother you can gain an extra entry into any of the giveaways you enter during Mama Palooza. Just be sure and leave a comment on the giveaway saying you left a comment. I will be posting these comments throughout our Mother's Day event.

This giveaway will end on April 20, 2011. 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.

Mama Palooza- Olimax Soap Review and Giveaway

CLOSED

Congratulations! Winner  #8 judy gardner

I am absolutely a lover of bath products. Bath bombs, bubble bath, bath soaps, you name it. I especially love unique bath products that you don't find in your everyday drugstore. Handmade scented soaps are one of my favorite things. Not only are they usually very pretty but they tend to come in your not so average scents.

Olimax Soap makes luxurious and whimsical hand crafted glycerin soaps using only the finest ingredients. Spa quality soap scented with sensuous fragrance oils and essential oils and kid-friendly soaps with scrumptious scents. The soaps are created in small batches so new two will be exactly like. Olimax also uses quality ingredients and stays clear of detergents or surfactants.

These Sugar Scrub Cubes look good enough to eat and I am dying to try them. They are all natural and contain no preservatives. They are also made to order and come in a variety of scents like Creme Brulee (Yum!) and Brown Sugar and Fig.

I also think these Donut Shaped Soaps are way too cute. I mean seriously I don't know whether to wash up with them or pour myself a tall glass of milk. To top it if these smell like chocolate! Need I say more?

I was given the opportunity to review Olimax's Rock Star Salt Bar Margarita Soap.

" even though you can't always party like a rock star, you can at least feel as pampered as one!  This bar is special - glittery pinky purple on the top, brazilian sea salt scrub on the bottom and pure  glycerin soap all around to make your skin feel and look its best.  Margarita scent is a fresh, fun fragrance with layers of lime,orange and of course tequila."  

As soon as I opened the package I received from Olimax this delicious smell filled my senses. This bar is beautiful and smells great. My husband first said it smelled like Trix cereal and believe me to him that's not a bad thing. After opening it up and using it we agreed that it really does smell like a margarita, very citrus-y. And yes my husband is also a fan of bath products but ssshhh don't tell him I told you. *wink* This bar leaves a light sheen while using it from the glitter but the glitter does wash off. I also think the salt scrub layer works great to exfoliate the skin. This soap bar is not only fun but it does it's job and leaves your skin feeling moisturized with a slight scent immediately after use. I just wish the smell lingered longer then it does.

I think bath products are a great gift for mother's, AND WIVES. It's the perfect way to show you appreciate all the hard work and say "now it's your turn to relax and feel pampered". Visit the Olimax Soap Shop online and pick out some fabulous products to put a Mother's Day basket together with, and don't forget the Donut Shaped Soaps!

How would you like to win a Rock Star Salt Bar Margarita soap like the one I was sent as well as $15 coupon to shop along with FREE shipping on your order? Awesome!

To Enter: Visit Olimax Soap Shop and tell me a product that you are excited to try. You can also get extra entries for following GGG through GFC, Subscribing via email, liking us on Facebook and following via Twitter.

In addition if you leave a comment via our contact form or email telling me what it means to be a mom to you or something special about your mother you can gain an extra entry into any of the giveaways you enter during Mama Palooza. Just be sure and leave a comment on the giveaway saying you left a comment. I will be posting these comments throughout our Mother's Day event.

This giveaway will end on April 17, 2011. 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.

Mama Palooza- S'well Bottle Review and Giveaway

*Giveaway now closed. Winner #57 Lili! Congratulations!*

image via S'well website

Is this another reusable bottle review? Yes, but the design of this bottle is worth a try. It has a design I found met my reusable bottle needs. With a slim grip, wide mouth, nice look, and sturdy bottom to easily stand when put down the bottle was easy and pleasant to use.

Eco facts: The bottle can hold up to 17 ounces of water. Because of it's double walled, insulated construction beverages stay cold or hot for a long time. It is made of stainless steel (18/8 food grade). The bottle is also toxin free, does not leach and is very sturdy. Despite the insulation, the bottle is lightweight. In addition the people that make S'well have teamed up with WaterAid, a non-profit organization that delivers "water solutions to world’s poorest communities". For every bottle sold 10% percent of the proceeds are donated to this charity.

The wide mouth design is made so that makes it easy to drink from the bottle and it's plastic bottle mimicking bottom makes it easy to set it down in a hurry. This is important to me as a fitness instructor. I want to get a good hydrating sip of water and then quickly put the bottle down without worrying if it will suddenly tip over and make this huge noise. The bottoms design makes this possible. The opening, the mouth of the bottle is big enough to fit in ice cubes through, but not so big that when I drink from it in a hurry I don't spill it all over myself. I've tested it and it works. There was far less spillage drinking from the S'well than any of the other reusable bottle I own. 

Does it really keep the temperature? I don't really have a need to use my bottles for hot beverages and never have. Therefore, I would have nothing to compare it too and so I wont. On the other hand I love when my cold water stays cold. Swell did keep my water cold. I never took a thermometer to it to test and compare to other bottles, but I did let my bottle sit in the car many times and was never disgusted with hot water. 

The bottle design is elegant is casual and professional. It's the type of bottle people would not be embarrassed to be seen with and so are more likely to carry the bottle to other places other than the gym, thereby reducing their use of plastic bottles. S'well is even available in 7 bright colors making it easier to match with outfits.

It's a little pricey though. At $35 a bottle I don't know that I would pay that much for a bottle. I can find reusable bottles for less than $12. They may not have the sleek design and wide mouth feature S'well does, but as long as it's not a plastic bottle I'm okay with it. I'd love to see the price go down quite a bit. It is a nice looking bottle though.

The giveaway: One of my lucky readers can win a S'well just like this one. So if you’re a mom, know a mom, love a mom, or plan to be a mom this is a great green gift just in time for Mother’s Day.  To win visit the Swell website. Then come back here and leave a comment below letting us know what other colors or designs you would like to see on the Swell bottles. You can get extra entries for following us through GFC, Facebook, twitter or Subscribing via email. Make sure to let me know in the comments below. The giveaway deadline is April 20th, 2011. US only please. I will choose the winner using Random.org. Please make sure your email is on your profile or leave it in your comment. If you win and I cannot contact you then the prize goes to the next person. Please respond within 48 hours or the prize will go to the next person.

Disclosure: I received a S'well bottle to review for free from S'well. My opinions are my own.

Gifts for Mama- Tiny Prints

The most memorable Mother's Day I have ever had was of course my first one. My little girl Penelope had only been born 3 months earlier and it was one of the happiest times of my life. It was also one of the scariest, being a new mom with very little experience being around babies I have to tell you I was more then a little bit nervous. It was my first time being acknowledged as a mother and it felt great to hear all my family and friends wishing me a Happy Mother's day. I had always sent my mother a Mother's Day card every year on Mother's Day and now it was finally her turn to send me one. I bet that Mother's Day is just as memorable for her as it is for me.

Tiny Prints provides simple, modern and unique stationery from Fathers Day Cards to personalized greeting cards to thank you cards, business cards, and even custom wedding invitations or photo birth announcements. Offering exclusive designs from the nation’s top designers, easy card personalization, a powerful preview engine and top-notch customer service and paper quality, their designs have been lauded by numerous television networks, publications and celebrities. With Tiny Prints by your side commemorating every holiday and momentous occasion is a cinch! They offer perfect party invitations for every occasion and memorable personalized photo-gifts like notebooks, photo books and calendars to commemorate the event.

They also offer Mothers Day greeting cards for all sorts of moms – mom friends, moms, mothers-in-law… You want to tell her she’s doing a great job as a mom or thank her for being there for you? They have the card for it!

Their selection is great and I love that they can be personalized with photos or whatever you would like to say to that special mom.

In addition to Mother's Day cards, Tiny Prints also has a selection of gifts that would be perfect for Mother's Day. Everything from Photo Books, Gallery Wrapped Canvas Art, Personalized Stationary and even Gift Cards that are printed directly on a custom greeting card!

If you purchase your Mother's Day cards before April 12 you can get each card for only .99 cents! Just use the code MDAY99.

***Monica***

Tiny Prints will be providing me with a promo code for writing this post. All opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not influenced in anyway.

Mama Thoughts

 

Girly Girl reader ElizaBeth says "Being a mom means I have the hardest, most wonderful role in the whole world. It means I get to learn so many things I never knew I needed or wanted to know.(Seriously,with a budding train engineer, chef and artist in my house I'm always learning new ways trains influenced history and economics, tasting some new recipe or hearing about how one medium is better than another...) It means I'm learning to hold on just tight enough and knowing that one day I'll have to let them go. It means loving, with a sweet and gentle spirit even when its unreturned. It means long days, after sleepless nights fueled by coffee and well, the last bite of whatever was left on someone's plate because there's not time for something better. It means offering encouragement and discipline and knowing when to let the "natural consequences" be enough. It means that one day God gave me a little person He expects me to raise into part of the next godly generation... It means me heart is an everflowing well of love and a bottemless pit of heart ache. And I'd never trade a moment of it in to not be called Mom!"

 

***Monica***

Mama Palooza- Recycled Polyester Bamboo Tote Review and Giveaway

*CLOSED Congratulations! Winner #25 Amanda*

A few months ago I reviewed Preserve’s recycled Tableware sent to me from Green Ostrich, an eco-friendly store online. Not too long after they sent me another green product to review from their store, the Recycled Polyester Bamboo Tote. It’s a green gift just in time for our Mother’s day event, Mama Palooza.

Eco facts: The Recycled Polyester Bamboo Tote is made from 100% recycled 600D Polyester. The bamboo part of the tote is only in the décor of the bag and not the actual material. The tote also has “a rubberized, non-toxic, waterproof coating on the underside of the body fabric”. The company that makes the tote, Instinctive Bags and Backpacks (Motive Collective), has a take back policy that allows customers to return the bag when they no longer wish to use it and receives a 10% discount on their next purchase. Motive Collective repairs the bags and then donates it to someone in need. I love take back programs like this. In addition the tote is manufactured in a Fair Labor Association and Social Accountability International approved factory and 3% of gross sales are contributed to the WILD Foundation.

I’ve had about a little over a month to really use this Recycled Polyester Bamboo Tote. I find it to be very sturdy, well cushioned and of a favorable height and depth. I can easily stand a few of my Girl Scout Leader notebooks (depending on width) and paperwork in the tote. The tote also has a lot of great pockets inside and a good snug one on the outside of the bag. The shoulder straps are wide, sturdy and comfortable to wear. The bag also has an attractive casual look that makes it easy to wear with or take almost anywhere.

On the other hand I found the bag wasn’t expandable enough for my needs. Because of this I found that I was limited in ways I could use the bag. I could not really use the bag for groceries or my workout clothes unless I took out my workout shoes. It is also too long and deep to be a purse for my taste. The best and most efficient use I had for this bag was for my Girl Scout paper work. I could slide in a few narrow notebooks, folders and paperwork, but not much else.

As my girl scout tote I would like to have just a little more space in the tote to fit a few more materials such as: crafting materials (enough for 1 meetings worth), a thicker notebook too.  Here are the dimensions of the bag as listed on the Green Ostrich website: 16-inches/40.6 cm (h) x 11-inches/27.9 cm (w) x 3.5 inches/8.9 cm (d)

In addition, the pocket on the outside of the tote was snug, perfect for just a few small office supplies (pens, pencils, a pair of scissors, sticky notes, etc.) or a slim water bottle, but nothing much bigger. I would love to have a pocket on the outside that is a little bit deeper and a little bit wider for those days when I am in a hurry and don’t have time to try to fit a folder inside the narrow tote. The pockets on the inside are spacious and very useful, but because the bag is narrow when center is full the pockets can’t really be used or are not easy to get too.

Otherwise, this is a bag that wont tear or fall apart anytime soon and will carry what ever you hold well. For more information about this tote go to the product page for this item: Recycled Polyester Bamboo Tote.

Look a Coupon! Green Ostrich is offering a coupon and the code is “GGG”.  By entering this code during the checkout process you will earn 5% off any purchase between now and Dec 31, 2011. Also feel free to Fan the Green Ostrich Facebook page.

The giveaway: One of my lucky readers can win a tote just like this one from Green Ostrich. So if you’re a mom, know a mom, love a mom, or plan to be a mom this is would be a useful green gift just in time for Mother’s Day.  To win visit the Green Ostrich website. Then come back here and leave a comment below letting us know what other products on their site you are interested in. You can get extra entries for following us through GFC, Facebook, twitter or Subscribing via email. Make sure to let me know in the comments below. The giveaway deadline is April 15th, 2011. US only please. I will choose the winner using Random.org. Please make sure your email is on your profile or leave it in your comment. If you win and I cannot contact you then the prize goes to the next person. Please respond within 48 hours or the prize will go to the next person.

Disclosure: I received Recycled Polyester Bamboo Tote to review for free from Green Ostrich. My opinions are my own.

Read my Preserve Tableware review here.